Stream detection and/or characterization for beverage dispensing in a refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9010580-B2
Application number	US-91508310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2010
Priority date	Oct 29, 2010
Publication date	Apr 21, 2015
Grant date	Apr 21, 2015

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet and a refrigerating compartment within the refrigerator cabinet. A beverage dispensing system is operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet, the beverage dispensing system configured to dispense a stream of a beverage. The beverage dispensing system includes a light source and a light sensor positioned on opposite sides of the stream of the beverage. The beverage dispensing system is configured for detecting if dispensement of the beverage is occurring and characterizing the volume or amount of the beverage being dispensed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a refrigerator cabinet;
a refrigerating compartment within the refrigerator cabinet;
a beverage dispensing system having a beverage dispensing area configured to receive a container, the beverage dispensing system operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet and configured to dispense a stream of a beverage;
the beverage dispensing system comprising a light source and a light sensor positioned on opposite sides of the stream of the beverage within the beverage dispensing area,
wherein light from the light source is directed through the stream of the beverage and to the light sensor to measure optical properties of the beverage after the beverage has been dispensed into the beverage dispensing area,
wherein the beverage dispensing system configured to detect if dispensement of the beverage is occurring and to characterize an amount of the beverage being dispensed by monitoring the light sensor;
a user interface operatively connected to the beverage dispensing system above the dispensing area and wherein the beverage dispensing system being further configured to use the user interface to provide feedback to a user on the beverage being dispensed based on the optical properties associated with the beverage being dispensed; and
an alert for informing the user when the beverage dispensing system dispenses a beverage that is not what the user intended to be dispensed.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the beverage dispensing system further provides for detecting color of the beverage.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising an intelligent control operatively connected to the light source and the light sensor and programmed for detecting if dispensement of the beverage is occurring and characterizing the amount of the beverage being dispensed.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 further comprising a display operatively connected to the intelligent control and wherein the intelligent control is configured for displaying a message on the display associated with the beverage being dispensed.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the beverage dispensing system being further configured to characterize a type of beverage being dispensed.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the beverage dispensing system being further configured to characterize a strength of beverage being dispensed.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the beverage dispensing system being further configured to evaluate optical properties associated with the beverage being dispensed.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 wherein the beverage dispensing system being further configured to determine a type of beverage based on the optical properties.

10. The refrigerator of claim 8 wherein the beverage dispensing system being further configured to determine a strength of beverage based on the optical properties.

11. A refrigerator, comprising:
a refrigerator cabinet;
a refrigerating compartment within the refrigerator cabinet;
a beverage dispensing system operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet, the beverage dispensing system configured to prepare and dispense a stream of a beverage;
the beverage dispensing system comprising an optical sensing device positioned proximate the stream of the beverage and the beverage dispensing system configured to detect if dispensement of the beverage is occurring, to characterize an amount of the beverage being dispensed, and to characterize optical properties of the beverage detected with the optical sensing device after the beverage is dispensed from the beverage dispensing system; and
a display operatively connected to an intelligent control and wherein the intelligent control is configured for displaying an alert on the display for informing a user when the beverage dispensing system dispenses a beverage that is not what the user intended to be dispensed.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 wherein the beverage dispensing system further provides for detecting color of the beverage.

13. The refrigerator of claim 11 further comprising an intelligent control operatively connected to a light source and a light sensor and programmed for detecting if dispensement of the beverage is occurring and characterizing the amount of the beverage being dispensed.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 wherein the light source comprises as light emitting diode (LED).

15. The refrigerator of claim 11 wherein the beverage dispensing system being further configured to characterize a type of beverage being dispensed.

16. The refrigerator of claim 11 wherein the beverage dispensing system being further configured to characterize a strength of beverage being dispensed.

17. A refrigerator, comprising:
a refrigerator cabinet;
a refrigerating compartment within the refrigerator cabinet;
a beverage dispensing system operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet, the beverage dispensing system configured to prepare and dispense a stream of a beverage;
the beverage dispensing system comprising an optical sensing device positioned proximate the stream of the beverage and the beverage dispensing system configured to detect if dispensement of the beverage is occurring, to characterize an amount of the beverage being dispensed, and to characterize a type of the beverage being dispensed based on optical properties of the beverage as measured by the optical sensing device after the beverage is dispensed; and
a display operatively connected to an intelligent control and wherein the intelligent control is configured for displaying an alert on the display for informing a user when the beverage dispensing system dispenses a beverage that is not what the user intended to be dispensed.

18. A method of monitoring a beverage dispensing system of a refrigerator, the method comprising:
providing a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising (a) a refrigerator cabinet, (b) a refrigerating compartment within the refrigerator cabinet, (c) a beverage dispensing system operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet, the beverage dispensing system configured to prepare and dispense a stream of a beverage, (d) the beverage dispensing system comprising a light source and a light sensor positioned on opposite sides of the stream of the beverage such that light from the light source is directed through the stream of the beverage and to the light sensor and the beverage dispensing system configured to detect if dispensement of the beverage is occurring and to characterize an amount of the beverage being dispensed, and (e) an intelligent control associated with the beverage dispensing system and operatively connected to the light source and the light sensor;
initiating dispensement of the stream of a beverage from the beverage dispensing system of the refrigerator;
optically sensing properties associated with the stream of the beverage after being dispensed from an outlet in the beverage dispensing system of the refrigerator using the light sensor;
characterizing an amount of the beverage being dispensed and a type of the beverage being dispensed based on the properties associated with the stream using the intelligent control;
providing feedback to a user on the beverage being dispensed based on optical properties associated with the beverage being dispensed; and
alerting the user when the beverage dispensing system dispenses a beverage that is not what the user intended to be dispensed.

Assignees

• Rolek Robert J
• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Rolek Robert J

Classifications

• F25D29/00

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25D2400/36

  Visual displays · CPC title

• F25D23/126 Primary

  Water cooler · CPC title