Refrigerator having improved recognition rate of RFID tag

• US 7,315,247 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2005
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Hoon, Son, Chang Ho, Jung, Woon Sung, Park, You Na, Lee, Hye Rim
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/121,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20060125639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/568.1, 340/568.5, 340/568.7, 340/10.1, 340/540, 235/381, 235/385, 700/215, 700/225
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• 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: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil

Abstract

A refrigerator having improved recognition rate of RFID tags. Antennas of RFID readers are slantingly installed in walls of storage chambers, thereby increasing the recognition rate of the RFID tags attached to foods stored in the storage chambers.

Claims

1. A refrigerator having an improved recognition rate of RFID tags, comprising:

storage chambers; and

a plurality of RFID readers, each of which includes an antenna, for receiving data from the RFID tags attached to goods stored in the storage chambers,

wherein the antennas of the RFID readers are installed completely within walls of the storage chambers such that the antennas slant with respect to the walls at a designated angle.

2. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 1,

wherein slanting directions of the antennas differ according to the walls in which the RFID readers are installed.

3. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the antennas have coiled shapes, and loop planes of the antennas of the RFID readers installed in the side walls of the storage chambers slant in a longitudinal direction.

4. The refrigerator as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the antennas have coiled shapes, and loop planes of the antennas of the RFID readers installed in the rear walls of the storage chambers slant in a transverse direction.

5. A refrigerator having an improved recognition rate of RFID tags, comprising:

storage chambers; and

first RFID readers installed completely within side walls of the storage chambers for receiving data from the RFID tags attached to goods stored in the storage chambers; and

second RFID readers installed completely within rear walls of the storage chambers for receiving data from the RFID tags attached to the goods stored in the storage chambers,

wherein loop planes of antennas of the first RFID readers slant in a longitudinal direction, and loop planes of antennas of second RFID readers slant in a transverse direction.