Patent ID: 8353171

Claim:
A refrigerator comprising: an interior space for storing chilled or frozen items; a cold generator; a refrigerator control unit for operating the cold generator; a line power connection for supplying voltage to the cold generator and the refrigerator control unit; an ice maker disposed in the interior space, separate from a door of the refrigerator, the ice maker comprising a dedicated ice maker control unit solely for operating the ice maker, the ice maker control unit, is separate from, and controls all the functions of the ice maker independently of the refrigerator control unit, and the ice maker and the ice maker control unit are connected to the line power connection, and wherein the ice maker and ice maker control unit comprise a unitary integrated unit; and a sensor connected to at least the ice maker control unit that senses a temperature of a freezer compartment, wherein the ice maker control unit switches off the ice maker if the sensor detects a temperature that is above a first particular threshold value.