Abstract: A system and method of measuring power consumption in an appliance is provided. An electrical characteristic of a power signal, such as a voltage component and/or a current component, can be detected at the appliance. The detected electrical characteristic can be processed using a signal processor. During signal processing, the detected electrical characteristic can be shifted based on a predetermined threshold and converted to a digital signal. An electrical characteristic offset can be determined based on an average electrical characteristic value of a plurality of detected electrical characteristics. The difference between the electrical characteristic offset value and an instantaneously detected electrical characteristic value can be used to determine power consumption of the appliance.

Abstract: A method for determining proximity of a mobile device to an appliance and for operating the appliance and the mobile device is provided. The method includes identifying the mobile device and/or the appliance with a Media Access Control or MAC header and establishing a proximity of the mobile device to the appliance based at least in part on a Received Signal Strength Indicator or RSSI. A service of the appliance can be executed if the RSSI is greater than a threshold value.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for establishing a connection between an appliance and a home energy management device. Upon being prompted by a user, the home energy management device can create a private network for a limited period of time. Then, upon also being prompted by the user, an appliance can request to join the private network. If the appliance satisfies any required security criteria, the home energy management device can securely provide local area network access data to the appliance over the private network. After receiving such access data, the appliance can connect to the wireless local area network and establish a secure connection with the home energy management device via a router of the local area network. In one implementation, both the home energy management device and the appliance can be prompted by the user by simply pressing a button or other user-operable selector.

Abstract: An ice making system for a refrigerator appliance is provided. The ice making system includes an ice maker, an ice bucket and an ice cube level sensing assembly. The ice cube level sensing assembly includes an infrared light emitter and an infrared light receiver. The infrared light emitter directs infrared light into a storage volume of the ice bucket, and the infrared light receiver receives infrared light from the infrared light emitter reflected by ice cubes within the storage volume of the ice bucket.

Abstract: Generally the present disclosure is directed to refrigerators and other appliances configured to provide dispensing in response to a voice command. One example appliance includes a sensor configured to provide an output signal indicating whether a receptacle is present in a dispensing area of the appliance. The appliance includes a microphone for receiving a human speech signal. The appliance includes a speech-to-text module configured to convert the human speech signal into textual information. The appliance includes a feature processing module configured to determine one or more requested actions based on the textual information. When the one or more requested actions comprise dispensing, the appliance is configured to perform the dispensing only when the output signal from the sensor indicates that the receptacle is present in the dispensing area.

Abstract: Provided are a bleed-out preventing agent and a composition for preventing bleed-out including the same.

Abstract: Low power water filter monitoring systems and methods of operation thereof are provided. An example water filter includes a water flow signal receiver configured to receive a water flow signal from a refrigeration appliance. The refrigeration appliance provides the water flow signal whenever water is flowing through the water filter. The water filter can monitor its lifespan based on a total amount of time the water flow signal has been received. Another example water filter includes an ambient light sensor and one or more water filter status indicators. The one or more water filter status indicators are only operated when the ambient light sensor is receiving ambient light.

Abstract: Low power water filter monitoring systems and methods of operation thereof are provided. An example water filter includes a water flow signal receiver configured to receive a water flow signal from a refrigeration appliance. The refrigeration appliance provides the water flow signal whenever water is flowing through the water filter. The water filter can monitor its lifespan based on a total amount of time the water flow signal has been received. Another example water filter includes an ambient light sensor and one or more water filter status indicators. The one or more water filter status indicators are only operated when the ambient light sensor is receiving ambient light.

Abstract: An ice making system for a refrigerator appliance is provided. The ice making system includes an ice maker, an ice bucket and an ice cube level sensing assembly. The ice cube level sensing assembly includes an infrared light emitter and an infrared light receiver. The infrared light emitter directs infrared light into a storage volume of the ice bucket, and the infrared light receiver receives infrared light from the infrared light emitter reflected by ice cubes within the storage volume of the ice bucket.

Abstract: A method for determining proximity of a mobile device to an appliance and for operating the appliance and the mobile device is provided. The method includes identifying the mobile device and/or the appliance with a Media Access Control or MAC header and establishing a proximity of the mobile device to the appliance based at least in part on a Received Signal Strength Indicator or RSSI. A service of the appliance can be executed if the RSSI is greater than a threshold value.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for establishing a connection between an appliance and a home energy management device. Upon being prompted by a user, the home energy management device can create a private network for a limited period of time. Then, upon also being prompted by the user, an appliance can request to join the private network. If the appliance satisfies any required security criteria, the home energy management device can securely provide local area network access data to the appliance over the private network. After receiving such access data, the appliance can connect to the wireless local area network and establish a secure connection with the home energy management device via a router of the local area network. In one implementation, both the home energy management device and the appliance can be prompted by the user by simply pressing a button or other user-operable selector.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring power consumption of an appliance includes a processor in communication with a memory, the memory including program instructions for execution by the processor to determine a first stable power consumption state of the appliance, record a power consumption of the appliance during the first stable power consumption state, determine an unstable power consumption state of the appliance, suspend recording of the power consumption of the appliance during the unstable state, determine a second stable power consumption state of the appliance, resume recording of the power consumption of the appliance when the appliance is in the second stable power consumption state, and estimate a value of a power consumed during the unstable power consumption state as a factor of the recorded power consumption of the appliance during the first stable power consumption state and the second stable power consumption power state.

Abstract: A system and method of measuring power consumption in an appliance is provided. An electrical characteristic of a power signal, such as a voltage component and/or a current component, can be detected at the appliance. The detected electrical characteristic can be processed using a signal processor. During signal processing, the detected electrical characteristic can be shifted based on a predetermined threshold and converted to a digital signal. An electrical characteristic offset can be determined based on an average electrical characteristic value of a plurality of detected electrical characteristics. The difference between the electrical characteristic offset value and an instantaneously detected electrical characteristic value can be used to determine power consumption of the appliance.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for detecting and excluding a failed optical network termination (ONT) in a passive optical network (PON) system in which an Optical Line Termination (OLT) is connected to a plurality of optical network terminations (ONTs) by an optical passive device. The method for detecting and excluding a failed ONT includes receiving, by the OLT, an optical power level of the ONTs, comparing the received optical power level with a reference value, if the received optical power level does not exceed the reference value, determining that a failed ONT has occurred, and detecting and excluding the failed ONT.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring power consumption of an appliance includes a processor in communication with a memory, the memory including program instructions for execution by the processor to determine a first stable power consumption state of the appliance, record a power consumption of the appliance during the first stable power consumption state, determine an unstable power consumption state of the appliance, suspend recording of the power consumption of the appliance during the unstable state, determine a second stable power consumption state of the appliance, resume recording of the power consumption of the appliance when the appliance is in the second stable power consumption state, and estimate a value of a power consumed during the unstable power consumption state as a factor of the recorded power consumption of the appliance during the first stable power consumption state and the second stable power consumption power state.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a door frame for a wind tower. The method includes a first step of forging a circular planar substance, thereby forming a through hole in a central portion of the substance, a second step of heating the substance that was processed in the first step, a third step of ring-rolling the heated substance around the through hole in an annular shape such that a circumstance of a center hole of the substance is equal to a length of a center line of the door frame, a fourth step of upset-forging the annular substance so that opposite sides of the substance are pressed to form linear sections, and a fifth step of fine-finishing the substance that was processed by the fourth step, thus completing the door frame.

Abstract: A display device including a touch screen, and a corresponding user interface method including displaying a menu, including a plurality of menu elements, on the touch screen; detecting a first touch over one of the displayed menu elements, including detecting a corresponding first touch characteristic; and displaying, within the menu and in response to the first touch characteristic, a sub menu icon associated with the touched menu element. Also, a method including displaying a menu, including a plurality of menu elements, on the touch screen; detecting a first touch over one of the displayed menu elements, including detecting a corresponding first touch characteristic; and determining a user interface mode to be one of a shortcut create mode and a normal selection mode based on the first touch characteristic.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for effectively operating Supply Chain Management (SCM) emerging as a management scheme preferred by mobile terminal manufacturers are provided. The method includes, upon detection of initial booting, gathering at least one of mobile terminal identifier information, product information, and subscriber location information, generating a sales information message comprising the gathered information, and transmitting the generated sales information message. Accordingly, an SCM system is reliably implemented in advance and determines statistical data regarding a time of sales of the mobile terminal. Further, the SCM system may determine statistical data for preferred models and colors of the mobile terminal. In addition, the determined statistical data may be utilized as marketing information or may be usefully utilized for point-of-sales inventory management by performing demand prediction.

Abstract: An electronic device having a user interface on a display and method for controlling the device, the method including: detecting a proximity of an object to the display; detecting a two-dimensional motion pattern of the object; and controlling the user interface according to the detected two-dimensional motion pattern. Also, a method including: detecting an object in a space over a border between first and second zones of a plurality of touch-sensitive zones and outputting a detection signal; and simultaneously displaying first and second information elements corresponding to the first and second zones in response to the detection signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for effectively operating Supply Chain Management (SCM) emerging as a management scheme preferred by mobile terminal manufacturers are provided. The method includes, upon detection of initial booting, gathering at least one of mobile terminal identifier information, product information, and subscriber location information, generating a sales information message comprising the gathered information, and transmitting the generated sales information message. Accordingly, an SCM system is reliably implemented in advance and determines statistical data regarding a time of sales of the mobile terminal. Further, the SCM system may determine statistical data for preferred models and colors of the mobile terminal. In addition, the determined statistical data may be utilized as marketing information or may be usefully utilized for point-of-sales inventory management by performing demand prediction.