IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,189,351
Granted Patent B2
US 12,189,351 · App. 17/470,245 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Foodstuff sensing appliance

Inventors: Joshua George Abdoo (Stevensville, MI); Ariana M. Bruno (St. Joseph, MI); Kevin M. Chase (St. Joseph, MI); Rahul Dudhe (Pune, IN); Neomar Giacomini (St. Joseph, MI); Aravind Nagarajan (Chennai, IN); Maria Paola Pirovano (Comerio, IT); Joel Matthew Sells (Watervliet, MI); Aaron Edward Showers (St. Joseph, MI)
Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
G05B15/02G05B19/042G05B2219/2654G05B2219/50333H04N7/183
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,189,351
App. No.
17/470,245
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An appliance includes a temperature control system, a light source, and a spectrometer. The spectrometer works in conjunction with the light source to obtain a measured value of a foodstuff. The measured value is at least one of an absorbance value, a transmittance value, and a reflectance value. The measured value from the foodstuff is compared to a reference value for the foodstuff.

Claims (33)

1. An appliance, comprising:

a cabinet;

an interior cavity defined by the cabinet;

at least one storage surface within the interior cavity and being at least partially translucent, the at least one storage surface including a recess defined therein to receive at least one of a tuck shelf and a removable shelf;

a storage compartment positioned within the interior cavity;

a temperature control system;

a gas detector;

a spectrometer; and

a controller, wherein the controller determines a preferred air velocity for the storage compartment based upon data collected from the gas detector and the spectrometer, and wherein the controller utilizes the data collected from the gas detector and the spectrometer to determine a preferred storage temperature and humidity of the storage compartment.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the preferred air velocity for the storage compartment is provided by monitoring a speed of a fan that is associated with the temperature control system.

3. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the preferred air velocity for the storage compartment is provided by monitoring at least one parameter chosen from a voltage and a current provided to a fan that is associated with the temperature control system.

4. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the gas detector and the spectrometer each monitor the storage compartment.

5. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

an imager, wherein data collected from the imager is employed by the controller in determining the preferred air velocity for the storage compartment.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

a weight scale, wherein data collected from the weight scale is employed by the controller in determining the preferred air velocity for the storage compartment.

7. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the temperature control system is configured to provide a cold environment to the storage compartment.

8. An appliance, comprising:

a cabinet;

an interior cavity defined by the cabinet;

a storage compartment positioned within the interior cavity and configured to support a temporarily stored item;

a temperature control system;

a gas detector;

an imager, wherein the imager is configured to detect a change of a container of the temporarily stored item; and

a controller, wherein the controller determines a preferred storage temperature and air velocity for the storage compartment based upon data collected from the gas detector and the imager.

9. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the preferred air velocity for the storage compartment is provided by monitoring a speed of a fan that is associated with the temperature control system.

10. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the preferred air velocity for the storage compartment is provided by monitoring at least one parameter chosen from a voltage and a current provided to a fan that is associated with the temperature control system.

11. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the gas detector and the imager each monitor the storage compartment.

12. The appliance of claim 8 , further comprising:

a spectrometer, wherein data collected from the spectrometer is employed by the controller in determining the preferred air velocity for the storage compartment.

13. The appliance of claim 8 , further comprising:

a weight scale, wherein data collected from the weight scale is employed by the controller in determining the preferred air velocity for the storage compartment.

14. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the temperature control system is configured to provide a cold environment to the storage compartment.

Continuity (4)
Continuation 15896477 · Feb 14, 2018
Continuation In Part 15198258 · Jun 30, 2016
Provisional Application 62201328 · Aug 5, 2015
Related Publication 20210405598A1 · Dec 30, 2021
References Cited (42)
US 6063471A · Dietrich et al. · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 7401469B2 · Joshi et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 8756942B2 · Min et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 10373472B2 · Johnston · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20070104841A1 · Min et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20090268031A1 · Honma · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100030383A1 · Wetekamp · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20130010294A1 · Matsuda et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130015753A1 · Son · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130081422A1 · Park · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130171304A1 · Huntley · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130270732A1 · Wu et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140316916A1 · Hay · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140358287A1 · Lee et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160138857A1 · Klingshirm · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160138859A1 · Stimfig et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160203591A1 · Justaniah et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160217417A1 · Ma · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160252297A1 · Jeong et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160350715A1 · Minvielle · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170160005A1 · Park · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170219279A1 · Chae et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180184972A1 · Carmi et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
DE 102012018357A1 · 2014 [cited by examiner]
EP 2784419 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
EP 2792980 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
EP 2796815 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
EP 3128274A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP H07144955A · 1995 [cited by applicant]
JP 849958 · 1996 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001116443A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
JP 4273691B2 · 2009 [cited by examiner]
JP 2014209052 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2015072109 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
JP 2015135206 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016011986A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 2005047788A1 · 2005 [cited by applicant]
WO 2007052208A1 · 2007 [cited by applicant]
WO 2014016212 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
WO 2014142120 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
WO 2014198612 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016087084A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
Cited By (2)
US 12,626,508 US 12,657,622