Patent Publication Number: US-2003228999-A1

Title: Method, an apparatus, and a composition for customizing the combination of fragrances

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
     [0001] This is a continuation of International Application PCT/US01/21773, with an international filing date of Jul. 10, 2001 which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/217,672 filed on Jul. 10, 2000. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] The invention relates to fragrances and more particularly to a method of combining fragrances to form a customized fragrance.  
       [0004] 2. Background  
       [0005] Creating fragrances is known in the art. Such fragrances are used in a variety of ways such as perfumes, cologne, soap, shampoo, etc. Perfumes, for example, are made up of an assortment of Perfume Raw Materials (PRMs). The selection of the PRMs to create a perfume is typically performed on a trial and error basis. For example, a manufacturer of a perfume may combine PRM A and PRM B with PRM C and then determine whether the mixture of PRMs is appealing based upon the smell of the combined PRMs. The manufacturer may then test whether the general public finds the perfume to be appealing.  
       [0006] The trial and error method of creating a perfume may create a fragrance which may only be appealing to, for example, 10% or less of the population. Typically, a fragrance is not commercially viable unless at least 10% of the targeted market find it appealing. One disadvantage of trial and error approach is that mass marketed fragrances may not be appealing to a particular individual or a substantial portion of the targeted market.  
       [0007] Some customers may desire customized fragrances suited to their individual requirements. Customizing fragrances to an individual, however, is expensive. In one prior art approach, customers are given an opportunity to select from hundreds of available PRMs. The use of PRMs is well known. Once the various selections are made, the fragrance can be created by mixing the selected PRMs. However, it is common for the resulting fragrance to be unappealing to the consumer. Although this prior art approach gives a consumer complete flexibility in specifying the content or PRMs of the fragrance, the success rate of specifying an appealing fragrance is extremely low.  
       [0008] In another prior art implementation for customizing the production of fragrances, modifications are made to a conventional triangle used to represent the basic components of most all cosmetic fragrances. Such a conventional triangle is illustrated in FIG. 2. It is well known that fragrances are comprised of a combination of base notes  230  (also denoted bottom notes or base components), middle notes  220  (also denoted middle components), and top notes  210  (also denoted top components). Exemplary base notes, middle notes and top notes are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,737, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. Base notes are characterized by components with long-lasting character. Musk is one example of a base note. Base notes typically have a higher molecular weight than other notes. Middle notes have a lower molecular weight than base notes, but higher molecular weight than top notes. Top notes are characterized by their high volatility and low molecular weight. Jasmine is one example of a top note. Middle notes  220  of triangle  200 , have a molecular weight that is higher than the top notes  210  and lower than the base notes  230 , middle notes  220  and base notes  230  provide the longevity of the fragrance, such as the smell after several hours that the fragrance was first placed on an individual&#39;s skin. The top notes  210 , on the other hand, typically dominate the smell of the fragrance when the fragrance is first placed on the skin of an individual. Because top notes  210  are more volatile than middle and base notes ( 220 ,  230 ), the top notes  210  dissipate more quickly. The molecular weight of the top notes is generally much lower than the molecular weight of the middle and base notes.  
       [0009] Again, as is well known in the art, all conventional cosmetic fragrances can be represented by a fragrance triangle, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 2 and discussed above. In some prior art customization processes, a customer is offered the option of replacing a top note with one of several other optional top notes. Although this approach gives the consumer some fragrance selection options, the options are limited by the small number of appealing fragrance combinations that can be produced.  
       [0010] Accordingly, it is desirable to overcome the known disadvantages related to the conventional methods used to create a customized fragrance.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0011] An apparatus and method for preparing a customized fragrance is disclosed. The method comprises: 1) selecting a first fragrance, the first fragrance comprising a base note, a middle note and a top note, 2) selecting a second fragrance, the second fragrance comprising a base note, a middle note and a top note, and 3) combining the first fragrance with the second fragrance to form the customized fragrance. Additional features, embodiments, and benefits will be evident in view of the figures and detailed description presented herein. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0012] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings,  
     [0013]FIG. 1 illustrates a fragrance triangle partitioned into two fragrance areas used to select a first fragrance and a second fragrance in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;  
     [0014]FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional fragrance triangle used for fragrance descriptors in the prior art;  
     [0015]FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a computer system that implements the principles of the present invention;  
     [0016]FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram for selecting first and second fragrances to form a customized fragrance in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;  
     [0017]FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram for selecting a first fragrance in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and  
     [0018]FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram for selecting a second fragrance in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.  
     [0019]FIG. 7 illustrates a fragrance triangle partitioned into three or more fragrance areas used to select a first fragrance and a second fragrance in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;  
     [0020] FIGS.  8 - 16  illustrate a user interface in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;  
     [0021] FIGS.  17 - 34  illustrate various examples of images used to represent fragrances in one embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     [0022] An apparatus and method for preparing a customized fragrance is disclosed. The method comprises: 1) selecting a first fragrance, the first fragrance comprising a base note, a middle note and a top note, 2) selecting a second fragrance, the second fragrance comprising a base note, a middle note and a top note, and 3) combining the first fragrance with the second fragrance to form the customized fragrance. The method of the present invention for selecting first and second fragrances in order to create a customized fragrance can be carried out using any interactive means. For instance, the process can be implemented on a network, such as the Internet, or on a stand-alone computer. Alternatively, this invention may be implemented using a variety of conventional methods such as by telephone, by direct mail, or face-to-face meetings between the consumer and the manufacturer, distributor or beauty consultant. It would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that any other means that allow for a dynamic, interactive process can be used to carry out the processes of the present invention.  
     [0023] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known structures and techniques have not been shown in detail to avoid obscuring the invention.  
     [0024]FIG. 1 illustrates, in part, the conventional fragrance triangle  100  partitioned into three areas as discussed above and partitioned diagonally as discussed below.  
     [0025] In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, diagonal line  140  is added to the conventional fragrance triangle. Diagonal line  140  partitions triangle  100  to provide a boundary between the first fragrance  150  and the second fragrance  160 . The first fragrance  150  comprises at least one top note  110 , at least one middle note  120 , and at least one base note  130 . In a presently preferred embodiment, the first fragrance  150  is dominated by the base and middle notes (i.e., it comprises no more than 30% (by volume) top note. The second fragrance  160  is also comprised of at least one top note  110 , at least one middle note  120 , and at least one base note  130 . The second fragrance  160  is dominated by the more volatile top note  110  and the middle note  120  (i.e., it comprises 30% (by volume) or more of top note). The second fragrance  160  is also comprised of at least one top note  110 , at least one middle note  120 , and at least one base note  130 . The second fragrance  160  is dominated by the more volatile top note  110  and the middle note  120 .  
     [0026] Based on the teaching of the present invention, it will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art that the fragrance triangle illustrated in FIG. 1 can be diagonally partitioned using multiple diagonal links  140 , thereby producing a plurality of fragrances, each fragrance having a base note, middle note, and top note, and any number of which can be combined to produce a customized fragrance.  
     [0027] The first fragrance  150  (also denoted herein by the term “hearts”) and the second fragrance  160  (also denoted herein by the term “souls”) can be combined in any ratio. In a preferred embodiment, the ratio of the first fragrance to second fragrance (i.e., hearts:souls) ranges from 90:10 (by volume), more preferably 80:20 (by volume), more preferably 70:30 (by volume), more preferably 60:40 (by volume) and given more preferably 50:50 (by volume).  
     [0028] One advantage of the present invention enabled by the novel fragrance triangle partitioning described above is that both the hearts  150  and the souls  160  represent independently viable fragrances. Because each of the hearts  150  and souls  160  have top, middle, and base notes, each of the hearts  150  and souls  160  can themselves be viable fragrances on their own. Thus, it can be determined through field trials whether individual hearts  150  and souls  160  are appealing fragrances. Using field trials, or other means, a subset of appealing hearts  150  and souls  160  can be identified. Once this set of appealing hearts  150  and souls  160  is identified, these hearts  150  and souls  160  can be used as the set of fragrance combinations from which a consumer may select a particular heart  150  to be combined with a particular soul  160 . Because it will already have been determined that individual hearts  150  and souls  160  are independently appealing fragrances, there is a high probability that the combination of a particular heart  150  and a particular soul  160  will also be an appealing combination. The process used in the present invention for enabling a consumer to select a particular heart  150  and a particular soul  160  for combination into a combined customized fragrance is described below.  
     [0029] In order to select the fragrance  150  and the second fragrance  160 , an individual, such as a consumer, must respond to a series of questions to determine the consumer&#39;s particular tastes. To select a particular first fragrance  150 , the individual is required in one embodiment, to respond to four questions. The first question relates to the time of day that the individual expects to be using the fragrance and the effect that fragrance has during the day when it may be at a higher temperature compared to its effect if the individual was wearing the perfume in the evening. The second question relates to the occasion at which the individual intends to wear the fragrance. For example, the individual may be seeking a fragrance that is acceptable in a casual setting as opposed to a very special or more formal setting. The third question relates to the mood that the individual seeks to evoke from others. For example, the mood that the individual may seek to set is a confident mood, a seductive mood, a feminine mood, a calm mood, or an energized mood. The fourth question relates to whether the individual is seeking to provide a traditional or trendy smell. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other queries for determining an individual&#39;s tastes or performances may also be employed. Such inquiries may relate to demographics, geographies and/or psychographics and include, for example, past consumer behavior and selections, age, ethnicity, skin-type (oily or dry), location, etc. The computer, evaluator and/or manufacturer will match these responses to determine the selected first fragrance  150 . For example, if a woman is seeking to wear the fragrance during the daytime, and she desires to have a trendy effect with an energized mood on a casual occasion, a Marine fragrance would be selected as the first fragrance  150 . In yet another example, if the woman is to wear the perfume in the evening and desires a seductive mood for a special occasion and she also desires to be trendy, a Gourmand fragrance would be selected as the first fragrance  150 .  
     [0030] After selecting the first fragrance  150 , a second fragrance  160  is then selected, based, in part, on the particular first fragrance  150  selected. In particular, the selection of a first fragrance  150  will rank and narrow the available second fragrance  160  to only those that are most highly compatible with the selected first fragrance  150 . In this manner, the present invention will produce a combined customized fragrance that is very likely to be appealing to the targeted market. In order to further select the second fragrance  160 , in one embodiment, additional questions are posed to the individual. For example, a question relating to where a person wishes to evoke a sense of transportation to a fantasy location, such as Florence, Italy, or other memorable location is asked. Similarly, a question relating to whether the fragrance is going to be worn in a particular season, such as spring, summer, fall, or winter is asked.  
     [0031] For example, if a Marine fragrance is selected as the first fragrance  150 , and if a woman has the fantasy to be transported to Venice, Italy in the spring, then Fresh Marine is selected as the second fragrance  160 . However, three souls would be selected as being highly compatible with the selected first fragrance  150  (e.g., white flower, fresh marine and green floral), with the white flower being designated as the most preferred choice for the second fragrance  160 .  
     [0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, the selection of a customized of fragrance is facilitated by displaying imagery consistent with the time, mood, setting, market trend, and occasion selected by the consumer in response to the questions described above. For example, during the selection of a heart  150 , the consumer may select a casual, modern setting during the daytime. If such a selection is made, a “marine” fragrance  150  selection is conveyed to the consumer through imagery consistent with such a setting. For example, a daytime beach scene may be portrayed to convey the selections made by the consumer. An example of such imagery is shown in FIG. 12. Additional examples of imagery consistent with consumer fragrance selections are also shown in FIGS.  17 - 34 . Note that in each of these images, use of color, visual images, and visual metaphors all convey a mood and feeling consistent with the first and second fragrance selections. In another embodiment, audio rendering can also be used to convey the same mood and feeling as the images, or used in combination with the images, each being consistent with a fragrance selection. In this manner, the present invention uses these visual and audio triggers to convey to the consumer a mood/feeling consistent with a fragrance selection.  
     [0033] In one embodiment, once the consumer responds to each of the queries described above, the present invention matches the queries to the available heart fragrances  150 . The present invention identifies three (or a lesser or greater number) heart fragrances  150  that most closely match the consumer&#39;s answers to the posed questions. Imagery consistent with these three matched heart fragrances  150  is returned and displayed for the consumer. The consumer may then make a final selection of heart fragrance  150 .  
     [0034] A similar process is used for the selection of soul fragrances  160 . A series of questions is used to determine a season and evocative setting associated with the consumer&#39;s answers. The best three (or a lesser or greater number) soul fragrances  160  that most closely match the consumer&#39;s answers are identified. Imagery consistent with these three matched soul fragrances  160  is returned and displayed for the consumer. The consumer may then make a final selection of soul fragrance  160 .  
     [0035] Having identified the consumer selected heart fragrance  150  and the consumer selected soul fragrance  160 , the combined user-customized fragrance is thus identified. The resulting customized fragrance is the combination of the selected heart  150  and the selected soul  160 . As described above, the combined fragrance has a high probability of being an appealing fragrance and can be further customized or optimized to the particular consumer&#39;s wishes. Needs or desires customized may also be conveyed to the consumer through imagery and audio corresponding to the selected heart  150  and the selected soul  160 .  
     [0036]FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of selecting fragrances to form a mixture of fragrances. At block  400 , a first fragrances  150  is selected by selecting at least one base note, at least one middle note, and at least one top note. At block  410 , a second fragrance  160  is selected by selecting in at least one base note, at least one middle note, and at least one top note. At block  420 , the first fragrance  150  and the second fragrance  160  are combined to form a customized fragrance.  
     [0037]FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of selecting a first fragrance  150  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. At block  500 , an individual is asked for example, when the perfume is to be worn (e.g., during the day), the type of occasion that the perfume is to be worn, the desired mood that the perfume is intended to present, and whether the event is traditional or new. At block  510 , responses to these inquiries are received from the individual. At block  520 , the first fragrance  150  is matched to the responses received to the questions posed at block  500 .  
     [0038]FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram illustrating the manner in which the second fragrance  160  is selected. At block  600 , questions are posed to the individual as to the season of the year, such as spring, summer, fall, winter, that the perfume is to be worn and the desired physical location to be evoked from wearing the perfume. At block  610 , the responses to these questions are received from the individual. At block  620 , the second fragrance  160  is matched to the responses received from the individual.  
     [0039] In one embodiment, the process of enabling a user to make selections from a set of hearts  150  and a set of souls  160  to produce a customized fragrance can be implemented on a computer network, such as the Internet. It is important to note that the present invention can be equivalently implemented without the use of computers. In a computer-implemented embodiment, FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a computer system  310 , which implements the principles of the present invention. Computer system  310  comprises a processor  317 , a storage device  318 , and interconnect  315  such as bus or a point-to-point link. Processor  317  is coupled to the storage device  318  by interconnect  315 . In addition, a number of user input/output devices, such as a keyboard  320  and a display  325 , are coupled to an interface chip set (not shown) which is then connected to processor  317 . The interface chipset (not shown) is typically connected to processor  317  using an interconnect that is different from interconnect  315 .  
     [0040] Processor  317  represents a central processing unit of any type of architecture (e.g., the Intel architecture, Hewlett Packard architecture, Sun Microsystems architecture, IBM architecture, etc.), or hybrid architecture. In addition, processor  317  could be implemented on one or more semiconductor chips. Storage device  318  represents one or more mechanisms for storing data such as responses to questions posed to an individual. Storage device  318  may include read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, and/or other machine-readable media. Interconnect  315  represents one or more buses (e.g., accelerated graphics port bus, peripheral component interconnect bus, industry standard architecture bus, X-Bus, video electronics standards association related to buses, etc.) and bridges (also termed as bus controllers).  
     [0041] While this embodiment is described in relation to a single processor computer system, the invention could be implemented in a multi-processor computer system. In addition to other devices, one or more of a network  330  may be present. Network  330  represents one or more network connections for transmitting data over a machine readable media. The invention could also be implemented on multiple computers connected via such a network.  
     [0042]FIG. 3 also illustrates that the storage device  318  has stored therein data  335  and program instructions (e.g. software, computer program, etc.)  336 . Data  335  represents data stored in one or more of the formats described herein. Program instructions  336  represents the necessary code for performing any and/or all of the techniques described herein. It will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that the storage device  318  preferably contains additional software (not shown), which is not necessary to understanding the invention.  
     [0043]FIG. 3 additionally illustrates that the processor  317  includes microprocessor pipeline  340 . Microprocessor pipeline  340  may be a program instruction pipeline (e.g. software, computer program, etc.) or a hardware pipeline. Microprocessor pipeline  340  is used for decoding instructions received by processor  317  into control signals and/or microcode entry points. In response to these control signals and/or microcode entry points, microprocessor pipeline  340  performs the appropriate operations.  
     [0044] In the preceding detailed description, the invention is described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.