Methods and apparatus for sampling product aromas

Abstract

This invention provides methods and apparatus that enable consumers to experience, prior to purchase, the aroma of a finished product even though the product as sold is unfinished. Further, methods and apparatus provide users of a product with a reference aroma that may be employed to determine if the product is suitable for use, while, prior to purchase, consumers can experience a selected aroma of a consumer product that has a plurality of aromas, and the aroma bouquet of a consumer product where a particular aroma in the bouquet has been intensified. Among other advantages, this invention enables marketers to employ additional sensual modalities, and particularly the sense of smell, in offering products for sale, and thus permits consumers to make better informed purchasing decisions. A preferred embodiment of a method of the invention includes the steps of characterizing an aroma of a finished state of a consumer product; synthesizing the aroma, responsive to the characterization; and associating the synthesized aroma with the consumer product.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method for sampling an aroma of a finished consumer product, comprising the steps of: 
 characterizing an aroma of a finished state of a consumer product wherein the consumer product has a finished state and an unfinished state, and is offered for sale to consumers in the unfinished state;    synthesizing the aroma, responsive to the characterization; and    associating the synthesized aroma with the consumer product.    
     
     
         2 . The method for sampling an aroma of a finished consumer product of  claim 1 , wherein the characterizing step comprises the use of mass spectrometry.  
     
     
         3 . The method for sampling an aroma of a finished consumer product of  claim 1 , wherein the associating step comprises associating the synthesized aroma with means for conveying information about the finished consumer product.  
     
     
         4 . The method for sampling an aroma of a finished consumer product of  claim 3 , wherein the information conveying means comprises an object selected from the group consisting of the consumer product in an unfinished state, the consumer product in a finished state, a pictorial representation of the consumer product, a textual representation of the consumer product, and an advertising display of the consumer product.  
     
     
         5 . The method for sampling an aroma of a finished consumer product of  claim 1 , wherein the associating step comprises the use of means for the timed release of the synthesized aroma.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the associating step comprises the step of forming microcapsules of the synthesized aroma.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for sampling an aroma of a finished consumer product, comprising: 
 an aroma carrier associated with a consumer product wherein the consumer product has a finished state and an unfinished state, and is offered for sale to consumers in the unfinished state; and    a synthesized aroma, carried by the aroma carrier, produced by characterizing an aroma of the finished state of the consumer product and synthesizing the aroma responsive to the characterization.    
     
     
         8 . A method for sampling an aroma of a consumer product, comprising the steps of: 
 characterizing a selected aroma of a consumer product wherein the consumer product comprises a plurality of aromas;    synthesizing the selected aroma, responsive to the characterization; and    associating the synthesized aroma with the consumer product.    
     
     
         9 . The method for sampling an aroma of a consumer product of  claim 8 , wherein the associating step comprises the step of intensifying the synthesized aroma.  
     
     
         10 . The method for sampling an aroma of a consumer product of claims  8  or  9 , wherein the characterizing step comprises the use of mass spectrometry.  
     
     
         11 . The method for sampling an aroma of a consumer product of claims  8  or  9 , wherein the associating step comprises associating the synthesized aroma with means for conveying information about the consumer product.  
     
     
         12 . The method for sampling an aroma of a consumer product of  claim 11 , wherein the information conveying means comprises an object selected from the group consisting of the consumer product, a pictorial representation of the consumer product, a textual representation of the consumer product, and an advertising display of the consumer product.  
     
     
         13 . The method for sampling an aroma of a consumer product of claims  8  or  9 , wherein the associating step comprises the use of means for the timed release of the synthesized aroma.  
     
     
         14 . The method for sampling an aroma of a consumer product of claims  8  or  9 , wherein the associating step comprises the step of forming microcapsules of the synthesized aroma.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for sampling an aroma of a consumer product, comprising: 
 an aroma carrier associated with a consumer product wherein the consumer product has a plurality of aromas; and    a synthesized aroma, carried by the aroma carrier, produced by characterizing a selected aroma of the plurality of aromas and synthesizing the selected aroma responsive to the characterization.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus for sampling an aroma of a consumer product of  claim 15  wherein producing the synthesized aroma comprises intensifying the synthesized aroma.  
     
     
         17 . A method for sampling an aroma bouquet of a consumer product, comprising the steps of: 
 characterizing an aroma bouquet of a consumer product wherein the consumer product has an aroma bouquet comprising a plurality of aromas;    characterizing a selected aroma of the plurality of aromas;    synthesizing the aroma bouquet, responsive to the aroma bouquet characterization;    synthesizing the selected aroma, responsive to the aroma characterization;    intensifying the synthesized aroma; and    associating the synthesized aroma bouquet and the intensified synthesized aroma with the consumer product.    
     
     
         18 . The method for sampling an aroma bouquet of a consumer product of  claim 17 , wherein the aroma bouquet characterizing step and the aroma characterizing step comprise the use of mass spectrometry.  
     
     
         19 . The method for sampling an aroma bouquet of a consumer product of  claim 17 , wherein the associating step comprises associating the synthesized aroma bouquet and the intensified synthesized aroma with means for conveying information about the consumer product.  
     
     
         20 . The method for sampling an aroma bouquet of a consumer product of  claim 19 , wherein the information conveying means comprises an object selected from the group consisting of the consumer product, a pictorial representation of the consumer product, a textual representation of the consumer product, and an advertising display of the consumer product.  
     
     
         21 . The method for sampling an aroma bouquet of a consumer product of  claim 17 , wherein the associating step comprises the use of means for the timed release of the synthesized aroma bouquet and the intensified synthesized aroma.  
     
     
         22 . The method for sampling an aroma bouquet of a consumer product of  claim 17 , wherein the associating step comprises the step of forming microcapsules of the synthesized aroma bouquet and the intensified synthesized aroma.  
     
     
         23 . An apparatus for sampling an aroma bouquet of a consumer product, comprising: 
 an aroma carrier associated with a consumer product, wherein the consumer product has an aroma bouquet comprising a plurality of aromas;    an intensified synthesized aroma, carried by the aroma carrier, produced by characterizing a selected aroma of the plurality of aromas, synthesizing the selected aroma responsive to the aroma characterization, and intensifying the synthesized aroma; and    a synthesized aroma bouquet, carried by the aroma carrier, produced by characterizing the aroma bouquet and synthesizing the aroma bouquet responsive to the aroma bouquet characterization.    
     
     
         24 . A method for determining the state of a product, comprising the steps of: 
 characterizing an aroma of a state of a product, wherein the product has a first state wherein the aroma is readily detected and a second state wherein the aroma is not readily detected;    synthesizing the aroma, responsive to the characterization; and    associating the synthesized aroma with the product.    
     
     
         25 . The method for determining the state of a product of  claim 24 , wherein the aroma characterizing step comprises the use of mass spectrometry.  
     
     
         26 . The method for determining the state of a product of  claim 24 , wherein the associating step comprises associating the synthesized aroma with means for conveying information about the product.  
     
     
         27 . The method for determining the state of a product of  claim 26 , wherein the information conveying means comprises an object selected from the group consisting of the product in the first state, the product in the second state, a pictorial representation of the product, a textual representation of the product, and an advertising display of the product.  
     
     
         28 . The method for determining the state of a product of  claim 24 , wherein the associating step comprises the use of means for the timed release of the synthesized aroma.  
     
     
         29 . The method for determining the state of a product of  claim 24 , wherein the associating step comprises the step of forming microcapsules of the synthesized aroma.  
     
     
         30 . An apparatus for determining the state of a product, comprising: 
 an aroma carrier associated with a product, wherein the product has a first state wherein an aroma is readily detected and a second state wherein the aroma is not readily detected; and    a synthesized aroma, carried by the aroma carrier, produced by characterizing the aroma and synthesizing the aroma responsive to the aroma characterization.