Sense Database

• US 20080040344A1
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ajikaori Senryaku Kenkyusyo Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ajikaori Senryaku Kenkyusyo Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hayama, Masahide
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/6
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0001 by organoleptic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

There has been conventionally a problem that when the searcher uses, for example, “dry wine” selected according to the searcher'"'"'s preference as a search key, the searcher cannot be satisfied with the search result because wine entries stored in a database as “dry wines” depend on objective evaluation by another person. A sense database is created by using, as a subjective search index, sense parameter information such as potential variation caused by pungency obtained by a pseudo sensor irrespective of one'"'"'s ability. Specifically the database comprises a sense information obtaining section for obtaining sense information by associating the sense parameter information acquired by the sensor with representative information, a sense information storage section, a search key obtaining section, and a searching section for searching the sense information storage section using a search key.

Claims

1. A sensory database, comprising:

an acquirer for sensory information, which acquires sensory information, in which sensory parameter information indicating sense acquired by a sensor and representative information representing the sense are correlated;

a storage for sensory information, which stores the sensory information acquired by said acquirer for sensory information;

an acquirer for search key, which acquires the representative information as a search key; and

a searcher, which searches said storage for sensory information based on the search key acquired by said acquirer for search key.

3. The sensory database according to claim 1, wherein

said acquirer for sensory information, further comprising,

a means for statistical processing, which carries out statistical processing of the acquired sensory information, and equalizes the representative information correlated with a specific parameter, and

said storage for sensory information further stores and manages equalized sensory information, in which the representative information equalized by said means for statistical processing and said specific parameter are correlated.

4. The sensory database according to claim 1, wherein

said sensor comprises

identification information for sensor, which identifies the sensor, and

said acquirer for sensory information acquires sensory information correlated with said identification information for sensor.

5. The sensory database according to claim 1, wherein

said sense is taste, and

said sensor is a taste sensor.

6. The sensory database according to claim 5, wherein

the sensory parameter information acquired by said taste sensor includes a parameter indicating sense of bitter taste, sweet taste, acidic taste, flavor, or salty taste, and the respective parameters are mutually independent.

7. The sensory database according to claim 6, wherein

the sensory parameter information acquired by said taste sensor further includes a parameter indicating sense of acrid taste in addition to said five senses, and the respective parameters are mutually independent.

8. The sensory database according to claim 5, wherein

said representative information is identification information for shop, which identifies a shop providing food.

9. The sensory database according to claim 5, wherein

said representative information is identification information for food, which identifies a food.

10. The sensory database according to claim 5, wherein

said representative information is information of post-meal feeling, which indicates a feeling after meal.

11. The sensory database according to claim 1, wherein

said sense is olfactory sense, and

said sensor is an olfactory sensor.

12. The sensory database according to claim 1, wherein

said sense is tactile sense, and

said sensor is a tactile sensor.

13. The sensory database according to claim 1, wherein

said sense is perception, and

said sensor is a biological sensor.

14. The sensory database according to claim 13, wherein

said perception relates to delight, anger, sorrow, and pleasure.

2. A sensory database, comprising:

an acquirer for sensory information, which acquires sensory information, in which sensory parameter information indicating sense acquired by a sensor and representative information representing the sense are correlated;

a storage for sensory information, which stores the sensory information acquired by said acquirer for sensory information;

an acquirer for search key, which acquires the sensory parameter information as a search key; and

a searcher, which searches said storage for sensory information based on the search key acquired by said acquirer for search key.

21. The sensory database according to claim 2, wherein

said acquirer for sensory information, further comprising,

a means for statistical processing, which carries out statistical processing of the acquired sensory information, and equalizes the representative information correlated with a specific parameter, and

said storage for sensory information further stores and manages equalized sensory information, in which the representative information equalized by said means for statistical processing and said specific parameter are correlated.

15. A sensory database system, comprising:

a kitchen equipment; and

a sensory database, wherein

said kitchen equipment comprises

a taste sensor, which acquires sensory parameter information indicating taste of food being cooked,

a transmitter for sensory parameter information, which transmits acquired sensory parameter information, which is sensory parameter information acquired by said taste sensor, to said sensory database, and

a receiver for advice information of adjustment of taste, which receives advice information of adjustment of taste, which is replied based on the acquired sensory parameter information transmitted from said transmitter for sensory parameter information, and

said sensory database comprises

a receiver for sensory parameter information, which receives the acquired sensory parameter information transmitted from said transmitter for sensory parameter information,

a storage for sensory information, which stores sensory information, in which sensory parameter information indicating sense acquired by a taste sensor, which is same type of sensor as said taste sensor, and representative information representing the sense are correlated,

a comparing unit, which compares the sensory parameter information correlated with the specific representative information in said storage for sensory information with the acquired sensory parameter information received by said receiver for sensory parameter information,

an acquirer for advice information of adjustment of taste, which acquires advice information of adjustment of taste based on the comparative result by said comparing unit, and

a transmitter for advice information of adjustment of taste, which transmits the advice information of adjustment of taste acquired by said acquirer for advice information of adjustment of taste to said kitchen equipment.

16. A method for searching sensory database, comprising:

a step of acquiring sensory information, which acquires sensory information, in which sensory parameter information indicating sense acquired by a sensor and representative information representing the sense are correlated;

a step of storing sensory information, which stores the sensory information acquired by said step of acquiring sensory information;

a step of acquiring search key, which acquires the representative information as a search key; and

a step of searching, which searches said storage for sensory information based on the search key acquired by said step of acquiring search key.

17. A method for searching sensory database, comprising:

a step of acquiring sensory information, which acquires sensory information, in which sensory parameter information indicating sense acquired by a sensor and representative information representing the sense are correlated;

a step of storing sensory information, which stores the sensory information acquired by said step of acquiring sensory information;

a step of acquiring search key, which acquires the sensory parameter information as a search key; and

a step of searching, which searches said storage for sensory information based on the search key acquired by said step of acquiring search key.

18. A method for searching sensory database, comprising:

a step of acquiring sensory information, which acquires sensory information, in which sensory parameter information indicating sense acquired by a sensor and representative information representing the sense are correlated;

a step of storing sensory information, which stores the sensory information acquired by said step of acquiring sensory information;

a step of statistical processing, which carries out statistical processing of the sensory information acquired by said step of acquiring sensory information, and equalizes the representative information correlated with a specific parameter;

a step of storing and managing equalized sensory information, which stores and manages equalized sensory information, in which the representative information equalized by said step of statistical processing and said specific parameter are correlated;

a step of acquiring search key, which acquires the representative information as a search key; and

a step of searching, which searches the sensory information stored by said step of storing sensory information, and/or the equalized sensory information stored and managed by said step of storing and managing equalized sensory information based on the search key acquired by said step of acquiring search key.

19. A method for searching sensory database, comprising:

a step of acquiring sensory information, which acquires sensory information, in which sensory parameter information indicating sense acquired by a sensor and representative information representing the sense are correlated;

a step of storing sensory information, which stores the sensory information acquired by said step of acquiring sensory information;

a step of statistical processing, which carries out statistical processing of the sensory information acquired by said step of acquiring sensory information, and equalizes the representative information correlated with a specific parameter;

a step of storing and managing equalized sensory information, which stores and manages equalized sensory information, in which the representative information equalized by said step of statistical processing and said specific parameter are correlated;

a step of acquiring search key, which acquires the sensory parameter information as a search key; and

a step of searching, which searches the sensory information stored by said step of storing sensory information, and/or the equalized sensory information stored and managed by said step of storing and managing equalized sensory information based on the search key acquired by said step of acquiring search key.

20. A method for advising adjustment of taste by means of sensory database system, comprising:

a step of acquiring sensory parameter, which acquires sensory parameter information indicating taste of food being cooked;

a step of transmitting sensory parameter information, which transmits acquired sensory parameter information, which is sensory parameter information acquired by said step of acquiring sensory parameter;

a step of receiving acquired sensory parameter information, which receives the sensory parameter information transmitted by said step of transmitting sensory parameter information;

a step of comparing, which compares the sensory parameter information, which has preliminarily been correlated with the specific representative information and has been stored, with the acquired sensory parameter information, which is sensory parameter information received by said step of receiving acquired sensory parameter information;

a step of acquiring advice information of adjustment of taste, which acquires advice information of adjustment of taste based on the comparative result by said step of comparing;

a step of transmitting advice information of adjustment of taste, which transmits the advice information of adjustment of taste acquired by said step of acquiring advice information of adjustment of taste; and

a step of receiving advice information of adjustment of taste, which receives the advice information of adjustment of taste replied by said step of transmitting advice information of adjustment of taste.