Air freshening network

Abstract

An air freshening network in a home or office environment is more energy efficient and intelligent than conventional devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air freshening system comprising:
 (a) a plurality of scent emitters displaced relative to each other in the freshening system, wherein each of the plurality of scent emitters is configured to emit an air freshening composition;   (b) at least one sensor responsive to a stimulus the sensor is capable of sensing;   (c) a communication interface configured to communicate with the plurality of scent emitters; and   (d) wherein each of the plurality of scent emitters comprises an emission processor, wherein the emission processor is:
 (i) responsive to the sensor; 
 (ii) configured to controlling scent emission from the respective scent emitter; and 
 (iii) configured to make scent emission decisions through distributed processing across the system based on information exchange among the scent emitters through the communication interface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a radio-frequency gateway allowing scent emitters of the system to communicate with each other. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor is selected from an odor sensor or a motion sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the system comprises a plurality of sensors wherein at least one sensor is a malodor sensor and another sensor is a motion sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor is integral to at least one scent emitter of the system. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the scent emitter further comprises an energizable dispenser component configured to dispense an air freshening composition from a refill vial, and wherein the scent emitter is pluggable into a wall socket. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the emission processor comprises using one or more of the following: a clock to control the timing of scent emission decisions across the network; a polling algorithm to make scent emission decisions across the network; and learning reactions to stimuli according to a training set. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising an air filtering device configured to filter air, wherein the air filter device comprises:
 (a) an air filtering component configured to move air through an air filter;   (b) the air filter functionally attached to the air filter device;   (c) an air filtering processor, wherein the air filtering processor is configured: to have the air filtering component control air flow through the air filter; and to make air filtering decisions based on information received through the distributed processing across the system based on information exchanged among the scent emitters through the communication interface.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the filtering process of the air filter device is further configured to be response to the sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor further comprises an air quality sensor. 
     
     
         11 . A scent emitter configured to emit an air freshening composition comprising:
 (a) an energizable dispenser component configured to dispense an air freshening composition from a refill vial;   (b) a communication interface;   (c) an emission processor, wherein the emission processor is configured: to control scent emission for the scent emitter; and to make scent emission decisions based on information received wirelessly.   
     
     
         12 . The scent emitter of  claim 11 , wherein the communication interface is configured to send or receive information by infrared radiation, ultrasound wave, radio-frequency wave, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The scent emitter of  claim 12 , further comprising a sensor wherein the sensor is configured to be responsive to a stimulus the sensor is capable of sensing; and wherein the emission process is response to the sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The scent emitter of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor is selected from an odor sensor, an air quality sensor, a motion sensor, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The scent emitter of  claim 14 , wherein the scent emitter is configured to be pluggable into a wall socket. 
     
     
         16 . The scent emitter of  claim 14 , wherein the scent emitter further comprises a radio-frequency gateway. 
     
     
         17 . The scent emitter of  claim 14 , wherein the scent emitter is configured to be pluggable into a wall socket, wherein the scent emitter further comprises a radio-frequency gateway, and wherein the energizable dispenser component is configured to dispense an air freshening composition from a plurality of refill vials. 
     
     
         18 . An air filtering device configured to filter air comprising:
 (a) an air filtering component configured to move air through an air filter;   (b) optionally having the air filter functionally attached;   (c) a communication interface;   (d) an air filtering processor, wherein the air filtering processor is configured: to control air flow through the air filter; and to make air filtering decisions based on information received wirelessly by the communication interface.   
     
     
         19 . The air filter device of  claim 18 , wherein the communication interface is configured to send or receive information by infrared radiation, ultrasound wave, radio-frequency wave, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The air filtering device  claim 19 , further comprising a sensor wherein the sensor is configured to be responsive to a stimulus the sensor is capable of sensing; and wherein the emission process is response to the sensor.