# US 11,441,836 B2 · Refrigeration device with gesture-controlled dispenser > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,836 B2 - Document ID: US11441836B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/353,043 - Filed: 2019-03-14 - Published: 2019-09-05 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-14 - Assignees: Transform Sr Brands LLC - Applicants: Transform SR Brands LLC - Inventors: Puneet Shivam; Angel Favila - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441836B2 ## CPC - F25D 23/126: {Water cooler} - B67D 1/0888: {Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)} - B67D 1/1234: {to determine the total amount} - B67D 7/30: with means for predetermining quantity of liquid to be transferred (B67D7/10, B67D7/14 take precedence) - F25D 23/028: {Details} - G06F 3/00: Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements - G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)} - G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)} - B67D 1/0857: {Cooling arrangements (cooling systems per se F25B)} - B67D 3/0003: {provided with automatic fluid control means} - B67D 3/0041: {with provisions for metering the liquid to be dispensed} - B67D 3/0077: {Electronic circuitry} - F25C 5/22: {particularly adapted for household refrigerators} - F25D 2700/04: Sensors detecting the presence of a person - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE ## Abstract A refrigeration device includes a refrigerated compartment, a door that seals the compartment, a dispenser opening in an exterior surface of the door, and a dispenser outlet in the opening. The refrigeration device also includes a reservoir configured to hold a substance and a conveyor configured to convey the substance from the reservoir to the dispenser outlet. Measurement sensors of the refrigeration device are configured to generate first measurement signals that are indicative a gesture of a hand in the dispenser opening. A control unit of the refrigeration device is configured to ascertain a requested fill height based upon the first measurement signals. The control unit is further configured to generate signals that cause the conveyor to convey the substance from the reservoir to a container placed under the dispenser outlet and cease conveying the substance upon the container attaining the requested fill level. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of a dispenser of a refrigeration device, the method comprising: generating, with one or more ultrasonic sensors of the dispenser, measurement signals indicative of a hand positioned in a dispenser opening; measuring, with a control unit of the refrigeration device based on the measurement signals, a height of the hand in free-space within the dispenser opening, wherein the height of the hand is in relation to a bottom shelf of the dispenser opening; setting a requested fill height to the measured height of the hand within the dispenser opening; dispensing a substance into a container placed in the dispenser opening; and ceasing said dispensing in response to the substance in the container attaining the requested fill level. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising awakening the one or more ultrasonic sensors in response to a proximity sensor detecting that the opening of the dispenser received an object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting, with the control unit, a height of the container based on the measurement signals. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising confirming, before said dispensing, that the requested fill level is less than the detected height of the container. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting, with the control unit, a level of a substance in the container based on the measurement signals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising directing a pointing device to illuminate a portion of the container corresponding to the requested fill level. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating a surface map of the hand based on the measurement signals; wherein measuring the height of the hand comprises detecting the height of the hand based on the generated surface map of the hand. ### Claim 8 A method of a dispenser of a refrigeration device, the method comprising: generating, with one or more ultrasonic sensors of the dispenser, measurement signals indicative of a hand positioned in a dispenser opening; detecting, with a control unit of the refrigeration device based on the measurement signals, a height of the hand in free-space within the dispenser opening; setting a requested fill height to the detected height of the hand within the dispenser opening; dispensing a substance into a container placed in the dispenser opening; and ceasing said dispensing in response to the substance in the container attaining the requested fill level; wherein detecting the height of the hand comprises: detecting, based upon the measurement signals, a palm of the hand within the dispenser opening and a relation of the detected palm to the container; and determining the requested fill height based upon the relation of the detected palm to the container. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising awakening the one or more ultrasonic sensors in response to a proximity sensor detecting that the opening of the dispenser received an object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising detecting, with the control unit, a height of the container based on the measurement signals. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising confirming, before said dispensing, that the requested fill level is less than the detected height of the container. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising detecting, with the control unit, a level of a substance in the container based on the measurement signals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising directing a pointing device to illuminate a portion of the container corresponding to the requested fill level. ### Claim 14 A method of a dispenser of a refrigeration device, the method comprising: generating, with one or more ultrasonic sensors of the dispenser, measurement signals indicative of a hand positioned in a dispenser opening; detecting, with a control unit of the refrigeration device based on the measurement signals, a height of the hand in free-space within the dispenser opening; setting a requested fill height to the detected height of the hand within the dispenser opening; dispensing a substance into a container placed in the dispenser opening; and ceasing said dispensing in response to the substance in the container attaining the requested fill level; wherein detecting the height of the hand comprises: detecting, based upon the measurement signals, a finger of the hand in the dispenser opening and a relation of the detected finger to the container; and determining the requested fill height based upon the relation of the detected finger to the container. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising awakening the one or more ultrasonic sensors in response to a proximity sensor detecting that the opening of the dispenser received an object. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising detecting, with the control unit, a height of the container based on the measurement signals. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising confirming, before said dispensing, that the requested fill level is less than the detected height of the container. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising detecting, with the control unit, a level of a substance in the container based on the measurement signals. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising directing a pointing device to illuminate a portion of the container corresponding to the requested fill level. ### Claim 20 A refrigeration device, comprising: a refrigerated compartment; a door movable between a closed state that seals the refrigerated compartment and an opened state that grants access to the refrigerated compartment; a dispenser opening in an exterior surface of the door; a dispenser outlet in the dispenser opening; a reservoir configured to hold a substance; a conveyor configured to convey the substance from the reservoir to the dispenser outlet; one or more ultrasonic sensors configured to generate measurement signals that are indicative of a hand in the dispenser opening; and a control unit configured to measure, based on the measurement signals, a height of the hand in free-space within the dispenser opening, wherein the height of the hand is in relation to a bottom shelf of the dispenser opening, set a requested fill height to the measured height of the hand, generate signals that cause the conveyor to convey the substance from the reservoir to a container placed under the dispenser outlet, and cease conveying the substance upon the container attaining the requested fill level. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The refrigeration device of claim 20, further comprising: a proximity sensor configured to generate a signal in response to the dispenser opening receiving an object; wherein the control unit is further configured to awaken the one or more ultrasonic sensors in response to receiving the signal from the proximity sensor. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The refrigeration device of claim 20, wherein the control unit is further configured to detect a height of the container based on the measurement signals. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The refrigeration device of claim 22, wherein the control unit is further configured to confirm that the requested fill level is less than the detected height of the container before causing the conveyor to convey the substance to the container. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The refrigeration device of claim 20, wherein the control unit is further configured to detect a level of the substance in the container based on the measurement signals. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The refrigeration device of claim 20, further comprising: a pointing device configured to selectively illuminate portions of the container; wherein the control unit is further configured to cause the pointing device to illuminate a portion of the container that corresponds to the requested fill level. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The refrigeration device of claim 20, wherein the control unit is further configured to measure the height of the hand by: detecting, based upon the measurement signals, a palm of the hand within the dispenser opening and a relation of the detected palm to the bottom shelf of the dispenser opening; and ascertain the requested fill height based upon the relation of the detected palm to the bottom shelf of the dispenser opening. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The refrigeration device of claim 20, wherein the control unit is further configured to measure the height of the hand by: detecting, based upon the measurement signals, a finger of the hand in the dispenser opening and a relation of the detected finger to the bottom shelf of the dispenser opening; and ascertain the requested fill height based upon the relation of the detected finger to the bottom shelf of the dispenser opening. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The refrigeration device of claim 20, wherein the control unit is further configured to: generate a surface map of the hand based on the measurement signals; and detect the height of the hand based on the generated surface map of the hand.