# US 2019/0167831 A1 · Scent enhanced trajectory > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167831 A1 - Document ID: US20190167831A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/828,691 - Filed: 2017-12-01 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Yuk L. Chan; Michael D. Essenmacher; David B. Lection; Eric L. Masselle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167831A1 ## CPC - A61L 9/122: {comprising a fan} - A61L 9/12: Apparatus, e.g. holders, therefor - A61L 9/125: {emanating multiple odours} - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - H04W 4/70: Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] - H04W 4/024: Guidance services - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Specified scents are generated having a strength corresponding to the proximity of the devices to a target object. Scent generation is adjustable according to pre-defined parameters associated with type of scent, location of an enabled device, weather conditions, geography, and the number of other enabled devices generating the type of scent. A virtual scent zone is generated by a scent-generating device according to a trajectory that provides for a user to move toward the target object by changing a characteristic of the generated scent according to the location of the scent-generating device along the trajectory. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for distance-based scent emission, the method including: transmitting, by a scent-generating device, first location information; receiving scent instructions based on the first location information, the scent instructions including an algorithm for emission of a specified scent; and determining a first scent emission response according to the scent instructions; wherein: the first location information includes a device location at a time of the transmitting action. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the device location is a set of global positioning system coordinates corresponding to a physical location of the scent-generating device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the scent instructions further include: the specified scent, a target location, and a distance gradient including a maximum response distance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein determining the first scent emission response includes: determining that a calculated distance between the device location and the target location is less than the maximum response distance; and determining a first intensity of the specified scent to release based on the calculated distance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the scent instructions include a set of components making up the specified scent. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: registering, by the scent-generating device, with a scent distribution network for receiving the scent instructions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: responsive to a scent emission condition being met, determining, by the scent-generating device, a second scent emission response. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the scent emission condition is movement of the scent-generating device a particular distance from the device location. ### Claim 9 A method comprising: determining a device location of a first scent enabled device; and responsive to the device location being within a pre-defined distance from a target location, causing the first scent enabled device to generate a scent having a first characteristic being variable according to a distance between the device location and the target location wherein: the first characteristic is a measure of scent generated; and at least the determining and the causing the first scent enabled device to generate a scent steps are performed by computer software running on computer hardware. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the scent is selected from a set of pre-defined scents that the first scent enabled device is enabled to generate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: causing the first scent enabled device to stop generating the scent based on a stop condition; wherein the stop condition is a duration of scent generation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: receiving a request to cause an available scent enabled device to generate the scent; and identifying the first scent enabled device within a set of available scent enabled devices based on the request; wherein: the request includes a scent type, a target location, the pre-defined distance from the target location, and a duration of scent generation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining the first scent enabled device is outside the pre-defined distance from the target location; and responsive to the first scent enabled device being outside the pre-defined distance, causing the first scent enabled device to stop generating the scent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: monitoring a second scent enabled device for location information; determining, based on the location information, the second scent enabled device is within the pre-defined distance from the target location; and causing the second scent enabled device to generate a scent having a second characteristic being variable according to an actual distance between the second scent enabled device and the target location; wherein: the second characteristic is a measure of scent generated. ### Claim 15 A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, by a scent-enabled device, a first scent instruction including a specified scent and a target location; determining a first distance from the target location based on a first location of the scent-enabled device; determining a first characteristic of the specified scent based on the first distance; and releasing the specified scent according to the determined first characteristic. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the specified scent is a set of scent components, each available to the scent-enabled device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the target location is associated with a mobile object. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the first characteristic is an intensity of scent to be released. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the intensity of scent to be released is adjusted according to a user preference identifying a baseline intensity of scent. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the first scent instructions further includes pre-defined intensities of scent to be released according to a set of distances representing thresholds for release specified intensities of scent.