JP2010261620A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator for performing wireless communication without increasing costs of a refrigerator body by using an inside lamp as an information transmitting means as necessary. <P>SOLUTION: This refrigerator includes a refrigerator control section 22 for detecting an inside state of the refrigerator 10 and controlling lighting and extinction of the inside lamp 23 according to the detection, a light receiving section 251 detecting the lighting and extinction of the inside lamp 23, a communicating device control section 253 determining the inside information from the lighting and extinction detected by the light receiving section 251, and a display input section 255 for displaying the inside information determined by the communicating device control device 253 to the external. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator including a communication device that expresses in-compartment information by turning on and off the interior lamp and transmits the in-compartment information to the outside.

  Conventionally, as a refrigerator, a refrigerator main body having an opening, a door for opening and closing the opening, a plurality of interior lamps arranged in the main body, and control for individually controlling lighting and extinction of the interior lighting The refrigerator which has a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature in a store and a warehouse is put into practical use.

  As a refrigerator having a function of prompting a warning or the like to a user by an internal lamp, for example, “having the above-mentioned plural internal lamps and the above-described control unit that individually controls lighting and extinction of each of the multiple internal lights. So, as a function of transmitting information such as warnings to the user by controlling the lighting and extinguishing of each of the above-mentioned interior lights, which has been used only for interior lighting in the past, individually In addition, there is a refrigerator in which lighting and extinguishing of each internal lamp can be patterned as a plurality of combinations and a plurality of information can be expressed by blinking of the different patterns (for example, Patent Documents) 1).

  Further, as a storage having weak light detection means in the storage, for example, “a storage body provided with a packing material provided around the inside of a door that opens and closes the opening of the storage chamber, and a position facing the packing material. There is a storage in which the sealing state of the packing material is detected by light sensed by the light detection means (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2008-75925 A (Claims 1, 3 and 3) JP 2008-70002 A (Claims 1 to 7)

In the refrigerator of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, since the refrigerator is open while the lighting and blinking patterns are being confirmed, there is a problem that the energy is not sufficient and the contents are exposed to warm air.
In the storage of said patent document 2, since it was necessary to provide a light detection means separately in a store | warehouse | chamber, there existed a problem that an additional cost generate | occur | produced.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of wireless communication without an increase in cost as a refrigerator body by using an interior lamp as an information transmission unit as necessary.

  The refrigerator according to the present invention includes a refrigerator main body in which an object to be stored is housed in an interior through an opening, a door that opens and closes the opening, an interior lamp provided in the interior, and the interior A first control unit that detects a state and controls the lighting and extinguishing of the internal lamp according to the status, and performs information communication by the internal lamp; and a light receiving unit that detects the lighting and extinguishing of the internal lamp; Based on the lighting and extinguishing of the interior lamp detected by the light receiving section, the second control section for obtaining the interior state and the interior state determined by the second control section can be recognized by the user And a display unit for displaying in various formats.

  In the present invention, by using an interior lamp that is usually used as interior illumination as an information transmitting means as necessary, the refrigerator main body can perform wireless communication without increasing the cost. Further, during communication, the communication device is placed in the cabinet and the door is closed to perform communication. Therefore, communication can be performed while being protected from external light such as a fluorescent lamp, so the communication stability is very high.

It is an external view of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a simple block diagram which shows the inside of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an external view which shows the refrigerator compartment inside the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention, (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view. It is an external view which shows the refrigerator compartment inside the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention, (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is an external view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
The refrigerator main body 10 of FIG. 1 includes a refrigerator compartment door 11, a display unit 12, an operation unit 13, an ice making chamber door 14, a switching chamber door 15, a vegetable compartment door 16, and a freezer compartment door 17.
The refrigerator body 10 is filled with a urethane heat insulating material, a vacuum heat insulating material, and the like between an outer box made of a steel plate having a shape whose front surface is opened and an inner box formed of a resin material such as ABS. The room is defined by a partition wall.

The refrigerator compartment door 11 is a door that opens right or left. The ice making room door 14, the switching room door 15, the vegetable room door 16 and the freezer room door 17 are drawer type doors and are configured to be openable and closable in the front-rear direction. The refrigerator compartment door 11 is provided with a display unit 12 and an operation unit 13. The display unit 12 has a segment display function using a panel such as an LCD or an organic EL or an LED, and has a function of displaying the operating state of the refrigerator 10 and various setting information. The operation unit 13 has a function of transmitting input information from the user to a refrigerator control unit 22 described later by a push button switch or a touch panel.
In the first embodiment, the display unit 12 and the operation unit 13 are mounted on the refrigerator compartment door 11, but may be configured to be mounted on the ice making chamber door 14, the switching chamber door 15, or the like.

FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing the inside of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
The inside of the refrigerator main body 10 in FIG. 2 includes a drive unit 21, a refrigerator control unit 22, an interior lamp 23, and a sensor unit 24.
The refrigerator control unit 22 processes various inputs from the outside and further controls operations of peripheral devices. The drive unit 21 performs various operations that match the characteristics of the refrigerator in accordance with the control signal from the refrigerator control unit 22. The interior lamp 23 is used as illumination inside the refrigerator, and further has a function as communication means. The sensor unit 24 includes a temperature sensor that detects the internal temperature.

  The refrigerator main body 10 has a communication device 25 as a component separated from the main body. The communication device 25 receives the internal information transmitted from the refrigerator main body 10. The communication device 25 includes a light receiving unit 251, an illuminance measurement unit 252, a communication device control unit 253, a drive unit 254, and a display input unit 255.

  The light receiving unit 251 detects light from the interior lamp 23. The illuminance measurement unit 252 measures the illuminance around the communication device 25. The communication device control unit 253 processes various inputs from the outside and controls operations of peripheral devices. The drive unit 254 performs basic operations for functioning as a communication device such as a power supply and a memory. The display input unit 255 displays information transmitted from the refrigerator 10 and inputs an operation desired by the user to the communication device 25.

An example of the operation when performing visible light communication in the refrigerator main body 10 configured as described above will be described.
First, before starting communication, the communication device 25 is installed in the refrigerator compartment and the refrigerator door 11 is closed. Next, the user instructs the refrigerator body 10 to start transmitting information. An instruction method for starting information transmission will be described later. The refrigerator main body 10 that has received an instruction to transmit information decodes the instruction information by the refrigerator control unit 22, selects information to be transmitted to the communication device 25, and logical values of 1 and 0 for performing visible light communication It converts into information and controls the interior lamp 23 with the information.

  The interior lamp 23 repeats ON and OFF of light according to the control from the refrigerator control unit 22 and transmits the interior information. In the communication device 25, the light ON / OFF is received by the light receiving unit 251, and the light ON / OFF is converted into a logical value of 1 and 0.

  The logical value information converted into 1 and 0 is transmitted to the communication device control unit 253, and the communication device control unit 253 converts the information into numerical information or character information. The converted information is transmitted to the display input unit 255 and displayed as character information or the like to the user. Furthermore, after all the information to be transmitted has been transmitted, the refrigerator control unit 22 causes the display unit 12 to display that the information transmission has been completed by blinking letters, numbers, or light. As a result, the user can recognize that the information transmission has been completed, take out the communication device 25 from the refrigerator compartment, and obtain information that requires confirmation from the refrigerator body 10.

  Here, control when the interior lamp 23 is provided in the refrigerator main body 10 will be described. When the number of the interior lamps 23 is one, the refrigerator control unit 22 converts the information to be transmitted into 1 and 0 logical value information for visible light communication. When the logical value is 0, the interior lamp 23 is turned off. Information is transmitted by repeating them.

  Next, control when a plurality of interior lamps 23 are provided in the refrigerator body 10 will be described. For the sake of explanation, it is assumed that there are four interior lamps 23, which are interior lamps A, B, C, and D, respectively. First, the refrigerator control unit 22 converts information to be transmitted into a logical value of 1 and 0 for visible light communication. When the logical value is 0, all the interior lights are turned off, and when the logical value is 1, Turn on the interior light A and keep the others off. After all the information to be transmitted is transmitted by the interior lamp A, the same information is transmitted by the interior lamp B by the same control. Then, it transmits with the interior lamp C and the interior lamp D. In this way, there is a method of transmitting information using all the plurality of interior lamps 23.

There is also a method of turning on or off a plurality of interior lamps 23 simultaneously during communication. For example, when communicating with the above-mentioned interior light A, the interior light B is simultaneously controlled to transmit information, and then the interior light C and interior light D are simultaneously controlled to transmit information. It may be a configuration.
Further, even when there are a plurality of interior lamps 23, it is not necessary to use all of them. For example, only interior lamps A, B, and D are used for information transmission, and interior lamp C is always OFF when transmitting information. It does not matter.

  Thus, the number of interior lamps 23 used for information transmission may be either singular or plural. When a plurality of interior lamps 23 are provided, it is not always necessary to use all the interior lamps 23, and the interior lamps 23 used for transmission may be arbitrarily selected. Further, any number of interior lamps 23 may be provided in any room of the refrigerator main body 10.

  In the above, a method for easily transmitting information by turning on and off the interior lamp 23 is shown. However, general methods such as OOK (on-off polarization modulation), ASK (amplitude shift keying), or FSK (frequency shift keying) are used. The configuration may be such that communication is performed using a method using simple modulation.

  Next, an example of a trigger for starting information transmission will be described. As the simplest example, there is a method of starting communication by the operation unit 13. After putting the communication device 25 in the cabinet and closing the door, the user operates the operation unit 13 to instruct the refrigerator body 10 to start communication. Receiving the command, the refrigerator main body 10 starts communication and controls ON / OFF of the interior lamp 23. Information from the refrigerator 10 can be received when the light receiving unit 251 of the communication device 25 receives the ON / OFF of the interior lamp 23.

  In the above description, the method of starting communication by the operation unit 13 has been described. However, a method of forcibly starting communication when the power source of the refrigerator main body 10 is turned from OFF to ON may be used. At this time, the power ON / OFF may be a switch different from that of the operation unit 13 or may be a timing at which the power itself is supplied to the refrigerator main body 10 through an outlet. Furthermore, in the refrigerator equipped with the interior light 23, the communication may be started regardless of the presence or absence of the communication device 25 at the timing when the interior door of any room is switched to open / close. Absent.

  As an example of starting communication by control from the communication device 25, a method of using a temperature sensor provided in the sensor unit 24 of the refrigerator body 10 will be described. The user operates the display input unit 255 provided in the communication device 25 to set the communication device 25 to the reception mode. And the communication apparatus 25 is put in the inside of the refrigerator main body 10, and a door is closed. The communication device 25 in the reception mode raises the surface temperature of a portion where the communication device 25 is present by the driving unit 254. The refrigerator body 10 measures the temperature in the cabinet including the communication device 25 by the sensor unit 24, and starts communication when an object having a temperature equal to or higher than the set temperature is detected. The set temperature may be a fixed value set in advance in the refrigerator main body 10 or may be a method in which the user sets using the operation unit 13 of the refrigerator main body 10 before starting communication. Moreover, although the example which raises temperature was shown in this example, the system which starts communication, when temperature is lowered and it falls below preset temperature may be sufficient.

  The brightness of the interior lamp 23 during communication will be described. In general, the brightness of the interior lamp 23 of the refrigerator main body 10 is constant, but when information is transmitted, the brightness may be the same as that in normal times, or the brightness may be changed. I do not care. Furthermore, the brightness of the interior lamp 23 during communication may be set in the refrigerator body 10 in advance, or may be configured by the user controlling the operation unit 13 during communication. Moreover, the structure which the communication apparatus 25 sets brightness with the communication start signal by the temperature demonstrated previously may be sufficient.

  An operation when communication is terminated will be described. The refrigerator main body 10 that has started communication controls the interior lamp 23 and transmits information to the communication device 25. After all the information has been transmitted, the refrigerator control unit 22 turns off the interior lamp 23 and controls the display unit 12 to display that the communication has been completed. With the control from the refrigerator control unit 22, the display unit 12 informs, for example, that the communication has been completed by letters. If the display unit 12 is not configured with a device capable of displaying characters, the end of communication may be notified by the brightness, color, and blinking pattern of the display unit 12.

  In the above description, the method of notifying the user of the end of communication by the display unit 12 at the end of communication has been described. However, the refrigerator control unit 22 controls the drive unit 21, and a communication device 25 such as a refrigerator compartment door is installed to perform communication. It may be configured to notify the end of communication by physically opening the door of the room. Alternatively, it may be a method of physically opening another door by communication success / failure.

  As described above, since the interior lamp 23 that is normally used as interior lighting is used as a means for communicating the interior information, no additional hardware is required on the refrigerator 10 side, thereby reducing costs. It is possible to easily communicate with the outside. Furthermore, since communication is performed by closing the door of the refrigerator main body 10, high-quality communication can be performed without being affected by disturbance. In addition, since it is possible to communicate with the interior door closed, the cool air in the interior does not leak to the outside during communication, so it has an ecological effect that does not use unnecessary cool air, and deterioration of stored items. It is possible to provide a refrigerator capable of communication with as little as possible.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the above-described first embodiment, the case in which the interior light of the refrigerator main body 10 is transmitted to the outside using the interior light 23 that is the interior illumination has been described. However, in the second embodiment, the communication quality is further increased. A refrigerator having an internal structure that can be easily communicated by a user will be described.

FIG. 3 is an external view showing the inside of the refrigerator compartment door of the refrigerator body 20 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. 3A is an external view seen from the front, and FIG. 3B is an external view seen from the side.
The refrigerator body 20 includes a wrinkled portion 31 for diffusing light, a light blocking portion 32 for blocking light, and a wrinkle-free portion 33. By having the wrinkle-free portion 33, the light from the interior lamp 23 can easily reach the light receiving portion 251 of the communication device 25, and the communication reliability is improved. Further, in this example, an example in which the wrinkle present part 31, the light shielding part 32, and the wrinkleless part 33 are all mixed is described, but the structure has only the wrinkle free part 33, the wrinkle present part 31, and the wrinkle free part 33. Also good.

  In FIG. 4, a part of the embossed portion 31 can be removed as a panel configuration, and the appearance is the same as that of the embossed portion 31 at normal times, but when performing communication, the panel is removed and the interior light 23 is received. It has been made easier. Moreover, you may make it the structure which makes it easy to receive the interior lamp | ramp 23 not by removal but by the structure which a panel opens and closes, or opens and closes like a door.

  In addition, a configuration in which a mark or the like is applied to a portion most suitable for the communication device 25 to receive light from the interior lamp 23 during communication is also conceivable. For example, in the example of FIG. 3, since the most suitable for receiving the light from the interior lamp 23 is in the immediate vicinity of the wrinkle-free portion 33, a mark is described in this portion. Examples of this mark include abstract items such as ◎ and Δ, company names such as “MITSUBISHI”, mascots, and symbol marks. Further, in addition to the mark, it may be configured to replace the marking by changing the surrounding color.

  As described above, it is possible to perform communication with high quality and stability by adopting an internal configuration that efficiently receives the light of the interior lamp 23 for communication and making the place where the communication device 25 is installed easy to understand. Thus, it is possible to provide a refrigerator in which the user can easily do this.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Refrigerator, 11 Refrigeration room door, 12 Display part, 13 Operation part, 14 Ice making room door, 15 Switching room door, 16 Vegetable room door, 17 Freezing room door, 21 Drive part, 22 Refrigerator control part, 23 Interior light, 25 communication device, 31 wrinkled portion, 32 shading portion, 33 wrinkle-free portion, 34 wrinkled panel portion, 251 light receiving portion, 252 illuminance measurement portion, 253 communication device control portion, 254 drive portion, 255 display input portion.

Claims (12)

A refrigerator main body in which the items to be stored are stored in the cabinet through the opening;
A door that opens and closes the opening;
An interior lamp provided in the interior;
A first control unit that detects the internal state, controls the lighting and extinguishing of the internal light accordingly, and performs information communication by the internal light;
A light receiving unit for detecting the lighting and extinguishing of the interior light;
A second control unit for determining the internal state based on lighting and extinguishing of the internal light detected by the light receiving unit;
And a display unit that displays the internal state obtained by the second control unit in a form recognizable to a user. A communication device including the light receiving unit, the second control unit, and the display unit as a separate body,
The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is installed inside the refrigerator. The refrigerator has a sensor unit for detecting a temperature change in the cabinet,
The communication device has a heating or cooling means for changing a temperature of a part of the surface of the communication device based on a command from the second control unit,
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein information communication by the interior lamp is started when the sensor unit detects the temperature change. The information communication by the said interior lamp is started by supplying power to the said refrigerator. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2 characterized by things. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein information communication by the interior lamp is started when the door closes the opening. The refrigerator has a main body display that indicates the operating status of the refrigerator main body,
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein when the information communication by the interior lamp is completed, a sign of communication completion is displayed on the main body display unit in a form that can be recognized by a user. . The refrigerator includes a drive unit that opens a door that opens and closes the opening,
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein when the information communication by the interior lamp is completed, the door of the storage chamber in which the communication device is stored is opened by the drive unit. The number of the interior lamps can be arbitrarily selected, and when a plurality of interior lamps are provided, the first control unit turns on and off the plurality of interior lights simultaneously or at different timings. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, when information communication is performed using the interior light, the illuminance of the interior light is set to be stronger or weaker than the illuminance for interior illumination. . The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a panel having an embossed portion provided in the vicinity of the interior light is removable. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a panel having a textured portion provided in the vicinity of the interior light is slidable or openable. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein a position suitable for installation of the communication device is clearly indicated by a mark in the refrigerator.

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