bucket detection for an ice making and storage compartment 200 of the present invention it should be understood that the term u201c ice u201d as used in the description of the present invention is intended to comprise more than water in its frozen state but shall be broadly construed to comprise any volume of matter in a defined container or volume such as bucket 206 ice present in the bucket 206 of the ice making and storage compartment 200 is detected by optical system 300 the optical system 300 creates invisible infrared ir beams 314 324 at infrared transmitters 310 and 320 the infrared beams 314 and 324 cross the bottom of the ice bucket 206 or in the ice chute 203 to receivers 312 and 322 to detect whether any ice is in the bucket 206 slots 211 defined in the sidewalls of the ice bucket 206 and ice chute 203 allow projection of the beams through the ice bucket and ice chute to the receivers 312 and 322 as shown more than one beam 314 or 324 may be used to increase the probability of detecting ice however one or more than two beams may be used in different location to detect ice within the ice making and storage compartment 200 or chute 203 when any of the beams 314 or 324 are interrupted cooling of the bucket 206 is enabled to prevent melting of the ice if no ice is detected and the ice.