Method of providing meal plan using refrigerator and refrigerator using the same

Abstract

Disclosed are a method for providing a meal plan using a refrigerator, and a refrigerator using the same. The method for providing a meal plan using a refrigerator comprises: storing information on food materials stored in a refrigerator; receiving personal information related to a user's health status; updating pre-stored personal information based on the received personal information; generating a reference meal plan based on the stored food material information, such that a plurality of replaceable dishes are included in the reference meal plan; providing a priority of the personal information based on input personal information and a user's selection; generating a meal plan by correcting the reference meal plan, such that dishes cooked with ingredients beneficial to personal information having a high priority are included in the reference meal plan; and providing a meal plan for a special day or a predetermined time period according to a user's selection, wherein at least part of dishes included in the meal plan includes one or more replaceable dishes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a meal plan using a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 determining by a controller, information on food materials stored in a refrigerator;   determining by the controller, personal information related to a user's health status;   generating by the controller, a reference meal plan based on the stored food material information, such that a plurality of replaceable dishes are included in the reference meal plan;   determining by the controller, a priority from the personal information;   generating by the controller, a meal plan that adjusts the reference meal plan, such that dishes cooked with ingredients beneficial according to the priority of the personal information are included in the reference meal plan; and   providing by the controller, the meal plan for a day or a predetermined time period, wherein at least part of dishes included in the meal plan includes one or more replaceable dishes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the personal information is inputted through an input unit of the refrigerator, or is inputted from an external storage device or an external measuring device through a communication unit, and
 wherein the controller determines whether to update pre-stored personal information or not by considering the personal information as recent information if the personal information has been inputted through the input unit, and by comparing an updated date of the pre-stored personal information with an acquired date of the personal information if the personal information has been inputted from the external storage device or the external measuring device..   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the personal information includes at least one of a birth date, a height, a weight, a blood pressure, a type of allergic food, a medical history and a prescription, and
 wherein in a case where there is no additional designation, information on a type of allergic food or a medical history is set to have a highest priority from the personal information.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein when an item is set as a designated item in the personal information, and the designated item has a higher priority than a non-designated item in the personal information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining personal information includes determining personal information on a plurality of members,
 wherein the step of generating the meal plan includes generating a common meal plan based on personal meal plans determined with respect to the plurality of members, and   wherein the common meal plan includes at least one of common dishes included in the personal meal plans.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of providing the meal plan includes providing specific personal meal plans or a common meal plan according to a user's selection. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the step of providing the meal plan, dishes selected with respect to personal information having a high priority are displayed in a differentiated manner from other dishes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the external storage device is included in a personal information server provided at a medical institution or an examination institution. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein receiving personal information includes:
 requesting personal information from the personal information server;   providing the personal information server with authentication information on an information request right; and   is receiving the personal information from the personal information server.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the external measuring device includes a diagnosis device having a communication unit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the communication unit includes an NFC unit, and
 wherein receiving personal information includes:   measuring a user's personal information using an external measuring device;   transmitting the measured personal information to a mobile terminal through the NFC unit; and   transmitting the measured personal information to the refrigerator from the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the generated meal plan for a predetermined time period; and   transmitting the stored meal plan to a server provided at a medical institution.   
     
     
         13 . A refrigerator comprising:
 an input unit to receive personal information related to a user's health status;   a personal information storage unit to store the personal information;   a food material information storage unit to store information on types and amount of food stored in the refrigerator;   a recipe storage unit to store information on ingredients and recipes required for a plurality of dishes;   a food information storage unit to store information on effects of each ingredient or each dish on health;   a controller to generate a meal plan based on the food material information and the recipes, and to generate a meal plan by replacing or deleting dishes included in the generated meal plan, using the personal information storage unit and the food material information storage unit; and   a display unit controlled by the controller to display the generated meal plan.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the personal information includes at least one of a birth date, a height, a weight, a blood pressure, a type of allergic food, a medical history and a prescription, and
 wherein the personal information is received through the input unit, or is received from an external personal information server or an external measuring unit to thus be stored in the personal information storage unit.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the external personal information server stores personal information measured or generated from a medical institution or an examination institution. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the personal information storage unit stores personal information received from the external personal information server or the measuring device, through a mobile terminal. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the controller calculates calories of dishes included in the generated meal plan, and displays the calculated calories together with the meal plan through the display. 
     
     
         18 . A method for providing a meal plan using a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 determining by a controller using a food material information storage unit, information on food materials stored in a refrigerator;   determining by the controller using a personal information storage unit, information related to a user's health status, personal information inputted from a user, or received from an external measuring device, or received from a personal information server provided at a medical institution or an examination institution;   sorting the stored food materials by the controller, into food materials which should not be taken, and food materials which are recommended, based on the stored personal information;   generating by the controller, a meal plan including a plurality of alternative dishes, using the food materials except for the food materials which should not be taken;   including in the generated meal plan by the controller, at least one dish using the food materials which are recommended; and   displaying in a display, the generated meal plan.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the external measuring device transmits measured information using an NFC. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the external measuring device transmits measured information to the refrigerator, via a mobile terminal, using an NFC.