Information providing method, information providing system, scent imparting apparatus, scent detecting apparatus, and information management apparatus

An information providing system comprising:

• a scent imparting apparatus that adds a scented substance to a plant;
• a scent detecting apparatus that detects at least one of the scented substance or a metabolite of the scented substance released from the plant;
• and an information management apparatus, wherein
• the scent imparting apparatus includes
• an adder that adds the scented substance to the plant, and
• a transmitter that transmits to the information management apparatus, added-amount information indicating an amount of the scented substance added to the plant,
• the scent detecting apparatus includes
• a detector that detects an amount of at least one of the scented substance or the metabolite of the scented substance released from the plant,
• a transmitter that transmits to the information management apparatus, detected-amount information indicating the amount of at least one of the scented substance or the metabolite detected by the detector,
• a receiver that receives freshness information regarding a freshness of the plant from the information management apparatus, and
• a presenter that presents the freshness information received by the receiver, and
• the information management apparatus includes
• a first receiver that receives the added-amount information transmitted by the transmitter of the scent imparting apparatus,
• an added-amount information storage unit that stores the added-amount information received by the first receiver,
• a second receiver that receives the detected-amount information transmitted by the transmitter of the scent detecting apparatus,
• an estimator that estimates the freshness of the plant on the basis of the added amount of the scented substance indicated by the added-amount information stored in the added-amount information storage unit and on the basis of the detected amount of at least one of the scented substance or the metabolite indicated by the detected-amount information received by the second receiver, and
• a transmitter that transmits the freshness information regarding the freshness estimated by the estimator to the scent detecting apparatus.

A scent detecting apparatus for detecting at least one of a scented substance or a metabolite of the scented substance released from a plant, the scent detecting apparatus comprising:

• a detector that detects an amount of at least one of the scented substance or the metabolite of the scented substance released from the plant to which the scented substance is added;
• a transmitter that transmits detected-amount information indicating the amount of at least one of the scented substance or the metabolite detected by the detector;
• a receiver that receives freshness information regarding a freshness of the plant from an information management apparatus that estimates the freshness of the plant on the basis of an added amount of the scented substance added to the plant and the detected amount of at least one of the scented substance or the metabolite indicated by the detected-amount information;
• and
• a presenter that presents the freshness information received by the receiver.

An information management apparatus comprising:

• a first receiver that receives added-amount information transmitted by a scent imparting apparatus that adds a scented substance to a plant and indicating an amount of the scented substance added to the plant;
• an added-amount information storage unit that stores the added-amount information received by the first receiver;
• a second receiver that receives detected-amount information transmitted by a scent detecting apparatus that detects at least one of the scented substance or a metabolite of the scented substance released from the plant, and indicating a detected amount of at least one of the scented substance or the metabolite;
• an estimator that estimates a freshness of the plant on the basis of the added amount of the scented substance indicated by the added-amount information stored in the added-amount information storage unit and on the basis of the detected amount of at least one of the scented substance or the metabolite indicated by the detected-amount information received by the second receiver;
• and
• a transmitter that transmits freshness information regarding the freshness estimated by the estimator to the scent detecting apparatus.