A system is provided for transporting, handling and monitoring samples in a temperature-controlled storage environment. The system includes a handheld carrier configured to transfer samples to and from a temperature-controlled storage station and a temperature-controlled container for receiving and housing one or more carriers. The carrier includes an integrated sample identification and temperature sensing capability configured to monitor a thermal history of one or more samples during transport, handling and storage including as the samples are conveyed between the temperature-controlled storage environment and the temperature-controlled container. That is, the carrier is adapted to be held in the hand during use. A carrier for conveying and monitoring samples during transport, handling and storage is also provided.

A refrigerator includes: a main body having a storeroom for storing a food item; a shelf plate arranged in a storeroom, the shelf plate on which a food item is put; a door that opens and closes a side of the storeroom; a camera arranged on an inner surface of the door, the camera takes an image of an inside of the storeroom; a camera moving device that moves the camera in a vertical direction. The camera moving device stops the camera at one or more points for each of between the shelf plates located adjacent to each other, and between an inner surface of a top edge of the storeroom and the shelf plate located adjacent to the inner surface of the top edge of the storeroom, and the camera takes an image each time when the camera moving device stops moving the camera.

A method of providing information about an object in a refrigerator is provided. The method includes: obtaining, using a camera, an image of a plurality of objects stored in the refrigerator; displaying the image on a display of the refrigerator; receiving a first user input indicating a first object from among the plurality of objects included in the image; and displaying a substitute image of the first object on the display based on the first user input.

The application discloses a method for managing food in a refrigerator, including the steps of recognizing the type and quantity of the food placed in the refrigerator according to an image shot by an external camera of the refrigerator; determining a position of the food placed in the refrigerator according to images shot by internal cameras of the refrigerator; generating an AR label for recording information of the food with regard to the food placed in the refrigerator; displaying the AR label of the inquired food after receiving a food query request from a user; wherein the information of the food at least includes the type, quantity and position of the food; and displaying the images shot by the internal cameras in real time after receiving an image viewing request from the user. With the adoption of the application, the food in the refrigerator can be managed more efficiently.

A measuring system for automatically determining and/or monitoring the quality of a liquid or viscous foodstuff, including a housing with an interior space for a product container for the foodstuff, the product container has a product space for the foodstuff and a lid provided with a probe with a thermometer, a heating and cooling device for the interior space, a sensor device for determining a non-temperature quality-related parameter value of the foodstuff, and a control unit designed to control the measuring system, measure, store, process and/or export the measured parameter values, and to control the heating and/or the cooling system according to a desired time-temperature program. The cooling system includes a cold buffer, a cooler for the cold buffer, and a separate refrigerant circuit. The cold buffer includes a buffer holder with a phase-transition material, wherein the refrigerant circuit includes a cooling circuit with a pump.

A transport refrigeration system including: a transport refrigeration unit configured to refrigerate a refrigerated cargo space within a transport container; and a sensor system including one or more sensors configured to detect whether the refrigerated cargo space is empty or free of perishable goods, wherein the sensor system is configured to transmit a message to at least one of the transport refrigeration unit or a user device, the message indicating that the refrigerated cargo space is empty or free of perishable goods, and wherein the transport refrigeration unit is configured to shut off or return to an atmospheric temperature when the refrigerated cargo space is empty or free of perishable goods in response to least one of the message from the sensor system or a command from the user device.

An appliance includes a cabinet that defines an interior chamber. A plurality of collocated camera assemblies is mounted to the cabinet at the interior chamber. The plurality of collocated camera assemblies is oriented for capturing images of a plane in the interior chamber. The appliance may be a refrigerator appliance, and the interior chamber may be a fresh food chamber.

A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a body comprising a first storage compartment, a door coupled to the body so as to open/close the first storage compartment and provided with a second storage compartment other than the first storage compartment, a weight sensing unit capable of being disposed in at least one of the first and second storage compartments so as to sense the weight of an item stored in the at least one of the first and second storage compartments, a communication unit for communicating with the weight sensing unit, and a control unit for generating, on the basis of the state of a communication connection between the weight sensing unit and communication unit, an output signal that distinguishes the state of the communication connection.

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet that defines a fresh food chamber and a freezer chamber. A plurality of camera assemblies is mounted to the cabinet at a front portion of the fresh food chamber. The plurality of camera assemblies includes four cameras mounted proximate respective corners of the fresh food chamber.

Systems and methods for container condition determination are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system comprises one or more optical sensors; at least one processor; and memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions when executed cause the system to: obtain image data of a container from the one or more optical sensors; determine from the image data, position information of one or more items located inside the container; determine from the image data air delivery information in the container; determine airflow characteristics of the container using the position information of the one or more items and the air delivery information; and determine, using the airflow characteristics and the position information of the one or more items, a probability of an item of the one or more items being damaged.