Patent Abstract:
A networking system for a refrigerator is provided. The networking system includes a main controller for the refrigerator coupled to a first terminal provided on a body portion of the refrigerator, and a second terminal provided on the refrigerator door. The second terminal allows information related to the refrigerator to be input and received, and allows for wireless data exchange between the main controller and the first terminal such that the second terminal to be separated from the refrigerator and still perform such a data exchange. The use of a main controller and first and second terminals allows for increased levels of data storage, and easy access to various types of information.

Full Description:
This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application Nos. P2003-14897, filed on Mar. 10, 2003, and P2003-14898, filed on Mar. 10, 2003, which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to refrigerator, and more particularly, to networking system of the refrigerator and method for operating the networking system. 
   2. Background of the Related Art 
   Recently, according to a trend of refrigerators becoming larger, side-by-side type refrigerators having a home bar and a dispenser become popular. The home bar is provided for taking out food, such as soft drink and beer, from a refrigerating chamber without opening a refrigerator door, and the dispenser is provided for taking out water or ice from the refrigerator without opening the refrigerator door. Moreover, even a monitor may be attached to in place of the home bar for providing information on the refrigerator. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a related art side-by-side type refrigerator. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the refrigerator is provided with a dispenser  5  in one side door  2  of a body  1 , and a monitor  10  and a memory (not shown) in the other side door  3 . The monitor  10  provides data stored in the memory to a user. However, a size of the memory provided to the door  2  is limited, much data can not be stored therein. According to this, the memory can provide various kinds of information to the user. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention is directed to networking system of a refrigerator and method for operating the networking system that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide networking system of a refrigerator and method for operating the networking system, which is easy for change of data, and can provide various kinds of information to a user. 
   Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
   To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the networking system of a refrigerator includes a main controller for the refrigerator, a first terminal configured on a refrigerator body, and a second terminal configured on the refrigerator door, for receiving information on the refrigerator from the main controller, stores the information, and exchanging data with the first terminal by wireless. 
   The first terminal includes input means for receiving a user&#39;s order, output means for providing information to the user, an interface for communication with the second terminal, and a controller for controlling the input means, the output means, and the interface. 
   The interface includes a compressor for compressing a signal from the input means, modulation means for modulating a signal from the compression board into a signal that can be communicated by wireless, a transmitter for transmitting a signal from the modulating means to the second terminal, a receiver for receiving a compressed data from the second terminal, demodulation means for demodulating the compressed data, and a restoring board for converting the compressed data into a non-compressed data. 
   The second terminal includes an interface for communication with the first terminal, a memory for storage of a data from the main controller, and a controller for controlling the interface and the memory. 
   The second terminal exchanges data with an external device, and stores data from the external device. The external device is an ISP server, a transmitter of a broadcasting station, or a home appliance. The second terminal makes communication with the external device through at least one of an ethernet, a modem, a power line, a cable receiver, a TV receiving line, and a settop box. 
   In other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for operating a networking system of a refrigerator including the steps of (a) receiving and storing information on refrigerator from a main controller of the refrigerator in a second terminal in a refrigerator body, receiving and storing a data from an external device in the second terminal, and (b) transmitting the data stored in the second terminal to a first terminal in a refrigerator door by wireless in response to a user&#39;s order. 
   The information on the refrigerator provided from the main controller to the second terminal includes information on temperatures of a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber, and information on operation states, and malfunction of different parts. 
   The method further includes the step of the second terminal uploading an operation history of the refrigerator, or downloading data and programs on the refrigerator, to/from a server of a refrigerator manufacturer. The operation history includes data on power consumption, data on temperature changer, and data on malfunction, of the refrigerator. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention claimed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings; 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a related art side-by-side type refrigerator; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a side-by-side type refrigerator in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of a networking system of a refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate block diagrams of a networking system of a refrigerator in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   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. 2  illustrates a side-by-side type refrigerator in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the refrigerator includes a dispenser  25  in one side door  22  of a refrigerator body  100 , and a first terminal  40  in the other side door  23 . The first terminal  40  is detachably mounted in a hollow  30  in the refrigerator. There is a second terminal  60  on a top surface of the refrigerator body  100 . Since the second terminal  60  in  FIG. 2  is one embodiment, shape and position of the second terminal  60  are not limited to an illustration in  FIG. 2 , but can be varied or modified. 
   Embodiments of the networking system of the refrigerator and the method for operating the networking system of the present invention will be described. 
   First Embodiment 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of a networking system of a refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The networking system of the refrigerator includes a first terminal  40 , a second terminal  60 , and a main controller  90 . 
   The first terminal receives a user&#39;s order, and performs a function for the order. For an example, the first terminal  40  provides a refrigerator user manual to the user following an order of the user, or a data stored in the second terminal  40  to the user. Since the first terminal  40  is detachable from the refrigerator body  100 , the first terminal  40  can change or select various functions of the refrigerator at a position spaced from the refrigerator by wireless like a remote controller. For this, the first terminal  40  controls a main controller  90  through the second terminal  60 . 
   The first terminal  40  includes input means  42  for providing a user&#39;s order, output means  44  for providing various kinds of information to the user, an interface  46  for wireless communication, and a controller  48  for controlling above units. The input means  42  is at least one of means for receiving the user&#39;s order, such as a keyboard, a touch screen, a microphone, a camera, and the output means  44  is, for an example, a screen or a speaker, or the like which can provided information. The interface  46  communicates with the second terminal  60  by using a communication protocol that enables bilateral communication, such as CDMA, or TCP/IP. The interface may be a wireless LAN, or bluetooth. It is apparent that the interface  46  optionally includes amplification means, modulation means, demodulation means, transmission and reception means, antenna, and the like for communication with the second terminal  60 . The controller  48  includes a CPU, and memories RAM, ROM. The controller  48  has an emulator or a communication access program, or the like for communication with the second terminal  60  or an external device, and provides a user interface so that the user searches for necessary information, and inputs necessary order. 
   The second terminal  60  receives data from the main controller  90 , and external devices  80 ,  82 , and  84 , selectively stores the data, and provides the data to the first terminal  40 . For an example, the second terminal  60  receives information on temperatures of a freezing chamber, and the refrigerating chamber from the main controller  90 , information on malfunctions of principal parts of the refrigerator, such as a cooling system, and information on operation states of different parts of the refrigerator, makes the information as a data base, and provides the information to the first terminal  40  according to order from the user. Moreover, the second terminal  60  is connected to an ISP server  80  for access to a web page, or receives a broadcasting signal from a transmitter  84  of a broadcasting station, and provides a data from the ISP server  80 , and the broadcasting signal from the transmitter  84  of the broadcasting station to the user through the first terminal  40 . Also, the second terminal  60  receives information on different home appliances  82 , and connected to the home appliances  82  for controlling the home appliances  82 . The second terminal  60  grasps on/off and operation states of home appliances  82  in a home, and controls the home appliances  82  according to order of the user. The second terminal  60  may access to a server of a refrigerator manufacturer for uploading an operation history of the refrigerator, or downloading data and programs related to the refrigerator required for the user. The operation history includes data on power consumption, data on temperature change, and data on malfunction of components of the refrigerator. 
   The second terminal  60  includes interfaces  62 ,  66 , and  68 , and a controller  64  for controlling the interfaces  62 ,  66 , and  68 . The interface  62  exchanges data with the interface  46  of the first terminal  40  by wireless. The interface  66  is optionally connected to an ethernet line, a modem  70 , a power line  72 , a cable receiver, a TV receiving line  74 , a settop box, and the like, and can exchange data with the ISP server  80 , a home network server, the home appliances  82 , and the transmitter  84  of the broadcasting station. The interfaces  62 ,  66 , and  68  communicate by using a communication protocol which enables bilateral communication, such as CDMA, or TCP/IP, for an example, a wireless LAN, or bluetooth. It is apparent that the interfaces  62 ,  66 , and  68  optionally include amplification means, modulation means, demodulation means, transmission and reception means, antenna, and the like. The controller  64  includes a CPU, and memories RAM, ROM. The controller  64  has an emulator or a communication access program, or the like stored in a memory for communication with the first terminal  40  or an external device, and stores information on temperatures of the freezing chamber, and the refrigerating chamber, information on malfunctions of principal parts of the refrigerator, and information on operation states of different parts of the refrigerator. The controller  64  performs a function for the user&#39;s order from the first terminal  40 , or executes a program. The second terminal  60  may be mounted, not on the top surface, but a side surface of the body  100 , or an inside of the body  100 , or detached from the body  100 . The second terminal may be  60  may be a settop box, a home network server, or a PC which can make wire/wireless communication. 
   The main controller  90  senses temperatures of, and controls the freezing chamber and refrigerating chamber of the refrigerator, and senses malfunction of the principal parts of the refrigerator, checks operation states of different parts of the refrigerator, and controls different parts of the refrigerator through the first, and second terminals  40 , and  60  according to a user&#39;s order. 
   Second Embodiment 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate block diagrams of a first terminal  40  and a second terminal  60  of a networking system of a refrigerator in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, respectively. 
   The first terminal  40  receives a user&#39;s order, and performs a function for the user&#39;s order. For an example, the first terminal  40  provides a data stored in the second terminal  60  according to the user&#39;s order, i.e., an operation history and refrigerator user manual to the user. For this, the controller  441  of the first terminal  40  searches a memory  668  of the second terminal  60  for necessary information, and reads the information, or controls a controller  670  of the second terminal  60  such that the controller  670  provides necessary information thereto. Moreover, since the first terminal  40  is detachable from the refrigerator body  100 , the first terminal  40  can change or select different functions of the refrigerator by wireless at a position spaced from the refrigerator like a remote controller. Since the first terminal  40  can write/read data on/from the memory  668  of the second terminal  60 , the first terminal  40  can store and read data even if the first terminal  40  has no own memory. Therefore, size and weight of the memory occupies in the first terminal  40  can be reduced. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , a microphone  412  of the first terminal  40  converts a user&#39;s voice and sound into an audio signal, and provided the audio signal to an analog/digital converter  420 , and the camera  414  converts an image to a video signal, and provides the video signal to the analog/digital converter  420 . The analog/digital converter  420  coverts the audio signal and the video signal into digital signals, and provides the digital signals to the controller  441 . The digitized audio signal and video signal are compressed at a compression board  448  by a method the same with the MPEG, and provided to modulation means  443 . The compressed data is modulated by the modulation means  443  so that the compressed data can be communicated by wireless. For an example, the compressed data is amplitude modulated, or frequency modulated. The modulated data is transmitted to the second terminal  60  by a RF transmitter  445 . 
   A RF receiver  446  of the first terminal  40  receives the compressed data from the second terminal  60 , and provides to a demodulation means  444 . The received data is provided to a demodulation means  444 . The received data is demodulated by the demodulation means  444 , and converted into a non-compressed data by a restoration board  442 . Then, the non-compressed data is provided to a digital/analog converter  426  through the controller  441 , and analog video signal and audio signal are provided to a monitor  416  and a speaker  418  respectively by the digital/analog converter  426 . The monitor  416  and the speaker  418  provide an image and sound to the user, respectively. 
   The second terminal  60  stores a data from the first terminal  40 , for an example, the audio signal, and a video signal, and data from the main controller (not shown) in the body  100 , for an example, information on temperatures of the freezing chamber, and the refrigerating chamber, information on malfunctions of principal parts of the refrigerator, information on operation states of different parts of the refrigerator, and operation history of the refrigerator. The operation history includes data on power consumption, data on temperature change, and data on malfunction of components of the refrigerator. 
   A RF receiver  662  of the second terminal  60  receives the compressed data form the first terminal  40  through the antenna  661 , and provides to a demodulation means  664 . The received data is demodulated by the demodulation means  664 , and converted into a non-compressed data by a restoring board  667 . The non-compressed data is stored in a memory  668  through the controller  670 . 
   The compression board  669  of the second terminal  60  converts the non-compressed data stored in the memory  668  to a compressed data, and provides to the controller  670 . The controller  670  provides the compressed data to modulation means  665 . The compressed data is converted into a signal that can be communicated by wireless at the modulation means  665 . The modulated data is transmitted to the first terminal  40  by a RF transmitter  663 . 
   As has been described, the wireless communication between a terminal provided to a refrigerator door and a terminal provided to a refrigerator body permits easy data exchange between the terminals, and to provide various kinds of information to a user regardless of a limitation coming from a memory size of the terminal to the door. Since the terminal provided to the door is detachable, the refrigerator can be controlled at any place in a home by using the terminal. 
   It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5