Scent-based spoilage sensing refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10373472-B2
Application number	US-201615069168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2016
Priority date	Mar 14, 2016
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for determining whether food in a refrigerator has spoiled. An application executing on a computing device receives an identification of a food item located in a compartment of the refrigerator. The application then receives a chemical sensor reading from the refrigerator, wherein the chemical sensor reading represents a measured amount of a chemical associated with spoilage of the food item. Subsequently, the application determines that the measured amount of the chemical associated with spoilage of the food item exceeds a threshold amount of the chemical associated with spoilage of the food item. Finally, the application sends a notification to the client device, the notification comprising an indication that the food item is spoiled.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1. A system, comprising:
a computing device in data communication with a refrigerator and a client device, the computing device comprising a processor and a memory;
an application stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least:
receive from the client device an identification of a food item associated with a chemical sensor located in a compartment of the refrigerator;
receive a quantity of the food item from the client device;
determine a measurement interval for the chemical sensor in the refrigerator, the measurement interval being based at least in part on an internal temperature of the refrigerator or an amount of airflow in the refrigerator;
cause the chemical sensor to take a plurality of chemical sensor readings at the measurement interval, wherein the plurality of chemical sensor readings individually represent a measurement of an amount of a volatile organic compound present in the compartment of the refrigerator;
receive at least one of the plurality of chemical sensor readings from the refrigerator;
determine that the amount of the volatile organic compound sensed exceeds a threshold amount specified for the volatile organic compound; and
send a notification to the client device, the notification comprising an indication that the food item is spoiled.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application is further configured to cause the computing device to at least:
receive from the refrigerator a change in a weight of the compartment of the refrigerator; and
update the threshold amount specified for the volatile organic compound based at least in part on the change in the weight of the compartment of the refrigerator.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the volatile organic compound comprises ethylene gas.

4. A system, comprising:
a computing device in data communication with a refrigerator, the computing device comprising a processor and a memory; and
an application stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least:
receive an identification of a food item located in a compartment of the refrigerator;
determine a measurement interval for a chemical sensor in the refrigerator, the measurement interval being based at least in part on an internal temperature of the refrigerator or an amount of airflow in the refrigerator;
cause the chemical sensor to take a plurality of chemical sensor readings at the measurement interval, wherein the plurality of chemical sensor readings individually represent a measurement of an amount of a chemical associated with spoilage of the food item present in the compartment of the refrigerator;
receive at least one of the plurality of chemical sensor readings from the refrigerator;
determine that the amount of the chemical associated with the spoilage of the food item exceeds a threshold amount of the chemical associated with the spoilage of the food item; and
send a notification to a client device, the notification comprising an indication that the food item is spoiled.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the application is further configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least:
receive a message from the refrigerator, wherein the message comprises a change in a quantity of the food item; and
update the threshold amount of the chemical based at least in part on the change in the quantity of the food item.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the application is further configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least:
receive a message from the refrigerator, wherein the message comprises a change in a weight of the compartment where the food item is located; and
update the threshold amount of the chemical based at least in part on the change in the weight of the compartment where the food item is located.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the application is further configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least:
request from the refrigerator an image of the compartment of the refrigerator;
receive the image of the compartment of the refrigerator; and
include the image of the compartment of the refrigerator in the notification to the client device.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the application is further configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least:
analyze the image of the compartment of the refrigerator to identify a spoiled food item; and
modify the image to highlight the spoiled food item.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the chemical comprises a volatile organic compound.

10. The system of claim 4 , wherein the threshold amount of the chemical associated with spoilage of the food item is based at least in part on a quantity of the food item.

11. The system of claim 4 , wherein the threshold amount of the chemical associated with the spoilage of the food item is based at least in part on a type of the food item.

12. The system of claim 4 , wherein the threshold amount of the chemical associated with the spoilage of the food item is based at least in part on a volume of the compartment of the refrigerator.

13. The system of claim 4 , wherein the threshold amount of the chemical associated with the spoilage of the food item is based at least in part on an airflow rate for the compartment of the refrigerator.

14. The system of claim 4 , wherein the notification comprises a short message service (SMS) message.

15. A system, comprising:
a refrigerator comprising:
a compartment configured to contain a food item; and
a chemical sensor configured to at least measure an amount of a chemical related to spoilage of the food item in the compartment;

a computing device in data communication with the refrigerator, the computing device comprising a processor and a memory; and
an application stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least:
receive an identification of the food item located in the compartment of the refrigerator;
determine a measurement interval for the chemical sensor in the refrigerator, the measurement interval being based at least in part on an internal temperature of the refrigerator or an amount of airflow in the refrigerator;
take, via the chemical sensor, a plurality of chemical sensor readings at the measurement interval, wherein the plurality of chemical sensor readings individually represent a measurement of an amount of a volatile organic compound present in the compartment of the refrigerator;
determine that the measured amount of the chemical related to spoilage of the food item exceeds a threshold amount of the chemical related to the spoilage of the food item; and
send a notification to a client device, the notification comprising an indication that the food item is spoiled.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the chemical sensor is further configured to at least report the amount of the chemical related to the spoilage of the food item to a remote computing device.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the refrigerator further comprises a network interface configured to report the amount of the chemical related to the spoilage of the food item to the computing device in data communication with the refrigerator.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Johnston Simon Kurt

Classifications

• F25D29/005

  Mounting of control devices · CPC title

• F25D11/00

  Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators · CPC title

• G01N33/0063 Primary

  using a threshold to release an alarm or displaying means · CPC title

• G01N33/02

  Food · CPC title

• F25D2500/06

  Stock management · CPC title