WO2012004747A1

WO2012004747A1 - Refrigerating appliance with display

Info

Publication number: WO2012004747A1
Application number: PCT/IB2011/052983
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marco Cammarata; Luigi Conenna; Damiano Dolciotti
Original assignee: Indesit Company S.P.A.
Priority date: 2010-07-06
Filing date: 2011-07-05
Publication date: 2012-01-12
Also published as: EP2591298A1; ITTO20100579A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerating appliance comprising a cell (402) for containing foods, cooling means (403) for the cell (402), a control module (420) controlling the cooling means (403), power supply means (404, 404a, 404b) for supplying electric mains power (405) to the refrigerating appliance, and electric monitoring means (430) for monitoring the power supplied by said power supply means (404, 404a, 404b). The appliance further comprises time counting means (440) and an accumulator (407) which supplies reserve power to said time counting means (440). The time counting means (440) are therefore adapted to measure a time interval in which the power supplied by said power supply means (404, 404a, 404b) is null, and the control module (420) is adapted to generate alarm information dependent on the time count. Preferably, the appliance comprises a display (102) for displaying the alarm information.

Description

REFRIGERATING APPLIANCE WITH DISPLAY

DESCRIPTION

[FIELD OF THE INVENTION]

The present invention relates to a refrigerating appliance according to the preamble of claim 1. For example, the present invention is applicable to the field of household refrigerating appliances.

[PRIOR ART]

Refrigerating appliances are currently known which comprise at least one refrigerated cell and a display for displaying information and taking commands from a user.

Some of these refrigerating appliances utilize this display to provide information about the operating conditions of the appliance itself, such as, for example, the temperature within the cell, and allow the user to change the operating parameters, also by selecting preset programs. One example of a refrigerating appliance of this kind is known from patent EP2151648A1.

In addition, some refrigerating appliances comprise a touchscreen display as a user interface. Some of these refrigerating appliances provide on this display additional information which is not necessarily related to the operation of the appliance. For example, refrigerating appliances are known (such as the Samsung Zipel) which offer calendar, notebook and photo display functions.

Some refrigerating appliances also provide information about food preservation.

Notwithstanding all these additional functions, which improve the comfort and flexibility of use of the refrigerating appliance, the devices known in the art suffer from the drawback that, in the event of a mains power interruption for a certain time, the stored information inputted by the user through the display is lost and, what is more, the user cannot accurately know the state of preservation of the foods, if he/she does not realize that a blackout took place, which might have exposed the foods contained in the cell to temperatures at which they cannot be properly preserved.

If the user does realize that a blackout occurred and wants to know the state of preservation of the foods, he/she will have to open the door, which implies a higher energy consumption, and nonetheless he/she will not obtain accurate information about the state of preservation of the foods, since he/she cannot know how long the blackout lasted.

[OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION]

It is one object of the present invention to overcome some of the above-described drawbacks of known refrigerators.

In particular, it is one object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator which allows the user to obtain information about the state of preservation of the foods following events which might have caused them to deteriorate.

It is another object of the present invention to allow the user to obtain information about the state of preservation of the foods without having to open the door, resulting in a lower energy consumption.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a solution for an alternative refrigerating appliance which results in more comfort of use and better functionality for the user.

These and other objects of the present invention are achieved through a refrigerating appliance incorporating the features set out in the appended claims, which are intended as an integral part of the present description.

The general idea at the basis of the present invention is to provide a refrigerating appliance that comprises a control module, power supply means for supplying electric mains power to the refrigerating appliance, and electric monitoring means for monitoring the power supplied to the refrigerating appliance from the electric mains. The refrigerating appliance further comprises time counting means and an accumulator which supplies reserve power to these time counting means. The time counting means are therefore adapted to measure the length of the time interval in which no power is supplied from the electric mains by the refrigerating appliance's power supply means, and the control module is adapted to generate at least one piece of alarm information dependent on this time count.

Preferably, the alarm information comprises the power blackout duration and indications about to the probability of food deterioration.

The refrigerating appliance preferably comprises a display which displays the alarm information to notify the user. Moreover, one embodiment of the refrigerating appliance comprises a remote network transmission unit to transmit the alarm information and alert the user through a remote terminal, whenever the user is not near the refrigerating appliance.

Preferably, the display comprises a loudspeaker housed in a chamber obtained in one wall of the display. Advantageously, in addition to music playback, the loudspeaker can also be used to acoustically signal an alarm.

Preferably, the refrigerating appliance comprises a temperature sensor for the refrigerated cell. Advantageously, the alarm information comprises the power blackout duration and the temperature reached in the cell, thus helping the user in determining the probability of food deterioration.

The appliance preferably comprises a user interface, through which information about the foods contained in the refrigerated cell can be entered. Advantageously, this information is used by the control of the refrigerating appliance to provide a more accurate diagnosis of the probability of food deterioration in the event of a power blackout.

The display preferably comprises a touchscreen interface, through which the user can adjust the operating parameters of the refrigerating appliance and enter text notes that can be retrieved at a later time.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS]

Some preferred and advantageous embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of a refrigerating appliance according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows one embodiment of a display that can be used in a refrigerating appliance according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the display of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 diagrammatically shows some electric and functional connections provided in one example of a refrigerating appliance according to the present invention.

Fig. 5 shows one embodiment of the user interface shown on the display. Fig. 6 shows one example of the architecture of the functions accessible from the display through the user interface.

Fig. 7 shows a second embodiment of a refrigerating appliance according to the present invention.

- Fig. 8 shows a third embodiment of a refrigerating appliance according to the present invention.

The above-mentioned drawings show different aspects and embodiments of the present invention and, where appropriate, similar structures, components, materials and/or elements in the various drawings are designated by the same reference numerals.

[DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION]

The example of Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of a refrigerating appliance 101 according to the present invention.

The refrigerating appliance 101 comprises a display 102 arranged on an outer surface and accessible to a user.

In the example of Fig. 1 , the refrigerating appliance 101 comprises two refrigerated cells closed by two respective doors 103 and 104. The refrigerated cells are cooled by known refrigerating means, which comprise an evaporator and a cooling circuit. For example, the cell closed by the door 103 may be a refrigerator cell, whereas the cell closed by the door 104 may be a freezer cell.

The display 102 is positioned centrally on the outer surface of the door 103; preferably, the frame of the display 102 is inserted and secured in a suitable housing obtained in the door 103, at such a height that the display 102 can be easily read and operated by an adult person of average height.

The embodiment represented by the refrigerating appliance 101 should be considered to be a non-limiting example. Other types of refrigerating appliances in accordance with the present invention may be refrigerators, horizontal or vertical access freezers, combined or "double-door" appliances including a refrigerator cell and a freezer cell, or refrigerating appliances comprising additional elements, such as an ice dispenser or a cell for wine storage, or further variants of known refrigerating appliances as well.

Fig. 2 shows a first embodiment of the display 102 associated with a refrigerating appliance according to the present invention. The display 102 comprises a screen 201 , preferably a TFT active matrix liquid crystal display, whereon information readable by the user can be visualized. The screen 201 has a diagonal size between 4 and 5 inches, and comprises a touchscreen system. The touchscreen system is preferably of the resistive type, and allows the user to interact with the display interface by simply touching the screen 201 in certain areas.

The display 102 further comprises a button 202, which may be an on/off button or a standby wake-up button, and two removable data memory slots 203 and 204.

The slot 203 preferably comprises a USB port (not shown) to which an external memory unit can be connected, the data of which will then become accessible on the display and can be handled by the user.

Likewise, the slot 204 preferably comprises a slot for flash memory cards, accessible to the control unit. Of course, other types of connections are conceivable as well, even wireless ones, such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, also allowing remote access to the data, and possibly even allowing remote control of the operation of the appliance by means of suitable software applications.

The display 102 is preferably impermeable to liquid sprays, in accordance with the CEI EN 60335-2-24 standard. Both slots 203 and 204 comprise a shutter, preferably a small plastic or rubber door, to prevent them from being damaged by liquids or powders accidentally spilled on the lower portion of the display 102. Furthermore, the display 102 preferably comprises inner profiled portions (not shown in the drawing), to allow any liquids which might have seeped into the display to be controllably drained from the bottom.

Finally, the display 102 preferably comprises at least one loudspeaker 205, e.g. an analog loudspeaker capable of reproducing sound according to the received electric signal.

Fig. 3 shows a sectional side view of the display 102, which exemplifies the internal configuration of the loudspeaker 205. The loudspeaker comprises a sound-wave generating element 301, connected to the display's electronic control board 302; in this example, the element 301 rests on the surface of the board 302, which in turn is rigidly secured to the frame of the display 102. All around the element 301 there is a wall 303, having a substantially cylindrical shape and housing the element 301 ; the wall 303 is preferably made as one piece with the frame of the display 102. In order to enhance the quality of the sound emitted by the loudspeaker 205 and to improve the user's experience, the chamber 304, defined by the wall 303 and by the bottom wall obtained from the board 302, acts as a resonance box, thereby ameliorating the quality of the sound being emitted, the power of the element 301 being equal. In order to obtain a better sound quality, it is preferable that the chamber 304 has such dimensions as to house the element 301 without leaving any empty portions at the sides; for this reason, the chamber preferably has a cylindrical shape (i.e. compatible with the shape of the sound generating element), with a diameter 1.05 to 1.50 times the major dimension of the diffusion surface of the element 301 , the dimensions of which substantially coincide with the loudspeaker.

Fig. 4 diagrammatically shows a preferred configuration of the electric and functional connections of a refrigerating appliance 401 according to the present invention. The refrigerating appliance 401, whose operating components are only partly schematized in Fig. 4, comprises at least one refrigerated cell 402 adapted to, for example, contain fresh foods 402a, 402b, 402c. The refrigerating appliance also comprises known refrigerating means 403, which utilize electric power to cool the cell; the electric power required for the operation of the refrigerating means 403 is supplied to the appliance through the electric power connection 404, e.g. connected to the domestic mains 405 through a plug. The electric connection portion 404a therefore connects the refrigerating means 403 to the mains power, thereby allowing them to operate.

The refrigerating appliance 401 comprises the display 102, already described above, which is connected to an electronic control module 420 that controls its operation through the data connection 421.

In Fig. 4 the electric supply connections are shown by means of continuous lines, whereas the data connections are shown by means of dashed lines, at one end of which a dot indicates the origin of the data.

The control module 420 is powered by a power supply 404b connected to the electric connection 404; the power supply 404b preferably outputs 12VDC voltage.

The control module 420, for example, may comprise a processor and an electronic board (not shown in the drawing), which are adapted to ensure the proper operation of the refrigerating appliance 401 ; these elements are preferably powered by a second power supply (not shown in the drawing for simplicity), which outputs 3.3VDC voltage.

Through the connection 422, the module 420 is connected to the refrigerating means 403, and controls the operating cycles thereof, e.g. by periodically turning them on and by adjusting their refrigerating power. The user can act upon these operating parameters of the control module 420 through known means, such as a user interface, which in this example is provided by the display 102.

The display 102 allows the user to display and adjust, through the control module 420, several operating parameters of the refrigerating appliance. One of these parameters, which is especially important for the operation of the refrigerating appliance, is the temperature of the refrigerated cell 402. In order to be able to measure this temperature, the refrigerating appliance 401 comprises a temperature sensor 408 arranged near the cell 402 and connected to the control module 420 through the connection 409.

If the temperature measured in the cell 402 rises above a threshold value, e.g. because the user forgot to close the door, upon indication of the control module 420 an alarm message will be visualized on the display 102, possibly accompanied by an audible alarm emitted by the loudspeaker.

In order to more effectively signal situations where the temperature in the cell rises above an alarm threshold, the refrigerating appliance according to the present invention comprises a supplementary electric connection 406 connected to an accumulator 407. The accumulator 407 is thus adapted to uninterruptedly supply reserve power to at least some parts of the control module 420. The accumulator 407 may be, for example, a battery, even a rechargeable one, or a SuperCAP capacitor (i.e. a high-capacity capacitor ensuring power autonomy), or another known device adapted to accumulate electric power and to release it to supply at least some parts of the control module 420. According to the present invention, the appliance 401 comprises electric monitoring means 430 that detect the presence or absence of mains power at the connection 404. Such means 430 can carry out this detection indirectly by monitoring the DC power voltage (or current) supplied to the control module 420 by the power supply 404b through the connection 431 ; a decrease of said DC power voltage below a predetermined threshold will indirectly indicate the absence of mains power. Alternatively, the electric monitoring means 430 may directly monitor the AC mains voltage (or current) at the electric connection 404. The electric monitoring means 430 may be, for example, integrated into the control module 420 and connected to the power supply 404b through a connection 431 , or, as an alternative, they may be directly connected to the power connection 404.

In the event that, due to an interruption of the power available at the connection 404, the voltage supplied by the power supply 404b becomes equal to zero, the supply of power to the module 420 or a part thereof will be ensured by the accumulator 407, which makes available reserve power at the electric connection 406.

In this way, even in case of an interruption of the power received from the domestic mains on the line 404, some elements of the control module can still remain active in a low consumption state, for a time depending on the charge capacity of the accumulator 407. For example, it might happen that the mains power 405 suffers an interruption due to a failure along the line or for other reasons; in such a case, the refrigerating means 403 would certainly stop operating, and the temperature in the cell 402 would gradually rise at a speed dependent on the thermal insulation of the refrigerator, which would exchange heat with the surrounding environment. A different type of power interruption at the connection 404 might be due to a temporary malfunction in the supply connections, or to accidental disconnection of the mains plug 405.

The mains power interruption might even last a long time without the user of the refrigerating appliance directly noticing it, e.g. at night or during the summer holidays. Therefore, according to the present invention, the refrigerating appliance 401 comprises time counting means 440 operationally connected to the electric monitoring means 430. In this example, the connection between the time counting means 440 and the electric monitoring means 430 is provided by the connection 441 ; however, an indirect operational connection may be conceived as well, since both elements may be comprised in the control module 420. These time counting means are adapted to measure the time interval corresponding to the duration of the mains power blackout, that is, preferably, the time in which the refrigerating means 403 and the control 430 remain inactive, and in which the foods preserved in the cell 402 may deteriorate.

According to a first embodiment, the appliance 401 comprises a clock 440. The clock 440 is preferably built in the processor of the control module 420, and receives power through the electric connection portion 406c coming from the accumulator 407; therefore, the clock 440 can operate even when there is no power at the connection 404, so that the time count can go on for the entire duration of the blackout, i.e. as long as the power supplied by the power supply 404b is null.

The control module 420 further comprises a memory area adapted to store a piece of time information supplied by the clock 440, which indicates the instant at which a mains power blackout occurs at the connection 404.

The electric monitoring means 430 are also adapted to detect the return of the mains power 405 at the connection 404 and to notify this to the control module 420, which will then store the time information issued by the clock 440, indicating the time instant at which this occurs.

These two pieces of time information, respectively indicating the instants when the blackout started and ended, are then compared by the control module 420 in order to calculate the blackout duration. Preferably, the time instant of the first piece of information (blackout start) is subtracted from the time instant of the second piece of information (power restoral), thus calculating the time elapsed between the first and the second pieces of time information, i.e. the blackout duration. The control module 420 is then adapted to store this duration and to visualize on the display 102 alarm information dependent on this duration.

Instead of a clock, a second embodiment alternatively uses a counter 440, preferably of the chronometrical type, adapted to measure a time interval. In this case, the electric monitoring means 430 are adapted to monitor the mains power by starting the counter's time count when there is a power supply interruption at the connection 404, e.g. due to an interruption of the mains power 405. The time count goes on as long as the blackout lasts; when the power is restored, the electric monitoring means 430 are preferably adapted to stop the counter's count, thereby obtaining the blackout duration; this duration is then preferably shown on the display 102, together with other alarm information.

Therefore, according to both of these embodiments, following one (or more) mains power blackout the display 102 will present the user with visual alarm information signalling the number and duration of such blackouts. Preferably, through the loudspeaker of the display 102 it is possible to audibly notify the alarm information to the user when power is restored at the connection 404. The term "alarm information" refers herein to any signalling suitable for informing the user about an event that requires his/her attention, in this case a power blackout, so that the user can take appropriate measures to restore the normal operating conditions, or wait for the normal conditions to naturally return after having noticed the fault signal. In this regard, therefore, the alarm information may be visual messages written on the display (e.g. "Alarm" or "Attention"), or light or symbol patterns or sounds easily associable with an alarm situation (e.g. an "exclamation mark" or an intermittent sound).

In addition, the control module 420 is preferably adapted to measure the temperature in the cell 402 through the sensor 408 when the mains power is restored. The temperature in the cell 402 measured by the sensor prior to the blackout may be saved, along with other operating parameters of the refrigerating appliance, into a suitable memory. In addition to signalling the mains power blackout and the duration thereof, the control module 420 can thus also inform the user about the maximum temperature reached in the cell 402.

Preferably, in addition to the above-described alarm signalling, the control module 420 also shows on the display supplementary information which may be useful to the user, such as, for example, information about which foods have probably suffered deterioration during the blackout, based on known information such as the blackout duration or the maximum temperature reached in the cell, combined with information stored in a nonvolatile memory of the control module 430. For example, the foods contained in the cell 402, such as meat 402c or fruit 402b, may deteriorate quickly, even when the temperature rises by just a few Celsius degrees for one hour, whereas other more resistant foods, such as packaged foods 402a, may not suffer any damage from the higher temperature.

Of course, information of this kind, shown on the display, can be made more effective if the food types currently contained in the refrigerator, along with additional food information, have been recorded into a non-volatile memory portion of the control module 430. This additional information may include the positions of the foods in the refrigerator, or the best-before date thereof.

The food information may be either entered directly by the user through the interface of the display 102 or loaded from an external memory through the removable data memory slots 203 and 204. Alternatively, the information may be automatically acquired by a video camera 450 framing the foods contained in the cell 402 and sending the recorded images or videos to the control module 420 via the connection 451. The control module 420 then can, by means of suitable software algorithms, process the visual information received from the video camera 450 in order to acquire the information of interest. As an alternative, this information may be acquired, for example, through automatically scanned bar codes or through a reader of RFID sensors applied to the foods to be placed into the cell 402.

Preferably, some or all of these alarm notifications relating to the probability of food deterioration may take place through audible signals emitted by the loudspeaker of the display 102, in addition to or as a substitute for the visual signalling shown on the display 102.

Fig. 5 illustrates one embodiment of the user interface 501 shown on the display 102, with which the user can interact through a touchscreen. The user interface 501 comprises information about the current date and time, and allows access to the settings of the operating parameters of the refrigerating appliance (e.g. temperature or humidity in a particular portion of the cell).

The user interface 501 is also adapted to present alarm information about any mains power blackouts, duration thereof and temperatures reached, as previously described. Furthermore, in order to improve the quality and ease of use for the user of the refrigerating appliance according to the invention, the user interface 501 allows access to user-defined contents, such as notes, shopping list, and "Widget" applications. Preferably, multiple users of the refrigerating appliance can gain access to different versions of the user interface which best reflect the users' preferences.

Referring now to Fig. 6, a number of functions of the refrigerating appliance will now be described which are accessible through the user interface shown on the display. The various functions will be described with reference to a tree categorized by type, which represents a non-limiting example of information or settings that may be provided. In fact, only a subset thereof may be presented, or more complementary or separate items may be added.

The user can access the user interface shown on the display 102 through the button 202, which leads to the access menu 601. The access menu offers a "safety lock" function" 611 (which prevents use by unskilled or unauthorized users, like children or guests) and a "user profile selection" function (which allows loading user-defined settings previously stored).

Once the user has logged in, the main menu is shown, which comprises the submenus 620, 630, 640, 650, 660.

For example, the submenu 620 relates to "refrigerator control", and allows the user to set the operating parameters of the refrigerating appliance, such as the refrigerator temperature 621 and the freezer temperature 622, to set the fast cooling of the refrigerator cell 623 or freezer cell 624, to set energy saving functions 625, to program the "holiday mode" 626, to increase the production of the ice dispenser 627 (if available), or to set programs assisting to improve food preservation 628.

Furthermore, for example, the submenu 630 allows the user to gain access to the "settings" to set the date/time 631 and the user interface language 632, to customize the profile 633 by loading themes and screensavers, also from USB media 203 or from a memory card 204, to adjust the tones 643 emitted when the user is interacting with the interface, to activate energy saving functions of the display 635, and to set the brightness of the screen 636.

The refrigerating appliance according to the present invention also includes a submenu 640 which allows access to multimedia "applications" that can be displayed on the display 102.

For example, it is possible to access a radio function 641, which allows to play back music or sounds through the loudspeaker 205. The music source may be an FM radio or digital files (e.g. mp3) stored in an internal memory or in USB peripherals 202 or memory cards 204. The radio antenna may be located in the recess that houses the display 102 or in another portion of the appliance 101, e.g. the upper door 103.

Based on the user profile loaded in the menu 612, it is then possible to provide a selection of the music genres preferred by the user 641a (e.g. via an RDS system) and offer an automatic track selection function, which may even vary, for example, according to playback time and day of the week.

It is also possible, for example, to access an image gallery function 642 and activate a cyclic presentation of the images on the screen of the display 102; the images can be loaded from various memory media, whether internal, USB or card, and managed (selected, deleted or copied) through a specific function 642b. These images can also be used as screensavers during the periods of inactivity of the display 102.

For example, the user may also be offered the possibility to enter and store remarks or short text notes 643 through the user interface. These notes may then be displayed on the display (643a) and modified through an alphanumeric keypad emulated by the touchscreen, or directly by writing on the screen (643b). In addition, these notes may also be read by suitable software known in the art, which can then reproduce them locally as voice via the loudspeaker 205.

One example of a function which may be particularly useful when associated with a refrigerating apparatus is the possibility of generating a shopping list 644. The shopping list can be read (644a) by the user and then modified (644b) by manually entering the various list items or by picking the items, for example, from lists previously generated or stored; the shopping list may then also be exported (644c), e.g. to external memory media, or printed on paper, or transmitted via a wireless o Bluetooth network to compatible terminals .

Another function which proves particularly useful when associated with a refrigerating apparatus is the possibility of accessing food information 645. The user can manually or automatically enter a list of the foods currently contained in the cells of the appliance and then have access to supplementary information. This information may relate, for example, to the most effective food preservation modalities 645a, in combination with the currently active refrigerator control settings 620. Nutritional tables 645b, recipe advice 645c, or reminders about the foods' best-before dates 645d may also be available.

Finally, in the menu 640 one can, for example, manage the removable memory cards or USB sticks associated with the device through dedicated functions 646.

The refrigerating appliance according to the present invention also includes a submenu 650 for accessing the "diagnostics" of the refrigerating appliance.

The various functions available may include, for example, general diagnostic functions 651, which indicate any ongoing faults or malfunctions; there may also be energy consumption information 652, informing the user as to the moments when the energy consumption is highest (e.g. when the compressor of the refrigerating means starts), as well as additional qualitative information and advice as to how the user's habits can be changed in order to save more energy.

It is also possible, for example, to access functions which list the old events 653 recorded by the control module 420, which is kept on by the accumulator 407 in the event of a mains power blackout. For example, as previously described, detailed information may be provided about the power blackout events 653a, as well as about any active or recent alarms 653b.

Finally, there may be a "Help" submenu 660 providing the user with information and instructions about the operation of the display 102 and its user interface, both as a text guide 661 and as an interactive multimedia guide 662, e.g. including help Widgets or video clips.

Fig. 7 shows a refrigerating appliance 701 according to the present invention, which comprises a display 702. In this alternative embodiment, the display 702 is operationally connected to a remote network transmission unit, schematized by the antenna 702b. The transmission unit 702b may comprise, for example, a mobile telephone network connection unit, adapted to connect to a wireless mobile network.

The transmission unit 702b will still receive power even in the event of a mains blackout, since it is connected to a battery. Preferably, the transmission unit 702b is powered by the accumulator 407.

When the control module of the refrigerating appliance 701, e.g. similar to the control module 420 already described with reference to Fig. 4, detects an interruption in the appliance's mains supply, the transmission unit 702b sends a piece of information 703 to a remote terminal 704.

Preferably, the alarm information 703 is sent to the remote terminal 704 by means of the SMS protocol.

The remote terminal 704 then displays an alarm message to inform the user about the potentially critical condition of the foodstuffs. Preferably, another piece of information is sent when the power is restored, e.g. via SMS, to inform the user that the alarm has ceased. Advantageously, in order to avoid the transmission of redundant alarm messages, the alarm information is only sent after a predetermined time has elapsed since the first blackout detection, and only if the power has not yet returned. In a preferred embodiment, the alarm information is sent when the blackout has lasted for at least 30 minutes. In an alternative embodiment, the alarm information is sent when the blackout has lasted for 60 minutes.

Fig. 8 shows a refrigerating appliance 801 according to the present invention. In this alternative embodiment, the refrigerating appliance 801 lacks a display on the door, and the user has access to the alarm information exclusively through the remote terminal 804, where the alarm information generated and transmitted by the household appliance 801 is displayed.

In a preferred embodiment, the remote transmission unit 802 is not built in the appliance 801, but is an external element adapted to be connected to the control module of the refrigerating appliance 801, e.g. via a dedicated electronic port 805. This embodiment allows upgrading the refrigerator at a later time to incorporate the means necessary for implementing the remote transmission of alarm information in accordance with the present invention.

It is apparent that many changes may be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the protection scope thereof as stated in the appended claims.

For example, it may be conceivable to provide a bigger and more powerful loudspeaker system, integrated into a larger portion of the refrigerating appliance.

Also, a larger surface of the appliance, or even a whole wall thereof, may be dedicated to the interactive display.

Finally, a larger number of items may be powered by the accumulator, so that other parameters can be detected in addition to those used by the present invention, such as, for example, the progress of the cell temperature during a power blackout, aiming at obtaining a more accurate indication about the probability of food deterioration. These embodiments will nonetheless still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerating appliance comprising:

a cell (402) for containing foods,

cooling means (403) for said cell (402),

a control module (420) controlling said cooling means (403),

power supply means (404, 404a, 404b) for supplying electric mains power (405) to said refrigerating appliance,

electric monitoring means (430) for monitoring said power supplied by said power supply means (404, 404a, 404b),

characterized in that said appliance further comprises time counting means (440) and at least one accumulator (407) which supplies supplementary electric power to said time counting means (440), and that said time counting means (440) are adapted to measure a time interval in which said power supplied by said power supply means (404, 404a, 404b) is null, and that said control module (420) is adapted to generate at least one piece of alarm information dependent on said time count.

2. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein said time counting means comprise a counter (440) and said electric monitoring means (430) are adapted to start said time count of said counter (440) when said mains power (405) is null, wherein said time count lasts as long as the duration of the interruption in the supply of said mains power (405), and wherein said alarm information comprises said duration.

3. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein said time counting means comprise a clock (440) and a memory, and wherein said electric monitoring means (430) are adapted to control the storage of at least a first piece of time information from said clock (440) when the power supplied by said power supply means (404, 404a, 404b) is null, and wherein said electric monitoring means (430) are further adapted to control the storage of at least a second piece of time information from said clock (440) when the power supplied by said power supply means (404, 404a, 404b) is not null, and wherein said alarm information depends on said first and second pieces of time information.

4. An appliance according to claim 3, wherein said control module (420) is adapted to compare said first piece of time information with said second piece of time information in order to calculate the duration of said time interval, and wherein said alarm information comprises said duration.

5. An appliance according to claim 4, further comprising a temperature sensor (408) which measures the temperature of said cell (402), wherein said control module (420) is adapted to receive said temperature reading along with said second piece of time information, and is further adapted to visualize on said display (102) alarm information dependent on said temperature reading.

6. An appliance according to claim 5, wherein said alarm information dependent on said temperature reading comprises indications concerning the probability of food deterioration.

7. An appliance according to claim 2 or 4 or 5 or 6, wherein said alarm information dependent on said time duration comprises indications concerning the probability of food deterioration.

8. An appliance according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said appliance further comprises means for acquiring information about the foods (402a, 402b, 402c) contained in said cell (402), e.g. type and position thereof within said cell, and wherein said alarm information concerning the probability of deterioration depends on said information about said foods contained in said cell.

9. An appliance according to claim 8, wherein said means for acquiring information about the foods comprise a video camera (450) adapted to film the inside of said cell (402), said control module (420) being operationally connected to said video camera in order to receive an image or a video stream generated by said video camera (450), said control module (420) being adapted to process said video or said image so as to acquire said information about the foods (402a, 402b, 402c) contained in the cell (402).

10. An appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a display (102) for displaying information about the operation of said refrigerating appliance, wherein said control module (420) is adapted to visualize said at least one piece of alarm information on said display (102).

11. An appliance according to claim 10, further comprising means for allowing a user to enter text data, a memory for storing said text data, and means for retrieving said text data and displaying it on said display (102).

12. An appliance according to claim 10 or 1 1, wherein said display comprises a frame for being secured to a door (103) of said refrigerating appliance, an electronic board (302), and at least one loudspeaker (205) interposed between said frame and said electronic board (302), and wherein said loudspeaker (205) comprises at least one sound generating element (301) housed in a chamber (304), said chamber (304) comprising a first wall (303) obtained in said frame and a second wall, opposite to said first wall (303), obtained in said electronic board (302).

13. An appliance according to claim 12, wherein said chamber (304) comprises a side wall (303) rigidly secured to said frame, and wherein said chamber (304) has a cylindrical shape and a diameter between 1.05 and 1.5 times the diffusion area of said sound generating element (301).

14. An appliance according to claim 12 or 13, wherein said loudspeaker (205) is operationally connected to said electric monitoring means (430) and is adapted to acoustically signal the return of said mains power (405), and wherein said loudspeaker (205) is operationally connected to said control module (420) and is adapted to acoustically signal alarm information dependent on said time count.

15. An appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising a remote transmission unit (702b) adapted to connect to a transmission network, such as a mobile telephone network, wherein said remote transmission unit (702b) can be powered by said at least one accumulator (407), and wherein said control module (420) is adapted to transmit said at least one piece of alarm information (703) through said remote transmission unit (702b).

16. An appliance according to claim 15, wherein said alarm information is transmitted if said time count exceeds a predetermined threshold time.

17. An appliance according to claim 16, wherein said predetermined threshold time is comprised between 30 minutes and 60 minutes.

18. A remote transmission device (702b), characterized by being designed for use as said remote transmission unit (702b) in a household appliance according to any one of claims 15 to 17.