Fireplace with Adjustable, Combinable, and Customizable Sensory Components

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. App. No. 63/566,706, filed Feb. 22, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to fireplaces, and more specifically to fireplaces with one or more sensory components.

BACKGROUND

When consumers select a fireplace such as electric, gas, or wood, they are limited to the products and features available at the time of purchase. A fireplace's visual aspects and features are not easily updateable or changeable by the user without assistance from the manufacturer who made the fireplace or the dealer from whom the fireplace was purchased. In some cases, extensive renovation may be required to achieve the desired look or change. Consumers typically select refractory and firebox elements for gas and wood fires, such as log sets (gas) and a refractory, at the time of purchase. Replacing or changing such elements to update the aesthetics of the fireplace may be expensive and/or require professional installation or renovation.

Historically, electric fireplaces utilize simplistic technology that creates the same flame effect in the device over time. Consumers can customize the look of the fireplace by selecting between different physical elements of the device. However, this is typically only done at the time of purchase and stays the same throughout the lifetime of the product itself. More recent electric fireplace products leverage digital displays to show videos of fire/flames. These images consist of a flame in front of a black background. Some further customization of the flame appearance is possible, for example by changing the flame color to nontraditional flame colors such as green or purple, or by adjusting the speed of the flame flicker to look more or less realistic.

SUMMARY

According to one example (“Example 1”), a fireplace system includes: an enclosure; a display disposed within the enclosure; a heater coupled to the enclosure; and a controller operatively coupled with the display and the heater and configured to control, in response to a user input, operation of the display and the heater and cause a change in one or more of a foreground element and a background element of an image or video displayed on the display.

According to another example (“Example 2”) further to Example 1, each of the foreground element and the background element are separately and independently changeable.

According to another example (“Example 3”) further to Example 1, the foreground element includes an image or video of a flame.

According to another example (“Example 4”) further to Example 1, the background element is changeable to a non-fire setting.

According to another example (“Example 5”) further to Example 1, each of the foreground element and the background element is selectable from a predetermined list or selection of elements provided to a user.

According to another example (“Example 6”) further to Example 5, the controller is configured to update the predetermined list or selection of elements via a network connection.

According to another example (“Example 7”) further to Example 1, the one or more of the foreground element and the background element are provided by a user.

According to another example (“Example 8”) further to Example 1, the controller causes the change by generating a composite image or video by combining a user-selected foreground element and a user-selected background element.

According to another example (“Example 9”) further to Example 1, the controller causes the change by generating a composite image or video by combining a user-selected foreground element or a user-selected background element with a current foreground element or a current background element.

According to another example (“Example 10”) further to Example 1, the change is determined using one or more computational models.

According to another example (“Example 11”) further to Example 1, the heater is an electric heater.

According to one example (“Example 12”), a fireplace system includes: an enclosure; a display disposed within the enclosure; a heater coupled to the enclosure; and a controller operatively coupled with the display and the heater and configured to control, in response to a user input, operation of the display and the heater to change one or more sensory properties associated with the display and the heater.

According to another example (“Example 13”) further to Example 12, each of the display and the heater are separately and independently controllable via the controller.

According to another example (“Example 14”) further to Example 12, changing a sensory property of the display causes a change in a sensory property of the heater.

According to another example (“Example 15”) further to Example 14, the change is determined using one or more computational models.

According to another example (“Example 16”) further to Example 12, the system includes a speaker. The controller is operatively coupled with the speaker and configured to control, in response to the user input, operation of the speaker to change the sensory property associated with the speaker.

According to another example (“Example 17”) further to Example 16, each of the display, the heater, and the speaker are separately and independently controllable via the controller.

According to another example (“Example 18”) further to Example 16, changing a sensory property of the display causes a change in a sensory property of the heater or the speaker.

According to another example (“Example 19”) further to Example 16, the system includes a scent generator. The controller is operatively coupled with the scent generator and configured to control, in response to the user input, operation of the scent generator to change the sensory property associated with the scent generator.

According to another example (“Example 20”) further to Example 19, each of the display, the heater, the speaker, and the scent generator are separately and independently controllable via the controller.

While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a fireplace according to embodiments disclosed herein;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a fireplace or fireplace system according to embodiments disclosed herein;

FIGS. 3A through 3G are different images or videos that can be shown or displayed at the fireplace according to embodiments disclosed herein;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a network system that is incorporated with the fireplace or fireplace system according to embodiments disclosed herein;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process or algorithm implemented in a fireplace or fireplace system according to embodiments disclosed herein;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process or algorithm implemented in a fireplace or fireplace system according to embodiments disclosed herein;

FIGS. 7A through 7C are front views of different types of protectors and protector frames that may be implemented in a fireplace according to embodiments disclosed herein; and

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a user interface that may be implemented in a fireplace or fireplace system according to embodiments disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is generally directed to a fireplace or fireplace system capable of providing user-inputted change(s) to one or more of the devices, such as a display and a heater, where the devices are disposed within or near an enclosure such as in a simulated firebox, for example.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a fireplace or fireplace system 100 that has an enclosure 102 and includes two or more of the sensory components. As used herein, a “sensory component” is defined as a device, such as an electronic device, that is capable of generating a sensory feedback in response to either a user input(s) or a command signal(s) transmitted by a controller. Examples of the sensory component may include, but are not limited to, displays 104 (such as an electronic display including but not limited to a television display/monitor, a computer display/monitor, or a projected screen, for a visual output), heaters 106 (such as an electrically powered heater, for a temperature/heat output), speakers 204 (for a sound output), and scent generators 206 (for an olfactory output). The fireplace or fireplace system 100 may be referred to as an electric fireplace or electric fireplace system if one or more of the components implemented therein, such as the heater, are electrically powered or activated.

The enclosure 102 has a front-facing side and a back-facing side. On the front-facing side may be a protector 112 that shields the users from the contents inside the enclosure 102. The display 104 is disposed within the enclosure 102 which may be a simulated firebox resembling a traditional gas fireplace, or the enclosure 102 may be designed to have a different aesthetics such as made of metals, bricks, stones, wood, concrete, tiles, or a combination thereof. The heater 106 is coupled to the enclosure 102, such as disposed at or near the enclosure 102. In some examples, the heater 106 may be an electric heater, or the heater 106 may at least partially be operated electrically. In some examples, the heater 106 may generate heat using gas, wood, or any other suitable fuel, or the heater 106 may use a combination of such fuel and electricity. The heater 106 may also be disposed inside the enclosure 102, and in some examples, disposed closer to a front portion of the enclosure 102 than the display 104. Alternatively, the heater 106 may be disposed behind the display 104 closer to a back portion of the enclosure 102. In some examples, the fireplace 100 also includes one or more physical elements 110 such as decorative logs which may be disposed on or near the heater 106.

The speaker(s) 204 and the scent generator(s) 206 may be disposed near or proximal to the enclosure 102 or proximal to the user who is using the fireplace or fireplace system 100. The speaker 204 and/or the scent generator 206 may be positionally adjusted or controlled to be directed toward the user to deliver the sounds or scents that are generated.

The controller 108 may be or include one or more processing units, such as a central processing unit (“CPU”), and one or more memory units that may be or include a non-transitory computer-readable medium that store instructions which, when executed by the processing unit(s), causes the processing unit(s) to perform or run one or more processes, algorithms, or operations as stored in the medium. Examples of such memory units may include, but are not limited to, random access memories, read only memories, flash memories, disk drives, removable storages, and any other suitable types of storage as known in the art. The controller 108 is capable of receiving, analyzing, and transmitting electrical signals. The controller 108 is operatively coupled with at least the display 104 and the heater 106, and is capable of controlling, in response to a user input such as electrical signals transmitted from a user device 202, the operation of the display 104 and the heater 106, as well as other sensory components with which the controller 108 may be operatively coupled.

The controller 108 may separately and independently control operation of one or more of the devices, such as the electronic devices, based on user inputs. In some examples, user input may be provided directly via one or more input devices associated with the enclosure 102 such as a touchscreen or a monitor with buttons, or any other suitable means, that are associated with or installed at or near the enclosure 102. In some examples, user inputs may be provided remotely via one or more user devices 202 such as a smartphone or remote controller. User inputs may be wirelessly transmitted using a remote controller (e.g., wireless and/or wired control source), software application (“app”) on the user device, and/or other controller(s) as incorporated in the fireplace system 100. User inputs may include one or more instructions for the controller 108 to change one or more sensory properties of the devices, such as the display 104 and the heater 106. In some examples, the user inputs may include, but are not limited to, any one or more of the following: changes to the one or more image(s) or video(s) on the display; increases or decreases in the heat output of the heater; increases or decreases in the volume of the speaker or source of the audio deployed through the speaker; and/or increases or decreases in the level of scent generated by the scent generator.

FIGS. 3A through 3G illustrate different examples of the image 200 (which may be a static image or a moving image, a.k.a. video) that can be displayed on the display 104. As referred to herein, an “image” or “video” may include digital content that is not limited to, for example, one or more of the following: movies, digital pictures, digital artworks, non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”), abstract artworks, seasonal imagery, virtual/video meeting interface, visual home décor elements, AI-generated or simulated scenes or artworks, or other images or videos generated or prepared. The images or videos shown on the display may vary according to examples or user preference, and may be changed based on user input, as controlled by the controller. As shown in FIG. 3A, the image or video 200 may include a foreground element 300 (e.g., fire and logs) and a background element 302 (e.g., refractory, walls, or scenery). The controller 108 may cause a change in one or more of a foreground element 300 and a background element 302 of an image or video 200 that is displayed on the display 104.

In some examples, the foreground and background elements 300, 302 are each separately and independently changeable. The foreground element 300 may include an image or video of a flame. The background element 302 may be changeable to a fantastical setting or one that is not conventional to a fireplace setting. In some examples, the foreground and background elements 300, 302 may be selectable by a user of the fireplace system 100 from a predetermined list or selection of elements. The predetermined list or selection of elements may be set and pre-installed by the manufacturer, and then updated by the controller 108 via a network connection 402 at the request or direction of the user or manufacturer of the fireplace system 100.

In some examples, the foreground element 300 may include fire with various intensity (e.g., small, medium, or large) and type (e.g., driftwood, firepit, or gas flame) and the background element 302 may include various textures or sceneries (e.g., bricks as shown in FIGS. 3A through 3E, stones as shown in FIG. 3G, or outdoor sceneries). The background element 302 may include other, non-traditional (or non-fire) sceneries such as a forest, a desert, or a beach with a lake or an ocean in the background, for example. The colors (as well as brightness, contrast, or speed, for example) of the objects that are displayed may be adjustable or customizable, such as using a sliding scale of colors to match the colors schemes that coordinate with scenes that are unrelated to fire, such as an aquarium or a forest. In some examples, the background element 302 may include abstract backgrounds, including but not limited to an empty or mirrored background as shown in FIG. 3F. In other examples, the background element 302 may be a color that is selected by user preference.

Visual fire content generated via computer graphic imaging (“CGI”) or by artificial intelligence (“AI”) may be used, where users may further customize their experience by combining different fire elements. For example, the user may select a specific fire and combine that with a specific background, or ask AI to generate a specific fire scene, for example via a generative AI module that is configured to generate an image or video using a natural language prompt. The generative AI module may be any suitable type of AI module including one or more neural networks. A neural network may include a machine-learning model that is trained based on input data such as input image or video dataset using one or more machine learning algorithms such as those implementing deep learning techniques. Visual content may also be provided by the users, enabling them to upload their own fire videos and/or sound. Visual content may also be unrelated to fire, such as an aquarium scene, a forest scene, a beach scene, or any other types of scenes that may be provided or selected by the users.

FIG. 4 shows a system 400, such as a network fireplace system, that incorporates the fireplace or fireplace system 100 as well as additional devices and network connectivity as disclosed herein. The fireplace system 100, for example as shown in FIG. 2, may be connected to a network 402 such as the Internet (e.g., via a wired or wireless, e.g. Wi-Fi, connection) to transmit data to and receive data from a remote server or a remote device 406. In some examples, the remote device 406 may include one or more user devices or computers. In some examples, the controller 108 may be connected to the network 402 such that the analyzing or processing of data may be performed by the remote server or remove device 406, and the analysis results or processing results may be transmitted to the controller 108 for the controller 108 to operate the devices, such as the sensory devices 404, based on the transmitted results. The sensory devices 404 may include any one or more of the displays 104, heaters 106, speakers 204, and/or scent generators 206 as disclosed herein. The user device 202 may be a local device that is connected with the network 402 via any suitable connection such as wired or wireless connection, including but not limited to: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, infrared (“IR”) communications, or near field communications (“NFC”).

In some examples, the fireplace system 100 or controller 108 is capable of receiving updates or additional image/video/sound elements via the Internet connection (e.g., in a cloud network). The updates or additional elements may be provided a plurality of days, weeks, months, or years after initial purchase or installation of the fireplace system. Updates/additional elements may be provided by wirelessly or over-the-air (“OTA”) by the manufacturer(s) of the fireplace system or by the users themselves, or by third party websites/applications. The updates or additional elements may be provided at a constant pace via a paid or unpaid subscription service(s).

FIG. 5 shows a process or method 500 according to the steps explained herein. In one example of a process 500 that is performed by the controller, the foreground and/or background element may be provided or selected by the user (step 502 or 506). In step 506, if a new foreground (or background) element is provided or selected by the user, the new foreground (or background) element may be combined with a current background (or foreground) element to generate a composite image or video in step 508. Alternatively, in step 502, if a new foreground element and a new background element are provided or selected by the user, the new foreground and background elements may be combined to generate a composite image or video in step 504.

In some examples, the foreground and background elements may be preconfigured such that the user may select one or more of the preconfigured foreground and/or background elements separately or together as a set. When selected as a set, the combination of the preconfigured foreground and background elements may be displayed, replacing the current image or video that is displayed on the display. When one of the foreground and background elements is selected, the selected foreground or background element may replace the corresponding foreground or background element of the current image or video that is displayed on the display.

In step 510, the controller determines a change in sensory properties based on analyzing the composite image or video. The change may be determined using any suitable software or computer program, including but not limited to computer-based models of any type and of any level of complexity, such as any type of sequential, functional, or concurrent model, as well as any type of computational model, such as, for example, artificial neural networks (“ANN”), artificial intelligence (“AI”) models, machine learning (“ML”) models, generative AI models, and/or the like.

In step 512, the generated composite image or video is displayed, and in step 514, the change is reflected in the sensory properties as determined. The change may be reflected by operating one or more devices, such as electronic devices, that are associated with the sensory properties that are to be changed.

FIG. 6 shows a process or method 600 according to the steps explained herein. In one example of a process 600 that is performed by the controller, in step 602, a user input may be received by the controller instructing the controller to change one or more sensory properties. Examples of such sensory properties may include, but are not limited to, which images or videos to show on the display, a heat output or temperature setting for the heater, an audio volume for the speakers, or intensity of the scent for the scent generator.

In step 604, the controller may determine a change to one or more additional sensory properties based on the user input, where the additional sensory properties are different from the sensory properties associated with the user input. In step 606, the user-inputted change in the one or more sensory properties is reflected by controlling the operation of one or more devices, and in step 608, the determined change is reflected in the one or more additional sensory properties by controlling the operation of other devices.

The change to one or more additional sensory properties that is determined based on the user input may include any one or more of the visual property, audio property, heat property, or olfactory property. In one example, the controller may receive the user input to reduce the size of the fire as shown in the image or video that is displayed on the display. In response, the controller may determine that the change is to reduce the heat output of the heater to match the heat output with the reduced size of the fire that is shown in the image or video. Additionally, the controller may also determine that the change includes reducing the audio volume of the speaker to match the reduced size of the fire or to remove certain sound clips such as crackling of a fire if the fire is too small.

In one example, the controller may receive the user input to reduce the heat output of the heater. In response, the controller may determine that the change is to reduce the size of the fire as shown in the image or video that is displayed on the display to match the reduced heat output of the heater. In one example, the controller may receive the user input to change the background element of the image or video that is displayed on the display, from an old background (such as an indoor fireplace) to a new background (such as an outdoor campfire). In response, the controller may determine that the change is to play a different sound clip using the speaker to match the new background element in the image or video that is now displayed. For example, in the case of an outdoor campfire, the new sound clip may include sounds of animals, birds, insects, wind, and/or water (such as sounds of waves or rain), which may have been absent from the sound clip that was played for an indoor fireplace. The user may also add sounds such as streaming music or user-created sound clips. Additionally, the controller may also determine that the change includes adding a new scent to be generated using the scent generator, such as generating a pine scent to further emulate the outdoor campfire.

FIGS. 7A through 7C show different examples of the protector 112 with frame components 700, such as a protector frame, that is detachably installed on the fireplace system 100 such as at the enclosure 102, such that the user has an option to change the frame component 700 at any time to change the aesthetics of the fireplace system 100. For example, the frame component 700 of FIG. 7A may include one or more handles for the user to open the protector 112 as needed, as well as using more curvatures in the design. The frame component 700 of FIG. 7B may include fewer features for a more minimalistic design. The frame component 700 of FIG. 7C may include only straight (or substantially straight) members.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a user interface 800 that may be provided or shown to the user on the user device 202 when the user is controlling the operation of the fireplace system 100. In some examples, the one or more of the foreground element 300 and the background element 302 may be provided by a user. In some examples, the controller 108 may cause the change by generating a composite image or video 200 by combining a user-selected foreground element 300 and a user-selected background element 302. In some examples, the controller 108 may cause the change by generating a composite image or video 200 by combining a user-selected foreground element 300 or a user-selected background element 302 with a pre-installed and/or non-user-selected foreground element 300 or a pre-installed and/or non-user-selected background element 302.

For example, the interface 800 may display preconfigured images or videos 200 that are shown as a set of selectable options such that, when the user selects an image or video, the display 104 shows such image or video using the combination of foreground and background elements that are predetermined. The interface 800 may also display foregrounds 300 and backgrounds 302 as selectable options for the user to choose, such that selecting a foreground element 300 may cause the current foreground element to be replaced with the selected foreground element, and/or selecting a background element 302 may cause the current background element to be replaced with the selected background element.

In some examples, the display 104 may be showing an image or video 200 that is shown by default or was previously selected by the user. When the user selects a new foreground 300, the foreground 300 of the image or video 200 that is being shown on the display 104 may be changed or replaced to the new foreground 300 as selected by the user. When the user selects a new background 302, the background 302 of the image or video 200 that is being shown on the display 104 may be changed or replaced to the new background 302 as selected by the user. In some examples, the user may select a foreground 300 and a background 302 from the interface 800, and the system (or the processing unit thereof) may form a new image or video 200 at least partially based on the user-selected foreground 300 and background 302, and the new image or video 200 may replace the image or video 200 that is being shown on the display 104.

In some examples, the possible options for user selection may be updated or changed after a period of time. For example, the changes or updates may be reflected based on one or more new or additional images/videos 200 (or foreground/background elements 300, 302) as received via the Internet or any other suitable network connection. Updates may also be received through a USB port, dongle, SD card, or any other portable memory device(s) as suitable.

In some examples, the preconfigured images/videos 200 for selection may include non-traditional backgrounds such as a fire on a beach or a fire in a forest, as shown, in addition to any one or more of the background elements (such as the refractory and/or stone/brick walls which may typically be associated with a fireplace) as shown in FIGS. 3A through 3G. The preconfigured images/videos include preconfigured foreground elements and preconfigured background elements that may or may not be changeable or adjustable by the user.

In some examples, the selectable foreground elements 300 may include options such as a small flame, a medium-size flame, or a large flame as shown. In some examples, the selectable foreground elements may include options such as flames burning on different types or combinations of material (such as logs, kindles, stones, crystals, and/or spheres). In some examples, the selectable foreground elements may include flame of different colors or shapes. In some examples, the selectable background elements 302 may include options such as a beach (in front of a lake or ocean) or a forest as shown, and/or any one or more of the background elements shown in FIGS. 3A through 3G. In some examples, the selectable background elements may be a themed background based on seasons, holidays, or other collaborations.

In some examples, a holiday theme during the winter may include a flame located on logs in a snowy surrounding, and the ember bed colors may include red and green, as well as a crackling sound interspersed with sounds of occasional holiday bells. In some examples, collaborations may include collaborations with media companies such as for providing or combining popular media or décor. In some examples, décor from popular TV shows, movies, events (such as live or recorded videos), or games (such as sporting events or merchandise related to sports teams) may be combined as background element(s) with any suitable foreground element(s).

In some examples, the selectable options are provided to the user via the user interface or display (for example a touchscreen display) of a user device such as a user's smartphone, smart tablet, personal computer, and/or remote controller in the form of user-interactive elements such as buttons, dropdown menus, or via voice commands, and the user selection is provided as user input to the controller to cause a change in the displayed image/video on the display.

In some examples, the replacing or combining of the images or videos may be automatically performed using any suitable computational models, such as ANN, AI models, ML models, generative AI models, and/or the like, as known in the art. Using such models, the user may select a static image and have the image appear as a moving image (or video) on the display 104. For example, in response to the user selecting a static image of a flame that is superimposed on a static background, the system can cause the display 104 to show a moving image of the static image and/or the static background, by using any suitable image-to-video generative AI model or software as known in the art.

Furthermore, one or more steps of the processes 500 and 600 may be performed or partially assisted using any suitable computational models. For example, in addition to generating composite images or videos, the computational models may determine any change in sensory properties (as per step 510) that may be appropriate based on the composite image/video as generated in step 504 or 508. For example, the computational models may also determine any change in the one or more additional sensory properties (as per step 604) that may be appropriate based on the user input to change one or more of the sensory properties as in step 602.

According to some embodiments, a fireplace or fireplace system 100 as disclosed herein may provide user-inputted change to one or more of the devices (e.g., sensory devices 404) that each provides a sensory output, such as visual output (image and/or video), audio output (sound), olfactory output (scent), or temperature/heat output. The fireplace or fireplace system 100 may include a controller 108 that is operatively coupled with the devices 404 to control operation of the devices 404 in order to adjust one or more sensory properties associated with one or more of the devices 404, in response to the user-inputted change. In some examples, changing a sensory property in one device 404 causes a change in a sensory property in another device 404.

Numerous benefits or advantages are offered by the various embodiments of the fireplace or fireplace system as disclosed herein. For example, users can customize the sensory properties associated with the fireplace with greater flexibility and freedom. Users can also have more options and selections to choose from with respect to at least one of the foreground and/or background elements, and the options may be constantly updated, increased, or changed based on availability of additional content as provided by the manufacturer, the user, and/or third-party entities via wired or wireless connections such as the Internet or cloud networks. In some examples, user can also customize the sensory properties to achieve a more realistic fire experience in view of the controller (or system) adjusting other sensory properties to match the user-inputted changes associated with the fire experience. For example, it would be more realistic for the fire to be visually reduced in size as well as getting quieter as the amount of heat generated from the fire is reduced. Therefore, having a plurality of interlinked sensory components (e.g., electronic devices capable of providing different sensory outputs) can enhance user experience and satisfaction.

Numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the preceding description, including various alternatives together with details of the structure and function of the devices and/or methods. Moreover, the scope of the various concepts addressed in this disclosure has been described both generically and with regard to specific examples. The disclosure is intended as illustrative only and as such is not intended to be exhaustive. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made, especially in matters of structure, materials, elements, components, shape, size, and arrangement of parts including combinations within the principles of the disclosure, to the full extent indicated by the broad, general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. To the extent that these various modifications do not depart from the spirit and scope of the appended claims, they are intended to be encompassed therein.