The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 06, 2018
Filed:
May. 28, 2015
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Farhad Ashrafzadeh, Bowling Green, KY (US);
Kevin M. Chase, St. Joseph, MI (US);
Brian P. Janke, St. Joseph, MI (US);
Shreecharan Kanchanavally, Naperville, IL (US);
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A refrigerator includes a dispenser having a dispenser well, a control for regulating a product dispensing operation, and an optical sensing system includes a camera within the dispenser well in communication with a controller for controlling the filling of a container within the dispenser well based on image data. The image data can used to detect at least one of a presence of a container in the dispenser well, a height of liquid within the container, a height of ice within the container and a shape of the container within the dispenser well, as well as to adjust a dispensing rate of product.