KR100557436B1 - Refrigerator and method for managing stores therein - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a storage management method of the refrigerator having a cabinet forming at least one cooling chamber, a door installed in the cabinet. The refrigerator includes a display unit installed at the front of the door; A selection unit for operating the display unit; An input unit for inputting storage information of the cooling chamber; A memory unit; A communication unit capable of information communication with a predetermined external computer; When the storage information inputted to the input unit is stored in the memory unit, the information stored in the memory unit is displayed on the display unit according to the selection of the selection unit, and when the storage information stored in the memory unit reaches a predetermined requirement. And a control unit providing the stored information to the external computer through the communication unit. As a result, a refrigerator and a storage management method of the refrigerator are provided which can notify the storage inventory information of the refrigerator and provide information necessary for the storage management to the outside.

Description

REFRIGERATOR AND METHOD FOR MANAGING STORES THEREIN}

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to the present invention;

2 is a control block diagram of a refrigerator according to the present invention;

3 is an initial screen of a display apparatus according to the present invention;

4 is a plan view of a barcode reader according to the present invention;

5 is a plan view of the storage management function screen of the display unit of FIG.

6 is a screen for checking the stock of the stock according to the invention,

7 is a flow chart of the storage release and ordering process according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

4 display unit 41 display unit

5: barcode reader 42: selection

6: telephone connection 43: selection button
7: control unit 51: barcode scanner

8: memory

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The present invention relates to a storage management method of a refrigerator and a refrigerator, and more particularly, to easily determine inventory of a storage stored in the refrigerator and to provide information required for managing the storage to an external computer as needed. It relates to a refrigerator and a storage management method of the refrigerator.

As food consumption is diversified gradually and the busy life is purchased, a large amount of food is purchased at a time, and as the refrigerator becomes larger and stores many stores, inventory management of the stores becomes difficult.

For foods that have a short shelf life and are frequently consumed or foods that need to be kept in proper stock at all times, for example, milk, vegetables, rice, seasonings, etc., open the refrigerator to check the stock of food and purchase accordingly. The inventory of the food should be kept in place, either by listing the food and visiting the store in a timely manner or by purchasing through communication.

However, adequate management of a growing variety of foods in a busy modern society requires considerable effort and time, or the purchase of more than necessary foods does not result in fresh and economical food consumption, the timing of purchase There is a problem in that inconvenience due to lack of inventory of the necessary food due to the delayed period.

Therefore, if there is a system where purchase is made at the right time to grasp the stock of food stored in the refrigerator and maintain the proper stock, fresh and economical food consumption will be possible, which will be a very useful tool for busy modern life.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator and a storage management method of a refrigerator in which stocks of stocks can be easily grasped by a refrigerator and necessary stocks can be ordered through a communication device.

According to the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator having a cabinet for forming at least one cooling chamber and a door installed in the cabinet, the refrigerator comprising: a display unit installed at a front surface of the door; A selection unit for operating the display unit; An input unit for inputting storage information of the cooling chamber; A memory unit; A communication unit capable of information communication with a predetermined external computer; When the storage information inputted to the input unit is stored in the memory unit, the information stored in the memory unit is displayed on the display unit according to the selection of the selection unit, and when the storage information stored in the memory unit reaches a predetermined requirement. It is achieved by a refrigerator including a control unit for providing information required for the storage management to an external computer through the communication unit.

Here, the input unit is a barcode reader, the bar code analysis information is stored in the memory unit, and the control unit preferably interprets the stored information input to the bar code reader using the bar code analysis information.

The display unit can be simply configured as an LCD.

The communication unit preferably includes at least one of a telephone connection unit including a modem and an internet connection unit connected to the internet network.

On the other hand, the object is, according to another field of the present invention, the storage management method of the refrigerator, the input step of inputting the information of the storage; A storage step of storing the storage information of the input step; If the storage information of the storage step is a predetermined requirement, it is also achieved by the storage management method of the refrigerator including an information providing step of providing information necessary for managing the storage to an external computer through a communication device.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to the present invention, wherein the refrigerator has a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment partitioned left and right in a rectangular cylindrical cabinet 1 having a front opening. The refrigerator compartment door 3 and the freezer compartment door 2 are attached to the front of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment, respectively. In one region of the freezer door 2, a display device 4 for displaying a state of the refrigerator and a list of stored goods and selecting a display function is installed, and a barcode reader for entering stored information is provided below the display device 4 There is (5). Also on the side wall of the cabinet 1 is a telephone connection 6 including a modem for connecting to an external computer.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1. First, the memory unit 8 stores bar code analysis information for analyzing a bar code and an appropriate inventory range of each storage. The storage information input / exported to the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment is input to the barcode reader 5 and sent to the control unit 7, and the control unit 7 transmits the storage information received from the barcode reader 5 to the memory unit 8. The stored barcode analysis information is used to display on the display unit 41 and stored in the memory unit 8. According to the selection of the display function of the selector 42, the controller 7 displays a list and inventory of the stored information stored in the memory 8 on the display 41. The controller 7 grasps the inventory of the stock when the inventory of the stock changes and compares it with the appropriate inventory range of each stock, and sends necessary order information of the stock to the external computer through the telephone connection unit 6.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the display apparatus 4, wherein the display unit 41 formed of LCD and a plurality of select buttons 43, which are selectors 42 for operating the display unit 41 at the lower end of the display apparatus 4, are shown in FIG. There is). Here, the selector 42 may be formed by stacking the touch screen on the surface of the display 41 instead of the select button 43.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the barcode reader 5, which scans a laser beam into a barcode, detects reflected light, reads a barcode, and buttons 521 and 522 for selecting entry / exit and required capacity, quantity and effectiveness. There is a numeric button 523 and a unit button 524 for inputting a period.

When the refrigerator is initialized, an initial screen is first displayed on the display 41. On the initial screen, as shown in FIG. 3, a refrigerator function for identifying and adjusting the refrigeration and freezing conditions of the refrigerator, a calendar function for inputting and displaying a date, and a specific day may be displayed on the calendar. The company's logo is displayed along with menus for scheduling functions, time display for clocks, and storage management for displaying inventory inventory information.

5 is a flow chart of the storage receipt process, when receiving the storage is selected the receipt button 521 of the barcode reader (5) (S10), scanning the barcode of the stored in the barcode scanner 51 (S11) When the required capacity, quantity, and expiration date are input by the numeric button 523 and the unit button 524 (S12), the stored information is predetermined on the display unit 41 using the barcode analysis information of the memory unit 8. The time is displayed (S20), and the stock of inventory is accumulated and stored in the memory unit 8 (S30).

FIG. 6 is a screen for checking inventory of stocks. When a stock management function is selected using the selection button 43 or the touch screen on the initial screen of the display unit 41, the list, capacity, and quantity of foods stored in the refrigerator are shown. The storage period and the expiration date from the time of receipt, to the present, are displayed. When the list of foods is large, a desired list can be displayed using the selection button 43 or the touch screen on which the arrow is displayed.

7 is a flow chart of the storage and ordering process of the storage, when the storage is released, the release button 522 of the barcode reader 5 is selected (S40), the barcode of the storage is scanned on the barcode scanner 51 ( S41) If the required capacity and quantity are input by the numeric button 523 and the unit button 524 (S42), the stored information is displayed on the display unit 41 for a predetermined time using the barcode analysis information of the memory unit (S50). ), The inventory of the inventory is corrected and stored in the memory unit 8 (S60), and if the inventory of the storage is less than the minimum value of the appropriate inventory range of the storage stored in the memory (S70), the inventory of the storage is appropriate. The order list of the corresponding storage is made to reach the maximum of the inventory range (S71), and the order list is sent to a computer that provides a predetermined Internet shopping service through the telephone connection unit (S72). When the Internet network is spread to homes, the telephone connection unit 6 may be replaced with an Internet connection unit.

Accordingly, the inventory of the stock stored in the refrigerator can be grasped without opening the refrigerator, and the necessary stock will be internet-shopped through the communication device, preventing energy loss due to the opening of the door, and reducing the effort and time for food management. The lack of stock of necessary foods can eliminate the inconvenience.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the inventory of the refrigerator can be easily grasped and the necessary storage is purchased at an appropriate time, the refrigerator and the refrigerator can be conveniently, freshly and economically managed by the user. A storage management method is provided.

Claims (5)

A refrigerator having a cabinet forming at least one cooling chamber and a door provided in the cabinet, A display unit installed at the front of the door; A selection unit for operating the display unit; An input unit for inputting storage information of the cooling chamber; A memory unit; A communication unit capable of information communication with a predetermined external computer; Store the stored information inputted to the input unit in the memory unit, display the information stored in the memory unit in the display unit according to the selection of the selection unit, the stored information stored in the memory unit to reach a predetermined requirement And a control unit for providing information necessary for the storage management to an external computer through the communication unit. The method of claim 1, The input unit is a barcode reader, Barcode interpretation information is stored in the memory unit, The control unit is a refrigerator, characterized in that for interpreting the stored information input to the bar code reader using the bar code analysis information. The method of claim 1, The display unit is a refrigerator, characterized in that the LCD. The method of claim 1, And the communication unit comprises at least one of a telephone connection unit including a modem and an internet connection unit connected to an internet network. In the storage management method of the refrigerator, An input step of inputting information of the storage; A storage step of storing the storage information of the input step; And providing information necessary for managing the storage to an external computer through a communication device when the storage information of the storing step is a predetermined requirement.

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