Robot refrigerator and system having the same

• US 9,250,003 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Sangoh, Park, Sungil, Lee, Namgi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ROBERT T
• Application Number:
  US13/382,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,006 Days
• Field of Search: 700/259
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/00 Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/38 Refrigerating devices characterised by wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/04 by conveyors in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/003 for movable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices

Abstract

A robot refrigerator and a robot refrigerator system are provided. The robot refrigerator is remotely controlled. The robot refrigerator generates image information from a surrounding image and transmits the generated image information to a wireless communication device. The wireless communication device remotely controls the robot refrigerator, or monitors or remotely controls the robot refrigerator in real time, so that the robot refrigerator easily avoids an obstacle, and thus, minimizes a movement time of the robot refrigerator. Thus, user convenience and system reliability is improved.

Claims

1. A robot refrigerator, comprising:

a main body having a storage space therein and a plurality of wheels disposed at a lower portion thereof;

a first controller configured to control the robot refrigerator to start moving when a first remote control signal is received and transmit status information related to an inner status or an outer status of the robot refrigerator to an external device while the robot refrigerator is moving; and

a second controller configured to generate image information from a surrounding image and transmit the generated image information to the external device while the robot refrigerator is moving, wherein the first remote control signal includes a return signal for power charging of the main body or a call signal for calling the main body to a user, wherein the image information is generated by the second controller and transmitted to the external device when the first remote control signal corresponds to the call signal and the image information is not generated by the second controller when the first remote control signal corresponds to the return signal, wherein the external device generates a second remote control signal based on at least one of the status information or the generated image information, and wherein the first controller controls operation of the main body based on the second remote control signal.

2. The robot refrigerator of claim 1, further including:

a running motor provided in the main body that rotates the plurality of wheels to move the main body; and

a lifting motor provided in the main body that lifts and lowers the storage space.

3. The robot refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the first controller includes:

a running motor drive configured to drive the running motor based on the first or second remote control signal;

a lifting motor drive configured to drive the lifting motor;

a cooling device configured to adjust a temperature in an interior of the storage space; and

a first communication device configured to transmit the status information to the external device.

4. The robot refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the second controller includes:

an image processor configured to process the surrounding image to generate the image information; and

a second communication device configured to transmit the image information to the external device.

5. The robot refrigerator of claim 4, further including an obstacle detector configured to detect a nearby obstacle, wherein the first controller determines whether to move the robot refrigerator according to the presence or absence of the obstacle.

6. The robot refrigerator of claim 4, further including a power device connected to an external power source so as to be charged, that supplies power when the robot refrigerator is moving.

7. The robot refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the main body includes:

an output configured to output a current status of the robot refrigerator to an exterior; and

an input configured to directly receive a command from the exterior.

8. The robot refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the second remote control signal is generated based on the image information.

9. A robot refrigerator system, comprising:

a robot refrigerator having a main body that includes a storage space therein and a plurality of wheels provided at a lower portion thereof, wherein the robot refrigerator starts moving when a first remote control signal is received, and transmits current status information related to an inner status or an outer status of the robot refrigerator and image information according to a surrounding image while the robot refrigerator is moving, wherein the first remote control signal includes a return signal for power charging of the main body or a call signal for calling the main body to a user, wherein the image information is generated by a controller and transmitted to the external device when the first remote control signal corresponds to the call signal and the image information is not generated by the controller when the first remote control signal corresponds to the return signal; and

a wireless communication device configured to generate a second remote control signal based on at least one of the current status information or the image information of the robot refrigerator and transmit the second remote control signal to the robot refrigerator, wherein the robot refrigerator controls operation of the main body based on the second remote control signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the robot refrigerator includes:

a running motor that rotates the plurality of wheels to move the main body;

a lifting motor that lifts and lowers the storage space;

a running motor drive configured to drive the running motor based on the first or second remote control signal;

a lifting motor drive configured to drive the lifting motor;

a cooling device configured to adjust a temperature in an interior of the storage space;

a first communication device configured to transmit the current status information to the wireless communication device; and

a second communication device configured to transmit the image information to the wireless communication device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the robot refrigerator further includes an obstacle detector configured to detect a nearby obstacle.

13. The system of claim 10, Wherein the robot refrigerator further includes a power device connected to an external power source so as to be charged, that supplies power when the robot refrigerator is moving.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the robot refrigerator system further includes a power supply connected with the robot refrigerator, that supplies power to the robot refrigerator from an external power source, or charges the power device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the power supply includes a location signal generator configured to transmit an induction signal for inducing the robot refrigerator to return.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication device includes:

a third communication device configured to receive the current status information from the robot refrigerator and transmit the second remote control signal to the robot refrigerator; and

a fourth communication device configured to receive the image information from the robot refrigerator.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the third communication device and the fourth communication device perform transmission and reception through a wireless communication protocol.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication device further includes a display configured to display the received current status information and the image information.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication device is one of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a smartphone.

20. The system of claim 9, wherein the current status information includes at least one of an inner temperature of the robot refrigerator, an ambient temperature, an amount of storage items, or a remaining battery capacity.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication protocol of the first communication device and the wireless communication protocol of the second communication device are different from each other, and wherein the wireless communication protocol of the third communication device and the wireless communication protocol of the fourth communication device are different from each other.

11. The system of chum 10, wherein the first communication device and the second communication device perform transmission and reception through a wireless communication protocol.