Patent ID: 7770408

Claim:
An appliance comprising: a dispenser including an ice dispensing chute; an ice storage bin configured to store ice pieces, the ice storage bin including an opening configured to communicate with the ice dispensing chute, and an ice flow path extending at least partially from the ice storage bin to an outlet of the dispenser; a transfer mechanism configured to transfer ice pieces from the ice storage bin along the ice flow path; an input device configured to receive user input indicating a desired discharge volume of ice per unit time, wherein the user input indicating the desired discharge volume of ice per unit time is a selection of one of a slow volume of ice per unit time and a fast volume of ice per unit time; a sensor configured to sense ice pieces passing along the ice flow path; and a controller configured to: determine a volume of ice per unit time passing along the ice flow path based on input from the sensor, and control the transfer mechanism based on the determined volume of ice per unit time.