Refrigerator with automatic liquid dispenser

An improved refrigerator having a cabinet defining a fresh food compartment, a door pivotally mounted to the cabinet and comprising an interior surface in communication with the fresh food compartment when the door is closed, and a container supported on the door and configured to receive liquid from a liquid dispenser located within the fresh food compartment, the improvement comprising:

• an array of sensors configured to sense a property of the container, wherein the sensors each utilize a magnetic sensing element located adjacent to the container;
• a magnetic body provided within the container that is detectable by the magnetic sensing elements in the array of sensors,
• wherein the magnetic body is exposed to the liquid within the container, is less dense than the liquid within the container, and is further movable along a height of the container;
• wherein each magnetic sensing element provides a variable output that varies according to a strength of a sensed magnetic field, which corresponds to the height of the magnetic body;
• wherein the array of sensors is defined by the magnetic sensing elements being arranged at different heights corresponding to fractions of a height of the container;
• and
• an electrically operated control in communication with the array of sensors and configured to regulate dispensing of liquid into the container based upon the variable outputs of the magnetic sensing elements in the array of sensors.