EA043544B1 - AEROSOL GENERATING SYSTEM AND DEVICE HAVING A WAVEGUIDE LAYOUT FOR AUTHENTICATION OF AEROSOL GENERATING PRODUCTS - Google Patents

Description

Field of technology to which the invention relates

The invention relates to the field of aerosol generating products. In particular, the present invention relates to an aerosol generating system that contains electrically powered devices configured to generate an aerosol from a solid and/or liquid substrate capable of forming an aerosol, which is configured to be inserted into said devices, especially an electrically heated system e-liquid or an electrically heated aerosol generating system.

Prerequisites for creating the invention

In recent years, electronic cigarettes based on consumable products that generate aerosol have gained popularity. There are mainly two types: liquid vaporizers and heated tobacco inhalation devices. Devices for inhaling heated tobacco are called heated non-burning (HNB) systems. They provide a more authentic tobacco flavor than e-cigarettes, which deliver an inhaled aerosol by heating a dose of liquid containing aerosol-forming agents, flavorings and often nicotine. The principle of operation of HNB systems is to heat an essentially solid tobacco-containing material containing an aerosol-forming substance (such as glycerin and/or propylene glycol), which evaporates when heated to 200-400°C, which is below the normal combustion temperatures of a traditional cigarette, and produces vapor , which extracts nicotine and flavor components from tobacco-containing material. The inhalation device is typically a hand-held heating device configured to receive consumable items, particularly rod-shaped items.

Illegal trade in aerosol generating products, be they standard cigarettes, e-liquids or HNB products, is a problem as counterfeit products in particular may be of poor quality or, in the case of e-liquids or HNB consumables, may not be suitable for a particular application. smoking systems. To determine whether a consumable aerosol-generating product is genuine, a code or equivalent marking containing product information may be applied to the external surface of the product for identification during use or prior to use with a particular device. This allows you to verify the authenticity of the consumable product and, if the test result is negative, turn off the heating system with which it is used. To ensure accurate code authentication on a consumable item such as an HNB item, the probability of recognition must be very high so that eligible items are not rejected. However, existing signs are limited by the low density of information that can be contained in them, and most known signs are based on classical codes, such as one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcodes, which can be easily copied without the use of special optical tools, for example, simply by visualizing the code with the human eye.

Various attempts have already been made in the prior art to provide aerosol generating products that are capable of authentication. For example, US 20190008206 A1 discloses a smoking article comprising on an outer surface of the smoking article an indicia representing the type of smoking article, which may be in the form of a pattern or a one-dimensional/two-dimensional bar code. The sign contains varying levels of gray that can be created by printing with smaller dots. Such a sign is easily detectable and reproducible and may contain only a small density of information or must be unacceptably large in size. Due to space constraints, the system described in US 20190008206 A1 is limited to simple optical readers having a detector close to the sign. Also, the optical reader according to document US 20190008206 A1 cannot be used near the device heater due to possible damage to the reader detector, which limits the space on the smoking product for placing the sign.

US 20160302488 A1 describes a smoking article that includes a mark on the outer surface of the smoking article. The sign can be in the form of one-dimensional/two-dimensional barcodes. The code contains an identifiable spectroscopic signature of the mark layer that is sprayed. The spectroscopic signature is detected by an optical reader, which is a simple optical reader located in a very confined space and close to the cavity of the smoking device. Due to space constraints, only simple optical filters can be used, so the system described in US 20160302488 A1 is limited to detecting only simple spectra or colors, or is limited to using one or more narrow-band filters. Therefore, the spectral effects provided by the system according to US 20160302488 A1 are easy to copy or reproduce.

WO 2019129378A1 describes an aerosol-generating consumable product for an inhalation device that includes a sign containing information about the consumable product. This information is read by an optical reader, which, due to space constraints, is a simple detector system. In addition, the device in the document WO 2019129378 A1 refers to systems in which the heater is located on the central axis of the cavity for introducing the consumable product. Also described is an inhalation device comprising an optical reader system that reads characters on the disposable product. The characters take the form of a simple one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcode. This system is not suitable for heaters located on the wall or in the cavity wall, as the optical detectors may be damaged at high temperatures. Also, due to the configuration of the device in WO 2019129378 A1, the mark may only be a simple code that can be easily copied since it is visible to the naked human eye.

Thus, there is a need for an improved method that allows the authentication of aerosol generating products such as HNB products, vaping and smoking products. In particular, authentication based on codes or characters containing a much higher density of information is preferred to improve the quality of authentication and make products more difficult to counterfeit. It is also further desirable that at least the detector portion of the optical readers be maintained at a temperature below 50° C., typically at room temperature. Prior art systems are limited to simple codes, since only simple optical readers can be used, and require a sign that cannot be in close proximity to the heater of the smoking device.

The essence of the invention

The inventors of the present invention have found solutions to the problems discussed above by providing an aerosol generating system that includes an aerosol generating device comprising an improved optical reader arrangement in a very limited space available in such an aerosol generating device. Additionally, in embodiments, the present invention provides signs that can be located near the heater of the smoking device. The device according to the present invention further allows to provide a solution for detecting and identifying information contained in a sign, which may contain information encoded with high density and cannot be read by a simple optical reader that cannot be placed near or in contact with the cavity of the smoking device, designed to accommodate a product containing such a sign.

Thus, the present invention relates to an aerosol generating system, which is defined in independent claim 1 of the claims. The aerosol generating system of the present invention comprises an aerosol generating article, also referred to hereinafter as a consumable article, which extends along a longitudinal axis and has at least one indicia containing information about the article located on its surface. The aerosol generating system further comprises an aerosol generating device, which contains a power supply section located in the outer part of the housing, a cavity, a heater, an optical reader system and contains at least one optical detector, as well as a control unit configured to issue commands via at least the heater and the optical reader system. The cavity contains an opening accessible in the outer portion of the housing and configured to receive a consumable article that includes a mark located on the surface of the said article upon insertion of the said article, and a heater configured to heat the said consumable article.

According to the present invention, an optical reader system includes at least one waveguide comprising an input surface and an output surface. The aerosol generating device is configured to illuminate said sign on the aerosol generating article with an illuminating light beam such that the sign interacts with the incident light and reflects at least a portion of the illuminating light onto said input surface and by directing the input light transmits the directional light to the output surface a surface adapted to output a light beam into said at least one detector. The control unit is configured to send a command to the optical reader system to authenticate said consumable item based on information contained in the reflected light beam.

In embodiments, a lead-in structure may be located on the lead-in surface of the waveguide. Similarly, a lead structure can be additionally located on the lead-out surface of the waveguide.

In such cases, at least a portion of said input structure and/or output structure may be selected from: a diffractive structure, a planar or curved waveguide wedge, a microprism array, a hologram layer, a metasurface, an electrostatic addressable micromirror or a microgate array, a lens, a mirror. In preferred embodiments, diffractive structures are used for the input and output components since they can be incorporated onto a portion of the waveguide surface during the same waveguide fabrication process. The diffractive input and output components may be designed to introduce light into the waveguide or output light from the waveguide at a relatively low efficiency, i.e., no more than 60% or no more than 80%. More preferably, the diffractive input or output components are designed to have an optical function, such as a focusing function, so that an image can be obtained in the absence of lenses. In addition, diffractive input components can introduce light into the waveguide such that the central optical axis of the input light beam forms

- 2 043544 angle relative to the direction of the normal to the diffraction input component. In embodiments, light may be introduced according to different diffraction orders, i.e. with diffraction orders +1 or -1, or +2 or -2. In further embodiments, a single diffractive input component may direct light into the waveguide such that it propagates in accordance with two opposing beams, each output by two separate output components. This can be used to identify characters that provide information according to opposite directions of polarization, and each of the polarized optical beams can then be output by at least two diffractive output elements and detected by at least two separate detectors, thereby providing extremely reliable authentication.

Additionally, such input structure and/or output structure can be configured to focus and/or deflect a light beam incident on said input structure and/or output structure in at least one plane (X-Y, X-Z, Y-Z).

In an embodiment, said input structure and/or said output structure is an achromatic structure that provides respectively equal input and output efficiencies and/or focusing in a spectral band of at least 50, preferably at least 100, more preferably at least 200 nm.

In some embodiments, said input structure and/or said output structure have a focal length equal to or greater than the length L of the waveguide. Preferably, the waveguide length L is less than 100 mm, preferably less than 60 mm, even more preferably less than 30 nm. The thickness of the waveguide is less than 500, preferably less than 100, even more preferably less than 50 or less than 20 µm. In embodiments, said input structure and/or said output structure have a focal length less than the length L of the waveguide. In this case, advantageous embodiments provide waveguides that have absorbing or scattering walls such that total internal reflection occurs at the thin walls of the waveguide, and this total internal reflection occurs only at the walls having the largest width. In embodiments, the thickness of the waveguides is less than 1/10, preferably less than 1/50, the width of the waveguides measured perpendicular to their length L.

In embodiments, the waveguides have a parabolic refractive index profile so that images can be transmitted more efficiently or with less image distortion.

In embodiments, the waveguides may be Y-shaped and have one input branch and at least two output branches. This enables detection of complex information, such as information provided from a sign by two differently polarized light beams.

In embodiments, the input and/or output components may be configured to provide an optical function such as the optical function of a cylindrical lens. Input and/or output components that focus on only one plane provide a solution for detecting 1D codes without having to worry about total internal reflection at the thin side walls of waveguides.

In preferred embodiments, the waveguides are rigid or flexible hollow waveguides. This allows light to be directed over distances typically less than 1 m so that light having a wide spectral distribution such as visible and infrared light can be directed since the refractive index is essentially 1 if the hollow core is a vacuum or a gas such as air .

In embodiments, the core and/or cladding of the hollow waveguides may consist of at least two layers. The mechanical and optical properties of a waveguide may be non-uniform along the length of the waveguide. In embodiments, the waveguide may be located in a rigid or flexible tube.

In other embodiments, said input structure and/or said output structure have a focal length less than the length L of the waveguide, wherein focusing structures are located on at least one side of the waveguide, wherein said focusing structures are configured as transmission structures for transmitting an image from at least part of said sign to the output surface or outward from the waveguide to a certain distance from the output surface.

In an embodiment, said waveguide is an optical fiber or a bundle of optical fibers. The use of fiber optics makes it possible to provide extremely low-cost and commercially available waveguides that can be easily coiled and positioned in or through narrow spaces or openings.

In an embodiment, said waveguide is a planar optical waveguide and may be a flexible waveguide. The use of a flat optical waveguide allows the image to be transmitted from output surface to output surface.

The waveguide of the aerosol generating device according to the present invention can be made of different materials depending on the design and performance needs of the device, as well as the characteristics of the mark to be read on the aerosol generating product. For example, the waveguide may be made at least in part from: polysiloxane, a polymer containing imide groups, polyamidimides or polyimides.

In an embodiment, an optical focusing element is located between said cavity and said input surface. The use of focusing elements located between the sign and the input surface of the waveguide makes it possible to project at least a partial image of the sign onto said input surface.

In an embodiment, said optical focusing element is part of said waveguide. By embedding focusing elements on or into a waveguide, it is possible to provide a monolithic component that focuses and directs light into the waveguide. This monolithic arrangement reduces the required space and cost of the optical reader and improves the robustness and reliability of the optical reader.

In an embodiment, said waveguide is adapted to transmit an enlarged image of at least a portion of said indicia onto said output surface or outward from the waveguide. The use of a waveguide, which provides magnification of the directional light beam, avoids the need for additional optical elements to implement the magnification. This arrangement reduces the required space and cost of the optical reader and improves the robustness and reliability of the optical reader.

In an embodiment, said waveguide is at least partially folded around the length of said cavity. The folded waveguide can provide solutions that require a longer directional light length. The folded waveguide allows for the possibility of containing more than one input surface and/or output surface of the waveguide, and also allows such a waveguide to be adapted to multiple characters.

In an embodiment, at least a portion of said waveguide is configured to transmit light provided by the emitter to said sign. Constructing the waveguide or bundle of waveguides so that it can also transmit light to the sign avoids illuminating the optical elements located between the light source and the sign. This also allows for the provision of a light source that does not require location close to the sign.

In an embodiment, at least a portion of said waveguide is implemented on at least one of the heater surfaces of the heating system.

In an embodiment, said detector is a detector array. The use of a detector array makes it possible to detect a variety of intensity or color effects provided by the sign.

In an embodiment, at least one optical filter is located between said output surface and said detector. The use of an optical filter allows the color or spectral effects provided by the sign to be detected.

In an embodiment, an optical spectrometer is located between said output surface and said detector. The use of an optical spectrometer makes it possible to detect the narrow-spectral effects provided by the sign.

In an embodiment, said detector comprises an image processor. The use of a detector comprising an image processor makes it possible to provide images of at least part of the sign.

A second aspect of the present invention further relates to a method for authenticating a consumable item, which includes the steps of:

providing the above-described aerosol generating device and a consumable article that includes an indicia located on an outer surface, inserting at least a portion of the consumable article containing the insignia into a cavity of the aerosol generating device, illuminating the indicia on the outer surface of the consumable article, collecting light reflected from the sign, through the waveguide and directing said reflected light to a detector of the optical reader system, authenticating the consumable item by calculating the information contained in the reflected light incident on the detector in the control unit.

In an embodiment, the method further includes the step of the control unit issuing a command to the heater based on the information calculated in the authentication step.

Brief description of graphic materials

In fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of a waveguide containing a diffractive input structure and a diffractive output structure.

In fig. 2 shows a schematic cross-section of a waveguide containing a holographic input structure and a holographic output structure.

In fig. 3 shows a schematic cross-section of a waveguide containing a wedge-shaped input surface.

In fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a fabricated aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and also shows a consumable article.

- 4 043544 inserted into the specified device.

In fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a fabricated aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and also shows a consumable article inserted into the device.

In fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a fabricated aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and also shows a consumable article inserted into the device. In this embodiment, the waveguide includes an optical focusing element that is part of the waveguide.

In fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a fabricated aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and also shows a consumable article inserted into the device. In this embodiment, the waveguide is formed in a helical coiled arrangement.

In fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a fabricated aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and also shows a consumable article inserted into the device. This embodiment of the aerosol generating device includes a reflective mirror adapted to direct light provided by a portion of the smoking article onto the entrance face of the waveguide.

In fig. 9 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a fabricated aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and also shows a consumable article inserted into the device. This embodiment includes a waveguide that is located along at least a portion of the circumference of the article when it is inserted into the device.

In fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a fabricated aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and also shows a consumable article inserted into the device. This embodiment includes a waveguide that includes a side lead-in surface facing the product sign.

In fig. 11 is a schematic diagram of a fabricated aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and also shows a consumable article inserted into the device. This embodiment includes a waveguide that includes an end lead-in surface facing the product sign.

In fig. 12 illustrates an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In fig. 13-16 depict embodiments of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In fig. 17 shows an example implementation.

In fig. 18 and 19 show enlarged sections of the device shown in FIG. 17.

In fig. 20 shows cross sections of a binary diffraction structure.

In fig. Figure 21 shows cross sections of a four-level diffraction structure.

In fig. 22 shows cross sections of a concentrating diffraction structure.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating article 1, an aerosol-generating device 2, and a system comprising the article 1 and the device 2.

The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The graphics described are schematic only and are non-limiting. In graphics, some elements may be exaggerated in size and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and relative sizes do not correspond to the actual reductions used in practice in accordance with the invention.

The invention will be described in the following examples with respect to tobacco-based consumable products 1, but the scope of the invention should not be construed as limited to tobacco-based consumable products, but should cover any aerosol-generating consumable products, such as smoking products, non-heating products, e-liquid cartridges and cartomizers that contain an aerosol generating substrate capable of generating an inhalable aerosol when heated. Tobacco-based consumable products do not necessarily have an axis of symmetry and may have any shape, such as an elongated shape, such as a cylindrical shape, or a spherical shape, or a beam shape. The tobacco-based consumable products 1 according to the present invention comprise at least one part 1b on which the sign 4 is located and a smoker's side part 1a. Product 1 contains an additional part 1c, which does not contain a sign 4. The sign 4 can be located on at least one of the sides of the specified additional part 1c.

As used herein, the term aerosol generating material refers to a material that is capable of releasing an aerosol stream containing volatile compounds when heated. The aerosol generated from the aerosol generating material, aerosol generating articles described in the present invention may be visible or invisible and may include vapors (for example, small particles of substances that are in a gaseous state, which are usually liquid or solid at room temperature), as well as gases and liquid droplets of condensed vapor.

As used herein, the term diffractive structure refers to a structure containing diffractive elements or diffractive structures. Diffraction structures are defined broadly and include metasurfaces.

As used herein, the term holographic refers to elements or layers that behave like a hologram when illuminated by light.

As used herein, the terms input and output refer to the input of light into the waveguide or output from the waveguide, respectively. The input is implemented by an input component 11. The output is implemented by an output component 13. As used herein, the input and output components are part of the waveguide 10. Preferably, the input component 11 and the output component 13 are structural portions of the waveguide 10. For example, said structural portion may be a wedge-shaped portion or can be diffractive or any refractive, reflective or transmitting structure. It is understood that the input and/or output of light can be performed using the unstructured waveguide region 12, 14, which is a simpler solution, but has a lower input and output efficiency compared to the case in which the input component 11 or the output component is provided 13, for example in the case of a diffractive input component 11 or an output component 13. The input component 11 and/or output component 13 may be an unstructured waveguide region 12, 14. In addition, the input surface, or area, 12, 14 may be the end (Fig. 3) of the waveguide 10 or any curved or non-curvilinear portion of the side surface of the waveguide 10. This input provides at least one directional light beam 100, which may be a single-mode or multimode light beam propagating within the waveguide 10 to an output surface 14 or an output component 13 of the waveguide 10. Input elements 20 and output elements are defined as elements that are not part of the waveguide 10, but are elements outside the waveguide 10 adapted to enhance the input light into the waveguide 10 and light output from it. The input elements and output elements may be identical elements and may be, without limitation, optical lenses, prisms or mirrors, or a combination thereof. The input elements and output elements may be arrays of optical elements, such as an array of microprisms. The input elements 20 and output elements may be electrically addressable elements. The input and output elements may be addressable elements, such as, for example, a scanning or switching MEMS mirror, or an electro-optical element.

As used herein, the term waveguide system, also defined as an optical reader system, refers to a subsystem of the aerosol generating device 2 that includes an optical detector and at least one waveguide adapted to collect optical information provided by the smoking article and configured to transmit this optical information to the specified detector. The waveguide system may include optical input elements and/or optical output elements that are separate from the waveguide 10 or integrated on or into the waveguide 10.

The term longitudinal axis of the waveguide 10 is defined as the imaginary central axis of the waveguide 10 defined in the direction of the optical light beam 100 in the waveguide 10. Optical guidance can be accomplished by total internal reflection (TIR) or the use of reflective or diffractive layers or structures.

The term mark 4 is defined as an element or structure containing information about a smoking product and typically located on the outer surface of the product. The sign 4 may be embedded within the product 1. The sign 4 can be of various types, some of which are described in more detail below. Common classes of indicia 4 applicable to aerosol generating articles 1 according to the present invention include, but are not limited to: reflective indicia 4; diffraction sign 4; reflective and diffraction sign 4; sign 4, which contains at least one sign waveguide; the term sign waveguide means a waveguide, such as a resonant waveguide array, that is located on or in the product sign 4 and is different from the aerosol generating device waveguide 10 described herein; sign 4 containing at least one resonant waveguide 10 sign; partially transparent sign 4; marks that represent ordered or distributed chemicals embedded in a product; combination of different types of specified ordinary classes of characters 4.

The sign 4 described in this invention may be adapted to provide desired directional reflection effects, such as providing multiple light beams that may have different spectra and/or different reflection angles when illuminated by light beam 400. For reasons of clarity of figures, the illuminating light beam 400 or light beams are not shown in

- 6 043544 all figures. The reflected light rays may be diffracted light rays projected in any order of diffraction. The sign 4 may include structures on at least one of its surfaces or sides and may include structures embedded in a layer of the sign 4. For example, diffractive structures may be provided on the outer surface of the sign 4. The light beams described herein may be collimated light beams or large aperture light beams and can be diverging or converging light beams. The light described herein may be high energy light having a wavelength less than 180 nm, or UV light (i.e., the UVA, UVB, UVC bands of UV light having wavelengths greater than 180 nm), visible light, infrared light or terahertz waves, or even microwaves. The waveguides may be hollow waveguides for guiding high-energy light or microwaves.

The indicia need not be codes in the form of physical structures, such as bar codes, but may be chemical substances that, when illuminated by the light beam 400, provide a spectral signature. In these cases, the waveguide 10 of the device 2 can be used to transmit only the spectral information of the light reflected or refracted from the chemical substance 4, i.e. without the need to transmit the image of the sign 4.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the code elements or structures of the sign 4 are difficult or impossible to detect individually by the human eye so that the sign cannot be easily read or copied without the use of an optical system. The mark 4 may be arranged according to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional arrangement of structures and may have any shape, such as a square or a rectangular strip, which may be located on the full circumference of the outer surface 5 of the product 1. In addition to the anti-counterfeiting properties, it is desirable that the mark 4 can also contain information about the specific parameters that inhalation devices should use, such as the ideal temperature range, or heating profile over time, or parameters that provide different flavors or smoking intensities to the smoker.

The use of waveguides 10 makes it possible to provide aerosol generating devices 2 that can be adapted according to the different types of signs 4 described. This further allows for greater design flexibility of such aerosol generating devices 2 that overcome problems such as extremely limited available space and heating problems of the components of the required optical reader system.

As used herein, the term lead-in surface 12 is understood to mean the region through which light enters the waveguide through some region of the waveguide 10. This region may be an imaginary surface on which the lead-in component 11 is located, such as, but not limited to, refractive, diffractive, a holographic or metallic structure, or an array of structures. Also, the lead-in component 11 is defined as a structure, i.e., a lead-in structure, that allows light to be directed into the waveguide 10 so that it propagates as a directional light beam 100. In particular cases, a lead-in surface may be adapted to act as the lead-in component 11. In other cases (FIGS. 1 and 2), the input component 11 may face the input surface 12.

In addition, the term lead surface 14 should be understood as the lead area through which light leaves the waveguide 10, i.e., at least a portion of the directional light 100 is directed into a medium outside the waveguide 10. The lead area may be an imaginary surface on which such light is located. output component 13, such as, without limitation: a refractive, diffractive, holographic or metallic structure, or an array of structures. The output component 13 is defined as a structure that allows directional light 100 in the waveguide 10 to be directed outward therefrom. In particular cases, a lead surface 14 may be adapted to act as lead component 13. In other cases (FIGS. 1 and 2), lead component 13 may face lead surface 14. As described hereinafter, lead components 11 and lead components 13 may be regions on the side of the waveguide 10, or may be a portion of the surface of the waveguide 10 that is coated or wedge-shaped relative to the side surface of the waveguide 10. The input components 11 and output components 13 are also defined as input and output structures or as input and output structures, respectively. layers, since they can be micro- or nanostructured parts of the waveguide or specialized input and output layers. The input components 11 and output components 13 may be static structures or layers, but may also be dynamic layers in the sense that they may have light direction properties that may change under the influence of forces such as electrical forces, e.g. microshutters or electrostatically driven micromirrors.

The term detector system includes means for converting the optical information provided by the sign 4 of the smoking article 1 into an electrical signal or data that can be used to identify the smoking article 1 and/or information regarding the parameters of the aerosol generating device 2 to be used for specified article 1. Optical information regarding the aerosol-generating article 1 may be provided

- 7 043544 sign 4 located on the smoking article 1, but may also be provided by at least a part of the smoking article, for example provided by the surface structure of said part or any information embedded in or on said aerosol generating article. This information may be incorporated into or onto said aerosol generating article 1 by any physical or chemical means as long as they can provide an optical effect, which may be a spectral and/or color effect and/or an intensity effect . During operation of said device, said waveguide provides the ability to transmit said optical effect to said detector subsystem. Waveguides 10

The waveguides 10 described herein are configured to guide electromagnetic radiation, typically radiation having wavelengths including UV, visible, and the entire infrared (IR) range.

The waveguides 10 may be of the following types, but are not limited to: single-mode or multimode waveguides 10; bundle of waveguides 10; waveguides 10 having a non-circular cross-section defined orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the waveguide 10; waveguides 10 having a rectangular cross section. The planar waveguides preferably have thin walls 10' having a height t1 and have two faces 10', 10 having a width t2 which is preferably greater than said height t1. The waveguides 10 may be made of inflexible or flexible materials, or a combination of such materials; waveguides 10 adapted to direct at least one illuminating light beam and at least one directional light beam 100 provided by the sign 4; The waveguides 10 according to the present invention may be Y-shaped waveguides and may contain optical components 11, 13, and may also contain more than 2 waveguide branches for either collecting light from the sign 4 or providing light to the sign 4; waveguide 10 may be hybrid and contain different types of waveguides, for example, a planar waveguide on top of which is a multimode fiber; the waveguides may be hollow waveguides, which are explained in more detail below.

Planar waveguides, also defined as planar waveguides, are particularly well suited for producing one-dimensional sign images due to total internal reflection between parallel planes of the planar waveguide. For example, a planar waveguide can be used to provide a one-dimensional image of a series of parallel coded lines that are located on the circumference of the product. An optical system that uses a planar waveguide positioned so that its length is orthogonal to the coded lines can provide an image that consists of different elongated points along an imaginary line.

By using waveguides that have rectangular and square cross-sections, two-dimensional images can be provided. To achieve this, it is necessary to rely on the so-called self-reflection effect. The image is not actually "transmitted" through the waveguide, it is merely its phase distribution that repeats periodically along the length of the waveguide, be it a planar waveguide or any multimode fiber. When using a planar waveguide of a given length, its width and wavelength can be selected to satisfy self-focusing conditions. The self-imaging effect in waveguides is explained in the following publication: O. Bryngdale, Journal of Optical Society of America, Vol. 63, No. 4, 1973.

In embodiments, at least two waveguides may be arranged on top of each other, and at least one waveguide of such a hybrid arrangement may be configured to direct an illuminating light beam to at least partially illuminate the sign. This provides a configuration in which the illumination light source and the detector are located at a distance from the indicated mark, for example in an area of the device where the temperature during operation is less than 100°C, possibly less than 50°C. The types, sizes and materials of the waveguide 10 will be selected in accordance with the type of sign 4 and the geometry and operating temperature requirements of the aerosol generating device in which it is implemented, and are typically, but not limited to, the following selections: single fibers 10: for transmitting information about intensity, polarization and spectral information; fiber bundles 10: for transmitting images and illuminating light beams; Planar waveguides 10: for transmitting intensity, polarization and spectral information, and for transmitting images and illuminating light beams.

All embodiments described herein may also be adapted to direct the illumination beam provided by the light source adapted to the waveguide 10 to a side away from the sign 4. This may be implemented within the waveguide 10 or by positioning an additional waveguide 13 that may be located on the waveguide 11 or may be a separate illuminating waveguide.

Optical fibers 10 and fiber bundles 10, such as those used, for example, in endoscopes, are well known to one skilled in the art of directional optics and are not further described herein. It is also known how to configure an arrangement of optical fibers suitable for illuminating an object and collecting light reflected or transmitted by such object. This is also described in the prior art and is not further commented on. Basically, partial images

- 8 043544 can also be transmitted using a single optical fiber, since the information is contained in the Fourier transform function. This solution is more complex than the use of planar waveguides, as it requires more complex optical readers capable of meeting, for example, calibration and/or polarization requirements, but it can also be implemented in the embodiment. Transmission of at least partial images using single multimode fibers is of great interest for various imaging applications where available space is very limited, and has been recently described in the literature, for example:

A. Fertman, D. Yerlin, “Image transmission through an optical fiber using realtime modal phase restoration,” Journal of the Optical Society of America B, volume 39, pp. 149-157 (2013);

P. Caramazza et al., “Transmission of natural scene images through a multimode fiber,” Nature communications, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, (2019) 10:2029; https:// dol.org/10.1038/s41467-01910057-8/www.nature.com/naturecommunications;

V.S. Feschenko et al., “Optical imaging system with a waveguide,” Physical and Quantum Optics, Optics and spectroscopy, vol. 97, no. 3, 2004, pp. 468471.

The planar optical waveguides 10 in the aerosol generating device 2 have geometric and functional advantages over simple optical fibers or bundles of fibers, as will become apparent from the following description of various embodiments of the present invention.

In fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of a portion of a planar waveguide 10 containing a diffractive input structure 12 and a diffractive output structure 14. Both the input and output structures 12, 14 may be structured reflection gratings SRG1, SRG2. In embodiments, more than one input structure 12 or output structure 14 may be located in the waveguide 10, and one of the input structure 12 or output structure may be a transmission grating. In all embodiments of the present invention, the input and/or output structures may be located on any side or end of the waveguide 10.

In fig. 2 shows a schematic cross-section of a portion of a planar waveguide 10 containing a holographic input structure 12 and a holographic output structure 14.

In fig. 3 shows a schematic cross-section of a portion of a planar waveguide comprising a wedge-shaped lead-in surface 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, as shown, internal at least partially deflecting structures may be provided.

There are no limits on the choice of materials used for the waveguides 10 according to the present invention. The materials may preferably be made from a material selected from the group of dielectrics containing well-known or special glasses or TiO ₂ or HfO ₂ or Ta ₂ O ₅ or ZrO ₂ or AlN or Al ₂ O ₃ or ZnO or SiO ₂ , or Si ₃ N ₄ , or CaF ₂ or MgO, or combinations thereof. The material may be selected from a substantially transparent polymer, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyesters, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene furanoate, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). ), polymers based on poly(bis-cyclopentadiene) condensates, colorless polyimide (CP), cellulose, PEEK polymers and combinations thereof. Polymers or polymer matrix composites have the advantage of elasticity and thus provide flexibility to the thin waveguides 10. The polymer or dielectrics may also contain additives such as chemicals or nanoparticles. Semiconductors such as Si and Ge or a combination thereof can also be selected as materials for the waveguide 1, in particular when infrared light is used for illumination and imaging. The wide range of possible materials makes it possible to design a very large variety of waveguides 10 of different lengths that can be suitable for guiding light in the UV, visible and infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The waveguides 10 of the present invention may be at least partially doped waveguides 10 and may be configured as graded and/or step index waveguides 10. The waveguides 10 may include a cladding layer and may include a protective layer.

Advantageously, the waveguides 10 are made of heat-resistant materials, defined as materials that can withstand temperatures up to 400° C. without changing their optical properties. In embodiments, the waveguides 10 may be individual waveguides 10 or may be waveguides 10 implemented on a substrate that does not necessarily have an optical function.

In a preferred embodiment, described in more detail below, the waveguide is made of polysiloxane, which has stable optical properties up to 290°C.

- 9 043544

Other suitable candidates for the material of the waveguides 10 in the present invention are polyimides and polyamidimides. These imide group-containing materials withstand temperatures above 300°C and have sufficient optical transmittance such that typical losses are no more than 0.2 dB/cm, which is largely sufficient for 20 waveguide lengths typically measured in centimeters. for example from 1 to 5 cm or from 5 to 10 cm.

Of particular interest for the implementation of waveguides 10 according to the present invention are aromatic polyamide imide polymers (PAI), which are thermoplastics. The reason is that they are optically transparent, have high thermal stability even at temperatures above 300°C, they have excellent chemical resistance and have mechanical strength properties so that they can be easily twisted and/or fitted next to the heater 3 or any heated place in device 2. In addition, they have losses of up to 0.2-0.3 dB/cm at a wavelength of 830 nm, which means almost complete absence of intensity losses when propagating over a length of 20-50 mm. It is possible to implement waveguides that have side surfaces with a roughness of the order of 1/ ^10th wavelength in the visible range of the spectrum.

Although flexible waveguides 10 provide significant advantages in confined spaces, these waveguides can also be made of a rigid transparent material that can be formed mechanically or by etching, or can be molded, such as sol-gel or any moldable material. , transparent in the selected spectral passband through the waveguide. Because the waveguides 10 in applications according to the present invention have small lengths L, typically less than 20 cm or less than 10 cm, or even less than 50 mm, the transmission properties are not so important and, for example, losses can still be easily used intensity 2 or 3 times.

In an advantageous embodiment, the waveguides are rigid or flexible hollow waveguides. Although hollow core fibers are generally known to have higher absorption losses compared to solid fibers, which is detrimental to conventional telecommunications applications, they are well suited as waveguides in the present invention, in which the total length of the waveguides is typically less than 10 mm, so how they need to be accommodated in an aerosol generating device where available space is very limited. Indeed, at such a short length of a hollow waveguide, intensity losses of more than 30 and up to 50% do not have a negative impact on the performance characteristics of the waveguides for their purpose of transmitting to the detector light reflected or refracted from the sign on the aerosol-generating device. Hollow core fibers exhibiting less than 10% intensity loss at 100 m allow light to be directed over distances typically less than 1 m with less than 10% loss regardless of the wavelength of the light being directed. Thus, light with a wide spectral distribution such as UV, visible and infrared light can at the same time be guided in hollow core waveguides due to the intrinsic refractive index of the waveguide being substantially equal to 1 if the hollow core is a vacuum or such a gas, like air.

In the context of the present invention, hollow core waveguides may be hollow core fibers having a cylindrical or non-cylindrical core with a smallest core cross-sectional size of at least 500, preferably at least 50, even more preferably at least 5 μm.

It is understood that hollow core waveguides do not need to be based on completely hollow cores, but may comprise advantageous structures within the hollow core on the cladding wall. During the fabrication of hollow core waveguides, structures can be incorporated to enhance optical transmittance.

In embodiments, capillaries may be used to protect the waveguide, such as for thermal protection. In this case, the waveguide 10 is located in the central hole of the capillary tube. The capillary may contain at least two waveguides.

In embodiments, the core and/or cladding of the waveguides may consist of at least two layers. The mechanical and optical properties of a waveguide may be non-uniform along the length of the waveguide.

In embodiments, the waveguide 10 can be formed directly on the surface of the heater 3 if it is made of a material that does not change its mechanical or optical properties up to 200, or up to 250, or up to 300°C. For example, a synthetic diamond layer made as a waveguide can be implemented outside or inside the heater.

In embodiments, at least two different waveguides may be located, such as a SiO ₂ solid-state waveguide adjacent to a polymer planar waveguide 10, wherein the solid-state waveguide is adapted to a heated location in the device 2, and the polymer planar waveguide 10 is adapted to transmit optical information regarding the sign, such as an image, into a detector located away from the heated location. There are 11 input components and 13 output components.

In advantageous embodiments, at least a portion of said waveguide 10

- 10 043544 is located in accordance with the resonant waveguide grating (RWG). Resonant waveguides are the preferred choice for input and output components.

RWGs are described, for example, in:

A. Sharon et al., “Resonating grating-waveguide structures for visible and nearinfrared radiation,” J.Opt.Soc.Am, vol. 14, no. I, pp. 2985-2993, 1997.

RWGs are fabricated by using a multilayer configuration and combining subwavelength gratings and a thin waveguide. Resonance occurs when incident light is subject to diffraction by the grating and matches the mode of the waveguide. Since most of the input light spectrum does not enter the waveguide, strong spectral effects are produced by reflection and/or transmission. This is because RWGs are corrugated waveguides and behave like a waveguide grating. The use of RWG in signs allows for unique optical effects that are extremely difficult to identify and reproduce. RWGs are typically designed to have a spatial periodicity shorter than the wavelength at which they operate and are therefore called subwavelength structures or subwavelength devices. They end up having a periodicity close to and slightly above the wavelength at which they operate. Quite often the periods are significantly shorter than the wavelength at which they operate, in free space, for example one third of it. Due to their low periodicity, they do not allow different diffraction orders, which distinguishes them from the much simpler diffractive optical elements (DOEs) that are depicted in FIG. 20-22.

The use of RWG allows for unique optical input and output effects, for example by providing high input and/or output efficiency, or introducing and outputting polarized light beams with greater efficiency or at specified angles, which would not be possible using conventional diffraction gratings , such as binary diffraction gratings. RWG can be realized using embossing techniques to produce low-cost waveguides that have very efficient light input efficiencies which, by design, may depend in particular on specific wavelengths specified. In embodiments not shown in the figures, at least one of the side surfaces of the waveguide 10 is located continuously or discontinuously over at least 50% of its entire length as a lead-in surface 12 and/or a lead-out surface 14. Said lead-in surface 12 and/or the output surface 14 can be made in the form of RWG.

Other preferred choices for input components 11 and output components 13 are, without limitation, the following: binary arrays (FIG. 20); beveled gratings; multi-level diffraction structures (Fig. 21); structures in the form of concentrating lattices (Fig. 22); refractive and/or reflective microprisms: holograms, such as volumetric hologram layers, for example, photopolymer holograms; built-in microarrays; gratings with surface relief; metasurfaces.

Binary and multilevel diffraction structures are shown in Fig. 20-22. The diffraction structures represent a Δ step chosen depending on the wavelengths used. Binary structures provide the ability to direct diffracted light into at least two diffraction orders. In fig. 20 shows a two-level grating that allows light to enter the waveguide in two directions. When using a multi-level approach, the diffraction efficiency is higher in one direction (eg, in the m=-1 order), and when forming eight-level gratings, the performance is the performance of the concentrating grating shown in FIG. 22. Such lattice structures can be formed by various processes such as hot stamping or photolithography and reproduction techniques. Diffractive structures can be configured to implement optical functions that require complex optical components. For example, the diffraction structure may be configured to introduce a light beam into a waveguide and at the same time deflect and focus the light beam, which is particularly useful for efficiently introducing light into planar waveguides. Diffraction structures can be positioned along the waveguide to modify the shape and aperture of the directional light beam, or can be used to input, direct and output only TE or TM polarized light, which is especially useful in detecting difficult-to-reproduce characters in which optical effects are based on the application polarized light. In embodiments, the waveguide may include diffraction gratings on its surface to output a portion of the directional light beam 100, for example, for purposes of intensity matching or possibly illumination and/or second sign detection.

Refractive and reflective microprisms are the simplest way to implement input and output components and can be implemented using the same injection mold as the injection mold used to make the waveguide 10, but they are not surface structures and represent waveguides containing a protrusion or pointed surface for input and/or output. The use of metasurfaces as input and/or output structures 11, 13 has

- 11 043544 some specific advantages. Metasurfaces can be designed to achieve true achromatic behavior in a very thin surface using only binary nanostructures. True achromatic input and/or output makes it possible to provide solutions in which sign 4 provides light information with a broadband spectrum. Binary nanostructures are easier to fabricate than complex analog diffraction structures with surface relief, and are also easier to reproduce, for example, using nanoimprint lithography or lightweight lithography. Metasurfaces can be created by directly imprinting a waveguide substrate or layer on the waveguide 10, such as high refractive index inorganic layers or using resist explosion lithography processes.

In fig. 4 shows an embodiment in which the light provided by the sign 4 is introduced by an input element 20, which may be any light focusing element such as a lens. The light focusing element 20 may be a curved mirror, as shown in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8. Said lens or mirror may be cylindrical in shape. The input optical elements 20 and output optical elements may include different optical elements or multiple optical elements. Illumination of the sign 4 can be provided by different types of light sources 40, preferably a broadband and low cost light source 40 such as a white LED. The light source 40 may also be a VCSEL or an array of VCSELs, or any other type of semiconductor laser, such as a visible or infrared semiconductor laser. In embodiments, the light source 40 may include different types of light sources or light sources having different emission intensities and/or emitted beam shapes and/or emitted light beam directions. In embodiments, the light source used to illuminate the sign 4 may be infrared light that is emitted by the heater 3 during its operation.

In embodiments, in order to be able to detect low level light intensities, the light source may be a pulsed light source. The optical reader system may include an electronic feedback system, such as a synchronous detection system such as a locking amplifier, which allows the detector to detect extremely low intensity signals, which can be used to reduce the power consumption of the device 2. Reflected and/or diffracted light beams 102 are introduced and directed waveguide 10 and are at least partially detected by detector 30. Detector 30 may be a single detector or detector array, or may be a small chamber. In embodiments, the detector 30 is adapted to detect a spectral or color distribution of light provided by the illuminated sign 4 and convert this optical information into an electrical signal and data that contains information regarding the product. In all embodiments described herein, detector 30 may be a detection system comprising electronic processing circuitry and/or a CPU for processing and converting data so that the aerosol generating device can identify the smoking article and/or adapt usage parameters for a smoking article, for example parameters related to the required temperature range or maximum temperature. Layouts of waveguides 10 and devices 2

For reasons of clarity of the figures, not all components are shown in all figures, for example, control unit 250 is shown only in FIG. 12, 14, 16, 17, and the cavity 2a of the device 2 is shown only in FIG. 14, 17, 18.

In fig. 4 and additionally in FIG. 5-16 describe alternative waveguide arrangements in aerosol generating devices compatible with the system of the present invention. The mark 4 provided on the outer surface of the aerosol generating article 1, such as the non-burning heating stick 1, may be located in the aerosol generating device 2 near the heated surface. Thus, due to the use of the waveguide system according to the present invention, the detector 30 can be located away from the heated surface, thereby avoiding heating of the detector 30. In all embodiments of the present invention, in which the lead-in surface 12 or the lead-in component 11 of the waveguide 10 is located near the heated surface, the waveguide 10 must be made of heat-resistant material. There are no specific restrictions on the length or any size of the waveguides 10. The length L is defined as the size of the waveguide measured along the direction of light propagation in the waveguide from its input surface to its output surface. For example, the waveguide 10 may be a short waveguide having a distance, defined as a length L, that is from 5 mm to 30 mm, from said input surface 12 to said output surface 14. Said length L may be greater than 30 mm. The waveguide 10 preferably has a length that is greater than its width, but may have a length equal to its width. Also, the width may be greater than the length L. The waveguide may have a square shape and contain an input surface located in one corner and an output surface located in the other corner. Waveguide 10 may include at least two input components

- 12 043544 and/or at least two lead components that can be used in a waveguide arrangement 10 that is curved around the surface of the wrapper for the purpose of detecting indicia located at different locations on the wrapper and located in two different cross sections of the product. In embodiments, waveguide 10 may be Y-shaped, comprising an input branch and at least two output branches. In embodiments, the waveguide 10 may be in the shape of a cross. In embodiments, light may be introduced into and/or output from any portion of the surface of the waveguide 10, such as a portion of the thin wall 10'. This is mainly of interest in the case of intensity or polarization detection. In the case of transmission of the image of the sign 4, the input components and output components are preferably located in the plane of the waveguide 10, i.e., perpendicular to its thin walls 10'.

In fig. 5 illustrates a waveguide system configuration in which the lead-in surface 12 faces the sign 4 and is configured to collect light provided by the sign 4 without the use of lead-in elements. In fig. 2 shows a waveguide system in which a detector system including a detector 30 is located on a side of the product 1 different from the side on which the lead-in surface 12 of the waveguide 10 is located.

In fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a planar optical waveguide 10 containing an integrated input and imaging lens 20. Such lens 20 may be a refractive lens or may be a diffractive optical structure configured to have a focusing function. The waveguide 10 is configured to transmit an image of at least a portion of the character 4 to the detector 30. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a magnifying waveguide system is shown in which the portion having the largest width W1 is projected onto the lead-out surface 14 of the waveguide 10 as an image 120 having the largest width W2 that is F times larger than the width W1 of the portion. In embodiments, said F factor may be at least 2, preferably greater than 5, even more preferably greater than 10. When the optical element 20 is integrated on or into the waveguide 10, the local thickness t3 may be greater or less than the thickness t1 of the waveguide cross sections. In embodiments, the integrated optical element 20 shown in FIGS. 6 may be located in an opening provided in the heater, or may be adapted to a mechanical element that is part of the heater 3.

The waveguide 10 according to the present invention may have a typical largest thickness t1 of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm, more preferably 0.5 mm to 2 mm. The waveguides of the present invention may be non-uniform waveguides and, for example, may be tapered waveguides 10. In some embodiments, the waveguide 10 may have a thickness greater than 2 mm. Said built-in focusing element may have a typical thickness t2 of 0.05 mm to 1 mm. The waveguide 10 may include on its lead-out surface 14 a built-in focusing element for focusing the projection, not shown in the figures. The built-in focusing element for focusing the projection may have a shape and geometry similar to the shape and geometry of the said built-in focusing element 20.

In embodiments, the waveguide 10 (optical fiber or planar waveguide) may comprise a core layer and a cladding layer, wherein the core layer has a higher refractive index than the cladding layer. In embodiments, a dielectric or metal layer may be located on at least one side of the waveguide 20.

In fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a fabricated aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and also shows a consumable article inserted into the device. In this embodiment, the waveguide is configured in a helical arrangement. In embodiments of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, said waveguide 10 may include a plurality of input surfaces and/or may include a plurality of output surfaces. Providing multiple input and output surfaces allows waveguide system arrangements to be implemented that can collect light provided by a plurality of indicia located on a smoking article. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, which is not shown in the figures, waveguide 10 may comprise an array of characters 4 such that each lead-in surface 12 faces at least a portion of the character 4 of said array. This makes it possible to detect the mark 4 regardless of the axial orientation of the aerosol generating article containing such mark after its insertion into the cavity 2a.

In fig. 8 depicts an embodiment in which the sign 4 is located at the end of the smoking article 1 and is illuminated by a light beam 400 provided by the LED 4. During operation, the wide-angle light beam 400 illuminates the sign 4 located on the full circumference of the article 4. This allows for a solution that is not sensitive to the axial orientation of the smoking article 1 relative to the stationary waveguide system of the device 2. In FIG. 8 depicts an embodiment in which the reflected light provided by the sign 4 is directed into a concave mirror 202 allowing the light to be deflected and focused onto the input surface 12 of the waveguide 10. The input light is guided by the waveguide and directed to a detector 30 or detector system. located on the other side of the device 2. The curvature of the waveguide 10, as shown in FIG. 8 and all embodiments herein are exemplary configurations only.

In fig. 9 shows an embodiment in which the sign is located on the full circumference of the smoking article 10, and wherein the waveguide 10 is positioned such that the input surface 12 always faces at least a portion of the sign 4. This provides a solution in which the detected optical signal is independent of axial orientation of the product 1.

In fig. 10 shows another embodiment in which the mark 4 is located on the full circumference of the smoking article 10, and wherein the waveguide 10 is positioned such that the input surface 12 always faces at least a portion of the mark 4. This provides a solution in which the detected optical signal is not depends on the axial orientation of product 1. In FIG. 10 shows an example of waveguide 10, which is preferably a planar waveguide that transfers spectral sign information to detector 30. In embodiments, a flat cable containing a plurality of multimode fibers may be used.

In fig. 11 shows an embodiment in which the illumination portion 13' of the waveguide 10 is configured to direct light 400 provided by the light source. Another portion 11 is adapted to collect and direct the light 100 provided by the sign 4. In advantageous embodiments, said illuminating portion 10' may be another waveguide, such as a multimode fiber adapted to the planar optical waveguide 10'.

In fig. 12 shows an embodiment in which at least 2 waveguides 10, 10' are located in the aerosol generating device 2. Each of these waveguides 10, 10' can be adapted to different signs 4, 4', and optical information can be provided to at least two separate detectors 30, 30' or detector systems. These at least two separate detectors 30, 30' or detector systems may be different, and at least one of them may contain optical filters and/or a miniaturized spectrometer and/or a small camera.

In fig. 13 shows an embodiment in which the sign 4 contains a layer whose color or reflectance spectrum is changed by at least one absorption or diffraction layer. A broadband light source 40, such as a white LED, directs a light beam 400 having a broad spectrum to said sign 4. The waveguide 10 is adapted to transmit the reflection spectrum of sign 4 to a spectrometer 50 located at a distance from said sign 4.

It will be appreciated that the waveguides 10 of the present invention may be arranged in a wide variety of shapes and geometries, or may be arranged in any configuration within the aerosol generating device 2. In fig. 14 depicts a conventional configuration in which at least one waveguide 10 is positioned such that a detector 30 or spectrometer 50 may be located in a region 2 that is separated from said cavity 112 by a wall 2' or any other structure of the aerosol generating device 2. In fig. 15 shows an exemplary configuration comprising at least two separate waveguides 10, 10'.

In fig. 15 and 16 depict other embodiments that illustrate the use of waveguides 10 in an aerosol generating device.

The invention also relates to a method for authenticating a consumable item 1, which includes the steps:

providing a described aerosol generating device 2 and a described consumable article 1 that includes a sign located on the outer surface, inserting at least a portion of the consumable product 1 containing the sign 4 into a cavity 112 of the aerosol generating device 2, illuminating the sign 4 on the outer surface surface of the consumable article 1, collecting light reflected from the sign 4 through the waveguide 10 and directing said reflected light to the detector 30, 50 of the optical reader system, authenticating the consumable article 1 by calculating information that is contained in the reflected light incident on the detector 30, at control unit.

In an embodiment, detector 30 is a detector system and may be or include a spectrometer 50.

In an embodiment, the method further includes the step of the control unit issuing a command to the heater based on the information calculated in the authentication step.

Example implementations (examples 1, 2)

Example 1. Isolated waveguide 10.

In fig. 17-19 show an exemplary implementation of a device 2 comprising a heater 3 for heating an article 1. A discrete waveguide 10 is located on the reverse side of a tubular heater 3, which can reach a temperature of at least 250°C and up to about 300°C to 350°C. A detached waveguide is defined as a waveguide that can be delivered and positioned in a device, such as by gluing, welding, or mechanically securing at least one portion of the waveguide, as opposed to the deposited waveguides described below in the second embodiment.

Said tubular heater 3 may be formed from an electrically and/or thermally conductive tube, such as a metal tube, defining an internal tubular cavity for housing the aerosol generating article 1. The tube may be electrically coupled to a power supply and control unit of the aerosol generating device 2 to resistively heat the consumable article 1 when it is inserted. Alternatively, the tubular heater 3 may be in contact with resistive electrical means, such as resistive wires or tracks located on a flexible support material wrapped around the tube and connected to a power source of the device 2. To avoid convective heating outside the device 2 to maintain an external temperature housing compatible with holding the device in the hand (usually no more than 30-50°C), an insulating assembly may be provided around the heater 3 in the housing, not shown in the figures for the sake of clarity.

The waveguide 10 includes an input component 11 and an output component 13. The input component 11 is configured to input light provided by the sign 4 and provides a directional light beam 100 that extends to an end at which the output component outputs at least a portion of the directional light beam 100. The input component 11 and the output component 13 in this exemplary implementation are a diffraction grating. The output light is directed to a detector 30, which may be a CMOS imager. The lead-out component may have a circular or rectangular shape, having, for example, a lead-out component width 13a and a lead-out component length 13b, which are selected depending on the cross-sectional size of the directional light beam at the level of the lead-out component 13. The lead-out component 13 and/or the lead-in component 11 may be made with the ability to focus in one plane like a cylindrical lens or in two orthogonal planes like a symmetrical lens. In embodiments, the output component 13 may be configured to direct light in two different directions and into at least two separate detectors.

In device 2, such as a device of the type of the exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 17, a very limited space is available in the housing to accommodate an optical system, such as an optical magnification system, with optical access to the aerosol generating article 1 when it is inserted into the cavity 2a for reading the character 4 printed on its outer surface. In particular, the internal space is usually limited to a small volume having a size of less than 30 mm ³ and a cross-section of 1x2, or 1x3, or 2x2, or 2x3, or 2x4 mm. In variants, the shape of the confined space may differ and have a non-rectangular cross-section.

The exemplary waveguide 10 has a substantially rectangular cross-section and thin walls having a small height t1 and a large width t2. Common t1xt2 sizes are 1x3, 1x5 mm or for example 2x6 mm, or 0.5x3 mm, or 0.1x2 mm, or 50 mkmx3 mm. The height t1 of the waveguide 10 may be less than 50 μm. The waveguide 10 is preferably made of a heat-resistant polymer that is stable at temperatures above 100°C, preferably above 200°C, such as polyimides, Kapton or polyimimides. Such high temperature resistant waveguides make it possible for the waveguide 10 to be in contact with or close to the heater 3, typically less than 0.5 mm. The input component 11 is shown in FIG. 18 as an enlarged view of part I shown in FIG. 17. The input component 11 is preferably a focusing and deflecting diffraction structure 11 that allows light, and thus an image of at least a portion of the sign, to be introduced into the waveguide. The focusing input component 11 has a focal length selected such that a straight image is formed at the end of the waveguide 10. Since the waveguide 10 is thinner than it is wider (i.e., t1<<t2), total internal reflection can only occur between the larger sides 10', 10 of the waveguide 10 depending on the angular aperture of the directional beam 100. In thin-wall versions, there may be at least one dielectric or absorbent coating is applied. In embodiments, the input component 11 and/or the output component 13 may provide focusing only in the vertical plane.

The output part O of the system shown in FIG. 17 is shown in FIG. 19. The lead-out component 13 may be a rectangular-shaped lead-out component 13 having side dimensions 13a, 13b. The side dimensions 13a, 13b can typically be 1x3 mm, 1x3 mm, 2x3, 3x3, 3x4 mm.

Providing an optical magnification system in such a thin space is not possible unless it has an extremely small size, i.e. a size of less than 1 mm, which, however, does not allow the formation of images of macroscopic sized coded characters such as characters made from bar codes width 0.2-0.5 mm. As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 18, use of the flexible waveguide of the present invention allows one or both ends of the waveguide 10 to be bent so that the input component 11 and/or the output component 13 are located in a predetermined position, such as aligning the input component 11 parallel to or in contact with the wall 2a' or the opening of cavity 2a.

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Claims (8)

To withstand high temperatures, the waveguide 10 is preferably made of high-temperature curing polysiloxane, resulting in low optical loss of less than 0.02 dB/cm at 850 nm. Polysiloxane waveguides have high flexibility and stable optical properties up to 290°C, and loss at 290°C is typically less than 0.6 dB/cm. An alternative, as described, is to use 10 polyamideimide polymers to make the waveguide. In embodiments, the heater 3 may be etched along its length to form a channel, and a heat resistant material such as fused silicon Al ₂ O ₂ or glass or solgel or any heat resistant polymer described herein may be secured in this channel and used in as a waveguide 10 for transmitting optical information from one side of the heater to the other side of the heater. Example 2. Deposited waveguides 10. In another exemplary implementation not shown in the figures, waveguide 10 may be deposited onto the surface of a device element using a suitable deposition process. For example, waveguide 10 may be inkjet printed on a ring that at least partially surrounds a portion of the cavity. In other examples, heater 3 may include a deposited waveguide 10. Waveguide 10 may be deposited, for example, along an etch length of heater 3 or an etch length of any component of device 2. CLAIM 1. An aerosol generating system containing: a consumable product (1) generating an aerosol, which runs along the longitudinal axis and contains at least one sign (4) containing information about the product (1) and located on the surface of the product (1), and a device (2) generating an aerosol, containing: a cavity (2a) having an opening configured to receive an aerosol generating article (1), a heater (3) located around the cavity (2a) for heating said consumable article (1) after its insertion into the cavity (2a), the system optical reader, containing at least one optical detector (30), a power supply unit, and a control unit (250), configured to control at least a heater and an optical reader system, wherein said optical reader system is configured to illuminate said sign in said cavity (2a) with a light beam and contains at least one waveguide (10) containing an input surface (12) and an output surface (14), wherein said waveguide (10) is configured to transmit at least a light beam reflected from said sign (4), to said output surface (14) for outputting said reflected light beam to said at least one detector (30). 2. An aerosol generating system according to claim 1, characterized in that an input structure (11) is located on the input surface (12). 3. An aerosol generating system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a lead structure (13) is located on the outlet surface (14). 4. An aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that at least part of said input structure (11) and/or output structure (13) is selected from: a diffractive structure, a flat or a curved wedge-shaped part of a waveguide (10), microprism array, hologram layer, metasurface, electrostatic addressable micromirror or microshutter array, lens, mirror. 5. The aerosol generating system according to claim 4, characterized in that said input structure (11) and/or output structure (13) is configured to focus and/or deflect a light beam incident on said input structure (11) and /or lead structure (13), in at least one plane (X-Y, X-Z, Y-Z). 6. An aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said input structure (11) and/or said output structure (13) is an achromatic structure that provides respectively the same input and output efficiencies and/or focusing in a spectral band of at least 50, preferably at least 100, more preferably at least 200 nm. 7. An aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that said input structure (11) and/or said output structure (13) have a focal length equal to or greater than the length L of waveguide 10. 8. An aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that said input -