JP2016006379A - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator in which an image connection is not required when an inner image of the refrigerator to clarify a storing situation thereof is obtained, and data capacity and an arithmetic processing amount can be reduced.SOLUTION: Markers provided at positions in a refrigerator chamber not shut-off by stored items and in at least any one of visual field ranges of several visual field ranges select image data (hereinafter called as in-refrigerator selected image data) included in a pre-set first prescribed region in divided regions obtained by dividing the image data into several segments from several image data got by a camera for imaging an inner part of the refrigerator chamber within a visual field range differing as a refrigerator chamber door is opened or closed. Then, a stored amount in a storage chamber is estimated on the basis of the in-refrigerator selected image data, and an in-refrigerator cooling load that is a cooling load in the storage chamber is estimated on the basis of the estimated storing amount in the storage chamber and an air temperature in the storage chamber.

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with a photographing means for photographing the inside of a warehouse.

  Due to the recent trend toward power saving, various home appliances are equipped with various power-saving operation modes. Typical examples include ON / OFF control based on the presence / absence detection of air conditioners and less human movement. Examples include a save mode that restricts driving ability at night. However, refrigerators that manage food require continuous cooling operation regardless of the presence or absence of people or day and night, especially when a large amount of food is put into the refrigerator. It is done. Therefore, when carrying out power saving operation, it is necessary to grasp not only the ambient environment of the refrigerator and the frequency of use by the user, but also the storage load situation in the storage.

  Therefore, a refrigerator using a camera door in which a CCD camera is embedded inside the warehouse has been proposed as a conventional refrigerator for copying food in the warehouse and confirming the storage load status in the warehouse with image data (for example, a patent) Reference 1). In this refrigerator, a panoramic image is taken of the storage room using the operation of opening the door with the camera.

  Moreover, for example, a conventional refrigerator that displays the operation load state of the refrigerator and prompts the user to operate with less load has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In this refrigerator, the current load level is calculated and displayed based on the set temperature, the door opening / closing status, the compressor operating state, the outside air temperature, the presence or absence of the rapid cooling operation, and the like.

JP 2001-317858 A (paragraphs [0040]-[0049], FIG. 4, FIG. 5) Japanese Patent No. 4749451 (paragraphs [0012]-[0016], FIGS. 4-8)

  In the refrigerator described in Patent Document 1, since it is possible to photograph from the right end to the left end in the refrigerator, it is possible to grasp the food placed in the sumi. However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, a camera embedded in a door is used to capture a plurality of image data using an operation of opening the door, and a plurality of image data is connected by image processing to obtain a panoramic image. Yes. Therefore, the data capacity and calculation processing amount necessary to obtain a panoramic image are increased.

  In the technique of Patent Document 1, the obtained image varies depending on the opening / closing speed of the door, and particularly when the opening / closing speed is large, it is difficult to connect the image data while suppressing the blurring of the image. There was a problem that it was difficult to get.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. In obtaining an in-store image for grasping the storage status, an image connection is unnecessary and the data capacity and the amount of calculation processing can be reduced. The object is to provide a possible refrigerator.

  The refrigerator according to the present invention includes a storage room, a door that closes the front opening of the storage room, and an imaging unit that is installed on the inner surface side of the door and photographs the storage room in a different field of view as the door opens and closes. Among the plurality of image data obtained by the photographing means, the first predetermined area among the divided areas obtained by dividing the image data into a plurality of positions is a position that is not obstructed by the stored items in the storage chamber. And image selecting means for selecting image data (hereinafter referred to as “in-house selection image data”) including an identification object provided at a position that falls within at least one of the plurality of field-of-view ranges; Image storage means for storing selected image data, storage amount estimation means for estimating the storage amount in the storage room based on the selected image data in the storage, internal temperature detection means for detecting the air temperature in the storage room, and storage amount Estimated Intra-compartment cooling load estimation that estimates the in-compartment cooling load, which is a cooling load in the storage compartment, based on the amount of storage in the storage compartment estimated by the stage and the air temperature in the storage compartment detected by the in-compartment temperature detecting means Means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a refrigerator that does not require image connection and that can reduce the data capacity and the amount of calculation processing when obtaining an in-store image for grasping the storage status.

It is a schematic block diagram (front view) of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram (side projection) of the refrigerator compartment in the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the installation image in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a top view for demonstrating each opening position of the refrigerator door at the time of door opening operation | movement, and the camera visual field range in each opening position in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the imaging | photography data obtained in each door position of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the imaging | photography data at the time of food entering / exiting in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram (side projection) of the refrigerator compartment in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of an example of the storage amount estimation method by imaging | photography data in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram (side projection) of the refrigerator compartment in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the measurement data (storage volume occupation rate: 0%) which shows a temperature history in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the measurement data (storage volume occupation rate: 40%) which shows a temperature history in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the measurement data (storage volume occupation rate: 70%) which shows a temperature history in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram (side projection) of the refrigerator compartment in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the imaging | photography data at the time of the door opening / closing operation | movement in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram (side projection figure) of the refrigerator compartment in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 5 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the imaging | photography data at the time of door opening operation | movement in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 5 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram (side projection) of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 6 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the home system by which the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 7 of this invention is mounted. It is a schematic block diagram of the indoor system in which the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 8 of this invention is mounted, and an external system.

[Embodiment 1]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram (front view) of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram (side projection) of the refrigerator compartment in the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator 1000 includes a plurality of storage rooms. For example, the storage room includes a refrigerator room 100, an ice making room 200, a switching room 300, a freezer room 400, and a vegetable room 500. If it demonstrates in detail, each storage room will be arrange | positioned in order of the refrigerator compartment 100, the ice making room 200, the switching room 300, the freezer compartment 400, and the vegetable compartment 500 from the top. The front side of the refrigerator compartment 100 is closed by the refrigerator compartment doors 101 and 101a. On the refrigerator compartment door 101 side, the temperature of each storage room is set, the current temperature information, the image in the cabinet, the storage status, etc. An operation panel 1 capable of displaying is installed. The installation position of the operation panel 1 is not limited to the refrigerator compartment door 101 of the refrigerator compartment 100 but may be the refrigerator compartment door 101a, or may be installed on the door of another storage compartment or the side of the refrigerator 1000.

  In FIG. 2, the refrigerating room 100 has a plurality of refrigerating room shelf plates 102 (here, four stages 102 a to 102 d) installed therein and is partitioned into a plurality of spaces (shelves). . Further, the refrigerator compartment shelf 102d at the lowermost stage separates the refrigerator compartment 100 and the chilled compartment 110, and inside the chilled compartment 110, along the guide jig such as a rail (not shown), the refrigerator compartment door 101 side. A chilled case 111 that can be pulled out is installed.

  In addition, a camera 2 having a visual field range from the ceiling surface of the refrigerator compartment 100 to the chilled chamber 110 is installed on the inner surface of the refrigerator compartment door 101, and the inside of the refrigerator compartment 100 from the same refrigerator compartment door 101 side as the user's viewpoint. Can be taken. And the marker 3 is installed in the visual field range of the camera 2 and near the front edge of the refrigerator compartment shelf 102c. The installation position of the marker 3 is not limited to the vicinity of the front edge of the refrigerator compartment shelf 102c, and may be a position that falls within the visual field range of the camera 2 without being blocked by food placed on the refrigerator compartment shelf board 102. Anywhere. However, in order not to obstruct the user, it is preferable to provide it at either the left or right end of the front edge (end on the refrigerator compartment door 101a side) of one of the refrigerator compartment shelves 102 as shown in FIG. Moreover, the marker 3 should just be distinguishable from the articles | goods accommodated in the refrigerator compartment 100. FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an installation image in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The camera 2 is on the inner surface of the refrigerator compartment door 101 on the left side (right side), and the marker 3 is It is disposed on the right (left side) side wall surface in the vicinity of the front edge of the third-stage refrigerator compartment shelf 102c. With these arrangement relations, the opening and closing operation of the refrigerator compartment door 101 allows the camera 2 to take an image of the inside of the refrigerator compartment 100 while changing the visual field range in the horizontal direction. Then, the camera 2 can capture the marker 3 within the visual field range. At this time, the installation position of the camera 2 is preferably as close as possible to the rotation axis of the refrigerator compartment door 101. The closer to the rotation axis, the smaller the radius of the rotation trajectory, and the rotation angle for capturing the inside of the refrigerator compartment 100 in the visual field range when the refrigerator door 101 is opened and closed increases.

  A control board 1001 on which a control device including the image memory 4, the image selection device 5, and the wireless communication device 6 is mounted is installed on the rear surface of the refrigerator 1000. The control device is composed of, for example, a microcomputer. The image memory 4 is connected to the camera 2 and can store images in the refrigerator compartment 100 taken by the camera 2. The image selection device 5 is connected to the operation panel 1, the image memory 4, and a wireless communication device 6 including a communication module such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (registered trademark), and is stored in the image memory 4. From the plurality of images, a specific image selected under conditions described later can be displayed on the operation panel 1 or transmitted to a user terminal or the like via the wireless communication device 6. Yes.

Next, an example of the operation will be described with reference to FIGS.
The camera 2 continuously photographs the inside of the refrigerator compartment 100, and the obtained image is stored in the image memory 4 together with the photographing time. Since the camera 2 is installed on the inner surface of the refrigerator compartment door 101, a fixed image is always displayed while the refrigerator compartment door 101 is closed, and a visual field range that varies depending on the opening angle of the refrigerator compartment door 101 during opening and closing operations. Get the image. The trigger for starting shooting may be triggered by a user operation from the operation panel 1 or by providing a door opening / closing detection sensor and detecting the opening of the refrigerator compartment door 101 by the door opening / closing detection sensor. There may be.

  The image selection device 5 selects image data that can most easily grasp the situation in the refrigerator compartment 100 as image selection image data from the plurality of image data stored in the image memory 4. Image data other than the in-store selection image data is deleted from the image memory 4. Accordingly, only the selected image data in the warehouse selected by the image selection device 5 is stored in the image memory 4 in time series. Then, the current and past selected image data stored in the image memory 4 can be called up and displayed on the user terminal via the operation panel 1 and the wireless communication device 6.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view for explaining each opening position of the refrigerator door at the time of opening the door and a visual field range at each opening position in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. is there. In FIG. 4, the positions of the camera 2 and the marker 3 are the same as the positions shown in FIG. The portion shown in gray in FIG. 4 indicates the visual field range. 4A is when the door opening is small (about 30 °), FIG. 4B is when the door opening is medium (about 45 °), and FIG. 4C is when the door opening is optimum. (About 60 °). Moreover, FIG. 4A is a figure which shows an example of the imaging | photography data obtained in each door position of FIG. That is, FIG. 4A shows an excerpt of an image taken by the camera 2 and stored in the image memory 4 when the refrigerator compartment door 101 is gradually opened.

  In FIG. 4A, a first predetermined area 7 is an area used when an image is selected by the image / selection device 5. In the example in which the camera 2 and the marker 3 are installed at the position shown in FIG. Of the areas obtained by dividing the image data into 9 pieces in the vertical direction and 9 pieces in the horizontal direction, the area is set at the center of the left end (first row in the fifth row).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the visual field range of the camera 2 moves from the right side toward the center side toward the refrigerating room 100 with the opening degree of the refrigerating room door 101. In (a), 70 to 80% of the image was taken of the left side wall surface inside the cabinet, whereas in (c), almost the entire refrigerator compartment 100 is captured within the field of view. At this time, the marker 3 installed on the right wall surface in the vicinity of the front edge of the third-stage refrigerator compartment shelf 102c is not captured in the visual field range in (a) and (b), but in (c) 1 predetermined area 7.

  Therefore, the image selection device 5 detects that the marker 3 has been photographed in the first predetermined area 7, so that the image is the image in which the situation in the refrigerator compartment 100 is most easily grasped. Discriminate and extract the image. At this time, it is necessary to set the first predetermined area 7 in accordance with the arrangement of the camera 2 and the marker 3 and the storage area confirmation target storage area. The first predetermined area 7 may be set on the right side of the image data when it is installed on the side, and on the lower side of the image data when it is desired to shoot the chilled chamber 110 in a concentrated manner. That is, when the marker 3 is set in any region within the visual field range that captures the storage region confirmation target storage region, and the region is set as the first predetermined region, when selecting an image The image data including the marker 3 in the first predetermined area may be selected.

  As described above, the camera 2 is installed on the inner surface of the refrigerator compartment door 101, the inside of the refrigerator is continuously photographed when the refrigerator door 101 is opened and closed, and the image data obtained is installed in the refrigerator. The marker (identification object) extracts only the image data included in the specific area and stores it together with the photographing time, so that an image in which the internal situation is most easily grasped can be stored in time series. Therefore, it is possible to grasp the internal situation at an arbitrary time on the operation panel 1 or the user terminal. For this reason, for example, by operating the operation panel 1 to display an image on the operation panel 1, it is possible to check the storage status in the storage without opening the refrigerator compartment doors 101 and 101 a, and useless cooling Suppression is possible. In addition, since the storage status in the warehouse can be confirmed at a remote location, for example, at a shopping destination, at the user terminal, it is possible to prevent over-buying or forgetting to purchase useless ingredients.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of imaging data at the time of food entry / exit in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows the images stored in the image memory 4 arranged in time series, which are selected as the images most easily grasped by the image selection device 5 when the refrigerator compartment door 101 is opened and closed. The initial state is the image data shown in FIG. 4 (c), FIG. 5 (a) shows the beer 103 (see FIG. 4A (c)) at time A, and FIG. FIG. 5C shows image data obtained when the milk 105 and the cake 106 are received at time C when the salad 104 (see FIG. 5A) is delivered. 5A to 5C also show that the marker 3 is included in the first predetermined area 7 as in FIG. 4C.

  By the way, when the image selection device 5 selects a specific image from a plurality of images, it is necessary to detect whether or not the marker 3 has been photographed in the first predetermined area 7 as described above. In order to perform this detection, it is only necessary to perform image processing only within the first predetermined area 7 for each of a plurality of images taken using the door opening operation. Therefore, the amount of calculation processing can be reduced as compared with Patent Document 1.

  Further, since the image data selected from the plurality of image data is one frame of image data, no image connection is required as in Patent Document 1, and the data capacity can be reduced.

  As shown in FIG. 5, by confirming the selected image data in chronological order, not only can the inside situation be known without opening the refrigerator compartment door 101, but also the approximate expiration date of the received food from the time of receipt. The expiration date can be estimated, and the stock food can be managed by the image. Therefore, the effect of preventing waste such as discarding food can be obtained.

  At this time, as described above, the image data stored in the image memory 4 is only an image in which the marker 3 is included in the first predetermined area 7 and is most easily grasped when the door is opened and closed. Since food doors are always opened and closed, there is an effect of saving image memory capacity without storing unnecessary image data by storing only the minimum image data for managing food in stock. .

  As described above, it is possible to manage stock foods by taking images, but in order to manage only food entry / exit, each time the door is opened / closed, a difference image between the current opening / closing and the previous opening / closing is displayed. It is also possible to calculate and extract food that has been received or delivered. In order to check the situation inside the storage, a photographed image is required, but if it is storage / exit, a differential image is sufficient, and the differential image makes it easier to close up food that has been stored / extracted. There is an effect that the capacity can be saved.

  In the first embodiment, the configuration in which the camera 2 and the marker 3 are installed in the refrigerating chamber 100 has been described as an example, but a storage chamber to which these configurations are applied is arbitrary. In a storage room other than the refrigerator room 100, for example, the camera 2 is installed on the ceiling surface of the freezer room 400 or the vegetable room 500, and the marker 3 is pulled out in the freezer room 400 or the vegetable room 500 to a predetermined position in the slide case. For example, you may install in the back upper end of a slide case. The same applies to the case where only the image in which the marker 3 is included in the first predetermined area 7 and is most easily grasped among the images photographed by the camera 2 in the same manner as described above is selected and stored. An effect is obtained.

[Embodiment 2]
In the second embodiment, the amount stored in the warehouse is estimated, and the estimation result is notified to the user.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram (side projection) of the refrigerator compartment in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Note that items not particularly described in the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the same functions and configurations are described using the same reference numerals.
6, in addition to the image memory 4, the image selection device 5, and the wireless communication device 6, a storage amount estimation device 8 is further mounted on the control board 1001 installed on the back surface of the refrigerator 1000. The storage amount estimation result in the refrigerator compartment 100 is transmitted to the user terminal via the operation panel 1 and the wireless communication device 6.

  Next, an example of the operation will be described with reference to FIG. Regarding the operation, the description of the same parts as those in Embodiment 1 is omitted.

  In the second embodiment, the storage amount estimation device 8 estimates the storage amount in the refrigerator compartment 100 using the image selected by the image selection device 5, and the user through the operation panel 1 or the wireless communication device 6. The storage amount estimation result in the refrigerator compartment 100 can be transmitted and displayed on the terminal.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a storage amount estimation method based on photographing data in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In FIG. 7, when the camera 2 and the marker 3 are installed at the positions shown in FIG. 3 and the refrigerator compartment door 101 is opened and closed, the storage amount selected by the image selection device 5 and stored in the image memory 4 is shown. An excerpt of a different image is shown. (A) is image data obtained when there is no storage, (b) is when the storage amount is small, and (c) is image data obtained when the storage amount is large. A black frame in FIG. 7 is a stored item existence region frame 90 that surrounds a collection portion of the stored item existing region 9 in which stored items such as food are present, among the regions obtained by dividing the image data into nine vertically and nine horizontally. 7A to 7C also show that the marker 3 is included in the first predetermined region 7.

  In FIG. 7, by comparing the image data of (b) and (c) with stored items and the image data when there is no stored item (a), a stored item existing area 9 where stored items such as foods are present. Can be extracted. At this time, for example, out of all 9 × 9 = 81 areas, the number of the storage object existence areas 9 is calculated and divided by “81” to roughly estimate the volume occupation ratio, that is, the storage amount by the storage objects. it can.

  Specifically, in the case (b) where the storage amount is small, the number of storage object existence areas 9 is 28. Therefore, the volume occupation ratio by the storage item is (28/81) × 100≈35%, and the storage amount is large. In (c), since the number of storage object existence areas 9 is 57, (57/81) × 100≈70%. The storage amount estimation device 8 estimates the storage amount by performing the above calculation. Further, the storage amount estimation device 8 transmits the storage amount estimation result to the user terminal via the wireless communication device 6, so that the user can grasp the storage capacity during shopping at a remote place, for example, and cannot be stored. The effect that shopping etc. can be prevented is acquired.

[Embodiment 3]
The third embodiment estimates the cooling load in the storage based on the storage amount in the storage and the air temperature in the storage, and notifies the user of the estimation result.

FIG. 8: is a schematic block diagram (side projection figure) of the refrigerator compartment in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. Note that items that are not particularly described in the third embodiment are the same as those in the first or second embodiment, and the same functions and configurations are described using the same reference numerals.
In the third embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the second embodiment, an internal temperature sensor 10 that detects the air temperature in the refrigerator compartment 100 is installed on the back wall of the refrigerator compartment 100. In addition to the image memory 4, the image selection device 5, the wireless communication device 6, and the storage amount estimation device 8, an internal cooling load estimation device 11 is mounted on the control board 1001 installed on the back surface of the refrigerator 1000. Has been.

  Next, an example of the operation will be described with reference to FIG. Regarding the operation, the description of the same parts as those in the first embodiment or the second embodiment is omitted.

  In the third embodiment, the internal cooling load estimation device 11 uses the storage amount estimation result in the refrigerator compartment 100 by the storage amount estimation device 8 and the air temperature detection result in the refrigerator compartment 100 by the internal temperature sensor 10. It is used to estimate the cooling load in the refrigerator compartment 100. And the cooling load estimation apparatus 11 in a store | warehouse | chamber can transmit and display the cooling load estimation result in the refrigerator compartment 100 to the operation panel 1 or the user terminal via the radio | wireless communication apparatus 6. FIG.

  Here, when food is stored in the refrigerator 1000, in order to maintain the quality of the food, it is necessary to cool the food at a temperature suitable for the cooling load of the food. In general, the cooling load is proportional to the storage amount, but this is not always the case. For example, even if the storage amount is small, the cooling load increases when the heat load of the stored item is large. On the other hand, if the storage temperature is low and the temperature is stable even if the storage amount is large, the cooling load will be small.In this case, there is no need to reduce the storage amount. In addition, food may freeze and deteriorate in quality. Therefore, in order to estimate the cooling load, it is desirable to reflect not only the amount of food stored but also the temperature of the air in the cabinet.

  Therefore, in the third embodiment, the result of air temperature detection by the internal temperature sensor 10 is reflected in the storage amount estimation result by the storage amount estimation device 8, and the storage amount and the internal air are stored by the internal cooling load estimation device 11. The cooling load in the refrigerator compartment 100 is estimated in consideration of both the temperature and the temperature.

  9-11 is a figure which shows an example of the actual measurement data which show the temperature history in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. 9 shows storage capacity occupancy: 0%, FIG. 10 shows storage capacity occupancy: 40%, and FIG. 11 shows storage capacity occupancy: 70%. First, the refrigerator compartment door 101 is fully opened for 1 minute and then operated for 24 hours. It is the measured value of the temperature of each position in the store | warehouse | chamber, and power consumption at the time of doing. 9A to 11A, (a) is the main temperature and power consumption in the refrigerator compartment 100, (b) is the shelf temperature in the refrigerator compartment 100, and (c) is the actual measurement result of the door shelf temperature in the refrigerator compartment 100. It is.

  (A) includes an average temperature 12 on the ceiling surface of the refrigerator compartment, an average temperature 13 on the rear surface of the refrigerator compartment, an average temperature 14 of the cooling air supplied from the air outlet installed on the rear surface of the refrigerator compartment 100, and the consumption of the entire refrigerator 1000. Electric power 15 is shown. (B) shows the mass temperature 16 of each shelf in the refrigerator compartment 100 divided into four stages by the refrigerator compartment shelf plate 102. More specifically, the mass temperature 16a at the uppermost shelf of the refrigerator compartment, the refrigerator compartment The mass temperature 16b of the second stage of the shelf, the mass temperature 16c of the third stage of the refrigerator compartment shelf, and the mass temperature 16d of the lowest stage of the refrigerator compartment shelf are shown. (C) shows the mass temperature 17 of each door shelf (not shown) in the refrigerator compartment 100 installed on the back surface of the refrigerator compartment door 101 for three stages, and more specifically, the upper compartment of the refrigerator compartment door shelf. The mass temperature 17a, the mass temperature 17b of the refrigerator compartment door shelf middle stage, and the mass temperature 17c of the refrigerator compartment door shelf lower stage are shown. The stored items are simulated with instant noodles in bags, and the measurement position of the mass temperature 16 of each shelf in the refrigerator compartment 100 shown in (b) is on the back side of the stored items. The mass temperature is an air temperature considering the heat capacity of the space, and is actually the temperature of the brass cylinder with respect to the size of the space.

  From FIG. 9 to FIG. 11, in the internal temperature history of (a) to (c), the higher the storage volume occupancy, the more the mass temperature 16 of the refrigerator compartment shelf 102 that is arranged on the back side than the stored items is It is shown that it is cold. Moreover, it is shown that the mass temperature 17 of each door shelf in the refrigerator compartment 100 arrange | positioned at the door side from the stored item is so high that a storage volume occupation rate is high. That is, it is shown that the supply of the cooling air to the refrigerator compartment door 101 side is hindered by the stored items.

  In particular, when the storage volume occupancy ratio in FIG. 11 is 70%, the mass temperature 16c at the third stage of the refrigerator compartment shelf and the mass temperature 16d at the lowest stage of the refrigerator compartment shelf, which are the shelf temperatures below the refrigerator compartment 100, are 0. It has dropped to below ℃. The mass temperature 17a in the upper stage of the refrigerator compartment door shelf, which is the temperature of the upper shelf in the refrigerator compartment 100, is maintained at 13 to 14 ° C., and is outside the refrigerator temperature zone, and becomes a temperature environment that promotes the deterioration of food. It is shown that.

  9A to 11B, the fact that the total power consumption 15 has decreased to 0 indicates that the compressor of the refrigerant circuit to be cooled in the refrigerator 1000 has been turned off. During the OFF state, only the air transfer device is driven. Storage capacity occupancy rate: 0 to 70%, the maximum value of total power consumption 15 is maintained at about 50 W, but the higher the storage capacity occupancy, the fewer the number of times the compressor is turned off. As shown, it is increasing.

  Since the storage amount in the refrigerator 1000 and the internal temperature have the relationship as described above, the internal cooling load estimation device 11 further includes the internal temperature sensor in addition to the storage amount estimation result by the storage amount estimation device 8. 10 is used to estimate the cooling load in the refrigerator compartment 100.

  And the internal cooling load estimation apparatus 11 transmits and displays the internal cooling load estimation result in the refrigerator compartment 100 to the user terminal via the operation panel 1 or the wireless communication apparatus 6. In addition to the internal cooling load estimation result, the storage amount estimation result may also be transmitted and displayed.

  Therefore, even if there is room for storage capacity, information that the storage quality of food will be reduced if stored more than this, and information that there is no problem even if the set temperature is raised because the cooling load in the cabinet is small, etc. Can be disclosed.

  In this way, the user can be notified of the amount of storage in the storage and the result of estimation of the cooling load in the storage, so that the best storage and cooling method, energy saving behavior, etc. can be educated while maintaining the preservation quality of food. The effect that it can be obtained.

  Here, in FIG. 8, the internal temperature sensor 10 is installed on the back wall of the third-stage refrigerator compartment shelf 102c, but the installation position is not limited to this location. That is, the installation position of the internal temperature sensor 10 may be the back wall of another refrigerator compartment shelf 102 or the refrigerator compartment door 101 side as long as it can represent the air temperature in the refrigerator compartment 100. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, if the internal temperature sensor 10 is installed in the vicinity of the measurement position of the mass temperature 17a on the upper stage of the refrigerator compartment door shelf where the temperature rises most markedly due to an increase in the amount of storage, quality degradation will occur. It is possible to quickly detect the possibility and call attention to the user.

[Embodiment 4]
In the fourth embodiment, the marker 3 is configured to have an illumination function that emits light when power is turned on, and the open / close state and open / close direction of the refrigerator compartment door 101 are determined, and the determination result is turned ON / OFF of the marker 3. By using it for the control, the power consumption by the marker 3 is reduced.

  FIG. 12: is a schematic block diagram (side projection) of the refrigerator compartment in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. Items that are not particularly described in the fourth embodiment are the same as those in the first to third embodiments, and the same functions and configurations are described using the same reference numerals.

  In the fourth embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the first embodiment, a door open / close detection sensor 18 is installed on the main body side of the refrigerator compartment 100 in contact with the refrigerator compartment door 101. As the door opening / closing detection sensor 18, for example, a magnet system in which the proximity of a magnet (magnet) embedded in the refrigerator compartment door 101 is detected by a pair of reed switches installed on the refrigerator main body side is common. In addition to the image memory 4, the image selection device 5, and the wireless communication device 6, a marker illumination control device 19 is further mounted on the control board 1001 installed on the back surface of the refrigerator 1000. In the fourth embodiment, the marker 3 installed in the vicinity of the front edge of the refrigerator compartment shelf plate 102 is configured by a light emitting element such as an LED, and is turned on or off by an ON / OFF signal of the marker illumination control device 19. It has become.

  Next, an example of the operation will be described with reference to FIG. Regarding the operation, the same parts as in the first to third embodiments will not be described.

  In the fourth embodiment, the marker illumination control device 19 includes a door opening / closing direction discriminating device 19a that determines the opening / closing direction of the refrigerator compartment door 101 using the image selected by the image selecting device 5. The marker illumination control device 19 is configured to transmit an ON / OFF signal to the marker 3 based on inputs from the door opening / closing detection sensor 18 and the door opening / closing direction determination device 19a. Specifically, when the open / close detection sensor 18 detects the open state of the refrigerator compartment door 101, the marker illumination control device 19 transmits an ON signal to the marker 3 to light it, and the door open / close direction discriminating device 19a When the closing operation is detected, an OFF signal is immediately transmitted to the marker 3 to turn off the light. This control makes it possible to limit the lighting time of the marker 3 to the minimum necessary.

  In the above description, the marker illumination control device 19 turns on the marker 3 when the door opening / closing detection sensor 18 detects the open state of the refrigerator compartment door 101. However, the determination result of the door opening / closing direction determination device 19a. Alternatively, the marker 3 may be turned on. That is, when the open state of the refrigerator compartment door 101 is detected by the door opening / closing detection sensor 18 and the opening operation of the refrigerator compartment door 101 is determined by the door opening / closing direction determination device 19a, an ON signal is transmitted to the marker 3. Then, it may be lit.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of imaging data during door opening / closing operation in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. FIG. 13 shows excerpts of images with different door openings stored in the image memory 4 when the camera 2 and the marker 3 are installed at the positions shown in FIG. 3 and the refrigerator door 101 is opened and closed. . (A) is selected by the image selection device 5 when the door opening is optimum, “reference” (about 60 °), (b) is when the refrigerator door 101 is further opened from the “reference” (about 90 °) and (c) are image data obtained when the refrigerator door 101 is closed from the “reference” (about 45 °).

  In FIG. 13, in “reference” in (a), the marker 3 was included in the first predetermined region 7, whereas in (b), the marker 3 moved to the right from (a) and refrigerated. It can be determined that the chamber door 101 has opened. Conversely, in (c), the marker 3 has disappeared from the image. That is, in (c), since the marker 3 moves further leftward than (a), which exists at the left end, the marker 3 disappears from the image. The door opening / closing direction discriminating device 19a discriminates the door opening / closing direction using the position movement of the marker 3 on the image accompanying opening / closing of the refrigerator compartment door 101.

  Specifically, the door opening / closing direction discriminating device 19a discriminates “door opening operation” if the marker 3 has moved to the right side in a series of images obtained after the optimal door opening degree. If the marker 3 disappears from the image in a series of images obtained after the optimum degree, it is determined as “door closing operation”.

  Further, by configuring the marker 3 with a light emitting element, not only the camera 2 can easily identify the marker 3, but also the following effects are obtained. That is, since the marker 3 is installed in the vicinity of the front edge of the refrigerator compartment shelf 102, the storage items are fully loaded on the refrigerator compartment shelf 102, and the interior lighting installed on the ceiling surface and the rear surface of the refrigerator compartment 100 is illuminated. Even when it is covered with stored items, it plays the role of illumination from the refrigerator door 101 side. Therefore, the brightness in the refrigerator compartment 100 can be maintained, and an effect that a clear image can be obtained is obtained.

  The marker 3 may be installed at any position that does not cause a blind spot due to food placed on the refrigerator compartment shelf 102. For example, the position of the marker 3 may be moved to a position that falls within the visual field range of the camera 2 when the door opening is smaller than the “reference” position in FIG. By changing the setting area of the first predetermined area 7, the effect of determining the door opening / closing direction can be obtained without impairing the original purpose of selecting the optimum door opening.

[Embodiment 5]
In the fifth embodiment, the cooling load outside the store is estimated based on the air temperature outside the store and the illuminance load outside the store, and the estimation result is fed back to the cooling control of the refrigerator 1000.

FIG. 14: is a schematic block diagram (side projection figure) of the refrigerator compartment in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 5 of this invention. Items that are not particularly described in the fifth embodiment are the same as those in the first to fourth embodiments, and the same functions and configurations are described using the same reference numerals.
In the fifth embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the fourth embodiment (the door opening / closing detection sensor 18 is omitted), the outside temperature sensor 20 that detects the air temperature outside the refrigerator (in the vicinity of the refrigerator) on the back wall of the refrigerator 1000 is further provided. Is installed. In addition to the image memory 4, the image selection device 5, the wireless communication device 6, and the door opening / closing direction discriminating device 19 a, the control board 1001 installed on the rear surface of the refrigerator 1000 further includes an illuminance estimation device 21 and external cooling. A load estimation device 22 is mounted.

  Next, an example of the operation will be described with reference to FIG. Regarding the operation, the same parts as in the first to fourth embodiments will not be described.

  In the fifth embodiment, the illuminance estimation apparatus 21 uses the image selected by the image selection device 5 and the determination result of the opening / closing direction of the refrigerator compartment door 101 by the door opening / closing direction determination device 19a. Estimate the illuminance. Then, the refrigerator cooling load estimation device 22 is mounted with the refrigerator 1000 using the illuminance estimation result estimated by the illuminance estimation device 21 and the outside air temperature detection result detected by the outside temperature sensor 20. The cooling load (hereinafter referred to as “outside cooling load”) of the generated environment is estimated. The external cooling load estimation device 22 can transmit and display the external cooling load estimation result to the user terminal via the operation panel 1 or the wireless communication device 6.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of imaging data when the door is opened in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. FIG. 15 shows an excerpt of images with different door opening and shooting time stored in the image memory 4 when the camera 2 and the marker 3 are installed at the positions shown in FIG. Is shown. (A) is the image data of “reference” (about 60 °) selected by the image selection device 5 when the door opening is optimum, and (b) is the opening operation of the refrigerator compartment door 101 further from “reference”. (C) is image data taken at night when the refrigerator door 101 is opened from the “reference” (about 90 °). In the following, an image showing the outside of the box as shown in (b) and (c) is referred to as an outside box image.

  In FIG. 15, the second predetermined area 23 is an area used when the image selection device 5 selects an outside image. In the example in which the camera 2 and the marker 3 are installed at the position shown in FIG. 3, among the areas obtained by dividing the image data into nine pieces in the vertical direction and nine pieces in the horizontal direction, A predetermined area 23 is set. In other words, the camera 2 shoots the inside of the refrigeration room 100 while changing the visual field range in the horizontal direction by the opening / closing operation of the refrigeration room door 101, but the outside of the warehouse is captured among a plurality of images taken by the camera 2. The position of the marker 3 in the image data (which region of the 9 × 9 region) is confirmed in advance, and the region is set as the second predetermined region 23.

  In FIG. 15, when the door opening is optimal for photographing the interior of (a), the marker 3 was included in the first predetermined area 7, whereas in (b) and (c) Since the marker 3 has moved to the right from (a), it can be determined by the door opening / closing direction determination device 19a that the refrigerator compartment door 101 has been opened. Further, in (b) and (c), since the marker 3 is included in the second predetermined area 23, it can be determined that the obtained image is taken outside the warehouse. Therefore, the image selecting device 5 determines the opening operation of the refrigerator compartment door 101 by the door opening / closing direction discriminating device 19a after obtaining the inside selection image data, and the image data in which the marker 3 is included in the second predetermined area 23. When the image data is obtained, the image data is selected as the outside image selection image data. Note that, regardless of the determination result of the door opening / closing direction determination device 19a, the image data in which the marker 3 is included in the second predetermined area 23 may be selected as the outside selection image data.

  And the illumination intensity estimation apparatus 21 can estimate the illumination intensity outside a warehouse from the brightness | luminance data in the division area (division area for 2 left columns in FIG. 15) which image | photographed the exterior. Further, the illuminance estimation device 21 is taken in the daytime in FIG. 15B from the photographing time stored together with the image data. In FIG. 15B, a particularly bright portion (the broken line portion 107 in the eighth to ninth stages). ) Is due to solar radiation, (c) is taken at night, and it can be determined that the illuminance is due to illumination.

  Generally, in cooling control of a refrigerator, basic control such as an operation rate of a compressor is determined by air temperature outside the refrigerator before cooling with a set temperature of each storage chamber in the refrigerator as a target. In other words, if the outside of the refrigerator is at a low temperature, the heater for anti-freezing is operated instead of suppressing the operation of the compressor. On the contrary, if the temperature is high, the operation rate of the compressor and the frequency of the defrost operation are increased, and there is no problem. Control is performed to optimize the system so that it can be cooled. At this time, the cooling load (environmental load) outside the warehouse is estimated in consideration of solar radiation and lighting in addition to the air temperature outside the warehouse, and the estimation result (external cooling load estimation result) is reflected in the compressor operation control. If this is the case, it is possible to suppress the useless driving and to save energy.

  Specifically, for example, even if the outside air temperature is low, it can be determined that if the solar radiation is strong, it is estimated that the outside cooling load is high and the cooling capacity needs to be maintained. Or, even if the air temperature outside the warehouse is high at night, if the lighting is turned on at that time, the air temperature outside the warehouse is due to lighting, because it is nighttime, The outside cooling load is estimated to be low, and it can be determined that the cooling capacity need not be so high. By performing such estimation of the outside cooling load and determination of the cooling capacity based on the estimation result, it becomes possible to automatically carry out a cooling operation without excess or deficiency in maintaining the preservation quality of food. . That is, it is possible to perform an optimal cooling operation that suppresses a useless operation and to save energy.

  The outside cooling load estimation device 22 estimates the outside cooling load using the outside air temperature and the outside illuminance based on the above-described concept of outside cooling load estimation. The outside-cooling cooling load estimation device 22 further estimates the outside-cooling cooling load in consideration of the shooting time when the image data was shot as necessary.

  In FIG. 14, the door opening / closing detection sensor 18 is omitted, but the signal of the door opening / closing detection sensor 18 is input to the door opening / closing direction discriminating device 19a as in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. May be formed of light emitting elements, and an ON / OFF signal may be sent from the marker illumination control device 19 to the marker 3. In addition, the setting position of the marker 3 and the setting area of the second predetermined area 23 are not limited to the positions shown in FIG. 15, and are positions that do not cause blind spots due to the food placed on the refrigerator compartment shelf 102. I just need it. For example, the marker 3 may be moved (installed) to a position where the photographing range outside the warehouse becomes wider so that the illuminance outside the warehouse can be estimated, and the second predetermined area 23 may be set accordingly.

[Embodiment 6]
In the sixth embodiment, specific components that are actually controlled and specific control of the components are described in feedback of the cooling load estimation result inside and outside the refrigerator to the cooling control of the refrigerator 1000.

  FIG. 16 is a schematic configuration diagram (side projection) of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention. Note that items not particularly described in the sixth embodiment are the same as those in the first to fifth embodiments, and the same functions and configurations are described using the same reference numerals. FIG. 16 shows a refrigeration cycle circuit provided in the refrigerator 1000 for cooling air supplied to each storage room, and an air passage for supplying air cooled by this refrigeration cycle circuit to each storage room. ing.

  The refrigeration cycle circuit includes a compressor 1002, a condenser (not shown) that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1002, a throttle device (not shown) that expands the refrigerant flowing out of the condenser, and a throttle device. A cooler 1003 for cooling air supplied to each storage chamber by the expanded refrigerant is provided. The compressor 1002 is arrange | positioned at the lower part of the back side of the refrigerator 1000, for example. The cooler 1003 is provided in a cooling air passage 1010 described later. The cooling air passage 1010 is also provided with an air conveyance device 1004 for sending air cooled by the cooler 1003 to each storage room (in other words, for circulating air in the refrigerator 1000).

  The air path for supplying the air cooled by the refrigeration cycle circuit to each storage room is composed of a cooling air path 1010, a return air path 1020, a refrigeration room return air path 108, a vegetable room return air path 501 and the like. ing. The cooling air path 1010 is formed in the back surface part of the refrigerator 1000, for example, and is a ventilation path through which the air cooled by the cooler 1003 is conveyed to each storage room. The amount of cooling air flowing into each storage room is adjusted by a damper (only the refrigerating room damper 109 for the refrigerating room is shown in FIG. 16) installed in the cooling air passage 1010. The return air passage 1020 is a ventilation passage through which air that has cooled each chamber is conveyed to the cooler 1003. The refrigerator compartment return air passage 108 is a ventilation passage through which the air that has cooled the refrigerator compartment 100 and the chilled chamber 110 is conveyed to the vegetable compartment 500. The air that has cooled the refrigerator compartment 100 and the chilled chamber 110 is mixed with the air that has cooled the vegetable compartment 500 in the vegetable compartment return air passage 501, and is conveyed to the cooler 1003.

  In FIG. 16, a cooling control device 24 is further mounted on the control board 1001 installed on the back surface of the refrigerator 1000 in addition to the configurations of the third and fifth embodiments. The cooling control device 24 is connected to the compressor 1002, the air conveyance device 1004, the refrigerator compartment damper 109 and other dampers (not shown) of the storage compartment, and controls these devices. The cooling control device 24 performs the compressor 1002, the air transfer device 1004, the refrigerator compartment damper 109, and the like according to the cooling load estimation result obtained from at least one of the internal cooling load estimation device 11 and the external cooling load estimation device 22. A control signal is transmitted to at least one of the storage room dampers (not shown) to change the cooling capacity of the storage room. In addition, the cooling control device 24 transmits, to the user terminal via the operation panel 1 and the wireless communication device 6, the cooling load estimation result inside and outside the cabinet, the control content for each device, the set temperature of each storage room, and the like. It is the composition to do.

  Next, an example of the operation will be described with reference to FIG. Regarding the operation, the same parts as those in the first to fifth embodiments will not be described.

  In the refrigerator 1000, the internal air (for example, −30 ° C. to −25 ° C.) cooled by the cooler 1003 is generally conveyed by the air conveyance device 1004 to each storage room via the cooling air passage 1010. The return air after cooling the storage chamber is a circulating air path that returns to the cooler 1003 again via the return air path 1020. Then, by adjusting the amount of cooling air flowing into each storage chamber by opening and closing a plurality of dampers including the refrigerator compartment damper 109, individual temperature settings are made for each storage chamber.

  For example, the inflow damper of the freezing room 400 (for example, −22 ° C. to −16 ° C.) that is set to the lowest temperature is almost fully opened, and the inflow damper of the vegetable room 500 (for example, 3 ° C. to 9 ° C.) that is set to the highest temperature is almost all It is closed. And the vegetable room 500 is indirectly cooled with the return air which cooled the refrigerator compartment 100 (for example, 0 degreeC-6 degreeC) whose temperature setting is lower than the vegetable room 500, and the chilled room 110 (for example, 0 degreeC-2 degreeC), etc., The temperature in the storage room is adjusted.

  Here, in response to overcooling or undercooling, the temperature setting of each storage room can be adjusted to about ± 2 to 3 ° C., for example, the freezer room 400 has a temperature of about −25 ° C. to −13 ° C. 100 can be changed in the range of about −2 ° C. to 9 ° C.

  When a specific storage room is set to a low temperature due to insufficient cooling, for example, when only the refrigerating room 100 is lowered, the flow of cooling air into the refrigerating room 100 is increased by increasing the opening degree of the refrigerating room damper 109. Increase the amount. Further, when it is necessary to lower the temperature of the plurality of storage chambers, it is necessary to increase the cooling capacity of the refrigeration cycle by increasing the number of rotations of the compressor 1002 and the amount of air transported by the air transport device 1004. Therefore, in this case, the power consumption of the refrigerator 1000 increases. On the other hand, when the temperature of the storage chamber is increased due to excessive cooling, the opening of the damper is reduced with respect to a specific storage chamber to reduce the inflow of cooling air. Further, when the temperature of the plurality of storage chambers is increased, the number of rotations of the compressor 1002 and the amount of air transported by the air transport device 1004 may be decreased, and the power consumption of the refrigerator 1000 is decreased.

  The power consumption of the refrigerator 1000 is smaller than that of other home appliances such as room air conditioners and IH cooking heaters, but cooling cannot be stopped (power off) because food is managed. For this reason, in order to implement power-saving operation, it is necessary to raise the set temperature of each storage room according to the preservation | save state of foodstuffs and the surrounding environmental load. For example, when the amount of food stored in the storage room is small or when the outside air is cold and especially at night, the cooling capacity becomes excessive, so even if the set temperature is increased, the food storage quality is not impaired and the food storage quality is not impaired. It becomes possible to do.

  Therefore, in the sixth embodiment, the internal cooling load estimation result estimated by the internal cooling load estimation device 11 and the external cooling load (environmental load) estimation result by the external cooling load estimation device 22 are input, The cooling control device 24 controls the compressor 1002 and the air conveyance device 1004 according to the cooling load inside and outside the warehouse. For example, when the internal cooling load or the external cooling load is small and the cooling capacity is sufficient, the cooling control device 24 outputs a signal for reducing the number of rotations of the compressor 1002 and the conveyance air volume by the air conveyance device 1004. It transmits to the compressor 1002 and the air conveyance apparatus 1004. Thereby, it becomes possible to reduce a power consumption level, maintaining the preservation | save quality of a foodstuff. That is, it is possible to automatically carry out an optimal cooling operation without excess or deficiency in maintaining the preservation quality of food.

  Moreover, the cooling control device 24 performs the following control when the cooling load of only a specific storage room increases rapidly. Specifically, for example, when the door of the refrigerator compartment 100 is frequently opened and closed during breakfast or dinner and the cooling load of the refrigerator compartment 100 increases, the cooling control device 24 gives a signal that the cooling load of the refrigerator compartment 100 has increased rapidly. It is received from the internal cooling load estimation device 11. In this case, the cooling control device 24 increases the open ratio of the refrigerator compartment damper 109 and sends a signal to the compressor 1002 and the air conveyance device 1004 to reduce the rotation speed of the compressor 1002 and the amount of conveyance air by the air conveyance device 1004. Control to send. Thereby, cooling air can be made to flow intensively into the refrigerator compartment 100 where the cooling load has increased, and cooling can be performed, and the power consumption level of the refrigerator 1000 as a whole can be reduced.

[Embodiment 7]
The seventh embodiment relates to a home system 2000 in which the refrigerator 1000 is installed.

  FIG. 17 is a schematic configuration diagram of a home system in which a refrigerator according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention is installed. Note that items not particularly described in the seventh embodiment are the same as those in the first to sixth embodiments, and the same functions and configurations are described using the same reference numerals.

  A home system 2000 illustrated in FIG. 17 includes a home appliance such as a room air conditioner, a water heater, an IH cooking heater, and a lighting device including a refrigerator 1000, a power measuring device 2002, and a home controller 2004. The refrigerator 1000 further includes a communication function with the in-home controller 2004 in addition to the configuration of the refrigerator 1000 according to any one of the first to sixth embodiments. Each household electrical appliance and the power measuring device 2002 are connected to the system power supply 2001 by a power line and are supplied with power.

  The power measurement device 2002 can measure the power (power consumption) supplied to each home appliance and the total power supplied from the system power supply 2001 using, for example, a power measurement terminal 2003 such as CT, and can store a history. .

  In addition, each home electric appliance and the power measuring device 2002 are internally or externally connected with a wireless communication device 6 for bidirectional communication with the home controller 2004. As the wireless communication device 6, a communication module such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (registered trademark) is assumed, but each home appliance and the home controller 2004 are placed in the same home. You may connect by wire using.

  The in-home controller 2004 manages the power consumption of each home appliance, the power supplied to the system power supply 2001 obtained from the power measuring device 2002, and the information on the operating state and the surrounding environment obtained from each home appliance, Thus, the control change instruction can be transmitted.

  Next, an example of the operation will be described with reference to FIG. Regarding the operation, the same parts as those in the first to sixth embodiments will not be described.

  In FIG. 17, each household electrical appliance such as a refrigerator 1000, a room air conditioner, a water heater, an IH cooking heater, and a lighting device is operated by being supplied with electric power from the system power supply 2001. In addition, each of these household electrical appliances transmits information on the driving state and information on the surrounding environment to the home controller 2004 via the wireless communication device 6 continuously or when requested. For example, in the refrigerator 1000, the operation state information includes set temperature of each storage room, actual temperature history, operation modes such as presence / absence of ice making operation and rapid cooling operation, and alerts such as an empty state of the water supply tank and an open state of the door There is information. As information on the surrounding environment, for example, in a room air conditioner, there is information such as indoor air temperature and air humidity detected from the intake air, and in an illumination device, there is information such as indoor illuminance. The in-home controller 2004 manages the received operation state information and ambient environment information.

  The power measurement device 2002 measures the current supplied to each home appliance by the power measurement terminal 2003, calculates the power consumption of each home appliance and the supply power of the system power supply 2001, and via the wireless communication device 6 The power information is transmitted to the home controller 2004.

  The home controller 2004 obtains the power consumption of each home appliance obtained from the power measuring device 2002, the power supplied to the system power supply 2001, the operation state information obtained from each home appliance, and the information on the surrounding environment. A control change instruction is transmitted to. For example, when the total power consumption of each home appliance is close to the power that can be supplied by the system power supply 2001, the following control is performed in order to reduce power consumption in the home. That is, the in-home controller 2004 transmits a power saving instruction to a household electric appliance that consumes particularly large power, or determines whether the refrigerator 1000 is overcooled from the set temperature of the storage room and the actual temperature history, When it is determined that the cooling is excessive, an instruction to increase the set temperature is given.

  Furthermore, in the refrigerator 1000, as described in the sixth embodiment, the cooling control device 24 performs the internal and external cooling loads estimated by the internal cooling load estimation device 11 and the external cooling load estimation device 22, The compressor 1002 and the air conveyance device 1004 are controlled.

  In the fifth embodiment, the external cooling load estimation device 22 uses the information from the door opening / closing direction determination device 19a, the external temperature sensor 20, and the illuminance estimation device 21 to estimate the external cooling load (environmental load). Was obtained. However, in the seventh embodiment, the outside-compartment cooling load estimation device 22 can obtain, for example, indoor air temperature / humidity information by a room air conditioner and indoor illuminance information by a lighting device via the home controller 2004. It is. Therefore, even if the refrigerator 1000 does not have the door opening / closing direction discriminating device 19a, the outside temperature sensor 20, and the illuminance estimating device 21, the outside cooling load estimating device 22 is based on the information obtained from the room air conditioner and the lighting equipment. The cooling load can be estimated, and the same effect as in the fifth embodiment can be obtained with a simpler refrigerator configuration.

  Moreover, since the refrigerator 1000 can obtain indoor air humidity information via the home controller 2004, the humidity information can be reflected in the operation of the refrigerator 1000. For example, the latent heat load can be considered in the estimation of the cooling load in the external cooling load estimation device 22. Also, in the case of low humidity, the possibility of frosting by opening and closing the door is reduced, so the number of defrosting operations, which is the operation with the largest power consumption, is reduced, or the time interval for performing the defrosting operation is extended. In addition, the power consumption can be greatly reduced.

[Embodiment 8]
The eighth embodiment relates to a configuration in which the home system 2000 according to the seventh embodiment can obtain information from the outside system 3000.

  FIG. 18 is a schematic configuration diagram of an in-home system and an out-of-home system on which a refrigerator according to Embodiment 8 of the present invention is placed. Note that items not particularly described in the eighth embodiment are the same as those in the first to seventh embodiments, and the same functions and configurations are described using the same reference numerals.

  In FIG. 18, a broadband router 2005 is installed in the home system 2000 shown in the seventh embodiment, and the home controller 2004 is connected to the Internet 3001 that is a network of the outside system 3000 via the broadband router 2005. Yes. Furthermore, the Internet 3001 is connected to a cloud server 3002 that is an external server storing environment information such as various power information and weather forecasts, and a user terminal 3003 such as a smartphone or a mobile tablet. Therefore, the in-home controller 2004 obtains power information and environmental information from the cloud server 3002, while obtaining power consumption of each home appliance and power supplied from the system power supply 2001 obtained from the power measuring device 2002 and each home appliance. Information (operation state information and ambient environment information) can be transmitted to the user terminal 3003.

  Next, an example of the operation will be described with reference to FIG. Regarding the operation, the same parts as in the first to seventh embodiments will not be described.

  In the eighth embodiment, the in-home controller 2004 acquires, for example, the power supply / demand situation regarding the area where the in-home system 2000 is installed as the power information acquired from the cloud server 3002, and the power consumption in the area When the available power is approaching, the following control can be performed to reduce power consumption in the house. That is, a power saving instruction is transmitted to a household electric appliance that consumes particularly large power, and the refrigerator 1000 is determined to be overcooled from the set temperature of the storage room and the actual temperature history to determine whether it is overcooled. In such a case, an increase in the set temperature can be instructed.

  Furthermore, in the refrigerator 1000, as described in the sixth embodiment, the cooling control device 24 performs the internal and external cooling loads estimated by the internal cooling load estimation device 11 and the external cooling load estimation device 22, The compressor 1002 and the air conveyance device 1004 are controlled.

  In the fifth embodiment, the external cooling load estimation device 22 uses the information from the door opening / closing direction determination device 19a, the external temperature sensor 20, and the illuminance estimation device 21 to estimate the external cooling load (environmental load). Was obtained. However, in the eighth embodiment, the home controller 2004 can obtain, from the cloud server 3002, weather forecast information regarding the area where the home system 2000 is placed, for example, as environment information. Therefore, even if the refrigerator 1000 does not have the door opening / closing direction determination device 19a, the outside temperature sensor 20, and the illuminance estimation device 21, the outside cooling load estimation device 22 uses the in-home controller to store the environment information held by the cloud server 3002. By obtaining the information via 2004, it is possible to predict fluctuations in the external cooling load (environmental load). Therefore, since the cooling control device 24 can instruct the control corresponding to the outside cooling load in advance, it is possible to cope with a sudden environmental change and the effect that the preservation quality of the food can always be maintained is obtained.

  In addition, although each Embodiment 1-8 demonstrated as each another embodiment, you may comprise a refrigerator combining suitably the characteristic structure of each embodiment, a process, etc.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Operation panel, 2 Cameras (photographing means), 3 Marker (identification object), 4 Image memory, 5 Image selection apparatus, 6 Wireless communication apparatus, 7 First predetermined area, 8 Storage capacity estimation apparatus, 9 Storage object existence Area, 10 Internal temperature sensor, 11 Internal cooling load estimation device, 15 Total power consumption, 16a Refrigerating room shelf top stage mass temperature, 16b Refrigerating room shelf 2nd stage mass temperature, 16c Refrigerating room shelf 3rd stage mass temperature, 16d Refrigerating room shelf bottom mass temperature, 17a Refrigerating room door shelf upper mass temperature, 17b Refrigerating room door shelf middle mass temperature, 17c Refrigerating room door shelf lower mass temperature, 18 Door open / close detection sensor, 19 Marker illumination control device (illumination control) Means), 19a Door opening / closing direction discriminating device, 20 outside temperature sensor, 21 illuminance estimating device, 22 outside cooling load estimating device, 23 second predetermined area, 24 cooling control device, 90 Storage object existence frame, 100 refrigerator compartment, 101 refrigerator compartment door, 101a refrigerator compartment door, 102 (102a-102d) refrigerator compartment shelf, 103 beer, 104 salad, 105 milk, 106 cake, 107 broken line portion, 108 refrigerator compartment Return air path, 109 refrigerator compartment damper, 110 chilled room, 111 chilled case, 200 ice making room, 300 switching room, 400 freezing room, 500 vegetable room, 501 vegetable room return air path, 1000 refrigerator, 1001 control board, 1002 compressor , 1003 cooler, 1004 air conveying device, 1010 cooling air passage, 1020 return air passage, 2000 in-home system, 2001 system power supply, 2002 power measuring device, 2003 power measuring terminal, 2004 in-home controller, 2005 broadband router, 3000 outside-home system 3 01 Internet, 3002 cloud server, 3003 user terminal.

Claims (16)

A storage room;
A door closing the front opening of the storage room;
An imaging means that is installed on the inner surface side of the door and images the storage room in a different field of view according to the opening and closing operation of the door;
Of the plurality of image data obtained by the photographing means, a position that is not obstructed by the stored item in the storage chamber within a preset first predetermined area among the divided areas obtained by dividing the image data into a plurality of areas. And image selection means for selecting image data (hereinafter referred to as in-store selection image data) including an identification target provided at a position within at least one of the plurality of the visual field ranges. ,
Image storage means for storing the selected image data in the cabinet;
A storage amount estimation means for estimating a storage amount in the storage room based on the selection image data in the warehouse,
An internal temperature detecting means for detecting an air temperature in the storage chamber;
An internal cooling load that is a cooling load in the storage chamber based on the storage amount in the storage chamber estimated by the storage amount estimation means and the air temperature in the storage chamber detected by the internal temperature detection means. An internal cooling load estimating means for estimating
A refrigerator characterized by that. A storage room;
A door closing the front opening of the storage room;
An imaging means that is installed on the inner surface side of the door and images the storage room in a different field of view according to the opening and closing operation of the door;
Of the plurality of image data obtained by the photographing means, a position that is not obstructed by the stored item in the storage chamber within a preset first predetermined area among the divided areas obtained by dividing the image data into a plurality of areas. And image selection means for selecting image data (hereinafter referred to as in-store selection image data) including an identification target provided at a position within at least one of the plurality of the visual field ranges. ,
Image storage means for storing the selected image data in the cabinet;
The moving direction of the identification object is determined on the plurality of continuous image data having different field-of-view ranges photographed by the photographing unit, and the opening operation or closing operation of the door is determined based on the moving direction. Door opening / closing direction determining means
A refrigerator characterized by that. A storage amount estimating means for estimating a storage amount in the storage room based on the selection image data in the storage;
The refrigerator according to claim 2. An internal temperature detecting means for detecting an air temperature in the storage chamber;
An internal cooling load that is a cooling load in the storage chamber based on the storage amount in the storage chamber estimated by the storage amount estimation means and the air temperature in the storage chamber detected by the internal temperature detection means. An internal cooling load estimating means for estimating
The refrigerator according to claim 3. The identification object has an illumination function that emits light when power is applied,
Door opening and closing detection means for detecting opening and closing of the door;
When the door opening / closing detection means detects the open state of the door, the identification object is turned on, and when the door opening / closing direction determination means determines that the door is closed, the identification object is With lighting control means to turn off,
The refrigerator as described in any one of Claims 2-4 characterized by the above-mentioned. The illumination control means detects an open state of the door by the door opening / closing detection means, and further turns on the identification object when the door opening / closing direction determination means determines the opening operation of the door. The refrigerator according to claim 5. Of the plurality of divided areas, a divided area including the position of the identification object on the image data showing the outside of the warehouse is set in advance as a second predetermined area,
The image selection means selects image data (hereinafter referred to as outside selection image data) in which the identification object is included in the second predetermined area from among a plurality of image data obtained by the photographing means. ,
With illuminance estimation means for estimating illuminance outside the room based on the outside selection image data,
The refrigerator as described in any one of Claims 1-6 characterized by the above-mentioned. A storage room;
A door closing the front opening of the storage room;
An imaging means that is installed on the inner surface side of the door and images the storage room in a different field of view according to the opening and closing operation of the door;
Of the plurality of image data obtained by the photographing means, a position that is not obstructed by the stored item in the storage chamber within a preset first predetermined area among the divided areas obtained by dividing the image data into a plurality of areas. And image selection means for selecting image data (hereinafter referred to as in-store selection image data) including an identification target provided at a position within at least one of the plurality of the visual field ranges. ,
Image storage means for storing the selected image data in the cabinet;
Illuminance estimation means,
Of the plurality of divided areas, a divided area including the position of the identification object on the image data showing the outside of the warehouse is set in advance as a second predetermined area,
The image selection means selects image data (hereinafter referred to as outside selection image data) in which the identification object is included in the second predetermined area from among a plurality of image data obtained by the photographing means. ,
The said illumination intensity estimation means estimates the illumination intensity outside a store | warehouse | chamber based on the said outside selection image data. The refrigerator characterized by the above-mentioned. Outside temperature detection means for detecting the air temperature of the environment where the refrigerator is installed,
External cooling that estimates an external cooling load that is a cooling load of the environment in which the refrigerator is installed based on the illuminance estimated by the illuminance estimation means and the air temperature detected by the external temperature detection means Load estimation means,
The refrigerator according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that. A refrigeration cycle comprising a compressor, a condenser and a cooler;
An air conveying device for conveying the cooling air cooled by the cooler to the storage chamber;
A blowout air volume control device that adjusts an inflow amount of the cooling air supplied to the storage chamber;
In accordance with a cooling load estimation result obtained from at least one of the internal cooling load estimation means and the external cooling load estimation means, control is performed to at least one of the compressor, the air conveyance device, and the blown air amount control device. Cooling control means for transmitting a signal and changing the cooling capacity for the storage room,
The refrigerator according to claim 9, which is dependent on claim 4. When the external cooling load estimation means estimates the external cooling load, information on at least one of the illuminance around the refrigerator and the air temperature around the refrigerator is obtained from other home appliances in the home network via the communication device. Obtain,
The refrigerator according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The outside cooling load estimation means obtains environmental information for estimating the outside cooling load from an external server via a communication device.
The refrigerator according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: A divided area including the position of the identification object on the image data in which the storage status confirmation target area is shown is set as the first predetermined area,
The refrigerator selection according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the in-compartment selection image data is image data obtained by photographing the storage status confirmation target region. A display part is provided on the outer surface side of the door,
The image storage means stores the selection image data in the warehouse together with the photographing time,
The said image selection means displays the said some image | video selection image data memorize | stored in the said image memory | storage means on the said display part in time series. The Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. The refrigerator described. The image storage means stores the selection image data in the warehouse together with the photographing time,
The said image selection means transmits the said some image | video selection image data memorize | stored in the said image memory | storage means to a user terminal via a communication apparatus, and displays them in time series. Item 15. The refrigerator according to any one of Items 14. The identification object is an end portion on the door side of a shelf provided in the storage chamber, and is provided at either the left or right end.
The refrigerator as described in any one of Claims 1-15 characterized by the above-mentioned.