Abstract: Methods of operating a refrigerator appliance are provided. The refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a food storage chamber with a drawer slidably mounted within the food storage chamber. The refrigerator appliance also includes a sensor operable to detect an atmospheric condition within the food storage chamber of the drawer and a camera assembly positioned and configured for monitoring the drawer. The methods generally include obtaining an image using the camera assembly and analyzing the image to identify a first food item and a second food item in the food storage chamber of the drawer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a refrigerator appliance is provided. The refrigerator appliance can include a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a controller configured to operate one or more components of the refrigerator appliance, and a camera assembly operable to monitor the chilled chamber. The camera assembly can include a camera module having a camera that is operable to capture data associated with the chilled chamber. The controller and the camera module can each be configured to respectively perform one or more operations of an authentication process to verify identity of the controller and the camera module. The camera module can be configured to operate the camera to capture the data associated with the chilled chamber and/or to transmit a redacted version of the data associated with the chilled chamber to the controller based at least in part on verification of the identity of the controller and the camera module.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a door, an image module, and a shelf assembly. The cabinet may define a chilled chamber. The door may be rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber. The image module may be mounted to the cabinet. The shelf assembly may be disposed below the image module within the chilled chamber. The shelf assembly may include a support panel attached to the cabinet, a first shelf attached to the support panel, a second shelf attached to the support panel and spaced apart from the first shelf, and a weight sensor mounted on the support panel to detect stored mass at the first shelf and the second shelf.

Abstract: A method for additively manufacturing a microstructure from a caloric material includes providing a geometry of the microstructure to a processor of an additive manufacturing device, the geometry defining a plurality of microfeatures of the microstructure. The method also includes generating, via the processor, a three-dimensional (3D) model representative of the geometry of the microstructure, wherein one or more of the plurality of microfeatures are represented in the 3D model by a non-arcuate profile. Further, the method includes printing, via the additive manufacturing device, the microstructure from the caloric material according to the 3D model. As such, the non-arcuate profile reduces a file size of the 3D model as compared to an arcuate profile.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is provided including a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber, and a camera assembly positioned within the chilled chamber and being rotatable between a first position and a second position. A controller is configured to obtain one or more images using the camera assembly, determine a position of the camera assembly, and generate a modified image by cropping the one or more images based on a field of view associated with the position of the camera assembly.

Abstract: A refrigerator is provided having a shelf assembly and a controller. The shelf assembly may include a shelf and a drive mechanism configured to move the shelf in at least a vertical direction. The refrigerator also includes an object detection system configured to detect an article placed adjacent to the shelf. The controller may be configured to determine the proximity of an article and the shelf using the object detection system, detect a shelf moving event, and move the shelf in response to the shelf moving event. The shelf moving event may be based, at least in part, on the proximity of the article and the shelf. The controller may also be configured to move the shelf in response to detecting a flow restriction above or below the shelf.

Abstract: A refrigeration appliance and method for operation are provided. The refrigeration appliance includes a cabinet forming a refrigeration chamber. One or more of a shelf or a drawer is mounted within the refrigeration chamber and configured to retain a foodstuff. A sensor is positioned in the refrigeration chamber, the sensor configured with a field of view toward the shelf or the drawer. The sensor is configured to obtain a temperature measurement at the field of view. A controller is configured in operable communication with the sensor. The controller is configured to determine thermal mass of the foodstuff over a period of time.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a door, a camera module, a user-detection assembly, and a controller. The cabinet may define a chilled chamber. The camera module may be mounted to the cabinet within the chilled chamber. The camera module may be alternately activated in a low-power sleep mode and a high-power awake mode. The user-detection assembly may be mounted to the cabinet to detect a user presence independent from rotation of the door. The controller may be operably coupled to the camera module and the user-detection assembly. The controller may be configured to initiate an operation routine that includes receiving one or more detection signals from the user-detection assembly, determining a user presence based on the received one or more detection signals, and directing the camera module to the high-power awake mode from the low-power sleep mode in response to determining the user presence.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a refrigerator appliance is provided. The refrigerator appliance can include a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a door to provide selective access to the chilled chamber, and a camera assembly operable to monitor the chilled chamber. The camera assembly can include a camera module having a camera that is operable to capture data associated with the chilled chamber. The camera module can be configured to capture audio data associated with the chilled chamber. The camera module can be further configured to determine a position of the door based at least in part on the audio data associated with the chilled chamber. The camera module can be further configured to operate the camera to capture the data associated with the chilled chamber based at least in part on a determination that the door is in an open position.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a door, a camera module, a user-detection assembly, and a controller. The cabinet may define a chilled chamber. The camera module may be mounted to the cabinet within the chilled chamber. The camera module may be alternately activated in a low-power sleep mode and a high-power awake mode. The user-detection assembly may be mounted to the cabinet to detect a user presence independent from rotation of the door. The controller may be operably coupled to the camera module and the user-detection assembly. The controller may be configured to initiate an operation routine that includes receiving one or more detection signals from the user-detection assembly, determining a user presence based on the received one or more detection signals, and directing the camera module to the high-power awake mode from the low-power sleep mode in response to determining the user presence.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a freezer drawer, a camera module, and a controller. The freezer drawer may include a drawer body and a freezer door coupled to the drawer body to move therewith and provide selective access to a freezer chamber. The controller may be operably coupled to the camera module. The controller may be configured to initiate an operation routine. The operation routine may include initiating an image capture sequence at the camera module to capture one or more two-dimensional images, identifying a first stored item based on the one or more two-dimensional images of the image capture sequence, determining an internal location of the first stored item within the freezer drawer based on the one or more two-dimensional images of the image capture sequence, and recording a descriptor of the first stored item and the internal location of the first stored item.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance including a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a door to provide selective access to the chilled chamber, and a camera assembly operable to monitor the chilled chamber. The camera assembly including a plurality of cameras coupled to a multiplexer device via a plurality of electrical cables, and a controller coupled to the multiplexer device. The plurality of cameras operable to concurrently capture data associated with the chilled chamber. Each camera of the plurality of cameras coupled to an electrical cable of the plurality of electrical cables. The multiplexer device operable to multiplex different data signals having the data associated with the chilled chamber that are concurrently provided to the multiplexer device by the plurality of cameras via the plurality of electrical cables and output a multiplex signal including the different data signals. The controller configured to perform operation(s) based in part on receipt of the multiplex signal.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a door, a camera module, and a controller. The cabinet may define a chilled chamber. The door may be rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber. The camera module may be mounted to the cabinet within the chilled chamber. The controller may be operably coupled to the camera module. The controller may be configured to initiate an operation routine. The operation routine may include receiving one or more images for each of a plurality of capture sequences, detecting a pervasive obfuscation condition at the camera module based on the received one or more images, and directing a responsive action on the refrigerator appliance in response to detecting the pervasive obfuscation condition.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a door, a humidity sensor, and a controller. The cabinet may define a chilled chamber. The door may be rotatably hinged to the cabinet to move between an open position and a closed position. The humidity sensor may be mounted to the cabinet within the chilled chamber. The controller may be operably coupled to the humidity sensor. The controller may be configured to initiate an operation routine. The operation routine may include detecting a first humidity level within the cabinet in response to the door being in the open position, detecting a second humidity level within the cabinet when the door is in the closed position following detecting the first humidity level, determining an ambient humidity level outside of the cabinet based on the first and second humidity levels, and transmitting the determined ambient humidity level to a secondary appliance.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a food storage chamber. A door is positioned on the cabinet and is movable between a closed position and an open position. A door opener includes a casing, a push screw extending through the casing towards the door and a motor in operative communication with the push screw. The motor is configured to move the push screw when the motor is activated. The motor rotates a drive gear when the motor is activated and the push screw reciprocates generally along a linear direction when the motor is activated.

Abstract: Methods of operating a refrigerator appliance are provided. The refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a food storage chamber with a drawer slidably mounted within the food storage chamber. The refrigerator appliance also includes a sensor operable to detect an atmospheric condition within the food storage chamber of the drawer and a camera assembly positioned and configured for monitoring the drawer. The methods generally include obtaining an image using the camera assembly and analyzing the image to identify a first food item and a second food item in the food storage chamber of the drawer.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is provided including a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber, and a camera assembly mounted to the cabinet for monitoring the chilled chamber. A controller is operably coupled to the camera assembly and is configured to obtain a raw image using the camera assembly, analyze the raw image to identify an anchor object, crop the raw image to generate a reduced image surrounding the anchor object, and analyze the reduced image to identify a food item being added to or removed from the chilled chamber.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a door, a camera module, and a controller. The camera module may be mounted to the cabinet. The controller may be operably coupled to the camera module. The controller may be configured to initiate an operation routine. The operation routine may include initiating an image capture sequence at the camera module. The image capture sequence may include a two-dimensional image captured at the camera module. The operation routine may further include determining an appendage-occupied region within the two-dimensional image and analyzing the appendage-occupied region in response to determining the appendage-occupied region. The operation routine may still further include assigning a confidence score to a user profile stored in the controller based on analyzing the appendage-occupied region, comparing the assigned confidence score to a threshold score, and recording metadata regarding the two-dimensional image based on comparing the assigned confidence score.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a food storage chamber. A door is positioned on the cabinet and is movable between a closed position and an open position. A door opener includes a casing, a gear box, a sliding nut movable relative to the gear box, and a finger extending through the gear box. The finger is movable with the sliding nut. The door opener also includes a sensor. The finger extends outside of the casing to contact an inner surface of the door when the door is in the closed position and the door opener is in a zero position. The sensor is configured to detect movement of the door opener from the zero position.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is provided including a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber, and an audiovisual input assembly for monitoring the chilled chamber. A controller obtains a video stream and an audio stream using the audiovisual input assembly and analyzes these streams using a standard object weighting to generate a video-based inventory change and an audio-based inventory change. An inventory list is updated if the video-based inventory change and the audio-based inventory change match. Otherwise, the controller can reanalyze the streams using an updated object weighting to see if the audio and video streams generate matching proposed inventory changes.