System for detecting the filling state of a diffuser vial

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (1, 100) for detecting the filling state of a vial (22, 220) of a diffuser (2, 200) containing a product intended to be diffused, comprising: a capture unit (3, 300) provided with an optical sensor (4, 400b) intended to be arranged opposite the vial so as to capture at least one light beam having passed through the vial; a processing unit (5, 450) designed to detect from the light beam whether the filling level (n) of the vial is below a predetermined threshold; and a communication unit (6, 460) designed to send a notification (N) relating to the filling level to a remote electronic device (8, 800) as a function of the detection.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to the field of diffusers for volatile products. More specifically, this invention relates to a system for detecting the filling status of diffuser vials.

[0002] Diffusers enable the diffusion of volatile products in the air, in typically confined spaces, such as insecticides, room fresheners, essential oils for aromatherapy, or compositions designed to prevent medical or behavioral stress problems in pets such as dogs or cats.

[0003] The product to be diffused is typically contained in a vial. In the case of an electric diffuser, this vial can be installed, for example, in a diffusion unit equipped with a male power plug. The user then inserts the diffuser into a female power outlet, and the diffusion unit diffuses the product contained in the vial. As the product diffuses, the vial empties; at the end of this time, the empty vial must be replaced with a new replacement.

[0004] It has been found that diffuser users cannot easily access the vial's fill status, which can only be determined visually. Furthermore, they must periodically check this status to be able to replace empty vials or actually order new ones before the currently used vials are empty.

[0005] Therefore, these limitations lead to poorer observations from users regarding continuous use of diffusers. For example, in the field of pet stress prevention, it has been found that, on average, users use only two vials per year, and the duration of complete diffusion of the product contained in the vial is only one month. However, particularly in the case of aromatherapy or pet stress prevention, the expected benefits of product diffusion typically only appear after prolonged continuous diffusion. Therefore, the poor observations caused by these limitations do not allow these benefits to be realized.

[0006] It was envisioned that a notification be sent to the user at the end of a predetermined period corresponding to the theoretical duration of complete diffusion, informing them that the vial needs to be replaced. However, this solution is not satisfactory because the duration for complete diffusion varies depending on the product type, technology type, and / or the type of wick used by the diffuser, as well as the atmospheric conditions of the room where the diffuser is installed.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for a system that allows diffuser users to replace diffuser vials when they are empty and to order replacements before the vials are empty, thus allowing for continuous use of the diffuser. This invention was developed in this context and aims to respond to this need.

[0008] For these purposes, the present invention aims to provide a system for detecting the fill status of a diffuser vial containing a product intended for diffusion, the system comprising: a acquisition unit equipped with an optical sensor arranged opposite the vial to acquire at least one light beam that has passed through the vial; a processing unit configured to detect from the light beam whether the fill level of the vial is below a predetermined threshold; and a communication unit configured to send a notification regarding the fill level to a remote electronic device based on the detection.

[0009] The optical sensor can, for example, acquire an image of the vial generated by a natural or ambient light beam passing through the vial or actually generated by a dedicated light source; or it can acquire a directional light beam passing through the vial. The acquisition unit can, for example, be designed to be mounted on the diffuser so as to be positioned to acquire the light beam passing through the vial. In a variation, the acquisition unit can be integrated into the diffuser and arranged to acquire the light beam passing through the vial. Therefore, it should be understood that the optical sensor is arranged in the acquisition unit to acquire the light beam passing through the vial in a positional region corresponding to the location of the vial. The use of an optical sensor is particularly advantageous because obtaining information about the amount of remaining product by means of other types of sensors (e.g., by weighing) when the vial is finished with its use is complex. The optical sensor is therefore arranged to acquire the light beam passing through the vial in a periodic manner (e.g., once a day). In this way, the processing unit can periodically detect the fill status of the vial relative to a predetermined threshold, and the communication unit can transmit a notification on a smartphone or user's digital tablet that indicates the fill status of the vial relative to the threshold, or actually indicates the fill level itself, and thus, in other words, indicates the amount of product remaining in the vial, for example, expressed as a percentage, or actually warns them that the vial needs to be replaced as soon as possible or after a reliably defined period of time.

[0010] According to the invention, the diffuser can be an electric diffuser. For example, the diffuser may include: a male plug designed to cooperate with a female wall socket; a diffusion element; and a vial mounted on the diffusion element such that it can be detached, the vial containing a product intended to be diffused. In one variation, the diffuser may include a base designed to rest on a flat surface and / or may contain an electrical energy source, such as a rechargeable battery pack or battery. The vial may specifically include: a body having a bottom wall; and a wick arranged in the vial by insertion into the product to allow the product to rise towards the diffusion element of the diffuser via capillary action. The diffusion element may be arranged such that, when powered, it diffuses the product contained in the vial, for example by ultrasonic waves or by evaporation. It may include, for example, a heating resistor or a piezoelectric plate. In another variation, the diffusion element may be arranged such that, when powered, it diffuses the product contained in the vial by spraying (or microdiffusion) or by ventilation. If applicable, the diffusion components may include a compressor and nozzles or ventilators, as well as a pad designed to be soaked with the product.

[0011] According to another embodiment, the diffuser can be a portable diffuser that operates without power.

[0012] In a non-limiting manner, the product may be an insecticide or repellent, a disinfectant, a preservative, a mildew inhibitor, a fragrance, an essential oil, an odor eliminator, an air freshener, a composition containing pheromones (e.g., pheromones intended for use in cats), or a product having an equivalent composition, or a combination of several of the aforementioned products.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the optical sensor is an infrared light sensor, and the acquisition unit includes an infrared light emitter arranged opposite the vial, facing the infrared light sensor, and arranged to emit at least one infrared beam through the vial toward the optical sensor. For example, the infrared light emitter may be an infrared light emitting diode, and the optical sensor may be a phototransistor. If applicable, the processing unit is arranged to determine that the vial's fill level is below a predetermined threshold when the optical sensor receives the infrared beam. For example, the processing unit may perform detection when it observes that the light intensity of the beam received by the optical sensor exceeds a given threshold. It should be noted that if the liquid level extends above the normal optical path of the beam emitted by the emitter, the beam is refracted by the liquid as it passes through the vial, and the optical sensor does not receive the beam. Therefore, a liquid level above the position associated with the sensor can be detected, thus determining the detection threshold for the processing unit. Conversely, if the liquid level drops below the normal optical path of the beam, the beam therefore does not undergo significant deflection, and the optical sensor receives it. Therefore, a liquid level below the position associated with the sensor can be detected.

[0014] Advantageously, the infrared light emitter and the infrared light sensor are intended to be arranged opposite the sidewall of the vial and adjacent to the bottom wall of the vial. In other words, the detection threshold of the processing unit corresponds to a substantially empty vial, and the notification emitted by the communication unit can therefore indicate the empty or non-empty state of the vial, and, if applicable, be associated with a filling instruction for the vial.

[0015] More advantageously, the acquisition unit comprises: two infrared light sensors, which are designed to be arranged opposite the vial at two different locations, specifically at the same height; and two infrared light emitters, each designed to be arranged opposite the vial, facing one of the infrared light sensors, and arranged to emit at least one infrared beam through the vial toward the optical sensor. For example, the sensor-emitter pair can be designed to be arranged on either side of the diametrical plane of the vial. These features particularly enable the detection of the vial's filling status, regardless of the vial's tilt.

[0016] According to one example, the optical sensor may include: multiple emitters, each capable of emitting a light beam, particularly an infrared beam, intended to pass through the vial at a given point; and multiple sensors, each arranged to receive the light beam emitted by one of the emitters associated with it. For example, each emitter and each associated sensor may be arranged on either side of the recess, facing each other, and different emitter-sensor pairs may be arranged at different levels. Thus, each sensor-emitter pair defines a threshold, and the processing unit can determine whether the liquid level is below or above the threshold. This is how the vial's fill level is estimated.

[0017] The acquisition unit preferably includes a control module, which is arranged to periodically trigger the transmitter to emit the infrared beam.

[0018] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, an optical sensor is arranged to acquire an image of the vial, and the processing unit is arranged to determine the fill level of the vial based on the image.

[0019] For example, an optical sensor can be a camera.

[0020] The collection unit advantageously includes a light source that illuminates the vial when the collection unit is mounted on the diffuser.

[0021] In one embodiment of the invention, the processing unit is arranged to select a vial fill level from a set of predetermined fill levels based on an image acquired by an optical sensor. For example, the predetermined fill levels may range between an "empty" level and a "full" level. If necessary, the processing unit is arranged to perform preprocessing operations on the image acquired by the optical sensor, particularly resizing, resampling, and / or converting to black and white. Preferably, the processing unit may be arranged to determine the vial's state based on the image acquired by the optical sensor, such as a "positioning error" state or no vial.

[0022] Advantageously, the processing unit is arranged to implement a classifier capable of classifying images acquired by an optical sensor from a knowledge base containing multiple categories, each category comprising one of the padding levels of the set represented by labels, the classifier having been trained with the aid of a machine learning algorithm.

[0023] A classifier is a computer program that determines the category to which a new object given at input belongs, based on learned information. The category is determined by applying decision rules (also known as a knowledge base), which are themselves pre-learned based on the learning data.

[0024] The machine learning phase relies on boundary segmentation (or separation) of the representation space and the assignment of class labels to the resulting regions. The development of the knowledge base (i.e., the machine learning of the classifier) ​​thus involves finding these decision boundaries. The region where a feature vector resides determines its class. For example, a machine learning algorithm might involve being given a set of images of bottles with different fill levels, training a classifier to assign a label representing one of the fill levels to each image, and then showing it the actual fill level of the image, such that the classifier itself defines the optimal decision boundary for that set of images.

[0025] As a non-restrictive instance, the classifier can be one or more of the following classifiers or a combination thereof: neural networks, decision trees, vector / machine support, data partitioning or grouping algorithms. Still in a non-restrictive manner, the classifier can be trained using supervised, unsupervised, or semi-supervised machine learning algorithms, by augmentation, or by transfer.

[0026] In one variation, the processing unit can be arranged to determine the fill level value of the vial based on the image acquired by the optical sensor. Where applicable, the processing unit can be arranged to implement an image processing algorithm or regression model capable of predicting the fill level value based on the image acquired by the optical sensor and on a fill level model previously established using machine learning algorithms.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the acquisition unit includes a housing defining a recess intended for at least partially receiving a vial, and the acquisition unit includes a fixing member for securing the housing to a diffuser. For example, the fixing member may be for securing the housing to the vial, or in a variation, it may be for securing the housing to another component of the diffuser, particularly the male connector of the diffuser component. If applicable, the optical sensor may be arranged within the housing so as to face the sidewall of the vial when it is received in the recess.

[0028] For example, the housing may be provided with an opening through which a vial can be inserted into a recess. The edge of the opening is elastically deformable, allowing the vial to be inserted into the recess by deforming the edge, and this deformation then prevents the vial from being removed from the recess. The collection unit thus forms a module independent of the diffuser, which is mounted on the diffuser without requiring modification of the vial. Preferably, the recess is designed to receive the lower portion of the vial opposite the upper portion mounted on the diffusion component of the diffuser. If desired, the housing may be, for example, annular, so that the vial is inserted between the ring and the diffusion component.

[0029] In one variation, the edge of the opening is provided with one or more resiliently deformable tabs forming the retaining member. In other words, the tabs allow the vial to be inserted into the recess and prevent the vial from being removed from the recess.

[0030] Advantageously, the housing includes a peripheral wall that laterally defines a recess, the peripheral wall including a side gap, and an optical sensor is arranged opposite the gap.

[0031] For example, the recess in the housing intended for receiving the vial is defined by sidewalls and a bottom wall, the edges of which define an opening, and the bottom wall opposite the opening and closing the recess. The housing of the acquisition unit may include a compartment formed adjacent to the bottom wall, or in a variation, formed by an outer wall, and an electronic circuit board is arranged in the compartment, on which an optical sensor is mounted.

[0032] If desired, the housing may include a cavity extending from the gap, and an optical sensor may be disposed within said cavity. If applicable, the optical sensor is mounted on an electronic circuit board via a connector, particularly a flexible printed circuit board, to access the cavity. If desired, the cavity may have a shape that widens from the optical sensor toward the side gap.

[0033] For example, a light source capable of illuminating the vial can be arranged to emit light toward the bottom wall of the vial when it is received in the recess. For instance, the vial can be designed to be inserted into the recess such that its bottom wall is opposite the bottom wall of the recess, which is penetrated by an orifice, and the light source is mounted adjacent to said orifice on a printed circuit board. If desired, the light source can be a light-emitting diode (LED).

[0034] Advantageously, the detection system may include an electrical power source, particularly a rechargeable battery, accumulator, or cell, or essentially a photovoltaic cell. Where applicable, the electrical power source is arranged within a compartment of the housing of the acquisition unit.

[0035] In another embodiment of the invention, the acquisition unit may be integrated into a diffuser. For example, the diffuser may include a housing defining a recess designed to at least partially receive a vial, and the optical sensor of the acquisition unit is arranged within the housing.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the processing unit and the communication unit are integrated into the acquisition unit, for example, via an electronic circuit board arranged in the housing, particularly in a compartment of the housing.

[0037] If applicable, the acquisition unit may include a wireless transmission module arranged to transmit the notification to a remote electronic device. According to one example, the wireless transmission module is a module capable of transmitting data according to a wireless communication protocol, particularly a Wi-Fi protocol, or preferably a Bluetooth-type protocol, or actually a Bluetooth Low Energy type protocol. Preferably, the acquisition unit may include a control module for the wireless transmission module, arranged to trigger the transmission of the notification to the remote electronic device during detection performed by the processing unit.

[0038] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the processing unit is located remotely from the acquisition unit. For example, the processing unit forms part of a data processing server. If applicable, the acquisition unit may include a control module for a wireless transmission module arranged to trigger the transmission of images from the transmission module to the processing unit during image acquisition by the optical sensor.

[0039] Advantageously, the acquisition unit may include at least one sensor arranged to acquire at least one piece of information related to the environment surrounding the diffuser. For example, it may be an ambient temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an air pressure sensor. Therefore, data related to the air quality in the room where the diffuser is installed can be collected.

[0040] Advantageously, the acquisition unit includes a magnetic field sensor capable of detecting a magnetic field emitted by a label, particularly a magnetic label, applied to the vial. If applicable, the magnetic field sensor can be arranged, for example, by mounting it on the electronic circuit board below a recess intended for receiving the vial. Therefore, it should be understood that the magnetic field sensor enables the detection of the presence of the vial within the recess. In a non-limiting manner, the magnetic field sensor can be a Hall effect sensor. If desired, the magnetic field sensor can be an NFC or RFID type sensor capable of acquiring identification information from a radio tag or RFID or NFC tag.

[0041] Advantageously, the control module can be arranged to disable the wireless transmission module when the magnetic field sensor does not detect a magnetic field. Since the wireless transmission module is particularly power-intensive, this ensures that images acquired by the optical sensor are transmitted only when needed. Alternatively or additionally, the control module can be arranged to disable the wireless transmission module if no information item identifying the vial as a given type is received.

[0042] Preferably, the communication unit can be arranged to notify the remote electronic device only when the processing unit detects that the vial's fill level is below the predetermined threshold. In a variation, the communication unit can be arranged to periodically transmit a notification to the remote electronic device, the notification containing the processing unit's comparison result of the vial's fill level, which is below the predetermined threshold.

[0043] In one embodiment of the invention, the communication unit can be arranged to transmit a fill notification to the remote electronic device based on a determined fill level, and in particular, the fill notification includes the determined fill level. Advantageously, the communication unit can be arranged to transmit a notification to the remote electronic device indicating that the vial needs to be replaced when the determined fill level is below the predetermined threshold, for example, when the determined fill level corresponds to an "empty" level. Also advantageously, the communication unit can be arranged to transmit a notification to the remote electronic device that the vial is expected to be replaced soon when the determined fill level is below a second predetermined threshold above the first threshold, for example, when the determined fill level corresponds to an intermediate level between an "empty" level and a full level. If desired, the processing unit can be arranged to predict the end of the vial's lifespan, for example, by means of a previously determined fill state of the vial mounted in the diffuser, and the communication unit can be arranged to transmit a notification to the remote electronic device including the predicted duration.

[0044] Preferably, the communication unit can be arranged to transmit a notification to the remote electronic device, the notification including the charging level of the electrical energy of the acquisition unit, and optionally including information from other sensors of the acquisition unit.

[0045] The present invention also relates to a data acquisition unit for a system for detecting the filling state of a diffuser vial according to the present invention.

[0046] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a product diffuser and a collection unit according to the invention, the diffuser including a vial containing the product. The collection unit may be mounted on the diffuser, particularly on the vial, if applicable. In one variation, the collection unit may be integrated into the diffuser.

[0047] The present invention also relates to a detection system for a diffuser vial containing a product intended for diffusion. The system includes a collection unit comprising a housing defining a recess designed to at least partially receive the vial. The system is characterized in that the collection unit includes a magnetic field sensor capable of detecting a magnetic field emitted by a label, particularly a magnetic label, applied to the vial when it is received in the recess. Where applicable, the housing may include a securing component for attaching the housing to the diffuser.

[0048] Advantageously, the acquisition unit is provided with: an optical sensor arranged to acquire an image of the vial, and the detection system includes a processing unit arranged to determine the fill level of the vial based on the image; and a communication unit arranged to transmit a fill notification to a remote electronic device based on the determined fill level.

[0049] The invention will now be described with reference to embodiments and based on the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of example only and do not limit the scope of the invention in any way, in which:

[0050] [ Figure 1 [Illustration 1] is a partial schematic diagram of a system for detecting the filling state of a vial of a diffuser according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] [ Figure 2 ]yes[ Figure 1 A partially exploded view of the diffuser and acquisition unit of the system;

[0052] [ Figure 3 ] is installed in [ Figure 2 A partial schematic cross-sectional view of the acquisition unit on the diffuser;

[0053] [ Figure 4 [Illustration 1] is a partial schematic diagram of a system for detecting the filling status of a vial of a diffuser according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] [ Figure 5 ]yes[ Figure 4 A partially exploded view of the diffuser and acquisition unit of the system;

[0055] [ Figure 6 ]yes[ Figure 5 A partial schematic perspective view of the acquisition unit;

[0056] In the following description, unless otherwise specified, elements that are identical in structure or function are given the same reference numerals in different figures. Furthermore, the terms “front,” “rear,” “top,” “bottom,” “lower,” and “upper” should be interpreted in the context of the orientation of the acquisition unit as corresponding to normal use of the detection system, such as when the acquisition unit is mounted on an electrical diffuser inserted into a wall socket.

[0057] [ Figure 1 The present invention illustrates a system 1 for detecting the filling state of a vial containing a quantity of product intended to be diffused, according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] In the described embodiments, but not limited thereto, the vial contains a product composed of a pheromone-based composition comprising, for example, at least one carrier sold by Ceva Santé Animal under the trademark Trademark Feliway, and preferably a mixture of fatty acids and / or derivatives. The pheromone-based composition can be applied to non-human mammals, particularly felines, by diffusion into ambient air for the treatment of stress- or anxiety-related symptoms in these non-human mammals.

[0059] System 1 includes a data acquisition unit 3, which is designed to be mounted on diffuser 2. Figure 2 [ ] is an exploded view of diffuser 2 and acquisition unit 3, while [ Figure 3 [ ] is a cross-sectional view of the diffuser 2 on which the acquisition unit 3 is installed.

[0060] In the described example, but not limited thereto, diffuser 2 is an electrical diffuser that includes: a male power plug 21 designed to cooperate with a female power wall socket; a diffusion component 23; and a vial 22 mounted on the diffusion component such that it can be detached, the vial containing a product intended to be diffused.

[0061] The vial 22 includes: a body 24 having a bottom wall 25; and a wick 26 disposed in the vial by being inserted into the product so as to cause the product to rise toward the diffusion component 23 of the diffuser 2 by capillary action. The diffusion component 23 includes a heating resistor (not shown) arranged to heat when powered, and thus diffuse the product contained in the vial by evaporation.

[0062] The collection unit 3 includes a housing 31 that defines a recess L for receiving a vial 22. The recess L is defined by a generally cylindrical sidewall 32 of the housing 31, which opens at the top and is closed at the bottom by a bottom wall 33. The upper edge of the sidewall 32 thus defines an opening O through which the vial 22 can be inserted into the recess L. During normal insertion of the vial 22 into the recess L, the body 24 of the vial is surrounded by the sidewall 32, and the bottom wall 25 of the vial is opposite to the bottom wall 33 of the recess L.

[0063] The edge of the sidewall 32 includes a plurality of elastically deformable tabs 34, which are distributed around the periphery of the sidewall and together form a fixing component for securing the collection unit 3 to the diffuser 2. In other words, these tabs 33 allow the vial 22 to be inserted into the recess L. However, once the vial 22 is inserted, the tabs 33 prevent the vial 22 from being removed from the recess, so that a force must be applied to the vial 22 to allow such removal.

[0064] The housing 31 includes a compartment 35 disposed below the bottom wall 33 of the recess L, and an electronic circuit board 41 and a battery 42 electrically connected to the circuit board 41 are disposed in the compartment. A removable cover 36 closes the compartment 34.

[0065] The electronic circuit board 41 carries the optical sensor 4, that is, the camera 4 in the described example. The camera 4 is arranged in the cavity 37 of the housing and connected to the electronic circuit board 41 via a connector 43 (that is, a flexible printed circuit board in the described example).

[0066] The cavity 37 extends adjacent to the sidewall 32 and widens toward the side gap 38 formed in the sidewall 32. Therefore, in this position, the camera 4 can acquire an image of the diffuser 2 in a positional region corresponding to the position of the vial 22.

[0067] The electronic circuit board 41 also carries a light source 44, that is, a light-emitting diode 44 in the described example. The bottom wall 33 is penetrated by an aperture 37, and the light-emitting diode 44 is mounted on the circuit board 41 below the aperture 37. In this way, the light-emitting diode 44 can illuminate the vial 22 from below through the bottom wall 25, thereby facilitating the camera 4 in acquiring high-quality images.

[0068] The electronic circuit board 41 also carries a control module 45 that integrates a wireless transmission module 46. In the described example, the wireless transmission module 46 is a module capable of transmitting data according to a wireless communication protocol, particularly the Wi-Fi protocol. The control module 45 controls the various components of the acquisition unit 3, particularly the camera 4 and the wireless transmission module. More precisely, the control module 45 is arranged to trigger the camera 4 to acquire images periodically (e.g., once a day).

[0069] The electronic circuit board 41 also carries multiple sensors, including sensors capable of acquiring information related to the surrounding environment of the diffuser 2, particularly an ambient temperature sensor and a Hall effect sensor. In the described example, the various sensors are integrated into the control module 45.

[0070] Bottle 22 may contain, for example, a magnetic tag applied to the outer surface of its bottom wall 25. Since a Hall effect sensor is integrated into the control module 45, it is positioned below the recess L and can therefore detect the magnetic field emitted by the tag. Thus, it should be understood that the Hall effect sensor enables the detection of the presence of a bottle in the recess L. If the Hall effect sensor does not detect a bottle in the recess L, the control module 45 can then deactivate the wireless transmission module 46 to minimize the energy consumption of the acquisition unit 3.

[0071] Now we will combine [ Figure 1 [] is used to describe the continuation of system 1.

[0072] System 1 includes a processing unit 5 and a communication unit 6. In the described example, the processing unit 5 and the communication unit 6 are integrated in a data processing server 7 located remotely from the acquisition unit 3.

[0073] During the user's use of the diffuser 2, on which the acquisition unit 3 is installed, each image I acquired by the camera 4 is transmitted to the server 7 by the wireless transmission module 46.

[0074] The image Im is transmitted to the processing unit 5 and undergoes multiple preprocessing operations, particularly resizing, resampling, and / or conversion to black and white, which simplifies the processing of the image Im.

[0075] Processing unit 5 is arranged to fill a set of predetermined levels {n1,...,n} according to image I. m The fill level of vial n is selected. In the described example, the assembly contains seven fill levels n1 to n6 ranging from an "empty" level n1 to a "full" level n6. It should be noted that the processing unit 5 can also determine from image I whether the vial 22 of the diffuser 2 is mispositioned, or whether the diffuser 22 actually does not contain a vial.

[0076] For these purposes, the processing unit 5 implements a classifier capable of classifying images I from a knowledge base containing multiple categories, each containing one of the padding levels n1 to n6 of the set, and the status "location error" or "not present", each category being represented by a label.

[0077] In the described example, the classifier is a neural network that has been previously trained in supervised mode using machine learning algorithms. For example, the network's hyperparameters, particularly the initial values ​​of the synaptic weights and the bias values ​​of the different neurons in the network, are randomly established. A set of images of vials with different pre-known padded states is then provided to the classifier, which has been trained to assign a label representing one of the padded levels to each image. For each image, the actual padded level corresponding to that image is then provided to the classifier, allowing it to adjust the weight and bias values. In this way, the classifier itself defines the optimal decision rule for the set of images, enabling the assignment of class labels to these images.

[0078] When the operation performed by the processing unit 5 is completed, the filling level n of the vial, which is thus determined, is provided to the communication unit 6.

[0079] It should be noted that during the user's data collection by the data collection unit 3, the unit is coupled to the user's smartphone 8 in the area of ​​the server 7. The smartphone is equipped with a software application for monitoring the filling status of the vial 22.

[0080] Once level n is received, communication unit 6 transmits a notification N containing level n to smartphone 8. The software application can then indicate to the user the remaining amount of product in vial 22.

[0081] In the described example, depending on the value of level n, notification N may contain an alert intended to be transmitted to the user via the software application. Therefore, if the level n selected by processing unit 5 is less than or equal to a given intermediate level, such as level n2, notification N may include a request to the user to schedule a replacement of vial 22 and provide the user with a commercial link allowing them to obtain the replacement. If the level n selected by processing unit 5 is level n1, i.e., level "empty," notification N may include a request to the user to replace vial 22 as soon as possible.

[0082] [ Figure 4 The diagram illustrates a system 100 for detecting the filling status of a vial containing a quantity of product intended to be diffused, according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0083] System 100 includes a data acquisition unit 300, which is intended to be mounted on diffuser 200. Figure 5 [ ] is an exploded view of the diffuser 200 and the acquisition unit 300, while [ Figure 6 [ ] is a perspective view of the acquisition unit 300.

[0084] For example in [ Figure 1 ]to[ Figure 3In the example, diffuser 200 is an electrical diffuser that includes: a male power plug 210 designed to work with a female power wall socket; a diffusion component 230; and a vial 220 mounted on the diffusion component so that it can be detached, the vial containing a product intended to be diffused.

[0085] Vial 220 includes: a body 240 having a bottom wall 250; and a wick 260 disposed in the vial by being inserted into the product so as to cause the product to rise toward the diffusion component 230 of the diffuser 200 by capillary action. The diffusion component 230 includes a heating resistor (not shown) arranged to heat when powered, and thus diffuse the product contained in the vial by evaporation.

[0086] The collection unit 300 includes a housing 310 that defines a recess L for receiving a vial 220. The recess L is defined by a sidewall 320 that forms a ring and is attached to a bottom wall 330. The upper edge of the sidewall 320 thus defines an opening O through which the lower portion of the vial 220 can be inserted into the recess L. During normal insertion of the vial 220 into the recess L, the body 240 of the vial is surrounded by the sidewall 320, and the bottom wall 250 of the vial is opposite to the bottom wall 330 of the recess L.

[0087] The edge of the sidewall 320 is elastically deformable, thus forming a fixing member for securing the collection unit 300 to the vial 220. In other words, the edge deforms to allow the vial 220 to be inserted into the recess L. However, once the vial 220 is inserted, the edge prevents the vial 220 from being removed from the recess, so that a force must be applied to the vial 220 to allow such removal.

[0088] The collection unit 300 is thus formed independently of the vial 220 and can be installed and removed as needed, particularly for replacing or refilling the vial 220.

[0089] The sidewall 320 forms a hollow ring, which thus defines a compartment 350 that extends around the recess L and in which an electronic circuit board 410 and a battery 420 electrically connected to the circuit board 410 are arranged.

[0090] The electronic circuit board 410 carries two optical sensors 400a, namely, in the described example, two phototransistors 400a sensitive to infrared light, and in the described example, two infrared light emitters 400b consisting of two light-emitting diodes. Each sensor 400a and each emitter 400b is thus arranged in a compartment 350, opposite to an aperture 401 provided for this purpose in the surface of the sidewall 320 located on the side of the recess L.

[0091] More precisely, each of the optical sensors 400a is therefore arranged opposite one of the transmitters 400b. Thus, each sensor 400a, together with its facing transmitter 400b, forms a sensor-transmitter pair, which is arranged on either side of the recess L, with corresponding apertures 401, and the vial 220 is thus inserted between the sensor and the transmitter when it is arranged in the recess L. In other words, each transmitter 400b is arranged to emit an infrared beam (in […]) towards the associated optical sensor 400a through the recess L and therefore through the vial 220. Figure 6 (shown as dashed lines in the image).

[0092] It should be noted that, due to the shape of the housing 310 and the sidewall 320, the sensor-transmitter pairs are positioned at the same height relative to the bottom wall 330 of the housing, such that they are intended to be just above the bottom wall 250 of the vial 220. Furthermore, these sensor-transmitter pairs are arranged on either side of the diametrical plane of the recess L.

[0093] The electronic circuit board 410 also carries a light source 440, that is, in the described example, a light-emitting diode 440, which is arranged in the compartment 350 and oriented towards the outside of the housing 310. The sidewall 320 is penetrated by an aperture through which the light-emitting diode 440 can emit light.

[0094] The electronic circuit board 410 also houses a control module 450 integrating a microcontroller and a wireless transmission module 460. In the described example, the wireless transmission module 460 is a module capable of directly transmitting data to a smartphone or tablet 800 according to a Bluetooth Low Energy wireless communication protocol.

[0095] The electronic circuit board 410 also carries multiple sensors, including sensors capable of acquiring information related to the surrounding environment of the diffuser 2, particularly an ambient temperature sensor, a Hall effect sensor, and an NFC tag reader. In the described example, the various sensors are integrated into the control module 450.

[0096] The control module 450 controls the various components of the acquisition unit 300, and in particular, it can control the transmitter 400b and process the data generated by the sensor 400a, control the light source 440, and control the activation and deactivation of the wireless transmission module 460 and the transmission of data by the wireless transmission module.

[0097] With [ Figure 1 ]to[ Figure 3In a manner equivalent to the embodiment described above, the Hall effect sensor enables the detection of a magnetic field emitted by the tag. Therefore, it should be understood that the Hall effect sensor enables the detection of the presence of a vial in the recess L. If the Hall effect sensor does not detect a vial in the recess L, the control module 450 can then deactivate the wireless transmission module 460 to minimize the energy consumption of the acquisition unit 3.

[0098] The NFC tag reader enables the acquisition of identification information of the vial 220 when the vial contains this type of NFC tag, and thus authenticates the vial 220 so that the control module 450 can authorize or deny access to one or more functionalities (including diffusion functionalities) of the system 100.

[0099] Now we will combine again [ Figure 4 [] to describe the operation of system 100.

[0100] The control module 450 is arranged to trigger the emission of an infrared beam in a periodic manner (e.g., every four hours) by each of the transmitters 400b.

[0101] It should be noted that if vial 220 contains sufficient liquid, the liquid level extends above the normal optical path of the light beam emitted by one and / or the other of the emitters 400b toward sensor 400a. From that point onward, one and / or the other of the light beam is refracted by the liquid as it passes through the vial and therefore does not reach the associated optical sensor 400a. Conversely, if the liquid level drops below the normal optical path of one or the other of the light beams, the light beam therefore experiences virtually no deflection, and the associated optical sensor 400a receives it. In other words, the current flowing between the emitter and collector of each phototransistor 400a thus depends on the liquid level in the vial in relation to the position of the phototransistor. Therefore, control module 450 can determine whether the liquid level is above or below the position of these sensors by comparing the current of the sensors 400a with a given threshold. More specifically, if the current of one of the sensors 400a is above the given threshold, control module 450 can determine that vial 220 is actually empty. If the current in each of the sensors 400a is below the given threshold, then the control module 450 can conversely determine that the vial 220 still contains enough liquid.

[0102] Therefore, it should be noted that regardless of the orientation of plug 210 and vial 220, at least one of the sensor-transmitter pair can allow the detection of the filling status of vial 220. Furthermore, with [ Figure 1 ]to[ Figure 3In contrast to the embodiment of [other implementation], all operations of the detection system are performed in the area of ​​the acquisition unit 300, and not in the area of ​​the remote computer server.

[0103] When the microcontroller of the control module 450 detects that the liquid level in the vial 220 is insufficient, the control module 450 controls the light source 440 to emit a light signal indicating that the vial 220 is empty and must be replaced or refilled. Simultaneously, the control module 450 controls the wireless transmission module 460 to transmit a notification to the telephone 800 indicating the empty status of the vial and containing instructions for refilling it.

[0104] The above description clearly explains how the present invention achieves its intended purpose, namely, providing a system that allows a diffuser user to replace the diffuser vial when it is empty and to order replacements before the vial is empty, thereby allowing continuous use of the diffuser by adding an acquisition unit to the diffuser for acquiring images of the vial, processing the images by means of a processing unit to determine the amount of product remaining in the vial, and providing the user with notification of the amount.

[0105] In any event, the invention is not limited to the embodiments specifically described herein, and is particularly extended to all equivalent devices and any possible combinations of techniques of said devices. In particular, it is conceivable to equip diffusers of other types besides those described, especially ultrasonic diffusers, or practically non-electric diffusers, or diffusers associated with other types of products besides pheromone-based compositions, particularly diffusers for insecticides, repellents, disinfectants, antibacterial agents, antifungal agents, fragrances, essential oils, odor eliminators, or air fresheners. Acquisition units can also be integrated into diffusers. Solutions other than those cited that allow the processing unit to determine the vial fill level can also be provided, particularly other types of classifiers, or practically regressors, or even image processing algorithms. The use of optical sensors other than those described, particularly transmitter-receiver sensors operating at wavelengths other than infrared, is also conceivable.

Claims

1. A system (1,100) for detecting the filling state of a vial (22,220) of a diffuser (2,200), the vial containing a product intended for diffusion, the system comprising: a collection unit (3,300) provided with an optical sensor (4,400a) intended to be arranged opposite the vial to collect at least one light beam that has passed through the vial; and a processing unit (5,450) configured to detect from the light beam whether the filling level (n) of the vial is below a predetermined threshold. and a communication unit (6, 460) configured to send a notification (N) regarding the fill level to a remote electronic device (8, 800) based on the detection. in, The acquisition unit (3, 300) includes: a pair of infrared light sensors (400a), which are intended to be arranged at two different locations opposite the vial (2, 200) but at the same height; and a pair of infrared light emitters (400b), each of which is intended to be arranged opposite the vial and facing one of the infrared light sensors (400a), and is arranged to emit at least one infrared beam through the vial to the corresponding optical sensor (400a). The processing unit (5, 450) is arranged to determine that the filling level of the vial (2, 200) is below the predetermined threshold when one of the pair of infrared light sensors (400a) receives the infrared light beam.

2. The detection system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the pair of infrared light emitters (400b) and the pair of infrared light sensors (400a) are intended to be arranged opposite to the sidewall of the vial (220) and adjacent to the lower wall (250) of the vial.

3. The detection system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit (300) comprises: two pairs of infrared light sensors (400a), the two pairs of infrared light sensors being arranged to be opposite the vial (220) in two different positions, the infrared light sensors (400a) in the same pair being positioned in two different positions but at the same height; and two pairs of infrared light emitters (400b), each of the two pairs of infrared light emitters being respectively arranged to be opposite the vial, facing the corresponding infrared light sensor (400a), and arranged to emit at least one infrared beam through the vial toward the corresponding infrared light sensor (400a).

4. The detection system (1, 100) according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit comprises a housing (31, 310) defining a recess (L) intended to at least partially receive the vial (22, 220), and the acquisition unit comprises a fixing member (34, 320) for securing the housing to the diffuser (2, 200), and the optical sensor (4, 400a) is arranged in the housing so as to be opposite the sidewall of the vial when the vial is received in the recess.

5. The detection system (1, 100) according to claim 4, wherein the housing (31, 310) includes a peripheral wall (32, 320) that laterally defines the recess (L), the peripheral wall including a side gap (38, 401), and the pair of infrared light sensors (4, 400a) are arranged in the housing opposite to the gap.

6. The detection system (100) according to claim 5, wherein the processing unit (450) and the communication unit (460) are integrated in the acquisition unit (300).

7. The detection system (1, 100) according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit (3, 300) comprises at least one sensor, the at least one sensor being arranged to acquire at least one piece of information relating to the surrounding environment of the diffuser (2, 200).

8. The detection system (1, 100) according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit (3, 300) includes a magnetic field sensor capable of detecting a magnetic field emitted by a label applied to the vial (22, 220).

9. The detection system (1, 100) according to claim 8, wherein the acquisition unit (3, 300) includes a control module (45, 450) of the communication unit (46, 460), the control module being arranged to deactivate the communication unit when the magnetic field sensor does not detect a magnetic field.

10. A collection unit (3, 300) for use in a system (1, 100) for detecting the filling status of vials (22, 220) of a diffuser (2, 200) according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. An assembly comprising a product diffuser (2, 200) and a collection unit (3, 300) according to claim 10, wherein, The product diffuser includes vials (22, 220) that contain the product.

Images