Control for a refrigerator door dispenser light

In a refrigerator including a cabinet, a door mounted to the cabinet for exposing an interior compartment of the refrigerator, a control panel having a plurality of control elements for inputting operating parameters for the refrigerator, a dispenser formed in the door and including a housing having bottom, rear and opposing side walls that collectively define a cavity, a mechanism for dispensing at least one of ice and water, and a light for selectively illuminating the cavity, a method of controlling the cavity light comprising:

• sensing a level of ambient light;
• and
• controlling the cavity light:
• a) in a first mode wherein the cavity light is continuously illuminated;
• b) in a second mode wherein the cavity light is illuminated only through activation of the dispensing mechanism;
• and
• c) in a third mode wherein the cavity light is illuminated based upon whether the level of ambient light is less than a predetermined level, wherein said predetermined level is adjustable.

In a refrigerator including a cabinet, a door mounted to the cabinet for exposing an interior compartment of the refrigerator, a control panel having a plurality of control elements for inputting operating parameters for the refrigerator, a dispenser formed in the door and including a housing having bottom, rear and opposing side walls that collectively define a cavity, a mechanism for dispensing at least one of ice and water, and a light for selectively illuminating the cavity, a method of controlling the cavity light comprising:

• sensing a level of ambient light;
• and
• controlling the cavity light:
• a) in a first mode wherein the light is continuously illuminated;
• b) in a second mode wherein the cavity light is illuminated only through activation of the dispensing mechanism;
• and
• c) in a third mode wherein the cavity light is illuminated based upon whether the level of ambient light is less than a predetermined level wherein, when in the third mode, the cavity light is activated at a first level based upon the level of ambient light and at a second level upon activation of the dispensing mechanism.