Whirlpool Corporation

Patrick J Gotzbach

Ronald Wayne Guess

Keith Allen Snyder

Dale A Beard

A low cost method and apparatus for indicating when to replace a water filter in a water and ice delivery system for a refrigerator. The invention uses a low cost microprocessor and senses the operational condition of an ice maker water valve, a water dispenser valve to monitor and track water usage. The microprocessor has a built-in memory to retain water usage and other data during a power outage, The invention also senses the status of a door switch to permit user input of a reset message indicating that the filter has been changed as well as an input indicating a different type of filter has been installed. The microprocessor controls a tri-color light emitting diode to display the status of the filter as &ldquo;good&rdquo;, &ldquo;order&rdquo; or &ldquo;change&rdquo; which is determined based on the selection of the type of filter system, the amount of time since the last filter change, and the amount of water usage since the last filter change.

Growing community of inventors

St. Joseph, MI, United States of America

Patrick J Gotzbach