HANDS FREE, CONTROLLED AUTOFILL FOR A DISPENSER

• US 20090314801A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: CHASE, KEVIN M., ASHRAFZADEH, FARHAD, KANCHANAVALLY, SHREECHARAN, JANKE, BRIAN P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,327,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/64
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0858 using compression systems
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1236 comprising means for detecting the size of vessels to be filled
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/124 the flow being started or stopped by means actuated by the vessel to be filled, e.g. by switches, weighing
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/06 Sensors detecting the presence of a product
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/06 with selective dispensing of different fluids or materials or mixtures thereof

Abstract

A dispensing system includes a digital image capture device focused on a dispenser well for capturing images of containers in the dispenser well and a digital image analyzer operatively coupled to the digital image capture device. The digital image analyzer evaluates digital images of containers captured by the digital image capture device to determine physical parameters of each container placed in the dispensing well. An actual dispensing operation is automatically regulated based on characteristics of the container.

Claims

1. A dispenser assembly for selectively releasing at least one of liquid and ice to a consumer through a dispensing operation, said dispenser assembly comprising:

a dispenser well provided in a main housing, said dispenser well including an upper portion, a base section for supporting a container, a recessed upstanding wall section and opposing side wall sections;

a dispensing outlet arranged in the upper portion of the dispenser well for delivering the at least one of liquid or ice into the dispensing well; and

a sensor system including a digital image capture device focused on the dispenser well for capturing images of containers positioned in said dispenser well and a digital image analyzer operatively coupled to the digital image capture device for evaluating the images of the containers captured by the digital image capture device to determine physical parameters of the containers.

2. The dispenser assembly according to claim 1, wherein the digital image capture device includes a light source for illuminating containers for imaging purposes.

3. The dispenser assembly according to claim 2, wherein the light source projects colored light into the dispensing well.

4. The dispenser assembly according to claim 1, wherein the digital image analyzer employs image segmentation to distinguish objects from a background in said image.

5. The dispenser assembly according to claim 4, wherein the digital image analyzer performs edge based image segmentation.

6. The dispenser assembly according to claim 1, wherein the digital image capture device is a charged/coupled device (CCD) camera.

7. The dispenser assembly according to claim 1, wherein the digital image capture device is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera.

8. The dispenser assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller for regulating the dispensing operation based on the physical parameters.

9. The dispenser assembly according to claim 8, wherein the physical parameters include a volume of a container placed in the dispenser well.

10. The dispenser assembly according to claim 8, wherein the physical parameters include height and shape features of a container placed in the dispenser well.

11. The dispenser assembly according to claim 1 further comprising, in combination:

a cabinet;

at least one refrigerated compartment arranged with the cabinet; and

a door mounted to the cabinet for selectively providing access to the at least one refrigerated compartment, wherein the dispensing assembly is provided in the door of the refrigerator cabinet.

12. The dispenser assembly according to claim 11, further comprising:

a bezel provided about the dispenser well, said bezel being spaced from the sensor system so as to be changeable without displacing the sensor system.

13. A method of performing a dispensing operation from a dispenser assembly including a dispensing well comprising:

capturing an image of a container placed in the dispensing well with a digital image capture device;

analyzing the image to determine physical parameters of the container placed in the dispensing well; and

regulating the dispensing operation based on the physical parameters of the container.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

initiating the dispensing operation by introducing at least one of liquid and ice into the container when a presence of the container is sensed in the dispenser well based on the image.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

automatically initiating the dispensing operation when the presence of the container is sensed; and

automatically terminating the dispensing operation based on the physical parameters of the container or upon movement of the container relative to the dispensing well which would cause spillage.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

operating a light source of the digital image captive device to illuminate the container for imaging purposes.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of analyzing the image includes performing edge based image segmentation.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of analyzing the image includes performing a morphological operation on the image.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of analyzing the image includes automatically detecting parameters of the container in the image.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of analyzing the image includes performing single view morphology on the image.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

changing a bezel about the dispensing well without displacing the digital image capture device.