REFRIGERATOR AND CAMERA SYSTEM THEREOF

• US 20180202709A1
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Published: 07/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: CHEN, CHIA-HUNG, XIE, LIANG, YANG, SHUN-CHUAN
• Application Number:
  US15/450,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20180202709A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/06 Stock management
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/06 Sensors detecting the presence of a product
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a refrigerator. The refrigerator comprises a main body, at least one door connecting to the main body, and a camera system disposed on the door. The main body comprises a plurality of compartments for storing food. The camera system comprises a plurality of camera modules respectively facing the plurality of compartments. Each of the camera modules comprises a first camera unit and a second camera unit to take at least one image of the corresponding compartment.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

a main body comprising a plurality of compartments for storing food;

at least one door connecting to the main body; and

a camera system disposed on the door;

wherein the camera system comprises a plurality of camera modules respectively facing the plurality of compartments; and

each of the camera modules comprises a first camera unit and a second camera unit to take at least one image of the corresponding compartment.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the first camera unit and the second camera unit have an angle of view greater than or equal to 88 degrees.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a first wall and a second wall;

the door comprises a first side and a second side; and

the first wall of the main body and the first side of the door are connected by a shaft.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the door comprises an inner surface and an outer surface;

when the door is closed, the inner surface of the door is facing the plurality of compartments; and

the plurality of camera modules is disposed on the inner surface of the door.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the inner surface of the door comprises a first protrusion rib adjacent to the first side, and a second protrusion rib located close to the second side;

the first camera units of the plurality of the camera modules are disposed along a longitudinal direction of the first protrusion rib; and

the second camera units of the plurality of the camera modules are disposed along a longitudinal direction of the second protrusion rib.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the first camera units and the second camera units are disposed with a left tilting angle with respect to the corresponding compartments.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the left tilting angle of the first camera units is greater than the left tilting angle of the second camera units.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the left tilting angle of the first camera units is 45 degrees;

and the left tilting angle of the second camera units is 20 to 30 degrees.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the at least one door comprises a first door and a second door;

a width of the first door is greater that a width of the second door; and

the plurality of camera modules is disposed on the first door.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprises an image processing module and a transmission module;

the image processing module processes the images taken by the first camera unit and the second camera unit to form a combined image; and

the transmission module transmits the combined image to a mobile device.