Abstract: An appliance includes an appliance housing, an interface adapted to receive power information, a plurality of sensors for sensing environmental conditions, a plurality of controls for controlling operations of the appliance, and an intelligent control. The intelligent control is disposed within the appliance housing and operatively connected to the interface and the plurality of sensors and adapted to dynamically select control values associated with the plurality of controls based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or a combination thereof to increase energy efficiency of the appliance.

Abstract: An appliance includes an appliance housing, an interface adapted to receive power information, a plurality of sensors for sensing environmental conditions, a plurality of controls for controlling operations of the appliance, and an intelligent control. The intelligent control is disposed within the appliance housing and operatively connected to the interface and the plurality of sensors and adapted to dynamically select control values associated with the plurality of controls based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or a combination thereof to increase energy efficiency of the appliance.

Abstract: A method of managing an inventory includes associating an identifier with a container system component such as a container, a sensor or a substance, where the sensor is configured to determine an indication of an attribute of the substance stored in the container. The method further may include associating an identifier with a container system member within a dataset remote to the container; remotely receiving container system data including the identifier and the indication of the attribute; and performing at least one data processing task associated with the container system data.

Abstract: A method of boil and boil-dry detection for cooking appliances. The method includes the steps: detecting vibrations that correspond to cookware situated on a burner assembly; generating a vibration signal based on the vibrations; and performing signal processing on the vibration signal. The method also includes the steps: collecting vibration data related to the vibration signal; and detecting boiling and boil-dry conditions for a liquid contained within the cookware based at least in part on an evaluation of the vibration data.

Abstract: A method of determining a time delay for turning off an evaporator fan in a refrigerator after a compressor of the refrigerator is turned off includes operating the evaporator fan in the refrigerator for a period of time, operating the compressor of the refrigerator to cool the refrigerator to a predetermined temperature after turning off the evaporator fan, determining a power consumption value for operating the compressor to cool the refrigerator, repeating the previous steps to obtain a plurality of times and a plurality of power consumption values, selecting the time coinciding with a lowest power consumption value, and adapting the refrigerator to use the time as the time delay for turning off the evaporator fan in the refrigerator after the compressor of the refrigerator is turned off.

Abstract: An appliance includes an appliance housing, an interface adapted to receive power information, a plurality of sensors for sensing environmental conditions, a plurality of controls for controlling operations of the appliance, and an intelligent control. The intelligent control is disposed within the appliance housing and operatively connected to the interface and the plurality of sensors and adapted to dynamically select control values associated with the plurality of controls based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or a combination thereof to increase energy efficiency of the appliance.

Abstract: A method of boil and boil-dry detection for cooking appliances. The method includes the steps: detecting vibrations that correspond to cookware situated on a burner assembly; generating a vibration signal based on the vibrations; and performing signal processing on the vibration signal. The method also includes the steps: collecting vibration data related to the vibration signal; and detecting boiling and boil-dry conditions for a liquid contained within the cookware based at least in part on an evaluation of the vibration data.

Abstract: A cooking sensor system that includes a burner assembly; and a vibration sensor assembly configured to generate a vibration signal that corresponds to vibrations of cookware situated on the burner assembly. The cooking sensor system also includes a processor to receive the vibration signal and determine at least one of a boiling condition and a boil-dry condition for a liquid contained within the cookware, wherein the determination is based at least in part on the vibration signal. The cooking sensor system further includes an indicator element coupled to the processor to indicate the at least one of a boiling condition and a boil-dry condition. The cooking sensor system may also include a control element coupled to the processor to operate the burner assembly based at least in part on the at least one of a boiling condition and a boil-dry condition.

Abstract: A method of boil and boil-dry detection for appliances. The method includes the steps: detecting vibrations that correspond to cookware situated on a burner assembly; generating a vibration signal based on the vibrations; and performing signal processing on the vibration signal. The method also includes the steps: collecting vibration data related to the vibration signal; and detecting boiling and boil-dry conditions for a liquid contained within the cookware based at least in part on an evaluation of the vibration data. The method may also include the steps: indicating the boiling and boil-dry conditions; and controlling the burner assembly based at least in part on the boiling and boil-dry conditions.

Abstract: A method of determining a time delay for turning off an evaporator fan in a refrigerator after a compressor of the refrigerator is turned off includes operating the evaporator fan in the refrigerator for a period of time, operating the compressor of the refrigerator to cool the refrigerator to a predetermined temperature after turning off the evaporator fan, determining a power consumption value for operating the compressor to cool the refrigerator, repeating the previous steps to obtain a plurality of times and a plurality of power consumption values, selecting the time coinciding with a lowest power consumption value, and adapting the refrigerator to use the time as the time delay for turning off the evaporator fan in the refrigerator after the compressor of the refrigerator is turned off.

Abstract: An appliance includes an appliance housing, an interface adapted to receive power information, a plurality of sensors for sensing environmental conditions, a plurality of controls for controlling operations of the appliance, and an intelligent control. The intelligent control is disposed within the appliance housing and operatively connected to the interface and the plurality of sensors and adapted to dynamically select control values associated with the plurality of controls based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or a combination thereof to increase energy efficiency of the appliance.

Abstract: A method of determining a time delay for turning off an evaporator fan in a refrigerator after a compressor of the refrigerator is turned off includes operating the evaporator fan in the refrigerator for a period of time, operating the compressor of the refrigerator to cool the refrigerator to a predetermined temperature after turning off the evaporator fan, determining a power consumption value for operating the compressor to cool the refrigerator, repeating the previous steps to obtain a plurality of times and a plurality of power consumption values, selecting the time coinciding with a lowest power consumption value, and adapting the refrigerator to use the time as the time delay for turning off the evaporator fan in the refrigerator after the compressor of the refrigerator is turned off.

Abstract: An appliance includes an appliance housing, an interface adapted to receive power information, a plurality of sensors for sensing environmental conditions, a plurality of controls for controlling operations of the appliance, and an intelligent control. The intelligent control is disposed within the appliance housing and operatively connected to the interface and the plurality of sensors and adapted to dynamically select control values associated with the plurality of controls based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or a combination thereof to increase energy efficiency of the appliance.

Abstract: A cooking sensor system that includes a burner assembly; and a vibration sensor assembly configured to generate a vibration signal that corresponds to vibrations of cookware situated on the burner assembly. The cooking sensor system also includes a processor to receive the vibration signal and determine at least one of a boiling condition and a boil-dry condition for a liquid contained within the cookware, wherein the determination is based at least in part on the vibration signal. The cooking sensor system further includes an indicator element coupled to the processor to indicate the at least one of a boiling condition and a boil-dry condition. The cooking sensor system may also include a control element coupled to the processor to operate the burner assembly based at least in part on the at least one of a boiling condition and a boil-dry condition.

Abstract: A method of boil and boil-dry detection for appliances. The method includes the steps: detecting vibrations that correspond to cookware situated on a burner assembly; generating a vibration signal based on the vibrations; and performing signal processing on the vibration signal. The method also includes the steps: collecting vibration data related to the vibration signal; and detecting boiling and boil-dry conditions for a liquid contained within the cookware based at least in part on an evaluation of the vibration data. The method may also include the steps: indicating the boiling and boil-dry conditions; and controlling the burner assembly based at least in part on the boiling and boil-dry conditions.

Abstract: A method of determining a time delay for turning off an evaporator fan in a refrigerator after a compressor of the refrigerator is turned off includes operating the evaporator fan in the refrigerator for a period of time, operating the compressor of the refrigerator to cool the refrigerator to a predetermined temperature after turning off the evaporator fan, determining a power consumption value for operating the compressor to cool the refrigerator, repeating the previous steps to obtain a plurality of times and a plurality of power consumption values, selecting the time coinciding with a lowest power consumption value, and adapting the refrigerator to use the time as the time delay for turning off the evaporator fan in the refrigerator after the compressor of the refrigerator is turned off.

Abstract: An appliance includes an appliance housing, an interface adapted to receive power information, a plurality of sensors for sensing environmental conditions, a plurality of controls for controlling operations of the appliance, and an intelligent control. The intelligent control is disposed within the appliance housing and operatively connected to the interface and the plurality of sensors and adapted to dynamically select control values associated with the plurality of controls based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or a combination thereof to increase energy efficiency of the appliance.

Abstract: A modular device for determining attributes of a substance stored in a container having a sensing module, a transmitter module and a power source module. The sensing module is capable of sensing attributes of a substance and providing an output. The transmitter module is configured to transmit an output of the at least one sensing module when operably coupled to the sensing module. The power source module is capable of being operably connected to the sensor module and the transmitter module to power the sensor module and the transmitter module.

Abstract: Methods for determining an attribute of a substance in a container in response to an access event. The methods include a method for determining an attribute of a substance including activating the sensor in response to an access event and transmitting, in response to the activating, an output of the sensor providing an indication of an attribute of the contents. The methods also include a method having the steps of associating a sensor having an identifier with the container; and receiving the identifier and an output of the sensor providing an indication of the amount of the contents.

Abstract: A device for determining the amount of a substance in a container includes an amount sensor disposed within the container, a transmitter coupled to the sensor and configured to transmit an output thereof, and an electrical power source powering the sensor and the transmitter.