Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a liner positioned within a cabinet and having an inner liner surface that defines a chilled chamber. A door is rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber and a camera assembly is mounted to the liner for monitoring the chilled chamber. The camera assembly includes a camera housing, a camera mounted within the camera housing and being pivotable between a first orientation and a second orientation, and a pivoting mechanism that is operably coupled to the door such that the camera is oriented in the first orientation when the door is in an open position and in the second orientation when the door is in a closed position.

Abstract: An item-management system is provided having a household appliance, a camera assembly, and a controller. The household appliance may include a cabinet. The camera assembly may be directed at the cabinet to capture an image of the cabinet. The controller may be in operative communication with the camera assembly. The controller may have access to an item list of one or more stored items. The controller may be configured to direct an item-management operation. The item-management operation may include receiving the image from the camera assembly, identifying, automatically, based on the received image, a stored item from the item list, determining, based on identifying the stored item, an unsuitable status of the identified stored item to indicate the identified stored item is inappropriate for the household appliance, and directing, based on determining the unsuitable status, a responsive action at the household appliance.

Abstract: A system and method for data transmission and performance improvement for an appliance is provided. The system includes an appliance including a controller operably connected to a network computing device. The controller is configured to transmit a packet to a network computing device. The packet includes genealogical data for the appliance encoded in a positional numeral system. The network computing device is configured to receive the packet and decode the genealogical data for the appliance. Decoding includes translating the positional numeral system to an appliance configuration.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying a motor coupled to an electrical appliance are disclosed herein. The electrical appliance can include a motor assembly comprising at least one electric motor and a filter network including an electrical resistance component and an electrical capacitance component. The electrical appliance can also include a controller electrically coupled to the motor assembly and the filter network, the controller comprising one or more processors and a memory comprising instructions for performing a process. The process can include providing an input signal to the filter network and receiving an output signal from the filter network, the output signal being filtered by the filter network. The process can also include identifying a filter characteristic of the filter network based on the output signal and identifying a type of the electric motor based on the identified filter characteristic.

Abstract: An appliance repair instruction method for directing a user to perform a repair on an appliance is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving a request for appliance-specific repair instructions, obtaining an image of the appliance, the image including a portion of the appliance, generating an instructional overlay image including an instructional graphic associated with the image received to communicate at least one step of the appliance-specific repair instructions, and communicating the instructional overlay image. A method for directing a user to perform repairs on an appliance is provided that includes sending a request for appliance-specific repair instructions, sending an image of the appliance, and receiving an appliance-specific repair instruction step on a user device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying a motor coupled to an electrical appliance are disclosed herein. The electrical appliance can include a motor assembly comprising at least one electric motor and a filter network including an electrical resistance component and an electrical capacitance component. The electrical appliance can also include a controller electrically coupled to the motor assembly and the filter network, the controller comprising one or more processors and a memory comprising instructions for performing a process. The process can include providing an input signal to the filter network and receiving an output signal from the filter network, the output signal being filtered by the filter network. The process can also include identifying a filter characteristic of the filter network based on the output signal and identifying a type of the electric motor based on the identified filter characteristic.

Abstract: A system and method for data transmission and performance improvement for an appliance is provided. The system includes an appliance including a controller operably connected to a network computing device. The controller is configured to transmit a packet to a network computing device. The packet includes genealogical data for the appliance encoded in a positional numeral system. The network computing device is configured to receive the packet and decode the genealogical data for the appliance. Decoding includes translating the positional numeral system to an appliance configuration.

Abstract: A method of operating a group of household appliances includes connecting, by a primary household appliance of the group of household appliances, to a remote computing device. The method also includes determining, by the remote computing device, that a secondary household appliance of the group of household appliances has an available update and providing, on the primary household appliance, a notification of the available update for the secondary household appliance.

Abstract: An item-management system is provided having a household appliance, a camera assembly, and a controller. The household appliance may include a cabinet. The camera assembly may be directed at the cabinet to capture an image of the cabinet. The controller may be in operative communication with the camera assembly. The controller may have access to an item list of one or more stored items. The controller may be configured to direct an item-management operation. The item-management operation may include receiving the image from the camera assembly, identifying, automatically, based on the received image, a stored item from the item list, determining, based on identifying the stored item, an unsuitable status of the identified stored item to indicate the identified stored item is inappropriate for the household appliance, and directing, based on determining the unsuitable status, a responsive action at the household appliance.

Abstract: An appliance including a control device in operative communication with a user input panel and a sensor provided. The control device is configured to emit, via the sensor, a first plurality of signals defining a first operating mode. The first operating mode includes one or more of a first scan rate or a first scan interval. The control device is configured to switch between the first operating mode and a second operating mode based on one or more of detection of a container, detection of a user, or a user input. The control device is configured to emit, via the sensor, a second plurality of signals defining the second operating mode. The second operating mode includes one or more of a second scan rate or a second scan interval different from the first operating mode.

Abstract: An appliance including a control device in operative communication with a user input panel and a sensor provided. The control device is configured to emit, via the sensor, a first plurality of signals defining a first operating mode. The first operating mode includes one or more of a first scan rate or a first scan interval. The control device is configured to switch between the first operating mode and a second operating mode based on one or more of detection of a container, detection of a user, or a user input. The control device is configured to emit, via the sensor, a second plurality of signals defining the second operating mode. The second operating mode includes one or more of a second scan rate or a second scan interval different from the first operating mode.

Abstract: An oven appliance may include a cabinet, a heating element, temperature sensor, and controller. The heating element may be within the cabinet to heat a cooking chamber. The temperature sensor may be mounted in thermal communication with the cooking chamber. The controller may be configured to initiate a cooking operation.

Abstract: An appliance, such as a refrigerator appliance, and controller configured to perform operations of a method for measuring contents in a container are provided. The operations include receiving, from a sensor, one or more signals indicative of a height of contents in a container, and determining a contents volume in the container based at least on the height of contents in the container.

Abstract: An oven appliance may include a cabinet, a heating element, temperature sensor, and controller. The heating element may be within the cabinet to heat a cooking chamber. The temperature sensor may be mounted in thermal communication with the cooking chamber. The controller may be configured to initiate a cooking operation.

Abstract: A user interface for a consumer appliance, including a method for operating the same, may provide for directing illumination of a first menu icon of the plurality of discrete menu icons at an operational brightness level, and receiving a selection signal corresponding to a second menu icon of the plurality of discrete menu icons during directing illumination of the first menu icon. The second menu icon may be in a relatively-dim state during directing illumination of the first menu icon. Furthermore, the user interface or method may provide for transmitting, based on the second-icon selection signal, an immediate illumination signal directing increased illumination of the second menu icon; and directing, based on the second-icon selection signal, a gradual brightness reduction of the first menu icon from the operational brightness level.

Abstract: Methods of coordinating consumer delivery are provided herein. The methods may include receiving an order signal indicating a plurality of programmed product units, and simulating, apart from a destination container, the plurality of programmed product units within a storage chamber of the destination container. The methods may further include determining, apart from the destination container, an arrangement of the plurality of programmed product units for the storage chamber based on simulating the plurality of programmed product units. The methods may still further include generating instructions for the determined arrangement of the plurality of programmed product units.

Abstract: An appliance communication system is provided herein. The appliance communications system may include an appliance and a passive command tag. The appliance may include a controller configured to direct an operating cycle and an interface module configured to receive an instruction signal corresponding to the operating cycle. The passive command tag may be separably engaged with the appliance in selective communication with the interface module. The passive command tag may be configured to transmit the instruction signal in response to a read signal received from the interface module. The controller may be configured to vary the operating cycle based on the received instruction signal.

Abstract: A method for operating a refrigerator appliance includes operating a dispenser of the refrigerator appliance to initiate a flow of liquid water or ice into a container positioned within a dispensing recess of the dispenser in response to a user input at a user input panel of the refrigerator appliance, receiving one or more signals from a sensor positioned at the dispensing recess after operating the dispenser to initiate the flow of liquid water or ice into the dispensing recess, and detecting a presence of the container in the dispensing recess based at least in part on the one or more signals from the sensor only after operating the dispenser to initiate the flow of liquid water or ice into the dispensing recess. A related refrigerator appliance is also provided.

Abstract: A method for interactive demonstration of an appliance feature includes displaying an appliance feature vignette from a remote server on a computing device in response to a user request at the computing device, and operating a plurality of user prompts on an appliance during the appliance feature vignette. The computing device is connected to a remote server via a network.

Abstract: A tablet for use with a consumer appliance is provided. The tablet may be removably attachable to the consumer appliance, which may charge the tablet through an integrated USB charger. The tablet may be in wired or wireless communication with the appliance and/or a remote server. In this manner, the tablet may provide the user with timely information related to operation of the consumer appliance or directly from the internet.