Indicator lights in stand-alone ice making appliance

Abstract

A method of operating an ice making appliance includes performing a plurality of ice making operations in the stand-alone ice making appliance, whereby ice is produced in the stand-alone ice making appliance. The method further includes monitoring a count of the plurality of ice making operations performed and illuminating an indicator light of a plurality of indicator lights on a user interface of the stand-alone ice making appliance upon reaching a predetermined count of the ice making operations performed. The indicator light indicates a suggested process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a stand-alone ice making appliance, comprising:
 performing a plurality of ice making operations in the stand-alone ice making appliance, whereby ice is produced in the stand-alone ice making appliance;   monitoring a count of the plurality of ice making operations performed;   illuminating an indicator light of a plurality of indicator lights on a user interface of the stand-alone ice making appliance upon reaching a predetermined count of the ice making operations performed, the indicator light indicating a suggested process;   receiving an input indicative of the suggested process; and   wherein the suggested process is one of descaling and sanitizing one or more of a flexible tubing, an ice maker, and an extruder of the stand-alone ice making appliance.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input indicative of the suggested process comprises a user input on the user interface of the stand-alone ice making appliance. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each ice making operation of the plurality of ice making operations comprises operating a compressor to circulate a refrigerant through a sealed system of the stand-alone ice making appliance, the method further comprising measuring an amount of time the compressor is ON. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein illuminating the indicator light of the plurality of indicator lights on the user interface of the stand-alone ice making appliance upon reaching the predetermined count of the ice making operations performed comprises illuminating a descale indicator light indicating a suggested descaling process. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein monitoring the count of the ice making operations performed comprises comparing the measured amount of time the compressor is ON to a threshold amount of time the compressor is ON. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined count of the ice making operations performed comprises the threshold amount of time the compressor is ON, wherein illuminating the indicator light comprises illuminating the descale indicator light upon reaching the threshold amount of time the compressor is ON. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the count of the ice making operations performed is indicative of an amount of time of operation of the stand-alone ice making appliance, the method further comprising measuring the amount of time of operation of the stand-alone ice making appliance. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein monitoring the count of the ice making operations performed comprises comparing the measured amount of time of operation of the stand-alone ice making appliance to a threshold amount of time of operation of the stand-alone ice making appliance. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein illuminating the indicator light comprises illuminating the sanitize indicator light upon reaching the threshold amount of time of operation of the stand-alone ice making appliance. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating an ice making appliance, comprising:
 performing a plurality of ice making operations in the ice making appliance, whereby ice is produced in the ice making appliance;   monitoring a count of the plurality of ice making operations performed;   illuminating an indicator light of a plurality of indicator lights on a user interface of the ice making appliance upon reaching a predetermined count of the ice making operations performed, the indicator light indicating a suggested process; and   receiving an input indicative of the suggested process.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the input indicative of the suggested process comprises a user input on a user interface of the ice making appliance. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each ice making operation of the plurality of ice making operations comprises operating a compressor to circulate a refrigerant through a sealed system of the ice making appliance, the method further comprising measuring an amount of time the compressor is ON. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein illuminating the indicator light of the plurality of indicator lights on the user interface of the ice making appliance upon reaching the predetermined count of the ice making operations performed comprises illuminating a descale indicator light indicating a suggested descaling process. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein monitoring the count of the ice making operations performed comprises comparing the measured amount of time the compressor is ON to a threshold amount of time the compressor is ON. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the predetermined count of the ice making operations performed comprises the threshold amount of time the compressor is ON, wherein illuminating the indicator light comprises illuminating the descale indicator light upon reaching the threshold amount of time the compressor is ON. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the count of the ice making operations performed is indicative of an amount of time of operation of the ice making appliance, the method further comprising measuring the amount of time of operation of the ice making appliance. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein monitoring the count of the ice making operations performed comprises comparing the measured amount of time of operation of the ice making appliance to a threshold amount of time of operation of the ice making appliance. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein illuminating the indicator light comprises illuminating the sanitize indicator light upon reaching the threshold amount of time of operation of the ice making appliance.