IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,288,506
Granted Patent B2
US 11,288,506 · App. 16/582,158 · Granted Mar 29, 2022

Refrigerator appliances and methods for tracking stored items

Inventors: Choon Jae Ryu (Prospect, KY); Michael Goodman Schroeder (Louisville, KY); Stephanos Kyriacou (Louisville, KY)
Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
G06K9/00624G06K9/6201H04N5/2253
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,288,506
App. No.
16/582,158
Granted
Mar 29, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A refrigerator appliance, as provided herein, may include a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet, a camera module, and a controller. The camera module may be mounted to the cabinet. The controller may be operably coupled to the camera module. The controller may be configured to initiate an operation routine. The operation routine may include receiving a purchase invoice, initiating an item recognition sequence within the refrigerator appliance, generating an initial recognition attempt of a first stored item based on the item recognition sequence, comparing the initial recognition attempt of the first stored item to the purchase invoice, generating a modified recognition attempt of the first stored item based on the comparison of the initial recognition attempt the first stored item to the purchase invoice, and recording a descriptor of the first stored item to an inventory within the refrigerator appliance.

Claims (40)

1. A refrigerator appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;

a door being rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber;

a camera module mounted to the cabinet; and

a controller operably coupled to the camera module, the controller being configured to initiate an operation routine comprising

receiving a purchase invoice,

initiating an item recognition sequence within the refrigerator appliance, initiating the item recognition sequence comprising initiating a first image capture sequence at the camera module,

generating an initial recognition attempt of a first stored item based on the item recognition sequence,

comparing the initial recognition attempt of the first stored item to the purchase invoice,

generating a modified recognition attempt of the first stored item based on the comparison of the initial recognition attempt the first stored item to the purchase invoice, and

recording a descriptor of the first stored item to an inventory within the refrigerator appliance,

wherein generating the initial recognition attempt of the first stored item based on the item recognition sequence comprises assigning a recognition score for the first stored item based on a two-dimensional image of the first image capture sequence, and

wherein generating the modified recognition attempt comprises altering the recognition score for the first stored item based on the purchase invoice.

2. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the purchase invoice comprises an item identifier of a purchased item, wherein the initial recognition attempt and the modified recognition attempt comprise an estimated identifier of the first stored item.

3. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the purchase invoice comprises a unit count of a purchased item, wherein the initial recognition attempt and the modified recognition attempt comprise an estimated unit count of the first stored item.

4. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the purchase invoice comprises a date stamp of a date of purchase for a purchased item.

5. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the purchase invoice is received from a retailer point of sale server.

6. The refrigerator appliance of claim 5 , further comprising receiving expiration data relating to one or more purchased items.

7. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , further comprising requesting user confirmation of the modified recognition attempt.

8. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein recording prompts an external search for information relating to one or more purchased items.

9. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the camera module is mounted within a cabinet at a top portion of a chilled chamber

wherein generating the initial recognition attempt of the first stored item based on the item recognition sequence includes identifying the first stored item based on the two-dimensional image of the first image capture sequence.

10. A method of operating a refrigerator appliance, the method comprising:

receiving a purchase invoice;

initiating an item recognition sequence within the refrigerator appliance, initiating the item recognition sequence comprising initiating a first image capture sequence at a camera module;

generating an initial recognition attempt of a first stored item based on the item recognition sequence;

comparing the initial recognition attempt of the first stored item to the purchase invoice;

generating a modified recognition attempt of the first stored item based on the comparison of the initial recognition attempt the first stored item to the purchase invoice; and

recording a descriptor of the first stored item to an inventory within the refrigerator appliance,

wherein generating the initial recognition attempt of the first stored item based on the item recognition sequence comprises assigning a recognition score for the first stored item based on a two-dimensional image of the first image capture sequence, and

wherein generating the modified recognition attempt comprises altering the recognition score for the first stored item based on the purchase invoice.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the purchase invoice comprises an item identifier of a purchased item, wherein the initial recognition attempt and the modified recognition attempt comprise an estimated identifier of the first stored item.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the purchase invoice comprises a unit count of a purchased item, wherein the initial recognition attempt and the modified recognition attempt comprise an estimated unit count of the first stored item.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the purchase invoice comprises a date stamp of a date of purchase for a purchased item.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the purchase invoice is received from a retailer point of sale server.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising receiving expiration data relating to one or more purchased items.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising requesting user confirmation of the modified recognition attempt.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein recording prompts an external search for information relating to one or more purchased items.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the camera module is mounted within a cabinet at a top portion of a chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance, and

the initial recognition attempt of the first stored item based on the item recognition sequence includes identifying the first stored item based on the two-dimensional image of the first image capture sequence.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2019
From: RYU, CHOON JAE; SCHROEDER, MICHAEL GOODMAN; KYRIACOU, STEPHANOS
To: HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 050485/0711 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210089769A1 · Mar 25, 2021