JP7610479B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a refrigerator.

There are known refrigerators that have an audio output unit that can output sound effects and music. However, there are expectations for refrigerators to become even more convenient.

JP 2019-002606 A

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator that can improve convenience.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment includes a refrigerator main body, a communication unit, a sound output unit, and a control unit. The communication unit is capable of communicating with an external device. The sound output unit is capable of outputting a notification related to the refrigerator main body by sound, and is also capable of outputting an externally-originated sound that is a sound based on data acquired from the external device via the communication unit. The control unit controls the notification related to the refrigerator main body differently between a first state in which the externally-originated sound is not output from the sound output unit or output of the externally-originated sound is suppressed, and a second state in which the externally-originated sound is output from the sound output unit. When making a first notification related to the refrigerator main body, the control unit makes the first notification from the sound output unit in the first state, and makes the first notification in a first manner in which a notification reaches the external device without a request from the external device in the second state, and when making a second notification related to the refrigerator main body that is less important than the first notification, the control unit makes the second notification from the sound output unit in the first state, and makes the second notification in a second manner in which a notification reaches the external device in response to a request from the external device in the second state.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a refrigerator system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the refrigerator according to the embodiment. A cross-sectional view taken along line F3-F3 of the refrigerator shown in Figure 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a part of a system configuration of the refrigerator according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the content of notification mode information according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of importance setting information according to the embodiment. 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating an example of contents of external device detection history information according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of notification control according to the embodiment.

Below, a refrigerator according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions will be given the same reference numerals. Duplicate descriptions of those components may be omitted. "Based on XX" means "based on at least XX" and may include cases where the component is based on another element in addition to XX. "XX or YY" is not limited to either XX or YY, but may include both XX and YY. This also applies to cases where there are three or more optional elements. "XX" and "YY" are any element (e.g., any information).

(Embodiment)
1. Refrigerator system
First, a refrigerator system 1 including a refrigerator 100 will be described.
1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a refrigerator system 1. The refrigerator system 1 includes, for example, a refrigerator 100, a home appliance 150, a server 200, and a terminal device 300. A network NW, which will be described later, may include one or more of the Internet, a cellular network, a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) network, a Low Power Wide Area (LPWA), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), or other public lines or dedicated lines.

The refrigerator 100 is placed in the residence of the user U. The refrigerator 100 is connected to a network NW via, for example, a wireless router R placed in the residence of the user U, and can communicate with a server 200 via the network NW. This allows the refrigerator 100 to communicate with the terminal device 300 of the user U via the server 200. In this embodiment, the refrigerator 100 can directly communicate with the terminal device 300 by short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The refrigerator 100 will be described in detail later.

The home appliance 150 is a home appliance different from the refrigerator 100, and is placed in the residence of the user U. The home appliance 150 is, for example, another refrigerator, a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner, an air conditioner, a microwave oven, a rice cooker, an iron, etc., but is not limited to these. FIG. 1 illustrates the home appliance 150 as an air conditioner. The home appliance 150 is connected to the network NW via, for example, a wireless router R placed in the residence of the user U, and can communicate with the server 200 via the network NW. This allows the home appliance 150 to communicate with the terminal device 300 of the user U via the server 200. The home appliance 150 can be configured and operated by the terminal device 300 via, for example, the server 200.

The server 200 provides services related to the settings and operation of the refrigerator 100 and the home appliance 150. The server 200 is composed of, for example, one or more server devices (e.g., a cloud server) connected to the network NW. The server 200 can communicate with the refrigerator 100, the home appliance 150, and the terminal device 300 via the network NW. Note that the server 200 is not limited to a cloud server, and may be a computer in the residence of the user U, or a home router (e.g., a wireless router R), etc.

The terminal device 300 is a terminal device used by the user U, and is, for example, a mobile terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal device. However, the terminal device 300 is not limited to a mobile terminal device, and may be a personal computer, a television receiver, a radio receiver, a music player, or any other type of audio device. The terminal device 300 is a device capable of playing music, videos, and the like. The terminal device 300 is capable of outputting audio data such as music and videos played by the terminal device 300 to the outside via short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth. The terminal device 300 is an example of an "external device."

In this embodiment, the terminal device 300 includes a display device 301 including a display screen capable of displaying various information, and an input receiving unit 302 capable of receiving input (including voice input) from the user U. The display device 301 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. The input receiving unit 302 is, for example, a touch sensor superimposed on the display screen of the display device 301, or a microphone that collects the voice of the user U. An application program P for changing settings, operating, and managing the refrigerator 100 is installed in the terminal device 300, and the functions described below are supported.

2. Refrigerator
Next, the refrigerator 100 will be described.
2 is a front view showing refrigerator 100. Refrigerator 100 has a refrigerator main body MB including a basic configuration of a refrigerator. Refrigerator main body MB has, for example, housing 10, a plurality of doors 31, a plurality of door open/close detection switches 33, a proximity sensor 34, and an operation panel unit 35.

The housing 10 has an upper wall 11, a lower wall 12, left and right side walls 13, 14, and a rear wall 15 (see FIG. 3), and is formed in a box shape with an open front. The housing 10 includes, for example, an inner box that forms the inner surface of the housing 10, an outer box that forms the outer surface of the housing 10, and a foam insulation material provided between the inner box and the outer box, and has thermal insulation properties. Inside the housing 10, there are provided a number of partitions 16, 17 (see FIG. 3) that divide the interior of the housing 10 into a number of storage chambers 21, which will be described later.

The housing 10 includes a plurality of storage compartments 21. The plurality of storage compartments 21 include, for example, a refrigerator compartment 21A, a chilled compartment 21AA, a vegetable compartment 21B, an ice-making compartment 21C, a small freezer compartment 21D, and a main freezer compartment 21E. In this embodiment, the refrigerator compartment 21A is located at the top, the vegetable compartment 21B is located below the refrigerator compartment 21A, the ice-making compartment 21C and the small freezer compartment 21D are located below the vegetable compartment 21B, and the main freezer compartment 21E is located below the ice-making compartment 21C and the small freezer compartment 21D. The chilled compartment 21AA is provided inside the refrigerator compartment 21A, and is at least partially separated from the other areas of the refrigerator compartment 21A by a shelf, a lid, or the like.

The openings of the multiple storage compartments 21 are closed by multiple doors 31 in an openable and closable manner. The multiple doors 31 include left and right refrigerator compartment doors 31Aa and 31Ab that close the opening of the refrigerator compartment 21A, a vegetable compartment door 31B that closes the opening of the vegetable compartment 21B, an ice-making compartment door 31C that closes the opening of the ice-making compartment 21C, a small freezer compartment door 31D that closes the opening of the small freezer compartment 21D, and a main freezer compartment door 31E that closes the opening of the main freezer compartment 21E. The door opening/closing detection switches 33 are provided at positions corresponding to each door 31 and detect the opening/closing of each door 31.

The proximity sensor 34 is provided on the housing 10 or the door 31. The proximity sensor 34 is, for example, a capacitance sensor. The proximity sensor 34 detects the presence of a user U approaching within a predetermined range of the proximity sensor 34.

The operation panel unit 35 is provided on the housing 10 or the door 31. The operation panel unit 35 includes a plurality of operation units 35a (e.g., a plurality of operation buttons) that accept operations by the user U to instruct setting changes and operations related to each storage chamber 21, and a plurality of notification units 35b that notify the user U of the setting contents and the control mode being executed related to each storage chamber 21. Each notification unit 35b includes, for example, a light-emitting unit realized by an LED (Light Emitting Diode). Note that, instead of/in addition to the operation panel unit 35, a display device 36 and an input receiving unit 37 may be provided on the door 31. The display device 36 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The input receiving unit 37 is, for example, a touch sensor superimposed on the display screen of the display device 36. The notification unit 35b is an example of an "alarm".

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 100 shown in Figure 2 taken along line F3-F3. The refrigerator body MB includes, for example, a plurality of shelves 41, a plurality of containers 42, a first duct part 51, a second duct part 52, and a cooling section M.

The multiple shelves 41 are arranged in the refrigerator compartment 21A. The multiple shelves 41 are arranged vertically at intervals. The multiple containers 42 are arranged in the chilled compartment 21AA, the vegetable compartment 21B, the ice-making compartment 21C, the small freezer compartment 21D, and the main freezer compartment 21E.

The first duct part 51 is provided along the rear wall 15 of the housing 10 and extends vertically. The first duct part 51 extends, for example, from the rear of the lower end of the vegetable compartment 21B to the rear of the upper end of the refrigerator compartment 21A. A first duct space D1, which is a passage through which cold air (air) flows, is formed between the first duct part 51 and the rear wall 15 of the housing 10. The first duct part 51 has multiple refrigerator compartment cold air outlets 51a, chilled compartment cold air outlets 51b, and cold air return ports 51c. The multiple refrigerator compartment cold air outlets 51a open to the refrigerator compartment 21A. The chilled compartment cold air outlets 51b open to the chilled compartment 21AA. The cold air return port 51c opens to the vegetable compartment 21B.

The second duct part 52 is provided along the rear wall 15 of the housing 10 and extends vertically. The second duct part 52 extends, for example, from the rear of the main freezer 21E to the rear of the upper ends of the ice-making compartment 21C and the small freezer 21D. A second duct space D2, which is a passage through which cold air (air) flows, is formed between the second duct part 52 and the rear wall 15 of the housing 10. The second duct part 52 has a cold air outlet 52a and a cold air return port 52b. The cold air outlet 52a opens into the ice-making compartment 21C and the small freezer 21D. The cold air return port 52b opens into the main freezer 21E.

The cooling section M includes, for example, a refrigeration cooler 61, a refrigeration blower 62, a refrigeration cooler 63, a refrigeration blower 64, a compressor 65, and a refrigeration cycle device (not shown).

The refrigeration cooler 61 is disposed in the first duct space D1. The refrigeration cooler 61 is supplied with refrigerant compressed by the compressor 65 and cools the cold air flowing through the first duct space D1. The refrigeration blower 62 is disposed in the first duct space D1, for example. When the refrigeration blower 62 is driven, the air in the first duct space D1 flows upward within the first duct space D1 and is cooled by the refrigeration cooler 61. The cold air cooled by the refrigeration cooler 61 is blown out from multiple refrigeration chamber cold air outlets 51a to the refrigeration chamber 21A and from the chilled chamber cold air outlet 51b to the chilled chamber 21AA. The cold air blown into the refrigerator compartment 21A and the chilled compartment 21AA flows through the refrigerator compartment 21A and the chilled compartment 21AA, respectively, and then returns to the first duct space D1 from the cold air return port 51c via, for example, the vegetable compartment 21B. This cools the refrigerator compartment 21A, the chilled compartment 21AA, and the vegetable compartment 21B.

The refrigeration cooler 63 is disposed in the second duct space D2. The refrigeration cooler 63 is supplied with a refrigerant compressed by the compressor 65, and cools the cold air flowing through the second duct space D2. The refrigeration blower 64 is disposed in, for example, the second duct space D2. When the refrigeration blower 64 is driven, the air in the second duct space D2 flows upward through the second duct space D2 and is cooled by the refrigeration cooler 63. The cold air cooled by the refrigeration cooler 63 flows from the cold air outlet 52a into the ice making chamber 21C and the small freezing chamber 21D. The cold air that flows into the ice making chamber 21C and the small freezing chamber 21D flows through the ice making chamber 21C and the small freezing chamber 21D, respectively, and then returns to the second duct space D2 from the cold air return port 52b via the main freezing chamber 21E. This cools the ice-making compartment 21C, the small freezer compartment 21D, and the main freezer compartment 21E.

The compressor 65 is provided, for example, in a machine room at the bottom of the refrigerator 100. The compressor 65 compresses the refrigerant gas used to cool each storage chamber 21. The refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor 65 is sent to the refrigeration cooler 61 and the freezing cooler 63 via a condenser and the like included in the refrigeration cycle device.

As shown in FIG. 2, in addition to the refrigerator main body MB, the refrigerator 100 includes a first communication unit 81, a second communication unit 82, a speaker 83, a buzzer 84, and a control board 85.

The first communication unit 81 is a short-range communication module capable of communicating with the terminal device 300 located inside the residence of the user U. In this application, "short-range" means inside the residence of the user U. The first communication unit 81 is capable of directly communicating with the terminal device 300 of the user U. The first communication unit 81 is, for example, a wireless communication module such as Bluetooth. However, the first communication unit 81 is not limited to a wireless communication module, and may be capable of communicating with the terminal device 300 via a cable connecting the refrigerator 100 and the terminal device 300. The first communication unit 81 is an example of a "communication unit."

The first communication unit 81 can receive audio data such as music and video from the terminal device 300 when the first communication unit 81 and the terminal device 300 are connected so as to be able to communicate with each other. In this application, "audio data" refers to one or more of music, audio from radio broadcasts, audio from television broadcasts, audio from various types of video (including videos distributed from video distribution sites), audio from audio content such as audiobooks, audio from audio SNS (Social Networking Service), etc., but is not limited to the above examples as long as it is audio data that can be transferred by communication.

The second communication unit 82 is a long-distance communication module capable of communicating with a device located outside the user U's residence, for example, via a wireless router R. In this application, "long distance" means outside the user U's residence. The second communication unit 82 is capable of communicating with an external server 200, for example, via a wireless router R and a network NW. The second communication unit 82 is, for example, a wireless communication module for a wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). However, the second communication unit 82 is not limited to being a wireless communication module, and may be connected to the network NW via a cable connected to the refrigerator 100.

The speaker 83 can output a notification regarding the refrigerator main body MB by sound (e.g., voice) based on the control of the control unit 91 described later. The notification by sound is not limited to voice, and may be a buzzer sound (a sound that imitates a buzzer sound effect), etc. For this reason, "voice" in the following description can be read as "sound". Details of the notification regarding the refrigerator main body MB will be described later. In this embodiment, the speaker 83 can output a sound (hereinafter referred to as "externally derived sound") based on sound data acquired from the terminal device 300 via the first communication unit 81 in a state in which the first communication unit 81 and the terminal device 300 are connected so as to be able to communicate with each other. For example, the speaker 83 functions as an external speaker of the terminal device 300, and can output the sound of music, videos, etc. (hereinafter collectively referred to as "sound source content") when the music, videos, etc. are played on the terminal device 300. In other words, the refrigerator 100 can allow the terminal device 300 to use the speaker 83 (lend the speaker 83 to the terminal device 300). In this case, the external sound is controlled (played, stopped, etc.) by the user U operating the terminal device 300. In this embodiment, the first communication unit 81 and the speaker 83 are provided integrally as a single speaker unit SU. Alternatively, the first communication unit 81 and the speaker 83 may be provided separately. The speaker 83 is an example of a "sound output unit."

The buzzer 84 is a device that outputs an operation sound (sound effect). For example, when the operation unit 35a of the operation panel unit 35 is pressed by the user U, the buzzer 84 outputs an operation sound (e.g., a push sound) indicating that the operation unit 35a has been pressed.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing a part of the system configuration of the refrigerator 100. The control board 85 includes a control circuit section having a microcomputer, a timer, etc., and a power supply circuit section having power supply components. The control board 85 includes, for example, a control unit 91, a first memory unit 95, and a second memory unit 96.

The control unit 91 is realized by one or more hardware processors, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) included in the microcomputer, executing a program. However, part or all of the control unit 91 may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware.

The first storage unit 95 and the second storage unit 96 are each realized by a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a combination of two or more of these. In this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the first storage unit 95 and the second storage unit 96 are explained separately, but the first storage unit 95 and the second storage unit 96 may be provided integrally. The first storage unit 95 stores, for example, notification mode information S1, importance setting information S2, and external device detection history information S3.

3. Control
<3.1 Refrigerator condition classification>
As described above, the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment is communicatively connected to the terminal device 300 and can cause the terminal device 300 to use the speaker 83. In relation to this, the state of the refrigerator 100 is classified into a "first state" and a "second state", as well as into a "pre-connection state", a "standby state", and an "outputting state". In the following, an example will be described in which the first communication unit 81 and the terminal device 300 are connected via wireless communication that is Bluetooth.

The "first state" is a state in which externally-originated sound is not output from the speaker 83, or the output of externally-originated sound is suppressed. In this application, "suppressed" also includes, for example, a case in which externally-originated sound is output at a lower volume compared to the second state. The "first state" includes, for example, a "pre-connection state" and a "standby state."

The "pre-connection state" is a state before the terminal device 300 and the first communication unit 81 are connected so as to be able to communicate with each other. For example, the "pre-connection state" is a state in which authentication between the terminal device 300 and the first communication unit 81 has not been established, or a state in which the connection destination of the first communication unit 81 has not been specified. For example, one example of a "pre-connection state" is a state in which "pairing" has not been completed according to the Bluetooth standard.

The "standby state" is a state in which the terminal device 300 and the first communication unit 81 are connected to be able to communicate with each other, but externally-originated sound is not being output from the speaker 83, or the output of externally-originated sound is being suppressed. For example, the "standby state" is a state in which authentication between the terminal device 300 and the first communication unit 81 is established and the terminal device 300 and the first communication unit 81 are connected, but sound data is not being transmitted from the terminal device 300 to the refrigerator 100 (for example, a state in which music or video is not being played on the terminal device 300). For example, one example of the "standby state" refers to a state in which "pairing" has been completed according to the Bluetooth standard.

The "second state" is a state in which externally-originated sound is being output from the speaker 83. For example, the "second state" is a state in which authentication between the terminal device 300 and the first communication unit 81 has been established, the terminal device 300 and the first communication unit 81 are connected so as to be able to communicate with each other, and sound data is being continuously transmitted from the terminal device 300 to the refrigerator 100 (for example, a state in which music or video is being played on the terminal device 300). In this embodiment, the "second state" and the "outputting state" are the same state.

3.2 Setting notification control according to state class
In this embodiment, control unit 91 controls the notification regarding refrigerator main body MB differently between the first state and the second state described above. More specifically, control unit 91 controls the notification regarding refrigerator main body MB differently between the standby state and the second state (outputting state) described above. More specifically, control unit 91 controls the notification regarding refrigerator main body MB differently between the pre-connection state and the standby state described above. "Controlling the notification differently" means, for example, that one or more of the notification mode (e.g., whether to notify by voice/by display), the notification content, or the notification timing are different.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the notification mode information S1. In the notification mode information S1, multiple importance levels related to notifications and notification control contents in the "pre-connection state", "waiting state", and "outputting state" for each importance level are registered in association with each other. The control unit 91 differentiates the notification control in the "pre-connection state", "waiting state", and "outputting state" based on the contents registered in the notification mode information S1. Note that the same notification control is registered in two or more of the "pre-connection state", "waiting state", and "outputting state", and as a result of following the registered contents in each state, the same notification control may be performed in two or more of the "pre-connection state", "waiting state", and "outputting state".

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 issues a notification of the highest level of importance, "Importance Level 7," the notification is made by audio from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state," and in the "outputting state," the control unit 91 temporarily suspends the output of the externally-originated sound (i.e., interrupts the output of the externally-originated sound) and issues the notification by audio from the speaker 83. In this case, the control unit 91 resumes the output of the externally-originated sound that was temporarily suspends in response to the end of the audio notification from the speaker 83.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 issues a notification of the next most important content, "Importance Level 6", in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", it issues the notification by voice from the speaker 83, and in the "outputting state", it temporarily lowers the volume of the externally-originated sound (i.e., while continuing to output the externally-originated sound at a relatively low volume) and issues the notification by voice from the speaker 83. In this case, the control unit 91 returns the temporarily lowered volume of the externally-originated sound to its original volume in response to the end of the notification by voice from the speaker 83, and continues outputting the externally-originated sound.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 notifies the content of the next highest importance level "importance level 5", in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", the control unit 91 notifies the content by voice from the speaker 83, and in the "outputting state", the control unit 91 waits for the output of the externally-originated sound to end before notifying the content by voice from the speaker 83. "The output of the externally-originated sound ends" means, for example, that the transmission of sound data from the terminal device 300 to the refrigerator 100 ends. For example, "The output of the externally-originated sound ends" means that the playback of the sound source content (music, video, etc.) on the terminal device 300 ends. "Waiting for the output of the externally-originated sound to end" means, for example, waiting until the sound source content of one playback unit (the range that continues to be played unless a stop operation is performed on the terminal device 300) is played to the end. For example, "waiting for the output of the externally-originated sound to end" means, when multiple pieces of music are set to be played continuously, waiting until the playback of the music is stopped by the user U's stop operation on the terminal device 300.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 notifies the user of the content of the next highest level of importance, "Importance Level 4", in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", the control unit 91 notifies the user by voice from the speaker 83, and in the "outputting state", the control unit 91 notifies the user by the display device 301 of the terminal device 300, which is another notification unit, while maintaining the output of external sound from the speaker 83. In this case, the notification is performed by displaying on the display device 301 a display indicating the same or simplified content as the content notified by voice from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" or "standby state". Note that the "notification unit different from the speaker" is not limited to the terminal device 300, and may be the notification unit 35b or the display device 36 of the operation panel unit 35 of the refrigerator 100. When the notification is performed by the notification unit 35b of the operation panel unit 35, the notification is performed by lighting or blinking one or more predetermined notification units 35b among the multiple notification units 35b in a preset manner. When a notification is made by the display device 36, the notification is made by displaying on the display device 36 a display showing the same or simplified content as that notified by voice from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" or "standby state". These definitions are the same below. In this embodiment, when notifying content of "importance level 4" and in the "outputting state", the control unit 91 makes the notification in a first manner (e.g., push notification) in which a notification reaches the terminal device 300 without a request from the terminal device 300.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 notifies the user of the content of "Importance Level 3", which is the next highest level of importance, in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", the control unit 91 notifies the user by voice from the speaker 83, and in the "outputting state", the control unit 91 notifies the user by the terminal device 300, which is another notification unit, while maintaining the output of externally derived sound from the speaker 83. Note that the "notification unit other than the speaker" is not limited to the terminal device 300, and may be the notification unit 35b or the display device 36 of the operation panel unit 35 of the refrigerator 100. Examples of the case where the notification is made by the terminal device 300, the notification unit 35b, or the display device 36 are the same as those described for "Importance Level 4". In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 notifies the user of the content of "Importance Level 3" and in the "outputting state", the control unit 91 notifies the user in the second manner (e.g., fetch notification) in which a notification is received by the terminal device 300 in response to a request from the terminal device 300.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 notifies the user of the next most important content, "Importance Level 2," in the "Pre-connection state" and "Standby state," it notifies the user by voice from the speaker 83, but in the "Outputting state," it does not notify the user while maintaining the output of externally-originated sound from the speaker 83.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 notifies the user of the content with the lowest level of importance, "Importance 1," in the "pre-connection state," it notifies the user by voice from the speaker 83, but in the "standby state" and "outputting state," it does not notify the user while maintaining the output of externally-originated sound from the speaker 83.

The control unit 91 can change the registered contents of the notification mode information S1 (i.e., the contents of the notification control in the "pre-connection state", "waiting state", and "outputting state" for each level of importance) based on the operation by the user U. The control unit 91 accepts changes to the registered contents of the notification mode information S1 based on the user U's operation of the operation unit 35a of the operation panel unit 35, the user U's operation of the input reception unit 37, or the user U's operation of the terminal device 300. This allows the user U to arbitrarily change the contents of the notification control in the "pre-connection state", "waiting state", and "outputting state" for each level of importance.

<3.3 Target of notification>
Next, the target of notifications related to the refrigerator main body MB will be described. In this embodiment, the speaker 83 can output notifications related to the refrigerator main body MB by voice. Notifications related to the refrigerator main body MB include, for example, "setting change", "state change", and "abnormality".

A "setting change" is a change in the settings of the refrigerator main body MB based on an operation by the user U. A "setting change" is, for example, a change in the cooling capacity setting for each storage compartment 21 (e.g., "strong setting" or "weak setting"), a specific control setting for a specific storage compartment 21 (e.g., a quick freezing setting for the main freezer compartment 21E, a defrosting control setting for the chilled compartment 21AA, or an ice-making control setting for the ice-making compartment 21C), or a setting related to a communication connection. When notifying the user of a "setting change," the control unit 91 outputs a sound from the speaker 83, such as "The temperature setting for the refrigerator compartment has been changed to the strong setting," "Quick freezing will begin," "The ice-making mode has been set to one-shot ice-making (special ice-making)," or "Bluetooth pairing will begin."

A "state change" is a change in the state of the refrigerator main body MB that is not caused by an operation by the user U. A "state change" is, for example, the termination of a control that was being executed in the refrigerator main body MB in response to a specific condition related to temperature, time, etc. being satisfied. A "state change" is, for example, the termination of a specific control setting for a specific storage compartment 21 (such as a defrosting control for the chilled compartment 21AA or a special ice-making control setting for the ice-making compartment 21C). "Special ice-making control" is a control that makes ice more quickly than during normal operation, and is also called "quick ice-making." When the control unit 91 issues a notification regarding a "state change," it causes the speaker 83 to output sounds such as "Defrosting is complete," "Quick ice-making is complete," and "Bluetooth pairing has been released."

An "abnormality" is an error detected by the refrigerator main body MB. The "abnormalities" include a "door open error," a "water tank error," a "communication error," and an "interface error." A "door open error" is an error indicating that the door 31 has been open for a certain period of time (e.g., one minute) or more, and is detected by the door open detection sensor 33. A "water tank error" is an error indicating that the water in the ice-making water tank is below a certain level, and is detected, for example, by a water level sensor installed near the water tank. A "communication error" is an error indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the communication between the refrigerator 100 and the server 200, and is detected based on the communication state of the second communication unit 82. An "interface error" is an error indicating that a malfunction has occurred in an interface such as the operation panel unit 35, the display unit 36, or the input reception unit 37, and is detected based on the signal transmission and reception state between the interface and the control board 85. When notifying the user of a "status change," the control unit 91 causes the speaker 83 to output audio such as "The refrigerator door is open," "The water tank is low on water," or "An error has occurred in the Wi-Fi communication unit."

3.4 Relationship between notification target and importance
Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of importance setting information S2. In the importance setting information S2, a plurality of notification contents and the importance for each notification content are set in association with each other. When performing a notification related to the refrigerator body BM, the control unit 91 acquires the importance corresponding to the notification to be performed by referring to the importance setting information S2. Then, the control unit 91 acquires the contents of notification control corresponding to the acquired importance by referring to the notification mode information S1 described above, and performs a notification based on the acquired contents of notification control.

In this embodiment, the following notifications related to the refrigerator main body BM are registered: "Door open error", "Water tank error (if related to the control set by the user)", "Water tank error (not related to the control set by the user)", "Operation panel error", "Status change (if related to the control set by the user)", "Status change (not related to the control set by the user)", "Setting change", "Play message", "Voice guidance regarding food management (in response to user's instructions)", "Voice guidance regarding food management (not in response to user's instructions)", and "Reading out today's operating status".

As described above, a "door open error" is an error that indicates that the door 31 has remained open for a certain period of time or longer. A "door open error" has a large effect on the temperature inside the refrigerator 100, and is therefore set to the highest importance level (importance level 7). For this reason, when notifying a "door open error," the control unit 91 notifies by voice from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state," and by voice from the speaker 83 by temporarily suspending the output of externally-derived sound in the "outputting state."

The "Water tank error (related to the control set by the user U)" is an error indicating a state in which the water in the ice-making water tank is below a predetermined amount, and is an error that occurs in a state in which special ice-making control is set by the user U. The state in which special ice-making control is set by the user U is presumed to be a state in which the user U urgently desires ice. For this reason, the "Water tank error (related to the control set by the user U)" is set to importance 6. For this reason, when notifying the "Water tank error (related to the control set by the user U)", the control unit 91 notifies by voice from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", and in the "outputting state", it lowers the volume of the external sound and notifies by voice from the speaker 83. Note that the "Water tank error (related to the control set by the user U)" may be set to importance 7, for example.

"Water tank error (not related to the control set by user U)" is an error indicating a state where the water in the ice making water tank is below a predetermined amount, and is an error that occurs when special ice making control is not set by user U. A state where special ice making control is not set by user U is presumed to be a state where user U does not urgently require ice. For this reason, "water tank error (not related to the control set by user U)" is set to importance 5. For this reason, when notifying "water tank error (not related to the control set by user U)", the control unit 91 notifies by voice from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", and waits for the output of the external sound to end before notifying by voice from the speaker 83 in the "outputting state". Note that "water tank error (not related to the control set by user U)" may be set to any of importance levels 0 to 4, for example.

The "operation panel error" is an error indicating that a malfunction has occurred in the operation panel unit 35. The "operation panel error" is an example of an error with a lower importance (urgency) than the "door open error". The "operation panel error" is set to an importance level of 5. Other errors with a lower importance (urgency) than the "door open error" include the other interface errors and communication errors described above. In other words, errors that are not directly related to the cooling function of the refrigerator 100 are less important than errors related to the cooling function of the refrigerator 100. When notifying the "operation panel error", the control unit 91 notifies the user by voice from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", and notifies the user by voice from the speaker 83 in the "output state" after waiting for the output of the external sound to end. The "water tank error (not related to the control set by the user U)" may be set to an importance level of 0 to 4, for example.

"Status change (when related to control set by the user)" is a notification indicating a status change of the refrigerator main body MB and a status change related to the control set by the user U. For example, it is a notification indicating the completion of thawing when thawing control is started by the user U's operation, or a notification indicating the completion of ice making when special ice making control is started by the user U's operation. These are presumed to be states in which the user U is waiting for a specific status change. For this reason, "status change (when related to control set by the user)" is set to importance 6. For this reason, when notifying "status change (when related to control set by the user)", the control unit 91 notifies by voice from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", and by lowering the volume of externally derived sound in the "outputting state". Note that "status change (when related to control set by the user)" may be set to importance 7, for example.

"Status change (when not related to the control set by the user)" is a notification indicating a status change of the refrigerator main body MB, which is related to a control not set by the user U. For example, it is a notification indicating the start of a power saving mode when the power saving mode is automatically started in response to a temperature change in the storage chamber 21, or a notification indicating the completion of ice making when ice making is automatically started in response to the remaining amount of ice in the ice making chamber 21C. These are presumed to be states for which the user U is not waiting for a specific status change. For this reason, "status change (when not related to the control set by the user)" is set to importance 5. For this reason, when notifying "status change (when not related to the control set by the user)", the control unit 91 notifies by voice from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", and waits for the external sound to end in the "outputting state", and then notifies by voice from the speaker 83. Note that "status change (when not related to the control set by the user)" may be set to any of importance 0 to 4, for example.

"Settings change" is a notification that notifies the completion of a change when the settings of the refrigerator main body MB are changed based on, for example, an operation by the user U. Since a setting change is notified immediately after an operation by the user U, it is a notification with a relatively low importance. For this reason, "settings change" is set to importance 3. For this reason, when notifying a "settings change", the control unit 91 notifies by voice from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", and in the "outputting state", the notification is made in a manner that a notification is received by the terminal device 300 in response to a request from the terminal device 300.

"Playing back a message" is relatively important, and is therefore set to importance 6. For this reason, when the control unit 91 performs "playing back a message" as a notification, in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", it notifies by voice from the speaker 83 (i.e. playing back a message), and in the "outputting state", it lowers the volume of externally derived sounds and notifies by voice from the speaker 83 (i.e. playing back a message).

The "audio guidance regarding ingredient management (in response to user's instructions)" is a notification that notifies the user of the completion of the change of the registered contents of the ingredients in stock, for example, when ingredients in stock are added or deleted based on the user's instructions. It is assumed that these are states in which the user U wants to check whether the registered contents have been changed correctly. For this reason, the "audio guidance regarding ingredient management (in response to user's instructions)" is relatively important and is set to importance 6. For this reason, when the control unit 91 performs the "audio guidance regarding ingredient management (in response to user's instructions)" as a notification, the control unit 91 performs the notification by voice from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", and performs the notification by voice from the speaker 83 with the volume of the external sound lowered in the "outputting state". Note that the "audio guidance regarding ingredient management (in response to user's instructions)" may be set to importance 7 or importance 5, for example.

The "audio guidance regarding food management (not in response to user instructions)" is a notification that notifies the deletion of stock ingredients or a warning when, for example, stock ingredients are deleted or a warning is issued based on the consumption date (best before date or expiration date). These are less important than the "audio guidance regarding food management (in response to user instructions)" and are therefore set to importance 4. For this reason, when the control unit 91 issues the "audio guidance regarding food management (not in response to user instructions)" as a notification, in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state", the notification is issued by voice from the speaker 83, and in the "outputting state", the notification is issued in a manner that a notification is received by the terminal device 300 without a request from the terminal device 300 (for example, a push notification).

"Reading out today's driving status" is set to importance 1 because it has a relatively low importance. Therefore, when the control unit 91 reads out today's driving status as a notification, it issues the notification by voice from the speaker 83 in the "pre-connection state" and "standby state," but does not issue a notification in the "outputting state."

In this embodiment, the control unit 91 can change the contents of the importance setting information S2 (i.e., the correspondence between the notification contents and the importance) based on an operation by the user U. The control unit 91 accepts changes to the contents of the importance setting information S2 based on an operation on the operation unit 35a of the operation panel unit 35, an operation on the input receiving unit 37, or an operation on the terminal device 300. This allows the user U to set a high importance for a desired notification, thereby preventing the user U from missing a desired notification even when an externally-originated sound is being output. On the other hand, by setting a low importance for an undesired notification, the externally-originated sound being output can be prioritized.

<3.5 Mode for temporarily suspending output of external sound>
Next, a description will be given of a case where the output of the externally-originated sound is temporarily stopped and a notification is made from the speaker 83. In this embodiment, when a notification corresponding to importance level 7 is made, the externally-originated sound is temporarily stopped and the notification is made from the speaker 83. In this case, there are the following three modes as a method for temporarily stopping the externally-originated sound.

In the first aspect, the control unit 91 pauses the output of the externally-originating sound by muting the externally-originating sound. In this case, the playback of the externally-originating sound itself continues. In this case, when the output of the externally-originating sound that was paused is resumed in response to the end of the audio notification from the speaker 83, the externally-originating sound output from the speaker 83 is resumed from a position that is discontinuous with respect to the externally-originating sound before the pause.

In the second aspect, even when the control unit 91 temporarily stops the output of the externally-originated sound, the control unit 91 continues to acquire sound data from the terminal device 300. The control unit 91 then sequentially stores the sound data acquired from the terminal device 300 in the second storage unit 96. In this case, when the control unit 91 resumes the output of the externally-originated sound that has been temporarily stopped in response to the end of the notification by voice from the speaker 83, the control unit 91 resumes the output of the externally-originated sound by playing back the sound data stored in the second storage unit 96. In this case, the resumed externally-originated sound is resumed from a position that is continuous with the externally-originated sound before the temporary stop. The resumed externally-originated sound is output with a time lag corresponding to the time during which the sound data was temporarily stopped, with respect to the sound data sequentially acquired from the terminal device 300. The second storage unit 96 may be provided in the server 200 instead of the refrigerator 100.

In the third aspect, when the control unit 91 temporarily stops the output of the externally-originated sound, it transmits a request to the terminal device 300 to temporarily stop the transmission of sound data (e.g., a request to temporarily stop the playback of the sound source content on the terminal device 300). In this case, the control unit 91 temporarily stops the output of the externally-originated sound by temporarily stopping the transmission of sound data from the terminal device 300 to the refrigerator 100. Then, in response to the end of the audio notification from the speaker 83, the control unit 91 transmits a request to the terminal device 300 to resume the transmission of sound data (e.g., a request to resume the playback of the sound source content on the terminal device 300). In this case, the control unit 91 resumes the output of the externally-originated sound by restarting the transmission of sound data from the terminal device 300 to the refrigerator 100.

<3.6 Situation when a notification notifying the terminal device of the notification content arrives>
Next, a case will be described in which a notification informing the content of the notification arrives at the terminal device 300. In this embodiment, when a notification corresponding to importance level 4 is made, the notification may be made by receiving a notification (e.g., a push notification) informing the content of the notification to the terminal device 300 or the display device 36, which is a notification unit other than the speaker 83.

Here, the terminal device 300 to which the notification informing the user of the content of the alert arrives is not limited to the terminal device 300 (the terminal device 300 connected to the first communication unit 81) that is sending sound data to the refrigerator 100, but may be another terminal device 300 (e.g., a terminal device 300 capable of sending information via the second communication unit 82). That is, the notification informing the user of the content of the alert may be sent directly to the terminal device 300 via the first communication unit 81 (in this case, the sound data and the notification informing the user of the content of the alert may be sent and received simultaneously), or may be sent to the terminal device 300 via the second communication unit 82 and the server 200.

The terminal device 300 to which the notification informing the user of the content of the notification arrives is, for example, a terminal device 300 registered in the server 200 or the refrigerator 100 as a destination of the notification. The terminal device 300 registered as a destination of the notification is, for example, a terminal device 300 used by the user U and the user U's family members.

Alternatively, the terminal device 300 that receives the notification informing the user of the content of the alert may be a terminal device 300 that has been detected as being in close proximity to the refrigerator 100 within a specified time. This is because it is assumed that the user U of the terminal device 300 that has been detected as being in close proximity to the refrigerator 100 within a specified time is at home. The "terminal device 300 that has been detected as being in close proximity to the refrigerator 100 within a specified time" is, for example, a terminal device 300 that has been connected to the first communication unit 81 within a specified time.

Furthermore, instead of the above example, the terminal device 300 to which the notification informing the user of the alert content arrives may be a terminal device 300 that has changed the settings or operated (including checking the status) of another home appliance 150 within a specified time period. This is because it is assumed that a user U who has operated (including checking the status) another home appliance 150 within a specified time period is likely to be at home. An example of this aspect will be described in detail below.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the external device detection history information S3. The external device detection history information S3 is information showing the detection history of the terminal device 300 of the user U who has changed the settings of the refrigerator 100 or the home appliance 150, operated it, or checked its status. When the settings of the refrigerator 100 or the home appliance 150 are changed, operated, or checked its status, the operation is detected by the server 200 or the refrigerator 100 and registered as a detection history in the external device detection history information S3. The terminal device 300 included in the external device detection history information S3 may be multiple terminal devices 300, such as the father's terminal device 300 (external device A), the mother's terminal device 300 (external device B), and the child's terminal device 300 (external device C).

The external device detection history information S3 may be stored in the first storage unit 95 of the refrigerator 100, or may be stored in the storage unit of the server 200. When the external device detection history information S3 is stored in the first storage unit 95 of the refrigerator 100, the control unit 91 refers to the external device detection history information S3 to identify the terminal device 300 detected within a predetermined time immediately before that time, and transmits a notification to the identified terminal device 300 informing it of the content of the notification. When the external device detection history information S3 is stored in the server 200, the server 200 refers to the external device detection history information S3 to identify the terminal device 300 detected within a predetermined time immediately before that time, and transmits the notification that the server 200 receives from the refrigerator 100 to the identified terminal device 300.

The terminal device 300 to which the notification informing the user of the content of the notification arrives may differ depending on the content of the notification (in other words, the importance of the notification). For example, a notification informing the user of a certain content of the notification may be sent only to the terminal device 300 that is sending sound data to the refrigerator 100 (the terminal device 300 currently connected to the first communication unit 81). On the other hand, a notification informing the user of a different content of the notification may be sent simultaneously to the terminal devices 300 of the user U and the user U's family members.

<3.7 Example of notification control flow>
Next, an example of the flow of notification control by the control unit 91 will be described.
Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of notification control. Fig. 8 shows an example of the flow of control when the user U is not near the refrigerator 100. As a premise, as shown in (a) of Fig. 8, it is assumed that the user U is not near the refrigerator 100 and a notification regarding the refrigerator main body MB is made from the speaker 83. In this case, as shown in (b) of Fig. 8, the control unit 91 makes a notification only once and stops the notification.

8(c), when the proximity sensor 34 detects that the user U is near the refrigerator 100, the control unit 91 again issues an alert regarding the refrigerator main body MB from the speaker 83. Alternatively, when the door opening/closing detection sensor 33 detects that the user U opens the door 31 of the refrigerator 100, the control unit 91 may again issue an alert regarding the refrigerator main body MB from the speaker 83, as shown in FIG. 8(d).

3.8 Output Priority
Next, the priority order of the output (i.e., the order of output from the speaker 83) will be described. Here, the priority order of the four outputs, namely, "music", "setting change", "status change", and "abnormality" will be described. The output timing of these four outputs may overlap with each other. In this case, the control unit 91 outputs (notifies) from the speaker 83 according to the priority order of music < setting change < status change < abnormality. That is, when the timing of two or more of these four outputs overlap, the output with the highest priority (e.g., the notification regarding "abnormality") is performed first, and then the lower notifications are performed in order of priority. This allows important information to be preferentially conveyed to the user U. In this embodiment, even if notifications regarding "setting change", "status change", or "abnormality" are performed while "music" is being output from the speaker 83, if they are performed once each in order of priority, the notifications will end and the output of music will be resumed.

In addition, in this embodiment, an operation sound (e.g., a push sound) when the operation unit 35a of the operation panel unit 35 is operated is output by the buzzer 84. The notification by the buzzer 84 (output of the operation sound) is not subject to the priority order of the four outputs from the speaker 83 described above. In other words, when the operation unit 35a of the operation panel unit 35 is operated by the user U, the operation sound is output from the buzzer 84 at the same time as the sound output from the speaker 83, regardless of the content of the notification output from the speaker 83. This allows the user U to easily recognize whether or not the operation unit 35a has been operated in any situation.

<3.9 Control of the volume of sound output from the speaker>
Next, control of the volume of the sound output from the speaker 83 will be described.
First, one control mode will be described. In this embodiment, when the door opening/closing detection sensor 33 detects that the door 31 is open, the control unit 91 reduces the volume of the sound output from the speaker 83 compared to when the door 31 is closed. The target for reducing the volume may be only the externally originated sound out of the externally originated sound and the notification voice related to the refrigerator main body MB, or may be both the externally originated sound and the notification voice. When the door 31 is opened, it is assumed that the user U is near the speaker 83, so the volume is reduced compared to normal. On the other hand, even when the door opening/closing detection sensor 33 detects that the door 31 is open, the volume of the buzzer 84 may not be changed.

Next, another control mode will be described. In this embodiment, the control unit 91 reduces the volume of the sound output from the speaker 83 during a specific time period (for example, a time period corresponding to night) in a 24-hour day compared to other time periods. The target for reducing the volume may be only the externally originated sound out of the externally originated sound and the notification voice related to the refrigerator main body MB, or it may be both the externally originated sound and the notification voice. Note that the control unit 91 does not reduce the volume even during the above-mentioned specific time period when some notifications of relatively high importance (for example, notifications related to "abnormality") are output from the speaker 83. This allows the user U to be more reliably informed of abnormalities in the refrigerator 100. Note that the above-mentioned specific time period for reducing the volume of the sound output from the speaker 83 may be set (changeable) by the user U.

<3.10 Control when the connection between the refrigerator and the terminal device is lost>
Here, first, a description will be given of control when the connection between the first communication unit 81 and the terminal device 300 is unintentionally cut off. In this case, first, the control unit 91 stops output of the externally-originated sound from the speaker 83. As a result, the externally-originated sound is output from the speaker of the terminal device 300. Next, the control unit 91 outputs a release announcement from the speaker 83 indicating that the connection between the first communication unit 81 and the terminal device 300 has been released. In this case, the terminal device 300 also independently notifies the user of a similar release announcement by display or sound.

Next, the control when the first communication unit 81 and the terminal device 300 are reconnected after the connection between them is unintentionally cut off will be described. In this case, first, the control unit 91 outputs a connection announcement from the speaker 83 indicating that the first communication unit 81 and the terminal device 300 have been reconnected. Then, the control unit 91 resumes output of the externally-originated sound from the speaker 83. The location where the externally-originated sound is resumed depends on the control content of the terminal device 300. For example, when the externally-originated sound is output from the speaker of the terminal device 300 after the connection between the first communication unit 81 and the terminal device 300 is unintentionally cut off, the location where the externally-originated sound is resumed is the continuation of the externally-originated sound output from the speaker of the terminal device 300.

＜4. Advantages＞

In this embodiment, the control unit 91 controls notifications for the refrigerator main body MB differently between a first state in which external sound is not output from the speaker 83 or the output of external sound is suppressed (for example, when the speaker 83 is not lent to the terminal device 300) and a second state in which external sound is output from the speaker 83 (for example, when the speaker 83 is lent to the terminal device 300). With this configuration, the output of notifications is prioritized when the speaker 83 is not in use, and in the second state in which the speaker 83 is in use, the output of the sound source content being played by the user U can be prioritized depending on the situation. This allows the user U to use the speaker 83 of the refrigerator 100 more comfortably. As a result, the convenience of the user U can be improved.

In this embodiment, the first state includes a standby state in which the terminal device 300 and the second communication unit 82 are communicatively connected and externally-originated sound is not being output from the speaker 83 or the output of externally-originated sound is suppressed. The control unit 91 controls notifications related to the refrigerator main body MB differently in the second state and the standby state. With this configuration, in the standby state, the notification output is prioritized, so that the notification can be more reliably notified to the user. This can further improve convenience for the user U.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 issues a predetermined notification (e.g., a notification of importance level 7) regarding the refrigerator main body MB, the control unit 91 issues the predetermined notification from the speaker 83 in the first state, and in the second state, the control unit 91 pauses the output of externally-originated sound and issues the predetermined notification from the speaker 300. With this configuration, the output of externally-originated sound is paused to issue the notification, so that the user U can know the content of the notification more reliably. This can further improve the convenience for the user U.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 issues a predetermined notification (e.g., a notification of importance level 6) regarding the refrigerator main body MB, the control unit 91 issues the predetermined notification from the speaker 83 in the first state, and issues the predetermined notification from the speaker 83 with a lowered volume of externally-originated sounds in the second state. With this configuration, the notification is issued with the volume of externally-originated sounds lowered, so the user U can relatively reliably know the content of the notification. This can further improve the convenience for the user U.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 issues a predetermined notification (e.g., importance level 5) regarding the refrigerator main body MB, the control unit 91 issues the predetermined notification from the speaker 83 in the first state, and in the second state, waits for the output of the external sound to finish before issuing the notification from the speaker 83. With this configuration, for non-urgent notifications, the playback of the sound source content that the user U is enjoying is given priority, and the notification can be issued using the subsequent audio. This can further improve the convenience for the user U.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 issues a predetermined notification (e.g., a notification of importance level 3 or 4) regarding the refrigerator main body MB, the control unit 91 issues the predetermined notification from the speaker 83 in the first state, and issues the predetermined notification from a notification unit different from the speaker 83 in the second state. With this configuration, it is possible to inform the user U of the notification content while preventing the playback of the sound source content that the user U is enjoying from being interrupted. This can further improve the convenience for the user U.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 issues a predetermined notification regarding the refrigerator main body MB, the control unit 91 issues the predetermined notification from the speaker 83 in the first state, and does not issue the predetermined notification in the second state. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent interference with the playback of the sound source content that the user U is enjoying to a higher level. This makes it possible to further improve the convenience for the user U.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 issues a first notification regarding the refrigerator main body MB, the control unit 91 issues the first notification from the speaker 83 in the first state, and issues the first notification in a first manner in which a notification is received by the terminal device 300 without a request from the terminal device 300 in the second state. On the other hand, when the control unit 91 issues a second notification that is less important than the first notification regarding the refrigerator main body MB, the control unit 91 issues the second notification from the speaker 83 in the first state, and issues the second notification in a second manner in which a notification is received by the terminal device 300 in response to a request from the terminal device 300 in the second state. With this configuration, the level of interference with the playback of the sound source content can be changed depending on the level of the notification. This can further improve the convenience of the user U.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 91 issues a predetermined notification regarding the refrigerator main body MB, and the predetermined notification is related to the control set by the user U, the control unit 91 issues the predetermined notification from the speaker 83 in the first state, and in the second state, the control unit 91 issues the predetermined notification from the speaker 83 by temporarily suspending the output of the external sound or temporarily lowering the volume of the external sound. On the other hand, when the control unit 91 issues a predetermined notification regarding the refrigerator main body MB, and the predetermined notification is not related to the control set by the user, the control unit 91 issues the predetermined notification from the speaker 83 in the first state, and in the second state, the control unit 91 waits for the output of the external sound to end before issuing the predetermined notification from the speaker 83, outputs the predetermined notification from a notification unit other than the speaker 83, or does not output the predetermined notification. With this configuration, the control unit 91 issues a notification in a manner that is easy for the user U to notice regarding the completion of a control that the user U is concerned about, and for a control that the user U is not concerned about the completion of, the control unit 91 can prioritize the playback of the sound source content over the ease of the user U's notice. This will further improve convenience for user U.

5. Modifications
In the above-described embodiment, when a notification of importance level 7 or importance level 6 is made, for example, in the second state, the externally-originated sound is temporarily stopped or the volume of the externally-originated sound is lowered, and the notification is made from the speaker 83. Alternatively, when making a notification involving pausing the externally-originated sound or lowering the volume of the externally-originated sound, the control unit 91 may first transmit a notification (e.g., a push notification) notifying the content of the notification to the terminal device 300 or the display device 36, and cause the terminal device 300 or the display device 36 to display the notification notifying the content of the notification. Then, when no reaction to the notification (e.g., confirmation processing to the notification) is made, the control unit 91 may temporarily stop the externally-originated sound or lower the volume of the externally-originated sound, and make the notification from the speaker 83. With this configuration, it is possible to notify the user U of the content of the notification while avoiding the reproduction of the sound source content to a higher level. This makes it possible to further improve the convenience of the user U.

According to at least one of the embodiments described above, the refrigerator has a control unit that controls notifications related to the refrigerator body differently between a first state in which external sound is not output from the sound output unit or the output of external sound is suppressed, and a second state in which external sound is output from the sound output unit. This configuration can improve convenience.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims, as well as the scope and gist of the invention.

100...refrigerator, MB...refrigerator main body, 81...first communication unit (communication unit), 82...second communication unit, 83...speaker (sound output unit), 84...buzzer, 91...control unit, 200...server, 300...terminal device (external device).

Claims (7)

The refrigerator body,
A communication unit capable of communicating with an external device;
a sound output unit capable of outputting a notification related to the refrigerator main body by sound and outputting an externally originated sound that is a sound based on data acquired from the external device via the communication unit; a control unit that changes control of the notification related to the refrigerator main body between a first state in which the externally originated sound is not output from the sound output unit or output of the externally originated sound is suppressed and a second state in which the externally originated sound is output from the sound output unit;
Equipped with
The control unit is
When a first notification regarding the refrigerator main body is to be made, the first notification is made from the sound output unit in the first state, and the first notification is made in a first manner in which a notification reaches the external device without a request from the external device in the second state,
When a second notification having a lower importance than the first notification regarding the refrigerator main body is to be made, the second notification is made from the sound output unit in the first state, and the second notification is made in a second manner in which a notification is delivered to the external device in response to a request from the external device in the second state.
refrigerator . The refrigerator body,
A communication unit capable of communicating with an external device;
a sound output unit capable of outputting a notification regarding the refrigerator main body by sound and outputting an externally-originated sound that is a sound based on data acquired from the external device via the communication unit;
a control unit that controls a notification regarding the refrigerator main body differently between a first state in which the externally originated sound is not output from the sound output unit or output of the externally originated sound is suppressed and a second state in which the externally originated sound is output from the sound output unit; and
Equipped with
When the control unit performs a predetermined notification regarding the refrigerator main body,
In the first state, the predetermined notification is performed from the sound output unit,
In the second state, the predetermined notification is performed by a notification unit different from the sound output unit, and when there is no reaction to the predetermined notification by the notification unit, the output of the externally derived sound is temporarily stopped or the volume of the externally derived sound is reduced, and the predetermined notification is performed from the sound output unit.
refrigerator. The notification unit is a display device included in the external device.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 2. The notification unit is an alarm or a display device included in the refrigerator main body.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 2. The refrigerator body,
A communication unit capable of communicating with an external device;
a sound output unit capable of outputting a notification regarding the refrigerator main body by sound and outputting an externally-originated sound that is a sound based on data acquired from the external device via the communication unit;
a control unit that controls a notification regarding the refrigerator main body differently between a first state in which the externally originated sound is not output from the sound output unit or output of the externally originated sound is suppressed and a second state in which the externally originated sound is output from the sound output unit; and
A storage unit capable of storing the data;
Equipped with
When the control unit performs a predetermined notification regarding the refrigerator main body,
In the first state, the predetermined notification is performed from the sound output unit,
In the second state, the output of the external origin sound is temporarily stopped and the predetermined notification is performed from the sound output unit, and the data is continuously acquired from the external device and stored in the storage unit even while the output of the external origin sound is temporarily stopped, and the external origin sound is output based on the data stored in the storage unit when the output of the external origin sound is resumed.
refrigerator. the first state includes a standby state in which the external device and the communication unit are communicatively connected and the external origin sound is not output from the sound output unit or output of the external origin sound is suppressed,
The control unit controls a notification regarding the refrigerator body differently between the standby state and the second state.
A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . The first state includes a pre-connection state before the external device and the communication unit are communicatively connected, and a standby state in which the external device and the communication unit are communicatively connected and the external origin sound is not output from the sound output unit or output of the external origin sound is suppressed,
The control unit controls a notification regarding the refrigerator main body in a different manner between the pre-connection state and the standby state.
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 6 .

Images