# US 2014/0196478 A1 · Method for operating a refrigerator appliance ice maker > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196478 A1 - Document ID: US20140196478A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/740,558 - Filed: 2013-01-14 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-14 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Martin Christopher Severance; Jeffrey Martin Wood - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196478A1 ## CPC - F25C 5/02: Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice - F25C 2400/14: Water supply - F25C 2600/02: Timing - F25C 2600/04: Control means - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE ## Abstract A refrigerator appliance and a method for operating the same are provided. The refrigerator appliance includes an ice maker for producing ice. The ice maker is deactivated for a predetermined period of time after the ice maker has been filled with liquid water. After the predetermined period of time has elapsed, the ice maker can harvest ice if a demand side management (DSM) status is off-peak, or the ice maker can remain deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak. By operating in such a manner, operating costs of the refrigerator appliance can be reduced. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating an ice maker of a refrigerator appliance, comprising: filling the ice maker with liquid water; deactivating the ice maker for a predetermined period of time after said step of filling; and determining whether a demand side management (DSM) status is on-peak or off-peak after the predetermined period of time has elapsed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising harvesting ice from the ice maker if the DSM status is off-peak or keeping the ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said step of harvesting comprises harvesting ice from the ice maker if the DSM status is off-peak or keeping the ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak until the DSM status changes to off-peak and harvesting ice from the ice maker thereafter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time is greater than about thirty minutes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said step of deactivating comprises turning off power consuming components of the ice maker. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time is sufficient for water within the ice maker to freeze. ### Claim 7 A method for operating an ice maker of a refrigerator appliance, comprising: initiating a flow of liquid water into the ice maker; maintaining the flow of liquid water into the ice maker until the ice maker has filled with liquid water; terminating the flow of water into the ice maker; deactivating the ice maker for a predetermined period of time after said step terminating; and harvesting ice from the ice maker if a demand side management (DSM) status is off-peak after said step of deactivating or keeping the ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak after said step of deactivating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined period of time is greater than about thirty minutes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein said step of deactivating comprises turning off power consuming components of the ice maker. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined period of time is sufficient for water within the ice maker to freeze. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein said step of harvesting comprises harvesting ice from the ice maker if a demand side management (DSM) status is off-peak after said step of deactivating or keeping the ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak after said step of deactivating until the DSM status changes to off-peak and harvesting ice from the ice maker thereafter. ### Claim 12 A refrigerator appliance, comprising: a cabinet defining a chilled chamber for receipt of food items for storage; an ice maker positioned within the chilled chamber of said cabinet, said ice maker having a mold body for receipt of liquid water for freezing; a water supply configured for supplying liquid water to the mold body of said ice maker; and a controller being in operative communication with said water supply and said ice maker, said controller configured for: operating said water supply to initiate a flow of liquid water into the mold body of said ice maker; terminating the flow of water into the mold body of said ice maker after the mold body of said ice maker has filled with liquid water; deactivating said ice maker for a preselected period of time after said step terminating; and determining whether a demand side management (DSM) status is on-peak or off-peak after the preselected period of time has elapsed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, wherein said controller is further configured for reactivating said ice maker in order to harvest ice from the mold body of said ice maker if the DSM status is off-peak in said step of determining or keeping said ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak in said step of determining. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The refrigerator appliance of claim 12, wherein said step of reactivating comprises reactivating said ice maker in order to harvest ice from the mold body of said ice maker if the DSM status is off-peak in said step of determining or keeping said ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak in said step of determining until the DSM status changes to off-peak and harvesting ice from said ice maker thereafter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, wherein the preselected period of time is greater than about thirty minutes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, wherein said step of deactivating comprises turning off power consuming features of said ice maker. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, wherein the preselected period is sufficient for water within the ice maker to freeze. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, further comprising a relay operable with said controller to selectively supply power to said ice maker. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, wherein said water supply comprises a valve operable with said controller to selectively supply liquid water to said ice maker.