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AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsKwanhyung Kim, Samnyol Hong, Sungdu Kwon, Ikkyu Lee, Myoungju Lee, Jeonghwan Kim
Estimating the term…
A camera system is provided for an inside of a refrigerator. The camera system includes a camera module that includes an image sensor, a camera lens, electrical components configured to drive the image sensor, and a transparent window spaced a predetermined distance from the camera lens. The camera system also includes a camera housing configured to seat and fix the camera module at a predetermined position in the camera housing. The camera housing includes a fixing surface arranged to adjoin an upper wall of a storage compartment of a refrigerator; a front surface arranged to face an access opening of the storage compartment and side surfaces connecting the front surface to a rear surface of the camera housing; and a top surface provided with an opening allowing the transparent window of the camera module to be exposed therethrough.
A refrigerator comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
Self-contained movable devices
General constructional features
General constructional features: doors; Covers
About 9 years of term left · ends 23 Oct 2035 (estimated)
The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a control method for the same, and, more particularly, to a refrigerator capable of providing information about food stored in the refrigerator even without the door of the refrigerator being opened by a user and a control method for the same.
In general, a refrigerator, which is an apparatus for supplying cooled air according to driving of a refrigeration cycle, serves to store food at a low temperature. Conventional refrigerators have only functioned to store food at a low temperature. Recently, however, additional functions other than the function of storing food have been increasingly needed. To check the interior of a refrigerator serving to receive and store certain items, the door of the refrigerator need to be opened. In addition, in the case that the quantity and kinds of food stored in the refrigerator are not identified when a user desires to buy an item in a market or a mart, a food item may be redundantly purchased, or a necessary food item may not be purchased.
In conventional art, Japanese Patent No. 3450907 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-183987 disclose that a camera is installed at a door to photograph the interior of the refrigerator. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-294308 discloses that cameras are installed in the refrigerator, in a drawer, and at the door.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a refrigerator according to one possible implementation;
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Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a refrigerator according to embodiments of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a door of FIG. 1, which is in an opened position. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.