Vehicle fragrance dispensing apparatus

Abstract

A vehicle fragrance dispensing apparatus may include a fragrance cartridge configured to contain a fragrance agent, a controller configured to determine a degree of fragrance diffusion of the fragrance agent, a valve, and a fan. The controller may be configured to operate the valve and control the fan to regulate an airflow path to the flavouring agent and draw air through the airflow path and over the flavouring agent based on a degree of fragrance diffusion.

Description

Background Art

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aroma dispensing.

[0002] Existing solutions for dispensing fragrance in vehicles include traditional car air fresheners, which have scented oils contained on a blotter structure suspended in the car. When the traditional air freshener is suspended in the car, the scented oils spread the fragrance in the car. However, the fragrance of traditional car air fresheners cannot be evenly diffused, and the scented oils lose their fragrance intensity over time. In other existing solutions, car fragrance dispensers include liquid scented oil bottles that can be opened to expose the liquid scented oils and diffuse the fragrance in the car. However, the temperature in the vehicle can fluctuate between hot and cold temperatures, and these temperature changes can affect the liquid scented oils in traditional car air fresheners. At high temperatures, as the liquid scented oil evaporates, the fragrance will diffuse too quickly and produce a strong fragrance. At low temperatures, the fragrance will not diffuse either.

[0003] Additionally, these solutions are limited in that it is often difficult to tell when a scent dispenser has run out of scent or when a hanging paper air freshener has run out of scent because the dispenser typically lacks any type of indicator, leaving one to manually smell the dispenser to determine how much scent is actually left, which is ineffective because the dispenser itself still smells like the diffused scent at close range, but the diffused scent may have little to no effect in the vehicle being scented. Summary of the invention

[0004] According to one innovative aspect of the subject matter described in the present disclosure, an example system includes a vehicle fragrance dispensing device. The vehicle fragrance dispensing device also includes: a fragrance cartridge configured to contain a fragrance; a controller configured to determine a fragrance diffusion degree of the fragrance; a valve, wherein the controller is configured to operate the valve based on the fragrance diffusion degree to adjust an airflow path to the fragrance; and a fan, wherein the controller is configured to control the fan based on the fragrance diffusion degree to draw air through the airflow path and through the fragrance.

[0005] According to one innovative aspect of the subject matter described in the present disclosure, an example system includes a vehicle fragrance dispensing device. The vehicle fragrance dispensing device also includes: a motion sensor that captures motion data; a temperature sensor that captures temperature data, a diffusion device that determines the degree of diffusion of the fragrance cartridge based on the motion data and the temperature data, a valve mechanism that opens an airflow path through the diffusion device based on the degree of diffusion, and a fan that moves air through the airflow path and through the fragrance cartridge.

[0006] However, the features and advantages listed above are not all, and many other features and advantages are also within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, it should be noted that the language used in the present disclosure is mainly selected for readability and guidance purposes, rather than for limiting the scope of the subject matter of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1A is a block diagram illustrating an example system for vehicle fragrance dispensing.

[0008] Figure 1B is a block diagram illustrating an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device.

[0009] Figure 2A is a bottom perspective view of an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device.

[0010] Figure 2B is a top perspective view of an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device.

[0011] Figure 2C is a right side view of an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device.

[0012] Figure 2D is a rear view of an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device.

[0013] Figure 2E is a bottom view of an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device.

[0014] Figure 2F is a front view of an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device.

[0015] Figure 2G is a top view of an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device.

[0016] Figure 2H is a left side view of an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device.

[0017] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device.

[0018] Figure 4A An example fragrance cartridge having a valve recess configured to receive a valve is depicted.

[0019] Figure 4B and 4C Various views of the valve are depicted.

[0020] Figure 4D Depicted is the fragrance cartridge with the valve removed.

[0021] Figure 5A An example fragrance cartridge including a slide valve is depicted.

[0022] Figure 5BDepicted in Figure 5A Exploded view of an example fragrance cartridge depicted in the examples of FIG.

[0023] Figure 5C An exemplary slide valve is depicted.

[0024] Fig. 6A An example vehicle fragrance dispensing device including a rotatable plate valve is depicted.

[0025] Figure 6B Depicted is a partially exploded view of an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device including a rotatable plate valve.

[0026] Figure 7 is a flow chart of an example method for activating a vehicle fragrance dispensing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The technology described in this disclosure relates to dispensing a scent within a vehicle using a vehicle scent dispensing device. As an example, the technology allows the vehicle scent dispensing device to be positioned in a vehicle, such as a car or truck, and to dispense a scent in an efficient manner that takes into account the state of the vehicle (e.g., moving, parked, etc.) and the temperature of the interior of the vehicle. By taking into account the state of the vehicle and the temperature of the interior of the vehicle, the vehicle scent dispensing device is able to create a stable and consistent scent experience for the user while also extending the life of the scent cartridge compared to conventional scent systems.

[0028] Figure 1A 1 is a block diagram showing an example system 100 for vehicle fragrance distribution. The system 100 may include one or more vehicle fragrance distribution devices 132 positioned in a vehicle 158. In a typical embodiment, a single vehicle fragrance distribution device 132 is positioned in a single vehicle 158, but in a large vehicle such as a bus or a train, a plurality of vehicle fragrance distribution devices 132 may be positioned throughout the large vehicle for effective fragrance distribution. In some embodiments, the vehicle fragrance distribution device 132 may be positioned in various positions by the user, and may be positioned using various attachment mechanisms such as magnets, hook-and-loop fasteners, clips, etc. For example, in one embodiment, the device 132 may have a magnet on the back, which may be attached to any suitable surface, or a mounting plate may be positioned on a surface for the device 132 to be mounted. The magnet allows the device 132 to be portable and to be moved as needed when operated using battery power.

[0029] As shown, the system 100 also includes a user device 106 and a dispenser management server 150, which are electronically communicatively coupled via the network 102 to interact with each other and (one or more) fragrance dispensers 132 using standard networking protocols, as shown by signal lines 104, 138, and 152. In some embodiments, the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 can alternatively be communicatively coupled to the user device 106 (e.g., via Bluetooth, beacon, or other network protocols, as shown by signal line 140) to allow the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 to connect with a paired user device 106 when in proximity, rather than through the network 102.

[0030] A dispenser management application 160, operable by the dispenser management server 150, may receive operational data from a vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 associated with a vehicle 158, a user device 106, and / or a user(s) 112. The dispenser management application may receive management requests for the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132, such as the degree of diffusion or various data that may be analyzed over time to improve the fragrance dispensing experience of the user 112.

[0031] The dispenser management server 150 includes a data repository 170 that stores various types of data used by the dispenser management application 160. Example data types include device data 180, user data 182, and / or vehicle data 184. The device data 180 may include device model, fragrance cartridge type, usage statistics, fragrance diffusion time, temperature changes, etc. The user data 182 may include entries for users 112 of the system 100. A given entry may include a unique identifier for the user, a unique identifier for the user device 106, contact information for the user (e.g., address, phone number, electronic address (e.g., email)), payment information, fragrance reservation information specifying which recurring fragrance cartridge 250 should be shipped to the user, etc. The vehicle data 184 may include entries for vehicle-related data, such as vehicle type, detected average interior and / or exterior vehicle temperature, movement data, geographic location data from the user device 106, etc.

[0032] Figure 1BA block diagram of example components of a vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 is depicted, which is depicted as including a power source 185, one or more sensors 186, a controller 188, (one or more) output devices 192, a dispenser firmware 194, a fan 190, and any number of fragrance cartridges 250. Components 185, 186, 188, 190, 192, and 250 are communicatively coupled via a communication bus 198. The controller 188 may include a non-transitory storage device, or may be coupled to a non-transitory storage device that is also coupled for communication via the bus 198. The non-transitory storage device may store software that specifically configures the controller, such as the dispenser firmware 194. The power source 185 may be any AC (alternating current) and / or DC (direct current) power source for powering the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132. In some embodiments, the power source 185 may be a battery and may be configured to charge when plugged into an AC and / or DC power source. The controller 188 may be a microchip that controls the component electronics of the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 (eg, sensor(s) 186 , output device(s) 192 , fan 190 , etc.).

[0033] The one or more sensors 186 may include one or more temperature sensors for detecting the ambient temperature near the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132. For example, when the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 is placed in a vehicle 158, the temperature inside the vehicle 158 may fluctuate widely depending on the season, the location of the vehicle 158 (e.g., parked in the shade or in the sun), whether the vehicle 158 is being driven, whether the climate control in the vehicle is operating, etc. The temperature sensors can detect these various temperatures, and the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 can use these readings to determine the effective diffusion of the fragrance.

[0034] The one or more sensors 186 may also include one or more accelerometers or other movement sensors for detecting movement of the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132. For example, the accelerometer or other movement sensor may detect when the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 and the vehicle 158 in which the vehicle fragrance dispensing device is located are moving, compared to when the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 and the vehicle 158 are stationary. The vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 may use the movement data to effectively diffuse the fragrance.

[0035] In some embodiments, the one or more sensors 186 may also include a cartridge sensor for sensing when the (one or more) fragrance cartridges 250 installed in the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 are replaced, (one or more) optical sensors for detecting the identity of the (one or more) fragrance cartridges 250 installed in the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132, an ambient light sensor for detecting the light level in the surrounding environment (e.g., the vehicle 158), and / or a motion sensor for detecting the movement of objects in the surrounding environment (e.g., the user 112 or other people), etc. In some embodiments, the sensor 186 may include a separate cartridge compartment temperature sensor for the fragrance cartridge 250 (e.g., measuring the temperature at the fragrance cartridge 250 for adjusting the speed and / or frequency of the fan 190).

[0036] The vehicle fragrance dispensing device may also include a transceiver 196 having a wireless interface configured to communicate with devices coupled to the network 102 (e.g., the dispenser management server 150) and / or other components of the network 102 using a standard communication protocol (e.g., the Internet Protocol). In addition, the transceiver 196 may be configured to wirelessly transmit data over the network to connect to other devices, such as the user device 106. As a further example, the transceiver 196 may use a protocol compliant with IEEE 802.15 (e.g., the Internet Protocol). or other suitable standards) to send data to the user device 106 linked thereto. Further embodiments are also possible and contemplated. In some embodiments, the transceiver 196 may be embedded in the controller 188, or may be a component distinct from the controller and coupled to the controller 188 via the bus 198.

[0037] (One or more) output devices 192 may include a light source and / or an audio reproduction device, but other suitable output devices may also be envisioned and applied. In some embodiments, the light source and / or the audio reproduction device may be controlled to produce an output consistent with the scent emitted by the scent dispenser (e.g., a faint, soothing light and music may be output in conjunction with the relaxing scent being emitted), or to convey various alarms, such as low battery, low scent level of the scent box, etc.

[0038] The fan 190 may include a motor with one or more fan blades that force air through the device 132 when the motor is running. The fan 190 may run at various speeds based on how fast the motor runs. The fan 190 may be configured to be nested within the housing of the device 132 and move air through the airflow path above the fragrance cartridge 250 for fragrance diffusion. In some embodiments, the fan 190 can be turned on and off based on a signal from the controller 188, so that the fragrance is diffused immediately.

[0039] The scent cartridge 250 may be detachable and include a scent agent, such as gel, oil, oil-impregnated paper, etc., to diffuse the scent into the nearby air. When the scent decreases, the scent cartridge 250 may be replaced and a new scent cartridge 250 may be inserted into the device 132. The scent cartridge 250 may have various scent profiles, and information about the scent cartridge 250 may be stored in the dispenser management application 160 to store the various scent profiles, the age of the scent cartridge 250, the duration of use of the scent cartridge 250, the exposure temperature of the scent cartridge 250, etc.

[0040] Back to Figure 1A , the user device 106 may be a computing device with data processing and communication capabilities. In some embodiments, the user device 106 may include a processor (e.g., virtual, physical, etc.), a memory, a power supply, a network interface, and / or other software and / or hardware components, such as a display, a graphics processor, a wireless transceiver, a keyboard, a camera, a sensor, firmware, an operating system, a driver, and various physical connection interfaces (e.g., USB, HDMI, etc.).

[0041] The user devices 106 may be coupled to and communicate with each other and other entities of the system 100 via the network 102 using wireless and / or wired connections. Examples of user devices 106 may include, but are not limited to, mobile phones (e.g., feature phones, smart phones, etc.), tablet computers, smart watches or other smart wearable devices, laptop computers, desktop computers, netbooks, server devices, servers, virtual machines, televisions, set-top boxes, media streaming devices, portable media players, navigation devices, personal digital assistants, car access panels, etc. In addition, although in Figure 1A A single user device 106 is depicted in FIG. 1 , but it should be understood that any number of user devices may be connected to and in communication with the other components of system 100 .

[0042] The user device 106 may include a fragrance application that allows the user to set settings for the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132, turn the fragrance dispensing device 132 on and off, purchase a fragrance cartridge 250 for the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132, set up the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132, register an account, set up a vehicle profile, associate the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 with a particular vehicle and / or vehicle profile, view analytics reflecting the user's historical use of his / her scented vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132, enable user profiles and set up fragrance profiles for the fragrance dispensing device installed in a vehicle, set up a profile hierarchy (e.g., set which user profile(s) is the dominant user profile), and the like.

[0043] Allocator management server 150 may include one or more computing devices with data processing, storage, and communication capabilities. For example, server 150 may include one or more hardware servers, virtual servers, server arrays, storage devices and / or systems, etc., and / or may be centralized or distributed / cloud-based. In some embodiments, server 150 may include one or more virtual servers that run in a host server environment and access the physical hardware of the host server through an abstraction layer (e.g., a virtual machine manager), including, for example, processors, memory, storage devices, network interfaces, etc.

[0044] Although not shown, the server 150 may include a (physical, virtual, etc.) processor, non-transitory memory, a network interface, and a data store 170, which may be communicatively coupled via a communication bus. Similarly, the user device 106 may include a physical processor, non-transitory memory, a network interface, a display, an input device, a sensor, and a capture device. It should be understood that the server and client devices may take other forms and include more or fewer components without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0045] The software operating on the server 150 (e.g., the allocator management application 160, the operating system, the device drivers, etc.) can collaborate and communicate via software communication mechanisms implemented in association with the server bus. The software communication mechanisms can include and / or facilitate, for example, inter-process communication, local function or procedure calls, remote procedure calls, object proxies (e.g., CORBA), direct socket communications between software modules (e.g., TCP / IP sockets), UDP broadcast and receive, HTTP connections, etc. In addition, any or all communications can be secure (e.g., SSH, HTTPS, etc.).

[0046] As shown, the server 150 may include a dispenser management application 160 that embodies a remotely accessible scent service. The dispenser management application 160 may send and receive data to and from other entities of the system including the controller 188, the user device 106, etc. The dispenser management application 160 may be configured to store and retrieve data from one or more information sources, such as a data repository 170. Figure 1A A single server 150 is depicted in FIG. 1 , but it should be understood that one or more servers 150 may be included.

[0047] In some embodiments, the dispenser firmware 194, the fragrance application, the dispenser management application 160, etc. may require a user to register in order to access the actions and / or functions provided by them. For example, in order to access the various actions and / or functions provided by the fragrance application, the dispenser management application 160, and / or the fragrance dispenser 132, these components may require a user to authenticate his / her identity (e.g., by confirming a valid electronic address). In some cases, these entities 132, 160, etc. may interact with a federated identity server (not shown) to register / authenticate a user. Once registered, these entities 132, 160, etc. may require a user seeking access to authenticate by entering credentials in an associated user interface.

[0048] Figures 2A-2H 1 are various views of an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132. As shown, the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 includes a housing 200 that houses the components of the fragrance dispenser (e.g., fragrance cartridge 250, fan 190, power supply 185, sensor 186, etc.). In some embodiments, as shown, the device 132 can be cylindrical with a flat top and bottom surface, however, other shapes and configurations are also contemplated. The housing 200 includes a top surface 202 and a recess 204 through which the fragrance is dispersed from the housing 200.

[0049] like Figure 2C As shown, the housing 200 may include perforations 208, through which air may be sucked and / or discharged from the housing 200, and then blown out of the recess 204 by the fan 190 (not shown). In some embodiments, a portion of the housing 200 including the perforations 208 may be rotated about an axis to allow air to flow through the airflow path of the device 132. In this example, the user may manually rotate the portion of the housing and allow the holes inside the housing 200 to align with the external holes, thereby allowing air to flow through the airflow path of the device 132 for fragrance diffusion. In some embodiments, the rotatable portion may rotate around a bearing so that the portion may rotate without wear, and the rotation serves as a rotating mechanism to open and close the fragrance diffusion. In some embodiments, the holes may be sealed by rotating a portion of the housing 200 to a closed position, and / or opened by rotating a portion of the housing 200 to an open position. In some embodiments, the housing 200 may be further sealed in a closed position using various O-rings or other sealing devices to stop airflow.

[0050] like Figure 2DAs shown, the housing 200 may include an electronic port 206, such as a USB-C, USB, or other electronic port, which a user may utilize to charge one or more batteries of the power source 185, connect to other devices, plug the fragrance dispenser into a computer to update firmware, set settings, etc. The housing 200 may also include one or more output devices 192, such as (one or more) LEDs or a speaker.

[0051] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the interior of a vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 according to a first embodiment is depicted. Figure 3 As shown in the example of FIG. 2 , the housing 200 forms a fan cavity 302, a fragrance cartridge cavity 304, and a control component cavity 306. In various embodiments, the cavities 302, 304, and 306 can be combined or further divided into any number of cavities. Figure 3 In the example of, the fragrance box chamber 304 and the fan chamber 302 are connected by opening 308 to allow the fragrance from the fragrance box 250 to be sucked by the fan 190 from the fragrance box chamber 302 through the fan chamber 302 and enter the vehicle from (one or more) vents 310. When running, the fan 190 sucks air into the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 through the perforation 208. Thus, a pressure difference is generated between the fan chamber 302 and the inside of the fragrance box 250. This pressure difference opens the valve 312 of the fragrance box 250 and allows the fragrance to flow out of the fragrance box. Different fan speeds and / or frequencies cause the valve 312 to open to different degrees, so the speed and / or frequency of the fan can be adjusted to adjust the amount of the fragrance dispersed. For example, at a higher fan speed, a larger pressure difference is generated between the inside of the fragrance box 250 and the fragrance box chamber 304, and the valve 312 opens wider to allow more fragrance to be dispersed. When the fan 190 is not operating, the valve 312 remains closed and forms a barrier to the interior of the fragrance cartridge 250 to extend the life of the fragrance cartridge 250 and prevent the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 from emitting fragrance when not operating.

[0052] In some embodiments, the fragrance cartridge cavity 304 may include one or more spring-loaded pins that can detect when a fragrance cartridge 250 is located within the fragrance cartridge cavity 304. In further embodiments, these spring-loaded pins may also have various configurations depending on the type of fragrance cartridge 250 installed. For example, the spring-loaded pins may create an electrical connection between the fragrance cartridge 250 and the controller 188 so that the controller 188 can determine characteristics of the fragrance cartridge 250 (e.g., the fragrance contained in the fragrance cartridge 250, the amount of time the fragrance cartridge 250 has been installed in the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132, the amount of time the fragrance cartridge 250 has been activated, etc.).

[0053] Figures 4A-4D Various views of an example fragrance cartridge 250 for an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 are depicted. Figure 4A An exemplary fragrance cartridge 250 is depicted having a valve recess 402 configured to accommodate the valve 312. In some embodiments, the fragrance cartridge 250 includes protrusions 404 on the sides to provide an additional grip for handling the fragrance cartridge 250.

[0054] Figure 4B and 4C Various views of the valve 312 are depicted, for example, a semi-flexible umbrella-shaped valve formed of silicone suitable for use with the fragrance cartridge 250 according to certain embodiments. As described above, the valve 312 can be configured to seal against the edge of the valve recess 402 when the fan 190 is not operating to isolate the fragrance cartridge 250 from external air flow and maintain a seal with the valve recess 402. The valve 312 includes a pin 406 configured to secure the valve 312 to the fragrance cartridge 250.

[0055] Figure 4D The fragrance cartridge 250 is depicted with the valve 312 removed. Figure 4D As shown in the example of , the fragrance cartridge includes one or more outlets 408, which are configured to expose the fragrance of the fragrance cartridge 250 to the airflow path when the valve 312 is opened, and allow the fragrance to diffuse from the fragrance cartridge 250. The fragrance cartridge 250 includes a socket 410, which is configured to hold the pin 406 of the valve 312 to hold the valve 312 in the appropriate position in the valve recess 402.

[0056] Figure 5A-5B Various views of an example fragrance cartridge 250 for an example vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 are depicted. Figure 5A The exemplary fragrance cartridge 250 shown includes a cover 502 having a fragrance opening 504 and a slide valve 506. In some embodiments, the fragrance cartridge 250 includes protrusions 508 on the sides to provide an additional grip for handling the fragrance cartridge 250.

[0057] Figure 5B Depicted according to some embodiments Figure 5A An exploded view of the example fragrance cartridge 250 is shown in the example of FIG. Figure 5B A slide valve 506 is depicted slidably connected to the lid 502 via retainers 512 and 514. The slide valve 506 includes a spring 520, an activation tab 518, and a fragrance opening 516. Figure 5BThe fragrance cartridge 250 in the example also includes a fragrance cartridge identification component 524 (e.g., an identification chip) having electrical contacts 526. As described elsewhere herein, the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 may include a spring-loaded pin that forms an electrical connection with the electrical contacts 526 of the fragrance cartridge 250 so that the controller 188 can determine the characteristics of the fragrance cartridge 250 (e.g., the fragrance contained in the fragrance cartridge 250, the amount of time the fragrance cartridge 250 has been installed in the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132, the amount of time the fragrance cartridge 250 has been activated, etc.), and use the characteristics of the fragrance cartridge 250 to determine the degree of fragrance diffusion.

[0058] Figure 5C Another view of an exemplary slide valve 506 is depicted. Figure 5C Depicted are tabs 532 and 534 configured to engage with retainers 512 and 514 to hold the slide valve in contact with the cover 502. When the cover 502 is in place on the fragrance cartridge 250, the spring 520 engages the inner wall of the fragrance cartridge 250 and pushes the slide valve toward the opening 522, where the activation tab 518 extends from the fragrance cartridge 250. When outside of the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132, the spring holds the slide valve in a closed position so that the slide covers the fragrance opening 504 in the cover 502 and no fragrance can escape the fragrance cartridge 250. When the fragrance cartridge 250 is inserted into the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132, the activation tab 518 is depressed and the spring 520 is compressed, causing the body of the slide valve 506 to slide toward the spring side and the fragrance opening 516 to align with the fragrance opening 504 in the cover 502, thereby allowing fragrance to diffuse from the fragrance cartridge 250.

[0059] Figure 6A-6B A vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 is depicted according to another embodiment. Fig. 6AAs shown, housing 200 includes a rotatable plate valve 610 between the fragrance box cavity and the fan cavity. In some embodiments, rotatable plate valve 610 can rotate around a bearing and can include various hole patterns. The hole pattern allows air to flow through the hole, and can have various configurations to allow different amounts of air to pass through the surface area of ​​the hole. Rotatable plate valve 610 can rotate in housing 200, and can rotate between an open position, a closed position and / or each partially open position to adjust the airflow path of the fragrance agent leading to fragrance box 250. When rotatable plate valve 610 rotates to the open position, rotatable plate valve 610 allows each hole in the plate body to align with the hole at the top of the fragrance box cavity where fragrance box 250 is installed. Allow air to flow through the fragrance box 250 and pass each hole in the rotatable plate valve 610 then, to allow fragrance to diffuse. When the rotatable plate valve 610 is rotated to the closed position, the holes of the rotatable plate valve 610 are not aligned with the holes of the fragrance cartridge cavity, which effectively seals the fragrance cartridge 250 to preserve the life of the fragrance cartridge 250 when not needed. The vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 may include a fan cavity that houses a fan and / or fan motor, which can be turned on and off to draw air through the perforations 208 and through the fragrance cartridge 250 and out of the recess 204 when the rotatable plate valve 610 is in the open position.

[0060] Figure 6B A partially exploded view of a vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 is depicted. Figure 6B In the example of FIG. 6 , the fan cavity is not shown to allow viewing of the top of the rotatable plate valve 610 and the fragrance cartridge chamber 612. As described above, the top of the rotatable plate valve 610 and the fragrance cartridge chamber 612 have holes 614 and 616 that allow fragrance to flow out of the fragrance cartridge chamber when the holes are at least partially aligned.

[0061] In some embodiments, Fig. 6A and Figure 6BAs shown in the example of, the user can manually rotate the rotatable plate to open or close the fragrance box chamber. In other embodiments, the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 may include a servo assembly (not shown), which is contained in the housing 200. In such an embodiment, the rotatable plate valve 610 can be opened and closed by the servo assembly. In the open configuration, the servo assembly uses a rod extending from the top of the fragrance box chamber 612 to rotate the rotatable plate valve 610 until the hole 614 in the rotatable plate valve 610 is aligned with the hole 616 in the top of the fragrance box chamber 612. The servo assembly can be connected to a power supply 185 and / or a controller 188, and when a signal is sent to open or close the device fragrance box chamber, the servo assembly can make the rotatable plate valve 610 switch between the open position and the closed position. In some embodiments, the servo assembly can also include various partially opened settings to adjust the air flow through the gap between the holes in the rotatable plate valve 610.

[0062] Figure 7 1 is a flow chart of an example method 700 for dispensing fragrance using a vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132. At 702, a controller 188 receives motion data from a sensor 186 (e.g., an accelerometer or other motion sensor). The motion data relates to the movement of a vehicle 158 containing a vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132. The controller 188 uses the motion data to determine whether the vehicle 158 is running and moving, and if so, the fragrance dispensing device 132 starts running. By analyzing the motion data, the controller 188 can cause the fragrance to diffuse only when the vehicle 158 moves, which indicates that the user 112 is inside the vehicle. Alternatively, when the motion data indicates that the vehicle is not moving, the controller 188 can determine whether it has not moved in a short period of time (e.g., the car is at a stop light and actively moves before the stop), or whether the vehicle has not moved in a longer period of time (such as, several hours), which indicates that the vehicle 158 is parked and the fragrance should not diffuse. When the motion data indicates that the vehicle 158 is parked and / or unattended, the controller 188 isolates the fragrance cartridge 250 from the airflow, for example by using the valve 312, the slide valve 506, or the plate valve 610. The isolated fragrance cartridge 250 can keep the fragrance inside the cartridge and preserve the fragrance longer than a fragrance dispenser that does not isolate the fragrance cartridge.

[0063] At 704, the controller 188 receives temperature data from the sensor 186 (e.g., a temperature sensor). The temperature data reflects the current and / or historical temperature inside the vehicle 158. The temperature data is useful because the fragrance of the fragrance box 250 can provide more fragrance at warmer temperatures than at colder temperatures. Depending on the weather, the external temperature and / or the internal air conditioning system (AC) or heating temperature set by the user 112, the temperature inside the car can fluctuate between various hot and cold temperatures. The controller 188 uses the current temperature to determine the setting of the valve and / or fan speed. At 706, the controller 188 uses the motion data and the temperature data to determine the degree of diffusion. The degree of diffusion is the setting of the device to control how much fragrance and / or when the fragrance is emitted into the vehicle 158. The controller 188 uses the motion data to determine when the vehicle 158 is running and should emit fragrance, and the controller 188 uses the temperature data to determine how much airflow should pass through the device 132, and how high the fan should be and / or how long the duration should be. The controller 188 may further take into account various user preferences that may be retrieved from the dispenser management application 160, such as whether the user prefers a strong scent or a milder scent to preserve the scent cartridge 250 for a longer period of time. By determining the degree of diffusion of the scent, the controller 188 may maintain the life of the scent cartridge by allowing airflow only when the vehicle 158 is running, and may match the airflow output to environmental factors, for example, allowing the fan to blow more air in the colder months and less air in the summer months to achieve the optimal degree of scent. In essence, the controller 188 may use motion and temperature data to determine the degree of fragrance diffusion to create a stable and consistent fragrance experience for the user 112. Additionally, in some embodiments, the controller may determine when a high temperature is detected and automatically shut down the fan and / or other components if there is a risk of damaging the power supply or battery of the device 132. By detecting and shutting down the device 132 at high temperatures, the life of the battery, the life of the scent cartridge 250, and / or the risk of fire or damage to the device 132 may be maintained.

[0064] In some embodiments, the degree of diffusion can also be based on user settings, such as can be input by the user 112 to set the low, medium or high degree of fragrance preference. In some embodiments, the user settings can be changed by providing input on the user device 106, and in further embodiments, the user settings can be adjusted using an input device (e.g., a button or a slider). In some embodiments, the user settings can also include various modes, such as a burst mode, a gradually decreasing mode, etc., and the degree of diffusion can be further changed based on the selected mode. In some embodiments, an output device 192 (e.g., a row of lights, etc.) can signal the selected settings and degree of diffusion to the user 112.

[0065] At 708, the controller 188 controls the valve to allow airflow through the fragrance of the fragrance cartridge 250 and out of the device 132 as described above. In some embodiments, the controller 188 can actuate the rotatable plate valve 610 to a determined position as needed based on the determined degree of fragrance diffusion. In some embodiments, the controller can cause the fan 190 to operate at a specific speed to generate an amount of pressure to open the valve 312 based on the determined degree of fragrance diffusion.

[0066] At 710, the controller 188 causes the fan 190 to blow air through the fragrance and out of the device 132 to diffuse the fragrance within the vehicle 158. The fan 190 allows the fragrance to diffuse faster than simply allowing airflow to naturally pass through the fragrance cartridge 250. Using the fan 190, the fragrance can be quickly dispersed into the vehicle and more easily noticed by the user 112. This allows the device 132 to quickly emit fragrance when it detects that the vehicle 158 is moving (e.g., the user 112 is in the vehicle 158), and compared to traditional car fragrance devices, the device 132 has less warm-up time, during which the fragrance is being diffused, but the user 112 has not yet noticed. In some embodiments, the fan 190 runs continuously when the vehicle 158 is used. In further embodiments, the device 132 can run the fan in various pulses to reduce the effects of olfactory adaptation (nose blindness), when the fan is turned off for a period of time, before another pulse of the fan emits another fragrance for a period of time, allowing the fragrance to diffuse and settle.

[0067] In some embodiments, the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 can automatically shut down and isolate the airflow to the fragrance box 250. By automatically shutting down the device and sealing the fragrance box 250, the fragrance is sealed when not in use, so that the life of the fragrance is increased, and the user 112 does not have to manually control the opening or closing of the device 132. For example, in some embodiments, when the vehicle fragrance dispensing device 132 is connected to the user device 106, such as by Bluetooth connection or detection of a connection within a geographic fence, the device 132 can be turned on and ready to dispense fragrance. In some embodiments, the device 132 can specifically look for a Bluetooth beacon from the user device 106 to indicate when to run or shut down. In some embodiments, the vehicle 158 itself can act as a signal blocker (similar to a Faraday cage), and when the user device 106 is in the vehicle 158, the beacon signal can only be detected at a sufficiently strong level to indicate that the user 112 is in the vehicle 158 and should emit fragrance.

[0068] In other embodiments, after the connection between the device 132 and the user device 106 is lost, for example, by the user moving out of the Bluetooth range of the device 132, the device 132 will automatically shut down and isolate the airflow to the fragrance box 250. In other embodiments, the automatic shutdown is based on the motion operation detected from the sensor 186. For example, when motion is detected (for example, the vehicle 158 is moving), the device 132 turns on the airflow and starts dispensing fragrance. However, when no motion is detected within a period of time, the device 132 automatically shuts down, and the airflow to the fragrance box 250 is isolated. In a further embodiment, temperature data can be used to implement automatic shutdown. For example, if the temperature data indicates that the user 112 has started using the vehicle 158, such as the internal temperature changes from too cold to warm, indicating that the heater is running, or too hot to cold indicating that the air conditioning system (AC) is running, the device 132 can start to diffuse fragrance. When the temperature data indicates that the temperature changes from a comfortable temperature to overheating or overcooling, the automatic shutdown is executed.

[0069] In some embodiments, the device 132 can be used separately from the vehicle 158, where the device 132 instead operates as a personal scent dispenser and is capable of distributing scent in a space (such as an eight-foot area) around the user 112. The user 112 can move around with the device 132 and rely on battery power to cause the fan to distribute the scent as needed. This allows the user 112 to carry the device 132 with them and enjoy a consistent scent experience as they move around, which can reduce and / or increase the fan speed or opening size based on the amount of motion and / or temperature data detected.

[0070] For the purpose of explanation, the foregoing description has been described with reference to various embodiments and examples. However, the above illustrative discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or limit the present invention to the exact form disclosed. In view of the above teachings, many modifications and variations are possible. In order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, various embodiments and examples are selected and described so that other technical personnel in the field can utilize innovative technologies with various modifications, because these modifications may be suitable for the intended specific purposes. For example, it should be understood that in some cases, the technology described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In addition, in order to avoid confusing the description, various systems, devices and structures are shown in block diagram form. For example, various embodiments are described as having specific hardware, software and user interfaces. However, the present disclosure is applicable to any type of computing device that can receive data and commands and any peripheral device that provides services.

[0071] In some cases, various embodiments may be presented herein based on algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits in a computer memory. Algorithms are generally considered to be a set of self-consistent operations that result in a desired result. These operations require physical operations on physical quantities. Usually, although not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals that can be stored, transmitted, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. Mainly for general reasons, it is sometimes proven to be convenient to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, items, numbers, etc.

[0072] It should be remembered, however, that all of these and similar terms are associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless otherwise stated, as will be apparent from the following discussion, it should be understood that throughout this disclosure, discussions utilizing terms such as "processing," "computing," "calculating," "determining," "displaying," etc. refer to computer system operations and methods that manipulate and transform data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices.

[0073] The data processing system (such as computing system and / or equipment discussed herein) suitable for storing and / or executing program code may include at least one processor directly or indirectly coupled to memory element by system bus.Memory element may include local memory, bulk storage and high-speed cache memory for temporary storage of at least some program codes used during the actual execution of program code, so as to reduce the number of times that code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution.Input or I / O devices may be coupled to system directly or by intermediate I / O controller.Data processing system may include equipment that can be specially configured for desired purpose, or may include general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by computer program stored by computer.

[0074] The above description has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the specification to the exact form disclosed. In view of the above teachings, many modifications and variations are possible. The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by this detailed description, but rather by the claims of the present application. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the present specification may be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Likewise, the specific naming and division of modules, routines, features, attributes, methods, and other aspects may not be mandatory or important, and the mechanisms for implementing the specification or its features may have different names, divisions, and / or formats.

[0075] In addition, the modules, routines, features, attributes, methods and other aspects of the present disclosure can be implemented as software, hardware, firmware or any combination of the foregoing. The technology can also take the form of a computer program product that can be accessed from a computer-usable medium or a computer-readable medium, and the computer-usable medium or the computer-readable medium provides a program code used by a computer or any instruction execution system or used in combination with a computer or any instruction execution system. Regardless of the parts of the specification, an example of which is a module or an engine, when implemented in software form, the parts can be used as independent programs, as part of a larger program, as multiple separate programs, as static or dynamic link libraries, as kernel loadable modules, as firmware, as resident software, as microcode, as a device driver, and / or in various and any other ways known now or in the future. In addition, the present disclosure is in no way limited to the implementation in any specific programming language or for any specific operating system or environment. Therefore, the present disclosure is intended to illustrate rather than limit the scope of the subject matter set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fragrance dispensing device, include: a fragrance cartridge configured to contain a fragrance; a controller configured to determine a degree of fragrance diffusion of the fragrance agent; a valve, wherein the controller is configured to operate the valve to adjust an airflow path to the fragrance agent based on the degree of diffusion of the fragrance; as well as A fan, wherein the controller is configured to control the fan to draw air through the airflow path and through the fragrance based on the degree of fragrance diffusion.

2. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 1, in, The valve is a rotatable plate valve.

3. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 2, in, The rotatable plate valve comprises: The plate body has a plurality of plate body holes, wherein the plate body holes are configured to at least partially align with a plurality of fragrance cartridge cavity holes in the fragrance dispensing device to expose the fragrance.

4. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 3, further comprising: include: A servo assembly, wherein the servo assembly is controlled by the controller to operate the rotatable plate valve.

5. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 1, in, The fragrance cartridge comprises the valve.

6. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 5, in, The valve is an umbrella-shaped valve coupled to the fragrance cartridge.

7. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 6, in, The controller is configured to operate the umbrella valve by controlling the fan to generate a pressure difference between the fragrance cartridge and a fan chamber accommodating the fan.

8. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 5, in, The valve is a slide valve.

9. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 8, in, The slide valve comprises: a sliding panel with multiple panel scent openings; a spring coupled to the first edge of the sliding plate; and an activation sheet coupled to a second edge of the sliding plate, the second edge being opposite to the first edge, wherein the activation sheet is configured to engage with a housing of the fragrance dispensing device and compress the spring when the fragrance cartridge is inserted into the fragrance dispensing device so that the plurality of plate fragrance openings are aligned with the plurality of fragrance cartridge fragrance openings in the cover of the fragrance cartridge.

10. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 9, in, The spring is configured to return the sliding plate to a closed position such that the sliding plate covers a plurality of fragrance cartridge fragrance openings in the cover of the fragrance cartridge when the fragrance cartridge is removed from the fragrance dispensing device.

11. A fragrance dispensing device, include: case; A fragrance box is configured to contain a fragrance, the fragrance box comprising: a cover having a first plurality of openings; a plate slidably coupled to the cover, the plate having a second plurality of openings; a spring coupled to the first edge of the plate; and an activation sheet coupled to a second edge of the plate, the second edge being opposite the first edge, wherein the activation sheet is configured to engage the housing and compress the spring when the fragrance cartridge is inserted into the fragrance dispensing device such that the second plurality of openings are aligned with the first plurality of openings; a controller configured to determine a fragrance diffusion degree of the fragrance agent; and A fan, wherein the controller is configured to control the fan to draw air through an air flow path and through the fragrance agent based on the degree of fragrance diffusion.

12. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 11, in, The housing includes a plurality of perforations configured to allow air from outside the aroma-dispensing device to enter the airflow path.

13. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 11, in, The housing includes a recess configured to allow scented air from the airflow path to exit the scent-dispensing device.

14. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 11, further comprising: include: a motion sensor configured to capture motion data; as well as a temperature sensor configured to capture temperature data; Wherein, the controller is configured to determine the fragrance diffusion degree based on the motion data and the temperature data.

15. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 14, in, The controller is further configured to determine the fragrance diffusion level based on user input.

16. The aroma dispensing device according to claim 14, in, The fragrance box further comprises a fragrance box identification component, wherein the controller can identify the characteristics of the fragrance box by reading the fragrance box identification component, and determine the fragrance diffusion degree based on the characteristics of the fragrance box.

17. A fragrance cartridge for a fragrance dispensing device, include: a cover having a first plurality of openings; a plate slidably coupled to the cover, the plate having a second plurality of openings; a spring extending from a first edge of the plate; as well as An activation sheet extends from a second edge of the plate, the second edge opposite the first edge, wherein the activation sheet is configured to engage the housing of the aroma dispensing device and compress the spring so that the second plurality of openings are aligned with the first plurality of openings.

18. The fragrance cartridge for a fragrance dispensing device of claim 17, further comprising a fragrance.

19. A fragrance cartridge for a fragrance dispensing device according to claim 18, in, The flavoring agent comprises a gel.

20. The fragrance cartridge for a fragrance dispensing device according to claim 19, further comprising a fragrance cartridge identification component, in, The controller of the fragrance dispensing device may identify the characteristics of the fragrance cartridge by reading the fragrance cartridge identification component.

Images