NETWORKED FREEZER STOCKING MANAGEMENT

• US 20130194420A1
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spinnaker Process Instruments
• Original Assignee: Spinnaker Process Instruments
• Inventors: Johnson, Thomas H., Johnson, Carrol E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,545,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/18 Storing ice
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A system for an ice merchandiser having a compressor in a compressor enclosure to cool the ice merchandiser includes a sensor disposed within the ice merchandiser, and a communications component disposed within the compressor enclosure and coupled to the sensor to receive signals from the sensor representative of the amount of ice in the ice merchandiser, wherein the communications component is configured to convert the received signals to a digital format and publish the signals via a network connection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving image signals from a camera within an ice merchandiser;

controlling the camera to obtain images of the inside of the ice merchandiser sufficient to determine if ice should be restocked;

controlling a heater proximate the camera to remove condensation from a field of view of the camera; and

publishing the images via a wireless network connection to facilitate remote monitoring of the ice merchandiser.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising controlling the camera to provide images on a selected schedule.

3. The method of claim 2 and further comprising controlling the heater to remove condensation a selected time prior to providing images.

4. The method of claim 3 and further comprising sensing temperature within the ice merchandiser and publishing the sensed temperature along with the images.

5. The method of claim 4 and further comprising receiving signals via the network connection to modify selected times as a function of the temperature and previous image quality.