EP3637028A1

EP3637028A1 - System for controlling access through a door of a refrigerator

Info

Publication number: EP3637028A1
Application number: EP18199785.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ahmet Yalcin; Engin Findikli
Original assignee: Vestel Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Current assignee: Vestel Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Priority date: 2018-10-11
Filing date: 2018-10-11
Publication date: 2020-04-15
Anticipated expiration: 2038-10-11
Also published as: EP3637028B1

Abstract

A system (1) for controlling access to refrigerator (2) comprising a thermal sensor (3) that is adapted to detect a thermal parameter (4) from an environment of a door (5) of the refrigerator (2), and a processing unit (6) adapted to receive and process the thermal parameter (4) and to determine whether to allow access to the refrigerator (2) or not.

Description

This invention refers to a system according to claim 1, and a refrigerator having the system according to the claim 12, and a method for providing a refrigerator with an access control to a door of the refrigerator according to the claim 13.

Background of the Invention

Generally, a refrigerator is a home appliance which stores food at a low temperature in a storage space formed therein to be opened and closed by a door. Tightness between the refrigerator compartment will have considerable impact on the indoor temperature, and thus will affect the storage effect between the refrigerator compartment.
This indoor temperature gets disturbed when door of the refrigerator is kept open for a longer period. Sometimes kids open the door of the refrigerator and keep it in an open position. If the parents don't notice it, the door may stay in an open position for a long time and it will cause to lose freshness of the products including fruits, vegetables, meat etc. It also causes to increase unnecessary power consumption of refrigerator. Beside this, if door stay always open position, the motor of refrigerator or control board may damage.
To solve the above problem, there are various ways to control access to refrigerator or freezer.
US Patent Publication No. US7728711 discloses a remotely or locally refrigerator door lock which has a body portion that is attached to the cabinet and a door portion that is attached to an edge of the door. A latch in the body portion engages a strike plate in the door portion and can be lifted out of engagement to open the refrigerator. The door lock assembly may be connected to a touch-screen device or via a USB or ethernet connection to a remote host computer. The host computer keeps an audit trail of the times and personnel accessing each refrigerator, and a temperature audit trail. The system may be used in hospital for controlling access to pharmaceuticals or may be used in a weight loss program. Temperature and humidity sensors are positioned within the refrigerator cabinet. The door lock may have battery power for portable or mobile applications. This prior art even though provides a control access to refrigerator or freezer based on the high threshold value, however, this high threshold value reduces ease of access to people above a certain weight. A weight control program where access to food is limited to meal times so as to prevent or discourage snacking.
US Patent Publication No. US9427097 discloses a temperature-controlled display device which includes a temperature-controlled space and a refrigeration circuit configured to provide cooling for the temperature-controlled space. The refrigeration circuit is configured to operate in multiple cooling modes including a normal refrigeration mode and an anti-ingression mode. A proximity sensor is configured to detect an object such as a human hand or forearm within a detection zone adjacent to a door handle of the temperature-controlled display device. A controller estimates a distance between the handle and the detected object using an input from the proximity sensor. The controller causes the refrigeration circuit to transition between the multiple cooling modes based on the estimated distance. This prior art provides a proximity sensor to detect the heat imparted to a fridge handle to determine whether the door is about to be opened using the estimated distance and cause the refrigeration circuit to transition into the anti-ingression mode in response to a determination that the door is about to be opened.
US Patent Publication No. US6745581 discloses a control unit of a refrigeration system which receives and records activity data such as door openings and/or human presence detection in the vicinity of the refrigeration system, and then establishes the beginning and end times of an energy saving mode for the refrigeration system over a period of time, such as a week. The control unit calculates the time to restart the compressor cycle at the end of the energy saving mode so that the product will be at the correct temperature at the time of first usage. As part of the energy saving function, the lamps and fans in the refrigeration system are controlled independently by the control unit according to the activity data. This prior art provides how to save energy for the refrigeration system over a period of time.

Object of the Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention is to provide an efficient control of access to a refrigerator, more specifically to kids, for maintaining cooling inside the refrigerator.

Description of the Invention

The before mentioned object is solved by a system according to claim 1, and a refrigerator having a system according to the claim 12, and a method for providing a refrigerator with an access control to a door of the refrigerator according to the claim 13.
A system for controlling access to the content of a refrigerator is described comprising a thermal sensor that is adapted to detect a thermal parameter from an environment of a door of the refrigerator and a processing unit adapted to receive and process the thermal parameter and to determine whether to allow access to the content of the refrigerator or not.
The invention provides a mechanism for control accessing or opening of the door of the refrigerator by using thermal parameters. A person with more weight shall be having more amount of heat and thus shall transfer more amount of heat, hence thermal parameter generated in such scenario shall be of higher value. Accordingly, for a person with lower weight, the thermal parameter generated shall have lower value. In general scenario, the weight of a kid shall be substantially lower with respect to a teenager or an adult. Hence, using the system of the invention access control can be placed for kids upto a particular age which means that kid having a small amount of heattransfer can be exculded from being able to open the refigerator door. In the same way, the processing unit can even use the access control for any one who is over weight or is on diet control.
Further preferred embodiments are subject-matter of dependent claims and/or of the following specification parts.
According to a preferred embodiment of the system, the processing unit is adapted to receive a threshold value and adapted to compare the thermal parameter with the threshold value, and adapted to determine whether to allow access to the content of the refrigerator or not based on the comparison between the threshold value (7) and the thermal parameter (4) wherein a locking unit is used to lock or unlock the refrigerator that is controlled by the processing unit.
This embodiment is beneficial as it standarize the access control based on a specific threshold data.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the system, the processing unit is adapted to receive the thermal parameters for a predefined period of time, and to process the thermal parameters received and to determine whether to allow access to the refrigerator or not.
This embodiment is helpful as it provides accuracy to the access control mechanism, by eliminating all the scenarios of accidential touch of the refrigerator. Generally, to open a refrigerator, the human hand has to be in touch to the refrigerator for the predefined period of time. Hence, the system considers thermal parameters captured for the predefined period of time to determine whether to allow access to refrigerator or not.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the system, processing unit is adapted to process the thermal parameters and to determine a consolidate parameter, to receive a threshold value, to compare the consolidated parameter and the threshold value, and to determine whether to allow access to the refrigerator or not.
This embodiment is beneficial as it provides an easy and efficient mechanism to process the thermal parameters captured during the pedefined period of time.
According to another preferred embodiment of the system, the thermal sensor is a temperature sensor, and is adapted to detect a temperature parameter from the environment of a door of the refrigerator.
This embodiment is helpful as it provides an efficient mechanism to capture the thermal parameter in form of temperature.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the system, thermal sensor is a heat sensor, and is adapted to detect a heat parameter from the environment of a door of the refrigerator.
This embodiment is helpful as it provides an efficient mechanism to capture the thermal parameter in form of heat.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the system, the thermal sensor is placed in proximity to at least one of the edges of the refrigerator.
This embodiment is helpful as it takes user behavious in consideration, and thus provides for efficient capturing of thermal parameters. Because whenever any individual tries to access the refrigerator, many times they use edges of the refrigerator to open the door. So, if sensors are present near to the edges then sensing thermal parameter will be efficient. Especially for small children, when they try to open the door, because of the difference in there height and placement of handle of the door, they tend to use edges of the refrigerator for opening door of the refrigerator.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the system, thermal sensor is placed in proximity to an opposite edge of the refrigerator which is opposite to a hinged edge of refrigerator around which the door of the refrigerator hinges.
This embodiment is helpful as it further enhances efficiency of capturing the thermal parametr, by considering user behavious of opening of the door of refrigerator by pulling edge of the door which opposite to the hinged edge of the door.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the system, thermal sensor is placed in proximity to a handle of the door of the refrigerator.
This embodiment is helpful as it considers scenario when the handles are on the lower height and even kids shall tend to access the door by accessing handle of the refrigerator. Hence, in such scenario also the thermal parameter shall be efficiently captured.
According to another preferred embodiment of the system, the processing unit is adapted to receive and process a set of thermal parameters at different time intervals and adapted to determine the threshold data.
This embodiment is helpful as it provides a self learning system for identifying the threshold data based on the thermal parameters captured historically.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the system, the processing unit is adapted to generate a trigger, if the processing unit has determined for not allowing the access to the refrigerator, the system further comprising a locking unit adapted to lock or unlock the door of the refrigerator; and a controller adapted to receive the trigger and to trigger the locking unit for locking the door of the refrigerator.
The before mentioned object is also solved by a refrigerator of claim 12 which is comprising the system for controlling access to refrigerator according to any of the claims 1 to 11.
The before mentioned object is also solved by a method for providing a refrigerator with an access control to a door of the refrigerator according to claim 13. The method comprising:

a thermal sensor in proximity to the door of the refrigerator, the thermal sensor that is adapted to detect a thermal parameter from an environment of a door of the refrigerator; and
coupling a processing unit to the thermal sensor, the processing unit adapted to receive and process the thermal parameter and to determine whether to allow access to the refrigerator or not.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the method, the method comprising of

coupling a locking unit to the door of the refrigerator, such that the locking unit is adapted to lock or unlock the door of the refrigerator; and
coupling a controller to the locking unit and the processing unit, such that the processing unit is adapted to generate a trigger, if the processing unit has determined for not allowing the access to the refrigerator, and the controller is adapted to receive the trigger and to direct the locking unit for locking the door of the refrigerator.

According to another preferred embodiment of the method, the method comprising of coupling a memory unit to the processing unit, the memory unit stores one or more threshold values, wherein the processing unit is adapted to receive the threshold value from the memory unit and adapted to compare the thermal parameter with the threshold value, and adapted to determine whether to allow access to the refrigerator or not.
Further benefits, goals and features of the present invention will be described by the following specification of the attached figures, in which components of the invention are exemplarily illustrated. Components of the devices and method according to the inventions, which match at least essentially with respect to their function, can be marked with the same reference sign, wherein such components do not have to be marked or described in all figures.
The invention is just exemplarily described with respect to the attached figure in the following.

Brief Description of the Drawing

Fig. 1 illustrates a system for a system for accessing control of a refrigerator, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Drawing

The present invention focuses on controlling access to the content of a refrigerator. The control of access to refrigerators is many times required for certain category of users. With respect to kids, the access control is required for maintaining inside cooling of the refrigerator. For people on diets, they generally tend to access the refrigerator due to their hunger instincts, hence for them also the access to refrigerator is required to be controlled. In the present invention, the control is carried out with respect to the weight of the user of the refrigerator. For a certain weight threshold or range, the access can be restricted which means that access to the refrigerator for kids of young age and thus small weight can be denied. The invention utilizes thermodynamics principle, according to which the heat generated is proportional to mass of a user. Accordingly, the amount of heat transferred to a door of the refrigerator when a user opens the door of the refrigerator, is dependent on his mass or weight. The invention utilizes this heat transferred to determine whether the user should be allowed to access the refrigerator or not.
Fig. 1 shows a side view of a refrigerator 2 along with a system 1 to control access of the refrigerator 2. The refrigerator 2 is having a door 5, by opening which the access to inside of the refrigerator is enabled.
To restrict access to the refrigerator, a locking unit 15 is provided which is coupled to the door 5 of the refrigerator and is enabled to lock or unlock the door, so as to control access to the refrigerator 2. The locking unit 15 is provided on an opposite edge 10 which is opposite to the hinged edge. It is to be noted that the locking unit 15 can be coupled to any of the other edges 9 of the refrigerator for locking or unlocking the door 5. The locking unit 15 is shown to be coupled to the door from outside. In an alternate embodiment, the locking unit 15 can be placed inside the refrigerator 2 and coupled to any of the edges 9 from inside the refrigerator 2. In yet another embodiment, the locking unit 15 need not be presented as any external element or additional element, rather locking mechanism of the refrigerator 2 can be used as the locking unit 15.
The door 5 of the refrigerator 2 also has a handle 12, with which the opening of the door 5 can be facilitated. Generally, an average user uses the handle 12 to open or close the door 5 of the refrigerator 2. Hence, a thermal sensor 3 is physically coupled to the handle 12 of the refrigerator. Due to that the thermal sensor can optimally capture a thermal parameter 4 which is related to current heat of the handle 12. Current heat of the handle 12 is based on the heat transferred by hand of the user while the user is handling the handle 12 to open the refrigerator. In alternate embodiment, the thermal sensor 3 can be provided on any of the edges 9 of the refrigerator also along the handle 12, or just on any of the edges 9. It should be appreciated that it is another of the user behavior to access the door 5 of the refrigerator 2 by pulling any of the edges 9 instead of the handle 12. In yet another embodiment, the appropriate place for placement of the thermal sensor 3 is the opposite edge 10 opposite to the hinged edge along which the door hinges, as according user behavior most used edge 9 of the refrigerator for pulling the door 5 is the opposite edge 10.
The thermal sensor 3 is further coupled to a processing unit 6 which receives the thermal parameter 4 from the thermal sensor 4 and processes it. For processing the thermal parameter 4, the processing unit 6 retrieves a threshold value 7 from a memory unit 13 which stores it. The processing unit 6 processes the thermal parameter 4 and the threshold value 7 by comparing both of them, and based on the comparison the processing unit 6 determines whether it should allow the user to access the refrigerator 2 or not.
It should be noted that more than one threshold value 7 can be stored in the memory unit 13, and the system 1 can be configured with various threshold values based on various programs running on the system 1, out of which one can be for restrictive access to the kids, another can be for those who are overweight and are on weight management, and yet another can be for restrictive usage of access of the refrigerator in night for a specific weight category people. Similarly, the system 1 can be configured with various such programs.
The system 1 can also self-learn to adapt for access control of the refrigerator 2. It should be noted that average weight of kids and adults can vary significantly in different households, in different countries, and one threshold value 7 cannot work for all. Rather, for better optimization the system should be enabled to self-learn for whom to allow access, and for whom to disallow access. The self-learning is generally feedback based, where whenever there is a false positive according to a program running, a feedback can be given to the system 1 for the error it has made. Accordingly, the system shall correct itself for the next time by optimizing its threshold value 7 by considering and processing various thermal parameters 4 captured in different time frames. In another scenario, the feedback for false positive is not provided, rather the system itself analyzes the thermal parameters collected by it during different time period to categorize different weight categories, and identifying a threshold value 7 based on thermal parameters 4 of a particular weight category.
In one embodiment, the thermal sensor 3 is a temperature sensor, and senses temperature parameter from an environment of the door of the refrigerator.
In another embodiment, the thermal sensor 3 is a heat sensor, and senses heat parameter from an environment of the door of the refrigerator.
Also, it is to be noted that for better accuracy of the system 1, the processing unit 6 processes set of thermal parameters 4 captured during a predefined time period when a hand of a user handles the door 5 of the refrigerator 2, and based on that determines whether to allow access to the refrigerator 2 or not. The processing unit 6 processes the set of parameters to generate a consolidated parameter 8 and uses this consolidated parameter 8 to compare with the threshold value 7, for determining whether to allow access to the refrigerator 2 or not. The consolidated parameter 8 can be change in temperature when temperature sensor is used as thermal sensor to capture the temperature parameter from an environment of the door of the refrigerator 2. The consolidated parameter can be total heat generated while accessing the door 5 of the refrigerator when heat sensor is used as thermal sensor. In alternate embodiment, the consolidated parameter 8 is not generated, rather the processing unit 6 uses individual thermal parameter from the set of thermal parameters to determine allowing access or not to the refrigerator 2. In yet another embodiment, the processing unit 6 uses instantaneous thermal parameter 4 captures at any one instance when a user tries to open the door of the refrigerator, and processes that thermal parameter to determine allowing or disallowing access to the refrigerator.
The processing unit 6 is also coupled to a controller 11, and the controller 11 is further coupled to the locking unit 15. After determining the access to the refrigerator 2, the processing unit 6 generates a trigger 14 which is received by the controller 11. The controller 11 processes the trigger 14 and directs the locking unit 15 to lock the door of the refrigerator 2. In one embodiment, the locking unit 15 is not provided, rather the controller 11 raises an alarm based on processing of the trigger 14. In another embodiment, the controller 11 is also not provided rather the processing unit 6 directly triggers refrigerators own locking mechanism to lock the refrigerator.
Thus, the present invention provides for a system 1 for controlling access to a refrigerator 2 which includes a thermal sensor 3 and a processing unit 6. The thermal sensor 3 detects a thermal parameter 4 from an environment of a door 5 of the refrigerator 2. The processing unit 6 receives and processes the thermal parameter 4 and determines whether to allow access to the refrigerator 2 or not.

List of reference numbers

1: system
2: refrigerator
3: thermal sensor/ temperature sensor/ heat sensor
4: thermal parameter/ temperature parameter/ heat parameter
5: door of the refrigerator
6: processing unit
7: threshold value
8: consolidated parameter
9: edges of refrigerator
10: opposite edge
11: controller
12: handle of the refrigerator
13: memory unit
14: trigger
15: locking unit

Claims

A system (1) for controlling access to the content of refrigerator (2) comprising:
a thermal sensor (3) that is adapted to detect a thermal parameter (4) from an environment of a door (5) of the refrigerator (2); and

a processing unit (6) adapted to receive and process the thermal parameter (4) and to determine whether to allow access to the refrigerator (2) or not.
The system (1) according to the claim 1, wherein the processing unit (6) is adapted to receive a threshold value (7) and adapted to compare the thermal parameter (4) with the threshold value (7), and adapted to determine whether to allow access to the refrigerator (2) or not based on the comparison between the threshold value (7) and the thermal parameter (4).
The system (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the processing unit (6) is adapted to receive the thermal parameters (4) for a predefined period of time, and to process the thermal parameters (4) received and to determine whether to allow access to the refrigerator (2) or not.
The system (1) according to the claim 3, wherein the processing unit (6) is adapted to process the thermal parameters (4) and to determine a consolidate parameter (8), to receive the threshold value (7), to compare the consolidated parameter (8) and the threshold value (7), and to determine whether to allow access to the refrigerator (2) or not.
The system (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the thermal sensor (3) is a temperature sensor (3), and wherein the temperature sensor (3) is adapted to detect a set of temperature parameters (4) from the environment of the door (5) of the refrigerator (2).
The system (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the thermal sensor (3) is a heat sensor (3), and wherein the heat sensor (3) is adapted to detect a set of heat parameters (4) from the environment of the door (5) of the refrigerator (2).
The system (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 6, wherein the thermal sensor (3) is placed in proximity to at least one of the edges (9) of the refrigerator (2).
The system (1) according to the claim 7, wherein the thermal sensor (3) is placed in proximity to an opposite edge (10) of the refrigerator (2) which is opposite to a hinged edge of refrigerator (2) around which the door (5) of the refrigerator (2) hinges.
The system (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 6, wherein the thermal sensor (3) is placed in proximity to a handle (12) of the door (5) of the refrigerator (2).
The system (1) according to the claim 9, wherein the processing unit (6) is adapted to receive and process a set of thermal parameters (4) at different time intervals and adapted to determine the threshold data (7).
The system (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 10, wherein the processing unit (6) is adapted to generate a trigger (14), if the processing unit (6) has determined for not allowing the access to the refrigerator (2), the system (1) further comprising:
- a locking unit (15) adapted to lock or unlock the door (5) of the refrigerator (2); and

- a controller (11) adapted to receive the trigger (14) and to direct the locking unit (15) for locking the door (5) of the refrigerator (2).
A refrigerator (2) comprising the system (1) for controlling access to the refrigerator (2) according to any of the claims 1 to 11.
A method for providing a refrigerator (2) with an access control to a door (5) of the refrigerator (2), the method comprising:
- placing a thermal sensor (3) in proximity to the door (5) of the refrigerator (2), the thermal sensor (3) that is adapted to detect a thermal parameter (4) from an environment of the door (5) of the refrigerator (2); and

- coupling a processing unit (6) to the thermal sensor (3), the processing unit (6) adapted to receive and process the thermal parameter (4) and to determine whether to allow access to the refrigerator (2) or not.
The method according to the claim 13 comprising:
- coupling a locking unit (15) to the door (5) of the refrigerator (2), such that the locking unit (15) is adapted to lock or unlock the door (5) of the refrigerator (2); and

- coupling a controller (11) to the locking unit (15) and the processing unit (6), such that the processing unit (6) is adapted to generate a trigger (14), if the processing unit (6) has determined for not allowing the access to the refrigerator (2), and the controller (11) is adapted to receive the trigger (14) and to direct the locking unit (15) for locking the door (5) of the refrigerator (2).
The method according to any of the claims 13 or 14 comprising:
- coupling a memory unit (13) to the processing unit (6), the memory unit (13) stores one or more threshold values (7), wherein the processing unit (6) is adapted to receive the threshold value (7) from the memory unit (13) and adapted to compare the thermal parameter (4) with the threshold value (7), and adapted to determine whether to allow access to the refrigerator (2) or not.