Automatic refrigerator system, refrigerator, automatic cooking system, and microwave oven

• US 6,892,545 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakano, Shigeru, Ishikawa, Toshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US09/959,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20020157411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 621/61, 621/62, 621/25, 621/26, 621/27, 621/29, 621/30, 62/60, 621/31, 340/584, 340/585, 340/588
• US Class Current: 62/126
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/14 of tags , labels, cards, coupons, decorations or the like B65D23/008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/42 Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4233 Cards, coupons, labels or the like formed separately from the container or lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/24 Inserts or accessories added or incorporated during filling of containers opening devices B65D77/30
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/36 Visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/00 Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/08 Sensors using Radio Frequency Identification [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6441 allowing the input of coded operation instructions, e.g. bar code reader

Abstract

An automatic cold-storage system includes a food package (22) provided with a noncontact IC tag (11), and a refrigerator (31) for storing the food package (22). Information is read from the noncontact IC tag (11) by a noncontact IC tag reader (12) and is compiled to a database (31c). A managing means (31b) controls the refrigerator (31) on the basis of information contained in the database (31c). The managing means (31b) makes a display device (14) display a warning on the basis of information read by the noncontact IC tag reader (12).

Claims

1. An automatic cold-storage system comprising:

a food package provided with a noncontact IC tag storing information about a food contained in the food package, and

a refrigerator for storing the food package;

wherein the refrigerator is provided with a noncontact IC tag reader for reading the information from the noncontact IC tag, and the refrigerator has a managing means for cold-storing the food package under optimum cold-storing conditions on the basis of information read from the noncontact IC tag by the noncontact IC tag reader.

2. The automatic cold-storage system according to claim 1, wherein

the refrigerator is provided with a display device, and the managing means makes the display device display information on the basis of the information about the food recorded on the noncontact IC tag.

3. The automatic cold-storage system according to claim 2, wherein

the information about the food includes a time limit for consumption and a time limit for relishing the food, and the managing means makes the display device give a warning when the time limit for consumption or the time limit for relishing is drawing.

4. The automatic cold-storage system according to claim 2, wherein

the information about the food includes a time limit for consumption, a time limit for relishing the food and a quantity of the food, and the managing means makes the display device display proposed menus or proposed articles to be purchased on the basis of the information about the time limit for consumption, the time limit for relishing and the quantity of the food.

5. An automatic cold-storage system comprising:

a food package provided with a noncontact RF-ID tag storing information about a food contained in the food package, and

a refrigerator for cold-storing the food package;

wherein the refrigerator is provided with a noncontact RF-ID tag reader for reading the information from the RF-ID tag, and a database containing information read by the noncontact RF-ID tag reader, and

the information contained in the database can be read by an external personal digital assistant.

6. The automatic cold-storage system according to claim 5, wherein

the information contained in the database is read through a mobile transmission network or the Internet.

7. A refrigerator for containing and cold-storing a food package provided with a noncontact IC tag, comprising:

a noncontact IC tag reader for reading information from the noncontact IC tag, and

a managing means for cold-storing the food on the basis of information read from the noncontact IC tab by the noncontact IC tag reader under optimum conditions.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 further comprising a display device;

wherein the managing means makes the display device display information on the basis of information about the food and storage conditions recorded on the noncontact IC tag.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein

the information about the food includes a time limit for consumption and a time limit for relishing the food, and

the managing means makes the display device display the information when the time limit for consumption or the time limit for relishing is drawing.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein

the information about the food includes a time limit for consumption, a time limit for relishing and the quantity of the food, and

the managing means makes the display device display proposed menus or proposed articles to be purchased on the basis of the information about the time limit for consumption, the time limit for relishing and the quantity of the food.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 7 further comprising:

a database containing information read by the noncontact IC tag reader.

12. A refrigerator for containing and cold-storing a food package provided with a noncontact RF-ID tag storing information about a food contained in the food package, comprising:

a refrigerating unit,

a reader attached to the refrigerating unit and capable of reading information from the noncontact RF-ID tag, and

a database containing information read by the reader.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12 further comprising a display device for displaying information read from the database.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein

the database is included in a home server or a personal computer.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein

the reader is attached to an outer surface of the refrigerating unit and is capable of reading and writing operations.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein

the reader is disposed inside the refrigerating unit.