Hands free, controlled autofill for a dispenser
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsKevin M. Chase, Brian P. Janke, Farhad Ashrafzadeh, Shreecharan Kanchanavally, James Kerner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dispensing system includes one or more digital image capture devices for capturing images in a dispenser well and a digital image analyzer operatively coupled to the digital image capture device(s) for analyzing the images for use in regulating a dispensing operation. The digital image analyzer evaluates digital images captured by the digital image capture device(s) to determine various characteristics of a container placed in the dispensing well, such as the height and position of the container.
Claims18
A method of performing a dispensing operation in a dispenser well, the method comprising:
- capturing one or more digital images of an object in the dispenser well;
- determining at least one of a dimensional and a positional characteristic of the object in the dispenser well from the one or more digital images;
- and
- controlling the dispensing operation based on the one or more digital images.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.