Systems and methods of icemaker control

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling the operation of an icemaker. For instance, a usage profile can be determined for an icemaker based at least in part on previous icemaker activity during one or more periods of time. The usage profile can be indicative of an amount of ice to be made by the icemaker at various times. The icemaker can then be configured to make ice in accordance with the usage profile.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of regulating the operation of an icemaker, the method comprising:
 receiving, by one or more computing devices, one or more signals indicative of icemaker activity over one or more time periods;   determining, by the one or more computing devices, a usage profile associated with the icemaker based at least in part on the one or more received signals, the usage profile being associated with an amount of ice to be made by the icemaker; and   controlling, by the one or more computing devices, the operation of the icemaker such that the icemaker makes ice in accordance with the usage profile.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more received signals are indicative of a number of cycles performed by the icemaker over the one or more time periods. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more received signals are indicative of a number of instances in which ice is dispensed by a dispenser associated with the icemaker over the one or more time periods. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more received signals are indicative of an accumulated time for which ice is dispensed by the dispenser over the one or more time periods. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the usage profile is further indicative of an amount of ice to be made by the icemaker over one or more time periods. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the usage profile comprises upper and lower bounds of icemaker activity. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the one or more computing devices, one or more signals indicative of icemaker activity that falls outside of the upper or lower bounds; and   updating, by the one or more computing devices, the usage profile based at least in part on the one or more signals indicative of the icemaker activity that falls outside of the upper or lower bounds.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a request from a user to implement a maximum ice mode; and   controlling, by the one or more computing devices, the operation of the icemaker, such that, during the maximum ice mode, when a level of ice in an ice bucket associated with the icemaker falls below a maximum level, the icemaker makes an additional amount of ice to refill the ice bucket to the maximum level.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a signal indicative of a request to end the maximum ice mode; and   responsive to receiving the signal, controlling, by the one or more computing devices, the operation of the icemaker such that the icemaker resumes making ice in accordance with the usage profile.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 responsive to receiving the request to implement the maximum ice mode, determining, by the one or more computing devices, a time to initiate the maximum ice mode; and   at the determined time, controlling, by the one or more computing devices, the operation of the icemaker such that the icemaker increases a rate of making ice in accordance with the maximum ice mode.   
     
     
         11 . An icemaker assembly for an appliance, comprising:
 an ice cube mold configured to form ice cubes,   a water valve configured to provide water to the ice cube mold,   an ice cube storage bin associated with the ice cube mold, the ice cube storage bin configured to receive ice cubes from the ice cube mold,   an ice cube storage bin sensor configured to sense an ice cube level in the ice cube storage bin; and   one or more controllers associated with the icemaker assembly, the one or more controllers configured to control an amount of ice cubes formed by the ice cube mold by:
 receiving one or more signals indicative of icemaker assembly activity during one or more time periods; 
 determining a usage profile associated with the icemaker assembly based at least in part on the one or more received signals, the usage profile being associated with an amount of ice to be made by the icemaker assembly; and 
 controlling the operation of the icemaker assembly such that the icemaker assembly makes ice in accordance with the usage profile. 
   
     
     
         12 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more received signals are indicative of a number of cycles performed by the icemaker assembly during the one or more time periods. 
     
     
         13 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more received signals are indicative of a number of instances in which ice is dispensed by a dispenser associated with the icemaker assembly during the one or more time periods. 
     
     
         14 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more received signals are indicative of an accumulated time for which ice is dispensed by the dispenser during the one or more time periods. 
     
     
         15 . The icemaker assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to control an amount of ice cubes formed by the ice cube mold by:
 receiving a request from a user to implement a maximum ice mode; and   controlling the operation of the icemaker assembly such that, during the maximum ice mode, when the ice cube level in the ice cube storage bin falls below a maximum level, the icemaker assembly makes an additional amount of ice to refill the ice cube storage bin to the maximum level.   
     
     
         16 . A system for controlling the operation of an icemaker, the system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving one or more signals indicative of activity of an icemaker assembly during one or more time periods, the icemaker assembly configured to make an amount of ice and store the ice in an ice storage bin; 
 determining a usage profile associated with the icemaker assembly based at least in part on the one or more received signals, the usage profile being associated with an amount of ice to be made by the icemaker assembly; and 
 controlling the operation of the icemaker assembly such that the icemaker assembly makes ice in accordance with the usage profile. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the usage profile comprises upper and lower bounds of icemaker activity. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving one or more signals indicative of icemaker assembly activity that falls outside of the upper or lower bounds; and   updating the usage profile based at least in part on the one or more signals indicative of the icemaker activity that falls outside of the upper or lower bounds.