EP4231867A1

EP4231867A1 - Aerosol generating device with biometric identification

Info

Publication number: EP4231867A1
Application number: EP21798652.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Theo Verlaan
Original assignee: JT International SA
Current assignee: JT International SA
Priority date: 2020-10-23
Filing date: 2021-10-21
Publication date: 2023-08-30
Also published as: WO2022084471A1; JP2023546347A

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device (100a) comprises a body (101), a biometric sensor (104) such as a fingerprint sensor disposed on a first surface of the body, and an activation switch (103) disposed on a second surface of the body, such that the activation switch and the biometric sensor are positioned directly opposite each other. Tactile elements (201a-c) are disposed on or around the activation switch (103) to provide sensory guidance to the user. In operation, if simultaneous user actions on the activation switch and the biometric sensor are detected and the user action lasts for a set period of time, then the device is turned-on but not activated. If another action is detected on the activation switch, e.g. by the user pressing again, the biometric sensor is activated to identify the user. If the user is recognised, the device is activated for use. If the user is not recognised, the device is turned-off to restrict unauthorised use.

Description

AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE WITH BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device with biometric identification. More specifically, it relates to a vaping device with a fingerprint sensor.

BACKGROUND

Aerosol generating devices such as e-cigarettes or vaping devices are becoming increasingly popular over conventional tobacco products such as traditional cigarettes. Such vaping devices are electronic devices with features such as usage indication, vaping monitoring, usage restriction, etc. One such feature is biometric identification, such as fingerprint recognition, to prevent unauthorised usage of the device.

While some of the known vaping devices have a fingerprint sensor disposed on them, it is often not convenient to use. This leads to user dissatisfaction and he/she may disable the feature in favour of convenience. However, as this feature is useful for safety reasons, it is not ideal for the user to turn it off.

Therefore, there exists a need to provide a vaping device with a convenient and effective fingerprint sensor to address the issues described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an aerosol-generating device comprising: a body; a biometric sensor disposed on a first surface of the body; and an activation switch disposed on a second surface of the body, such that the activation switch and the biometric sensor are positioned directly opposite each other. Advantageously, providing a biometric sensor such as a fingerprint sensor and an activation switch in such a way on an aerosol generating device such as a vaping device enables a user to instinctively activate the device and verify their identity. By placing the biometric sensor and the activation switch directly opposite each other on the surface of the device, the user does not have to physically locate both the activation switch and the sensor on the device. Moreover, simultaneous placement of the user’s finger/thumb on the activation switch and the sensor reduces time required in identifying the user and activating the device for use.

Preferably, the body is substantially cylindrical having a pen-like shape.

Alternatively, the body is substantially oblong having a box-like shape.

The device further comprises a first tactile element disposed on or around the activation switch to guide a user in locating the activation switch on the second surface of the body.

Preferably, the device further comprises a second tactile element disposed on or around the biometric sensor to guide a user in locating the biometric sensor on the first surface of the body.

Preferably, the first tactile element and the second tactile element comprise a continuous embossed or debossed ring of raised features formed around the activation switch and the biometric sensor respectively.

Preferably, the first tactile element and the second tactile element comprise a discontinuous embossed or debossed ring of raised features disposed around the activation switch and the biometric sensor respectively.

Preferably, the first tactile element comprises an indentation or a protrusion formed on the activation switch. Preferably, the activation switch, upon being touched or pressed by a user, is configured to power on the device and to activate the biometric sensor to identity the user.

Preferably, the activation switch is required to be touched or pressed for a set period of time by the user to power on the device.

Preferably, the activation switch is required to be touched or pressed at least once again by the user after the device is turned on to activate the biometric sensor.

Preferably, the biometric sensor is a fingerprint sensor configured to identify a user when the user’s thumb is held firmly at the center of the sensor.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of operating an aerosol generating device, the method comprising: detecting a simultaneous first user action on a biometric sensor and an activation switch disposed on a first surface and a second surface of the device respectively; turning on the device if the user action on the activation switch lasts for a set period of time; detecting a second user action on the activation switch; and activating the biometric sensor to identify a user in response to the second user action;

Preferably, the method further comprises calibrating the device and/or activating a heating unit in the device if the user is successfully identified.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention and its advantages will be better understood upon reading the following description, which is given solely by way of non-limiting example and which is made with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 A shows a vaping device with a cylindrical shaped body according to an aspect of the invention; Figure 1 B shows a vaping device with an oblong shaped body according to another aspect of the invention.

Figures 2A-2C show variations of a tactile element for an activation switch and/or a biometric sensor on the vaping device of Figures 1 A and 1 B.

Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a method of operating the vaping device of Figures 1A and 1 B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before describing the invention, it is to be understood that it is not limited to the details of construction or process steps set forth in the following description. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure that invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways.

Figure 1A shows an aerosol generating device 100a having a substantially cylindrical body 101. The body 101 is shaped pen-like with a circular or oval cross section. The aerosol generating device 100a may be a vaping device (also referred to as e-cig 100 hereinafter) to deliver an aerosol for inhalation to a user, including an aerosol for smoking, by means of an aerosol generating unit (e.g. a heater or atomizer) which generates vapour which condenses into an aerosol before delivery to an outlet of the device at, for example, a mouthpiece 102, for inhalation by the user. The device 100a is portable. “Portable” may refer to the device being for use when held by the user. The device may be adapted to generate a variable amount of aerosol, e.g. by activating an atomizer for a variable amount of time (as opposed to a metered dose of aerosol), which can be controlled by a trigger. The trigger may be a user activated switch, such as an activation switch 103. The activation switch 103 can be of any shape, but a circular (or slightly oval) shape is preferred. The e-cig 100a also has a biometric sensor such as a fingerprint sensor 104 disposed on the surface of the body 101. The fingerprint sensor 104 is configured to identify the user’s fingerprints and activate the device for use and/or control other operations. This allows the device to be only used by a registered person and prevent unauthorised use of the device.

The activation switch 103 is preferably disposed on the lower surface of the body 101 of the e-cig 100a. The fingerprint sensor 104 is disposed on the upper surface of the body 101 of the e-cig 100a. The fingerprint sensor 104 is disposed such that the activation switch 103 is directly opposite or underneath the fingerprint sensor 104. Preferably, the centre of the fingerprint sensor 104 is directly opposite the centre of the activation switch 103. This supports the natural press exerted by the user, making it easier to correctly press the activation switch 103. With this arrangement, when the user puts their thumb on the fingerprint sensor 104, the index finder is positioned on the opposite side, instinctively touching the activation switch 103. This improves the usability as the user will instinctively place their fingers on the correct position on the device without concerted effort. This instinctive positioning can be further improved by tactile elements, which are described below with reference to Figures 2A-2C.

The device 100a may include a temperature regulation control to drive the temperature of the heater and/or the heated aerosol generating substance (aerosol pre-cursor) to a specified target temperature. More generally, the device 100a can comprise a control unit configured to adjust the device according to operational settings. Thus, the control unit can control the operation of the heater and/or the power provided for example by a battery and/or the pressure of the precursor or the air.

A consumable or cartridge (not shown) is configured to store a precursor used to generate aerosol in the e-cig 100a. Particularly, based on the nature of the precursor, the cartridge can be designed to store the precursor in a liquid and/or solid form. It can be formed by a pod or capsule containing e-liquid or a consumable like a tobacco rod. The cartridge can be received by a receiving means of the e-cig 100a and can be removed and replaced by another one when the precursor is no longer available. In some embodiments, the cartridge can be also refilled with the precursor. The cartridge can comprise its own heater powered by a heating system of the e-cig 100a or at least a heating surface configured to be heated by the heating system of the e-cig 100a.

The e-cig 100a also includes other components such as a battery, a puff sensor, one or more indicators such as LEDs, a communication interface to connect to a personal communication device, and the like. These elements are known in the art and would be understood by the skilled person.

Figure 1 B shows another aerosol generating device 100b, similar to the device 100a. The device 100b is also a vaping device or an e-cig but unlike the device 100a, it has a short oblong body 101. The body 101 of the device 100b is boxlike with oblong shape and is generally shorter than the body of the e-cig 100a described above. Similar to the e-cig 100b, the fingerprint sensor 104 is disposed on the upper surface of the body 101 with the activation switch 103 disposed directly opposite or underneath the fingerprint sensor 104. Apart from the shape and size, the devices 100a and 100b are identical to each other in other features and functionalities. In the following description, either of the devices 100a and 100b are simply referred to as device 100.

Figures 2A-2C show various tactile elements 201a, 201 b, and 201c (collectively referred to as tactile element 201) for the activation switch 103 on the devices 100a and 100b. The tactile element 201 is a physical component which may be disposed on or around the activation switch 103 to provide a sensory guidance to the user. With the tactile element 201 , it is possible to intuitively guide the user’s index finger to be positioned on the activation switch 103 disposed on the lower surface of the body 101 .

In Figure 2A, the tactile element 201a is disposed on the top surface of the activation switch 103. The tactile element 201a is an indentation, protrusion, or a raised feature preferably disposed in the centre of the activation switch 103. The activation switch 103 may itself be flush with the body 101 of the device. In Figure 2B, the tactile element 201b is a slight raised ring formed around the activation switch 103 on the surface of the body 101. This raised ring can be of any type, for example round, or an intermittent circle of dots/stripes. In Figure 2C, the tactile element 201c is a slight depressed ring formed around the activation switch 103 on the surface of the body 101. A combination of raised and depressed ring may also be used. Also, a change in surface texture can also be applied. The tactile element 201 is preferably formed or carved in the same material as that of the body 101 of the device.

In one implementation, the tactile element 201 described above can also be applied to the fingerprint sensor 104. However, the sensor surface, in particular the centre portion, might not be suitable for indentations/raised portions. Therefore, peripheral area of the fingerprint sensor 104 may be provided with raised or lowered sections of the tactile element 201 , leaving the centre area for fingerprint detection.

Figure 3 shows a flow diagram 300 for a method of operating the vaping devices 100a, 100b. It is to be understood that not all steps necessary for operating the vaping devices has been shown in the diagram 300, as those would be apparent to the skilled person.

At step 301 , a user action on the activation switch is detected. In the present example, when the user holds the device 100 as described above, their index finger touches and exerts some pressure on the activation switch 103. The user may be intuitively guided by the tactile element 201 disposed on or around the activation switch 103. The activation switch 103 could be a touch button sensitive to slight pressure by the user finger. However, the activation switch 103 could instead be a hard button which requires more pressure to be activated.

At step 302, a simultaneous user action is detected on the fingerprint sensor. In the present example, when the user holds the device 100 for use, the thumb of the user is positioned on the fingerprint sensor 104 disposed on the upper surface of the body 101. Due to the alignment of the activation switch 103 and fingerprint sensor 104 as described above, user action on both the switch 103 and the sensor 104 occurs simultaneously. At step 303, it is determined if the action on the activation switch lasts for a set time. In the present example, to avoid accidental activation of the device 100, a sustained touch on the activation switch 103 for a period of time may be required. For example, the user may need to hold the activation switch 103 for at least 2 seconds. It could also be required to exert a minimum pressure on the switch 103 for it to be activated.

At step 304, the device is turned on. In the present example, after the activation switch 103 is held by the user for the set time, the device 100 is powered on. Powering on the device 100 may be indicated by visual, audio, and/or haptic means. For example, an LED on the body 101 of the device 101 may be lit up, a beep sound may be emitted, and/or the device 100 may briefly vibrate. Turning on of the device 100 does not necessary activate the device for use, e.g. by turning on the heating unit.

At step 305, it is determined if another action is detected on the activation switch. In the present example, after the device 100 is powered on, the user may be required to press the activation switch 103 once again to activate the fingerprint sensor 104. In this way, the fingerprint sensor 104 does not automatically scan the fingerprints whenever anyone touches the upper surface of the body 101 of the device 100 but only after it has been powered on.

At step 306, the fingerprint sensor is activated to identify the user. In the present example, after the user presses the activation switch 103 again after the powering on of the device 100, the fingerprint sensor 104 is activated. The natural pressure exerted by the index finger of the user on the activation switch 103 also triggers pressing of the thumb of the user on the fingerprint sensor 104. This creates a much more consistent and reliable pressure, thereby improving the scan performance of the sensor 104. If the user’s fingerprints are not recognised after a few attempts, the device 100 is preferably automatically turned off to restrict unauthorised usage. However, if the user’s fingerprints are recognised, the device 100 initiates device calibration and/or activates the device for use, e.g. by turning on the heating unit in the device 100. By positioning the activation switch and the fingerprint sensor on a vaping device in the way described above makes it convenient for the user to use the device effectively. The fingerprint sensor recognises the user with greater ease and accidental powering on of the device is avoided by the control sequence described above. Moreover, presence of the tactile elements on or around the activation switch and/or fingerprint sensor intuitively guides the user, making it easier for the user to use the device without having to look for the activation switch and/or the fingerprint sensor.

The foregoing description of illustrative embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and of description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting with respect to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the disclosed embodiments.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . An aerosol-generating device comprising: a body; a biometric sensor disposed on a first surface of the body; and an activation switch disposed on a second surface of the body, such that the activation switch and the biometric sensor are positioned directly opposite each other; further comprising a first tactile element disposed on or around the activation switch to guide a user in locating the activation switch on the second surface of the body.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the body is substantially cylindrical having a pen-like shape.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the body is substantially oblong having a box-like shape.

4. The device of any preceding claim, further comprising a second tactile element disposed on or around the biometric sensor to guide a user in locating the biometric sensor on the first surface of the body.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first tactile element and the second tactile element comprise a continuous embossed or debossed ring of raised features formed around the activation switch and the biometric sensor respectively.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the first tactile element and the second tactile element comprise a discontinuous embossed or debossed ring of raised features disposed around the activation switch and the biometric sensor respectively.

7. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the first tactile element comprises an indentation or a protrusion formed on the activation switch.

8. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the activation switch, upon being touched or pressed by a user, is configured to power on the device and to activate the biometric sensor to identity the user.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the activation switch is required to be touched or pressed for a set period of time by the user to power on the device.

10. The device of claim 8 or 9, wherein the activation switch is required to be touched or pressed at least once again by the user after the device is turned on to activate the biometric sensor.

11. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the biometric sensor is a fingerprint sensor configured to identify a user when the user’s thumb is held firmly at the center of the sensor.

12. A method of operating an aerosol generating device, the method comprising: detecting a simultaneous first user action on a biometric sensor and an activation switch disposed on a first surface and a second surface of the device respectively; turning on the device if the user action on the activation switch lasts for a set period of time; detecting a second user action on the activation switch; and activating the biometric sensor to identify a user in response to the second user action.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising calibrating the device and/or activating a heating unit in the device if the user is successfully identified.