Ice maker with push notification to indicate when maintenance is required

Abstract

An ice maker for forming ice having a refrigeration system, a water system, and a control system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator. The water system includes a water filter and a sump to hold water to be made into ice. The control system includes a controller adapted to determine a baseline freeze time, a baseline harvest time, and/or a baseline fill time after an initial set of ice making cycles and is further adapted to compare subsequent harvest times, freeze times, and/or fill times to the baseline freeze, harvest, and/or fill times to determine whether the ice maker needs maintenance. If controller determines that ice maker needs maintenance, controller can push a notification to a portable electronic device connected to the ice maker.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A processor-executable method of suggesting maintenance for an appliance, the method comprising:
 receiving initial signals indicating performance of the appliance as the appliance uses a refrigeration system for cooling during an initial period of time;   after the initial period of time and based on said initial signals, setting a push notification alarm limit for a cooling parameter of the appliance so that the push notification alarm limit is related to baseline cooling performance of the appliance established during the initial period of time;   receiving subsequent signals indicating performance of the appliance as the appliance uses the refrigeration system to perform subsequent cooling after the initial period of time;   determining based on the subsequent signals that the cooling parameter of the appliance crosses the push notification alarm limit during the subsequent cooling; and   in response to determining based on the subsequent signals that the cooling parameter of the appliance crosses the push notification alarm limit during the subsequent cooling, automatically pushing a notification to a portable electronic device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration system includes a condenser and wherein the notification includes an indication the condenser needs maintenance. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the notification includes an indication that the condenser needs cleaning. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the cooling parameter is a cooling time needed for the refrigeration system to achieve desired cooling. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the cooling time is an amount of time needed for the appliance to complete a cooling cycle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the initial period of time is about 10 days. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said determining the push notification alarm limit comprises determining push notification alarm limits for at least three parameters of the appliance. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a local controller of the appliance performs at least one of the steps of setting the push notification alarm limit, determining that the cooling parameter crosses the push notification alarm limit, and pushing the notification. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the local controller of the appliance performs each of the steps of setting the push notification alarm limit, determining that the cooling parameter crosses the push notification alarm limit, and pushing the notification. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the appliance comprises a local controller for controlling cooling. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising transmitting signals between the local controller and a remote server. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration system comprises a compressor, a condenser, a refrigerant expansion device, and an evaporator. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the steps of cooling using the appliance comprise compressing refrigerant vapor in the compressor, condensing the compressed refrigerant vapor in the condenser to reject heat from the appliance, expanding the condensed refrigerant in the refrigerant expansion device, and vaporizing the refrigerant in the evaporator to absorb heat from the appliance. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the condenser comprises a population of refrigerant passes and a population of fins and the refrigeration system further comprises a condenser fan configured to blow air across the condenser. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the cooling parameter is a duration of compressor run time needed to achieve desired cooling. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein pushing the notification comprises pushing a message indicating the condenser needs maintenance. 
     
     
         17 . A system for suggesting appliance maintenance, the system comprising:
 an appliance having a refrigeration system; and   a remote server;   wherein the appliance and the remote server comprise a plurality of processors in communication with one another, at least one of the plurality of processors configured to execute a processor-executable maintenance suggestion method by which the at least one of the plurality of processors:
 use the refrigeration system of the appliance for cooling for an initial period of time; 
 after the initial period of time, automatically set a push notification alarm limit for a cooling parameter of the appliance based on based on monitored performance of the appliance; 
 use the refrigeration system of the appliance for subsequent cooling after the initial period of time; 
 determine when the cooling parameter of the appliance crosses the push notification alarm limit during the subsequent cooling; and 
 automatically push a notification to a portable electronic device remote from the appliance when the cooling parameter crosses the push notification alarm limit during the subsequent cooling. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the refrigeration system comprises a compressor, a condenser for condensing compressed refrigerant vapor discharged from the compressor and rejecting heat from the appliance, a refrigerant expansion device for lowering temperature and pressure of the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator in which the expanded refrigerant absorbs heat from the appliance. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the condenser comprises a population of refrigerant passes and a population of fins and the refrigeration system further comprises a condenser fan configured to blow air across the condenser. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the cooling parameter is a duration of compressor run time needed to achieve desired cooling. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the notification includes a message indicating the condenser needs maintenance. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the cooling parameter is a cooling time needed for the refrigeration system to achieve desired cooling. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the cooling time is an amount of time needed for the appliance to complete a cooling cycle. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the initial period of time is about 10 days. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of processors is configured for determining push notification alarm limits for at least three parameters of the appliance after the initial period of time. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of processors comprises a local controller of the appliance configured to use the refrigeration system of the appliance for cooling during the initial period of time and subsequent cooling. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the local controller of the appliance is further configured to at least one of: set the push notification alarm limit, determine when the cooling parameter crosses the push notification alarm limit, and push the notification.