Receptacle interacting with a user with reduced energy consumption before unpacking

• US 10,144,586 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: Mainguet, Jean-Francois, Arrizabalaga, Gorka, Aubouy, Miguel
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Thanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wyatt, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/583,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20150191309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 250221
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2034/007 with special decorative arrangements or form
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/057 Spray nozzles; Generating atomised liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/02 Scent flasks, e.g. with evaporator
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/941 using an optical detector H03K17/968 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches

Abstract

The invention relates to a receptacle for storage of an object, containing a proximity sensor capable of detecting an action by a user close to or in contact with a surface of the receptacle, a transducer and a control circuit comprising an input coupled to the proximity sensor and an output connected to the transducer, the control circuit being configured to generate a control signal to be sent to the transducer when a user action is detected by the proximity sensor, characterized in that it also comprises an unpacking detector coupled to the control circuit and in that the control circuit is also configured to changeover from a standby mode during which it periodically awakens to query the unpacking detector, to a detection mode during which it periodically checks the state of its input coupled to the proximity sensor, after the unpacking detector has detected removal of the receptacle from a packaging.

Claims

1. A receptacle for storage of an object, comprising:

a proximity sensor configured to detect an action by a user close to or in contact with a surface of the receptacle;

a transducer;

a control circuit coupled to the proximity sensor and to the transducer, the control circuit being configured to generate a control signal to the transducer when a user action is detected by the proximity sensor; and

an unpacking detector coupled to the control circuit and configured to detect removal of the receptacle from a packaging,

wherein upon detection of removal of the receptacle from the packaging by the unpacking detector, the control circuit is further configured to switch from a standby mode during which the control circuit periodically awakens to query the unpacking detector to a detection mode during which the control circuit periodically checks a state of the proximity sensor,

in the standby mode, the control circuit changes a length of an awake period during which it awakens to query the unpacking detector, and

wherein the control circuit is also configured to progressively reduce the awake period to query the unpacking detector, in the standby mode.

2. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the unpacking detector is a magnetic detector.

3. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the unpacking detector is a light detector.

4. The receptacle according to claim 3, wherein the control circuit is further configured to switch, after the receptacle has been withdrawn from the packaging, from the detection mode to the standby mode after the unpacking detector has not detected any light during a determined period, and to switch back to the detection mode after light is detected by the unpacking detector.

5. The receptacle according to claim 3, wherein the control circuit is also configured to increase a period at which a verification is made of the state of the proximity sensor if no light is detected by the unpacking detector, when the control circuit is in the detection mode.

6. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is also configured so that in the detection mode, a verification period of the state of the proximity sensor is increased after a determined duration following detection of a user action by the proximity sensor.

7. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is also configured to learn an action history in the detection mode, and a verification period of the state of the proximity sensor is modified in time as a function of learning of the action history by the control circuit.

8. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is also configured to change over from a sleep mode in which querying of the unpacking detector is inhibited to the standby mode.

10. The receptacle according to claim 1, further comprising a container containing a cosmetic product, which is at least one of a perfume or cream, and in which the proximity sensor is a capacitive sensor and the transducer is a light source, the lighting of which is controlled by the control signal generated by the control circuit.

9. A receptacle for storage of an object, comprising:

a proximity sensor configured to detect an action by a user close to or in contact with a surface of the receptacle;

a transducer;

a control circuit coupled to the proximity sensor and to the transducer, the control circuit being configured to generate a control signal to the transducer when a user action is detected by the proximity sensor; and

an unpacking detector coupled to the control circuit and configured to detect removal of the receptacle from a packaging,

wherein upon detection of removal of the receptacle from the packaging by the unpacking detector, the control circuit is further configured to switch from a standby mode during which the control circuit periodically awakens to query the unpacking detector to a detection mode during which the control circuit periodically checks a state of the proximity sensor, and

in the detection mode, the control circuit monitors variations in signals from the proximity sensor in order to compensate for environmental conditions,

wherein the receptacle further includes;

a container configured to contain the object;

a container cladding part in which are integrated the control circuit and a container; and

a cladding part assembly detector coupled to the control circuit, the control circuit being configured to switch from a sleep mode in which querying of the unpacking detector is inhibited to standby mode when the assembly detector detects assembly of the container and the cladding part, and

wherein the control circuit is also configured to change over from the sleep mode to the standby mode.

11. A method of managing the energy consumption of an object storage receptacle, comprising:

detecting, by a proximity sensor, an action of a user close to or in contact with a surface of the receptacle,

detecting, by an unpacking detector, removal of the object storage receptacle from a packaging;

switching, by a control circuit and when the unpacking detector detects removal of the object storage receptacle from the packaging, from a standby mode during which the control circuit awakens periodically to query the unpacking detector to a detection mode, during which the control circuit periodically checks the state of its input that can be coupled to the proximity sensor, the control circuit changing a length of an awake period during which it awakens to query the unpacking detector in the standby mode; and

generating, by the control circuit in the detection mode, a control signal to control a transducer when user action is detected by the proximity sensor; and

wherein the awake period to query the unpacking detector is progressively reduced in the standby mode.