JP2005037086A - Refrigerator and food managing method for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator capable of managing the stock of food, as the safety in daily diet can be achieved by managing the expiration date even on pershable foods such as vegetables, fruits, fishes and meats free from RF-ID tags. <P>SOLUTION: An ID tag on which the kind of food is written, is attached to the food when the food is stored in the refrigerator, and a reader/writer is used for writing the information on the food storage date in the refrigerator, to the ID tag. Further this refrigerator comprises a means for displaying the information on the food storage data of the food stored in the refrigerator, the kind of food, and the expiration date of the food, on a display part mounted on the refrigerator, or taking out the information to an external device, and a means for informing the arrival of the expiration data of the food stored in the refrigerator. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator that performs expiration date management of foodstuffs stored in the refrigerator.

  The refrigerator is equipped with an RF-ID tag reader, and the information (manufacturer name, item, quantity, expiry date, etc.) written in advance on the RF-ID tag by the food manufacturer is read by the RF-ID tag reader and used as a refrigerator database. When the food is stored in the refrigerator, the storage date of the refrigerator is stored in the home server as a refrigerator database by the refrigerator built-in timer, and the home server is accessed by the portable information terminal. There is a system that can be taken out and checked for inventory status (for example, see Patent Document 1).

The invention of Patent Document 1 is a system in which an RF-ID tag in which food information is written in advance by a food manufacturer is attached to the food, and the stock status is confirmed using the information. For this reason, the thing which is not attached to food with RF-ID tag cannot be managed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-319043 (pages 4 to 6, FIGS. 1 to 4)

  Although it is relatively easy to ship a food product manufactured by a food manufacturer such as processed food with the RF-ID tag on which the food product information is written attached to the food, for example, vegetables In the case of individual fresh foods such as fruits, fish and meat, there is a troublesome task of attaching an RF-ID tag to which information on the food is written, and there is a case where the RF-ID tag is not attached. There are many. However, if the shelf life of such a fresh food can be managed, it is safe in terms of eating habits. Therefore, a refrigerator capable of managing the inventory of such food is desired.

  In view of such a point, the present invention provides a refrigerator capable of stock management of food items not attached with an RF-ID tag, and in particular, vegetables and fruits not attached with an RF-ID tag. It is intended to provide a refrigerator that can appropriately manage the expiration date of individual fresh foods such as fish and meat.

  Foods stored in the refrigerator are provided with a reader / writer that writes the information related to the date and time of storage of the food to the ID tag to the food when the ID tag on which the type of food is written is stored in the refrigerator. Means for displaying information indicating the date and time of storage of the food, the type of food, and the expiration date of the food on the display unit provided in the refrigerator or being able to be taken out to an external device, and the expiration date of the food stored in the refrigerator It is characterized by comprising means for notifying the arrival of

  Therefore, the refrigerator of the present invention includes a reader / writer that reads the type information of the food item of the ID tag and writes the storage date and time of the food item.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator capable of managing the inventory of food products without an ID tag, and in particular, with individual fresh food products such as vegetables, fruits, fish and meat without an ID tag. Even if it exists, it becomes the refrigerator which can perform the expiration date management appropriately. Further, by providing a reset means for resetting the used ID tag, the used ID tag can be reset to the initial state by returning it to a predetermined location, so that the ID tag can be effectively used again.

  The present invention realizes the expiration date management of the groceries by attaching, to the groceries without the ID tag at the time of purchase, an ID tag in which the storage date is written when the groceries are stored in the refrigerator. did.

  Next, the refrigerator and food management method of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a communication line including a refrigerator according to the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator, which has a structure in which a refrigerator main body 2 having a full opening is partitioned to form a plurality of storage chambers, and the front surfaces of these storage chambers can be opened and closed by doors. The refrigerator body 2 has a heat insulating structure in which a foam heat insulating material is filled between an outer box (outer wall plate) and an inner box (inner wall plate). In the refrigerator body 2, a refrigerator compartment 3, a vegetable compartment 4, and a freezer compartment 5 are partitioned from above.

  The front opening of the refrigerator compartment 3 is closed at one side of the refrigerator main body 2 by a revolving refrigerator door 7 that is opened and closed by being pivoted laterally by a hinge device 6. The front opening of the vegetable compartment 4 is closed by a drawer-type door 8 that is drawn forward together with a vegetable container that is supported in the vegetable compartment 4 so that it can be pulled out in the front-rear direction. Each freezer compartment 5 is closed by a drawer-type door 9 that is drawn forward together with a container that is supported so as to be able to be drawn back and forth in the freezer compartment.

  After the refrigerant compressed by the compressor is condensed by the condenser, the refrigerator 1 enters the evaporator (cooler) through the decompression device, and when the evaporator (cooler) evaporates, it takes away the ambient heat, A refrigeration system that circulates back to the compressor is provided, and the refrigerator compartment 3, the vegetable compartment 4, and the freezer compartment 5 are cooled by circulation of cold air cooled by the evaporator (cooler).

  The refrigerator 1 includes an ID tag reader / writer on the front surface and the refrigerator body 2. Reference numeral 10 denotes an ID tag reader / writer provided on the front face of the refrigerator compartment door 7, and 11 </ b> A to 11 </ b> D denote ID tag reader / writers provided in a storage room in the refrigerator main body 2. The refrigerator compartment 3 is partitioned up and down by shelves 12A and 12B, and ID tag reader / writers 11A to 11C are provided on the side walls in the refrigerator main body 2 corresponding to the storage spaces partitioned by the shelves 12A and 12B. The reader / writer 11 </ b> D is provided on the side wall in the vegetable compartment 4.

  A display unit 13 composed of liquid crystal, organic EL, or the like is provided on the front surface of the refrigerator compartment door 7. Corresponding to the display unit 13, temperature setting and clock setting of the refrigerator 1 and various functions of the refrigerator 1 are provided. An operation unit 14 that can be set is provided. An ID tag 15 is attached to the food stored in the refrigerator 1. The ID tag 15 can read and write information by non-contact wireless communication, and is also called an RFID (abbreviation of Radio Frequency Identification) tag. Writing information to the ID tag 15 and reading information from the ID tag 15 are performed by both the reader / writer 10 and 11A to 11D.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes a data storage unit that stores and manages data on the refrigerator 1 side, and stores and manages information read by the reader / writers 10 and 11A to 11D. The data storage unit 16 is connected to a public line 17 and is accessed by a personal computer 18 or a portable information terminal 19 such as a mobile phone in the home via the public line 17 to access the data storage unit 16. It can be taken out to the personal computer 18 or the portable information terminal 19 which is an external device and displayed on the display unit. The public line 17 is a communication line such as a fixed telephone for the personal computer 18 and a mobile communication network for the portable information terminal 19.

  The ID tag 15 is an ID tag 15 for each food item in which the food type information is written in advance in an initial state, and has a form that can be easily distinguished by colors, characters, etc. so that it can be visually read according to the type of food product. Have. For this reason, it is in a state in which data representing types of vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, ham, and other individual fresh food products is written in advance, and attached to the refrigerator 1 sold at the store, etc. It is sold together with the refrigerator 1 to be purchased. And in order to make it easy to use ID tag 15, the part which accommodates ID tag 15 is provided in easy-to-use places, such as the front surface of the refrigerator compartment door 7, Here, as above-mentioned, the kind information of groceries It is possible to store a plurality of (many) ID tags 15 in which is written. Since the ID tag 15 is attached to fresh food when stored in the refrigerator 1 as will be described later, it is preferable that the ID tag 15 be easily operated. For example, the ID tag 15 may be held on a part of a tape having an adhesive surface. , Other suitable forms.

  In such a configuration, when storing a food item without an ID tag at the time of purchase in the refrigerator 1, the ID tag 15 for each food item in which the type information of the food item has been written in advance is displayed. Attached to the product. That is, for each fresh food such as vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, and ham that are not tagged with an ID tag at the time of purchase, ID tags 15 for each type of vegetable, fruit, fish, meat, and ham are provided. Attached to the corresponding fresh food. In order to manage in more detail, for example, in the case of fruits, ID tags 15 according to types such as apples, bananas, and peaches are attached to the corresponding fruits.

  In the ID tag 15 attached to the food product, the storage date and time in the refrigerator 1 is written by the reader / writer 10 by bringing the ID tag 15 close to the reader / writer 10. At the same time, the data storage unit 16 also stores information on the type of food and the storage date / time of the food stored in the ID tag 15 read by the reader / writer 10. If the food item with the ID tag 15 is stored directly in the refrigerator 1 without writing the storage date and time in the refrigerator 1 by the reader / writer 10, it is stored in the refrigerator 1 by any of the reader / writers 11A to 11D. The date and time are written. In this case, when the food product with the ID tag 15 is refrigerated food, for example, when the refrigerated food is stored on the shelf 12A of the refrigerator compartment 3, the reader / writer corresponding to the space above the shelf 12A. The storage date and time in the refrigerator 1 is written by 11A, and the type of food and the storage date and time information written in the ID tag 15 are also stored in the data storage unit 16.

  When the food item with the ID tag 15 to which information is written by the reader / writer 10 or the reader / writers 11A to 11D is consumed, the ID tag 15 attached to the food item can be reused. For this reuse, a storage unit for the ID tag 15 provided in a predetermined place such as the front surface of the refrigerator compartment door 7 is provided with reset means for resetting the ID tag 15. For this reason, the ID tag 15 can be stored in a state where the information written by the reader / writer 10 or the reader / writers 11A to 11D can be erased and reused by this reset means. By returning the used ID tag to a predetermined place in this way, the resetting means can be reset to the initial state where the food type information is written, so that the ID tag can be effectively used again.

  After the storage date and time in the refrigerator 1 is written in the ID tag 15 by the reader / writer 10, is the duplicated information overwritten in the ID tag 15 and the data storage unit 16 even if stored in the refrigerator room 3 or the vegetable room 4? Canceled. The storage date and time is automatically written based on clock function data included in the control circuit device of the refrigerator 1.

  In order to facilitate the operations for reading and writing information, the reader / writer 10 is not provided, and the reader / writer 11A to write the storage date and time of the groceries in the ID tag 15 and store the data in the data storage unit 16. 11D may be used. That is, when food is stored in the refrigerator compartment 3 or the vegetable compartment 4, the storage date and time are written to the ID tag 15 by the reader / writer corresponding to the storage location of the reader / writers 11A to 11D, and the data storage section 16 A method of storing the date and time of storage in the refrigerator 1 and the information on the type of food can be employed.

  The information stored in the data storage unit 16 and the information written in the ID tag 15 are at least the type of food, the date and time of storage in the refrigerator 1, and the expiration date of the food. Other available information can be written and stored for extensive inventory management. The expiry date of the food is set in the control circuit device of the refrigerator 1 by reading the type information of the food written in the ID tag 15 attached to the food with the reader / writer 10 or the reader / writers 11A to 11D. This is a mechanism for automatically writing and accumulating the expiration date for each type of grocery product starting from the date and time of storage in the refrigerator 1.

  In addition, there is a method in which a person who stores food in the refrigerator 1 arbitrarily sets and writes the expiration date of the food. In this case, the storage date and time in the refrigerator 1 is written by the reader / writer 10, so that the type and storage date and time of the food can be displayed on the display unit 13. There is a method to write the expiration date and time. Further, when the storage date and time in the refrigerator 1 is written by the reader / writers 11A to 11D, the type and storage date and time of the food are displayed on the display unit 13. There is also a method of writing the date and time.

  The information on the food stored in the refrigerator 1 can be displayed on the display unit 13 by operating the keys of the operation unit 14, but the data storage unit 16 is accessed via the public line 17 by the personal computer 18 or the portable information terminal 19. And it can also confirm on the display part of the personal computer 18 or the portable information terminal 19. FIG. For this reason, when shopping, if necessary items are purchased after checking the inventory status of the refrigerator by the portable information terminal 19, it is possible to eliminate waste.

  In this invention, it alert | reports by the arrival of the expiration date of the foodstuff accommodated in the refrigerator 1. This notification notifies the display unit 13 that the expiry date of the groceries has arrived by a method that can be visually recognized by character display, flashing display, or other appropriate methods. Further, the personal computer 18 or the portable information terminal 19 accesses the data storage unit 16 via the public line 17 and confirms the expiration date of the food on the display unit of the personal computer 18 or the portable information terminal 19. You can also.

  Since the food stored in the refrigerator 1 can specify the storage location of the food by the reader / writers 11 </ b> A to 11 </ b> D, it is possible to quickly determine in which part of the refrigerator 1 the food to be taken out is stored. This saves you the trouble of searching for the food items in 1. For this reason, the opening time of the refrigerator compartment door 7 and the vegetable compartment door 8 can be shortened, and it becomes economical with few cold air leaks of a refrigerator.

  Further, inventory management such as the remaining number or shortage of food stored in the refrigerator 1 can be performed. When the storage date / time is written in the ID tag 15 or when the storage date / time is stored in the data storage unit 16, the number of each type of food is counted, and when the food product is taken out from the refrigerator 1. The remaining number can be accumulated in the data accumulating unit 16 by the arithmetic processing in which the reader / writers 11A to 11D detect it and subtract the number of the food items. In addition, foodstuffs that have been once stored in the refrigerator 1 but have been taken out and the remaining number becomes zero can be stored in the data storage unit 16. The stored data can be displayed on the display unit 13, and the personal computer 18 or the portable information terminal 19 accesses the data storage unit 16 via the public line 17 to display the personal computer 18 or the portable information terminal 19. You can also check at.

  Each operation and control as described above is performed by a control circuit device provided in the refrigerator 1. The data storage unit 16 may be provided in the refrigerator 1, but may be a home server provided in each home so as to be used for controlling various devices in each home.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when food is stored in the refrigerator 1, the ID tag 15 for each food is attached to the food, and when the food is stored in the refrigerator 1, the storage date and time of the food is stored. Is stored in the ID tag 15, and information indicating the storage date and time of the food, the type of food, and the expiration date is stored in the data storage unit 16. And it alert | reports by the arrival of the expiration date of the foodstuff, and displays the information of the foodstuff stored in the refrigerator 1 on the display part 13 provided in the front of the refrigerator, or to the household device 18 or the portable information terminal 19 It can be obtained.

  For this reason, it is possible to provide a refrigerator that can manage the inventory of food items that are not tagged with an ID tag, and in particular, even individual fresh food items such as vegetables, fruits, fish, and meat that are not tagged with an ID tag. This is a refrigerator capable of appropriately managing the expiration date.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be conceived without departing from the technical scope of the present invention, and include various embodiments related thereto.

  As described above, when storing food in the refrigerator, a method of recording the storage date and time of the food stored in the refrigerator with an ID tag for each type of food can be applied. Moreover, since the expiration date management can be performed for foodstuffs directly delivered from production areas and freshly picked foodstuffs, it can be diverted not only to household refrigerators, but also to food safety management systems in large commercial refrigerators and refrigerated warehouses.

It is communication line explanatory drawing containing the refrigerator which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Refrigerator 2 ... Refrigerator main body 3 ... Refrigeration room 4 ... Vegetable room 5 ... Freezing room 7 ... Refrigerator door 8 ... Vegetable room door 9 ... Freezing room door 10 · · Reader / writer for ID tag outside storage 11A to 11C · · Reader / writer for ID tag inside storage 13 · · Display unit 14 · · Operation unit 15 · · ID tag 16 · · Data storage unit 17 · · Public Line 18 ・ ・ Personal computer 19 ・ ・ Portable information terminal

Claims (3)

  An ID tag prepared for attaching food to the refrigerator when the food is stored in the refrigerator, a reader / writer that writes information on the date and time when the food is stored in the refrigerator to the ID tag, and food of the food stored in the refrigerator Means for making it possible to take out information indicating the storage date and time of food, the type of food, and the expiration date of the food to an external device, means for notifying the expiration date of the food stored in the refrigerator, and the used ID A refrigerator comprising reset means for resetting a tag.   An ID tag prepared for attaching food to the refrigerator when the food is stored in the refrigerator, a reader / writer that writes information indicating the date and time of storage of the food in the refrigerator and the expiration date of the food to the ID tag, and the refrigerator Means for making it possible to take out information indicating the food storage date and time of the stored food, the type of food, and the expiration date of the food to an external device, and means for notifying the expiration date of the food stored in the refrigerator A refrigerator comprising reset means for resetting the used ID tag.   When food is stored in the refrigerator, an ID tag for each type of food is attached to the food, and information indicating the storage date, type of food, and expiration date of the food stored in the refrigerator is stored as data. Stored in the department and notified when the expiry date of the foodstuff has arrived, and the information on the foodstuff is displayed on the display section provided on the front surface of the refrigerator, or can be acquired by household devices or portable information terminals A food management method for a refrigerator.

Images