Vehicle Cabin Fragrance Capture for Selective Ventilation Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle systems lack the ability to effectively detect and respond to external smells, either by allowing desired fragrances to enter the interior or preventing undesired odors, and do not facilitate repeatable scent experiences.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing a smell capturing device to manually or automatically detect and analyze external smells, categorizing them as desired or undesired, and adjusting vehicle ventilation or fragrance diffusers accordingly, with the option to store and duplicate captured scents for later use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a smell capturing device is installed to detect and analyze external smells, then the ability to identify desired or undesired smells is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a smell capturing device as an intermediary component that detects external smells and transmits data to a processing facility. This mediator enables the vehicle system to perceive external olfactory conditions without requiring the entire vehicle system to be directly complex, thereby resolving the contradiction between detection capability and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical or manual methods of smell detection with electronic sensing and digital processing systems. The smell capturing device uses chemical sensors and the processing facility employs algorithmic analysis, substituting complex mechanical evaluation systems with more manageable electronic and software-based solutions.
2Ease of operation
If the ventilation system is adjusted based on captured smells, then passenger comfort is improved, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback loop where the smell capturing device continuously monitors external smells, the processing facility analyzes the data and determines desired or undesired smells, and the ventilation system automatically adjusts accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables automatic comfort optimization without requiring complex manual control interfaces for passengers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting smells, categorizing them, and adjusting ventilation without requiring passenger intervention. The processing facility and ventilation control work autonomously based on sensor input, eliminating the need for complex passenger-operated controls while maintaining high ease of operation.
3Reliability
If desired smells are allowed to enter the interior, then fragrance quality is improved, but the risk of allowing harmful gases in increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between various smell types at the detection and processing level. The processing facility analyzes specific chemical signatures to identify whether a smell is desirable (e.g., pleasant fragrance) or harmful (e.g., toxic gas), enabling selective ventilation control that allows good smells in while blocking bad ones, thus resolving the contradiction between fragrance quality and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of ventilation control from a binary open/close state to a nuanced state based on smell analysis. By analyzing chemical composition parameters of detected smells, the system can adjust ventilation to permit beneficial gases while restricting harmful ones, reconciling the contradiction between allowing desired fragrances and preventing harmful substances.
4Measurement precision
If smell data is stored and analyzed externally, then analysis accuracy is improved, but data transmission and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the processing facility pre-process and categorize smell data as it is captured, rather than waiting for complete data accumulation. The system begins analyzing smell patterns and categorizing them as desired or undesired in real-time, reducing the effective processing time while maintaining high accuracy through progressive analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for fragrancing an interior of a vehicle based on fragrances captured from the surroundings of the vehicle is provided. In case A), a fragrance entering the interior is manually captured by an occupant of the vehicle by way of a fragrance capture apparatus, in which the captured fragrance is stored and/or analyzed by an external device or directly in the fragrance capture apparatus and is categorized as desirable or undesirable. Alternatively or additionally, in case B), a fragrance outside the vehicle is automatically captured and analyzed by way of a fragrance capture apparatus, wherein the captured fragrance is categorized as desirable or undesirable and, based on the categorization, a fragrance categorized as desirable is allowed to enter the interior of the vehicle or a fragrance categorized as undesirable is prevented from entering the vehicle.