Patent · US Active

Refrigerator and control method for the same

US9920979B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 22, 2014
Grant dateMar 20, 2018
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 26, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25D2700/02
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A refrigerator and a control method for the same are disclosed. A refrigerator includes a storage compartment, a drawer movably provided in the storage compartment and provided with a marker, a camera that photographs inside the drawer from outside the drawer, and a controller that senses a position of the marker in photographs taken through the camera at time intervals, and that determines state information about the drawer based on a change in position of the marker in the photographs. A method includes recognizing closing of the drawer by sensing a start of opening of the drawer; acquiring an image of the drawer interior using the camera; processing the image to recognize the marker from the image; tracing a movement of the marker; acquiring a final image of the drawer interior using the camera when closing of the drawer begins; and displaying the final image.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.