Icebox with external controls and temperature display

Abstract

An icebox with external controls. The icebox includes an insulated container having one or more compartments. One or more temperature sensors take temperature measurements of the one or more compartments. An externally visible panel displays the temperature measurements and coldness settings corresponding to the temperature measurements. A control mechanism controls a cooling mechanism so as to maintain the temperature of the compartments at a predetermined temperature corresponding to the coldness setting. An externally accessible input allows selective changes of the coldness setting.

1 . An icebox, comprising:
 an insulated container comprising one or more compartments, each compartment having an internal temperature;   one or more temperature sensors, each temperature sensor located inside one of the one or more compartments;   a cooling mechanism for cooling the one or more compartments;   an externally visible first display in communication with the one or more temperature sensors, the first display for receiving and displaying temperature measurements from the temperature sensors;   an externally visible second display for displaying a coldness setting corresponding to a predetermined internal temperature for each compartment;   an externally accessible input in communication with the second display, the input for selectively changing the coldness setting displayed on the second display; and   a control mechanism for operating the cooling mechanism so as to maintain each compartment at a temperature approximately equal to its corresponding predetermined internal temperature.   
   
   
       2 . The icebox of  claim 1 , further comprising a door for providing access to one or more of the compartments, the door having an exterior side on which the first display, the second display, and the input are located. 
   
   
       3 . The icebox of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more compartments includes a freezer compartment, a refrigerator compartment, and a vegetable box. 
   
   
       4 . The icebox of  claim 3 , wherein the internal temperature of the vegetable box is visible on the first display. 
   
   
       5 . The icebox of  claim 1 , wherein the first display, the second display, and the input comprise a single unit. 
   
   
       6 . The icebox of  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism for wireless communication of temperature measurements between the one or more temperature sensors and the first display. 
   
   
       7 . An icebox, comprising:
 an insulated compartment comprising an interior and an exterior, the interior having an internal temperature;   a temperature sensor located in the interior of the insulated compartment, the temperature sensor for measuring the internal temperature;   a cooling mechanism for cooling the interior of the insulated compartment;   a first display on the exterior of the insulated compartment for displaying a coldness setting, the coldness setting corresponding to a predetermined internal temperature;   an input on the exterior of the insulated compartment for selectively changing the coldness setting; and   a control mechanism in wireless communication with the temperature sensor, the control mechanism for operating the cooling mechanism to maintain the interior temperature of insulated compartment at the predetermined temperature.   
   
   
       8 . The icebox of  claim 7 , further comprising a second display for displaying the predetermined internal temperature corresponding to the coldness setting displayed on the first display. 
   
   
       9 . The icebox of  claim 7 , further comprising a second display in communication with the temperature sensor, the second display for displaying the internal temperature. 
   
   
       10 . The icebox of  claim 7 , wherein the insulated compartment comprises a freezer compartment, a refrigerator compartment, and a vegetable box. 
   
   
       11 . The icebox of  claim 7 , further comprising a vegetable box having a vegetable box interior in the insulated compartment and a second temperature sensor for providing temperature measurements of the vegetable box interior, and wherein the cooling mechanism is configured to selectively cool the vegetable box, the first display is further configured to display a vegetable box coldness setting corresponding to a predetermined vegetable box temperature, the input is further configured to selectively change the vegetable box coldness setting displayed by the first display, and wherein the control mechanism is further configured to maintain the vegetable box interior at a temperature approximately equal to the predetermined vegetable box temperature 
   
   
       12 . The icebox of  claim 11 , further comprising a second display for displaying the internal temperature corresponding to the vegetable box coldness setting displayed by the first display. 
   
   
       13 . The icebox of  claim 7 , further comprising a door for selectively accessing contents stored in the interior and wherein the first display comprises a panel mounted on the door. 
   
   
       14 . An icebox, comprising:
 an insulated compartment comprising an interior, the interior having an internal temperature;   a temperature sensor at a first location, the temperature sensor for taking measurements of the internal temperature;   a cooling mechanism for maintaining the interior approximately at a predetermined temperature;   an externally visible display in communication with the temperature sensor and at a second location different from the first location, the display for displaying the internal temperature; and   an externally accessible input for selecting the predetermined temperature.   
   
   
       15 . The icebox of  claim 14 , further comprising a mechanism for wireless communication between the temperature sensor and display. 
   
   
       16 . The icebox of  claim 15 , further comprising a panel at a fourth location and on which the display and input are located. 
   
   
       17 . The icebox of  claim 16 , further comprising an externally accessible second input at a fourth location different from the third location, the second input for selecting the predetermined temperature. 
   
   
       18 . The icebox of  claim 14 , further comprising an externally accessible second input, the second input for selecting a coldness setting from a plurality of coldness settings, each coldness setting corresponding to a predetermined temperature. 
   
   
       19 . The icebox of  claim 18 , further comprising an externally visible second display for displaying the coldness setting selected by the second input. 
   
   
       20 . The icebox of  claim 18 , wherein the first input is at a fifth location and the second input is at a sixth location different from the fifth location. 
   
   
       21 . A kit for retrofitting an icebox with an external temperature display, comprising:
 one or more temperature sensors, each of the temperature sensors for measuring a temperature and transmitting a wireless signal corresponding to the temperature; and   a display panel comprising a mechanism for mounting to the exterior of the icebox and, for each of the one or more temperature sensors, the display panel configured to receive the wireless signal and display the temperature corresponding to the wireless signal.   
   
   
       22 . The kit of  claim 21 , wherein the mechanism for mounting to the exterior of the icebox is selected from the group consisting of one or more magnets, one or more screws, adhesive tape, and one or more hooks. 
   
   
       23 . The kit of  claim 21 , wherein the display panel is also configured to display, for each of the temperature sensors, a coldness setting corresponding to the temperature corresponding to the wireless signal.