EP4296597A1 - Refrigeration and/or freezer device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with a cooled interior and a closure element which is designed to close the cooled interior and with a camera arranged in the cooled interior, which has an image sensor and a controller, the camera being arranged is to capture an image of the cooled interior or of a section of the cooled interior via the image sensor, the controller being designed to control the image sensor and/or the camera, the controller comprising a sensor, an evaluation unit and a trigger unit, wherein the evaluation unit is designed to detect and evaluate signals from the sensor and to control the trigger unit and the trigger unit is designed to control the camera or the image sensor and / or trigger it for image capture.

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with a cooled interior and a closure element which is designed to close the cooled interior and with a camera arranged in the cooled interior, which has an image sensor and a controller, the camera being arranged is to capture an image of the cooled interior or of a section of the cooled interior via the image sensor, the controller being designed to control the image sensor and/or the camera.

Different versions and arrangements of cameras are known from the prior art, which are suitable and arranged to record part of the interior of a refrigerator and/or freezer.

Well-known cameras are permanently integrated into the device and are controlled by it or by the device control.

A disadvantage of known cameras is that they often have a limited detection range and are also inflexible in terms of their positioning due to their fixed installation in the device.

Likewise, known cameras have a high energy consumption, since known cameras are constantly ready to capture images while they are in a waiting mode for image triggering.

The present invention is based on the object of developing a refrigerator and/or freezer of the type mentioned in such a way that the image capture in the device is optimized.

This task is solved by the subject matter with the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Accordingly, it is provided according to the invention that the control comprises a sensor, an evaluation unit and a triggering unit, wherein the evaluation unit is designed to detect and evaluate signals from the sensor and to control the triggering unit and the triggering unit is designed to control the camera or the image sensor and /or to trigger image capture.

It is preferably provided that the evaluation unit is constructed in a technically simpler or less complex manner than the triggering unit.

It is preferably provided that the sensor is designed to detect a movement, a rotation or an acceleration, in particular of the closure element. The sensor is therefore preferably an acceleration sensor and/or a rotation rate sensor, which can preferably detect rotation rates and/or accelerations in all directions.

It is conceivable that the evaluation unit and the trigger unit are or include processors or microchips.

The camera is preferably self-sufficient, meaning it does not require an external power supply.

The camera can, for example, be arranged in a door rack that is located on the inside of the door or the locking element. Alternatively or additionally, it can also be arranged elsewhere in the device interior, for example positioned on a shelf or on a wall.

Preferably it is further provided that the camera has wireless communication means with which the camera communicates with other cameras and/or external communication partners.

It is also conceivable that the control or the evaluation unit and/or the trigger unit are located on a circuit board.

It is advantageous if the camera can be removed from the device by a user, for example to charge the battery or for repair purposes or to position it at another location in the device.

In an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the camera comprises a preferably cylindrical, in particular circular-cylindrical housing, in which the image sensor and the controller or the evaluation unit and/or the trigger unit are arranged or that the image sensor and the controller or the evaluation unit and/or the Trigger unit is not arranged in a common housing. It can therefore be provided that the control or the evaluation unit and/or the trigger unit are arranged in a separate housing. It can therefore be provided in particular that the sensor, the evaluation unit or the triggering unit is arranged in its own housing or that at least one of the elements is arranged outside a common housing. In particular, the sensor, the evaluation unit and/or the communication unit can or can be arranged outside the housing. Communication between these units preferably takes place.

It is preferably provided that the evaluation unit is designed to determine a path, an opening angle, and an acceleration from the signals from the sensor or to determine a jerk, in particular of the closure element. From signals from an acceleration sensor and/or yaw rate sensor, the evaluation unit can, for example, calculate a speed and/or angular velocity or yaw rate by integrating once and a path and/or angle by integrating again. An opening angle of the closure element can be calculated from the path or from the rotation rate.

It is preferably further provided that the evaluation unit and/or the triggering unit are designed to be switched into an operating and energy-saving mode or switched off and/or that the evaluation unit is designed to be moved from the energy-saving mode to the operating mode when signals from the sensor are received and/or that the triggering unit is designed to be switched or switched from the energy saving mode to the operating mode by the evaluation unit.

Preferably, the triggering unit is either put into a sleep mode by the evaluation unit, or particularly preferably switched off completely in order to save as much energy as possible.

Preferably, the evaluation unit itself is in a rest mode when the door (or other closure element) is closed. Preferably, there is no active calibration of the sensor.

The evaluation unit preferably wakes up the trigger unit via a signal or switches it on and then triggers the exposure measurement and recording.

The evaluation unit can also disconnect and/or establish a power supply to the triggering unit.

It is conceivable that the triggering unit reacts quickly to the signal from the evaluation unit and is preferably ready for operation within less than 200 ms after receiving the signal.

In an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the evaluation unit is designed to cause the trigger unit to carry out an exposure measurement using the image sensor and/or to trigger the camera or the image sensor for image capture.

It can preferably be provided that the evaluation unit is designed to cause the trigger unit to carry out an exposure measurement through the image sensor at a, preferably decreasing, first opening angle, preferably of 55°, of the shutter element and to activate the camera or the image sensor at a, to trigger a preferably decreasing, second opening angle, preferably of 45°, of the closure element for image capture.

The first opening angle is preferably larger than the second opening angle.

The first opening angle is preferably between 70° and 50°, in particular between 60° and 50°. The second opening angle is preferably between 49° and 40°.

It is conceivable that the camera can be removed from the refrigerator and/or freezer. The camera is preferably not fixed but detachable in the refrigerator and/or freezer.

It is also conceivable that the camera is designed to be energy self-sufficient. The camera preferably has an independent power supply in the form of one or more batteries or accumulators.

It is preferably provided that the controller or the trigger unit is designed to communicate with a plurality of image sensors and/or cameras and to control them and/or trigger them for image capture, preferably via wireless communication. The wireless communication can be a radio communication.

It is conceivable that the controller or an external evaluation unit, for example on a server, is designed to use the data from the sensor and/or the data from the image sensor to detect whether the camera is in a refrigerator and/or freezer.

In an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the controller is designed to communicate with a server and to transmit data, preferably recorded images, to a server. The camera or the control or the trigger unit can, for example, be connected to the Internet via WLAN and connect to a server via the Internet.

It is conceivable that the camera has means for storing data, especially images.

• Öffnen des Verschlusselements;
• Versetzen der Auswerteeinheit aus einem Energiespar- in einen Betriebsmodus durch die Signale des Sensors, deren Auswertung auf eine Bewegung des Verschlusselements schließen lässt und Ansteuern der Auslöseeinheit derart, dass diese aus einem Energiespar- in einen Betriebsmodus versetzt wird;
• Weiteres Öffnen des Verschlusselements, insbesondere über einen ersten Öffnungswinkel, von vorzugsweise 55°, hinaus;
• Schließen des Verschlusselements, wobei bei einem ersten Öffnungswinkel, von vorzugsweise 55°, die Auswerteeinheit die Auslöseeinheit derart ansteuert, dass die Auslöseeinheit den Bildsensor derart ansteuert, dass der Bildsensor eine Belichtungsmessung vornimmt und Aufnahmeparameter des Bildsensor entsprechend der Belichtungsmessung eingestellt werden und wobei bei einem zweiten Öffnungswinkel, von vorzugsweise 45°, die Auswerteeinheit die Auslöseeinheit derart ansteuert, dass die Auslöseeinheit den Bildsensor derart ansteuert, dass der Bildsensor ein Bild erfasst;
• . Versetzen der Auswerteeinheit und Auslöseeinheit von dem Betriebs- in den Energiesparmodus.

The invention also relates to a method for capturing an image of a cooled interior or of a section of the cooled interior of a refrigerator and/or freezer according to the invention with the following steps:

• opening the closure element;
• Moving the evaluation unit from an energy-saving mode to an operating mode by the signals from the sensor, the evaluation of which indicates a movement of the closure element, and activating the triggering unit in such a way that it is moved from an energy-saving mode to an operating mode;
• Further opening of the closure element, in particular beyond a first opening angle, preferably of 55°;
• Closing the shutter element, wherein at a first opening angle, preferably of 55°, the evaluation unit controls the trigger unit in such a way that the trigger unit controls the image sensor in such a way that the image sensor carries out an exposure measurement and recording parameters of the image sensor are set in accordance with the exposure measurement and wherein at a second opening angle, preferably of 45°, the evaluation unit controls the trigger unit in such a way that the trigger unit controls the image sensor in such a way that the image sensor captures an image;
• . Moving the evaluation unit and trigger unit from operating to energy saving mode.

The signals from the sensor can be detected and evaluated by the evaluation unit before the closure element is opened and/or during the entire process. It is preferably recognized that the door has been opened beyond the first opening angle.

It is conceivable that before the evaluation unit and trigger unit are moved from the operating mode to the energy-saving mode, the image is sent to a server and the server evaluates the image as to whether the image shows the cooled interior or a section of the cooled interior and the image on the Internet or only sends the image to an app or a mobile device if the image shows the cooled interior or a section of the cooled interior.

It is also conceivable that before the evaluation unit and trigger unit are moved from the operating mode to the energy-saving mode, the image is saved in the camera on means for storing data.

The invention also relates to a use of a camera in a refrigerator and/or freezer according to the invention with an image sensor and a controller, the controller being designed to control the image sensor and/or the camera, the controller having a sensor, an evaluation unit and a Trigger unit includes, wherein the evaluation unit is designed to receive signals from the sensor detect and evaluate and control the trigger unit and the trigger unit is designed to trigger the camera or the image sensor for image capture.

The invention also relates to a system comprising a refrigerator and/or freezer according to the invention and a server, wherein the server is designed to receive images from the refrigerator and/or freezer and make them available on the Internet or is designed to send the images to a Send app.

It is conceivable that the server is designed to evaluate an image as to whether the image shows the cooled interior or a section of the cooled interior.

Preferably, a sequence of images, i.e. a video, also includes an image. In other words, the camera can preferably be arranged and designed to capture a video of the cooled interior or of a section of the cooled interior via the image sensor.

A closure element is preferably understood to mean a door, a flap, a lid or any element that can close access to a cooled interior.

At this point it should be noted that the terms “a” and “an” do not necessarily refer to exactly one of the elements, although this represents a possible embodiment, but can also refer to a plurality of the elements. Likewise, the use of the plural also includes the presence of the element in question in the singular and, conversely, the singular also includes several of the elements in question. Furthermore, all of the features of the invention described herein can be combined with one another as desired or claimed in isolation from one another.

It should also be noted that all features of the device claims can also be part of the method and use claims and vice versa.

Further advantages, features and effects of the present invention result from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments.

A camera can, for example, be arranged in a door shelf of a door, preferably a stop door of a refrigerator and/or freezer.

The camera is aligned so that it can carry out an exposure measurement at a first opening angle of the door and an image capture is triggered at a second opening angle of the door.

The camera's electronics include two processors. Both processors are on a common board. A first processor, preferably an evaluation unit, monitors an acceleration sensor in the idle state. As soon as this acceleration sensor registers the jerk caused by the opening of the door, the first processor begins to determine the opening angle of the door from the data provided by the acceleration sensor by integrating the acceleration signal several times. In addition, the first processor starts a second processor, preferably a trigger unit, which controls the image sensor of the camera and manages the data transmission, preferably via WLAN. When the door is closed, at an angle of 55°, the first processor sends the signal to the second processor to carry out an exposure measurement. At 45°, the first processor sends a signal to the second processor to take an image or photo. This image is transmitted to a server. Both processors then go back into hibernation or energy saving mode.

Transferred images are evaluated by the server. If no refrigerator and/or freezer is visible on it, the image will not be shown to a user. So This prevents the camera from being used outside of refrigerators and/or freezers.

Another camera can also be arranged, for example in a drawer of the refrigerator and/or freezer.

For example, several cameras can be linked. As a master, the camera in the door rack also triggers all other coupled cameras as slaves at the same time via a radio signal when the door is closed.

An external trigger module is preferably provided for drawers, which also triggers a camera via radio that images the contents of a drawer.

The camera is preferably mounted in such a way that it can capture the contents of the opened drawer. The trigger module is preferably arranged on the drawer and can determine the position of the drawer. The position of the drawer can be determined by integrating a linear acceleration.

The camera may occasionally use the image sensor to detect darkness. The camera control preferably triggers an exposure measurement at certain time intervals. If the camera detects darkness or if the exposure measurement value is below a limit value, the camera assumes that it is in a closed refrigerator and/or freezer.

The camera also uses accelerometer data to detect when it is outside a refrigerator and/or freezer. If the camera is not in the refrigerator and/or freezer, it is preferable to prevent images from being taken.

The camera regularly sends so-called metadata, e.g. the charging status, etc., to the server, preferably when no other information is available.

Claims (19)

Refrigerator and/or freezer with a cooled interior and a closure element which is designed to close the cooled interior and with a camera arranged in the cooled interior and having an image sensor and a controller, the camera being arranged via the image sensor to capture an image of the cooled interior or of a section of the cooled interior, the controller being designed to control the image sensor and/or the camera, characterized in that the controller comprises a sensor, an evaluation unit and a trigger unit, wherein the Evaluation unit is designed to detect and evaluate signals from the sensor and to control the trigger unit and the trigger unit is designed to control the camera or the image sensor and / or trigger it for image capture. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor is designed to detect a movement, a rotation or an acceleration, in particular of the closure element. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation unit and the trigger unit are or include processors or microchips. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control or the evaluation unit and/or the trigger unit are located on a circuit board. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera comprises a preferably cylindrical, in particular circular cylindrical housing, in which the image sensor and the control or the evaluation unit and/or the trigger unit are arranged or that the image sensor and the The control or the evaluation unit and/or the trigger unit are not arranged in a common housing and/or that the camera has its own power supply and/or can be removed from the device. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation unit is designed to determine a path, an opening angle, an acceleration or a jerk, in particular of the closure element, from the signals of the sensor. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation unit and/or the trigger unit are designed to be put into an operating and energy-saving mode or to be switched off completely and/or that the evaluation unit is designed to do so upon receipt of Signals from the sensor to be moved from the energy saving or switched off mode into the operating mode and / or that the triggering unit is designed to be moved from the energy saving or switched off mode into the operating mode by the evaluation unit. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation unit is designed to cause the trigger unit to carry out an exposure measurement using the image sensor and/or to trigger the camera or the image sensor for image capture. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation unit is designed to wake up or switch on the triggering unit by means of a signal and/or to disconnect and/or produce a power supply to the triggering unit. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 9, characterized in that the evaluation unit is designed to trigger the exposure measurement and/or recording after the trigger unit has been woken up or switched on. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation unit is designed to cause the trigger unit to carry out an exposure measurement by the image sensor at a preferably decreasing first opening angle, preferably of 55°, of the closure element and triggering the camera or the image sensor at a, preferably decreasing, second opening angle, preferably 45°, of the shutter element for image capture. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control is designed to communicate with and control a plurality of image sensors and/or a plurality of cameras, preferably via wireless communication. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control is designed based on the Data from the sensor and/or the data from the image sensor to detect whether the camera is in a refrigerator and/or freezer. Refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control is designed to communicate with a server and to transmit data, preferably recorded images, to a server. Method for capturing an image of a cooled interior or of a section of the cooled interior of a refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of the preceding claims with the following steps: - Opening the closure element; - Moving the evaluation unit from an energy-saving mode to an operating mode by the signals from the sensor, the evaluation of which indicates a movement of the closure element and activating the triggering unit in such a way that it is moved from an energy-saving mode to an operating mode; - Further opening of the closure element, in particular beyond a first opening angle, preferably of 55°; - Closing the shutter element, wherein at a first opening angle, preferably of 55°, the evaluation unit controls the trigger unit in such a way that the trigger unit controls the image sensor in such a way that the image sensor carries out an exposure measurement and recording parameters of the image sensor are set in accordance with the exposure measurement and whereby at a second opening angle, preferably 45°, the evaluation unit controls the trigger unit in such a way that the trigger unit controls the image sensor in such a way that the image sensor captures an image; - . Moving the evaluation unit and trigger unit from operating to energy saving mode. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that before the evaluation unit and trigger unit are moved from the operating mode to the energy-saving mode, the image is sent to a server and the server evaluates the image as to whether the image shows the cooled interior or a section of the cooled Interior and only provides the image on the Internet or only sends the image to an app if the image shows the cooled interior or a section of the cooled interior. Use of a camera in a refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of claims 1 to 14 with an image sensor and a controller, the controller being designed to control the image sensor and/or the camera, characterized in that the controller is a sensor, an evaluation unit and a trigger unit, wherein the evaluation unit is designed to detect and evaluate signals from the sensor and to control the trigger unit and the trigger unit is designed to trigger the camera or the image sensor for image capture. System consisting of a refrigerator and/or freezer according to one of claims 1 to 14 and a server, characterized in that the server is designed to receive images from the refrigerator and/or freezer and make them available on the Internet or is designed to do so. send the images to an app or a mobile device. System according to claim 18, characterized in that the server is designed to evaluate an image in such a way as to whether the image shows the cooled interior or a section of the cooled interior.