RECEPTACLE INTERACTING WITH A USER WITH REDUCED ENERGY CONSUMPTION BEFORE UNPACKING

• US 20150191309A1
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,144,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, 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 that can be 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,

wherein the receptacle further comprises an unpacking detector coupled to the control circuit and the control circuit is further configured to switch 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 that can be coupled to the proximity sensor, after the unpacking detector has detected removal of the receptacle from a packaging.

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

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

4. Receptacle according to claim 3, in which 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, in which the control circuit is also configured to increase the period at which a verification is made of the state of the input that can be coupled to the proximity sensor if no light is detected by the unpacking detector, when the control circuit is in detection mode.

6. The receptacle according to claim 1, in which the control circuit is also configured so that in detection mode, the verification period of the state of the input that can be coupled to 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, in which the control circuit is also configured so that an action history can be learned in detection mode, and the verification period of the state of the input that is coupled to the proximity sensor (6) is modified in time as a function of this learning.

8. The receptacle according to claim 1, in which the control circuit is also configured to progressively reduce the awaken period to query the unpacking detector, in standby mode.

9. The receptacle according to claim 1, in which 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 9, including a container that is aimed at containing the object, a container cladding part in which are integrated the control circuit and a container and cladding part assembly detector coupled to the control circuit, the control circuit being configured to switch from the sleep mode to standby mode when the assembly detector detects assembly of the container and the cladding part.

11. The receptacle according to claim 1, including a container containing a cosmetic product, particularly 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.

12. A method of managing the energy consumption of an object storage receptacle which comprises a proximity sensor capable of detecting an action of a user close to or in contact with a surface of the receptacle, a transducer and a control circuit comprising an input that can be coupled to the capacitive 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 a proximity sensor, wherein the control circuit switches from a standby mode during which it awakens periodically to query the unpacking detector to a detection mode, during which it periodically checks the state of its input that can be coupled to the proximity sensor, after the unpacking detector has detected removal of the receptacle from a packaging.