Refrigerator having a camera and method of operating the same based on position of a door
US9860491B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 17, 2014 |
| Grant date | Jan 2, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 17, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25D2700/02
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A refrigerator may include a detection device that detects at least one of a position or movement of a door of the refrigerator, a camera to capture an image of an area inside the refrigerator, and a controller to control the camera to capture the image based on the detected position or movement of the door. A start of a door opening operation and a door closing operation may be detected based on the detected position or movement of the door. When the door opening operation is detected, the camera is controlled to operate in a standby mode, and when the door closing operation is detected, an angle of the door is compared with a reference angle. When the angle of the door is less than the reference angle, the camera is controlled to operate in a photographing mode to capture the image of the area inside refrigerator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.