Refrigerator with TV and radio function

• US 8,303,058 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Ik-Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Joshua J
• Assistant Examiner(s): KWIECINSKI, RYAN D
• Application Number:
  US11/579,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20080024685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,748 Days
• Field of Search: 348/836, 621/25, 312/401, 361/679.01
• US Class Current: 312/401
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/12 Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/414 Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided that allows a user to watch a TV broadcast program or listen to a radio broadcast. The refrigerator includes a main controller that selects a TV function or a radio function according to a user'"'"'s request, a radio tuner that receives voice data included in a frequency band of a radio set when the radio function is selected by the main controller, a TV driving circuit that receives a TV broadcast program when the TV function is selected by the main controller and outputs image data and voice data included in the TV broadcast program, a TV screen that displays the image data, and a speaker that outputs the voice data included in the TV broadcast program or the voice data included in the frequency band.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

a main controller configured to select a TV function or a radio function according to a user'"'"'s request;

a radio tuner configured to receive voice data included in a frequency band of a radio set when the radio function is selected by the main controller;

a TV driving circuit configured to receive a TV broadcast program when the TV function is selected by the main controller and output image data and voice data included in the TV broadcast program;

a TV screen installed at a front surface of a refrigerator body and configured to display the image data;

a cooling fan installed at a rear surface of the TV screen and configured to externally release heat generated when the TV function or the radio function is selected; and

a speaker configured to output the voice data included in the TV broadcast program or the voice data included in the frequency band, wherein the main controller stores a select signal generated when a switch that selects the TV function or the radio function is turned on, and wherein when main power that controls the radio tuner and the TV driving circuit is newly applied according to a user'"'"'s request, the main controller automatically applies power to the TV driving circuit or to the radio tuner based on the stored select signal.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the radio tuner receives the voice data included in the frequency band selected by a user and controls a volume of the received voice data according to a volume control signal input by the user.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the main controller drives the cooling fan when a pre-set time elapses.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the main controller drives the cooling fan after controlling the TV driving circuit or the radio tuner.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the main controller immediately stops the cooling fan when an operation of the TV driving circuit and the radio tuner is stopped.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the main controller applies power to the cooling fan when a pre-set time elapses after a switch that applies power to the TV driving circuit or to the radio tuner is turned on.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the TV screen comprises a Liquid Crystal Display or a Plasma Display Panel.

8. A refrigerator, comprising:

a first display configured to display a temperature inside a refrigerator;

a main controller configured to select a TV function or a radio function according to a user'"'"'s request;

a radio tuner configured to receive voice data included in a frequency band of a radio set when the radio function is selected by the main controller;

a TV driving circuit configured to receive a TV broadcast program when the TV function is selected by the main controller and output image data and voice data included in the TV broadcast program;

a TV screen installed at a front surface of a refrigerator body and configured to display the image data;

a cooling fan installed at a rear surface of the TV screen and configured to externally release heat generated when the TV function or the radio function is selected;

a speaker configured to output the voice data included in the TV broadcast program or the voice data included in the frequency band; and

a second display configured to display the frequency band of the radio set and a volume of the voice data included in the frequency band, or display a TV channel number corresponding to the broadcast program and a volume of the voice data included in the broadcast program, wherein the main controller stores a select signal generated when a switch that selects the TV function or the radio function is turned on, and wherein when main power that controls the radio tuner and the TV driving circuit is newly applied according to a user'"'"'s request, the main controller automatically applies power to the TV driving circuit or to the radio tuner based on the stored select signal.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the main controller drives the cooling fan when a pre-set time elapses.

10. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the main controller drives the cooling fan after controlling the TV driving circuit or the radio tuner.

11. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the main controller applies power to the cooling fan when a pre-set time elapses after a switch that applies power to the TV driving circuit or to the radio tuner is turned on.

12. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the main controller immediately stops the cooling fan when an operation of the TV driving circuit and the radio tuner is stopped.

13. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the TV screen comprises a Liquid Crystal Display or a Plasma Display Panel.

14. A refrigerator, comprising:

a first display configured to display a temperature inside a refrigerator;

a main controller configured to select a TV function or a radio function according to a user'"'"'s request;

a radio tuner configured to receive voice data included in a frequency band of a radio set when the radio function is selected by the main controller;

a TV driving circuit configured to receive a TV broadcast program when the TV function is selected by the main controller and output image data and voice data included in the TV broadcast program;

a Liquid Crystal Display installed at a front surface of a refrigerator body and configured to display the image data;

a speaker configured to output the voice data included in the TV broadcast program or the voice data included in the frequency band;

a second display configured to display the frequency band of the radio set and a volume of the voice data included in the frequency band, or to display a TV channel number corresponding to the broadcast program and a volume of the voice data included in the broadcast program; and

a cooling fan installed at a rear surface of the Liquid Crystal Display and configured to externally release heat generated when the TV function or the radio function is selected, wherein when a switch that applies power to the TV driving circuit or to the radio tuner is turned on, the main controller applies power to the cooling fan after a pre-set time elapses, wherein when an operation of the TV driving circuit and the radio tuner is stopped, the main controller immediately stops the cooling fan, wherein the main controller stores a select signal generated when a switch that selects the TV function or the radio function is turned on, and wherein when main power that controls the radio tuner and the TV driving circuit is newly applied according to a user'"'"'s request, the main controller automatically applies power to the TV driving circuit or to the radio tuner based on the stored select signal.