# US 10,373,472 B2 · Scent-based spoilage sensing refrigerator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,373,472 B2 - Document ID: US10373472B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/069,168 - Filed: 2016-03-14 - Published: 2017-09-14 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-14 - Assignees: Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Simon Kurt Johnston - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10373472B2 ## CPC - G01N 33/0063: {using a threshold to release an alarm or displaying means} - F25D 11/00: Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators - F25D 29/005: {Mounting of control devices} - F25D 29/008: {Alarm devices} - G01N 33/02: Food - G08B 21/18: Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) - F25D 2323/021: French doors - F25D 2500/06: Stock management - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS ## Abstract Disclosed are various embodiments for determining whether food in a refrigerator has spoiled. An application executing on a computing device receives an identification of a food item located in a compartment of the refrigerator. The application then receives a chemical sensor reading from the refrigerator, wherein the chemical sensor reading represents a measured amount of a chemical associated with spoilage of the food item. Subsequently, the application determines that the measured amount of the chemical associated with spoilage of the food item exceeds a threshold amount of the chemical associated with spoilage of the food item. Finally, the application sends a notification to the client device, the notification comprising an indication that the food item is spoiled. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a computing device in data communication with a refrigerator and a client device, the computing device comprising a processor and a memory; an application stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least: receive from the client device an identification of a food item associated with a chemical sensor located in a compartment of the refrigerator; receive a quantity of the food item from the client device; determine a measurement interval for the chemical sensor in the refrigerator, the measurement interval being based at least in part on an internal temperature of the refrigerator or an amount of airflow in the refrigerator; cause the chemical sensor to take a plurality of chemical sensor readings at the measurement interval, wherein the plurality of chemical sensor readings individually represent a measurement of an amount of a volatile organic compound present in the compartment of the refrigerator; receive at least one of the plurality of chemical sensor readings from the refrigerator; determine that the amount of the volatile organic compound sensed exceeds a threshold amount specified for the volatile organic compound; and send a notification to the client device, the notification comprising an indication that the food item is spoiled. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the application is further configured to cause the computing device to at least: receive from the refrigerator a change in a weight of the compartment of the refrigerator; and update the threshold amount specified for the volatile organic compound based at least in part on the change in the weight of the compartment of the refrigerator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the volatile organic compound comprises ethylene gas. ### Claim 4 A system, comprising: a computing device in data communication with a refrigerator, the computing device comprising a processor and a memory; and an application stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least: receive an identification of a food item located in a compartment of the refrigerator; determine a measurement interval for a chemical sensor in the refrigerator, the measurement interval being based at least in part on an internal temperature of the refrigerator or an amount of airflow in the refrigerator; cause the chemical sensor to take a plurality of chemical sensor readings at the measurement interval, wherein the plurality of chemical sensor readings individually represent a measurement of an amount of a chemical associated with spoilage of the food item present in the compartment of the refrigerator; receive at least one of the plurality of chemical sensor readings from the refrigerator; determine that the amount of the chemical associated with the spoilage of the food item exceeds a threshold amount of the chemical associated with the spoilage of the food item; and send a notification to a client device, the notification comprising an indication that the food item is spoiled. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the application is further configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least: receive a message from the refrigerator, wherein the message comprises a change in a quantity of the food item; and update the threshold amount of the chemical based at least in part on the change in the quantity of the food item. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the application is further configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least: receive a message from the refrigerator, wherein the message comprises a change in a weight of the compartment where the food item is located; and update the threshold amount of the chemical based at least in part on the change in the weight of the compartment where the food item is located. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the application is further configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least: request from the refrigerator an image of the compartment of the refrigerator; receive the image of the compartment of the refrigerator; and include the image of the compartment of the refrigerator in the notification to the client device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the application is further configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least: analyze the image of the compartment of the refrigerator to identify a spoiled food item; and modify the image to highlight the spoiled food item. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the chemical comprises a volatile organic compound. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the threshold amount of the chemical associated with spoilage of the food item is based at least in part on a quantity of the food item. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the threshold amount of the chemical associated with the spoilage of the food item is based at least in part on a type of the food item. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the threshold amount of the chemical associated with the spoilage of the food item is based at least in part on a volume of the compartment of the refrigerator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the threshold amount of the chemical associated with the spoilage of the food item is based at least in part on an airflow rate for the compartment of the refrigerator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the notification comprises a short message service (SMS) message. ### Claim 15 A system, comprising: a refrigerator comprising: a compartment configured to contain a food item; and a chemical sensor configured to at least measure an amount of a chemical related to spoilage of the food item in the compartment; a computing device in data communication with the refrigerator, the computing device comprising a processor and a memory; and an application stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least: receive an identification of the food item located in the compartment of the refrigerator; determine a measurement interval for the chemical sensor in the refrigerator, the measurement interval being based at least in part on an internal temperature of the refrigerator or an amount of airflow in the refrigerator; take, via the chemical sensor, a plurality of chemical sensor readings at the measurement interval, wherein the plurality of chemical sensor readings individually represent a measurement of an amount of a volatile organic compound present in the compartment of the refrigerator; determine that the measured amount of the chemical related to spoilage of the food item exceeds a threshold amount of the chemical related to the spoilage of the food item; and send a notification to a client device, the notification comprising an indication that the food item is spoiled. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the chemical sensor is further configured to at least report the amount of the chemical related to the spoilage of the food item to a remote computing device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the refrigerator further comprises a network interface configured to report the amount of the chemical related to the spoilage of the food item to the computing device in data communication with the refrigerator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the refrigerator further comprises a camera configured to capture an image of the compartment and the refrigerator is further configured to send the image of the compartment to the computing device in data communication with the refrigerator. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the camera comprises an infrared camera. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the application is configured, when executed by the processor, to cause the computing device to at least transmit a reporting interval to the refrigerator, wherein the reporting interval indicates a time interval for the refrigerator to transmit the chemical sensor reading.