초록 ▼

A refrigerated appliance that dispenses items for use with a power source and includes a cooling system. Power control circuitry is electrically coupled between the power source and components (for example, a compressor and one or more circulating fans of the cooling system) of the appliance. A cont

A refrigerated appliance that dispenses items for use with a power source and includes a cooling system. Power control circuitry is electrically coupled between the power source and components (for example, a compressor and one or more circulating fans of the cooling system) of the appliance. A controller, which is operably coupled to the power control circuitry, is adapted to manage the supply of electrical power to such components by intelligently transitioning between a normal-operation mode and at least one power-conserving mode. To achieve efficient power conservation, an audio signal detector is provided that generates at least one dispensing event signal that represents the occurrence of one or more sound-based dispensing events. The controller automatically transitions between the power-conserving mode(s) and the normal-operation mode based upon at least one dispensing event data signal supplied to the controller by the audio signal detector, and possibly other data signals supplied to the controller.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed: 1. A refrigerated appliance for dispensing items and for use with a power source, said refrigerated appliance comprising: a cooling system; power control circuitry that selectively provides electrical coupling of at least one component of said cooling system to said power source; a

What is claimed: 1. A refrigerated appliance for dispensing items and for use with a power source, said refrigerated appliance comprising: a cooling system; power control circuitry that selectively provides electrical coupling of at least one component of said cooling system to said power source; an audio signal detector for generating at least one dispensing event signal that represents the occurrence of one or more sound-based dispensing events; and a controller, operably coupled to said power control circuitry and said audio signal detector, that is adapted to control said power control circuitry in at least one power-conserving mode of operation and/or in a normal-operation mode, said controller automatically transitioning between said at least one power-conserving mode and said normal-operation mode based on said at least one dispensing event signal supplied to said controller by said audio signal detector. 2. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, wherein said controller is adapted to automatically transition from said at least one power-conserving mode to said normal-operation mode in response to detection of a dispensing event that is identified by said at least one dispensing event signal. 3. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 2, wherein said controller is adapted to automatically transition from said normal-operation mode to said at least one power-conserving mode after expiration of a delay period subsequent to detection of said dispensing event. 4. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, wherein said controller is adapted to automatically transition from said at least one power-conserving mode to said normal-operation mode based on at least one parameter value. 5. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 4, wherein said at least one parameter value is selected from the group consisting of an ambient temperature value, an internal temperature, and a shutdown timer value. 6. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 5, further comprising: at least one of a temperature sensor that senses said ambient temperature, an internal temperature sensor that senses said internal temperature, and/or timer circuitry that tracks said shutdown timer value. 7. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, further comprising: a timer operably coupled to said controller and adapted to track an elapsed time from a last dispensing event as indicated by said dispensing event signal, and wherein said controller is adapted to automatically transition from said normal-operation mode to said at least one power-conserving mode based upon a determination that said elapsed time exceeds a predetermined threshold time. 8. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one item dispensing mechanism disposed in said refrigerated appliance to dispense items, said at least one item dispensing mechanism associated with the occurrence of one or more sound-based dispensing events; a machine controller that interfaces to said at least one item dispensing mechanism, said machine controller adapted to control automatic dispensing of said items by said at least one item dispensing mechanism. 9. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, wherein said audio signal detector comprises an audio signal pickup device and signal processing circuitry that interfaces the audio signal pickup device to said controller. 10. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 9, said appliance further comprising: a dispensing port through which dispensed items pass for delivery to a patron, wherein said audio signal pickup device is disposed in the vicinity of said dispensing port to sense items passing therethrough. 11. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 9, said appliance further comprising: a customer-access delivery mechanism that is manipulated by patrons for delivery of items thereto, wherein said audio signal pickup device is disposed in the vicinity of said customer-access delivery mechanism to sense manipulation of said customer-access delivery mechanism by a patron. 12. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 9, said appliance further comprising: mechanized devices that select a desired product from an offering of many products, wherein said audio signal pickup device is disposed in the vicinity of at least one of said mechanized devices to sense operation of said mechanized devices. 13. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 9, wherein said signal processing circuitry amplifies signals produced by said audio signal pickup device. 14. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 13, wherein said signal processing circuitry comprises an operational amplifier configured as an non-inverting amplifier. 15. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 13, wherein said signal processing circuitry comprises a first operational amplifier configured as an inverting amplifier and a second operation amplifier configured as an integrator that provides a feedback signal representing an ambient noise level to said first operational amplifier. 16. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 9, wherein said audio signal pickup device comprises an electret condenser microphone. 17. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, wherein said appliance comprises a refrigerated vending machine. 18. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, wherein said cooling system includes a compressor, and said power control circuitry is adapted to selectively couple said compressor to said power source in both said at least one power-saving mode and said normal-operation mode. 19. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, wherein said cooling system includes a circulating fan, and said power control circuitry is adapted to couple said circulating fan to said power source in said normal-operation mode and decouple said circulating fan from said power source in said at least one power-conserving mode. 20. A refrigerated appliance according to claim 1, wherein an average internal temperature of said appliance is less in said normal-operation mode than in said at least one power-conserving mode. 21. A power-management control system for managing a supply of power supplied by a power source to a cooling system of a refrigerated appliance, said power-management control system comprising: an audio signal detector for generating at least one dispensing event signal that represents an occurrence of one or more sound-based dispensing events; power control circuitry that selectively provides electrical coupling of at least one component of said cooling system to said power source; and a controller, operably coupled to said power control circuitry and said audio signal detector, that is adapted to control said power control circuitry in at least one power-conserving mode of operation and/or in a normal-operation mode, said controller automatically transitioning between said at least one power-conserving mode and said normal-operation mode based on said at least one dispensing event signal supplied to said controller by said audio signal detector. 22. A power-management control system according to claim 21, wherein said controller is adapted to automatically transition from said at least one power-conserving mode to said normal-operation mode in response to detection of a dispensing event that is identified by said at least one dispensing event signal. 23. A power-management control system according to claim 22, wherein said controller is adapted to automatically transition from said normal-operation mode to said at least one power-conserving mode after expiration of a delay period subsequent to detection of said dispensing event. 24. A power-management control system according to claim 21, wherein said controller is adapted to automatically transition from said at least one power-conserving mode to said normal-operation mode based on at least one parameter value. 25. A power-management control system according to claim 24, wherein said at least one parameter value is selected from the group consisting of an ambient temperature, an internal temperature, and a shutdown timer value. 26. A power-management control system according to claim 25, further comprising: at least one of a temperature sensor that senses said ambient temperature, an internal temperature sensor that senses said internal temperature, and/or timer circuitry that tracks said shutdown timer value. 27. A power-management control system according to claim 21, further comprising: a timer operably coupled to said controller and adapted to track an elapsed time from a last dispensing event as indicated by said dispensing event signal, and wherein said controller is adapted to automatically transition from said normal-operation mode to said at least one power-conserving mode upon a determination that said elapsed time exceeds a predetermined threshold time. 28. A power-management control system according to claim 21, wherein said refrigerated appliance further comprises a dispensing controller that interfaces to at least one item dispensing mechanism, said dispensing controller adapted to control automatic dispensing of items by said at least one item dispensing mechanism. 29. A power-management control system according to claim 21, wherein said audio signal detector comprises an audio signal pickup device and signal processing circuitry that interfaces the audio signal pickup device to said controller. 30. A power-management control system according to claim 29, wherein said refrigerated appliance further comprises a dispensing port through which dispensed items pass for delivery to a patron, and said audio signal pickup device is disposed in the vicinity of said dispensing port to sense items passing therethrough. 31. A power-management control system according to claim 29, wherein said appliance further comprising a customer-access delivery mechanism that is manipulated by patrons for delivery of items thereto, and said audio signal pickup device is disposed in the vicinity of said customer-access delivery mechanism to sense manipulation of said customer-access delivery mechanism by a patron. 32. A power-management control system according to claim 29, said appliance further comprising mechanized devices that select a desired product from an offering of many products, and said audio signal pickup device is disposed in the vicinity of said mechanized devices to sense operation of said mechanized devices. 33. A power-management control system according to claim 29, wherein said signal processing circuitry amplifies signals produced by audio signal pickup device. 34. A power-management control system according to claim 33, wherein said signal processing circuitry comprises an operational amplifier configured as an non-inverting amplifier. 35. A power-management control system according to claim 33, wherein said signal processing circuitry comprises a first operational amplifier configured as an inverting amplifier and a second operation amplifier configured as an integrator that provides a feedback signal representing an ambient noise level to said first operational amplifier. 36. A power-management control system according to claim 29, wherein said audio signal pickup device comprises an electret condenser microphone. 37. A power-management control system according to claim 21, wherein said controller is external to said refrigerated appliance. 38. A power-management control system according to claim 21, wherein said controller is internal to said refrigerated appliance. 39. A power-management control system according to claim 21, wherein said refrigerated appliance comprises a vending machine. 40. A method for controlling a refrigerated appliance having at least one power-conserving mode and a normal-operation mode, said method comprising the steps of: detecting the occurrence of one or more sound-based dispensing events associated with said refrigerated appliance; and transitioning between said at least one power-conserving mode and said normal-operation mode based on the detected one or more sound-based dispensing events. 41. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of: transitioning from said normal-operation mode to said at least one power-conserving mode after expiration of a delay period subsequent to the detected one or more sound-based dispensing events. 42. The method of claim 40, wherein said step of detecting the occurrence of one or more sound-based dispensing events comprises the step of detecting at least one of (i) an item passing through an item dispensing port of the refrigerated appliance, (ii) manipulation of a customer access delivery mechanism, and/or (iii) operation of mechanical devices disposed within the refrigerated appliance. 43. The method of claim 40, wherein said step of transitioning between the power-conservation mode and the normal-operation mode comprises the step of coupling a circulation fan to a power source.