U.S. patent application number 11/030234 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-23 for refrigerator or freezer.
This patent application is currently assigned to BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH. Invention is credited to Menten, Frank, Reinker, Bernward.
Application Number | 20050132725 11/030234 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29761734 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050132725 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Menten, Frank ; et
al. |
June 23, 2005 |
Refrigerator or freezer
Abstract
A refrigerator or freezer including at least one compartment for
refrigerating, freezing and/or climate control and a display
device. Information specific to at least one of the compartments
can be displayed by the display device. The display device is
interactive via an input device for user input, which input can be
displayed by the display device.
Inventors: |
Menten, Frank; (Regensburg,
DE) ; Reinker, Bernward; (Regenstauf, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JOHN T. WINBURN
100 BOSCH BOULEVARD
NEW BERN
NC
28562
US
|
Assignee: |
BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate
GmbH
Munich
DE
|
Family ID: |
29761734 |
Appl. No.: |
11/030234 |
Filed: |
January 6, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/126 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 2331/807 20130101;
F25D 2500/06 20130101; F25D 2700/123 20130101; F25B 2700/02
20130101; F25D 2400/361 20130101; F25D 29/00 20130101; F25D 11/02
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
062/126 |
International
Class: |
F25B 049/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 8, 2002 |
DE |
DE10230693.1 |
Jun 17, 2003 |
WO |
PCT/EP03/06395 |
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. A refrigerating or freezing apparatus, comprising: at least one
zone for at least one of refrigerating, freezing or climate
control; a display device for displaying information specific to at
least one of said refrigerating, freezing or climate control zones;
an input device coupled to said display device for inputting data
by an operator; and said display device generating displays on the
basis of data input by said operator.
20. The apparatus according to claim 19, including a plurality of
detectors coupled to said input device for at least one of
detecting, controlling or regulating zone-specific data of each of
said zones and coupled to said display device for displaying said
zone-specific data of each of said zones.
21. The apparatus according to claim 20, including at least one of
said detectors detecting at least one of the temperature or
humidity of said zones and said detected temperature or humidity
can be displayed by said display device.
22. The apparatus according to claim 20, including said detectors
can optionally be at least one of controlled or regulated.
23. The apparatus according to claim 19, including storage
instructions or storage recommendations for a product in a zone can
be displayed by said display device.
24. The apparatus according to claim 23, including said storage
instructions or storage recommendations for a product in a specific
zone can be displayed by said display device.
25. The apparatus according to claim 19, including the microclimate
in each of said zones can be individually set.
26. The apparatus according to claim 19, including data including
storage instructions or storage recommendations for a product in a
specific zone are stored in a database and said data can be
displayed by said display device from said database.
27. The apparatus according to claim 26, including said data from
said database is matched to associated climate zones.
28. The apparatus according to claim 27, including said climate
zones can be set individually and said database contains storage
instructions and storage recommendations which can be correlated
with current data in any one of said zones.
29. The apparatus according to claim 28, including the optimum
storage zone can be determined as a function of said data acquired
by said correlation.
30. The apparatus according to claim 26, including said database is
stored in an EPROM device.
31. The apparatus according to claim 19, including said input
device coupled to the Internet and data relevant to said zones is
stored on a server and said data can be downloaded from said server
and stored on a local memory device, such as an EEPROM device.
32. The apparatus according to claim 19, including a system for
automatically recognizing codes for specific goods, said codes
including barcodes and transponder codes.
33. The apparatus according to claim 19, including said data from
said zones can be displayed graphically by said display device in
the form of a pictogram, for example by one or more LCD
devices.
34. The apparatus according to claim 19, including said display
device has a visual imprint applied to a panel of said apparatus
with a breakdown of said zones.
35. The apparatus according to claim 19, including said display
device includes light guides and LED devices.
36. The apparatus according to claim 19, including the microclimate
of said zones can be set individually by a user.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator or freezer
having at least one zone for refrigerating, freezing and/or for
climate control, and having a display device, it being possible to
display on the display device information which is specific to the
at least one refrigerating, freezing and/or climate zone.
[0002] An Internet refrigerator and an operating method for the
latter are known from DE 101 00 826 A1. This refrigerator has a
refrigerator control region for controlling important elements of
the refrigerator, a touch panel for providing key signals which are
associated with the operation of the refrigerator; and key signals
for communicating with the Internet depending on a selection by the
user. It is equipped with a display region, which is arranged on
the outside of the refrigerator, for displaying information which
is associated with the operation of the refrigerator, and
information received from the Internet as a reaction to the key
signals from the touch panel and the key signals from external
devices through the Internet.
[0003] It is furthermore equipped with a main control region for
bidirectional communication with the refrigerator control region
and the Internet and for controlling the display region as a
response to the key signals from the touch panel, the signals from
the Internet and the key signals from the remote control
system.
[0004] The refrigerator has a selected communication control region
for managing the bidirectional communication between the
refrigerator control region and the main control region.
[0005] The refrigerator has an Internet connection device which is
connected between the Internet and the main control region by a
selected communication line for bidirectional communication between
the Internet and the main control region.
[0006] The known refrigerator and freezer are equipped with a
plurality of storage locations. It has, for example, a
refrigeration compartment, a freezer compartment and, according to
the illustration in FIG. 9 of the patent application, also a dry
zone.
[0007] The object of the invention is to further improve the
refrigerator and freezer of the prior art.
[0008] According to the invention, this object is achieved in the
case of a refrigerator and freezer of the type mentioned in the
introduction in that the display device is interactive, in that
there is an input device by means of which an operator can input
data, and in that displays can be generated by the display device
on the basis of data input by the operator.
[0009] The invention makes it possible for the operator to handle
the refrigerator and freezer conveniently. The multizone
refrigerator may be used correctly by it being possible to call up
information relating to the optimum storage place of a product
directly on the refrigerator via an interactive display. For the
purposes of this invention, a product is a food, a medicine or
pharmaceutical or any other good which can be stored in a specific
climate, in particular a specific temperature and a specific
humidity. For the purposes of the invention, inputting data is to
be understood as selecting and controlling functions and also
direct inputting or editing of data sets.
[0010] Advantageous developments may be found in the subclaims and
in the description.
[0011] A refrigerator or freezer has proven particularly suitable
in which there are detectors for detecting and controlling
zone-specific data (control parameters for control circuits) zone
by zone, this data being displayed by the display device in terms
of zones. As a result, the microclimate in the individual zones may
be set individually. A refrigerator or freezer is advantageous in
which the temperature and/or the humidity can be detected by the
detectors and can be displayed by the display device. The detectors
can optionally be controlled or regulated.
[0012] The refrigerator or freezer is advantageously designed such
that storage instructions or storage recommendations are displayed
by the display device. Since all of the information about the
refrigerator or freezer and about the food to be stored is
available on the display of the refrigerator or freezer, the user
does not need to refer back to information or use instructions in
printed form. The user can set the optimum conditions for each
product to be refrigerated or to be frozen with reference to the
information displayed on the display.
[0013] A particular advantage in terms of storage is achieved when
the display device displays those storage instructions and storage
recommendations which are specific to the respective zone.
[0014] It is advantageous if the microclimate in each
refrigerating, freezing and/or climate zone can be set
individually.
[0015] In one advantageous refinement of the invention, the data,
in particular storage instructions and storage recommendations, is
called up on the display device from a database.
[0016] The data from the database is advantageously matched to
associated climate zones.
[0017] A refrigerator or freezer in which the climate zones can be
set individually and the database contains storage instructions and
storage recommendations which can be correlated with current data
of the refrigerating, freezing and/or climate zones may be used in
various ways.
[0018] In one particular embodiment of the invention, the optimum
storage place can be determined as a function of the data acquired
by the correlation.
[0019] A database which is stored in an EPROM is suitable.
[0020] In order to implement the invention, a refrigerator or
freezer is particularly suitable which is connected to the
Internet, data which is relevant to the refrigerator or freezer
being stored on a server. This data can be downloaded from the
server and stored on a local-memory, in particular an EEPROM.
[0021] Product- and food-specific information relating to the
storage place, that is to say to the zone or to the compartment,
and also relating to the storage life and to the period of
freshness of the food is stored in the database.
[0022] A distinction may be drawn here between a static case and a
dynamic case. In the static case, the climate zones are fixed and
cannot be set individually. The contents of the database are
correspondingly matched to these.
[0023] In the dynamic case, the climate zones can be set
individually. The database contains information relating to optimum
storage which is correlated with current sensor data of the
refrigerating zones. The optimum storage place is determined as a
function of the correlation data. The scope and supply of the
database may be adapted to the language and culture of the area in
which the refrigerator or freezer is sold. If the database is
stored in an EPROM, it can have only a limited scope. If, on the
other hand, the database, provided that the appliance is
Internet-compatible, is stored on a server computer, the size of
the database is unlimited since it is not stored locally.
Individual data sets may then be downloaded from the server
computer and stored locally on an EEPROM.
[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, the
refrigerator or freezer is equipped with a system for automatically
recognizing goods, in particular for recognizing barcodes and
transponder codes. All the information needed for the database is
thus contained in the barcode or in the transponder code. The
information is then processed by a data-processing system contained
in the refrigerator or freezer, and data which is relevant to the
user is displayed. The corresponding database set is accessed by
means of the code of the recognized product.
[0025] In one embodiment of the invention, all of the data of the
refrigerator or freezer, in particular the refrigerating, freezing
and/or climate zones, can be displayed graphically, in particular
in the form of a pictogram, in particular by means of LCDs.
[0026] A refrigerator or freezer is particularly suitable in which
the display device has an imprint, applied in particular to the
panel of the refrigerator or freezer with a breakdown of the
refrigerating, freezing and/or climate zones.
[0027] According to the invention, in one embodiment, the
refrigerator or freezer may, in particular, also comprise a display
device with light guides and LEDs.
[0028] A refrigerator or freezer is likewise particularly suitable
in which the microclimate can be set by the user for each zone
individually.
[0029] The refrigerator or freezer is shown graphically with its
climate zones, and the recommended compartment is displayed or
graphically emphasized. In this case, there are several display
possibilities, for example a pictogram illustrated by LCDs.
Alternatively, a breakdown into zones is imprinted on a front panel
or on the door of the refrigerator. A selected refrigerating zone
is indicated by means of LEDs or by means of light guide
technology, that is to say light from the LEDs is launched into the
door and displayed in the door via light guides.
[0030] Overall, the invention has the advantage that storage
instructions and recommendations can be called up at any time, to
be precise wherever the information is needed, that is to say in
the region in which the food or the product to be refrigerated is
introduced into the refrigerator. A learning effect occurs with
regular use of the database. The user is indirectly trained. In
spite of individual climate zones, the user can utilize his
refrigerator or freezer in an optimum manner.
[0031] The invention is explained in greater detail in an exemplary
embodiment with reference to the drawings. The single FIGURE shows
a display device.
[0032] A display device 1 firstly has operating keys and secondly a
display 2. The operating keys include an on/off switch 3, a key 4
with which the compressor can be switched to permanent operation in
order to rapidly refrigerate or freeze a product, a menu key 5 and
selection keys 6, 7 in order to select different submenus within
the menus.
[0033] Furthermore, a status key 8 for confirmation and an alarm
display 9 are provided. The status key 8 may possibly also be
omitted.
[0034] When the menu key 5 is not operated, the instruction "Food
manager" appears oh the display 1 and instructs the operator that
he may activate this by operating the menu key 5 in order to call
up different submenus which he can call up in sequence by operating
the selection keys 6, 7. However, he may return to the initial
display "Food manager" at any time by pressing the menu key 5. A
"Food manager" is understood to be storage instructions and storage
recommendations for products to be refrigerated and frozen, tips
and tricks for optimum handling and preparation for storing the
products to be refrigerated and frozen, and the like.
[0035] After the menu key 5 has been operated once, a display
"Fresh safe instructions" appears in a display region 20. The
display advises the-user that he can call up a large number of
products, for example arranged in alphabetical order, with the aid
of a following submenu by using one of the selection keys 6, 7.
[0036] Information in the form of a pictogram and in alphanumerical
form then appears on the display 1. The instruction "Eggs--3-4
weeks" in conjunction with an arrow pointing to an upper
refrigerating compartment 10 tells the user that eggs may be stored
for a period of three to four weeks in the upper refrigerating
compartment 10.
[0037] If, in alphabetical order, the operator reaches the term
"Tomatoes" by further operation of one of the menu keys 6, 7, he is
also suggested an optimum storage time of "10 days" for these. In
this case, an indicating arrow points to a refrigerating
compartment 11.
[0038] Depending on the number of menu keys, it is conceivable for
the operator to call up a multiplicity of submenus.
* * * * *