Refrigerator having a camera and method of operating the same based on position of a door

• US 9,860,491 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Sehwan, Hong, Samnyol, Kwon, Sungdu
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jay Au
• Assistant Examiner(s): Matt, Marnie
• Application Number:
  US14/255,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20140313328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/06 Stock management
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/02 Sensors detecting door opening
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A refrigerator may include a detection device that detects at least one of a position or movement of a door of the refrigerator, a camera to capture an image of an area inside the refrigerator, and a controller to control the camera to capture the image based on the detected position or movement of the door. A start of a door opening operation and a door closing operation may be detected based on the detected position or movement of the door. When the door opening operation is detected, the camera is controlled to operate in a standby mode, and when the door closing operation is detected, an angle of the door is compared with a reference angle. When the angle of the door is less than the reference angle, the camera is controlled to operate in a photographing mode to capture the image of the area inside refrigerator.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a detection device that detects at least one of a position or movement of a door of the refrigerator;

a camera to capture an image of an area to store food inside the refrigerator;

a controller to control the camera to capture the image based on the detected position or movement of the door, and

a communication interface, wherein when a request for an image from an external terminal is received at the communication interface, the controller controls to transmit the captured image or a stored image of the area inside the refrigerator captured by the camera to the external terminal in response to the request from the external terminal such that a user can see the image, wherein

a start of a door opening operation and a door closing operation is detected based on the detected position or movement of the door,

when the door opening operation is detected, the camera is controlled to operate in a standby mode,

when the door closing operation is detected, an angle of the door is compared with a reference angle,

when the angle of the door is less than the reference angle, the camera is controlled to operate in a photographing mode to capture the image of the area inside refrigerator, and

wherein the standby mode is an operational mode of the camera in which the camera is powered on and stands by ready to photograph and the photographing mode is an operational mode of the camera in which the camera is powered on and controlled to capture an image.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a storage device that stores the image of the refrigerator captured by the camera.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a display that displays the captured image or the stored image according to a user input.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the external terminal is at least one of a mobile phone, PDA, tablet, laptop computer or a desktop computer.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein when a request for an image from an external server is received at the communication interface, the controller controls to transmit the captured image or the stored image to the external server in response to the request from the external server, and receive information related to contents of the refrigerator according to an analysis of the image from the external server.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the information related to contents of the refrigerator includes at least one of a list of goods lacking in the refrigerator or information for recipes using goods stored in the refrigerator.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, further including a display, wherein at least one of the list of goods or information for recipes received from the external server are displayed on the display.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, prior to determining whether the position or movement of the door corresponds to the door closing operation, detecting a door opening operation based on the detected position or movement of the door, and the controller controlling the camera to operate in a standby mode when the door opening operation is detected.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the reference angle corresponds to a minimum angle of the door at which the area inside the refrigerator to be photographed is not obstructed by the door.

10. A method of operating a refrigerator having a camera, the method comprising:

detecting, at a sensor, a position and movement of a door of the refrigerator;

determining whether the position and movement of the door corresponds to a door opening operation;

controlling the camera to operate in a standby mode when the door opening operation is detected;

determining, at a controller, whether the position and movement of the door corresponds to a door closing operation;

comparing an angle of the door with a reference angle during the door closing operation; and

capturing, at a camera mounted inside the refrigerator, an image of an area to store food inside the refrigerator in a photographing mode when the angle of the door is less than the reference angle; and

receiving a request for an image from an external terminal; and

transmitting the captured image or a stored image of the area inside the refrigerator captured by the camera to the external terminal in response to the request from the external terminal such that a user can see the image.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising storing the image of the refrigerator.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a user input for displaying the image of the area inside the refrigerator; and

displaying the captured image or the stored image according to the received user input.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the external terminal is at least one of a mobile phone, PDA, tablet, laptop computer or a desktop computer.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request for an image from an external server;

transmitting the captured image or the stored image to the external server in response to the request from the external server; and

receiving information related to contents of the refrigerator according to an analysis of the image from the external server.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the information related to contents of the refrigerator includes at least one of a list of goods lacking in the refrigerator or information for recipes using goods stored in the refrigerator.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising displaying at least one of the list of goods or information for recipes received from the external server.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the reference angle corresponds to a minimum angle of the door at which the area inside the refrigerator to be photographed is not obstructed by the door.