EP3545249B1 - Portable container with temperature regulator - Google Patents
Portable container with temperature regulator Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3545249B1 EP3545249B1 EP17821709.7A EP17821709A EP3545249B1 EP 3545249 B1 EP3545249 B1 EP 3545249B1 EP 17821709 A EP17821709 A EP 17821709A EP 3545249 B1 EP3545249 B1 EP 3545249B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- portable container
- food item
- temperature
- user
- insulative body
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Active
Links
- 235000013305 food Nutrition 0.000 claims description 127
- 230000033228 biological regulation Effects 0.000 claims description 23
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 claims description 15
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- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 15
- 230000015654 memory Effects 0.000 description 12
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 7
- 235000013361 beverage Nutrition 0.000 description 6
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 5
- 230000001105 regulatory effect Effects 0.000 description 5
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 4
- 235000008452 baby food Nutrition 0.000 description 3
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 3
- 229910001416 lithium ion Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 238000010801 machine learning Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 235000011888 snacks Nutrition 0.000 description 3
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 3
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
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- 230000006399 behavior Effects 0.000 description 2
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- 238000012880 independent component analysis Methods 0.000 description 2
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- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 2
- 235000016709 nutrition Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 206010013911 Dysgeusia Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 240000007594 Oryza sativa Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000007164 Oryza sativa Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000005679 Peltier effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 244000269722 Thea sinensis Species 0.000 description 1
- 238000013473 artificial intelligence Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004397 blinking Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000036772 blood pressure Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001413 cellular effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000016213 coffee Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000013353 coffee beverage Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000021270 cold food Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000001276 controlling effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
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- 235000020278 hot chocolate Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000021268 hot food Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000012774 insulation material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000015122 lemonade Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000013336 milk Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000008267 milk Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000004080 milk Anatomy 0.000 description 1
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- 235000009566 rice Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000021055 solid food Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000014347 soups Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 1
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Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D31/00—Other cooling or freezing apparatus
- F25D31/005—Combined cooling and heating devices
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
- B65D81/18—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D3/00—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies
- F25D3/02—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies using ice, e.g. ice-boxes
- F25D3/06—Movable containers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
- B65D81/02—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage
- B65D81/025—Containers made of sheet-like material and having a shape to accommodate contents
- B65D81/027—Containers made of sheet-like material and having a shape to accommodate contents double-walled
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D2331/00—Details or arrangements of other cooling or freezing apparatus not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- F25D2331/80—Type of cooled receptacles
- F25D2331/801—Bags
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D2331/00—Details or arrangements of other cooling or freezing apparatus not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- F25D2331/80—Type of cooled receptacles
- F25D2331/804—Boxes
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D2400/00—General features of, or devices for refrigerators, cold rooms, ice-boxes, or for cooling or freezing apparatus not covered by any other subclass
- F25D2400/12—Portable refrigerators
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D2700/00—Means for sensing or measuring; Sensors therefor
- F25D2700/12—Sensors measuring the inside temperature
Definitions
- the present subject matter relates, in general, to portable containers, and, particularly but not exclusively, to a portable container with a temperature regulator.
- Portable containers are usually used to carry food items, such as solid as well as liquid items, during journeys.
- the food items may include, but is not limited to, water, beverages, and snacks.
- Such portable containers come handy when a person has to carry any food item during a journey.
- Many portable containers employ insulating members to maintain the temperature of the food item. The insulating members keeps the food item isolated from ambient conditions.
- Example of known portable containers are shown in published documents US4453385 A or WO2005/096869 A1 .
- the food items may include any solid food item, such as snacks, baby food as well as liquid items, such as soups, beverages, and water.
- solid food item such as snacks, baby food as well as liquid items, such as soups, beverages, and water.
- liquid items such as soups, beverages, and water.
- portable containers enable people to carry food items, such containers do not facilitate in maintaining a temperature of the food item being carried. For example, if a person is carrying a hot beverage while travelling, the hot beverage may cool after certain time.
- a vacuum flask includes an insulating member that lengthens the time over which the food item in the container remains hotter or cooler.
- Such insulating members keep the food item isolated from the outside temperature and maintain the temperature of the food item in the container.
- the insulating member is unable to maintain the temperature of the food item for a long time, especially in extreme weather conditions. In situations, where the users are carrying the food items in long journeys, the thermal insulating flasks may not serve the intended purpose.
- conventional portable containers with insulating members may not enable a user to set a temperature of the food item being carried in the portable container. This may be inconvenient to the users as the insulating members prevent a user from getting to know a current temperature of the food item. As a result, the user may burn their tongue due to hot food item or may experience bad taste due to extreme cold food item.
- the present invention defines a portable container for a food item according to claim 1.
- the food item may include solid items as well as liquid items, including beverages.
- the portable container of the present subject matter includes a temperature regulator as well as a plurality of temperature sensors. The plurality of temperature sensors may detect the temperature of the food item within the portable container.
- the portable container may further include a charging unit that may be capable of being charged wirelessly.
- the temperature regulator is embedded within the portable container to regulate a temperature of the food item inside the portable container to a desired temperature.
- a user may select a desired temperature for being maintained within the portable container.
- the temperature sensors may continuously sense the temperature of the food item to determine whether the desired temperature is maintained or not. If the temperature of the food item varies from the desired temperature, the charging unit may turn ON the temperature regulator till the desired temperature is achieved.
- the portable container may include a wireless transceiver to communicate with an electronic device, such as a mobile phone.
- the wireless transceiver may be configured to share information pertaining to the food item, with the electronic device.
- the information so shared may be accessed through an application on the electronic device.
- the application enables the user to change settings of the portable container, such as a temperature to which the food item is to be heated or cooled.
- the present subject matter provides a compact and portable container for carrying a food item.
- the temperature regulator of the container facilitates in regulating a temperature of the food item on-the-go.
- the present subject matter further enables a user to communicate with the portable container through an application loaded on an electronic device.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a portable container 100, according to an example implementation of the present subject matter.
- the portable container 100 may be employed for maintaining a desired temperature of the food item.
- the food item may be a liquid item, such as a beverage or water.
- the beverage may include, but are not limited to, coffee, tea, milk, lemonade, and hot chocolate.
- the food item may be a solid item, such as baby food and rice.
- the portable container 100 includes an insulative body 102 to hold a food item, such as beverages or snacks or baby food.
- the insulative body 102 is double walled, i.e., made of two walls (not shown).
- the insulative body 102 includes an inner wall and an outer wall.
- the inner wall may be made of a stainless steel material.
- the outer wall may be made of thermal insulation materials such as a plastic material. The outer wall thereby protects a user from any accidental burns. It may be noted that the inner wall and the outer wall may be made of any other suitable material.
- the portable container 100 includes a lid 104.
- the lid 104 covers the insulative body 102 of the portable container 100 to prevent the food item, such as a liquid item, from spilling.
- the lid 104 may be removably coupled to a top portion 106 of the insulative body 102.
- the lid 104 may be screwed at a neck portion (not shown) of the insulative body 102.
- the portable container 100 may include a handle 108 that may facilitate in easy handling of the portable container 100.
- the portable container 100 includes a temperature regulator 110, such as a thermostat, disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall of the insulative body 102.
- a temperature regulator 110 such as a thermostat
- the temperature regulator 110 may be placed along a length of the portable container 100, as shown in FIG. 1 .
- the temperature regulator 110 may facilitate in maintaining a desired temperature of the food item within the portable container 100.
- Example of the temperature regulator 110 may include, but is not limited to Nichrome.
- the portable container 100 includes a plurality of temperature sensors (hereinafter referred to as temperature sensors) disposed within the inner wall of the insulative body 102.
- the temperature sensors are operably coupled to the temperature regulator 110.
- the temperature sensors may sense the temperature of the food item within the insulative body 102 based on which the temperature of the food item may be regulated.
- the portable container 100 may include additional sensors for detecting different aspects related to the food item within the portable container 200. For example, the sensors may detect a weight of a food item within the portable container 200.
- the portable container 100 may further include a charging unit 112 to charge the portable container 100.
- the charging unit 112 may be charged wirelessly, such as through induction, magnetic resonance, ultrasound, or radio waves.
- the charging unit 112 may be a wireless coil.
- the charging unit 112 may be positioned at a bottom portion 114 of the portable container 100.
- the portable container 100 may also include one or more power storage elements 116 coupled to the charging unit 112.
- the power storage element 116 may be a battery, such as a Lithium Ion battery.
- the portable container 100 may include a display area 118 for displaying information pertaining to the food item within the portable container 100.
- the display area 118 may display a desired temperature that may be set by a user.
- the display area 118 may also display a current temperature of the food item in the portable container 100.
- the current temperature may be understood as an average temperature of two temperatures that may be sensed at a top portion 106 and a bottom portion 114 respectively, of the portable container 100.
- the display area 118 may also display a weight of the food item within the portable container 100.
- the portable container 100 may further include a plurality of buttons 120.
- the portable container 100 may include a power button 120-1 for turning ON or OFF the temperature regulator 110.
- the portable container 100 may also include a mode button 120-2 for selecting a preset temperature for regulating the temperature of the food item.
- the preset temperatures may be provided for various temperatures of the food item, such as a normal temperature, warm, hot, and so on.
- the portable container 100 may include control buttons 120-3 for controlling or adjusting a temperature of the food item within the portable container 100.
- temperature of the food item is controlled based on a hysteresis temperature. The hysteresis temperature prevents the temperature regulator 110 from turning ON and OFF when temperature of the food item inside the portable container 100 is within a pre-defined range from the desired temperature.
- the portable container 100 may include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) 122 mounted on a rim of the insulative body 102.
- the LEDs 122 change color based on the temperature of the inner wall of the portable container 100 as well as the food item within the container 100.
- the LEDs 122 indicate a temperature of the food item inside the portable container 100.
- the temperature sensors may be connected to the LEDs 122. The temperature sensors may sense the temperature of the food item within the insulative body 102 and accordingly, the LEDs 122 may change their color to indicate the temperature of the food item.
- the portable container 100 includes a controller (not shown) communicatively coupled to the temperature regulator 110 to regulate the temperature of the food item based on a user input.
- the user may input a desired temperature of the food item through the buttons 120.
- the controller may obtain a current temperature of the food item from the temperature sensors.
- the current temperature of the food item is an average of the temperatures sensed at the top portion 106 and the bottom portion 114 of the portable container 100. Based on the current temperature, the controller may regulate the temperature of the food item.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the portable container 200, according to an example implementation of the present subject matter.
- the portable container 200 is similar to the portable container 100 of FIG. 1 .
- the portable container 200 may communicate with an electronic device, such as a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a tablet, a smartphone, a Personal Digital Assistant, and the like.
- the portable container 200 may communicate with the electronic device through a communication network (not shown).
- the network may be a wireless network, wired network, or a combination thereof.
- the network can be implemented as one of the different types of networks, such as intranet, telecom network, electrical network, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, and such.
- the portable container 200 includes an insulative body, such as the insulative body 102.
- the insulative body 102 may hold the food item therewithin.
- the portable container 100 includes a plurality of temperature sensors 202 disposed on the insulative body 102.
- the portable container 200 may include two temperature sensors. One disposed near the top portion and another at the bottom portion of the insulative body 102.
- the temperature sensors 202 may facilitate in determination of a current temperature of the food item within the portable container 200.
- the current temperature may be understood as an average of the temperatures sensed at the top portion and the bottom portion of the insulative body 102.
- the portable container 200 may include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), such as the LEDs 122 mounted on a rim of the insulative body 102.
- the LEDs 122 change color based on the temperature of the inner wall of the portable container 200 as well as the food item within the container 100.
- the LEDs 122 indicate a temperature of the food item inside the portable container 200.
- the temperature sensors 202 may be connected to the LEDs 122.
- the temperature sensors 202 may sense the temperature of the food item within the insulative body 102 and accordingly, the LEDs 122 may change their color to indicate the temperature of the food item.
- the LEDs 122 at a rim of the insulative body 102 may transform from being colorless to orange or red depending on the temperature of the inner wall 104-1 and the food item. For instance, when the portable container 200 is powered OFF, the LEDs 122 will be colorless. In another example, the LEDs 122 will have blue color when the food item is cold, and so on. In an example, when the temperature is 21 degrees Celsius, the LEDs 122 at the rim may be colorless, at 40 degrees Celsius, the LEDs 122 may be dark orange, and so on.
- the portable container 200 includes the temperature regulator 110 disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall of the insulative body.
- the temperature regulator 110 may facilitate in regulating the temperature of the food item based on the user input.
- the temperature regulator 110 may include heating elements as well as cooling elements.
- four heating elements were used in parallel to accommodate lower 3.7V nominal voltage of the portable container 200.
- the resistance of each heating element came around 3.2 ⁇ which yielded a total parallel resistance of about 800m ⁇ when all four heating elements were conducting.
- the heating elements employed in the present subject matter are created by center-taping a 10x5 cm strip of a heating pad to yield 2 elements in parallel per strip.
- each of the heating elements is provided with a separate driver so the instantaneous power for heating can be set in about 4W increments.
- the heating elements may include thermistors. Each thermistor may connect to a 2-pin female header. In an example, the thermistor is a US Sensor PT103J2. Further, a heating coil of the heating element may be a modified Abracon AWCCA53N53H50C01 B.
- the cooling elements of the temperature regulator 110 may provide thermoelectric cooling to the food item thereby facilitating in maintaining the desired temperature. Examples of the cooling elements may include, but are not limited to, Peltier tiles or sheets. The Peltier tiles operate according to the Peltier effect.
- the portable container 200 includes a charging unit, such as the charging unit 112, for powering the portable container 200.
- the charging unit 112 may be capable of being charged wirelessly.
- the charging unit 112 may include a wireless coil and a wireless power receiver.
- the portable container 200 of the present subject matter is also provided with a capability to adjust the current drawn from the charging unit 112 to accommodate power available from an induction charger or a Qi charger.
- the charging unit 112 is capable of receiving upto 15W of power from the Qi charger.
- the portable container 200 may also include a power storage element 116 coupled to the charging unit 112.
- the power storage element 116 may be a battery, such as a Lithium Ion battery.
- the portable container 200 of the present subject matter utilizes a 1S2P configuration for a two cell Li-Ion battery.
- the portable container 200 includes a processor(s) 204, memory 206 coupled to the processor(s) 204, and interface(s) 208.
- the processor(s) 204 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuitries, and/or any systems that manipulate signals based on operational instructions.
- the processor(s) 204 may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory 206.
- the processor 204 may be configured to manage different processes or activities of the portable container 200.
- the processor 204 may receive a desired temperature of the food item as provided by the user.
- the user may use the mode buttons to provide the desired temperature.
- the processor 204 may obtain the desired temperature from the memory 206.
- the memory 206 may include any computer-readable medium known in the art including, for example, volatile memory, such as static random access memory (SRAM), and dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and/or non-volatile memory, such as read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM, flash memories, hard disks, optical disks, and magnetic tapes.
- volatile memory such as static random access memory (SRAM), and dynamic random access memory (DRAM)
- non-volatile memory such as read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM, flash memories, hard disks, optical disks, and magnetic tapes.
- the memory 206 may be configured to store information, such as the temperature settings done by the user.
- the user may store the temperature settings or any other preferred setting on the cloud.
- the portable container 200 may facilitate the user to access the preferred settings or to store additional settings or to modify existing settings on the cloud through the communication network.
- the interface(s) 208 may include a variety of software and hardware interfaces, for example, interfaces for peripheral system(s), such as a product board, a mouse, an external memory, and a printer. Additionally, the interface(s) 208 may enable the portable container 200 to communicate with other devices. In an example, a display, such as the display area 118 may be a part of the interface(s) 208.
- the portable container 200 also includes a controller 210 and data 212.
- the controller 210 may be implemented as a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller for accurately regulating the temperature of the food item.
- the controller 210 includes, an authentication engine 214 and a a temperature regulation engine 218, and may further include a monitoring engine 216 and other engine(s) 220.
- the other engine(s) 220 may include programs or coded instructions that supplement applications or functions performed by the portable container 200.
- the data 212 may include temperature data 222, user data 224, and other data 226. Further, the other data 226, amongst other things, may serve as a repository for storing data, which is processed, received, or generated as a result of the execution of one or more modules in the controller 210.
- the data 212 is shown internal to the portable container 200, the data 212 can also be implemented external to the portable container 200, where the data 212 may be stored within a database communicatively coupled to the portable container 200.
- the authentication engine 214 is configured to authenticate a user before providing access to the portable container 200.
- the authentication engine 214 may employ a biometric based authentication technique.
- the authentication engine 214 may employ any other authentication mechanism to authenticate a user. Accordingly, the authentication engine 214 may authenticate the user based on the biometrics, such as voice, fingerprints, etc. received from the user.
- the portable container 200 may include a biometric scanner (not shown). The biometric scanner may receive credentials from the user, such as a fingerprint, a voice sample, etc. Upon receiving the credentials from the user, the authentication engine 214 compare the credentials of the user with the credentials stored in a profile of the user. The profile may be retrieved from the memory 206 of the portable container 200 or from a cloud based storage.
- the profile includes information pertaining to preferences of the user with respect to the food items.
- the profile of the user may be accessed every time the user is authenticated by the controller 210. Further, the profile of the user may include a journal or record of events pertaining to the desired temperature set for different food items by the user.
- the authentication engine 214 retrieves the user preferences based on the type of food item held by the portable container 200.
- the monitoring engine 216 may perform a check on initial parameters associated with the portable container 200.
- the initial parameters may include a charging status and a power level of the charging unit 112.
- monitoring engine 216 may ascertain whether the portable container 200 is being powered through the charging unit 112 or not. If the portable container 200 is being charged via the charging unit 112, the monitoring engine 216 may enable switching ON the portable container 200. If the portable container 200 is not being charged through the charging unit 112, it indicates that the power storage element 116 is powering the portable container 200.
- the monitoring engine 216 may determine a power level of the power storage element 116. Specifically, the monitoring engine 216 may check whether the power level of the power storage element 116 is above a pre-defined threshold value or not. In an example, the pre-defined threshold level of the power storage element 116 is 6.3 Volts. If the power level of the power storage element 116 is above the pre-defined threshold value, the monitoring engine 216 may switch ON the portable container 200. If the power level of the power storage element 116 is below the pre-defined threshold value, the monitoring engine 216 may not switch ON the portable container 200. Further, the monitoring engine 216 may display a notification on the display area 118 indicating that the food item cannot be heated.
- the monitoring engine 216 may also monitor a temperature of the power storage element 116 and turn OFF power supply to the portable container 200 when a temperature of the power storage element 116 rises above a pre-defined threshold range. For example, while charging the power storage element 116, if the temperature of the power storage element 116 goes above a safe threshold range, the monitoring engine 216 may cut off supply to the power storage element 116.
- the monitoring engine 216 may be implemented as a Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) thermistor. The NTC thermistor suspends charging of the power storage element 116 when it detects that the temperature of the power storage element 116 has risen above about 45 degrees Celsius. In case the temperature of the power storage element 116 goes beyond 60 degrees Celsius, the NTC thermistor may disable the portable container 200.
- NTC Negative Temperature Coefficient
- the temperature regulation engine 218 receives an input from the user.
- the input may be indicative of a desired temperature of the food item that the user may wish to set.
- the user may provide the input to the portable container 200 through the buttons, such as the buttons 120 or through a voice command.
- the controller 210 may, based on the inputs provided by the user and through machine learning, build a profile for the user. In an example, the profile as created may be accessed during the authentication process.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 may then obtain a current temperature of the food item within the portable container 200.
- the current temperature may be obtained from the temperature sensors 202.
- the current temperature of the food item is an average of the temperatures sensed at the top portion and the bottom portion of the portable container 200.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 may compare the desired temperature with the current temperature of the food item. Based on the comparison, the temperature regulation engine 218 may regulate power supply to the portable container 200.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 may turn OFF the power supply to the temperature regulator 110. Turning OFF of the power supply may also be indicated by blinking of a blue LED for every second. In another example, if the current temperature is less than the desired temperature, the temperature regulation engine 218 may turn ON the power supply to the temperature regulator 110. Turning ON the power supply is indicated by a continuously ON blue LED.
- the controller 210 may take into account a hysteresis temperature to avoid rapid turning ON and OFF of the temperature regulator 110 when the food item inside the portable container 200 is within a predefined range from the desired temperature.
- the power button 120-1 Upon turning ON, the power button 120-1 becomes green in color and the temperature regulator 110 is turned ON.
- the temperature regulator 110 may heat the inner wall of the portable container 200 which may cause the food item to heat.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 may continuously monitor the current temperature of the food item within the portable container 100. Accordingly, the portable container 200 of the present subject matter facilitates in maintaining a temperature of the food item within the container 200 as desired by the user.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 employs machine learning techniques to identify a type of food item within the portable container 200. For example, the temperature regulation engine 218 may determine the type of the food item based on a density or other properties associated with the food item.
- the portable container 200 may include sensing devices to measure intensity of light passing through the food item as well as the intensity of the light being reflected from the food item. When light from one or more light sources is received by the food item, the sensing devices may measure the intensity of the light and share the same with the temperature regulation engine 218. The sensing devices may also detect a wavelength at which the light is being emitted.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 Based on the information, such as density received from the sensing devices, the temperature regulation engine 218 employs artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to determine the type of food item within the portable container 200.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 may compare the intensity measurements with stored values in a database for a variety of known substances. Although the identification of the type of the food item is performed based on measurement of intensity of light, other techniques may also be employed for determining the type of the food item.
- the portable container 200 may store the properties of the food item in the memory 206 or in the cloud storage. These properties may later be referred for analysis, such as to compute the calories consumed by the user.
- a quantity of the food item within the portable container 200 is determined by the temperature regulation engine 218.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 automatically sets the desired temperature of the food item.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 may set the desired temperature of the food item based on an historical behavior of the user. As mentioned earlier, the historical behavior, i.e., desired temperatures and corresponding food items may be stored within the profile of the user.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 determines the quantity of the food item.
- the initial weight may be stored in a journal maintained by the portable container 200 for a specific user. Thereafter, the temperature regulation engine 218 may identify, at pre-defined intervals, a current weight of the food item within the portable container 200. A comparison of the initial weight and the current weight of the food item provides a quantity of the food item within the portable container 200.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 may determine a plurality of constituents of the food item within the portable container 200 to determine a quality of the food item.
- the temperature regulation engine 218 may employ an Independent Component Analysis (ICA) technique to determine the constituents of the food item.
- ICA Independent Component Analysis
- the portable container 200 may include a wireless transceiver 230.
- the wireless transceiver 230 may be a Wi-Fi unit, a Bluetooth ® , or a Near Field Communication (NFC) unit.
- the wireless transceiver 230 may enable the portable container 200 to communicate with an electronic device, such as a mobile phone.
- the electronic devices communicate with the portable container 200 through an application.
- the application may be accessible by different operating systems, such as Android, iOS.
- the user may set up a connection with the portable container 200.
- the electronic device and the portable container 100 may share Short Term Keys (STKs), to encrypt a link between the two devices.
- STKs Short Term Keys
- instructions received from the paired user device may include receiving status of the food items, such as temperature of the food item and charging status of the charging unit 112, from the portable container 200.
- the application may also enable the user to check or define the desired temperature, the hysteresis temperature, heating status, battery voltage, and the like.
- the application may allow the user to check the temperature of each temperature sensor 202 separately. For instance, Temperature 1 indicates the temperature of 1 st temperature sensor and Temperature 2 indicates the temperature of 2 nd temperature sensor. Further, the application may allow the user to check the heating or cooling status of the portable container 200. For example, 0 indicates that the food item is not heating, 1 indicates that the food item is heating, and 2 indicates that the charging unit 112 is charging.
- the application may communicate with the portable container 200 via the wireless transceiver 230.
- the user settings may be stored in the portable container 200 as the user data 224.
- the controller 210 of the portable container 200 may communicate with the electronic device to indicate whether or not such settings may be implemented or not. For instance, if the portable container 200 is on charging mode or the power level of the charging unit 112 is below the pre-defined threshold value, the controller 210 may send a notification to the electronic device indicating the food item cannot be heated to the set temperature.
- the application may also store information pertaining to the calories contained in the food item that is being put in the portable container 200.
- the application may retrieve information from a database that may include information pertaining to nutritional value of different food items. Based on the type, the quantity, and the constituents of the food item, the application may communicate with the database to retrieve information pertaining to the nutritional value of the food item within the portable container 200.
- the portable container 200 may include sensors 232 for monitoring physiological parameters of a user while the user is holding the portable container 200.
- the sensors 232 may monitor a heartbeat, a pulse rate, a blood pressure, and so on of the user who is holding the portable container 200.
Description
- The present subject matter relates, in general, to portable containers, and, particularly but not exclusively, to a portable container with a temperature regulator.
- Portable containers are usually used to carry food items, such as solid as well as liquid items, during journeys. Examples of the food items may include, but is not limited to, water, beverages, and snacks. Such portable containers come handy when a person has to carry any food item during a journey. Many portable containers employ insulating members to maintain the temperature of the food item. The insulating members keeps the food item isolated from ambient conditions. Example of known portable containers are shown in published documents
US4453385 A orWO2005/096869 A1 . - The following detailed description references the drawings, wherein:
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FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a portable container, according to an example implementation of the present subject matter; and -
FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a portable container, according to an example implementation of the present subject matter. - Generally, people carry food items while travelling either for recreational purposes or when their jobs demands travelling. The food items may include any solid food item, such as snacks, baby food as well as liquid items, such as soups, beverages, and water. For example, people carry food items for being consumed either while travelling or at a later point in time. While portable containers enable people to carry food items, such containers do not facilitate in maintaining a temperature of the food item being carried. For example, if a person is carrying a hot beverage while travelling, the hot beverage may cool after certain time.
- In order to maintain the temperature of the food items for a longer period of time, portable containers are provided with insulating members. For example, a vacuum flask includes an insulating member that lengthens the time over which the food item in the container remains hotter or cooler. Such insulating members keep the food item isolated from the outside temperature and maintain the temperature of the food item in the container. However, the insulating member is unable to maintain the temperature of the food item for a long time, especially in extreme weather conditions. In situations, where the users are carrying the food items in long journeys, the thermal insulating flasks may not serve the intended purpose.
- Moreover, conventional portable containers with insulating members may not enable a user to set a temperature of the food item being carried in the portable container. This may be inconvenient to the users as the insulating members prevent a user from getting to know a current temperature of the food item. As a result, the user may burn their tongue due to hot food item or may experience bad taste due to extreme cold food item.
- The present invention defines a portable container for a food item according to claim 1. The food item may include solid items as well as liquid items, including beverages. The portable container of the present subject matter includes a temperature regulator as well as a plurality of temperature sensors. The plurality of temperature sensors may detect the temperature of the food item within the portable container. The portable container may further include a charging unit that may be capable of being charged wirelessly.
- In an implementation, the temperature regulator is embedded within the portable container to regulate a temperature of the food item inside the portable container to a desired temperature. A user may select a desired temperature for being maintained within the portable container. Once selected, the temperature sensors may continuously sense the temperature of the food item to determine whether the desired temperature is maintained or not. If the temperature of the food item varies from the desired temperature, the charging unit may turn ON the temperature regulator till the desired temperature is achieved.
- In addition, the portable container may include a wireless transceiver to communicate with an electronic device, such as a mobile phone. The wireless transceiver may be configured to share information pertaining to the food item, with the electronic device. The information so shared may be accessed through an application on the electronic device. The application enables the user to change settings of the portable container, such as a temperature to which the food item is to be heated or cooled.
- Accordingly, the present subject matter provides a compact and portable container for carrying a food item. In addition, the temperature regulator of the container facilitates in regulating a temperature of the food item on-the-go. The present subject matter further enables a user to communicate with the portable container through an application loaded on an electronic device.
- The present subject matter is further described with reference to the accompanying figures. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals are used in the figures and the following description to refer to the same or similar parts. It should be noted that the description and figures merely illustrate principles of the present subject matter. It is thus understood that various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, encompass the principles of the present subject matter. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and examples of the present subject matter, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
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FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of aportable container 100, according to an example implementation of the present subject matter. Theportable container 100 may be employed for maintaining a desired temperature of the food item. In an example, the food item may be a liquid item, such as a beverage or water. Examples of the beverage may include, but are not limited to, coffee, tea, milk, lemonade, and hot chocolate. In another example, the food item may be a solid item, such as baby food and rice. - The
portable container 100 includes aninsulative body 102 to hold a food item, such as beverages or snacks or baby food. Theinsulative body 102 is double walled, i.e., made of two walls (not shown). Theinsulative body 102 includes an inner wall and an outer wall. The inner wall may be made of a stainless steel material. In an example, the outer wall may be made of thermal insulation materials such as a plastic material. The outer wall thereby protects a user from any accidental burns. It may be noted that the inner wall and the outer wall may be made of any other suitable material. - Further, the
portable container 100 includes alid 104. Thelid 104 covers theinsulative body 102 of theportable container 100 to prevent the food item, such as a liquid item, from spilling. In an implementation, thelid 104 may be removably coupled to atop portion 106 of theinsulative body 102. In an example, thelid 104 may be screwed at a neck portion (not shown) of theinsulative body 102. In an example, theportable container 100 may include ahandle 108 that may facilitate in easy handling of theportable container 100. - The
portable container 100 includes atemperature regulator 110, such as a thermostat, disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall of theinsulative body 102. For instance, thetemperature regulator 110 may be placed along a length of theportable container 100, as shown inFIG. 1 . Thetemperature regulator 110 may facilitate in maintaining a desired temperature of the food item within theportable container 100. Example of thetemperature regulator 110, may include, but is not limited to Nichrome. - Further, the
portable container 100 includes a plurality of temperature sensors (hereinafter referred to as temperature sensors) disposed within the inner wall of theinsulative body 102. The temperature sensors are operably coupled to thetemperature regulator 110. The temperature sensors may sense the temperature of the food item within theinsulative body 102 based on which the temperature of the food item may be regulated. In an example, theportable container 100 may include additional sensors for detecting different aspects related to the food item within theportable container 200. For example, the sensors may detect a weight of a food item within theportable container 200. - The
portable container 100 may further include acharging unit 112 to charge theportable container 100. In an implementation, the chargingunit 112 may be charged wirelessly, such as through induction, magnetic resonance, ultrasound, or radio waves. For instance, the chargingunit 112 may be a wireless coil. In an example, the chargingunit 112 may be positioned at abottom portion 114 of theportable container 100. Theportable container 100 may also include one or morepower storage elements 116 coupled to thecharging unit 112. In an example, thepower storage element 116 may be a battery, such as a Lithium Ion battery. - Further, the
portable container 100 may include adisplay area 118 for displaying information pertaining to the food item within theportable container 100. For instance, in various non-limiting examples, thedisplay area 118 may display a desired temperature that may be set by a user. Thedisplay area 118 may also display a current temperature of the food item in theportable container 100. The current temperature may be understood as an average temperature of two temperatures that may be sensed at atop portion 106 and abottom portion 114 respectively, of theportable container 100. Thedisplay area 118 may also display a weight of the food item within theportable container 100. - The
portable container 100 may further include a plurality of buttons 120. For example, theportable container 100 may include a power button 120-1 for turning ON or OFF thetemperature regulator 110. Theportable container 100 may also include a mode button 120-2 for selecting a preset temperature for regulating the temperature of the food item. The preset temperatures may be provided for various temperatures of the food item, such as a normal temperature, warm, hot, and so on. In addition, theportable container 100 may include control buttons 120-3 for controlling or adjusting a temperature of the food item within theportable container 100. In an example, temperature of the food item is controlled based on a hysteresis temperature. The hysteresis temperature prevents thetemperature regulator 110 from turning ON and OFF when temperature of the food item inside theportable container 100 is within a pre-defined range from the desired temperature. - In an implementation, the
portable container 100 may include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) 122 mounted on a rim of theinsulative body 102. TheLEDs 122 change color based on the temperature of the inner wall of theportable container 100 as well as the food item within thecontainer 100. TheLEDs 122 indicate a temperature of the food item inside theportable container 100. In an example, the temperature sensors may be connected to theLEDs 122. The temperature sensors may sense the temperature of the food item within theinsulative body 102 and accordingly, theLEDs 122 may change their color to indicate the temperature of the food item. - The
portable container 100 includes a controller (not shown) communicatively coupled to thetemperature regulator 110 to regulate the temperature of the food item based on a user input. In an example, the user may input a desired temperature of the food item through the buttons 120. The controller may obtain a current temperature of the food item from the temperature sensors. The current temperature of the food item is an average of the temperatures sensed at thetop portion 106 and thebottom portion 114 of theportable container 100. Based on the current temperature, the controller may regulate the temperature of the food item. -
FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of theportable container 200, according to an example implementation of the present subject matter. Theportable container 200 is similar to theportable container 100 ofFIG. 1 . Theportable container 200 may communicate with an electronic device, such as a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a tablet, a smartphone, a Personal Digital Assistant, and the like. In an example, theportable container 200 may communicate with the electronic device through a communication network (not shown). The network may be a wireless network, wired network, or a combination thereof. The network can be implemented as one of the different types of networks, such as intranet, telecom network, electrical network, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, and such. - The
portable container 200 includes an insulative body, such as theinsulative body 102. Theinsulative body 102 may hold the food item therewithin. Theportable container 100 includes a plurality oftemperature sensors 202 disposed on theinsulative body 102. In an example, theportable container 200 may include two temperature sensors. One disposed near the top portion and another at the bottom portion of theinsulative body 102. Thetemperature sensors 202 may facilitate in determination of a current temperature of the food item within theportable container 200. The current temperature may be understood as an average of the temperatures sensed at the top portion and the bottom portion of theinsulative body 102. - In an implementation, the
portable container 200 may include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), such as theLEDs 122 mounted on a rim of theinsulative body 102. TheLEDs 122 change color based on the temperature of the inner wall of theportable container 200 as well as the food item within thecontainer 100. TheLEDs 122 indicate a temperature of the food item inside theportable container 200. In an example, thetemperature sensors 202 may be connected to theLEDs 122. Thetemperature sensors 202 may sense the temperature of the food item within theinsulative body 102 and accordingly, theLEDs 122 may change their color to indicate the temperature of the food item. - For example, the
LEDs 122 at a rim of theinsulative body 102 may transform from being colorless to orange or red depending on the temperature of the inner wall 104-1 and the food item. For instance, when theportable container 200 is powered OFF, theLEDs 122 will be colorless. In another example, theLEDs 122 will have blue color when the food item is cold, and so on. In an example, when the temperature is 21 degrees Celsius, theLEDs 122 at the rim may be colorless, at 40 degrees Celsius, theLEDs 122 may be dark orange, and so on. - Further, the
portable container 200 includes thetemperature regulator 110 disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall of the insulative body. Thetemperature regulator 110 may facilitate in regulating the temperature of the food item based on the user input. In an example, thetemperature regulator 110 may include heating elements as well as cooling elements. In an example, four heating elements were used in parallel to accommodate lower 3.7V nominal voltage of theportable container 200. The resistance of each heating element came around 3.2Ω which yielded a total parallel resistance of about 800mΩ when all four heating elements were conducting. The heating elements employed in the present subject matter are created by center-taping a 10x5 cm strip of a heating pad to yield 2 elements in parallel per strip. In addition, each of the heating elements is provided with a separate driver so the instantaneous power for heating can be set in about 4W increments. - In an example, the heating elements may include thermistors. Each thermistor may connect to a 2-pin female header. In an example, the thermistor is a US Sensor PT103J2. Further, a heating coil of the heating element may be a modified Abracon AWCCA53N53H50C01 B. In an example, the cooling elements of the
temperature regulator 110 may provide thermoelectric cooling to the food item thereby facilitating in maintaining the desired temperature. Examples of the cooling elements may include, but are not limited to, Peltier tiles or sheets. The Peltier tiles operate according to the Peltier effect. - Further, the
portable container 200 includes a charging unit, such as the chargingunit 112, for powering theportable container 200. The chargingunit 112 may be capable of being charged wirelessly. In an example, the chargingunit 112 may include a wireless coil and a wireless power receiver. In an implementation, theportable container 200 of the present subject matter is also provided with a capability to adjust the current drawn from the chargingunit 112 to accommodate power available from an induction charger or a Qi charger. In an example, the chargingunit 112 is capable of receiving upto 15W of power from the Qi charger. - The
portable container 200 may also include apower storage element 116 coupled to thecharging unit 112. In an example, thepower storage element 116 may be a battery, such as a Lithium Ion battery. Theportable container 200 of the present subject matter utilizes a 1S2P configuration for a two cell Li-Ion battery. - In one implementation, the
portable container 200 includes a processor(s) 204,memory 206 coupled to the processor(s) 204, and interface(s) 208. The processor(s) 204 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuitries, and/or any systems that manipulate signals based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the processor(s) 204 may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in thememory 206. Further, theprocessor 204 may be configured to manage different processes or activities of theportable container 200. For example, theprocessor 204 may receive a desired temperature of the food item as provided by the user. In an example, the user may use the mode buttons to provide the desired temperature. In another example, theprocessor 204 may obtain the desired temperature from thememory 206. - The
memory 206 may include any computer-readable medium known in the art including, for example, volatile memory, such as static random access memory (SRAM), and dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and/or non-volatile memory, such as read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM, flash memories, hard disks, optical disks, and magnetic tapes. Thememory 206 may be configured to store information, such as the temperature settings done by the user. In an example, the user may store the temperature settings or any other preferred setting on the cloud. In an implementation, theportable container 200 may facilitate the user to access the preferred settings or to store additional settings or to modify existing settings on the cloud through the communication network. - Further, the interface(s) 208 may include a variety of software and hardware interfaces, for example, interfaces for peripheral system(s), such as a product board, a mouse, an external memory, and a printer. Additionally, the interface(s) 208 may enable the
portable container 200 to communicate with other devices. In an example, a display, such as thedisplay area 118 may be a part of the interface(s) 208. - The
portable container 200 also includes acontroller 210 anddata 212. In an example, thecontroller 210 may be implemented as a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller for accurately regulating the temperature of the food item. Thecontroller 210 includes, anauthentication engine 214 and a atemperature regulation engine 218, and may further include amonitoring engine 216 and other engine(s) 220. The other engine(s) 220 may include programs or coded instructions that supplement applications or functions performed by theportable container 200. Thedata 212 may includetemperature data 222,user data 224, andother data 226. Further, theother data 226, amongst other things, may serve as a repository for storing data, which is processed, received, or generated as a result of the execution of one or more modules in thecontroller 210. - Although the
data 212 is shown internal to theportable container 200, thedata 212 can also be implemented external to theportable container 200, where thedata 212 may be stored within a database communicatively coupled to theportable container 200. - The
authentication engine 214 is configured to authenticate a user before providing access to theportable container 200. In an example, to authenticate a user, theauthentication engine 214 may employ a biometric based authentication technique. In another example, theauthentication engine 214 may employ any other authentication mechanism to authenticate a user. Accordingly, theauthentication engine 214 may authenticate the user based on the biometrics, such as voice, fingerprints, etc. received from the user. In the present implementation, theportable container 200 may include a biometric scanner (not shown). The biometric scanner may receive credentials from the user, such as a fingerprint, a voice sample, etc. Upon receiving the credentials from the user, theauthentication engine 214 compare the credentials of the user with the credentials stored in a profile of the user. The profile may be retrieved from thememory 206 of theportable container 200 or from a cloud based storage. - The profile includes information pertaining to preferences of the user with respect to the food items. The profile of the user may be accessed every time the user is authenticated by the
controller 210. Further, the profile of the user may include a journal or record of events pertaining to the desired temperature set for different food items by the user. Theauthentication engine 214 retrieves the user preferences based on the type of food item held by theportable container 200. - Once the user is authenticated, the
monitoring engine 216 may perform a check on initial parameters associated with theportable container 200. In an implementation, the initial parameters may include a charging status and a power level of the chargingunit 112. In an example,monitoring engine 216 may ascertain whether theportable container 200 is being powered through the chargingunit 112 or not. If theportable container 200 is being charged via thecharging unit 112, themonitoring engine 216 may enable switching ON theportable container 200. If theportable container 200 is not being charged through the chargingunit 112, it indicates that thepower storage element 116 is powering theportable container 200. - At this stage, the
monitoring engine 216 may determine a power level of thepower storage element 116. Specifically, themonitoring engine 216 may check whether the power level of thepower storage element 116 is above a pre-defined threshold value or not. In an example, the pre-defined threshold level of thepower storage element 116 is 6.3 Volts. If the power level of thepower storage element 116 is above the pre-defined threshold value, themonitoring engine 216 may switch ON theportable container 200. If the power level of thepower storage element 116 is below the pre-defined threshold value, themonitoring engine 216 may not switch ON theportable container 200. Further, themonitoring engine 216 may display a notification on thedisplay area 118 indicating that the food item cannot be heated. - In an example, the
monitoring engine 216 may also monitor a temperature of thepower storage element 116 and turn OFF power supply to theportable container 200 when a temperature of thepower storage element 116 rises above a pre-defined threshold range. For example, while charging thepower storage element 116, if the temperature of thepower storage element 116 goes above a safe threshold range, themonitoring engine 216 may cut off supply to thepower storage element 116. In an example, themonitoring engine 216 may be implemented as a Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) thermistor. The NTC thermistor suspends charging of thepower storage element 116 when it detects that the temperature of thepower storage element 116 has risen above about 45 degrees Celsius. In case the temperature of thepower storage element 116 goes beyond 60 degrees Celsius, the NTC thermistor may disable theportable container 200. - In an implementation, once the
portable container 200 is switched ON and the user has been authenticated, thetemperature regulation engine 218 receives an input from the user. In an example, the input may be indicative of a desired temperature of the food item that the user may wish to set. In an example, the user may provide the input to theportable container 200 through the buttons, such as the buttons 120 or through a voice command. Thecontroller 210 may, based on the inputs provided by the user and through machine learning, build a profile for the user. In an example, the profile as created may be accessed during the authentication process. - The
temperature regulation engine 218 may then obtain a current temperature of the food item within theportable container 200. In an example, the current temperature may be obtained from thetemperature sensors 202. As mentioned above, the current temperature of the food item is an average of the temperatures sensed at the top portion and the bottom portion of theportable container 200. Thetemperature regulation engine 218 may compare the desired temperature with the current temperature of the food item. Based on the comparison, thetemperature regulation engine 218 may regulate power supply to theportable container 200. - In an example, if the current temperature is more than the desired temperature, the
temperature regulation engine 218 may turn OFF the power supply to thetemperature regulator 110. Turning OFF of the power supply may also be indicated by blinking of a blue LED for every second. In another example, if the current temperature is less than the desired temperature, thetemperature regulation engine 218 may turn ON the power supply to thetemperature regulator 110. Turning ON the power supply is indicated by a continuously ON blue LED. - In an implementation, the
controller 210 may take into account a hysteresis temperature to avoid rapid turning ON and OFF of thetemperature regulator 110 when the food item inside theportable container 200 is within a predefined range from the desired temperature. Upon turning ON, the power button 120-1 becomes green in color and thetemperature regulator 110 is turned ON. For example, thetemperature regulator 110 may heat the inner wall of theportable container 200 which may cause the food item to heat. Further, thetemperature regulation engine 218 may continuously monitor the current temperature of the food item within theportable container 100. Accordingly, theportable container 200 of the present subject matter facilitates in maintaining a temperature of the food item within thecontainer 200 as desired by the user. - According to the present invention, the
temperature regulation engine 218 employs machine learning techniques to identify a type of food item within theportable container 200. For example, thetemperature regulation engine 218 may determine the type of the food item based on a density or other properties associated with the food item. In an example, theportable container 200 may include sensing devices to measure intensity of light passing through the food item as well as the intensity of the light being reflected from the food item. When light from one or more light sources is received by the food item, the sensing devices may measure the intensity of the light and share the same with thetemperature regulation engine 218. The sensing devices may also detect a wavelength at which the light is being emitted. - Based on the information, such as density received from the sensing devices, the
temperature regulation engine 218 employs artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to determine the type of food item within theportable container 200. In an example, thetemperature regulation engine 218 may compare the intensity measurements with stored values in a database for a variety of known substances. Although the identification of the type of the food item is performed based on measurement of intensity of light, other techniques may also be employed for determining the type of the food item. Further, theportable container 200 may store the properties of the food item in thememory 206 or in the cloud storage. These properties may later be referred for analysis, such as to compute the calories consumed by the user. - Based on the identification of the type of the food item, a quantity of the food item within the
portable container 200 is determined by thetemperature regulation engine 218. Once the quantity of the food item is determined, thetemperature regulation engine 218 automatically sets the desired temperature of the food item. In an example, thetemperature regulation engine 218 may set the desired temperature of the food item based on an historical behavior of the user. As mentioned earlier, the historical behavior, i.e., desired temperatures and corresponding food items may be stored within the profile of the user. - In an example, to determine the quantity of the food item, the
temperature regulation engine 218 detects an initial weight of the food item within theportable container 200. The initial weight may be stored in a journal maintained by theportable container 200 for a specific user. Thereafter, thetemperature regulation engine 218 may identify, at pre-defined intervals, a current weight of the food item within theportable container 200. A comparison of the initial weight and the current weight of the food item provides a quantity of the food item within theportable container 200. - Further, the
temperature regulation engine 218 may determine a plurality of constituents of the food item within theportable container 200 to determine a quality of the food item. In an example, thetemperature regulation engine 218 may employ an Independent Component Analysis (ICA) technique to determine the constituents of the food item. - In an implementation, the
portable container 200 may include awireless transceiver 230. For example, thewireless transceiver 230 may be a Wi-Fi unit, a Bluetooth®, or a Near Field Communication (NFC) unit. Thewireless transceiver 230 may enable theportable container 200 to communicate with an electronic device, such as a mobile phone. In an example, the electronic devices communicate with theportable container 200 through an application. The application may be accessible by different operating systems, such as Android, iOS. - Once a user has downloaded the application onto the electronic device, the user may set up a connection with the
portable container 200. To set up the connection, the electronic device and theportable container 100 may share Short Term Keys (STKs), to encrypt a link between the two devices. Once the user has paired with theportable container 200, theportable container 200 only receives instructions from the paired user device. - In an example, instructions received from the paired user device may include receiving status of the food items, such as temperature of the food item and charging status of the charging
unit 112, from theportable container 200. In an example, the application may also enable the user to check or define the desired temperature, the hysteresis temperature, heating status, battery voltage, and the like. In an example, the application may allow the user to check the temperature of eachtemperature sensor 202 separately. For instance, Temperature 1 indicates the temperature of 1st temperature sensor and Temperature 2 indicates the temperature of 2nd temperature sensor. Further, the application may allow the user to check the heating or cooling status of theportable container 200. For example, 0 indicates that the food item is not heating, 1 indicates that the food item is heating, and 2 indicates that the chargingunit 112 is charging. - Based on the settings made by the user, the application may communicate with the
portable container 200 via thewireless transceiver 230. The user settings may be stored in theportable container 200 as theuser data 224. In an example, when the user communicates the temperature settings with theportable container 200, thecontroller 210 of theportable container 200 may communicate with the electronic device to indicate whether or not such settings may be implemented or not. For instance, if theportable container 200 is on charging mode or the power level of the chargingunit 112 is below the pre-defined threshold value, thecontroller 210 may send a notification to the electronic device indicating the food item cannot be heated to the set temperature. - In an example, the application may also store information pertaining to the calories contained in the food item that is being put in the
portable container 200. For example, the application may retrieve information from a database that may include information pertaining to nutritional value of different food items. Based on the type, the quantity, and the constituents of the food item, the application may communicate with the database to retrieve information pertaining to the nutritional value of the food item within theportable container 200. - In an implementation, the
portable container 200 may includesensors 232 for monitoring physiological parameters of a user while the user is holding theportable container 200. For example, thesensors 232 may monitor a heartbeat, a pulse rate, a blood pressure, and so on of the user who is holding theportable container 200.
Claims (10)
- A portable container (100, 200) comprising:an insulative body (102) to hold a food item, wherein the insulative body (102) comprises an inner wall and an outer wall;a temperature regulator (110) disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall of the insulative body (102);a plurality of temperature sensors (202) disposed within the inner wall of the insulative body (102), the plurality of temperature sensors (202) being operably coupled to the temperature regulator (110); anda controller (210) communicatively coupled to the temperature regulator (110) to regulate a temperature of the food Z item according to a desired temperature,the controller (210) comprising:an authentication engine (214) to authenticate a user before allowing the user to operate the portable container (100), wherein the authentication of the user is based on credentials stored in a profile of the user,characterized in thatthe profile alsoincludes information pertaining to a preference of the user with respect to the food item held in the insulative body; andwherein the controller (210) further comprises a temperature regulation engine (218) to:identify a type of the food item within the portable container; andupon the identification of the type of the food item, determine a quantity of the food item within the portable container (100, 200), based on determining the quantity of the food item automatically set the desired temperature of the food item.
- The portable container (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable container (100, 200) comprises a spill-proof lid (104) removably coupled to a top portion (106) of the insulative body (102).
- The portable container (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the authentication engine (214) comprises a biometric authentication mechanism.
- The portable container (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable container (100, 200) comprises:a charging unit (112) positioned at a bottom portion (114) of the insulative body (102) to charge the portable container (100, 200); anda power storage element (116) coupled to the charging unit (112).
- The portable container (100, 200) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the charging unit (112) comprises a wireless coil.
- The portable container as (100, 200) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller (210) comprises a monitoring engine (216) to, upon authentication of the user:monitor a temperature of the power storage element (116); andturn OFF power supply to the portable container (100, 200) when a temperature of the power storage element (116) rises above a pre-defined threshold range.
- The portable container (100, 200) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller (210) comprises a monitoring engine (216) to, once the user is authenticated:ascertain that the portable container (100, 200) is being powered through the power storage element (116);upon ascertaining, determine a power level of the power storage element (116); andbased on the determining that the power level of the power storage element (116) is above a pre-defined threshold, switch ON the portable container (100).
- The portable container (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, to determine the quantity of the food item, the temperature regulation engine (218) is to:detect an initial weight of the food item within the insulative body (102);store the initial weight in a journal maintained by the portable container (100, 200) for a specific user;identify, at pre-defined intervals, a current weight of the food item within the insulative body (102); andcompare the initial weight and the current weight of the food item to determine a quantity of the food item within the insulative body (102).
- The portable container (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the temperature regulation engine (218) is to determine a plurality of constituents of the food item within the insulative body (102) to determine a quality of the food item.
- The portable container (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable container (100, 200) comprises a wireless transceiver (230) to communicate with an electronic device.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IN201611039878 | 2016-11-22 | ||
PCT/GB2017/053507 WO2018096328A2 (en) | 2016-11-22 | 2017-11-22 | Portable container with temperature regulator |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP3545249A2 EP3545249A2 (en) | 2019-10-02 |
EP3545249B1 true EP3545249B1 (en) | 2022-01-26 |
Family
ID=60812091
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP17821709.7A Active EP3545249B1 (en) | 2016-11-22 | 2017-11-22 | Portable container with temperature regulator |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20190285338A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3545249B1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2018096328A2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
AU2017375893B2 (en) * | 2016-12-15 | 2022-12-15 | Medela Holding Ag | Device for bringing baby food to a certain temperature |
US11412886B2 (en) * | 2019-01-29 | 2022-08-16 | Jenny Stoud | Bottle sleeve warmer apparatus |
AT16502U1 (en) * | 2019-05-16 | 2019-11-15 | Eurobox Handelsges M B H | System and method for transporting and storing objects in a predetermined temperature range |
JP7350687B2 (en) * | 2020-03-31 | 2023-09-26 | ダイキン工業株式会社 | Information processing equipment, perishable product storage equipment, and programs |
US20220352755A1 (en) * | 2021-04-30 | 2022-11-03 | Nucurrent, Inc. | Wirelessly Powered Battery Pack For Retrofit In Battery Powered Devices |
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DE3149624A1 (en) * | 1981-12-15 | 1983-06-23 | Georg 6050 Offenbach May | DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE OF SUBSTANCES |
CN100498124C (en) * | 2004-04-06 | 2009-06-10 | 陆刚 | Multi-purpose heating and refrigerating thermal insulative bag |
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- 2017-11-22 WO PCT/GB2017/053507 patent/WO2018096328A2/en unknown
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- 2017-11-22 EP EP17821709.7A patent/EP3545249B1/en active Active
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US20090145793A1 (en) * | 2007-12-11 | 2009-06-11 | Searete Llc, A Limited Liability Corporation Of The State Of Delaware | Temperature-stabilized medicinal storage systems |
US20100106625A1 (en) * | 2008-10-23 | 2010-04-29 | Whirlpool Corporation | Inventory component activation |
US20120003928A1 (en) * | 2008-12-12 | 2012-01-05 | Dsm Ip Assets B.V. | Dispenser |
JP2011188914A (en) * | 2010-03-12 | 2011-09-29 | Nihonkai Shokusan Kogyo:Kk | Home delivery box |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP3545249A2 (en) | 2019-10-02 |
WO2018096328A3 (en) | 2018-07-26 |
WO2018096328A2 (en) | 2018-05-31 |
WO2018096328A4 (en) | 2018-10-04 |
US20190285338A1 (en) | 2019-09-19 |
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