WO2023007895A1

WO2023007895A1 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2023007895A1
Application number: PCT/JP2022/019349
Authority: WO
Inventors: 雄一淡路; 恭裕小野
Original assignee: アイリスオーヤマ株式会社
Priority date: 2021-07-30
Filing date: 2022-04-28
Publication date: 2023-02-02
Also published as: CN117321365A; JP2023020626A

Abstract

[Problem] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator which is capable of reducing the formation of dark and hard-to-see areas in a captured image of the inside of an article storage part, without adding limitations to the placement of interior lighting, and for which operation control can be easily performed. [Solution] A refrigerator 10 comprises: a refrigerator main body 20 which is provided with a refrigeration chamber 26 capable of storing articles and a door 32 for opening and closing the refrigeration chamber 26; and an image capture unit 60 which captures images the inside of the refrigeration chamber 26. The image capture unit 60 is provided with an image capture part 62 which captures images of the inside of the refrigeration chamber 26 and a light emission part 66 which supplies light to an image capture subject. In the refrigerator 10, the light emission part 66 is disposed in the periphery of the image capture part 62, and therefore it is possible to capture images in a state in which the inside of the refrigerator main body 20 is illuminated with a sufficient amount of light.

Description

refrigerator

The present invention relates to refrigerators.

Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, a refrigerator has been provided that is equipped with an interior lighting that illuminates the interior of the storage and a camera that captures the interior of the storage. In this refrigerator, the interior lighting is provided on the far side of the storage from the camera, and is arranged so that the light from the interior lighting does not enter directly. In addition, the camera is supposed to photograph the inside of the storage with the lighting inside the storage turned on. The refrigerator disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is supposed to perform photographing after lowering the illuminance of the lighting inside the refrigerator when the door is closed.

JP 2019-74310 A

Here, the refrigerator according to Patent Literature 1 described above has a problem that the arrangement of the interior lighting is restricted because it is necessary to use the interior lighting when photographing the inside of the storage. Further, in the refrigerator of Patent Document 1, since the camera and the lighting inside the refrigerator are located at a distance, shadows appear when the inside of the refrigerator is photographed, and there is a problem that the image of the inside of the refrigerator is dark and difficult to see. . Furthermore, the refrigerator of Patent Document 1 has a problem that the camera needs to be operated in conjunction with the on/off timing of the lighting inside the refrigerator that operates in association with opening and closing of the door, which complicates the control.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a refrigerator in which it is possible to suppress the formation of dark and difficult-to-see areas in an image of the interior of an article storage unit without imposing restrictions on the arrangement of lighting inside the refrigerator, and to facilitate operation control. aimed at

(1) A refrigerator according to the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-described problems, comprises: a refrigerator main body including an article storage section capable of storing articles; a door for opening and closing the article storage section; and the article storage section. a photographing unit for photographing the interior of the article storage section, the photographing unit comprising: a photographing section for photographing the interior of the article storage section; and a light emitting section for supplying light to an object to be photographed; are arranged around the photographing unit.

The refrigerator of the present invention includes a photographing unit that has a photographing unit that photographs the interior of the article storage unit and a light emitting unit that supplies light to the object to be photographed. Therefore, the refrigerator of the present invention illuminates the inside of the refrigerator body by the photographing unit alone without, for example, limiting the arrangement of the interior lighting that is separately provided for illuminating the inside of the refrigerator body (inside the refrigerator). You can shoot in conditions where shadows are difficult to capture. Also, in the refrigerator of the present invention, the light emitting unit is arranged around the photographing unit. Therefore, the refrigerator of the present invention can be photographed with the interior of the refrigerator main body illuminated with a sufficient amount of light, and can suppress the formation of dark and difficult-to-see areas in the photographed image of the interior of the article storage section. .

Furthermore, in the refrigerator of the present invention, it is possible to photograph the interior of the refrigerator main body (inside the refrigerator) with the photographing unit illuminated by the light-emitting unit provided in the photographing unit, without using internal lighting or the like. Therefore, the refrigerator of the present invention can photograph an article while illuminating it with an optimum amount of light by controlling the operation of the photographing unit. Therefore, the refrigerator of the present invention does not have to control the photographing unit so as to be linked to the operation of the interior lighting, etc., as in the conventional technology, and therefore, it is easier to control the operation than the refrigerator of the conventional technology.

(2) In the refrigerator of the present invention, the light-emitting section includes a plurality of light-emitting bodies provided around the photographing section, and a diffusion section capable of diffusing light while transmitting the light. It may be characterized by being arranged at a position adjacent to the traveling direction of the light emitted from the light emitter.

The refrigerator of the present invention is provided with a plurality of light-emitting bodies in which the light-emitting units are provided around the photographing unit. Therefore, with the refrigerator of the present invention, the interior of the refrigerator body can be photographed while a sufficient amount of light is secured. In addition, the refrigerator of the present invention is provided with a diffusing portion capable of diffusing light while transmitting the light, and the diffusing portion is arranged at a position adjacent to the traveling direction of the light emitted from the light emitter. Therefore, in the refrigerator of the present invention, it is possible to take a clear image in a state in which diffused light emitted through the diffusing portion sufficiently spreads the light inside the refrigerator body.

(3) In the refrigerator of the present invention, a storage shelf capable of storing articles is provided on a surface of the door facing the article storage section, and the photographing unit is arranged below the storage shelf. It should be characterized by:

Since the refrigerator of the present invention has such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the photographing unit from protruding toward the article storage section. As a result, the refrigerator of the present invention can effectively utilize the internal space of the refrigerator body while allowing the inside of the refrigerator body to be photographed.

(4) In the refrigerator of the present invention, the photographing unit includes a photographing unit substrate on which the photographing unit is mounted, and a light emitting unit substrate on which a plurality of the light emitting units are mounted, and the light emitting unit substrate includes: It is preferable to have an insertion portion surrounded by a plurality of the light emitting portions, and to have the photographing portion inserted through the insertion portion.

In the refrigerator of the present invention, the photographing unit is provided with the photographing part board and the light emitting part board separately. As a result, the refrigerator of the present invention can suppress an increase in the size of the substrate provided in the imaging unit and an accompanying increase in the size of the imaging unit. Further, in the refrigerator of the present invention, the photographing unit is configured such that the photographing section is inserted through the insertion section provided on the light emitting section substrate. Thereby, the refrigerator of the present invention can have a compact photographing unit. Further, in the refrigerator of the present invention, a plurality of light-emitting portions are arranged around the insertion portion provided on the light-emitting portion substrate, and the photographing portion is inserted through the insertion portion. Thereby, the refrigerator of the present invention can secure a sufficient amount of light for photographing in the photographing unit.

(5) In the refrigerator of the present invention, the photographing unit is provided on a surface of the door facing the article storage section, and a lower storage shelf capable of storing articles is provided below the photographing unit. and the photographing unit is arranged obliquely downward.

By adopting such a configuration, the refrigerator of the present invention can fit not only the inside of the article storage section, but also the inside of the lower storage shelf within the range of the angle of view of the photographing unit. As a result, the refrigerator of the present invention can photograph the articles stored in the article storage portion and the lower storage shelf.

(6) The refrigerator of the present invention has a photographing unit housing section that houses at least part of the photographing unit, and the photographing unit housing section protrudes from a surface of the door facing the article housing section. provided.

Since the refrigerator of the present invention has such a configuration, it is not necessary to incorporate the entire photographing unit inside the door. Thereby, the refrigerator of the present invention can be provided with the photographing unit while suppressing deterioration of the heat insulating performance of the door.

(7) The refrigerator of the present invention has a wiring electrically connected to the photographing unit, and a connecting portion that connects the door to the article storage portion so as to be openable and closable, and the wiring is , it is preferably connected to the photographing unit through a path from the article storage section side through the connecting section and through the inside of the door.

Since the refrigerator of the present invention has such a configuration, it is possible to suppress exposure of wiring connected to the imaging unit.

Here, in the refrigerator of the present invention, when the door is opened or closed, there is a possibility that articles will be taken in and out of the article storage section. Therefore, if the interior of the article storage section is photographed under the condition that the door is opened or closed, the storage state of the articles in the article storage section can be accurately grasped. Further, in the refrigerator of the present invention, if power is always supplied to the imaging unit to perform imaging, problems such as an increase in power consumption and a decrease in cooling performance may occur. Therefore, the refrigerator of the present invention preferably starts supplying power to the photographing unit at a predetermined timing in conjunction with opening and closing the door, and then stops supplying power to the photographing unit at an appropriate timing.

(8) Based on this knowledge, the refrigerator of the present invention has a power supply unit that supplies power to the photographing unit, the photographing unit operates by receiving power from the power supply unit, and the power supply unit includes: , on the condition that the opening or closing operation of the door is performed, the power supply to the photographing unit is started, and the power supply is stopped after a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the power supply. good.

In the refrigerator of the present invention, power is supplied from the power supply unit to the imaging unit on the condition that either one or both of the opening and closing operations of the door are performed. As a result, the state after the door is opened or closed can be photographed. In addition, since the refrigerator of the present invention is not supplied with power unless the door is opened and closed, the photographing unit generates less heat than a structure in which the photographing unit is always energized. As a result, the refrigerator of the present invention can minimize an increase in power consumption and a decrease in cooling performance due to the operation of the imaging unit.

Here, there is a demand to watch over the safety of family members who live far away, such as the increase in the number of elderly people living alone. In order to meet such a demand, in the prior art, various devices and services such as the elderly watching system disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3159195 have been provided. However, in order to monitor with such a device or system, there is a problem that the device or the like must be separately introduced or the device or the like must be operated.

As a result of intensive studies by the inventors of the present invention in order to solve this problem, it was found that, since refrigerators are used by consumers on a daily basis, it is possible to install special devices, We have come to the conclusion that it may be possible to ascertain whether or not an abnormality has occurred in a consumer without performing any special operation.

(9) The refrigerator of the present invention provided based on such knowledge includes a photographing control unit for controlling the operation of the photographing unit so as to perform photographing in conjunction with the opening/closing operation of the door, and a photographing history by the photographing unit. and an opening/closing pattern for deriving the opening/closing pattern of the door as a predicted opening/closing pattern based on the past opening/closing operation history of the door stored in the history storage unit. a prediction unit; and an abnormality determination unit that determines an abnormality of a consumer based on a difference between an actual opening/closing pattern, which is an actual opening/closing pattern associated with the opening/closing operation of the door, and the predicted opening/closing pattern. It is better if it is

Since the refrigerator of the present invention is configured as described above, the actual door opening/closing pattern (actual opening/closing pattern) and the door opening/closing pattern predicted based on the history of the door opening/closing operations (predicted opening/closing pattern). Based on the difference, the anomaly determination unit can determine an anomaly of the consumer. As a result, the refrigerator of the present invention can be used to ascertain whether or not there is an abnormality in the consumer without installing a special device or performing a special operation.

Here, the conventional refrigerator described above is supposed to perform shooting when the door is closed. However, convenience can be improved if the image can be captured at an appropriate timing, such as before shopping or before preparing a meal.

(10) Based on this knowledge, the refrigerator of the present invention has a photographing reservation setting section that receives a reservation for photographing by the photographing unit regardless of whether the door is opened or closed, and the photographing reservation setting section It is preferable that the photographing by the photographing unit is performed based on the reservation set in .

Since the refrigerator of the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to perform photographing by the photographing unit based on the reservation set in the photographing reservation setting section. As a result, it is possible to confirm the inventory status of the article at the time when the photographing is reserved, for example, before shopping or before preparing a meal, thereby improving convenience.

Here, although the conventional refrigerator described above can photograph the inside of the refrigerator, it is not possible to grasp the inventory information of the items in the refrigerator. However, if it is possible to acquire the inventory information of the articles in the warehouse, it is expected that the convenience will be further improved.

(11) Based on this knowledge, the refrigerator of the present invention has an inventory information acquisition unit capable of acquiring inventory information of articles housed in the refrigerator body by analyzing the image captured by the imaging unit. It is preferable that it is characterized by:

Since the refrigerator of the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to acquire inventory information of the items stored in the refrigerator body by utilizing the image captured by the imaging unit.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator in which it is possible to suppress the formation of dark and difficult-to-see areas in an image of the interior of an article storage unit without imposing restrictions on the arrangement of lighting inside the refrigerator, and to facilitate operation control. can provide.

It is a perspective view showing a refrigerator concerning one embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the door of the refrigerator of FIG. 1 is opened; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a door and a photographing unit included in the refrigerator of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state before a photographing unit is attached to a photographing unit accommodating portion installed on a door of the refrigerator of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of the cross-sectional view according to FIG. 3; 4 is a cross-sectional view of the imaging unit; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the photographing unit; FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an image captured by a capturing unit in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing the flow of operations when taking an image of the interior of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which showed the structure of the refrigerator which concerns on a 1st modification. It is the flowchart which showed the operation|movement of the refrigerator which concerns on a 1st modification. It is a block diagram showing the configuration of a refrigerator according to a second modification. It is the flowchart which showed the operation|movement of the refrigerator which concerns on a 2nd modification. It is a block diagram showing the configuration of a refrigerator according to a third modification. It is the flowchart which showed the operation|movement of the refrigerator which concerns on a 3rd modification.

A refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a refrigerator system 100 constructed using the refrigerator 10 will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, after an outline of the configuration of the refrigerator 10 is first described, characteristic portions of the refrigerator 10 and the refrigerator system 100 are described in detail. In the following description, the positional relationships such as top, bottom, left, right, front, and back are based on the refrigerator 10 being normally installed, unless otherwise specified.

<<Regarding the schematic configuration of the refrigerator 10>>
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the refrigerator 10 includes a refrigerator main body 20, a cooling device 40, a main body control device 50, etc., as well as an imaging unit 60 and a power supply section 80. FIG. Refrigerator main body 20 has two storage compartments consisting of refrigerating compartment 26 and freezing compartment 28, which are formed as article storage sections for storing articles such as foods, by partitioning the inside of the refrigerator with partition section 24 provided in housing 22. have. The refrigerator 10 adjusts the internal temperature (chamber temperature) of the refrigerator main body 20 to a predetermined low temperature state by a cooling device 40, which will be described in detail later, so that objects such as food stored in the refrigerator main body 20 are kept in a low temperature atmosphere. can be stored in

The housing 22 has a housing body 30 formed to open forward and a door 32 provided on the front side of the housing body 30 . The housing body 30 is configured such that a heat insulating material 38 is filled between an exterior portion 34 and an inner box (interior portion) 36 .

The exterior part 34 constitutes the exterior of the housing body 30 and is a box-shaped member provided so as to open forward. The exterior part 34 is made of metal such as an iron plate, for example. The inner box 36 constitutes the interior of the housing body 30 and is arranged inside the exterior part 34 . The inner box 36 is made of resin such as ABS, for example.

The inner box 36 may be single, but it is also possible to provide a plurality of them according to the number of storage chambers formed in the storage. In this embodiment, two inner boxes 36 are provided: a refrigerating inner box 36 a for configuring the refrigerating compartment 26 and a freezer inner box 36 b for configuring the freezing compartment 28 . The refrigerating inner box 36a and the freezing inner box 36b are arranged at positions separated from the outer peripheral surface of the exterior part 34 by a predetermined distance. In addition, the refrigerating inner box 36a and the freezing inner box 36b are arranged at positions apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction.

The heat insulating material 38 is a heat insulating member filled between the exterior part 34 and the inner box 36 in order to suppress heat transfer between them. The heat insulating material 38 can be, for example, a foaming resin such as hard urethane. A heat insulating material 38 is filled between the exterior part 34 and the inner box 36 . Specifically, the heat insulating material 38 is filled between the exterior part 34 and the refrigerating inner box 36a, between the exterior part 34 and the freezing inner box 36b, and between the refrigerating inner box 36a and the freezer inner box 36b. It is

The partition part 24 (see FIG. 3) is for partitioning a plurality of storage chambers formed inside the housing body 30 . In this embodiment, a partition portion 24 is provided between a refrigerator compartment 26 and a freezer compartment 28 arranged vertically. The partition part 24 includes a wall surface (bottom surface in this embodiment) of the refrigerating compartment 36a constituting the refrigerating compartment 26, a wall surface (top surface in this embodiment) of the freezing compartment 36b constituting the freezing compartment 28, and a It is composed of a heat insulating material 38 filled between them.

The refrigeration compartment 26 is a storage compartment formed by the refrigeration compartment box 36a described above and a door 32 (door 32a) described later. The refrigerating compartment 26 is a space for storing objects such as food. By operating a cooling device 40, which will be described in detail later, the refrigerator compartment 26 can adjust the internal temperature to a predetermined low-temperature atmosphere suitable for refrigeration.

The freezer compartment 28 is a storage compartment formed by the freezer compartment box 36b described above and a door 32 (door 32a) described later. The freezer compartment 28 is a space for storing an object to be stored, such as food, under a lower temperature atmosphere than the refrigerating compartment 26 described above. The freezer compartment 28 can adjust the internal temperature to a predetermined low-temperature atmosphere suitable for freezing by operating a cooling device 40, which will be described in detail later. That is, the freezer compartment 28 can be adjusted to have a low-temperature atmosphere of 0 degrees Celsius or less by operating the cooling device 40 .

The door 32 closes the opening provided on the front side of the housing body 30 and opens and closes the storage compartments (refrigerating compartment 26 and freezing compartment 28 in this embodiment). In this embodiment, two

doors

32a and 32b are provided corresponding to the provision of two storage compartments (article storage sections) consisting of the refrigerating compartment 26 and the freezing compartment 28 . The door 32 is, for example, a single-opening type that can be opened and closed by a hinge or the like provided on one side in the width direction of the housing body 30, or a double-door type that can be opened and closed by connecting portions provided on both sides in the width direction. , a sliding type that can be opened and closed via a rail or the like, or any other appropriate type. In the present embodiment, the door 32 is a one-sided opening that can be opened and closed via a connecting portion 33 configured by a hinge or the like provided on one side in the width direction of the housing body 30 .

In the refrigerator compartment 26, the freezer compartment 28, and the door 32, it is possible to arrange members such as drawer-type or pocket-type storage containers, shelf boards, and the like. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, drawer-

type storage containers

28a and 28b are provided in the freezer compartment 28. As shown in FIG. Further, a pocket-type storage shelf 37 is provided on the surface of the door 32a for opening and closing the refrigerating chamber 26 facing the inside of the refrigerating chamber 26 . A storage shelf 37 provided on the door 32a can store, for example, seasonings and beverages. Moreover, in this embodiment, as the storage shelf 37, an upper storage shelf 37a and a lower storage shelf 37b are provided. The upper storage shelf 37a is provided as a shelf capable of storing articles on the upper side of the imaging unit 60, which will be described in detail later. Further, the lower storage shelf 37b is provided as a shelf capable of storing articles below the photographing unit 60. As shown in FIG.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the door 32 is provided with a detected body 35a that constitutes a door opening/closing detection device 35. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the door opening/closing detection device 35 is a detection device that detects opening/closing of the door 32 . The door opening/closing detection device 35 is composed of a general magnet type switch. Specifically, the door opening/closing detection device 35 may include, for example, a magnet as the detection target 35a and a reed switch capable of detecting the proximity of the magnet as the detection body 35b. In this embodiment, a magnet that functions as the detected body 35a is provided on the door 32, and functions as the detected body 35b at a position corresponding to the detected body 35a when the door 32 is closed in the housing body 30. It has a configuration in which a reed switch is provided.

The cooling device 40 is for keeping the temperature of the storage compartment provided in the refrigerator main body 20 (inside temperature) at a predetermined low temperature. The cooling device 40 can be arranged at an appropriate location such as the back side, the top side, or the bottom side of the refrigerator body 20, for example. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 , the cooling device 40 is arranged in a space provided behind the freezer compartment 28 on the back side of the refrigerator body 20 . The cooling device 40 has a refrigerating cycle in which a compressor, a condenser, a radiation pipe, a capillary tube, and a cooler are successively connected in an annular manner, and a refrigerant is enclosed in the same manner as the conventionally known one. Cooling device 40 is connected to refrigerating compartment 26 and freezing compartment 28 so as to allow airflow to circulate. The cooling device 40 also includes a blower fan. Therefore, the cooling device 40 can adjust each storage compartment to a predetermined low-temperature atmosphere by supplying cool air generated in the cooler to the storage compartments such as the refrigerator compartment 26 and the freezer compartment 28 .

The operation of the cooling device 40 is controlled by a body control device 50 provided in the refrigerator body 20 . The main body control device 50 operates each member forming a refrigerating cycle and the blower fan according to the internal temperature of the refrigerating chamber 26 and the freezing chamber 28 so that the refrigerating chamber 26 and the freezing chamber 28 have a predetermined set temperature. can be controlled to

The main body control device 50 controls the operation of each part such as the cooling device 40 that constitutes the refrigerator 10 . As shown in FIG. 10 , main body control device 50 is communicably connected to each part of refrigerator 10 . Specifically, the body control device 50 performs temperature adjustment of the refrigerator compartment 26 and the freezer compartment 28 by controlling the operation of the cooling device 40 as described above. Further, when the door 32 is left open for more than a predetermined allowable opening time, the main control device 50 can warn the user to close the door 32 . More specifically, the body control device 50 can grasp whether the door 32 is open or closed based on the detection signal from the door opening/closing detection device 35 . Further, the body control device 50 is electrically connected to an alarm device 52 (see FIG. 10) provided in the refrigerator body 20 . The alarm device 52 is configured by, for example, a buzzer or the like. Based on the detection signal of the door opening/closing detection device 35, the main body control device 50 is provided that the door 32 is not closed after the door 32 is opened and the allowable opening time elapses. The alarm device 52 is activated to warn the user that the door 32 is open. In addition to controlling these operations, the main body control device 50 also controls the operations of each part of the refrigerator 10 . For example, based on the detection signal from the door open/close detection device 35, the main body control device 50 turns on the internal lighting 26a for illuminating the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26 when the door 32a is open, and the door 32a is opened. It performs control such as turning off the light when it is in the open state.

The refrigerator 10 includes a photographing unit 60 and a power supply section 80 in addition to the configurations of the refrigerator main body 20, the cooling device 40, the main body control device 50, and the like. The photographing unit 60 is a unitized device necessary for photographing the interior of the refrigerating compartment 26 provided as an article accommodating portion for accommodating articles such as food in the refrigerator body 20 . Further, the power supply section 80 is for supplying electric power necessary for the operation of the photographing unit 60 . These configurations are described in further detail below.

<<About the shooting unit 60>>
The photographing unit 60 is for photographing the interior of the refrigerator compartment 26 formed by the above-described refrigerator compartment box 36a and the door 32a to generate and transmit interior photographed data. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the imaging unit 60 includes an imaging section 62 and a light emitting section 66. As shown in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the imaging unit 60 includes an input/output section 64, a power receiving section 68, an imaging control device 70 (imaging control section), and the like. The photographing unit 60 is configured such that the photographing section 62, the input/output section 64, the light emitting section 66, and the like are operable in cooperation with each other. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the photographing unit 60 is configured by incorporating members such as the photographing unit 62 and the light emitting unit 66 into the photographing unit housing 60a. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, a photographing unit housing portion 72 for housing the photographing unit 60 is attached to the door 32a. An opening 72b for incorporating the photographing unit 60 is provided in an inclined surface 72a inclined downward on the front side of the photographing unit accommodating portion 72. As shown in FIG. The photographing unit 60 is installed in a state in which the photographing unit 62 and the light emitting unit 66 are inclined downward in the same manner as the inclined surface 72a by fitting the photographing unit housing 60a through the opening 72b.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the photographing unit 60 is provided in the refrigerator 10 at a position where the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26 can be photographed. Specifically, the photographing unit 60 is positioned below the upper storage shelf 37a and above the lower storage shelf 37b of the storage shelf 37 provided on the door 32a. It is arranged by attaching 72 . The photographing unit housing portion 72 is provided so as to protrude from the inner surface of the door 32a toward the interior of the refrigerator (inside the refrigerator compartment 26).

The photographing unit 62 is configured by a camera capable of receiving power supply, photographing, generating photographed data, and outputting the photographed data. The photographing unit 62 is arranged so as to be able to photograph from the side of the door 32a toward the side of the refrigerator compartment 36a. Specifically, the photographing unit 62 is mounted on the photographing unit substrate 62a housed in the photographing unit housing portion 72 described above. The photographing unit 62 is arranged obliquely downward on the lower side of the upper storage shelf 37a. Further, the photographing unit 62 is electrically connected to the power supply unit 80 via wiring. The wiring is connected to the photographing unit 60 via a route inside the door 32 from the side of the refrigerator compartment 26 formed as an article storage section, via the connecting section 33 .

The photographing unit 62 is actuated by supplying power, and is capable of generating and outputting photographed data (interior photographed data) obtained by photographing the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26 . Further, the photographing unit 62 selects a region to be photographed, such as substantially the entire space (inside the refrigerator) formed by the indoor refrigerator box 36a, or a region particularly desired to be photographed in the space formed by the indoor refrigerator box 36a. It is arranged so that it fits in the angle of view. In this embodiment, of the storage shelves 37 provided on the door 32a, the photographing unit storage section 72 is attached to a position below the upper storage shelf 37a and above the lower storage shelf 37b. , the photographing unit 62 is arranged so that not only the interior of the refrigerator compartment 26 but also the lower storage shelf 37b are within the angle of view. More specifically, the photographing unit 62 is capable of covering an angle of view of about 180 degrees in the vertical direction and covering the entire width of the refrigerator compartment 26 in the horizontal direction. ing. As a result, the inside of the refrigerating chamber 26 is entirely within the angle of view in the vertical and horizontal directions, and the lower storage shelf 37b located below the photographing unit 62 in the lower area can be viewed from above. The captured image can be obtained. Moreover, by adopting such a configuration, it is possible to obtain, for example, a vertically long image of the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26 as shown in FIG. 9 . As a result, it is possible to obtain an image that can be confirmed without discomfort on a terminal such as a smartphone having a display that is long in the vertical direction.

The photographing unit 62 may be capable of photographing either one or both of still images and moving images. The imaging unit 62 is capable of generating and outputting a streaming image in a format such as MOTION JPG as in-fridge imaging data.

The input/output unit 64 is electrically connected to the imaging unit 62 . Further, the input/output unit 64 can acquire (input) the inside photographed data generated by the photographing unit 62 and output it to an external device 120 provided outside the refrigerator 10 . . The input/output unit 64 can be connected to the imaging unit 62 either by wire or wirelessly. In the present embodiment, the input/output unit 64 selects and sets an arbitrary wireless access point 120a provided outside the refrigerator 10 as the external device 120, thereby transmitting the inside photographed data to the wireless access point 120a. can be sent.

The light emitting unit 66 is for supplying light to the object to be photographed. The light emitting unit 66 assists the photographing by the photographing unit 62 by operating at least during the photographing period of the photographing unit 62 . The light-emitting portion 66 includes a light-emitting body 66a that emits light when energized, a light-emitting portion substrate 66b, and a diffusion portion 66c. A conventionally known light bulb, LED, or the like can be used as the light emitter 66a. In this embodiment, an LED light-emitting element is adopted as the light-emitting body 66a in consideration of suppressing heat generation due to the operation of the light-emitting part 66, the accompanying temperature rise in the refrigerator, and the decrease in energy efficiency. . For the light emitting section 66, it is preferable to select one that emits light in an appropriate color in order to assist the photographing by the photographing section 62. FIG. In this embodiment, the light-emitting portion 66 is selected to emit white light.

In addition, the light emitting section 66 can illuminate the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26, and the orientation and arrangement of the optical axis are adjusted so as not to adversely affect the photographing by the photographing section 62. In the present embodiment, the light emitting section 66 is mounted on the light emitting section substrate 66b in a state in which a plurality of light emitting bodies 66a are arranged so as to surround the imaging section 62. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the light-emitting substrate 66b has an annular shape. As a result, the light-emitting portion substrate 66b has an insertion portion 66d. The plurality of light emitters 66a are arranged to surround the insertion portion 66d and are mounted on the light emitter substrate 66b. Further, the photographing section 62 described above is inserted through the insertion section 66d. As a result, the light emitting unit 66 surrounds the photographing unit 62 with a plurality of (three in this embodiment) light emitters 66a, and can illuminate an object to be photographed within the range of the angle of view of the photographing unit 62. , the direction of each light emitter 66a is adjusted.

The diffusing portion 66c is capable of diffusing light while transmitting it. The diffusing portion 66c is translucent and plate-shaped. The diffusion part 66c is arranged at a position adjacent to the light emitter 66a in the traveling direction of the light emitted from the light emitter 66a.

The power receiving section 68 is a part that receives power supply from the power feeding section 80 . The power receiving unit 68 is electrically connected to the photographing unit 62 , the input/output unit 64 , the light emitting unit 66 , and the photographing control device 70 described above. As a result, power supplied from the outside can be supplied to the imaging unit 62 , the input/output unit 64 , the light emitting unit 66 and the imaging control device 70 . The power receiving portion 68 has a power receiving connection portion 68a electrically connectable to a power feeding portion 80, which will be described in detail later. In this embodiment, the power receiving connection portion 68a is formed by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) format terminal.

The imaging control device 70 controls the operations of the imaging unit 62, the input/output unit 64, and the light emitting unit 66. The imaging control device 70 can control the imaging unit 62, the input/output unit 64, and the light emitting unit 66 to operate in cooperation. Specifically, the photographing control device 70 causes the photographing unit 62 and the light emitting unit 66 to operate in conjunction with each other to turn on and off the light emitting unit 66 at predetermined timings in conjunction with the start and end of photographing, and to By cooperating with the input/output unit 64, it is possible to perform a process of transmitting inside photographed data to the outside after photographing is completed.

In addition, the imaging control device 70 can perform control (power supply control) for supplying power received by the power receiving unit 68 to the imaging unit 62, the input/output unit 64, and the light emitting unit 66 described above. Specifically, on the condition that a predetermined timing defined based on the timing at which one or both of the opening operation and closing operation of the door 32a is performed is reached, the photographing unit 62 and the input/output unit 64 , and the operation of the light emitting unit 66 is started, and the power supply is controlled so that the operations of the photographing unit 62, the input/output unit 64, and the light emitting unit 66 are terminated on the condition that a predetermined timing is reached thereafter. Specifically, in the refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment, after the opening operation of the door 32a is performed, the warning is issued on the condition that the closing operation of the door 32a is not performed within a predetermined allowable opening time. It is Therefore, the photographing control device 70 sets the photographing unit 62 in a state where the light emitting unit 66 is illuminated, on condition that a predetermined waiting time longer than the allowable opening time has elapsed after the door 32a is opened. , and control the operation of each unit so that the input/output unit 64 transmits the inside-fridge-photographed data generated by the photographing to the external device 120 .

<<About the power supply unit 80>>
The power supply section 80 is for supplying power to the photographing unit 60 described above. Power supply unit 80 is electrically connected to the main power supply of refrigerator 10 . The power feeding section 80 includes a power feeding connecting section 80a (see FIG. 10). The power supply connection portion 80a corresponds to the power reception connection portion 68a of the photographing unit 60 described above, and is formed of a USB (Universal Serial Bus) format terminal. Therefore, power can be supplied from the power supply section 80 to the imaging unit 60 by connecting the power receiving connection section 68a to the power supply connection section 80a.

<<Refrigerator system 100>>
Next, the refrigerator system 100 of this embodiment will be described. The refrigerator system 100 utilizes the fact that the refrigerator 10 is provided with the photographing unit 60 so that the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26 can be checked without opening the door 32a, and the refrigerator system 100 remotely controls the refrigerator via a communication network. It is a system that allows you to check the internal status of 10. The refrigerator system 100 sends the inside photographed data transmitted from the refrigerator 10 to the server 110, and sends the inside photographed data in an unprocessed state or in a processed state to the server 110 as photographed recording data associated with the transmitting refrigerator. It is recordable. In addition, the refrigerator system 100 can acquire or browse photographed record data recorded in the server 110 for which access authority is granted in response to access from the client terminal 130 permitted to connect to the server 110. is. For the client terminal 130, for example, a smart phone, a mobile phone, a PDA, a computer, etc. owned by the user can be used.

In the refrigerator system 100 of the present embodiment, the streaming image generated by the imaging section 62 in the imaging unit 60 is output as in-fridge imaging data. The inside photographed data is transmitted to the server 110 without being processed by the input/output unit 64 via the external device 120 (wireless access point 120a) and the Internet network connected thereto. Here, by installing a program on the server 110, an image processing unit 112 that processes the inside photographed data, a recording unit 114 that records image data, a communication unit 116 that performs information processing related to data communication, and the like. A functional configuration is constructed. The server 110 processes the in-fridge photographed data received via the Internet in the image processing unit 112 to generate image data of a still image. Specifically, the image processing unit 112 converts image data (recording image data) for recording image data of one of the plurality of images that constitute the streaming image (in-fridge photographing data) into the server 110 . ). The server 110 generates shooting record data in which the image data for recording is associated with the refrigerator 10 that is the transmission source, and records it in the recording unit 114 . In response to access from a client terminal permitted to connect to the server 110, the refrigerator system 100 selects data for which the connected client terminal 130 has an access right, out of the shooting record data recorded in the recording unit 114. Output for retrieval or viewing. Accordingly, the user can confirm the state of the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26 of the refrigerator 10 via the client terminal 130 .

<<Regarding the operation of the refrigerator system 100>>
Hereinafter, the operation of the refrigerator system 100 constructed using the refrigerator 10 described above will be described in detail with reference to the timing chart of FIG. 11 .

As shown in FIG. 11, in the refrigerator system 100, when the door 32a of the refrigerator 10 is opened, power supply to the imaging unit 60 is started using this as a trigger. In the refrigerator 10, after a predetermined allowable opening time (three minutes in this embodiment) has elapsed after the door 32a has been opened, the main body control device 50 activates the alarm device 52 to notify the user that the door 32 is open. A warning is given to the effect that it is in an open state. Therefore, there is a high probability that the door 32a will be closed after the door 32a is opened. Further, it is assumed that after a certain amount of time has passed after the door 32a is closed, the photographing section 62 of the photographing unit 60 will be ready for photographing without being affected by condensation or the like. Therefore, in the refrigerator system 100, when a predetermined time (standby time) set longer than the allowable opening time elapses after the door 32a is opened, the photographing unit 60 performs an operation for photographing and communication. Start.

Specifically, in this embodiment, the standby time is set to 8 minutes. Therefore, in the refrigerator system 100, power supply from the power supply section 80 to the imaging unit 60 is started after the door 32a is opened. When the power supply is started, the input/output unit 64 outputs a communication request to the wireless access point 120a, which is the external device 120. FIG. This establishes communication between the input/output unit 64 and the wireless access point 120a. Note that FIG. 11 shows, as a representative example, an example in which communication is established between the input/output unit 64 and the wireless access point 120a after the door 32a is opened until it is closed. As a matter of course, communication between the input/output unit 64 and the wireless access point 120a may be established after the door 32a is closed, depending on the timing at which the door 32a is closed. After that, when a predetermined waiting time (8 minutes) has passed after the door 32a is opened, the photographing control device 70 of the photographing unit 60 activates the photographing unit 62 and the light emitting unit 66 to photograph while illuminating. to start. While the photographing unit 62 is performing photographing, the input/output unit 64 transmits the inside photographed data (streaming image data) generated by photographing to the wireless access point 120a. The wireless access point 120a sequentially transmits the inside photographed data (streaming image data) received from the input/output unit 64 to the server 110 via the Internet network.

In the refrigerator system 100, after a predetermined period of time (hereinafter also referred to as "shooting unit operating time") has elapsed since it was confirmed that the door 32a was closed, the shooting control device 70 causes the shooting unit 62 and the light emitting unit 66 to operate. is stopped, and the communication by the input/output unit 64 is also terminated. As a result, the photographing unit 60 is brought to a stopped state. The power supply from the power supply unit 80 to the photographing unit 60 is stopped after a predetermined time from the start. 66 is set longer than the time assumed to be required until the communication by the input/output unit 64 is stopped.

As described above, when the imaging unit 62 and the light emitting unit 66 are stopped and the communication by the input/output unit 64 is completed, at a predetermined timing (in this embodiment, 10 minutes after the door 32a is opened) Power supply to the imaging unit 60 is stopped. On the other hand, in the server 110, processing of the inside photographed data (streaming image data) sent while the photographing unit 60 is being driven is performed. Specifically, the image processing unit 112 of the server 110 selects the image data of one of the plurality of images forming the in-fridge photographed data as recording image data to be recorded in the server 110 . The server 110 generates shooting record data in which the image data for recording is associated with the refrigerator 10 that is the transmission source, and records it in the recording unit 114 . For example, the server 110 associates information for specifying the refrigerator 10 , such as the manufacturing number of the refrigerator 10 that is the transmission source, with the image data for recording to generate shooting record data, and records the data in the recording unit 114 .

When the photographing record data is recorded in the recording unit 114 of the server 110 as described above, the photographing record data can be obtained (for example, downloaded) or viewed at the client terminal 130 in response to access from the client terminal 130 such as a smartphone. output as Accordingly, the user can confirm the state of the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26 of the refrigerator 10 via the client terminal 130 .

The refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment described above has a characteristic configuration as shown in (a) to (h) below, which can produce unique effects.

(a) The refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment includes a refrigerator body 20 having a refrigerator compartment 26 (article storage portion) capable of storing articles and a door 32 for opening and closing the refrigerator compartment 26, and the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26. a photographing unit 60 for photographing, the photographing unit 60 having a photographing unit 62 for photographing the interior of the refrigerator compartment 26, and a light emitting unit 66 for supplying light to the object to be photographed, the light emitting unit 66 , are arranged around the photographing unit 62 . As a result, the refrigerator 10 can illuminate the inside of the refrigerator body 20 by the photographing unit 60 alone without, for example, restricting the arrangement of the interior lighting 26a separately provided for illuminating the inside of the refrigerator body 20 (inside the refrigerator). You can shoot in conditions where shadows are difficult to capture by lighting the In addition, since the refrigerator 10 has the light emitting unit 66 arranged around the photographing unit 62 as described above, photographing can be performed while the interior of the refrigerator body 20 is illuminated with a sufficient amount of light. . As a result, in the refrigerator 10, it is possible to suppress the formation of dark and difficult-to-see areas in the image of the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26. FIG.

Furthermore, since the refrigerator 10 is configured as described above, the inside of the refrigerator main body 20 (inside) is illuminated by the light emitting unit 66 provided in the photographing unit 60 without using the inside illumination 26a or the like. Photographing by the photographing unit 62 can be performed in an illuminated state. Therefore, by controlling the operation of the photographing unit 60, the refrigerator 10 can photograph the article while the article is illuminated with an optimum amount of light. Therefore, the refrigerator 10 is easy to perform operation control because it does not need to perform the control adopted in the prior art such as controlling the photographing unit 62 so as to be interlocked with the operation of the interior light 26a, for example. .

(b) In the refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment, the light-emitting unit 66 includes a plurality of light-emitting bodies 66a provided around the photographing unit 62, and a diffusion unit 66c capable of transmitting and diffusing light. 66c is arranged at a position adjacent to the traveling direction of the light emitted from the light emitter 66a. As a result, the interior of the refrigerator body 20 can be photographed while securing a sufficient amount of light. In addition, the refrigerator 10 can be photographed clearly in a state in which the diffused light emitted through the diffusing portion 66c sufficiently spreads the light inside the refrigerator body 20. - 特許庁

(c) In the refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment, a storage shelf 37 capable of storing articles is provided on the side of the door 32 facing the refrigerator compartment 26, and the photographing unit 60 is arranged below the storage shelf 37. It is assumed that As a result, the refrigerator 10 can prevent the photographing unit 60 from protruding toward the refrigerator compartment 26 and effectively utilize the internal space of the refrigerator body 20 . When the storage racks 37 are provided in three or more stages in the vertical direction, the photographing units 60 may be arranged below each of the storage shelves 37 except for the one at the bottom. For example, when three storage shelves 37 are provided in the vertical direction, two photographing units 60 may be arranged on the lower side of the upper and middle stages.

(d) In the refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment, the photographing unit 60 has a photographing unit substrate 62a on which the photographing unit 62 is mounted, and a light emitting unit substrate 66b on which a plurality of light emitting units 66 are mounted. The substrate 66b has an insertion portion 66d surrounded by a plurality of light emitting portions 66, and the photographing portion 62 is inserted through the insertion portion 66d. As a result, the refrigerator 10 can secure a sufficient amount of light for photographing in the photographing section 62 while suppressing an increase in the size of the substrate provided in the photographing unit 60 and an accompanying increase in the size of the photographing unit 60 . .

(e) In the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment, the photographing unit 60 is provided on the side of the door 32 facing the refrigerating chamber 26 side, and the lower storage shelf 37b capable of storing articles is provided below the photographing unit 60. The photographing unit 62 is arranged obliquely downward. Thereby, in the refrigerator 10 , not only the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26 , but also the inside of the lower storage shelf 37 b can be placed within the range of the angle of view of the photographing unit 60 . Therefore, the refrigerator 10 can photograph the articles stored in the refrigerator compartment 26 and the lower storage shelf 37b.

(f) The refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment has a photographing unit housing portion 72 that houses at least part of the photographing unit 60, and the photographing unit housing portion 72 protrudes from the surface of the door 32 facing the refrigerator compartment 26 side. It is said that it was established as follows. Thereby, in the refrigerator 10, it is not necessary to incorporate the whole photographing unit 60 inside the door 32. - 特許庁Therefore, the refrigerator 10 can be provided with the photographing unit 60 while suppressing deterioration of the heat insulation performance of the door 32 .

(g) The refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment has wiring electrically connected to the photographing unit 60 and a connection portion 33 that connects the door 32 to the refrigerator compartment 26 so as to be openable and closable. is connected to the photographing unit 60 from the refrigerating chamber 26 side through the connecting portion 33 and through the inside of the door 32 . As a result, the refrigerator 10 can prevent the wiring connected to the imaging unit 60 from being exposed.

(h) The refrigerator 10 of this embodiment has a power supply section 80 that supplies power to the photographing unit 60. The photographing unit 60 operates by receiving power supply from the power supply section 80. The power supply section 80 is connected to the door 32. The power supply to the photographing unit 60 is started on the condition that the opening or closing operation is performed, and the power supply is stopped after a certain period of time has elapsed from the start of the power supply. Thereby, the refrigerator 10 can photograph the state after the door 32 is opened or closed. Further, with the configuration as described above, the refrigerator 10 suppresses power supply unless the door 32 is opened and closed, and suppresses heat generation of the imaging unit 60 compared to a configuration in which the imaging unit 60 is always energized. can. As a result, the refrigerator 10 can minimize an increase in power consumption and a decrease in cooling performance due to the operation of the imaging unit 60 .

It should be noted that the refrigerator 10 does not necessarily have to be configured as in (b) to (h) above. Specifically, in the refrigerator 10, it is not essential that the light-emitting portion 66 includes the light-emitting body 66a and the diffusion portion 66c as in (b) above. It is also possible to Further, in the refrigerator 10, instead of providing a plurality of light emitters 66a around the photographing unit 62, for example, an annular light emitter is arranged around the photographing unit 62 in place of or in addition to the light emitters 66a. It is also possible to assume

In addition, the refrigerator 10 does not necessarily have to have the configuration shown in (c) above. As a result, the degree of freedom in layout of the photographing unit 60 is improved when, for example, there is a more suitable place for arranging the photographing unit 60 than under the storage shelf 37 .

In addition, the refrigerator 10 does not necessarily have to have the configuration described in (d) above. is also possible.

Furthermore, the refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment does not necessarily have to have the configuration described in (e) above. Specifically, the refrigerator 10 is configured such that the lower storage shelf 37b capable of storing articles is provided below the photographing unit 60, and the lower storage shelf 37b is placed within the range of the angle of view of the photographing unit 60. Instead, a photographing unit 60 is provided for photographing the interior of the refrigerator compartment 26, and a photographing unit similar to the photographing unit 60 is provided for photographing the upper storage shelf 37a, the lower storage shelf 37b, and the like. Alternatively, a configuration may be employed in which a configuration different from that of the photographing unit 60 is provided, or a configuration in which no photographing device for fitting the storage shelf 37 into the angle of view is provided.

Also, the refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment does not necessarily have to have the configuration described in (f) above. Specifically, the refrigerator 10 may have the photographing unit housing portion 72 embedded in the door 32, for example. As a result, it is possible to suppress the formation of a portion protruding toward the inner surface of the door 32 or the refrigerating chamber 26 side, thereby achieving a neat structure. In the case where the photographing unit housing portion 72 is embedded in the door 32, the refrigerator 10 optimizes the heat insulating structure in order to minimize the deterioration of the heat insulating performance of the door 32 due to such a structure. It is preferable to take measures such as

The refrigerator 10 of this embodiment does not necessarily have to be configured as in (g) above. Specifically, refrigerator 10 may have a configuration in which wiring is exposed at door 32 or the like. This facilitates routing of wiring and connection of wiring to the photographing unit 60 . As a result, for example, it becomes easier to perform work such as disconnecting wiring to perform maintenance on the photographing unit 60 . When the wiring is exposed, measures such as optimizing the layout of the wiring are taken so as to minimize interference with the members constituting the refrigerator 10 and the items stored in the refrigerator 10. is desirable.

Also, the refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment does not necessarily have to be configured as in (h) above. Specifically, in the refrigerator 10, the power supply section 80 may start supplying power to the photographing unit 60 using a condition other than the opening or closing operation of the door 32 as a start condition. . In addition, the refrigerator 10 may terminate the power supply to the imaging unit 60 by using a condition other than the elapse of a certain period of time from the start of the power supply to the imaging unit 60 as an end condition.

<<First Modification>>
The refrigerator 10 according to the above-described embodiment merely shows one embodiment of the present invention, and various modifications are conceivable. Refrigerator 200 according to the first modified example will be described below. In the following description, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same configurations as those described in the above embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The refrigerator 200 of the first modified example has an abnormality determination function for determining an abnormality of a consumer. As shown in FIG. 12, refrigerator 200 includes history storage unit 210, opening/closing prediction unit 220, and abnormality determination unit 230 in addition to the above-described configuration.

The history storage unit 210 stores the opening/closing operation history of the door 32 based on the history of photographing (photographing history) performed by the photographing unit 60 in conjunction with the opening/closing of the door 32 . The opening/closing operation history stored by the history storage unit 210 can be information such as the time period and the number of times the door 32 has been opened/closed, for example.

The opening/closing prediction unit 220 derives the opening/closing pattern of the door 32 as a predicted opening/closing pattern based on the past opening/closing operation history of the door 32 stored in the history storage unit 210 . The opening/closing prediction unit 220 may, for example, derive a predicted opening/closing pattern by machine-learning the opening/closing operation history of the door 32 by a technique such as deep learning.

The abnormality determination unit 230 determines an abnormality of the consumer based on the difference between the actual opening/closing pattern of the door 32 (actual opening/closing pattern) and the predicted opening/closing pattern derived by the opening/closing prediction unit 220. The abnormality determination method by the abnormality determination unit 230 can be an appropriate method. The condition may be determined to be abnormal, or the like.

Next, the control flow for the refrigerator 200 of the first modified example to execute the abnormality determination function will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

(Step 1-1)
When executing the abnormality determination function, the refrigerator 200 first takes an image by the imaging unit 60 when the door 32 is opened or closed in step 1-1. Control flow then proceeds to step 1-2.

(Step 1-2)
In step 1-2, the refrigerator 200 performs a process of storing in the history storage unit 210 the time period and the number of times when the opening and closing of the door 32 and the photographing by the photographing unit 60 were performed in step 1-1. Control flow then proceeds to steps 1-3.

(Step 1-3)
In step 1-3, the opening/closing prediction unit 220 performs processing for predicting the opening/closing pattern of the door 32 of the consumer using the refrigerator 200 by a predetermined algorithm based on the information stored in the history storage unit 210. . It is presumed that the opening/closing pattern of the door 32 reflects the lifestyle pattern of the consumer. Therefore, by grasping the opening/closing pattern of the door 32, it is possible to grasp the lifestyle pattern of the consumer. Further, the prediction process performed in step 1-3 is performed based on long-term information stored in the history storage unit 210 as well as the opening/closing operation of the door 32 performed in the most recent predetermined period. Therefore, even if the door 32 is opened and closed irregularly, the result of the prediction process in step 1-3 is considered to be leveled and the influence thereof minimized. When the prediction of the opening/closing pattern of the door 32 is completed in step 1-3, the control flow proceeds to step 1-4.

(Step 1-4)
In step 1-4, the abnormality determination unit 230 determines the opening/closing pattern (predicted opening/closing pattern) of the door 32 derived in step 1-3 and the latest predetermined period (for example, a predetermined period ranging from several hours to 24 hours). The opening/closing pattern (actual opening/closing pattern) of the door 32 is compared with the opening/closing pattern (actual opening/closing pattern) of the door 32, and an abnormality determination of the consumer is performed based on the difference in the predicted opening/closing pattern. As a result, if it is determined that there is an abnormality, the control flow proceeds to step 1-5. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no abnormality, the control flow is returned to step 1-1.

(Step 1-5)
When the control flow advances to step 1-5, notification processing is performed to notify that an abnormality in daily life has occurred. The notification process can be performed by, for example, a notification device such as a buzzer or monitor provided in refrigerator 200 . In the refrigerator system 100, when the refrigerator 200 is employed instead of the refrigerator 10, the client terminal 130 such as a smartphone owned by the user serving as the notification destination can can be notified.

　The refrigerator 200 of the present embodiment described above has a characteristic configuration as shown in (i) below, so that unique effects can be achieved.

(i) The refrigerator 200 of this modified example includes a photographing control device 70 that controls the operation of the photographing unit 60 so as to perform photographing in conjunction with the opening/closing operation of the door 32, and the photographing history of the photographing unit 60. and an opening/closing prediction unit 220 that derives the opening/closing pattern of the door 32 as a predicted opening/closing pattern based on the past opening/closing operation history of the door 32 stored in the history storage unit 210. , and an abnormality determination unit 230 that determines an abnormality of the consumer based on the difference between the actual opening/closing pattern, which is the actual opening/closing pattern related to the opening/closing operation of the door 32, and the predicted opening/closing pattern. As a result, refrigerator 200 can perform abnormality determination for the consumer by abnormality determination unit 230 based on the difference between the actual opening/closing pattern and the predicted opening/closing pattern. Therefore, the refrigerator 200 of this modified example can detect whether or not there is an abnormality in the living person without installing a special device or performing a special operation for detecting an abnormality in life. can be utilized.

≪Second modification≫
The refrigerator 10 and the refrigerator 200 according to the above-described embodiment merely show one embodiment of the present invention, and various modifications are conceivable. Refrigerator 300 according to the second modification will be described below. In the following description, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same configurations as those described in the above embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 14, the refrigerator 300 of the second modification includes a shooting reservation setting section 310 in addition to the configuration of the refrigerator 10 described above. The photographing reservation setting unit 310 receives a reservation for photographing by the photographing unit 60 regardless of whether the door 32 is opened or closed. Refrigerator 300 can execute processing (reserved photographing processing) for photographing by photographing unit 60 based on a reservation set in photographing reservation setting section 310 . The flow of reserved photographing processing executed in refrigerator 300 will be described below in accordance with the control flow shown in FIG. 15 .

(Step 2-1)
In step 2-1, refrigerator 300 confirms with photographing reservation setting section 310 whether or not a reservation for photographing the refrigerator interior by photographing unit 60 has been set. Here, if the reservation is not set or if the reservation is canceled, it continues to confirm whether or not the reservation is set in step 2-1. is set, the control flow proceeds to step 2-2.

(Step 2-2)
At step 2-2, refrigerator 300 confirms whether or not the photographing timing set at step 2-1 has been reached. In step 2-2, if the reserved photographing timing has not been reached, the control flow is returned to step 2-1. On the other hand, if it is confirmed that the reserved photographing timing has been reached, the control flow proceeds to step 2-3.

(Step 2-3)
In step 2-3, the refrigerator 300 performs processing for photographing the inside of the refrigerator with the photographing unit 60 under the control of the photographing control device . The photographing process by the photographing unit 60 performed here can be performed, for example, by the process (see FIG. 4) performed in the refrigerator 10 exemplified in the above embodiment. After the photographing by the photographing unit 60 is performed in step 2-3, the control flow is returned to step 2-1.

　The refrigerator 300 of the present embodiment described above has a characteristic configuration as shown in (j) below, so that unique effects can be achieved.

(j) The refrigerator 300 of this modified example has a photographing reservation setting section 310 that accepts a reservation for photographing by the photographing unit 60 regardless of whether the door 32 is opened or closed. The photographing unit 60 is assumed to perform photographing based on the reservation. As a result, the user of the refrigerator 300 can check the inventory status of the articles at the time when the photography is reserved, such as before shopping or before preparing a meal, thereby improving convenience for the user.

<<Third modification>>
Refrigerators 10, 200, and 300 according to the above-described embodiments and modified examples merely show one embodiment of the present invention, and various modified examples are conceivable. Refrigerator 400 according to the third modification will be described below. In the following description, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same configurations as those described in the above embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 16, the refrigerator 400 of the third modified example includes an inventory information acquisition unit 410 in addition to the configuration of the refrigerator 10 described above. The inventory information acquisition unit 410 is capable of executing processing (inventory information acquisition processing) for acquiring inventory information of articles housed inside the refrigerator body 20 by analyzing the image captured by the imaging unit 60. . The flow of inventory information acquisition processing executed in refrigerator 400 will be described in accordance with the control flow shown in FIG.

(Step 3-1)
In step 3-1, when the door 32 of the refrigerator 400 is opened and closed, the photographing unit 60 photographs the refrigerator interior. As a result, an image in which the articles stored in the warehouse are reflected is acquired. Control flow then proceeds to step 3-2.

(Step 3-2)
In step 3-2, the inventory information acquisition section 410 performs processing (article identification processing) for identifying articles in the warehouse by image analysis based on the photographed image acquired in step 3-1. For example, the item identification process identifies what the item is from the image of the item such as food photographed by the photographing unit 60 by a method such as image matching, or identifies the barcode or the like attached to the item. This is done by reading the information to specify the product and identifying the product stored in the warehouse. When the article identification process is completed in step 3-2, the control flow proceeds to step 3-3.

(Step 3-3)
At step 3-3, the inventory information acquisition unit 410 performs a process of listing the items stored in the warehouse based on the result of the item identification process performed at step 3-2. This completes a series of control flows.

The refrigerator 400 of the present embodiment described above has a characteristic configuration as shown in (k) below, so that unique effects can be achieved.

(k) Refrigerator 400 of this modified example is characterized by having an inventory information acquisition unit capable of acquiring inventory information of articles housed in refrigerator body 20 by analyzing images captured by imaging unit 60. and As a result, refrigerator 400 can obtain the inventory information of the items stored in refrigerator body 20 by utilizing the image captured by imaging unit 60 . The inventory information obtained in this way can be used, for example, to manage expiration dates, automatically place orders for items whose inventory is low, and notify items to be purchased in conjunction with separately set menus. It can be used for purposes such as Also, when acquiring inventory information mainly for the purpose of managing expiration dates, for example, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the target item can be displayed in an emphasized manner by storing the item in a specific portion.

The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified in design within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. The constituent elements of the above-described embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily selected and combined. In addition, arbitrary constituent elements of each embodiment and modifications, means for solving the invention, arbitrary constituent elements described in the modes for carrying out the invention, means for solving the invention, and implementation of the invention It is preferable to arbitrarily combine any constituent elements described in the form for carrying out, etc. with the constituent elements embodied. We intend to obtain rights to these as well in the present application or a divisional application based on the present application.

The present invention can be suitably used in refrigerators in general.

10: Refrigerator 20: Refrigerator main body (article storage part)
26: refrigerator compartment 32: door 33: connecting portion 37: storage shelf 37a: upper storage shelf 37b: lower storage shelf 60: photographing unit 62: photographing unit 62a: photographing unit substrate 66: light emitting unit 66a: light emitting body 66b: Light-emitting portion substrate 66c: Diffusion portion 66d: Insertion portion 70: Shooting control device (shooting control unit)
72: photographing unit accommodating section 80: power supply section 100: refrigerator system 130: client terminal 200: refrigerator 210: history storage section 220: opening/closing prediction section 230: abnormality determination section 300: refrigerator 310: shooting reservation setting section 400: refrigerator 410: Inventory information acquisition part

Claims

a refrigerator main body comprising an article accommodating portion capable of accommodating an article and a door for opening and closing the article accommodating portion;
a photographing unit for photographing the interior of the article storage section;
has
The imaging unit
a photographing unit for photographing the interior of the article storage unit;
a light emitting unit that supplies light to an object to be photographed;
with
The refrigerator, wherein the light emitting unit is arranged around the photographing unit.
The light emitting unit
a plurality of light emitters provided around the imaging unit;
a diffusing portion capable of diffusing while transmitting light;
has
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said diffusing portion is arranged at a position adjacent to said light emitter in a traveling direction of light emitted from said light emitter.
A storage shelf capable of storing articles is provided on a surface of the door facing the article storage unit,
3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said photographing unit is arranged below said storage shelf.
The imaging unit
an imaging unit board on which the imaging unit is mounted;
a light emitting unit substrate on which the plurality of light emitting units are mounted;
has
the light-emitting portion substrate has an insertion portion surrounded by a plurality of the light-emitting portions;
4. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the imaging section is inserted through the insertion section.
The photographing unit is provided on the surface of the door facing the article storage section, and a lower storage shelf capable of storing articles is provided below the photographing unit,
5. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the photographing unit is arranged obliquely downward.
Having a shooting unit storage section that stores at least part of the shooting unit,
6. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the photographing unit storage section is provided so as to protrude from a surface of the door facing the article storage section.
wiring electrically connected to the imaging unit;
a connection portion that connects the door to the article storage portion so as to be openable and closable;
has
7. The wiring is connected to the photographing unit from the article storage section side through the connecting section and through a path passing through the interior of the door. Refrigerator as described.