Odor detection device, odor detection method, and program

Abstract

An odor detection device (1) includes an odor sensor (10), an environmental information measuring unit (11, 12), an odor information collecting unit (20), a difference information acquisition unit (21), and a correction unit (22). The odor sensor (10) detects odor information emitted from an odor generating source (2). The environmental information measuring unit (11, 12) measures environmental information related to an amount of water vapor contained in a surrounding gas. The difference information acquisition unit (21) acquires a difference water vapor amount representing a difference between environmental information around the odor sensor (10) and environmental information around the odor generating source (2). The correction unit (22) corrects odor information collected by the odor information collecting unit (20) based on the difference information acquired by the difference information acquisition unit (21).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an odor detection device, an odor detection method, and a procedure. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a chemical sensor device for identifying substances based on changes in the resonant frequency of oscillators generated during adsorption or detachment. This chemical sensor device comprises multiple oscillators representing the detachment and adsorption characteristics of different substances, each oscillator having a piezoelectric substrate. When an alternating voltage is applied to the multiple oscillators, the piezoelectric substrate deforms, thereby generating vibration. Substances can be identified by determining the oscillators whose resonant frequencies have changed.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-204584 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0007] The aforementioned chemical sensor devices are susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity, resulting in the following problem: even with the same substance, the accuracy of the measurement results will deviate due to the difference between the temperature and humidity around the chemical sensor device and the temperature and humidity around the object being measured.

[0008] The present invention was made under the above-mentioned actual circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an odor detection device, odor detection method and procedure that can suppress the deviation of the accuracy of measurement results.

[0009] Solution for solving the problem

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the odor detection device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes:

[0011] Odor sensor, which detects odor information emitted from the source;

[0012] An environmental information measurement unit measures environmental information that is correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the surrounding gas.

[0013] An odor information collection unit collects the odor information detected by the odor sensor;

[0014] A difference information acquisition unit acquires difference information representing the difference between the environmental information surrounding the odor sensor and the environmental information surrounding the odor source; and

[0015] A correction unit that corrects the odor information collected by the odor information collection unit based on the difference information obtained by the difference information acquisition unit.

[0016] The odor detection device according to the second aspect of the present invention includes:

[0017] Odor sensor, which detects odor information emitted from the source;

[0018] An environmental information measurement unit measures environmental information that is correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the surrounding gas.

[0019] An odor information collection unit collects the odor information detected by the odor sensor;

[0020] A difference information acquisition unit acquires difference information, which represents the difference between the environmental information measured when the odor sensor does not detect the odor information and the environmental information measured when the odor sensor detects the odor information; and

[0021] A correction unit that corrects the odor information collected by the odor information collection unit based on the difference information obtained by the difference information acquisition unit.

[0022] In this case, the odor sensor may also be integrated with the environmental information measuring unit.

[0023] Alternatively, the environmental information measuring unit may include:

[0024] The first measuring unit measures the environmental information surrounding the odor sensor;

[0025] And a second measuring unit, which measures the environmental information surrounding the source of generation.

[0026] The odor detection device corrects the odor information based on the difference between the environmental information measured by the second measuring unit and the environmental information measured by the first measuring unit.

[0027] Alternatively, it may also include a blow-in port for blowing gas into the odor sensor.

[0028] The second measuring unit is located at the blow-in port.

[0029] Alternatively, the odor sensor and the first measuring unit can be integrated into a measuring unit and connected to the second measuring unit via a wired connection.

[0030] Alternatively, the odor sensor and the first measuring unit can be integrated into a measuring unit that is wirelessly connected to the second measuring unit.

[0031] Alternatively, the environmental information measuring unit can be set up separately from the measuring unit with the odor sensor, and the environmental information measuring unit can be freely installed and removed from the measuring unit.

[0032] Alternatively, the odor sensor may have multiple sensing membranes that react with different substances.

[0033] The odor information is defined as the information output by each of the sensing membranes representing the sensing result of the substance.

[0034] The correction unit corrects the odor information for each of the sensing films.

[0035] Alternatively, it may also include a storage unit that stores the relationship between the difference information and the correction value of each of the sensing films.

[0036] The correction unit calculates the correction value corresponding to the difference information based on the relationship stored in the storage unit, and uses the calculated correction value to correct the odor information.

[0037] Alternatively, the environmental information may include at least one of temperature and humidity.

[0038] The odor detection method according to the third aspect of the present invention is performed by an information processing device, and the odor detection method includes the following steps:

[0039] The first measurement step involves measuring environmental information that is correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor source;

[0040] The second measurement step involves detecting odor information using an odor sensor and measuring environmental information that is correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor sensor.

[0041] The difference information acquisition step involves acquiring difference information representing the difference between the environmental information measured in the first measurement step and the environmental information measured in the second measurement step; and

[0042] The correction step corrects the odor information detected in the second measurement step based on the difference information obtained in the difference information acquisition step.

[0043] The odor detection method according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is performed by an information processing device, and the odor detection method includes the following steps:

[0044] The first measurement step involves measuring environmental information that is correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor sensor when the odor sensor does not detect any odor information.

[0045] The second measurement step involves using the odor sensor to detect the odor information while the odor sensor detects the odor information, and measuring the environmental information.

[0046] The difference information acquisition step involves acquiring difference information representing the difference between the environmental information measured in the first measurement step and the environmental information measured in the second measurement step; and

[0047] The correction step corrects the odor information detected in the second measurement step based on the difference information obtained in the difference information acquisition step.

[0048] The program involved in the fifth aspect of the present invention enables a computer to function as a unit in the following ways:

[0049] Odor information collection unit, which collects odor information detected by odor sensors that react to odors generated from the source;

[0050] A difference information acquisition unit acquires difference information representing the difference between environmental information correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor sensor and environmental information correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the source; and

[0051] A correction unit that corrects the odor information collected by the odor information collection unit based on the difference information obtained by the difference information acquisition unit.

[0052] The sixth aspect of this invention relates to a program that enables a computer to function as a unit in the following ways:

[0053] Odor information collection unit, which collects odor information detected by odor sensors that react to odors generated from the source;

[0054] A difference information acquisition unit acquires difference information, which represents the difference between environmental information measured when the odor sensor does not detect the odor information and which is correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor sensor, and environmental information measured when the odor sensor detects the odor information; and

[0055] A correction unit that corrects the odor information collected by the odor information collection unit based on the difference information obtained by the difference information acquisition unit.

[0056] The effects of the invention

[0057] According to the present invention, environmental information correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor sensor and environmental information correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor-generating source are measured. Based on the difference between the measured environmental information, the odor information collected by the odor information collection unit is corrected. This suppresses deviations in the accuracy of the measurement results. Attached Figure Description

[0058] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the odor detection device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 2 This is a block diagram showing the structure of an odor sensor.

[0060] Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 A block diagram of the structure for correcting odor information in an odor detection device.

[0061] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the function of the odor determination unit.

[0062] Figure 5 It is shown Figure 1 A block diagram of the hardware structure of the odor detection device.

[0063] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the odor detection device.

[0064] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the odor detection device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0065] Figure 8 This is a perspective view showing the structure of the odor detection device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0066] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the odor detection device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

[0067] Figure 10 It constitutes Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of the measuring unit of the odor detection device.

[0068] Figure 11 This is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the odor detection device according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention.

[0069] Figure 12A This is a diagram showing the state where no odor information was detected.

[0070] Figure 12BThis is a diagram showing the state of odor information being detected.

[0071] Figure 13 It is shown Figure 11 A flowchart illustrating the operation of the odor detection device.

[0072] Figure 14A It is a graph showing the relationship between the differential water vapor content and the correction value.

[0073] Figure 14B This is a schematic diagram illustrating how correction is performed using correction values. Detailed Implementation

[0074] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or equivalent parts are labeled with the same reference numerals. Furthermore, in this specification, "surrounding" refers to the area adjacent to the object being considered as having the same environmental conditions.

[0075] Implementation Method 1

[0076] First, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the odor detection device 1 according to this embodiment detects odors emitted from the odor generating source 2. Odor detection largely depends on the atmosphere in which the odor is emitted, i.e., the environmental conditions of the surrounding air. Therefore, the odor detection device 1 has a structure that corrects the odor information representing the detected odor based on environmental information. Specifically, the odor detection device 1 includes an odor sensor 10 and environmental information measuring units 11 and 12.

[0077] Odor sensor 10 detects odor information diffused in the space. In this embodiment, such as... Figure 2 As shown, an odor composed of multiple substances a to c is diffused into the atmosphere from the odor source 2. The odor sensor 10 detects the substances a to c. The odor sensor 10 has a sensing membrane 5 (5a) that reacts to substance a, a sensing membrane 5 (5b) that reacts to substance b, and a sensing membrane 5 (5c) that reacts to substance c.

[0078] The sensing membrane 5 includes various sensing membranes such as chemically modified metal, metal oxide semiconductor, or lipid membranes. In this embodiment, any receptor having adsorbed substances a to c can be used as the sensing membrane 5, and there is no particular limitation on its type.

[0079] The sensing membrane 5 is inserted into the structure or circuit of the odor sensor 10. If substances a to c are adsorbed onto the sensing membrane 5, the mass of the sensing membrane 5 changes, and the physical properties of the structure including the sensing membrane 5 or the circuit on which the sensing membrane 5 is installed change. The physical properties of the structure include, for example, the vibration frequency, refractive index, fluorescence intensity, and temperature of the structure on which the sensing membrane 5 is installed. Furthermore, the physical properties of the circuit including the sensing membrane 5 include conductivity, resistance, impedance, potential difference, and capacitance. The odor sensor 10 detects the odor based on the changes in the physical properties of the structure or circuit. The odor detection device 1 according to this embodiment is not limited to the types of such physical properties.

[0080] For example, when the sensing membrane 5 is mounted on a vibrating beam, if the sensing membrane 5 reacts with substances contained in the gas, the mass of the sensing membrane 5 increases or decreases, and the vibration frequency of the vibrating beam changes. The odor sensor 10 outputs information representing the change in vibration frequency for each sensing membrane 5. Based on this change, substances that react with the sensing membranes 5 (5a, 5b, 5c), i.e., substances a to c emitted from the odor generating source 2, can be detected.

[0081] The odor sensor 10 outputs the reaction results of substances a to c according to each sensing membrane 5, that is, the information representing the detected reaction value, as odor information. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the reaction values ​​ra, rb, and rc of substances a, b, and c represent odor information.

[0082] The amount of water vapor in the air surrounding the sensing membrane 5 affects the response value. Therefore, the environmental information measuring units 11 and 12 measure environmental information that is correlated with the amount of water vapor in the surrounding gas.

[0083] More specifically, the environmental information measuring unit 11 measures the environmental information surrounding the odor sensor 10. The environmental information measuring unit 12 measures the environmental information surrounding the odor generating source 2. That is, in this embodiment, the environmental information measuring unit 11 corresponds to the first measuring unit, and the environmental information measuring unit 12 corresponds to the second measuring unit.

[0084] In this embodiment, the environmental information includes not only the amount of water vapor but also temperature and humidity. It is well known that temperature and humidity are correlated with the amount of water vapor in the gas. This is because moisture from the gas is adsorbed in the sensing membrane 5; therefore, the amount of adsorbed substances a to c in the sensing membrane 5 depends on the amount of water vapor in the gas.

[0085] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information measuring unit 11 are integrated. Hereinafter, the structure obtained by integrating the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information measuring unit 11 will also be referred to as the measuring unit 3.

[0086] The odor detection device 1 includes the measuring unit 3 and the information processing device 4. As described above, the information processing device 4 performs information processing based on the detected odor information and the measured environmental information. The information processing device 4 implements its functions by executing software programs using computer hardware resources. The information processing device 4 has an odor information collection unit 20, a differential information acquisition unit 21, a correction unit 22, and an odor determination unit 23 as its functional structure.

[0087] like Figure 3 As shown, the odor information collection unit 20 collects odor information detected by the odor sensor 10. In this embodiment, as... Figure 3 As shown, the odor information collection unit 20 collects information representing the reaction results of substances a to c as odor information for each sensing membrane 5. The reaction value of substance a obtained in this way is set as the reaction value ra, the reaction value of substance b is set as rb, and the reaction value of substance c is set as rc.

[0088] The differential information acquisition unit 21 receives (acquires) environmental information surrounding the odor sensor 10 as measured by the environmental information measurement unit 11. Additionally, the differential information acquisition unit 21 receives (acquires) environmental information surrounding the odor source 2 as measured by the environmental information measurement unit 12.

[0089] The correlation between temperature and humidity and water vapor quantity is shown below. If t is set as temperature (°C), then the saturated water vapor pressure e(t)(hPa) at this time is expressed by the following equation (1).

[0090] [Formula 1]

[0091]

[0092] The saturated water vapor pressure e(t) obtained from the temperature using the above formula (1) is converted into the saturated water vapor quantity a(t) (g / m³) as shown in the following formula (2). 3 ).

[0093] [Formula 2]

[0094]

[0095] Water vapor content (g / m³) 3 ) is calculated according to the following formula (3). Here, h is the humidity (%).

[0096] [Formula 3]

[0097]

[0098] The differential information acquisition unit 21 uses the above equations (1), (2), and (3) to calculate the water vapor content (g / m³) based on the temperature t℃ and humidity h%.3 For example, at a temperature of 22.2℃ and a humidity of 63.7%, the water vapor content is 12.5 g / m³. 3 Additionally, at a temperature of 28.4℃ and a humidity of 44.5%, the water vapor content was 12.4 g / m³. 3 At a temperature of 22.8℃ and a humidity of 57.7%, the water vapor content was 11.7 g / m³. 3 .

[0099] Furthermore, the difference information acquisition unit 21 acquires difference information representing the difference between the environmental information measured by the environmental information measurement unit 11 and the environmental information around the odor source 2 measured by the environmental information measurement unit 12. Specifically, it calculates the difference between the amount of water vapor in the gas around the odor source 2 and the amount of water vapor in the gas around the odor sensor 10. Here, if the amount of water vapor in the gas around the odor source 2 is greater than the amount of water vapor in the gas around the odor sensor 10, the difference is positive; otherwise, the difference is negative.

[0100] The correction unit 22 corrects the odor information collected by the odor information collection unit 20 based on the difference information (specifically, the difference in water vapor quantity, hereinafter referred to as "difference water vapor quantity") obtained by the difference information acquisition unit 21. The correction unit 22 corrects the odor information (reaction value of substance a, reaction value of substance b, reaction value of substance c) for each sensing membrane 5.

[0101] like Figure 3 As shown, the correction unit 22 includes a storage unit 25 that stores the relationship between the difference in water vapor quantity (as difference information) and the correction value for the odor information. The relationship between the difference in water vapor quantity and the correction value for the odor information of each sensing membrane 5 can be stored by… Figure 3 The graph shown illustrates this. In this graph, the horizontal axis represents the difference in water vapor content x, and the vertical axis represents the correction value y. The correction value y represents the difference in the reaction value of the sensing membrane 5 when the difference in water vapor content in the gas is x.

[0102] like Figure 3 As shown, within a defined range centered on the case where the difference in water vapor quantity x is 0, the relationship between the difference in water vapor quantity x and the correction value y is linear. This relationship is different for each substance a to c. Thus, for example, although the difference in water vapor quantity x is the same (diff_h), the correction value y corresponding to substance a is da, the correction value y corresponding to substance b is db, and the correction value y corresponding to substance c is dc. The storage unit 25 stores the relational expressions fa(x), fb(x), and fc(x) representing the linear relationship for each substance a to c.

[0103] The correction unit 22 calculates the correction value y corresponding to the difference in water vapor quantity x based on the relationship between the difference in water vapor quantity x stored in the storage unit 25 and the correction value y (ya, yb, yc) of each sensing membrane 5. The relationship is shown below for example.

[0104] ya = fa(x) = α × x

[0105] yb=fb(x)=β×x

[0106] yc=fc(x)=γ×x

[0107] Here, α, β, and γ are coefficients pre-calculated during actual measurement, and α, β, and γ > 0. The correction value ya is calculated based on the relationship fa(x), i.e., based on the coefficient α and the difference in water vapor quantity x; the correction value yb is calculated based on the relationship fb(x), i.e., based on the coefficient β and the difference in water vapor quantity x; and the correction value yc is calculated based on the relationship fc(x), i.e., based on the coefficient γ and the difference in water vapor quantity x. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the values ​​of coefficients α, β, and γ are different, but these values ​​can also be the same.

[0108] For example, when the difference in water vapor quantity x is diff_h, the correction value ya is fa(diff_h) = α × diff_h, which is... Figure 3 The value of da is shown. Similarly, the correction value yb is fb(diff_h) = β × diff_h, which is... Figure 3 The value shown is db. Additionally, the correction value yc is fc(diff_h) = γ × diff_h, which is... Figure 3 The dc shown.

[0109] The correction unit 22 substitutes the calculated correction values ​​ya, yb, and yc into the following calculation formula to correct the reaction values ​​ra, rb, and rc of substances a to c, and calculates the corrected reaction values ​​ra', rb', and rc'.

[0110] ra'=ra-ya

[0111] rb' = rb - yb

[0112] rc' = rc - yc

[0113] For example, if the difference (difference water vapor amount x) between the environmental information (water vapor amount) around the odor source 2 and the environmental information (water vapor amount) around the odor sensor 10 is diff_h, the correction value ya is da, the correction value yb is db, and the correction value yc is dc. Therefore, the corrected reaction value ra' of substance a, the corrected reaction value rb' of substance b, and the corrected reaction value rc' of substance c are as follows.

[0114] ra' = ra-da

[0115] rb' = rb - db

[0116] rc' = rc-dc

[0117] The odor determination unit 23 determines the odor based on the odor information corrected by the correction unit 22, namely, the corrected reaction value ra' of substance a, the corrected reaction value rb' of substance b, and the corrected reaction value rc' of substance c. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the odor determination unit 23 includes a storage unit 26. The storage unit 26 stores reference reaction values ​​rra, rrb, and rrc, which serve as a reference for the reaction values ​​of the sensing membranes 5 that constitute the odor substances a to c. Furthermore, the reference reaction values ​​rra, rrb, and rrc are values ​​that serve as a reference for the reaction values ​​of the sensing membranes 5 for each substance constituting the odor. When there are multiple substances constituting the odor, the reference reaction values ​​rra, rrb, and rrc are numerical values ​​that accurately represent the ratio (pattern) of the reaction values ​​of the sensing membranes 5 for the multiple substances. In the absence of a difference between the environmental information surrounding the odor source 2 and the environmental information surrounding the odor sensor 10, the average value of the reaction values ​​when substances constituting the odor from the odor source 2 are measured can be used as the reference reaction values ​​rra, rrb, and rrc. For example, the reference reaction values ​​rra, rrb, and rrc of the sensing membranes 5 that react to substances a to c are... Figure 4 The pattern shown. Furthermore, Figure 4 The vertical axis represents the reaction value of the sensing membrane 5 of the odor sensor 10, which changes according to the reaction of the sensing membrane 5 with the substance.

[0118] like Figure 4 As shown, the odor determination unit 23 determines the odor emitted from the odor generating source 2 by performing pattern comparison. This pattern comparison is used to determine whether the patterns of the reaction values ​​ra', rb', and rc' of the substance after correction by the correction unit 22 are similar to the patterns of the reference reaction values ​​rra, rrb, and rrc of the substance. Odor determination can be based on the similarity between the patterns of the reaction values ​​ra', rb', and rc' and the patterns of the reference reaction values ​​rra, rrb, and rrc of the substance constituting the odor. For example, the similarity of the patterns can be determined by whether the distance between the position coordinates of the reaction values ​​ra', rb', and rc' in space, with the standardized reaction values ​​of substances a to c as coordinate axes, and the position coordinates of the reference reaction values ​​rra, rrb, and rrc is below a threshold.

[0119] [Hardware Structure]

[0120] exist Figure 5 The hardware structure of the odor detection device 1 is shown in the figure. For example... Figure 5As shown, the information processing unit 4 of the odor detection device 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 30, a memory 31, an external storage unit 32, an input / output unit 33, a card interface 34, and a communication interface 35. All structural elements of the odor detection device 1 are connected via an internal bus 40.

[0121] CPU 30 is a processor (arithmetic device) that executes software programs (hereinafter referred to as "programs"). The program 39 is read from the external storage unit 32 into the memory 31. The CPU 30 executes the program 39 stored in the memory 31 to perform the operations of the odor information collection unit 20, the difference information acquisition unit 21, the correction unit 22, and the odor determination unit 23.

[0122] The memory 31 is, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory). In addition to storing the program 39 executed by the CPU 30, the memory 31 also stores the data required for the CPU 30 to execute the program 39 and the data generated as the execution result of the program 39.

[0123] External storage unit 32 is, for example, a hard disk. External storage unit 32 stores program 39 executed by CPU 30. In addition, program 39 is stored in a non-transitory recording medium 50 such as a portable USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. External storage unit 32 stores program 39 transferred from recording medium 50.

[0124] The input / output unit 33 is an interface for data input and output with the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information measuring units 11 and 12. Odor information detected by the odor sensor 10 and environmental information measured by the environmental information measuring units 11 and 12 are stored in the memory 31 via the input / output unit 33.

[0125] Card interface 34 is the interface with recording medium 50. Program 39 is input via card interface 34 and stored in external storage unit 32. Storage units 25 and 26 in information processing device 4 correspond to external storage unit 32.

[0126] Communication interface 35 is an interface for connecting to communication networks such as the Internet. It connects to external server computers or similar devices via this communication interface 35. The relationship between the difference information and correction values ​​of environmental information stored in storage unit 25, and the reference reaction values ​​rra, rrb, and rrc of substances a to c stored in storage unit 26, can be downloaded from the server computer to external storage unit 32.

[0127] The operation input unit 36 ​​is a human-machine interface operated by the operator. The operation input unit 36 ​​may include, for example, a keyboard and mouse, as well as a keyboard itself. Operation input to the operation input unit 36 ​​is sent to the CPU 30. The CPU 30 executes program 39 based on the content of the operation input.

[0128] Display unit 37 is a human-machine interface for displaying images. Display unit 37 may be a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) or an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The display unit 37 displays the determination results of detected odors, etc. Furthermore, operation input unit 36 ​​and display unit 37 may be integrated into a single touch panel.

[0129] In addition, as Figure 5 The information processing device 4 in the hardware structure shown can be a personal computer or a portable terminal such as a smartphone.

[0130] Next, the operation of the odor detection device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The odor detection method according to this embodiment is an odor detection method executed by the information processing device 4 of the odor detection device 1.

[0131] First, such as Figure 6 As shown, the odor detection device 1 measures the environmental information surrounding the odor-generating source 2 (step S1; first measurement step). Specifically, as... Figure 1 As shown, the differential information acquisition unit 21 acquires the environmental information measured by the environmental information measurement unit 12. In this case, as... Figure 5 As shown, the CPU 30 inputs environmental information measured by the environmental information measurement unit 12 via the input / output unit 33 and stores the environmental information in the memory 31.

[0132] Next, the odor detection device 1 detects the odor information detected by the odor sensor 10 and measures the environmental information surrounding the odor sensor 10 (step S2; second measurement step). Specifically, as... Figure 1 As shown, the odor information collection unit 20 collects odor information detected by the odor sensor 10, and the differential information acquisition unit 21 acquires environmental information measured by the environmental information measurement unit 11. In this case, as... Figure 5 As shown, the CPU 30 inputs odor information detected by the odor sensor 10 and environmental information measured by the environmental information measuring unit 11 via the input / output unit 33, and stores them in the memory 31.

[0133] Next, the odor detection device 1 acquires difference information (step S3; difference information acquisition step), which represents the difference between the environmental information measured in step S1 and the environmental information measured in step S2. Specifically, as... Figure 1 As shown, the difference information acquisition unit 21 acquires difference information representing the difference between the environmental information surrounding the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information surrounding the odor generating source 2. In this case, as... Figure 5 As shown, the CPU 30 calculates the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor source 2 and the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor sensor 10 based on the temperature and humidity measured by the environmental information measuring units 11 and 12 stored in the memory 31, using the above-mentioned equations (1), (2), and (3). Then, the CPU 30 calculates the difference in water vapor content x obtained by subtracting the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor source 2 from the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor sensor 10 as the difference information of the environmental information, and stores it in the memory 31.

[0134] Next, the odor detection device 1 corrects the odor information measured in step S1 based on the difference information obtained in step S3 (step S4; correction step). Specifically, the correction unit 22 calculates correction values ​​ya, yb, and yc corresponding to the difference in water vapor quantity x obtained by the difference information acquisition unit 21, and uses the correction values ​​ya, yb, and yc to correct the reaction values ​​ra, rb, and rc of substances a to c collected by the odor information collection unit 20, thereby calculating the corrected reaction values ​​ra', rb', and rc' of substances a to c. In this case, the CPU 30 refers to the relationship between the difference in water vapor quantity x stored in the external storage unit 32 and the correction values ​​fa(x), fb(x), and fc(x), calculates the correction values ​​ya, yb, and yc corresponding to the difference in water vapor quantity x, corrects the reaction values ​​ra, rb, and rc of substances a to c to the reaction values ​​ra', rb', and rc' of substances a to c, and stores the corrected reaction values ​​ra', rb', and rc' in the memory 31.

[0135] Next, the odor detection device 1 determines the odor based on the corrected odor information (reaction values ​​ra', rb', rc' of substances a to c) (step S5; odor determination step). Specifically, the odor determination unit 23 determines whether the pattern of the corrected reaction values ​​ra', rb', rc' of substances a to c matches the pattern of the reference reaction values ​​rra, rrb, rrc of substances a to c stored in the storage unit 26. In this case, the CPU 30 compares the pattern of the reaction values ​​ra', rb', rc' of substances a to c with the pattern of the reference reaction values ​​rra, rrb, rrc of substances a to c to determine whether an odor composed of substances a to c is detected. The CPU 30 displays and outputs the determination result to the display unit 37.

[0136] Thus, by executing this procedure 39, it becomes possible to enable... Figure 5 The computer with the hardware resources shown functions as the following units: an odor information collection unit 20, which collects odor information detected by an odor sensor 10 for detecting odor information emitted from an odor source 2; a difference information acquisition unit 21, which acquires difference information (difference water vapor amount x) representing the difference between environmental information that causes a change in the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor sensor 10 and environmental information that causes a change in the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor source 2; and a correction unit 22, which corrects the odor information (reaction values ​​ra, rb, rc) collected by the odor information collection unit 20 based on the difference information (difference water vapor amount x) acquired by the difference information acquisition unit 21; and the corrected odor information (reaction values ​​ra', rb', rc') by the correction unit 22.

[0137] Implementation Method 2

[0138] Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described.

[0139] like Figure 7 As shown, the structure of the odor detection device 1 according to this embodiment is the same as that of the odor detection device 1 according to Embodiment 1 above. That is, the odor detection device 1 according to this embodiment includes a measuring unit 3, an environmental information measuring unit 12, and an information processing device 4. An odor sensor 10 and an environmental information measuring unit 11 are embedded in the measuring unit 3. In the odor sensor 10, a sensing membrane 5 is provided inside two through holes 10a.

[0140] The environmental information measurement unit 12 is connected to the measurement unit 3 via a wired cable 12a. The environmental information measured by the environmental information measurement unit 12 is transmitted to the information processing device 4 via the wired cable 12a and the measurement unit 3.

[0141] The structure of the information processing device 4 is the same as that of the odor detection device 1 described in Embodiment 1. The odor information collection unit 20 collects odor information (reaction values ​​ra to rc of substances a to c) detected by the odor sensor 10. The difference information acquisition unit 21 acquires difference information (difference water vapor quantity x) representing the difference between the environmental information surrounding the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information surrounding the odor source 2. The correction unit 22 corrects the odor information collected by the odor information collection unit 20 based on the difference information (difference water vapor quantity x) acquired by the difference information acquisition unit 21. The odor determination unit 23 determines the odor based on the corrected odor information (reaction values ​​ra' to rc' of substances a to c).

[0142] Furthermore, the measurement unit 3 and the environmental information measurement unit 12 can also be connected wirelessly without a wired cable 12a. Examples of such wireless units include Bluetooth (registered trademark), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and ZigBee, but are not limited to these.

[0143] Implementation Method 3

[0144] Next, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described.

[0145] like Figure 8 As shown, the odor detection device 1 according to this embodiment differs from the odor detection device 1 according to the above embodiment 1 in that it has a blow-in port 60, which blows gas into the odor sensor 10.

[0146] The inlet 60 is formed by a cylindrical component having a through hole 60a. The through hole 60a is connected to the sensing membrane 5 of the odor sensor 10 of the measuring unit 3. The odor sensor 10 detects the odor information contained in the gas blown into the inlet 60.

[0147] Furthermore, an environmental information measuring unit 12 for measuring environmental information surrounding the odor generating source 2 is provided at the front end of the inlet 60. Additionally, in the measuring unit 3, similar to that in Embodiment 2, an environmental information measuring unit 11 for measuring environmental information surrounding the odor sensor 10 is provided (in... Figure 8 (Not shown in the figure). Therefore, the environmental information measuring unit 12 can measure the environmental information around the odor generating source 2, and the environmental information measuring unit 11 can measure the environmental information around the odor sensor 10.

[0148] The structure of the information processing device 4 is the same as that of the odor detection device 1 described in Embodiment 1. That is, it calculates the difference information (difference water vapor quantity x) between the environmental information measured by the environmental information measuring unit 12 and the environmental information measured by the environmental information measuring unit 11, corrects the odor information (reaction values ​​ra to rc) detected by the odor sensor 10 based on the difference information, and determines the odor based on the corrected odor information (reaction values ​​ra' to rc').

[0149] The odor detection device 1 according to this embodiment can be used for various purposes. For example, it can be used for detecting halitosis. When an odor is blown into the inlet 60, the substances contained in the odor can be detected. Since the temperature of the odor differs greatly immediately after it is blown out and when it reaches the odor sensor 10, the odor can be detected with high accuracy by calibration, as in this embodiment. In addition, since exhaled breath contains a large amount of moisture, the odor can be detected with high accuracy by calibration, as in this embodiment.

[0150] Furthermore, the location of the environmental information measurement unit 12 is not limited to [specific location]. Figure 8 The location shown is acceptable. It can be placed at a location where environmental information surrounding the odor-generating source 2 can be measured. For example, the environmental information measuring unit 12 can also be pulled out from the inlet 60.

[0151] Implementation Method 4

[0152] Next, Embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described.

[0153] like Figure 9 As shown, the odor detection device 1 involved in this embodiment and Figure 1 The difference between the odor detection device 1 described in Embodiment 1 above is that it does not include an environmental information measurement unit 12.

[0154] In the odor detection device 1 according to this embodiment, both the environmental information surrounding the odor-generating source 2 and the environmental information surrounding the odor sensor 10 are measured by the environmental information measuring unit 11. Figure 10 As shown, the environmental information measurement unit 11 is separately arranged from the measurement unit 3 and is detachably connected to the measurement unit 3 via a retractable wired cable 11a. When measuring the environmental information around the odor source 2, the wired cable 11a is extended, and the environmental information measurement unit 11 is placed near the odor source 2 to measure the environmental information around the odor source 2. Furthermore, when measuring the environmental information around the odor sensor 10, the wired cable 11a is incorporated into the odor sensor 10 so that the measurement unit is positioned near the odor sensor 10 to measure the surrounding environmental information.

[0155] The structure of the information processing device 4 in this embodiment is the same as that of the information processing device 4 of the odor detection device 1 in Embodiment 1 described above. That is, it calculates the difference between the environmental information measured by the environmental information measuring unit 11 stretched to the odor generating source 2 and the environmental information measured by the environmental information measuring unit 11 housed in the measuring unit 3, corrects the odor information detected by the odor sensor 10 based on the difference, and determines the odor using the corrected odor information.

[0156] Furthermore, similar to Embodiment 2 described above, the measuring unit 3 with the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information measuring unit 11 can be connected in a wired manner. Alternatively, the measuring unit 3 with the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information measuring unit 11 can also be connected wirelessly.

[0157] Implementation Method 5

[0158] Next, embodiment 5 of the present invention will be described.

[0159] In the above embodiment, the detection error of odor information caused by the difference between the environment surrounding the odor sensor 10 and the environment at the odor source 2 was corrected. However, there is also a situation where the odor source 2 itself causes changes in temperature and humidity, which are environmental information, thus causing detection errors in the odor information that should be detected. In this embodiment, a system is provided to correct the detection error of odor information caused by the odor source 2.

[0160] like Figure 11 As shown, in this embodiment, the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information measurement unit 11 are integrated in the measurement unit 3. In the odor detection device 1 of this embodiment, the environmental information measurement unit 12 is not provided. Furthermore, the information processing device 4 also includes an environmental information acquisition unit 21a for non-detection periods, an environmental information acquisition unit 21b for detection periods, and a switching unit 24.

[0161] like Figure 12A As shown, when there is no odor source 2 in the vicinity of the odor sensor 10 and no odor is detected by the odor sensor 10, the switching unit 24 switches to acquiring the environmental information measured by the environmental information measurement unit 11 through the non-detection environmental information acquisition unit 21a. This switching can be performed by an operator's input. Alternatively, the switching unit 24 can also determine whether an odor is detected based on the detection value of the odor sensor 10 and switch based on this determination result.

[0162] like Figure 12BAs shown, when there is an odor source 2 around the odor sensor 10 and the odor is detected by the odor sensor 10, the switching unit 24 switches to acquiring the environmental information measured by the environmental information measurement unit 11 through the detection environmental information acquisition unit 21b.

[0163] The difference information acquisition unit 21 acquires difference information representing the difference between the environmental information measured by the non-detection environmental information acquisition unit 21a and the environmental information measured by the detection environmental information acquisition unit 21b.

[0164] The correction unit 22 calculates a correction value and corrects the odor information based on the difference information obtained by the difference information acquisition unit 21. The odor determination unit 23 determines the odor based on the corrected odor information.

[0165] Next, the operation of the odor detection device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The odor detection method according to this embodiment is executed by the information processing device 4 of the odor detection device 1.

[0166] like Figure 13 As shown, firstly, the odor detection device 1 measures environmental information when no odor is detected (step S11; first measurement step). Specifically, as... Figure 11 As shown, when not in use, the environmental information acquisition unit 21a acquires the environmental information measured by the environmental information measurement unit 11.

[0167] Next, the odor detection device 1 detects the odor information detected by the odor sensor 10, and while the odor sensor 10 has detected the odor information, it measures the environmental information surrounding the odor sensor 10 (step S12; second measurement step). Specifically, as... Figure 11 As shown, the odor information collection unit 20 collects the odor information detected by the odor sensor 10, and the environmental information acquisition unit 21b acquires the environmental information measured by the environmental information measurement unit 11 during detection.

[0168] Next, the odor detection device 1 acquires difference information representing the difference between the environmental information measured in step S11 and the environmental information measured in step S12 (step S13; difference information acquisition step). Specifically, as follows... Figure 11 As shown, the difference information acquisition unit 21 acquires difference information, which represents the difference between the environmental information around the odor sensor 10 measured when there is no odor source 2 nearby and no odor information is detected, and the environmental information when there is an odor source 2 nearby and the odor sensor 10 detects odor information.

[0169] Next, the odor detection device 1 corrects the odor information measured in step S12 based on the difference information obtained in step S13 (step S14; correction step). Specifically, as follows... Figure 14A As shown, the correction unit 22 calculates the correction values ​​ya, yb, and yc corresponding to the difference water vapor quantity diff_h obtained by the difference information acquisition unit 21, based on the characteristics of the difference water vapor quantity x (as difference information) and the correction value. Then, as... Figure 14B As shown, the correction unit 22 uses correction values ​​ya, yb, and yc to correct the reaction values ​​ra, rb, and rc of substances a to c collected by the odor information collection unit 20, and calculates the corrected reaction values ​​ra', rb', and rc' of substances a to c.

[0170] Next, the odor determination unit 23 of the odor detection device 1 determines the odor based on the corrected odor information (reaction values ​​ra', rb', rc' of substances a to c) (step S15; odor determination step).

[0171] Furthermore, in this embodiment, environmental information is detected after the odor sensor 10 detects odor information, and then environmental information is detected again while the odor sensor 10 detects odor information. However, this is not a limitation, and the reverse is also possible.

[0172] Thus, in odor source 2, the odor detection value detected by odor sensor 10 may sometimes deviate depending on the amount of saturated water vapor in its vicinity. In this embodiment, a correction value for the odor information is obtained using the difference information representing the difference between environmental information in a state where no odor is detected and environmental information when an odor is detected. This correction value is used to correct the odor information, thereby suppressing the deviation in measurement accuracy caused by the influence of odor source 2.

[0173] As detailed above, according to the above embodiment, environmental information correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor sensor 10 and environmental information correlated with the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor source 2 are measured. Based on the difference between the measured environmental information (difference water vapor content x), the odor information (response values ​​ra to rc) of the odor sensor 10, which changes according to the amount of water vapor contained in the surrounding gas, is corrected. Therefore, errors in the odor information caused by the difference between the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor sensor 10 and the amount of water vapor contained in the gas surrounding the odor source 2 can be reduced, thus suppressing deviations in the accuracy of the measurement results.

[0174] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, environmental information correlated with the amount of water vapor in the gas when the odor sensor 10 does not detect odor information and environmental information correlated with the amount of water vapor in the gas when the odor sensor 10 detects odor information are measured. The odor information (response values ​​ra to rc) of the odor sensor 10, which changes according to the amount of water vapor in the surrounding gas, is corrected based on the difference between the measured environmental information (difference water vapor amount x). Therefore, errors in the odor information caused by the difference between the amount of water vapor in the gas where there is no nearby odor source 2 and the amount of water vapor in the gas where there is a nearby odor source 2 can be reduced, thus suppressing deviations in the accuracy of the measurement results.

[0175] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, correction is performed within a range where the correction values ​​ra to rc of the difference in water vapor quantity and the reaction values ​​of substances a to c can be considered linearly related, thus enabling high-precision correction. That is, one advantage of this odor detection device 1 is that it can perform high-precision correction within a range that maintains a linear relationship, based on the difference in environmental information rather than on the environmental information itself.

[0176] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the odor sensor 10 has multiple sensing membranes 5 (5a, 5b, 5c) that react with different substances a to c, and outputs information representing the reaction result of substances a to c as odor information for each sensing membrane 5. On the other hand, the calibration unit 22 calibrates the odor information (reaction values ​​ra to rc) for each sensing membrane 5. In this way, odors composed of multiple substances a to c can be detected with high precision.

[0177] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, a storage unit 25 is provided, which stores the relationship between the difference information representing the difference between the environmental information of the air surrounding the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information of the air surrounding the odor generating source 2, and the correction value of each sensing membrane 5. The correction unit 22 calculates the correction value corresponding to the difference information based on the relationship stored in the storage unit 25, and uses the calculated correction value to correct the odor information. In this way, the response value can be accurately corrected for each sensing membrane 5.

[0178] Furthermore, the odor detection device 1 according to embodiments 1 to 3 above includes: an environmental information measuring unit 11 that measures environmental information around the odor sensor 10; and an environmental information measuring unit 12 that measures environmental information around the odor source 2. Additionally, the correction unit 22 corrects the odor information (response values ​​ra to rc) based on the difference between the environmental information measured by the environmental information measuring unit 12 and the environmental information measured by the environmental information measuring unit 11. In this way, it is possible to simultaneously measure the environmental information around the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information around the odor source 2.

[0179] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, a blow-in port 60 is provided for blowing gas into the odor sensor 10. An environmental information measurement unit 12 is provided at the blow-in port 60. In this way, air emitted from the odor generating source 2 and detected by the odor sensor 10 can be reliably captured, thereby measuring its environmental information.

[0180] Alternatively, in the above embodiments, the odor sensor 10 can be integrated with the environmental information measuring unit 11. This allows for high-precision detection of the environmental information surrounding the odor sensor 10.

[0181] In the above embodiments, the measuring unit 3 with the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information measuring unit 12 can be connected in a wired manner, or they can be connected wirelessly. If the measuring unit 3 and the environmental information measuring unit 12 are connected wirelessly, their positional relationship can be freely changed within the distance where wireless communication is possible.

[0182] Furthermore, the odor detection device 1 according to Embodiment 4 described above includes an environmental information measuring unit 11, which is separately provided from the measuring unit 3, and the environmental information measuring unit 11 is detachably connected to the measuring unit 3. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The environmental information measuring unit 11, which is integrated with the odor sensor 10, can also measure the environmental information around the odor generating source 2 and the environmental information around the odor sensor 10. In this way, it is not necessary to set up multiple measuring units for measuring environmental information. The measuring unit 3 with the odor sensor 10 and the environmental information measuring unit 11 can also be connected wirelessly. If the measuring unit 3 and the environmental information measuring unit 11 are connected wirelessly, their positional relationship can be freely changed within the distance where wireless communication is possible.

[0183] Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the environmental information includes temperature and humidity. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Temperature or humidity may be measured alone as environmental information. Additionally, if the environmental information affects the amount of water vapor in the surrounding air, the measured environmental information is not limited to temperature and humidity.

[0184] Alternatively, each sensing membrane 5 may be equipped with an environmental information measuring unit 11. Multiple environmental information measuring units 12 may also be provided in the presence of multiple odor generating sources 2.

[0185] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the calibration unit 22 includes a storage unit 25, and the odor determination unit 23 includes a storage unit 26, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The odor detection device 1 only needs to include storage units 25 and 26.

[0186] Furthermore, the hardware or software structure of the odor detection device 1 is one example, and it can be arbitrarily changed and modified.

[0187] The central part of the odor detection device 1, which consists of an odor information collection unit 20, a difference information acquisition unit 21, a correction unit 22, and an odor determination unit 23, does not rely on a dedicated system and can be implemented using a conventional computer system. For example, the odor detection device 1 that performs the above-described actions can be configured by storing the computer program for performing the above actions on a computer-readable recording medium (floppy disk, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, etc.) and installing the computer program on a computer. Alternatively, the odor detection device 1 can be configured by pre-saving the computer program in the storage device of a server device on a communication network such as the Internet and downloading the computer program to a conventional computer system.

[0188] In cases where the function of the odor detection device 1 is achieved through the sharing of OS (operating system) and application, or through the cooperation of OS and application, only the application part may be stored on the recording medium or storage device.

[0189] Computer programs can also be overlaid on a carrier wave and published via a communication network. For example, a computer program can be posted on a bulletin board system (BBS) on a communication network and published via the network. Furthermore, the computer program can be configured to execute like other applications under the control of the operating system by starting it, thereby performing the aforementioned processing.

[0190] This invention can be implemented and modified in various ways without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the invention. That is, the scope of the invention is defined not by the embodiments, but by the claims. Moreover, various modifications implemented within the scope of the claims and their equivalent inventive meaning are considered to be within the scope of the invention.

[0191] Furthermore, with respect to this application, priority is claimed based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-94854, filed on May 29, 2020, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-217205, filed on December 25, 2020, and the description, claims, and drawings of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-94854 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-217205 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0192] Industrial availability

[0193] This invention can be applied to odor detection.

[0194] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0195] 1: Odor detection device; 2: Odor generation source; 3: Measurement unit; 4: Information processing device; 5: Sensing membrane; 10: Odor sensor; 10a: Through hole; 11, 12: Environmental information measurement unit; 11a, 12a: Wired cable; 20: Odor information collection unit; 21: Differential information acquisition unit; 21a: Environmental information acquisition unit when not detecting; 21b: Environmental information acquisition unit when detecting; 22: Calibration unit; 23: Odor determination unit; 24: Switching unit; 25, 26: Storage unit; 30: CPU; 31: Memory; 32: External storage unit; 33: Input / output unit; 34: Card interface; 35: Communication interface; 36: Operation input unit; 37: Display unit; 39: Program; 40: Internal bus; 50: Recording medium; 60: Air inlet; 60a: Through hole.

Claims

1. An odor detection device comprising: an odor sensor that detects odor information emitted from a source; an environmental information measuring unit that measures environmental information related to an amount of water vapor contained in a surrounding gas; an odor information collecting unit that collects the odor information detected by the odor sensor; a difference information obtaining unit that obtains difference information indicating a difference between the environmental information around the odor sensor and the environmental information around the source; and a correction unit that corrects the odor information collected by the odor information collecting unit based on the difference information obtained by the difference information obtaining unit.

2. The odor detection device according to claim 1, wherein the odor sensor is integrated with the environmental information measuring unit.

3. The odor detection device according to claim 1, wherein the environmental information measuring unit comprises: a first measuring unit that measures the environmental information around the odor sensor; and a second measuring unit that measures the environmental information around the source, the odor detection device correcting the odor information based on difference information between the environmental information measured by the second measuring unit and the environmental information measured by the first measuring unit.

4. The odor detection device according to claim 3, further comprising a blowing inlet for blowing a gas to the odor sensor, the second measuring unit being provided to the blowing inlet.

5. The odor detection device according to claim 3, wherein a measuring unit in which the odor sensor is integrated with the first measuring unit is connected to the second measuring unit in a wired manner.

6. The odor detection device according to claim 3, wherein a measuring unit in which the odor sensor is integrated with the first measuring unit is connected to the second measuring unit in a wireless manner.

7. The odor detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the odor sensor has a plurality of sensing films of different substances that react, the odor information indicating a sensing result of the substance is outputted per sensing film, and the correction unit corrects the odor information per sensing film.

8. The odor detection device according to claim 7, further comprising a storage unit that stores a relationship between the difference information and a correction value for each sensing film, the correction unit calculating the correction value corresponding to the difference information based on the relationship stored in the storage unit and correcting the odor information using the calculated correction value.

9. The odor detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the environmental information includes at least one of a temperature and a humidity.

10. An odor detection device comprising: an odor sensor that detects odor information emitted from a source; an environmental information measuring unit that measures environmental information related to an amount of water vapor contained in a surrounding gas; an odor information collecting unit that collects the odor information detected by the odor sensor; ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ a difference information acquisition unit that acquires difference information that indicates a difference between the environmental information measured in a state in which the odor sensor does not detect the odor information and the environmental information measured in a state in which the odor sensor detects the odor information; and a correction unit that corrects the odor information collected by the odor information collection unit based on the difference information acquired by the difference information acquisition unit.

11. The odor detection device according to claim 10, wherein the environmental information measurement unit is provided separately from a measurement unit having the odor sensor, and is detachable with respect to the measurement unit.

12. The odor detection device according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the odor sensor has a plurality of sensing films that differ from each other in a substance that reacts, outputs information indicating a sensing result of the substance as the odor information for each of the sensing films, the correction unit corrects the odor information for each of the sensing films.

13. The odor detection device according to claim 12, wherein a storage unit that stores a relationship between the difference information and a correction value for each of the sensing films is further provided, the correction unit obtains the correction value corresponding to the difference information based on the relationship stored in the storage unit, and corrects the odor information using the obtained correction value.

14. The odor detection device according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the environmental information includes at least one of temperature and humidity.

15. An odor detection method executed by an information processing device, the odor detection method comprising the steps of: a first measurement step of measuring environmental information that has relevance to an amount of water vapor included in a gas around an odor source; a second measurement step of detecting odor information by an odor sensor, and measuring environmental information that has relevance to an amount of water vapor included in a gas around the odor sensor; a difference information acquisition step of acquiring difference information that indicates a difference between the environmental information measured in the first measurement step and the environmental information measured in the second measurement step; and a correction step of correcting the odor information detected in the second measurement step based on the difference information acquired in the difference information acquisition step.

16. An odor detection method executed by an information processing device, the odor detection method comprising the steps of: a first measurement step of measuring environmental information that has relevance to an amount of water vapor included in a gas around an odor sensor in a state in which the odor sensor does not detect odor information; a second measurement step of detecting odor information by the odor sensor in a state in which the odor sensor detects the odor information, and measuring the environmental information; a difference information acquisition step of acquiring difference information that indicates a difference between the environmental information measured in the first measurement step and the environmental information measured in the second measurement step; and a correction step of correcting the odor information detected in the second measurement step based on the difference information acquired in the difference information acquisition step. ​ a correction step of correcting the odor information detected in the second measurement step based on the difference information obtained in the difference information obtaining step.

17. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program, which causes a computer to function as: an odor information collecting unit that collects odor information detected by an odor sensor that reacts to an odor generated from a generation source; a difference information obtaining unit that obtains difference information indicating a difference between environmental information that has a correlation with an amount of water vapor contained in a gas around the odor sensor and environmental information that has a correlation with an amount of water vapor contained in a gas around the generation source; and a correction unit that corrects the odor information collected by the odor information collecting unit based on the difference information obtained by the difference information obtaining unit.

18. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program, which causes a computer to function as: an odor information collecting unit that collects odor information detected by an odor sensor that reacts to an odor generated from a generation source; a difference information obtaining unit that obtains difference information indicating a difference between environmental information that has a correlation with an amount of water vapor contained in a gas around the odor sensor and environmental information that has a correlation with an amount of water vapor contained in a gas around the generation source; and a correction unit that corrects the odor information collected by the odor information collecting unit based on the difference information obtained by the difference information obtaining unit.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer program which, when executed by a processor, performs the odor detection method according to claim 15 or 16.

Images