JP3923755B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a notification function for notifying a user of various information by voice.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, with the digitization of refrigerators, refrigerators that notify users of various information related to the refrigerator (for example, occurrence of abnormalities, message memos, etc.) via speakers have been commercialized, and notification of the various information The timing is sequentially performed corresponding to the time when the various types of information are generated.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the refrigerator mentioned above does not provide any rules for the notification timing, and performs notification regardless of whether or not there is a person near the refrigerator. For example, when the frozen food is thawed in a refrigerator, a notification is given to notify the end of the thawing immediately after the thawing is finished. In addition, when an abnormality occurs in the refrigerator, the notification of the occurrence of the abnormality is repeatedly performed immediately after the occurrence . Accordingly, there is a problem that necessary audio information is not reliably transmitted to a required user.
[0004]
Further, in the case of a refrigerator having a function capable of recording a message, it is necessary to reproduce the message by a required operation. Therefore, when extracting voice information, it is necessary to check whether or not the message is recorded. If the message confirmation is forgotten, there is a problem that the message is not transmitted as intended.
[0005]
This invention is made | formed in view of the said problem, The objective is to provide the refrigerator which carries out audio | voice alert | reporting exactly with respect to the person who exists in the refrigerator vicinity.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention according to claim 1 is a refrigerator having a notifying means for notifying a user by voice, a human body detecting means for detecting the presence of a person, and the notifying means when detecting the presence of a person. Control means for driving, and when the presence of a person is detected in an arbitrarily set time zone, the notification means is driven, and the presence of a person is not detected in the arbitrarily set time zone. later and to detect the presence of human the voice sound information to the effect that notification is not performed and summarized in that to the output from said notification means.
[0007]
In the present invention, the caller assumes a time zone in which the receiver will be in the vicinity of the refrigerator, sets a notification time, and records a message, so that a person who is detected in that time zone is recorded. A message is automatically notified, and even if the time period for notifying the message is ended, “no message to be notified” has been notified to the person detected in the vicinity of the refrigerator after the time period ends.
[0008]
Further, the gist of the present invention is to start driving the human body detection sensor after a lapse of a predetermined time so as not to detect the caller .
[0009]
In the present invention, the caller itself is not detected by starting driving of the human body detection sensor after a predetermined time has passed so as not to detect the caller himself .
[0010]
Furthermore, the present invention as claimed in claim 3 , when detecting that an abnormality has occurred during operation of the refrigerator, continuously notifies the outside of the occurrence of the abnormality, and notifies a countermeasure for the occurrence of the abnormality after detecting a human body in the vicinity of the refrigerator. The gist.
[0011]
In the present invention, after notifying the user of the occurrence of an abnormality with a minimum of notification, when a notification is received and it is detected that a person has come near the refrigerator, a specific countermeasure is notified. To make sure of abnormalities.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0013]
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the refrigerator 1 is provided with a refrigerator room 2, a vegetable room 3, an ice making room 4, and a freezing room 5 from above, and a switching room adjacent to the ice making room 4 in which the setting of the internal temperature can be switched. 6 is disposed. An open / close type refrigerator compartment door 2a is provided in front of the refrigerator compartment 2, and drawer type doors 3a, 4a, 5a, 6a are provided in the vegetable compartment 3, the ice making compartment 4, the freezer compartment 5, and the switching compartment 6, respectively. ing.
[0014]
Although not shown in FIG. 1, each door is provided with door opening / closing sensors 2b, 3b, 4b, 5b, 6b for detecting an abnormality when the door is open for a predetermined time or longer. 2, the ice making chamber 4, and the switching chamber 6 are provided with temperature sensors 2 c, 4 c, and 6 c that detect an abnormality when the set temperature in each store reaches or exceeds a set value.
[0015]
In the upper part of the refrigerator compartment 2, a human body detection sensor 7 configured by, for example, an infrared sensor that functions as a human body detection means is provided.
[0016]
An operation panel 20 composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display 21 for displaying the operation state of the refrigerator 1 is fitted in the lower part of the front surface of the refrigerator door 2a. The operation panel 20 includes a playback switch 22, a recording switch 23, a time A setting switch 24, an audio selection switch 25, a microphone 26, a speaker 27, and a buzzer 28 are provided.
[0017]
Although not shown in FIG. 1, a control device including a microcomputer 80 that controls various sensors, switches, and the like is disposed on the upper rear surface of the refrigerator compartment 2.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 2, the control of the refrigerator 1 includes an input operation unit, a voice input unit, an abnormality detection unit, a human body detection unit, a control unit, and a notification unit.
[0020]
In the following description, the person who records the message is called “sender”, and the person who plays the recorded message is called “receiver”.
[0021]
The input operation unit is an input function part composed of a playback switch 22, a recording switch 23, a time setting switch 24, and a voice selection switch 25. The output of each switch is connected to the microcomputer 80 of the control unit. The recording and reproduction switches 22 and 23 are switches used when a message is recorded by a sender and when a message is reproduced by a receiver, respectively. The time setting switch 24 is a switch for setting the date and time in the timer unit 82 built in the control unit and setting the start time and end time of the time zone in which the human body detection sensor 7 is driven. The voice selection switch 25 is a switch for selecting and determining voice information to be used from among a plurality of databased voice information stored in the voice storage memory 81.
[0022]
The abnormality detection unit includes door opening / closing sensors 2b to 6b and temperature sensors 2c, 4c, and 6c. The abnormality detection unit constantly monitors the opening / closing state of the door and the internal temperature, and outputs a detection signal to the microcomputer 80 when an abnormality is detected. To do. Further, although not shown, a refrigerant leak sensor that detects refrigerant leak is also included as one of the abnormality detection units.
[0023]
The control unit includes a microcomputer 80 that controls the operation of the entire refrigerator, an audio storage memory 81, a timer unit 82, and a setting storage memory 83. The timer unit 82 has a clock function, counts the time from the start time to the end time of the time zone set by the time setting switch 24, and sends a signal indicating the end to the microcomputer 80 when the time count ends. Output.
[0024]
The notification unit is an output function part including the display 21, the speaker 27, and the buzzer 28. The display 21 displays various information managed by the microcomputer 80 so as to be visible, and the speaker 27 performs voice notification. Further, the buzzer 28 is mainly used when notifying abnormality that has occurred in the refrigerator 1.
[0025]
Next, the control operation when notifying the message of the refrigerator 1 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG.
[0026]
First, the caller records a message from the microphone 26 by pressing a recording switch 23 provided on the operation panel 20. The input message is stored in the voice storage memory 81 (S1 to S2).
[0027]
Since the microcomputer 80 starts driving the human body detection sensor 7 after a predetermined time has passed so as not to detect the caller itself, the caller leaves the place after recording is finished (S3 to S4).
[0028]
After a certain period of time, the microcomputer 80 starts driving the human body detection sensor 7 and starts monitoring the presence of a person near the refrigerator 1. When the presence of a person is detected by the human body detection sensor 7, the microcomputer 80 extracts the recorded message from the voice storage memory 81 and immediately outputs it to the speaker 27 to give a voice notification to the detected person ( S5).
[0029]
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, since the human body detection sensor 7 is provided in the refrigerator 1, since voice notification is automatically performed when the presence of a person is detected in the vicinity of the refrigerator 1, it is possible to reliably receive a message. it can. For example, when an instruction is given to thaw frozen food, if a person is detected after thawing is completed, a voice notification of the end can be given, so that the user can be surely notified of the end of the operation.
[0030]
As a modification of the above embodiment, instead of recording a message from the caller in step S1, appropriate voice information is set from the voice information stored in the voice storage memory 81 by the voice selection switch 25. You can also. For example, in the case where the voice information “A snack is in the refrigerator.” Is set, if the human body detection sensor 7 detects a person in the vicinity of the refrigerator 1 in step S4, “A snack is in the refrigerator.” Notify the detected person.
[0031]
Therefore, according to this modification, the same effect as that of the above embodiment can be obtained even if the standard voice information stored in the voice storage memory 81 is set instead of the message of the caller.
[0032]
As another modification, in step S1, for example, after setting the voice information “There is a message” from the voice information stored in the voice memory 81, a message from the caller is further recorded. When the human body detection sensor 7 detects a person in the vicinity of the refrigerator 1 in step S4, it notifies “There is a message.” Therefore, the receiver presses the reproduction switch 22 on the operation panel 20 to reproduce the recorded message. I can hear you.
[0033]
Therefore, according to this modification, it is possible to obtain the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment by setting the combination of the standard voice information and the message recorded by the caller.
[0034]
(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a second embodiment of the present invention. As a feature thereof, a time zone can be set in the configuration of FIGS. If it is detected, the voice notification is performed.
[0035]
Next, the operation will be described.
[0036]
First, as in the first embodiment, a message is recorded by a caller, and the recorded message is stored in the voice storage memory 81 (S10 to S11).
[0037]
Next, a time zone in which the message is to be notified by the time setting switch 24 is set in the timer unit 82 (S12). Here, there are, for example, the following three setting methods for setting the time zone. The first setting method is a time zone for informing a predetermined time zone (for example, 12 hours) from the set time. The second setting method is a time zone in which a set time is notified and a predetermined time zone (for example, 12 hours) before is notified. The third setting method is a time zone in which the width of a predetermined time before and after the set time (for example, 6 hours before and after) is notified. The time width of these time zones is not limited to “time” but may be “day”.
[0038]
The human body detection sensor 7 stops driving until the set start time is reached, and starts monitoring when it is detected that the start time has been reached. On the other hand, when the timer unit 82 reaches the start time, it counts the time until the end time (S13 to S14).
[0039]
When the start time is reached, the microcomputer 80 drives the human body detection sensor 7 to start monitoring. When the presence of a person is detected in the vicinity of the refrigerator 1 by the human body detection sensor 7, the recorded message is extracted from the voice storage memory 81 and immediately output to the speaker 27, and voice notification is given to the detected person (S15). .
[0040]
On the other hand, if the presence of a person is not detected in the vicinity of the refrigerator 1 in step S14, it is confirmed that the set time period has not ended, and the process returns to step S14 to continue monitoring the presence of a person in the vicinity of the refrigerator 1. When (S16) detects in step S16 that the time counted has reached the end time, the timer unit 82 outputs a signal indicating the end of time to the microcomputer 80 to stop the output of the message notification. The process waits until a new human body is detected (S17).
[0041]
When a new person is detected near the refrigerator 1 (for example, the caller returns to the vicinity of the refrigerator 1), the fact that the notification was not made in the set time zone (for example, “No message” The voice information indicating ")" is extracted from the voice storage memory 81 and voice notification is performed (S18).
[0042]
Note that the driving of the human body detection sensor 7 is not limited to driving only for a set time period. For example, the human body detection sensor 7 is always driven to perform human body detection at all times. It can also be.
[0043]
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the caller is detected in that time zone by setting the notification time and recording the message assuming the time zone in which the receiver will be in the vicinity of the refrigerator 1. Since the message can be automatically notified to the person, for example, if the mother sets the time zone in anticipation of the child's return time, and records the message “A snack is in the refrigerator”, this time Children who return home can definitely hear their mother's message when they approach the refrigerator.
[0044]
In addition, even when the time period for notifying the message ends, it is possible to notify the person who has been detected in the vicinity of the refrigerator 1 after the end of the time period that “the message to be notified has not been notified”. It is possible to reliably know that the notification has not been made.
[0045]
(Third embodiment)
FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a third embodiment of the present invention. As a feature thereof, when the refrigerator 1 causes an abnormal operation in the configuration of FIGS. Then, when the presence of a person is detected in the vicinity of the refrigerator 1, a more detailed countermeasure against the abnormality is notified.
[0046]
Next, the operation will be described.
[0047]
The microcomputer 80 constantly monitors the door open / close sensors 2b to 6b and the temperature sensors 2c, 4c, and 6c, and if any abnormality is detected by any of the sensors while the refrigerator 1 is operating, the abnormality is detected from the voice storage memory 81. Audio information for notification (for example, “abnormality has occurred”) is extracted and continuous voice notification is made from the speaker 27, or an abnormal warning sound is continuously notified by the buzzer 28 (S20 to S21).
[0048]
At the same time as the abnormality notification, the microcomputer 80 determines which detection sensor is causing the abnormality, and extracts the sound information related to the specific coping method corresponding to the abnormality from the sound storage memory 81. Then, when it is detected that the user who has heard the abnormality notification has come to the vicinity of the refrigerator 1, this coping method is notified by voice (S <b> 22 to S <b> 23). For example, the contents of the countermeasures are "The door of the refrigerator compartment is open" or "XX has caused an abnormality. Please contact the store where you purchased it."
[0049]
When the location where an abnormality has occurred is improved by the user or the notification stop switch is pressed, the abnormality notification ends, and the microcomputer 80 returns to step S20 to monitor each sensor in preparation for the next occurrence of abnormality. Is started (S24).
[0050]
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, in order to notify the abnormality that has occurred in the refrigerator 1, it is not necessary to perform detailed notification even though there is no person in the vicinity of the refrigerator 1. After notifying the user of the occurrence of an abnormality by notification, when it is detected that a person has come near the refrigerator 1 by detecting the notification, the abnormality can be reliably notified by notifying a specific coping method. .
[0051]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention described in claim 1, the caller sets a notification time and records a message assuming a time zone in which the receiver will be in the vicinity of the refrigerator. The message is automatically notified to the person detected in the time zone, and even if the time zone for notifying the message is over, the message “No message to be notified” has been announced. The person detected by can be notified.
[0052]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the caller itself from being detected by starting driving the human body detection sensor after a predetermined time has passed so as not to detect the caller himself.
[0053]
In addition, according to the third aspect of the present invention, after notifying the user of the occurrence of an abnormality with a minimum notification, when the user hears the notification and detects that a person has come near the refrigerator, By notifying the coping method, it is possible to reliably notify the abnormality.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a third embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator 2 Refrigerated room 3 Vegetable room 4 Ice making room 5 Freezer room 6 Switching room 2a-6a Door 2b-6b Door open / close sensor 2c, 4c, 6c Temperature sensor 7 Human body detection sensor 20 Operation panel 21 Display 22 Playback switch 23 Recording switch 24 Time setting switch 25 Voice selection switch 26 Microphone 27 Speaker 28 Buzzer 80 Microcomputer 81 Voice storage memory 82 Timer unit 83 Setting storage memory

Claims (3)

In the refrigerator having an informing means for informing the user by voice,
Human body detection means for detecting the presence of a person,
Control means for driving the notification means when the presence of a person is detected,
When the presence of a person is detected in an arbitrarily set time zone, the notification means is driven, and when the presence of a person is detected in the arbitrarily set time zone but the presence of a person is detected after the time zone, the voice notification is performed. The refrigerator is characterized in that audio information indicating that no notification has been made is output from the notification means . 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein driving of the human body detection sensor is started after a predetermined time has passed so as not to detect the caller . When abnormality in the refrigerator operation detects that occurred, an abnormality occurrence continuously broadcast to the outside, the refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the notifying the remedy against the abnormality occurs after human body detection in the refrigerator vicinity.

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