METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLAVORED ICE MAKING
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of dynamically controlling a freeze-cycle of an ice cube maker, the method comprising:
- starting the freeze-cycle of the ice cube maker to statically freeze a flavored beverage held within an ice cube tray into colored ice cubes, the flavored beverage having a non-clear color;
counting a current length of the freeze-cycle via a processor;
receiving a freezer temperature generated by a temperature sensor, the freezer temperature being a temperature of a freezer in which the ice cube maker is located;
continuously monitoring the freezer temperature generated by the temperature sensor via the processor;
wherein the processor is configured to stop counting the current length of the freeze-cycle when the freezer temperature rises above a set-point temperature, and resume counting the current length of the freeze-cycle when the freezer temperature returns to back below the set-point temperature, and once the freeze-cycle is determined to be completed by the processor, the processor energizes a motor configured to eject colored ice cubes made from statically freezing the flavored beverage during the freeze-cycle from the ice cube tray into an ice cube bin.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system may make iced beverages containing flavored ice cubes made from a flavored beverage. The method and system may include dynamically altering a freeze-cycle of an ice maker to account for various parameters, such as freezer temperature. When freezer temperature rises above a set-point temperature, the freeze-cycle may be stopped, and only resumed once the freezer temperature returns to back below the set-point temperature. The freeze-cycle may be dynamically lengthened by the amount of time that the freezer temperature remains above the set-point temperature. The set-point temperature may be substantially below the freezing point of the beverage, which in turn may be below the freezing point of water, to ensure that the beverage is frozen into ice cubes at the completion of the freeze-cycle. In one embodiment, the flavored beverage may have a non-clear color, such as coffee, and the flavored ice cubes are coffee ice cubes.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of dynamically controlling a freeze-cycle of an ice cube maker, the method comprising:
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starting the freeze-cycle of the ice cube maker to statically freeze a flavored beverage held within an ice cube tray into colored ice cubes, the flavored beverage having a non-clear color; counting a current length of the freeze-cycle via a processor; receiving a freezer temperature generated by a temperature sensor, the freezer temperature being a temperature of a freezer in which the ice cube maker is located; continuously monitoring the freezer temperature generated by the temperature sensor via the processor; wherein the processor is configured to stop counting the current length of the freeze-cycle when the freezer temperature rises above a set-point temperature, and resume counting the current length of the freeze-cycle when the freezer temperature returns to back below the set-point temperature, and once the freeze-cycle is determined to be completed by the processor, the processor energizes a motor configured to eject colored ice cubes made from statically freezing the flavored beverage during the freeze-cycle from the ice cube tray into an ice cube bin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-implemented method of dynamically controlling a freeze-cycle of an ice cube maker, the method comprising:
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detecting that a previous freeze-cycle of the ice cube maker has been completed via a processor; refilling an ice cube tray with a colored beverage by opening a solenoid valve via the processor, the colored beverage having a non-clear color; commencing a current freeze-cycle of the ice cube maker to statically freeze the colored beverage in the ice cube tray by having the processor start measuring a length of time of the current freeze-cycle; receiving a current freezer temperature generated by a temperature sensor; continuously monitoring the current freezer temperature generated by the temperature sensor via the processor; and wherein when the current freezer temperature rises above a set-point, the processor stops counting the length of time of the current freeze-cycle until the current freezer temperature returns to below the set-point, at which point, the processor resumes measuring the length of time of the current freeze-cycle until the length of time of the current freeze-cycle reaches a set total-freeze-time indicating that the current freeze-cycle is completed and/or that the colored beverage in the ice cube tray has been statically frozen into colored ice cubes. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An ice machine for dynamically changing a freeze-cycle of an ice maker for statically freezing ice cubes, the ice machine including:
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a limit switch configured to indicate that a previous freeze-cycle of the ice maker is complete; a temperature sensor configured to generate a current freezer temperature of a freezer in which the ice maker is located; a solenoid valve configured to refill an ice cube tray with a colored beverage to be statically frozen into colored ice cubes; and a processor configured to monitor the limit switch and the current freezer temperature generated by the temperature sensor, and when the limit switch indicates that a previous freeze-cycle of the ice maker is completed, the processor opens the solenoid valve to refill the ice cube tray with the colored beverage and starts a current freeze-cycle of the ice maker by starting to count time upward from zero with a counter, wherein when the processor determines that the current freezer temperature received from the temperature sensor is above a set-point temperature, the processor stops the counter, and when the processor subsequently determines that the current freezer temperature received from the temperature sensor has returned to back below the set-point temperature, the processor resumes counting time with the counter until the counter reaches a predetermined total freeze-cycle length indicating that the colored beverage in the ice cube tray has been statically frozen into colored ice cubes, - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification