Household appliance with a biometric person-identifying device

• US 20070273475A9
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Neumann, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/040,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20050151620A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.520
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0049 Detection or prevention of malfunction, including accident prevention arrangements to prevent clogging of filters A47L15/4208; safety arrangements for preventing water damage A47L15/421
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/34 Other automatic detections
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/22 Loading doors, e.g. door latches, inflatable door seals
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/04 Sensors detecting the presence of a person
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 Fingerprints or palmprints

Abstract

A household appliance, such as a refrigerator or freezer, having a door and a locking device on the door. The locking device is controlled by a biometric person-identifying device. The biometric identification can be based on recognition of at least one of the person'"'"'s fingerprint, voice characteristics or iris pattern.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A household appliance, comprising:

at least one interior space closed by an appliance door;

a locking device for said appliance door for locking said interior space with said appliance door; and

a biometric person-identifying device for controlling said locking device.

16. The household appliance according to claim 15, including said biometric person-identifying device for controlling said locking device to unlock said appliance door.

17. The household appliance according to claim 15, including said locking device is configured to lock said appliance door automatically upon closing said interior space by said appliance door.

18. The household appliance according to claim 15, including said biometric person-identifying device for controlling said locking device to lock said appliance door.

19. The household appliance according to claim 15, including said biometric person-identifying device is operated by a fingerprint recording device.

20. The household appliance according to claim 15, including said biometric person-identifying device is operated by a speech recording device.

21. The household appliance according to claim 15, including said biometric person-identifying device is operated by an iris recording device.

22. The household appliance according to claim 15, further including a safety device for unlocking said applicance door and said safety device includes a sensor for recording movements in said interior space.

23. The household appliance according to claim 22, including said sensor is constructed as a pressure sensor for recording any deformation of an interior wall of said interior space.

24. The household appliance according to claim 22, including said sensor is constructed as a strain gauge for recording any deformation of an interior wall of said interior space.

25. The household appliance according to claim 15, including said locking device is configured such that said appliance door remains locked in a powerless state.

26. The household appliance according to claim 15, further including a buffer current supply device to power at least said biometric person-identifying device during a power failure.

27. The household appliance according to claim 26, further including a safety device for unlocking said appliance door and said buffer current supply device powers said biometric person-identifying device and said safety device during a power failure.

28. The household appliance according to claim 22, including said buffer current supply device powers said safety device during a power failure.

29. The household appliance according to claim 15, including said household appliance is one of a refrigerator and a freezer.

30. A method for locking an interior space of a household appliance having an appliance door, comprising:

closing the interior space with the appliance door;

locking said interior space with said appliance door; and

providing a biometric person-identifying device for controlling said locking device.

31. The method according to claim 30, including providing a safety device for unlocking said appliance door and providing said safety device with a sensor for recording movements in said interior space and unlocking said appliance door when movements in said interior space are sensed.

32. The method according to claim 31, including providing a backup power device and supplying power to said biometric person-identifying device and said safety device during a power failure.

33. A household appliance, comprising:

at least one interior space closed by an appliance door;

a locking device for said appliance door for locking said interior space with said appliance door;

a biometric person-identifying device for controlling the locking and unlocking of said locking device; and

said biometric person-identifying device is operated by at least one of a fingerprint recording device, a speech recording device and an iris recording device.

34. The household appliance according to claim 33, further including a safety device for unlocking said appliance door and said safety device includes a sensor for recording movements in said interior space and said sensor is constructed as a pressure sensor for recording any deformation of an interior wall of said interior space.