Abstract: Time-varying scent determined by audio-meaningful events, such as gun firing, in an audio signal is generated by first computing a spectrogram thereof. A fingerprint, each having feature points, can be extracted from the spectrogram over a time window. The plurality of feature points is hashed to give a hash code. A sequence of hash codes obtained over multiple time windows is correlated with predetermined hash-code segments of known audio-meaningful events stored in a database. A matched audio-meaningful event having a highest correlation is identified. The scent-generating recipe corresponding to the matched audio-meaningful event is retrieved. Atomizers are used to vaporize scent-generating substances to generate the time-variant scent. Since the hash code has a fixed length and a smaller size than the plurality of feature points, storage requirements of the database and computation requirements of correlation calculation are reduced by using the hash code rather than the plurality of feature points.

Abstract: A heat-not-burn tobacco-type device for heating a cigarette has a heater and a vaporizer. The heater heats the cigarette at a heating temperature not greater than 450° C. for discouraging formation of harmful substances, such as tar and carbon monoxide, during heating the cigarette. The vaporizer is used to vaporize a liquid for producing smoke and/or for enhancing a taste of the cigarette. The vaporizer and the heater are arranged to work simultaneously or independently to generate two bodies of aerosol, wherein these two bodies of aerosol pass through two independent gas channels and meet together for a smoker to inhale thereafter. Hence, the device not only meets visual needs of the smoker in the smoke and/or enhances the taste of the cigarette, but also discourages generation of the harmful substance.

Abstract: In a device for heating tobacco in a cigarette, a heating tube heats the cigarette to generate smoke. The heating tube has a first channel and a set of one or more second channels. Each second channel is disposed at an outer circumference of the first channel and is in connection with the first channel. The first channel receives the cigarette and conducts mainstream smoke, which is a portion of the smoke passing through the tobacco and a cigarette filter in the cigarette. The second channel set collects and conducts side-stream smoke, which is a portion of the smoke passing through a cigarette paper of the cigarette. The mouthpiece is connected to both the first channel and the second channel set to provide not only the mainstream smoke but also the side-stream smoke for a smoker to inhale, thereby avoiding wasting the side-stream smoke.

Abstract: Time-varying scent determined by audio-meaningful events, such as gun firing, in an audio signal is generated by first computing a spectrogram thereof. A fingerprint, each having feature points, can be extracted from the spectrogram over a time window. The plurality of feature points is hashed to give a hash code. A sequence of hash codes obtained over multiple time windows is correlated with predetermined hash-code segments of known audio-meaningful events stored in a database. A matched audio-meaningful event having a highest correlation is identified. The scent-generating recipe corresponding to the matched audio-meaningful event is retrieved. Atomizers are used to vaporize scent-generating substances to generate the time-variant scent. Since the hash code has a fixed length and a smaller size than the plurality of feature points, storage requirements of the database and computation requirements of correlation calculation are reduced by using the hash code rather than the plurality of feature points.

Abstract: A heat-not-burn tobacco-type device for heating a cigarette has a heater and a vaporizer. The heater heats the cigarette at a heating temperature not greater than 450° C. for discouraging formation of harmful substances, such as tar and carbon monoxide, during heating the cigarette. The vaporizer is used to vaporize a liquid for producing smoke and/or for enhancing a taste of the cigarette. The vaporizer and the heater are arranged to work simultaneously or independently to generate two bodies of aerosol, wherein these two bodies of aerosol pass through two independent gas channels and meet together for a smoker to inhale thereafter. Hence, the device not only meets visual needs of the smoker in the smoke and/or enhances the taste of the cigarette, but also discourages generation of the harmful substance.

Abstract: An electronic cigarette for smoldering tobacco materials housed in a cigarette cartridge has a heater, and first and second heat conductors. The heater generates heat by using a resistance wire, or via ionizing air, e.g., an electric arc generator. The first heat conductor, which receives heat from the heater, directly contacts an outer surface of the cigarette cartridge for heating the tobacco materials through the cigarette cartridge's outer surface. The second heat conductor penetrates into a center of the cigarette cartridge, and has a heating element for heating the tobacco materials via the cigarette cartridge's center. Hence, the tobacco materials are heated from both inside and outside of the cigarette cartridge simultaneously, thereby smoldering the tobacco materials more completely and resulting in a better taste. During ionizing the air, the heater may further generate a gaseous air-purifying agent for air purification, e.g., negative ions generated by the electric arc generator.

Abstract: A piezoceramic based atomizer for atomizing high viscosity liquid is provided. The atomizer comprises a storing tank as a reservoir for storing the liquid, a receiving tank connecting to the storing tank, a piezoceramic based nozzle for forming micro-droplets of the liquid, and an external ultrasonic oscillation circuit. The nozzle comprises a liquid absorbing medium with at least one sunk area at one end for pumping and delivering the liquid, a holder for holding the absorbing medium, a micro-perforated membrane whose one side is attached on the side of the liquid absorbing medium having the sunk area, and an annular piezoceramic adhered to the other side of the membrane. The nozzle is configured such that the sunk area can balance the feeding rate and atomization rate of the liquid as well as hold the back pressure underneath the micro-perforated membrane, facilitating forming micro-droplets of the high viscosity liquid continuously.

Abstract: A bubble atomizer includes a cartridge having an open end, a liquid absorbing member provided inside the cartridge, a firing chamber covering the open end and formed with liquid outlets and liquid inlets through which liquid enters the firing chamber from the cartridge, and heaters mounted inside the firing chamber. The heaters are connected with a power electronics unit through a cable. Each heater has a thickness in micron to sub-micron scale. When a pulse signal generated is applied to the heaters, current generated heats up the heaters and vapor bubbles are formed on the heaters that generate pressure and push the liquid out of the firing chamber through the liquid outlets to thereby form droplets.

Abstract: A bubble atomizer includes a cartridge having an open end, a liquid absorbing member provided inside the cartridge, a firing chamber covering the open end and formed with liquid outlets and liquid inlets through which liquid enters the firing chamber from the cartridge, and heaters mounted inside the firing chamber. The heaters are connected with a power electronics unit through a cable. Each heater has a thickness in micron to sub-micron scale. When a pulse signal generated is applied to the heaters, current generated heats up the heaters and vapor bubbles are formed on the heaters that generate pressure and push the liquid out of the firing chamber through the liquid outlets to thereby form droplets.

Abstract: A proximity-based audio sharing system includes two identical units in wireless communication with each other. Each unit includes: a wireless transceiver module configured for communicating audio signals with the wireless transceiver module of the other unit; an audio output device connected with the wireless transceiver module and configured for playing back audio signals transmitted from the wireless transceiver module; a mute control circuit connected with the wireless transceiver module and the audio output device, and configured for selectively muting the audio output of the audio output device; and a microcontroller unit connected with the wireless transceiver module and configured for controlling the wireless transceiver module and the mute control circuit, and transmitting a control signal which includes a link signal and a mute control signal to the microcontroller unit of the other unit when the two units are in touch or in proximity of each other.

Abstract: A proximity-based audio sharing system includes two identical units in wireless communication with each other. Each unit includes: a wireless transceiver module configured for communicating audio signals with the wireless transceiver module of the other unit; an audio output device connected with the wireless transceiver module and configured for playing back audio signals transmitted from the wireless transceiver module; a mute control circuit connected with the wireless transceiver module and the audio output device, and configured for selectively muting the audio output of the audio output device; and a microcontroller unit connected with the wireless transceiver module and configured for controlling the wireless transceiver module and the mute control circuit, and transmitting a control signal which includes a link signal and a mute control signal to the microcontroller unit of the other unit when the two units are in touch or in proximity of each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically switching and charging a first battery and a second battery includes a charger unit; an output port configured for connecting to a load; a first control switch connected between the charger unit and the first battery; a second control switch connected between the charger unit and the second battery; a first output switch connected between the first battery and the output port; a second output switch connected between the second battery and the output port; a main control unit connected with the first and second batteries, the first and second control switches, and the first and second output switch modules; and a power source module configured for providing power to the main control unit and the charger unit.