Method and apparatus for flavored ice making

A computer-implemented method of dynamically controlling a freeze-cycle of an ice cube maker, the method comprising:

• detecting that a previous freeze-cycle of the ice cube maker has been completed via a processor;
• refilling an ice cube tray with a colored beverage by opening a solenoid valve via the processor, the colored beverage having a non-clear color;
• commencing a current freeze-cycle of the ice cube maker to statically freeze the colored beverage in the ice cube tray by having the processor start measuring a length of time of the current freeze-cycle;
• receiving a current freezer temperature generated by a temperature sensor;
• continuously monitoring the current freezer temperature generated by the temperature sensor via the processor;
• and
• wherein when the current freezer temperature rises above a set-point, the processor stops counting the length of time of the current freeze-cycle until the current freezer temperature returns to below the set-point, at which point, the processor resumes measuring the length of time of the current freeze-cycle until the length of time of the current freeze-cycle reaches a set total-freeze-time indicating that the current freeze-cycle is completed and/or that the colored beverage in the ice cube tray has been statically frozen into colored ice cubes.

An ice machine for dynamically changing a freeze-cycle of an ice maker for statically freezing ice cubes, the ice machine including:

• a limit switch configured to indicate that a previous freeze-cycle of the ice maker is complete;
• a temperature sensor configured to generate a current freezer temperature of a freezer in which the ice maker is located;
• a solenoid valve configured to refill an ice cube tray with a colored beverage to be statically frozen into colored ice cubes;
• and
• a processor configured to monitor the limit switch and the current freezer temperature generated by the temperature sensor, and when the limit switch indicates that a previous freeze-cycle of the ice maker is completed, the processor opens the solenoid valve to refill the ice cube tray with the colored beverage and starts a current freeze-cycle of the ice maker by starting to count time upward from zero with a counter,
• wherein when the processor determines that the current freezer temperature received from the temperature sensor is above a set-point temperature, the processor stops the counter, and when the processor subsequently determines that the current freezer temperature received from the temperature sensor has returned to back below the set-point temperature, the processor resumes counting time with the counter until the counter reaches a predetermined total freeze-cycle length indicating that the colored beverage in the ice cube tray has been statically frozen into colored ice cubes.