Liquid dispenser with self-filling container

A system for providing a supply of chilled fluid, comprising:

• a refrigerator cabinet having a refrigerated storage area and a door for accessing said refrigerated storage area,
• a serving vessel removably located within said refrigerated storage area,
• an optical sensor positioned relative to said serving vessel to detect the presence of said vessel and a level of fluid in said vessel, and
• a fluid supply system providing said fluid to said serving vessel via a dispenser located in said storage area in response to an output from said optical sensor.

A liquid dispenser and self-filling container system, comprising:

• a liquid supply line,
• a liquid container,
• a liquid dispenser positioned to deliver a supply of liquid to said container from said liquid supply line,
• a valve positioned in said liquid supply line to selectively deliver liquid to said liquid dispenser,
• one or more sensors positioned relative to said liquid container to detect the presence of said container and a level of liquid in said container,
• a control circuit connecting said one or more sensors and said valve to open said valve when at least one of said sensors detects the presence of said container and a level of liquid below a maximum desired liquid level in said container and to close said valve when at least one of said sensors detects at least one of the absence of said container and a maximum desired liquid level in said container, and wherein said control circuit includes a timer device to permit an opening of said valve for only a predetermined length of time.