Textual display on ice-making machine to assist with ice machine diagnosis and method

Abstract

Ice-making machine with an add on board that has a textual display that can be used for a user to view various parameters of the ice-making machine and its operation and in some cases to adjust the parameters. The add on board includes a processor and a display program that presents a main menu and a series of sub-menus that are selectable from a list on the main menu. The display program includes both a view mode and an adjust mode.

1 . An ice-making machine comprising: 
 a housing and a display that is mounted to said housing and that comprises a display area;    an assembly that makes ice;    a processor, a memory and a display program that is stored in said memory and that when run causes said processor to present in said display area textual information concerning the making of ice by said assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The ice-making machine of  claim 1 , wherein said display further comprises a plurality of display control buttons, and wherein said display program responds to manual operation of said display control buttons to change said textual information.  
   
   
       3 . The ice-making machine of  claim 2 , wherein said textual information is changed by adjustment of at least one parameter of said textual information.  
   
   
       4 . The ice-making machine of  claim 3 , wherein said display program switches between a view only mode and an adjust mode, and wherein said display program when in said adjust mode adjusts said at least one parameter.  
   
   
       5 . The ice-making machine of  claim 2 , wherein said display program presents said textual information in a plurality of menus in said display area, and wherein said textual information is changed by a shift from one of said menus to another.  
   
   
       6 . The ice-making machine of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of menus comprises a main menu and at least one submenu.  
   
   
       7 . The ice-making machine of  claim 6 , wherein said display program responds to the manual operation of one or more of said display control buttons to shift between said main menu and said submenu.  
   
   
       8 . A method for operating an ice-making machine comprising: 
 making ice;    presenting on a display mounted on a housing of said ice-making machine a textual message concerning the making of ice.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising manually operating a plurality of display control buttons to change said textual information.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said textual information is changed by adjustment of at least one parameter of said textual information.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said textual information is presented in a view only mode or an adjust mode, and when in said adjust mode, adjusting said at least parameter.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said textual information is presented in a plurality of menus on said display, and wherein said textual information is changed by a shift from one of said menus to another.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said plurality of menus comprises a main menu and at least one submenu.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising in response to manual operation of one or more of said display control buttons shifting between said main menu and said submenu.