WO2019082836A1

WO2019082836A1 - Odor adjustment system, odor adjustment method, and program

Info

Publication number: WO2019082836A1
Application number: PCT/JP2018/039151
Authority: WO
Inventors: 沖　明男; 青木　貴史
Original assignee: パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社
Priority date: 2017-10-26
Filing date: 2018-10-22
Publication date: 2019-05-02

Abstract

The present invention provides an odor adjustment system, an odor adjustment method, and a program that are capable of easily adjusting the odor of a gas in accordance with the state of the gas. This odor adjustment system 1 comprises a determination unit 20 that performs determination processing including determining whether or not to perform at least odor adjustment, on the basis of a signal corresponding to a chemical substance present in the gas. During determination processing, the determination unit 20 determines the content of an odor adjustment agent to be supplied to the gas on the basis of the signal, if a determination has been made to perform odor adjustment.

Description

Odor control system, odor control method and program

The present disclosure generally relates to an odor adjustment system, an odor adjustment method, and a program, and more particularly, to an odor adjustment system that performs gas odor adjustment, an odor adjustment method that performs gas odor adjustment, and a program for realizing the odor adjustment method. .

In Patent Document 1, the liquid flavoring agent stored in the storing means is delivered to the flavoring absorber of the flavoring delivery unit using the flavoring agent supplying means, and the flavoring agent in the flavoring absorber is used as a means for feeding air. An aroma delivery device emitting from the aroma port is disclosed. According to Patent Document 1, in this aroma supply device, it is supposed that the intensity and amount of the aroma can be adjusted, and the aroma of various fragrances is blended to obtain a desired aroma.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-275763

An object of the present disclosure is to provide an odor adjustment system, an odor adjustment method, and a program that can easily perform gas odor adjustment according to the state of gas.

The odor adjustment system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a determination unit that performs determination processing including determination as to whether or not to perform odor adjustment at least based on a signal corresponding to a chemical substance present in a gas. When it is determined in the determination process that odor adjustment is to be performed, the determination unit further determines the content of the odor adjustment agent to be supplied into the gas based on the signal.

In the odor adjustment method according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the determination process including at least the determination of whether to adjust the odor is performed based on the signal corresponding to the chemical substance present in the gas. In the determination processing, when it is determined that the odor adjustment is to be performed, the content of the odor regulator to be supplied into the gas is determined based on the signal.

A program according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer system to execute the odor adjustment method.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an odor adjustment system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the odor adjustment system of the same. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a gas detection unit in the odor adjustment system of the same. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the determination unit and the control unit in the odor adjustment system of the same.

As in the disclosure of Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-275763), in the case where a fragrance or the like is supplied into a gas for the purpose of improving the odor of the gas such as air in the room, The state may change with the passage of time. It is not easy to grasp the state of such a gas, and it is not easy to supply an appropriate fragrance or the like to the gas according to the state of the gas.

Thus, the present disclosure provides an odor adjustment system, an odor adjustment method, and a program that can easily perform gas odor adjustment according to the state of gas.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 schematically shows the odor control system 1. The structure of elements shown in FIG. 1 and the relationships among the elements are simplified for the convenience of description and are not necessarily accurate. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main elements of the odor control system 1.

The odor adjustment system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a determination unit 20. The determination unit 20 performs determination processing including determination as to whether or not to perform odor adjustment at least based on a signal (hereinafter, also referred to as a detection signal) corresponding to a chemical substance present in the gas. When it is determined in the determination processing that odor adjustment is to be performed, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor adjustment agent to be supplied into the gas based on the detection signal.

The above-mentioned gas is an object of odor adjustment, and is, for example, indoor air such as a room in a building or a car in a car. When the odor control system 1 according to the present embodiment is used, an odor control agent can be supplied to the gas based on the chemical substance present in the gas. Therefore, appropriate odor adjustment according to the state of gas is easily performed. Hereinafter, a gas as an object of odor adjustment is referred to as a target gas.

The odor adjustment is to change the smell felt by the human, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of weakening the smell, intensifying the smell, imparting the smell, and altering the smell. Including.

For example, when the target gas has an objectionable odor for humans, the odor adjustment weakens this objectionable odor, or imparts a desirable odor to the object gas to human being, or makes the objectionable odor a human-friendly odor. It can include degrading. Odor control can also include changing the odor of the target gas depending on the condition or state of the human being in the target gas. More specifically, the odor control imparts an odor to the air in the living room, which has the function of promoting relaxation of human tension or stress, for example, when a person in the living room of the building feels tense or stressed. Can be included. In addition, the odor adjustment includes, for example, when the driver in the car of the car feels fatigue or feels sleepy, imparts an odor to the air in the car that has a function of alleviating fatigue or sleepiness of the driver. It can also be done.

An odor regulator is a composition which has the effect | action which changes the odor of object gas. The odor regulator may contain only one type of substance, or may contain multiple types of substances.

The odor regulator can contain at least one of a deodorant and a fragrance. A deodorant is a substance having the effect of reducing the odor or eliminating the odor. The deodorant is a deodorant defined in the manual for creating a manual for securing aroma, deodorizing, deodorizing and deodorizing agent safety (Ministry of Health and Welfare, Health Sanitation Bureau, Planning Division, Life Chemical Safety Office, March 31, 2000). , Deodorants and deodorants may be included. In the above guidance, the deodorant is defined as "the one that removes or alleviates the odor by chemical or biological action, etc.", and the deodorant is one that "the odor is removed or reduced by the physical action, etc." Defined, deodorant is defined as "masking odor with other odors etc." The fragrance is a substance having an effect of imparting an odor. Fragrances may include those as defined in the above guidance. In the above-mentioned guidance, the fragrance is defined as "to impart a fragrance to the space". Substances generally referred to as perfumes and substances referred to as flavors may also be included in the fragrance. Also, the odor of the fragrance may not be a desirable odor for humans.

The odor adjustment system 1 may further include a gas detection unit 30. The gas detection unit 30 detects a chemical substance in the target gas and outputs a detection signal. In this case, the determination unit 20 can perform the determination process based on the detection signal transmitted from the gas detection unit 30. The odor adjustment system 1 itself may not include the gas detection unit 30, and the determination unit 20 may receive a detection signal transmitted from an apparatus separate from the odor adjustment system 1 and use it for the determination process. The odor adjustment system 1 may include a plurality of gas detection units 30.

The odor adjustment system 1 may further include a control unit 40. The control unit 40 controls the supply unit 50 that supplies the odor control agent into the target gas. The control unit 40 controls the supply unit 50 to supply the odor adjustment agent having the content determined by the determination unit 20 into the target gas. In this case, based on the determination processing of the determination unit 20, the control unit 40 can cause the supply unit 50 to supply the odor adjustment agent into the target gas. Note that the odor adjustment system 1 itself does not include the control unit 40, and for example, the determination unit 20 may transmit the result of the determination process to an apparatus separate from the odor adjustment system 1. The odor adjustment system 1 may include a plurality of control units 40.

The odor adjustment system 1 may further include the supply unit 50 described above, that is, the supply unit 50 that supplies the odor adjustment agent into the target gas under the control of the control unit 40. Note that the odor control system 1 itself does not include the supply unit 50, and for example, a device separate from the odor control system 1 may supply the odor control agent into the target gas. The odor adjustment system 1 may include a plurality of supply units 50.

As described above, the odor adjustment system 1 can include not only the determination unit 20, but also at least one type of element selected from the group consisting of the gas detection unit 30, the control unit 40, and the supply unit 50. In this case, the control unit 40 and the other elements can be provided in one case 11 as shown in FIG. 1 to constitute one device. The control unit 40 and the other elements may constitute separate devices, and may be able to communicate with each other by being connected by wire or wireless between the devices. For example, the determination unit 20, the gas detection unit 30, the control unit 40, and the supply unit 50 may form separate devices. The determination unit 20 and the gas detection unit 30, and the control unit 40 and the supply unit 50 may constitute separate devices. The gas detection unit 30, the determination unit 20, the control unit 40, and the supply unit 50 may constitute separate devices. The control unit 40 and other elements may constitute separate devices, and the devices may be able to communicate with each other by being connected via a network such as the Internet.

In the odor adjustment method according to the present embodiment, the determination process including at least the determination of whether to adjust the odor is performed based on the detection signal corresponding to the chemical substance present in the target gas. In the determination processing, when it is determined that the odor adjustment is to be performed, the content of the odor adjusting agent to be supplied into the target gas is determined based on the detection signal.

In the odor adjustment method according to the present embodiment, an odor adjustment agent having contents determined based on the chemical substance present in the target gas may be supplied to the target gas. Therefore, appropriate odor adjustment according to the state of the target gas is easily performed. This odor adjustment method can be achieved using the above-mentioned odor adjustment system 1.

The program according to the present embodiment is a program for causing a computer system to execute the above-described odor adjustment method. By using this program, odor adjustment of the target gas can be realized.

A more specific configuration of the odor adjustment system 1 will be described.

The odor adjustment system 1 described below includes a determination unit 20, a control unit 40, a supply unit 50, and a detection unit. The odor adjustment system 1 includes one case 11, and the case 11 is provided with a determination unit 20, a control unit 40, a supply unit 50, and a detection unit.

Each of the determination unit 20 and the control unit 40 is configured by a microcomputer having, for example, one or more processors and a memory. In other words, each of the determination unit 20 and the control unit 40 is realized by a computer system having one or more processors and a memory, and the one or more processors execute the program stored in the memory to execute the computer. The system functions as the determination unit 20 and the control unit 40. Here, the program is recorded in advance in the memory of each of the determination unit 20 and the control unit 40. However, the program is provided by being recorded through an electronic communication line such as the Internet or in a nontemporary recording medium such as a memory card It is also good. A computer program product may be used that loads programs via a computer system and executes program instructions that cause the computer system to realize the functions as the determination unit 20 and the control unit 40.

The determination unit 20 and the control unit 40 may be physically separated and able to communicate with each other. The determination unit 20 and the control unit 40 may not be physically separated, and in this case, the odor adjustment system 1 may include an element that is the determination unit 20 and also the control unit 40.

In the present embodiment, the supply unit 50 can hold a plurality of types of odor control substances. An odor regulator is a substance which an odor regulator can contain. Therefore, each odor control substance can contain at least one of a deodorant and a fragrance. In the present embodiment, the supply unit 50 includes a plurality of holding containers 51, and the holding containers 51 can hold the odor adjusting liquid 52 including the odor adjusting substance. Each odor control liquid 52 is, for example, an odor control substance itself or a solution containing an odor control substance. The supply unit 50 may be capable of holding only one type of odor control substance according to the purpose of odor control and the like.

Under the control of the control unit 40, the supply unit 50 generates an odor control agent from at least one of the plurality of odor control substances. In the present embodiment, the supply unit 50 includes a generation unit 53 that generates an odor regulator. The generation unit 53 generates an odor control agent by, for example, taking out at least one substance out of a plurality of types of odor control substances from the holding container 51 and mixing them under the control of the control unit 40. In the present embodiment, the generation unit 53 sends the odor adjustment liquid 52 in each holding container 51 to the generation tank 54 through the generation tank 54, the flow channel 55 connecting the generation tank 54 and the holding containers 51, and the flow channel 55. And a transport pump 56. When the transport pump 56 is operated according to the control by the control unit 40, one or more types of odor control liquids 52 are supplied to the generation tank 54 through the flow path 55, whereby the odor adjustment agent is generated in the generation tank 54.

In the present embodiment, the supply unit 50 further includes a release unit 57 that releases the odor control agent into the target gas. For example, the discharge portion 57 has a discharge port 58 opened to the outside of the housing 32, a flow path 59 connecting the discharge port 58 and the generation tank 54, and a smell adjustment agent in the generation tank 54 through the flow path 59 And a feed pump 510 for feeding to 58. In this case, when the supply pump 510 is operated, the odor control agent in the generation tank 54 is discharged from the discharge port 58 to the outside of the housing 32 through the flow path 59, whereby the odor control agent is released outside the housing 11. It is supplied to the target gas.

The supply unit 50 may have any configuration as long as it can supply the odor control agent to the target gas. For example, when the odor regulator has volatility, the supply unit 50 exposes the odor regulator to the target gas, or further heats the odor regulator, or further applies an ultrasonic wave to the odor regulator. The odor control agent may be volatilized and supplied to the target gas. In addition, when the odor control agent includes a plurality of odor control substances, the supply unit 50 may individually supply the target gas without mixing the odor control substances. That is, the odor control agent may include an odor control substance that is not mixed. In the holding container 51, the odor control substance may be held in a high pressure gas state. In this case, the holding container 51 is preferably a pressure-resistant container. In the holding container 51, the odor control substance may be held in a solid or gel state. The odor control substance may be retained in a porous body, fiber, powder or capsule. The holding container 51 may include at least one of a stirrer for stirring the odor control substance and a mixer for mixing the components contained in the odor control substance.

In the present embodiment, the supply unit 50 includes a remaining amount detection unit 511 that detects the remaining amounts of the plurality of types of odor adjustment substances held by the supply unit 50. Therefore, the determination unit 20 can perform the determination process based on the detection result by the remaining amount detection unit 511 in addition to the detection signal corresponding to the chemical substance. The remaining amount detection unit 511 may directly detect the remaining amount of the odor adjustment substance itself, or may indirectly detect the remaining amount by detecting information depending on the remaining amount. The detection of the remaining amount can be performed by, for example, a known method. In the present embodiment, the remaining amount detection unit 511 includes a liquid level sensor 512 that detects the position of the liquid level of the odor adjustment liquid 52 in each holding container 51. Therefore, by detecting the position of the liquid surface of the odor adjustment liquid 52, the remaining amount detection unit 511 indirectly detects the remaining amount of the odor adjustment substance. The remaining amount detection unit 511 transmits a signal (also referred to as a remaining amount signal) as a detection result of the remaining amount to the control unit 40. The determination process based on the remaining amount signal will be described later again.

When the supply unit 50 described above generates the odor control agent according to the control of the control unit 40 and supplies it to the target gas, first, the transport pump 56 operates according to the control of the control unit 40 to control one or more odor control liquids. 52 moves to the generation unit 53. As a result, an odor regulator is produced in the production tank 54. Subsequently, the supply pump 510 is operated according to the control of the control unit 40, whereby the odor control agent is supplied from the discharge unit 57 into the target gas.

As described above, the gas detection unit 30 detects a chemical substance in the target gas and outputs a detection signal. The detection signal is transmitted to the determination unit 20. The gas detection unit 30 outputs a detection signal in accordance with a chemical substance such as carbon monoxide, a sulfur compound, a nitrogen compound, or a volatile organic compound.

The gas detection unit 30 outputs a detection signal according to, for example, the type and concentration of the chemical substance in the target gas. In this case, the gas detection unit 30 may individually detect the plurality of chemical substances in the target gas, or may not detect them individually. That is, even if the types and concentrations of each of the plurality of chemical substances in the target gas can not be identified from the detection signal output from the gas detection unit 30, the detection signal corresponds to the types and concentrations of the plurality of chemical substances. Just do it.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the gas detection unit 30 includes a plurality of sensor elements 31 having detection characteristics different from one another. The detection signal includes a plurality of individual signals output from the plurality of sensor elements 31 respectively. In addition, the structure of the gas detection part 30 shown by FIG. 3 is simplified for the facilities of description, and is not necessarily exact.

More specifically, the gas detection unit 30 has, for example, the following configuration. The gas detection unit 30 includes a housing 32. The gas detection unit 30 further includes a concentration unit 34 and a sensor unit 35 in the internal space 33 of the housing 32. In the present embodiment, there is no partition between the concentration unit 34 and the sensor unit 35, but the internal space 33 is divided into a concentration chamber in which the concentration unit 34 is disposed and a sensor chamber in which the sensor unit 35 is disposed. And the concentration chamber and the sensor chamber may be connected by a through hole. The housing 32 has an inlet 36 that connects the internal space 33 and the outside of the housing 32. Furthermore, the gas detection unit 30 includes an air flow generator 37 that generates an air flow toward the sensor unit 35 from the inlet 36 through the concentration unit 34 in the inner space 33. In the present embodiment, the air flow generator 37 is a suction pump which is connected to the internal space 33 of the housing 32 and sucks the gas in the internal space 33. The connection positions of the inlet 36, the concentration unit 34, the sensor unit 35, the air flow generator 37, and the housing 32 are arranged in this order. The air flow generator 37 may not be a suction pump as long as it generates the air flow as described above, and may be, for example, a blower fan. The position of the air flow generator 37 may be any position as long as the air flow as described above can be generated.

The concentration unit 34 is configured to increase the concentration of the chemical substance in the internal space 33 more than in the target gas by adsorbing and desorbing the chemical substance. By thus increasing the concentration of the chemical substance, the detection accuracy of the chemical substance by the gas detection unit 30 can be enhanced. Therefore, even if the concentration of the chemical substance in the target gas is low, the gas detection unit 30 can detect the chemical substance with high accuracy.

The concentration unit 34 includes, for example, an adsorbent 38, a heater 39 that heats the adsorbent 38, and a cooler 310 that cools the adsorbent 38.

The adsorbent 38 adsorbs the chemical when in contact with the chemical, and desorbs the chemical when heated. In the present embodiment, in the concentration section 34, a plurality of adsorbents 38 are arranged at intervals. The adsorbent 38 is, for example, an assembly of nanowires. For example, the adsorbent 38 is configured by bundling a plurality of nanowires in such a manner that a gap is present between the nanowires. In this case, the chemical substance intrudes into the gap between the nanowires and is easily adsorbed to the nanowires.

The nanowires have, for example, conductivity. More specifically, the nanowire is, for example, itself conductive or coated with a conductive material.

The nanowires are, for example, metal oxides such as SnO ₂ , ZnO, In ₂ O ₃ , In _2-x Sn _x O ₃ (for example, 0.1 ≦ x ≦ 0.2), NiO, CuO, TiO ₂ , SiO ₂ And metals such as Al, Ag, Au, Pd, and Pt, carbon, or silicon. The nanowire made of carbon may be, for example, a carbon nanotube. The nanowires may be made of a resin and coated with a conductive metal oxide. The adsorption properties of the adsorbent 38 depend on the material of the adsorbent 38, in particular the material of the nanowires or the coating.

The concentration unit 34 may include a plurality of adsorbents 38 made of different materials. When the concentration unit 34 includes a plurality of types of adsorbents 38, each adsorbent 38 has different adsorption characteristics, so that more kinds of chemical substances in the concentration unit 34 can be efficiently compared to the case where only one adsorbent 38 is used. It can be adsorbed well. In the present embodiment, although there is no partition between the adsorbents 38, the internal space 33 includes a plurality of branch channels, and a plurality of adsorbents 38 having different adsorption characteristics are disposed in the plurality of branch channels. It may be done. In this case, one end of these branch flow channels may be joined and connected to the inlet 36, and the other end of these branch flow channels may be merged and connected to the sensor unit 35.

The heater 39 is configured to heat the adsorbent 38. The heater 39 is formed of, for example, a heating wire made of printed wiring. The heater 39 is, for example, embedded in the housing 32 and disposed in the vicinity of the adsorbent 38. The cooler 310 is configured to cool the adsorbent 38. The cooler 310 is composed of, for example, a Peltier element. The cooler 310 is, for example, embedded in the housing 32 and disposed in the vicinity of the adsorbent 38. Note that the concentration unit 34 may not include the heater 39, and may instead include a circuit that causes a current to flow through the adsorbent 38. In this case, when the circuit applies a current to the adsorbent 38, the adsorbent 38 generates Joule heat, and the temperature of the adsorbent 38 rises. In addition, if the adsorbent 38 can be rapidly cooled without being cooled by the cooler 310, the concentration unit 34 may not include the cooler 310.

The sensor unit 35 includes a sensor element 31. The sensor element 31 is, for example, a semiconductor sensor, an electrochemical sensor, a surface acoustic wave device, a field effect transistor biosensor (FET biosensor) or an optical sensor. In the present embodiment, the sensor unit 35 includes a plurality of sensor elements 31 having detection characteristics different from one another. That is, the sensor unit 35 is a sensor array configured of a plurality of sensor elements 31.

When a chemical substance in the target gas is detected by the gas detection unit 30, the air flow generator 37 operates in a state where the inlet 36 is opened toward the target gas. Therefore, an air flow is generated in the inner space 33 from the inlet 36 through the concentration unit 34 to the sensor unit 35. Therefore, a part of the target gas flows into the concentration unit 34 from the inlet 36 of the gas detection unit 30. Thus, the chemical substance in the target gas is adsorbed to the adsorbent 38. Subsequently, the heater 39 heats the adsorbent 38, whereby the chemical substance is desorbed from the adsorbent 38. Thereby, the chemical substance is concentrated in the internal space 33. Subsequently, if necessary, the cooler 310 cools the adsorbent 38 so that the adsorbent 38 can adsorb the chemical substance again. The chemical substance desorbed from the adsorbent 38 is sent to the sensor unit 35 by air flow. The sensor unit 35 detects a chemical substance and outputs a detection signal according to the chemical substance. If the sensor unit 35 is a sensor array including a plurality of sensor elements 31, the detection signal includes a plurality of individual signals output from the plurality of sensor elements 31 respectively. The detection signal is transmitted to the determination unit 20.

The configuration of the gas detection unit 30 is not limited to the above description as long as a detection signal corresponding to the chemical substance can be output.

When the odor adjustment system 1 in the above description is used, it is possible to perform determination processing including determination as to whether or not to perform odor adjustment at least based on a detection signal corresponding to the chemical substance present in the target gas. In the determination processing, when it is determined that the odor is adjusted, the content of the odor adjusting agent to be supplied into the target gas can be determined based on the detection signal. By supplying the odor control agent to the target gas, the odor of the target gas can be adjusted.

The operations of the determination unit 20 and the control unit 40 for realizing the odor adjustment of the target gas will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Steps S1 to S3 in FIG. 4 are operations of the determination unit 20, and steps S4 and S5 are operations of the control unit 40.

When the determination unit 20 and the control unit 40 start operation, the determination unit 20 first receives the detection signal transmitted from the gas detection unit 30 (S1). The determination unit 20 determines whether to adjust the odor based on the detection signal (S2). More specifically, for example, the determination unit 20 determines whether or not the detection signal satisfies the condition to adjust the odor, and determines the odor adjustment if the condition is satisfied, the odor adjustment if the condition is not satisfied. Do not judge. When the determination unit 20 determines not to adjust the odor (S2: No), the determination unit 20 repeats the process of S1. If the determination unit 20 determines to adjust the odor (S2: Yes), the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor regulator based on the detection signal (S3). The content of the odor control agent is, for example, information defining the composition of the odor control agent used for odor control. The content of the odor regulator, for example, at least specifies which one of a plurality of substances the odor regulator includes. That is, the content of the odor regulator includes, for example, at least information defining the type of substance in the odor regulator. Further, the content of the odor control agent specifies, for example, the supply amount of at least one substance contained in the odor control agent into the target gas. In particular, the content of the odor control agent specifies which one of a plurality of substances the odor control agent contains, and the supply amount of the substance contained in the odor control agent into the target gas preferable. That is, it is preferable that the contents of the odor control agent include, for example, information that defines the type of substance in the odor control agent and information that defines the supply amount of the substance. When the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor adjustment agent, the control unit 40 controls the supply unit 50 to cause the supply unit 50 to generate an odor adjustment agent according to the content determined by the determination unit 20 (S4). Subsequently, the determination unit 20 controls the supply unit 50 to cause the supply unit 50 to supply the odor adjustment agent to the target gas (S5). When the supply of the odor control agent to the target gas is completed, the determination unit 20 repeats the operation after S1. Thereby, the odor adjustment system 1 can continuously adjust the odor of the target gas. Moreover, as a result of supplying the odor control agent to the target gas, if the purpose of the odor control can not be achieved, the odor control can be repeated until the purpose is achieved. When the supply of the odor modifier is completed, the determination unit 20 and the control unit 40 may end the operation.

When the detection signal includes a plurality of individual signals corresponding to the chemical substance in the target gas, the determination unit 20 performs the determination processing based on the detection signal, and performs the determination processing based on the result of pattern recognition of the plurality of individual signals. It is preferable to The case where the detection signal includes a plurality of individual signals corresponding to the chemical substance in the target gas is, for example, the case where the detection signal includes a plurality of individual signals output respectively by a plurality of sensor elements 31. More specifically, the determination unit 20 determines, for example, the state of the target gas by pattern recognition of a plurality of individual signals, and determines whether to adjust the odor based on the state of the target gas. It is preferred to do. Pattern recognition is performed by a known method such as, for example, a method using a neural network, a method using a decision tree, a method using a support vector machine, and a template matching. In this case, the determination unit 20 determines the state of the target gas based on the chemical substance contained in the target gas, without recognizing that the target gas actually contains what kind of chemical substance and at what concentration. Can. Note that the determination unit 20 may determine the state of the target gas using a non-statistical method. The determination unit 20 may determine the state of the target gas using a method such as multivariate analysis or non-multivariate analysis as a statistical method. The determination unit 20 may perform pattern recognition by combining a plurality of methods.

When the determination unit 20 determines whether to adjust the odor based on the state of the target gas in the determination process, the determination unit 20 adjusts the odor of the target gas based on the detection signal, for example, in the determination process. To determine if it is in the required state or the state in which the odor adjustment is not required. That is, for example, the determination unit 20 determines the state of the target gas according to the result of the pattern recognition as described above based on the detection signal or by any other method, and the state of the target gas is a state requiring odor adjustment. It is determined whether the odor adjustment is unnecessary or not. When the target gas is in a state in which odor adjustment is not required, the determination unit 20 determines not to adjust the odor. If the target gas is in a state in which odor adjustment is required, the determination unit 20 determines that the odor is adjusted, and if the content of the odor control agent is dispersed in the target gas, the target gas is Make decisions so that odor adjustment is unnecessary.

The state in which the odor adjustment is required is a state in which the odor adjustment system 1 has to adjust the odor of the target gas. Further, the state in which the odor adjustment is unnecessary is also a state in which the target gas should reach by the odor adjustment system 1 adjusting the odor.

For example, the determination unit 20 stores at least one of a state requiring odor adjustment and information of a state not requiring odor adjustment by digitizing or the like. For example, the gas detection unit 30 detects chemical substances respectively contained in a plurality of types of gases that are known to be in a state in which odor adjustment is required, as information on the state in which odor adjustment is necessary. It is defined based on the signal. Similarly, for information on a state in which odor adjustment is not required, for example, the gas detection unit 30 detects chemical substances respectively contained in a plurality of types of gases that are found to be in a state in which odor adjustment is unnecessary. It is defined based on the detected signal. In addition, at least one of information on a state requiring odor adjustment and information on a state not requiring odor adjustment may be created based on experience, theory, machine learning, etc., and stored in the determination unit 20.

It is defined according to the purpose of the odor control that the state in which the odor adjustment is necessary and the state in which the odor adjustment is not necessary are specifically in what state. For example, if the purpose of the odor control is to weaken or eliminate odors that are undesirable for humans, the state in which odor control is required is a state in which the target gas has odors that are undesirable for humans. In this case, the state in which the odor adjustment is unnecessary is a state in which the target gas does not have an odor that is undesirable for humans. If the purpose of the odor adjustment is to maintain the odor of the target gas in a desirable odor for humans, the state in which the odor adjustment is necessary is a state in which the target gas does not have a desirable odor for humans. In this case, the state in which the odor adjustment is unnecessary is a state in which the target gas has a preferable odor for humans.

As described above, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor control agent so that, for example, the odor control agent becomes unnecessary when the odor control agent is dispersed in the target gas. In this case, the determination unit 20 may change the state of the target gas from the state requiring odor adjustment to the state not requiring the odor adjustment, based on the state of the target gas determined by pattern recognition, for example. Determine the content of For that purpose, for example, the determination unit 20 may include information on a state in which odor adjustment is not required, and information on the influence exerted on the state of the target gas when each of the odor control substances held by the supply unit 50 is dispersed in the target gas. Are stored by digitizing and the like. From these pieces of information, the determination unit 20 can derive the type and supply amount of the odor control substance for changing the state of the target gas to a state in which the odor adjustment is unnecessary.

The determination unit 20 may update the information on the influence of each odor control substance on the odor of the target gas by accumulating the result of the odor adjustment of the target gas and performing machine learning. In this case, as the odor adjustment is repeated, the efficiency and accuracy of the odor adjustment are improved. The determination unit 20 may optimize the determination processing by accumulating the result of the odor adjustment and performing machine learning, without limiting to the update of the information as described above.

By performing the above-described determination processing, for example, when the target gas has an odor that is undesirable for humans, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor adjustment agent so that the odor can be weakened or eliminated. be able to. In this case, the odor control agent contains, for example, a deodorant that can eliminate or reduce the undesirable odor.

In addition, when the target gas has an odor that is undesirable for humans, the determination unit 20 can also determine the content of the odor regulator so that the odor of the target gas can be altered to a desirable odor for humans. In this case, the determination unit 20 can determine the content of the odor control agent, for example, so that the odor of the odor control agent can obscure the undesirable odor. In order for the determination unit 20 to make such a determination, for example, the determination unit 20 may digitize a state in which the preferred odor in the gas is a certain degree or more stronger than the undesirable odor as a state in which the odor adjustment is unnecessary. Remember. In this case, the determination unit 20 derives, for example, the content of the odor adjustment substance for changing the state of the target gas determined based on the detection signal to a state where the preferable odor is a certain degree or more stronger than the undesirable odor.

In order to change the odor of the target gas into a preferable odor for humans, the determination unit 20 may determine the content of the odor regulator so that the odor regulator has an odor that matches the odor of the target gas. It is known that a human being may feel a pleasant smell if it simultaneously senses an odor that is undesirable for humans and another odor. Such a pleasant smell is said to be in harmony with the smell. The determination unit 20 stores, for example, a state in which the odor is harmonized as a state in which the odor adjustment is unnecessary, and the like. In this case, the determination unit 20 can derive, for example, the type and supply amount of the odor control substance for changing the state of the target gas to a state in which the odor is in harmony.

The determination processing of the determination unit 20 in the case where the purpose of the odor adjustment is to change the odor of the target gas in accordance with the condition or state of the human being in the target gas will be described. More specifically, the determination unit in the case where the purpose of the odor adjustment is to provide the target gas with an odor capable of alleviating a specific mental state, when a person in the target gas is in a specific mental state The determination process of 20 will be described.

When a person is in a particular mental state, such as a tense state, a stressed state, a tiredness state, or a sleepy state, a chemical substance that responds to this particular mental state Are known to be released from the respiratory tract, skin, etc. It is also known that odors affect human mental state, that is, odors can alleviate certain mental states such as human tension, stress, fatigue and sleepiness.

Therefore, for example, when the determination unit 20 performs the determination process, the condition that the odor adjustment should be performed is that the person in the target gas is in a specific mental state, that is, the target gas is in a specific mental state It is defined as being in the state of containing a specific chemical substance. The determination unit 20 stores such a state by digitizing or the like. In addition, when determining the content of the odor control agent, the determination unit 20 derives the type and supply amount of the odor control substance for providing the target gas with an odor for alleviating a specific mental state of human being.

When the determination unit 20 operates in this manner, the odor adjustment system 1 has an odor adjustment that has an odor that promotes relaxation of human tension or stress, for example, when a person in the living room of the building feels tense or feels stress. The agent can be supplied to the air in the room. In addition, the odor control system 1 supplies, to the air in the vehicle, an odor control agent having an odor that alleviates the driver's feeling of fatigue or drowsiness, for example, when the driver in the car of the car feels fatigue or sleepiness. You can also

The determination unit 20 may perform the determination process based on the detection result by the remaining amount detection unit 511 in the supply unit 50 in addition to the detection signal. That is, the determination unit 20 may perform the determination process based on the remaining amount signal transmitted from the remaining amount detection unit 511 in addition to the detection signal. In this case, the determination unit 20 can determine the content of the odor adjustment agent according to the remaining amount of the odor adjustment substance held in the supply unit 50. More specifically, for example, when the remaining amount signal indicating that the remaining amount of any of the odor adjustment substances is equal to or less than the threshold is transmitted from the remaining amount detection unit 511 to the determination unit 20, the determination unit 20 The content of the odor control agent is determined such that the remaining amount is less than the threshold value. Alternatively, when such a remaining amount signal is transmitted from the remaining amount detection unit 511 to the determination unit 20, the determination unit 20 determines that the supply amount of the odor adjustment substance whose remaining amount is equal to or less than the threshold is equal to or less than a predetermined value. As such, determine the content of the odor control agent. As described above, when the determination unit 20 operates, the odor adjustment system 1 continues to adjust the odor even if the remaining amount of any odor adjustment substance decreases or becomes zero because the odor adjustment system 1 performs the odor adjustment. be able to. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the frequency with which the person who manages the odor adjustment system 1 refills the supply unit 50 with the odor adjustment substance, thereby reducing the management burden on the adjustment system.

The determination unit 20 is selected from the group consisting of temperature information of the target gas, humidity information of the target gas, information on an individual in the target gas, time information, and information on the brightness in the target gas, in addition to the detection signal. The determination process may be performed based on at least one type of information. In this case, the determination unit 20 can perform odor adjustment in consideration of information other than the chemical substance in the target gas.

When the determination unit 20 performs the determination process based on the temperature information of the target gas, for example, when the temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the determination unit 20 has an odor that alleviates the discomfort felt by humans due to high temperature. The content of the odor control agent is determined so that it can be applied to the target gas. In this case, the odor adjustment system 1 preferably further includes a thermometer that measures the temperature of the target gas and transmits the result to the determination unit 20. The odor adjustment system 1 itself does not have a thermometer, and the determination unit 20 may receive temperature information from a device separate from the odor adjustment system 1.

In the case where the determination unit 20 performs the determination process based on the humidity information of the target gas, the determination unit 20, for example, has an odor that alleviates the unpleasant feeling that human being feels by being high humidity when the humidity is a certain level or more. The content of the odor control agent is determined so that it can be applied to the target gas. In this case, the odor adjustment system 1 preferably further includes a hygrometer that measures the humidity of the target gas and transmits the result to the determination unit 20. The odor adjustment system 1 itself does not have a hygrometer, and the determination unit 20 may receive humidity information from a device separate from the odor adjustment system 1.

When the determination unit 20 performs the determination process based on the information on the individual in the target gas, for example, when there is no human in the target gas, the detection signal has any content, Judge not to adjust the odor. In this case, the odor adjustment system 1 preferably further includes a human sensor that detects the presence or absence of a human in the target gas and transmits the result to the determination unit 20. The odor adjustment system 1 itself does not have a human sensor, and the determination unit 20 may receive information on the presence or absence of human presence in the target gas from a device separate from the odor adjustment system 1. For example, when the human being in the target gas is a specific individual, the determination unit 20 may determine the content of the odor adjustment agent so that the odor preferred by the specific individual can be provided to the target gas. In this case, the odor adjustment system 1 preferably includes a personal identification device that identifies a person in the target gas from an image or the like and transmits the result to the determination unit 20. The odor adjustment system 1 itself does not have a personal identification device, and the determination unit 20 may receive personal identification information from a device separate from the odor adjustment system 1.

When the determination unit 20 performs the determination process based on time information, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor regulator, for example, so as to impart an odor suitable for the time to the target gas. More specifically, for example, the determination unit 20 can add an odor that promotes human awakening to the target gas in the morning, and can add an odor that reduces human tension to the target gas in the night. Determine the content of In this case, it is preferable that the odor adjustment system 1 further includes a watch that transmits time information to the determination unit 20, or the determination unit 20 has a watch function. The determination unit 20 may receive time information from an apparatus separate from the odor adjustment system 1.

The determination unit 20 may perform the determination process based on space information in addition to the detection signal. Spatial information is information related to a space that holds the target gas, and may include information such as the size of the space, the shape of the space, the structure of the space, and the material of a member (for example, an interior material) that defines the space. When the determination unit 20 performs the determination process based on the spatial information, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor regulator, for example, so as to impart an odor suitable for the space to the target gas. More specifically, for example, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor control agent so that the odor can be imparted to the target gas according to at least one of the size, shape, structure, and material of the space. . In this case, it is preferable that the odor adjustment system 1 further include a space measurement device that transmits space information to the determination unit 20, or the determination unit 20 has a space measurement function. The determination unit 20 may receive spatial information from a device separate from the odor adjustment system 1.

The determination unit 20 may perform the determination process based on the airflow information in addition to the detection signal. The airflow information is information on the airflow generated in the target gas, and may include information such as the flow velocity of the airflow. When the determination unit 20 performs the determination process based on the airflow information, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor regulator, for example, so that the target gas can be provided with an odor suitable for the airflow. More specifically, for example, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor regulator so that the odor can be imparted to the target gas according to the air flow. In this case, it is preferable that the odor adjustment system 1 further include an air flow measuring device that transmits air flow information to the determination unit 20, or the determination unit 20 has an air flow measurement function. The determination unit 20 may receive air flow information from an apparatus separate from the odor adjustment system 1.

The determination unit 20 may perform the determination process based on the information of the sound in the target gas in addition to the detection signal. The information on the sound in the target gas may include information such as the presence or absence of sound, the volume, the sound quality, and the pitch of the sound. When the determination unit 20 performs the determination process based on the information of the sound in the target gas, the determination unit 20 determines, for example, the content of the odor regulator so that the target gas can be provided with an odor suitable for the sound. . More specifically, for example, when the volume in the target gas is lower than a predetermined level, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor regulator so that the target gas can be provided with an odor that promotes human awakening. Also, for example, when the volume in the target gas is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, for example, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor regulator so that the target gas can be provided with an odor that relieves human strain. In this case, it is preferable that the odor adjustment system 1 further include a sound volume meter or the like that measures sound information such as the volume and sound quality in the target gas and transmits the information to the determination unit 20. The determination unit 20 itself may not include a volume meter or the like, and the determination unit 20 may receive the information on the sound in the target gas from a device separate from the odor adjustment system 1.

When the determination unit 20 performs the determination process based on the information on the brightness in the target gas, the determination unit 20 may, for example, add the content of the odor adjustment agent so that the target gas can be provided with an odor suitable for the brightness. decide. More specifically, for example, when the illuminance in the target gas is a predetermined level or more, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor regulator so that the target gas can be provided with an odor that promotes human awakening. Further, for example, when the illuminance in the target gas is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the determination unit 20 determines the content of the odor regulator so that the target gas can be provided with an odor that relieves human strain. In this case, it is preferable that the odor adjustment system 1 further include an illuminance meter or the like that measures brightness information such as illuminance in the target gas and transmits the information to the determination unit 20. The determination unit 20 itself may not include an illuminance meter or the like, and the determination unit 20 may receive the information on the brightness in the target gas from a device separate from the odor adjustment system 1.

The determination unit 20 may perform the determination process based on appropriate information other than the above.

As is clear from the above-described embodiments and modifications, the odor adjustment system (1) according to the first aspect of the present disclosure does at least the odor adjustment based on the chemical substance present in the gas. A determination unit (20) that performs determination processing including determination of When it is determined in the determination process that odor adjustment is to be performed, the determination unit (20) determines the content of the odor adjustment agent to be supplied into the gas based on the signal.

According to the first aspect, an odor control agent having a content determined based on the chemical substance present in the target gas can be supplied to the target gas. Therefore, appropriate odor adjustment according to the state of the target gas is easily performed.

In the odor control system (1) according to the second aspect of the present disclosure, in the first aspect, the contents of the odor control agent at least specify which one of a plurality of substances the odor control agent contains .

According to the second aspect, substances for odor control can be selected according to the chemical substances present in the gas and used for odor control.

In the odor control system (1) according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, in the first or second aspect, the content of the odor modifier is at least one of substances contained in the odor modifier, supplied to the gas. Identify the quantity.

According to the third aspect, the supply amount of the substance for odor control can be specified according to the chemical substance present in the gas, and the substance for odor control can be used for odor control.

In the odor adjustment system (1) according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in any one of the first to third aspects, the determination unit (20) determines whether the gas has an odor based on a signal in the determination process. It is determined which of the state requiring adjustment and the state not requiring odor adjustment. When the gas is in a state in which odor adjustment is not required, the determination unit (20) determines not to adjust the odor. If the gas is in a state requiring odor adjustment, the determination unit (20) makes a determination to adjust the odor, and if the content of the odor control agent is dispersed in the gas, the gas smells Make a decision so that adjustment is unnecessary.

According to the fourth aspect, depending on the chemical substance present in the gas, the gas can be made to be in a state where the odor adjustment is unnecessary.

In the odor control system (1) according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the odor control agent contains at least one of a deodorant and a fragrance.

According to the fifth aspect, at least one of the deodorant and the fragrance can be used to perform gas odor control.

In the odor adjustment system (1) according to the sixth aspect of the present disclosure, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the determination unit (20) determines gas temperature information and gas humidity in addition to the signal. The determination process is performed based on at least one kind of information selected from the group consisting of information, information on an individual in gas, time information, and information on brightness in gas.

According to the sixth aspect, it is possible to perform gas odor adjustment according to not only chemical substances present in the gas but also other information.

In the odor adjustment system (1) according to the seventh aspect of the present disclosure, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the signal includes a plurality of individual signals according to the chemical substance in the gas. The determination unit (20) performs a determination process based on the result of pattern recognition of a plurality of individual signals.

According to the seventh aspect, it is easy to adjust the odor of the gas, even when the chemical substances in the gas affect each other while affecting the odor of the gas.

An odor adjustment system (1) according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure is the gas detection unit (30) according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, which detects a chemical substance in the gas and outputs a signal. Furthermore, it has.

According to the eighth aspect, it is possible to perform gas odor adjustment based on the detection result by the gas detection unit (30).

In the odor adjustment system (1) according to the ninth aspect of the present disclosure, in the eighth aspect, the gas detection unit (30) includes a plurality of sensor elements (31) having detection characteristics different from one another. The signal includes a plurality of individual signals output from the plurality of sensor elements (31). The determination unit (20) performs a determination process based on the result of pattern recognition of a plurality of individual signals.

According to the ninth aspect, even if the chemical substances in the gas affect each other and affect the smell of the gas, the odor of the gas is adjusted based on the detection result by the gas detection unit (30). Cheap.

In an odor adjustment system (1) according to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, in any one of the first to ninth aspects, a supply unit (50) for supplying an odor adjustment agent into a gas, and a supply unit (50) And a controller (40) for controlling the The control unit (40) controls the supply unit (50) to supply the odor control agent having the content determined by the determination unit (20) into the gas.

According to the tenth aspect, the supply part (50) can perform odor control of the gas by supplying the odor control agent into the gas.

In the odor control system (1) according to the eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, in the tenth aspect, the supply unit (50) can hold a plurality of odor control substances. The supply unit (50) generates an odor control agent from at least one of the plurality of odor control substances according to the control by the control unit (40).

According to the eleventh aspect, the supply unit (50) adjusts the odor of the gas by supplying an odor regulator containing at least one odor regulator selected from a plurality of types of odor regulators into the gas. It can be performed.

In the eleventh aspect, the supply unit (50) according to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure detects the remaining amount of the plurality of types of odor control substances held by the supply part (50). A unit (511) is provided. The determination unit (20) performs a determination process based on the detection result by the remaining amount detection unit (511) in addition to the signal.

According to the twelfth aspect, the content of the odor control agent can be determined according to the remaining amount of the odor control substance, so that the odor control is continued even if the remaining amount of any of the odor control substances becomes small or 0. can do.

In the odor adjustment method according to the thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, the determination process including at least the determination of whether to adjust the odor is performed based on the signal corresponding to the chemical substance present in the gas. In the determination processing, when it is determined that the odor adjustment is to be performed, the content of the odor adjustment agent to be supplied into the gas is determined based on the signal.

According to the thirteenth aspect, an odor control agent having a content determined based on the chemical substance present in the target gas can be supplied to the target gas. Therefore, appropriate odor adjustment according to the state of the target gas is easily performed.

A program according to a fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer system to execute the odor adjustment method according to the thirteenth aspect.

According to the fourteenth aspect, the processing using the program can supply the odor control agent having the content determined based on the chemical substance present in the target gas to the target gas. Therefore, appropriate odor adjustment according to the state of the target gas is easily performed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 odor control system 20 determination part 30 gas detection part 31 sensor element 40 control part 50 supply part 511 residual amount detection part

Claims

A determination unit that performs determination processing including determination as to whether or not to perform odor adjustment at least based on a signal corresponding to a chemical substance present in the gas;
The determination unit determines the content of the odor adjustment agent to be supplied into the gas based on the signal when it is determined in the determination process that the odor adjustment is to be performed.
Odor control system.
The content of the odor control agent at least specifies which of a plurality of substances the odor control agent contains.
The odor adjustment system according to claim 1.
The content of the odor regulator specifies the supply amount of at least one substance contained in the odor regulator into the gas.
The odor adjustment system according to claim 1 or 2.
In the determination process, the determination unit determines, based on the signal, whether the gas is in a state in which odor adjustment is required or in a state in which the odor adjustment is not necessary, in the determination process,
When the gas is in a state in which odor adjustment is not required, the determination unit determines not to adjust the odor,
When the gas is in a state requiring odor adjustment, the determination unit makes a determination to adjust the odor, and the content of the odor adjusting agent is determined if the odor adjusting agent is dispersed in the gas. Make decisions so that the gas does not require odor adjustment,
The odor adjustment system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
The odor regulator contains at least one of a deodorant and a fragrance.
The odor adjustment system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The determination unit is selected from the group consisting of temperature information on the gas, humidity information on the gas, information on an individual in the gas, time information, and information on brightness in the gas, in addition to the signal. Performing the determination process based on at least one type of information;
The odor adjustment system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
The signal includes a plurality of individual signals in response to the chemical in the gas,
The determination unit performs the determination process based on a result of pattern recognition of the plurality of individual signals.
The odor adjustment system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
The gas detection unit further includes a gas detection unit that detects the chemical substance in the gas and outputs the signal.
The odor adjustment system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
The gas detection unit includes a plurality of sensor elements having detection characteristics different from one another.
The signal includes a plurality of individual signals output respectively by the plurality of sensor elements,
The determination unit performs the determination process based on a result of pattern recognition of the plurality of individual signals.
The odor adjustment system according to claim 8.
A supply unit for supplying the odor control agent into the gas;
A control unit that controls the supply unit;
The control unit controls the supply unit to supply the odor adjusting agent having the content determined by the determination unit into the gas.
The odor adjustment system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
The supply unit can hold a plurality of types of odor control substances, and the supply section controls the odor from at least one of the plurality of types of odor control substances according to the control by the control unit. Produce an agent,
The odor adjustment system according to claim 10.
The supply unit includes a remaining amount detection unit that detects the remaining amount of the plurality of types of odor adjustment substances held by the supply unit,
The determination unit performs the determination process based on a detection result by the remaining amount detection unit in addition to the signal.
The odor adjustment system according to claim 11.
Performing a determination process including at least a determination of whether to adjust the odor based on a signal according to the chemical substance present in the gas,
In the determination processing, when it is determined that the odor adjustment is performed, the content of the odor adjustment agent to be supplied into the gas is determined based on the signal.
How to adjust the odor.
A program for causing a computer system to execute the odor adjustment method according to claim 13.