Patent ID: 11906231
Assignee: TRUE MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 1:
2. A method of determining if maintenance of an ice maker is required, the method comprising:
conducting an initial set of ice making cycles using the ice maker, wherein the ice maker makes one batch of ice during each ice making cycle, the initial set of ice making cycles comprising a plurality of consecutively conducted ice making cycles and the initial set of ice making cycles comprising the first ice making cycles conducted by the ice maker, wherein the ice maker comprises:
a refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator, wherein the compressor, condenser and evaporator are in fluid communication by one or more refrigerant lines;
a water system comprising a water filter and a sump to hold water to be made into ice; and
a control system comprising a controller and an appliance transceiver; and

at point in time after the initial set of ice making cycles is complete, setting at least one alarm parameter based on conditions at the point in time after the initial set of ice making cycles is complete;
directing the ice maker via the controller to conduct a plurality of subsequent ice making cycles after setting the alarm parameter;
comparing subsequent performance of the ice maker during the subsequent ice making cycles to the at least one alarm parameter; and
pushing a notification to a portable electronic device after determining the subsequent performance of the ice maker exceeds the alarm parameter, wherein the control system is configured to communicate with the portable electronic device indirectly via a cloud network, wherein the appliance transceiver connects the controller to the cloud network, and wherein the portable electronic device comprises a device transceiver connecting the portable electronic device to the cloud network;
wherein said setting the at least one alarm parameter comprises setting at least one of a baseline freeze time, a baseline harvest time, and a baseline fill time;
wherein the method further comprises comparing at least one of a measured harvest time, a measured freeze time, and a measured fill time of each of the plurality of subsequent ice making cycles to said at least one of the baseline freeze time, the baseline harvest time, and the baseline fill time; and
wherein said pushing the notification to the portable electronic device occurs after determining at least one of the measured harvest time, the measured freeze time, and the measured fill time of any of the plurality of subsequent ice making cycles is excessive based on said comparison to said at least one of the baseline freeze time, the baseline harvest time, and the baseline fill time.