Television-watchable refrigerator system and method for operating the same

• US 7,262,810 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jung Ho, Chang, Jae Won, Cho, Jin Cheol, Kang, Sang Hyuk, Roh, Young Hoon, Kim, Pan Su, Kim, Sang Mahn
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIR, JEAN WICEL
• Application Number:
  US10/677,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20040070696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 348/552, 348/553, 348/836, 621/26, 621/27, 710/8, 710/15, 455/151.2, 455/555, 345/156, 345/169, 725/81, 725/78, 725/133, 725/141, 725/153
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 9/00 Remote-control of tuned circuits; Combined remote-control of tuning and other functions, e.g. brightness, amplification mechanical remote-control arrangements H03J1/00 ; using a microprocessor H03J1/0025; constructional details of remote control switching devices H01H9/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A television-watchable refrigerator system and a method for operating the same. A Web pad is detachably mounted on the outer surface of a refrigerator and a television (TV) module or TV antenna module is provided to receive a television signal and wirelessly transmit the received television signal to the Web pad, thereby removing a need for wiring to provide a wired connection of the refrigerator with a television antenna terminal. The TV module or TV antenna module is connected with a television set or television antenna terminal to receive a television signal therefrom and wirelessly transmit the received television signal to the Web pad. The Web pad is detachably mounted on the outer surface of the refrigerator to wirelessly receive the television signal from the TV module or TV antenna module and display it.

Claims

1. A television-watchable refrigerator system comprising:

a Web pad detachably mounted on an outer surface of a refrigerator, said Web pad receiving at least one of a refrigerator control command and a television control command inputted by a user;

a refrigerator controller that displays a controlled result based on said refrigerator control command through said Web pad and controlling the operation of the refrigerator; and

a television module connected with a television set, said television module receiving a television signal corresponding to said television control command from said television set, wirelessly transmitting the received television signal to said Web pad so that it can be displayed through said Web pad, and transferring said television control command input through said Web pad to said television set.

2. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said Web pad includes:

an input unit for receiving said refrigerator control command or television control command inputted by the user;

a refrigerator controller interface for wirelessly transmitting said refrigerator control command input through said input unit to said refrigerator controller and receiving said controlled result based on said refrigerator control command wirelessly transmitted from said refrigerator controller;

a wireless communication interface for wirelessly transmitting said television control command input through said input unit to said television module, wirelessly receiving said television signal corresponding to said television control command from said television module and processing the received television signal so that it is displayable; and

a display unit for displaying said controlled result received by said refrigerator controller interface and said television signal processed by said wireless communication interface.

3. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said wireless communication interface includes:

a television signal receiver for receiving said television signal wirelessly transmitted from said television module;

a television signal processor for separating said television signal received by said television signal receiver into a video signal and an audio signal and transferring the separated video and audio signals to said display unit; and

a control command-transmitter for wirelessly transmitting said television control command input through said input unit to said television module.

4. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a remote controller for remotely inputting commands related to television watching,

wherein said control command transmitter is configured to receive a television control command input from said remote controller and wirelessly transmit the received television control command to said television module.

5. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said television module includes:

a television connector connected with said television set for transmitting and receiving signals to and from said television set;

a control command receiver for receiving said television control command wirelessly transmitted from said Web pad and transferring it to said television set; and

a television signal transmitter for wirelessly transmitting said television signal corresponding to said television control command from said television set to said Web pad.

6. A television-watchable refrigerator system comprising:

a Web pad detachably mounted on an outer surface of a refrigerator, said Web pad receiving at least one of a refrigerator control command and television control command input by a user;

a refrigerator controller that displays a controlled result based on said refrigerator control command through the Web pad and controlling the entire operation of the refrigerator; and

a television antenna module connected to a television antenna terminal, said television antenna module receiving a television signal from said television antenna terminal, tuning to the received television signal in response to said television control command input through said Web pad and wirelessly transmitting the tuned television signal to said Web pad.

7. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said Web pad includes:

an input unit for receiving said refrigerator control command or television control command input by the user;

a refrigerator controller interface for wirelessly transmitting said refrigerator control command input through said input unit to said refrigerator controller and receiving said controlled result based on said refrigerator control command wirelessly transmitted from said refrigerator controller;

a wireless communication interface for wirelessly transmitting said television control command input through said input unit to said television antenna module, wirelessly receiving said television signal corresponding to said television control command from said television antenna module and processing the received television signal so that it is displayable; and

a display unit for displaying said controlled result received by said refrigerator controller interface and said television signal processed by said wireless communication interface.

8. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said wireless communication interface includes:

a television signal receiver for receiving said television signal wirelessly transmitted from said television antenna module;

a television signal processor for separating said television signal received by said television signal receiver into a video signal and an audio signal and transferring the separated video and audio signals to said display unit; and

a control command transmitter for wirelessly transmitting said television control command input through said input unit to said television antenna module.

9. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said television signal processor is adapted to decode a compressed/encoded television signal received by said television signal receiver.

10. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a remote controller for remotely inputting commands related to television watching,

wherein said control command transmitter is configured to receive a television control command inputted from said remote controller and wirelessly transmit the received television control command to said television antenna module.

11. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said television antenna module includes:

an antenna terminal connector connected to said television antenna terminal for receiving said television signal therefrom;

a control command receiver for wirelessly receiving said television control command from said Web pad;

a television tuner for tuning to said television signal received by said antenna terminal connector in response to said television control command received by said control command receiver; and

a television signal transmitter for wirelessly transmitting said television signal tuned by said television tuner to said Web pad.

12. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said television antenna module further includes a digital compressor for compressing/encoding said television signal tuned by said television tuner.

13. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a remote controller for remotely inputting commands related to television watching,

wherein said television antenna module further includes a remote command receiver for receiving a television control command transmitted from said remote controller.

14. The television-watchable refrigerator system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said television antenna module further includes a tuner controller for controlling said television tuner in response to said television control command received by one of said control command receiver and said remote command receiver such that said television tuner performs tuning operation based on said television control command.

15. A method for operating a television-watchable refrigerator system, comprising:

detachably mounting a Web pad on an outer surface of a refrigerator and inputting at least one of a refrigerator control command and a television control command through the Web pad;

receiving a television signal from one of a television set and television antenna terminal in response to the input television control command and wirelessly transmitting the received television signal to the Web pad;

performing a signal separation/decoding operation with respect to the wirelessly transmitted television signal so that the television signal can be displayed through the Web pad; and

displaying the displayable television signal through said Web pad.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein receiving includes compressing/encoding the television signal received from one of the television set and the television antenna terminal to enable rapid wireless transmission thereof.

17. The method as set forth in claim 15, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting the input refrigerator control command to a refrigerator controller controlling the peration of the refrigerator;

performing a control operation in response to the wirelessly transmitted refrigerator control command and wirelessly transmitting the controlled result information to the Web pad; and

displaying the wirelessly transmitted controlled result information through said Web pad.