Ice quality sensing system employing digital imaging
US8156748B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 31, 2009 |
| Grant date | Apr 17, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 19, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25C2700/02
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A refrigerator includes a sensing system for detecting quality of ice cubes in an ice cube storage bin. The system includes a digital image capture device coupled to a digital image analyzing system which captures digital images of the ice cube storage bin intermittently. The digital images are processed to determine a centroid of the ice mass within the bin, and the centroid is analyzed to determine whether it is located outside a predetermined acceptable boundary. A centroid outside of the acceptable range indicates an ice clumping situation. Additionally, the digital images are analyzed to determine whether ice cubes are smaller than a predetermined minimal acceptable size in order to detect stale ice. The level of ice in the bin can also be determined from the images. Notifications for clumping, stale and/or low level ice are sent to a user interface.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.