Patent ID: 8161760

Claim:
A distributed refrigeration system in a kitchen and other locations in a residential dwelling comprising: a primary refrigeration machine positioned outside the residential dwelling having a cooling circuit including a primary heat exchanger for providing cooling; at least one secondary refrigeration loop positioned in the residential dwelling utilizing a cooling medium fluid comprising; a plurality of access points located in the residential dwelling each including a control circuit connector and an electrical connector; a secondary cooling medium circuit connecting the primary heat exchanger and the plurality of access points to convey cooling medium fluid from the primary heat exchanger to the plurality of access points, and to return cooling medium fluid to the primary heat exchanger; and a pump for circulating cooling medium fluid in the cooling medium circuit; a controller and a control circuit associated with the residential dwelling connected to the primary refrigeration machine and to the access points; a plurality of remote refrigeration devices each associated with the residential dwelling to provide distributed refrigeration at a location in the residential dwelling and arranged to connect to the secondary refrigeration loop at one of the plurality of access points including: first and second connectors to receive cooling medium fluid from the secondary cooling medium circuit and return cooling medium fluid to the secondary cooling medium circuit and an electrical connector to connect to the access point electrical connector; a remote refrigeration device heat exchanger connected to the first and second connectors and arranged to receive cooling medium fluid from and return cooling medium fluid to the secondary cooling medium circuit to cool the remote refrigeration device; a sensor arranged to sense a predetermined condition of the remote refrigeration device and arranged to connect to the access point control circuit connector; and a selector arranged to allow a user to set the desired predetermined condition for the remote refrigeration device and arranged to connect to the access point control circuit connector; and a user interface located in the residential dwelling connected to the controller to allow a user to select the desired predetermined condition for the respective ones of the plurality of remote refrigeration devices.