Refrigerator with a function to confirm items stored therein

Abstract

The refrigerator has a reader/writer for writing information in and reading information from a contactless memory medium, an information holding device for storing information read by the reader/writer, and an information display device for displaying the information stored by the information holding device. As a result of the invention of the refrigerator, the number of items such as foods that can be unconsumed and discarded because of the arrival of their consume-by dates is reduced in a refrigerator, and items such as foods stored in the refrigerator can be confirmed without opening the door.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a reader/writer for writing information in and reading information from a contactless memory medium;    an information holding device which stores information read by said reader/writer; and    an information display device for displaying the information stored in said information holding device.    
     
     
         2 . A refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an input device for inputting said information manually or with voice.    
     
     
         3 . A refrigerator according to  claim 1  or  2 , further comprising: 
 a camera for capturing an image in the refrigerator; and  
 an image display device for displaying the image in the refrigerator captured by said camera.  
 
     
     
         4 . A refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein said information display device and said image display device are the same display device.  
     
     
         5 . A refrigerator according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein said display device comprises means for displaying an impending arrival of the consume-by date of an item stored in the refrigerator, at a predetermined number of days prior to said consume-by date.  
     
     
         6 . A refrigerator according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein said information holding device comprises means for storing a recipe, and said display device comprises means for displaying an item or items that lack for said recipe based on the information stored by said information holding device.  
     
     
         7 . A refrigerator according to  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a communication device for downloading or uploading information including recipes via an electric communication circuit.    
     
     
         8 . A refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein said communication device comprises means for transmitting at least one item of information selected from the group consisting of said information, the image in the refrigerator captured by said camera, and the item or items that lack for said recipe, to a display device on a user terminal which is connected to the refrigerator via said electric communication circuit, so as to display the transmitted item of information on the display device on the user terminal.  
     
     
         9 . A refrigerator according to any one of  claims 1  to  8 , wherein said information includes at least one item of information selected from the group consisting of the identification code of an item, the name of the item, the retail price desired by the manufacturer of the item, the actual retail price, the date of production, the consume-by date, the purchased date, the date when the package of the item is opened, the predetermined number of days before the date when an impending arrival of the consume-by date is to be indicated, information of ingredients and additives used in the item, the name of the manufacturer, the name of the factory, the remaining item ratio indicative of the amount of the item after it is consumed, and information about whether the item is present in the refrigerator or not.  
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein said information includes the name of the item and the actual retail price, and said information display device comprises means for displaying the minimum actual retail price in the past of each item and/or the transition of actual retail prices in the past of each item based on said information.