A select-fill dispensing system and method for a dispenser assembly utilizes a camera to sense a desired fill level based on the location of a user's finger with respect to a container. In use, a consumer places his or her finger along a container to indicate the desired fill level of the container.
A select-fill dispensing system and method for a dispenser assembly utilizes a camera to sense a desired fill level based on the location of a user's finger with respect to a container. In use, a consumer places his or her finger along a container to indicate the desired fill level of the container. Image data from the camera is transmitted to a controller and processed for distortion correction, edge based image segmentation and morphological operations are carried out to remove background noise. The processed image data is utilized to detect the presence of the container, as well as the shape of the container, the position of the container opening, and the top and bottom points of the container. The controller provides a means for controlling the dispensing operation, including a fill rate, based on the desired fill level and the shape of the container.
대표청구항▼
1. A dispenser assembly for selectively releasing at least one of a liquid and ice into a container during a dispensing operation, said dispenser assembly including: a dispenser well including a base section and an upstanding wall section;a controller for regulating the dispensing operation of the d
1. A dispenser assembly for selectively releasing at least one of a liquid and ice into a container during a dispensing operation, said dispenser assembly including: a dispenser well including a base section and an upstanding wall section;a controller for regulating the dispensing operation of the dispenser assembly; andan optical sensing system in communication with the controller, the optical sensing system comprising:a camera exposed to the dispenser well and adapted to send image data from the dispenser well to the controller to sense a presence of an indicating object placed in the dispensing well and pointing to a desired fill level for the at least one of the liquid and ice in the container, with the controller regulating the dispensing operation based, at least in part, on the desired fill level. 2. The dispenser assembly according to claim 1, wherein the controller utilizes image distortion and edge based image segmentation processing of the image data. 3. The dispenser assembly according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a shape of the container based on the image data and control the dispensing operation based, at least in part, on the shape of the container. 4. The dispenser assembly according to claim 1, wherein the image data is employed to sense a consumer's finger pointing to a side wall portion of the container as the indicating object. 5. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet;at least one refrigerated compartment arranged within the cabinet;a door mounted to the cabinet for selectively providing access to the at least one refrigerated compartment; anda dispenser assembly for selectively releasing at least one of a liquid and ice into a container during a dispensing operation, said dispenser assembly including: a dispenser well including a base section and an upstanding wall section;a controller for regulating the dispensing operation of the dispenser assembly; andan optical sensing system in communication with the controller, the optical sensing system comprising:a camera exposed to the dispenser well and adapted to send image data from the dispenser well to the controller to sense a presence of an indicating object placed in the dispensing well and pointing to a desired fill level for the at least one of the liquid and ice in the container, with the controller regulating the dispensing operation based, at least in part, on the desired fill level. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the controller utilizes image distortion and edge based image segmentation processing of the image data. 7. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the controller is further adapted to determine a shape of the container based on the image data and control the dispensing operation based, at least in part, on the shape of the container. 8. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the image data is employed to sense a consumer's finger pointing to a side wall portion of the container as the indicating object. 9. A method of dispensing a product into a container positioned within a dispenser well of a dispenser assembly, the method comprising: selecting a desired fill level for the container by introducing a user's finger pointing to the desired fill level into the dispensing well;utilizing image data obtained from a camera exposed to the dispenser well to detect the indicating object and ascertaining based on a position of the indicating object, the desired fill level for a dispensing event;initiating the dispensing event to dispense the product into the container;utilizing image data from the camera to monitor a height of the product within the container during the dispensing event; andterminating the dispensing event when the height of the product within the container reaches the desired fill level. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: transmitting a first set of image data from the camera mounted in the dispenser well to a controller;detecting a presence of the container within the dispenser well; andinitiating the dispensing event only after the presence of the container is detected. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: determining top and bottom points on the container based on the first set of image data received from the camera. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: processing the first set of image data to separate a container image from any background images to obtain processed image data, wherein the top and bottom points on the container are determined based on the processed image data. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: mapping dimensions of the container based, at least in part, by the top and bottom points of the container. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining container opening edge points based on the processed image data, wherein the mapping dimensions of the container are based, at least in part, by the container opening edge points. 15. The method of claim 10, further comprising: transmitting a second set of image data from the camera to the controller, wherein the presence of the indicating object is determined based on the second set of image data. 16. The method of claim 9, further comprising: determining a top point of the indicating object based on the image data to determine the desired fill level. 17. The method of claim 9, further comprising: mapping dimensions of the indicating object based, at least in part, by a top point of the indicating object. 18. The method of claim 9, further comprising: detecting alignment of an opening of the container within the dispenser well based on the image data. 19. The method of claim 9, further comprising: notifying a user when the dispensing event is terminated.
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