EP4673004A1

EP4673004A1 - Aerosol provision device

Info

Publication number: EP4673004A1
Application number: EP24708380.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Charanjit Nandra; David Rushforth; Connor BRUTON
Original assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Current assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Priority date: 2023-02-27
Filing date: 2024-02-26
Publication date: 2026-01-07
Also published as: CN121001611A; GB202302830D0; WO2024180005A1; JP2026507016A

Abstract

There is provided an aerosol provision device comprising: a housing comprising an elongate longitudinal portion; a communication element arranged on the elongate longitudinal portion; wherein the communication element is arranged to provide at least one indication to the user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of the aerosol provision device.

Description

AEROSOL PROVISION DEVICE

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an aerosol provision device, an aerosol-generating system, a method of providing an aerosol for inhalation by a user, and aerosol provision means.

Background

Aerosol-generating systems are known. Common systems use heaters which are activated by a user to create an aerosol by an aerosol provision device from an aerosol generating material which is then provided for inhalation by the user. The device may be activated by a user at the push of a button or merely by the act of inhalation. Modem systems can use consumable elements containing the aerosol generating material. There are many aspects that a user may wish to track over the lifetime of the device. Ease of understanding and tracking these improves the user experience with the device.

Modern electronic aerosol-generating systems and aerosol provision devices and the like have been introduced as alternatives to other older systems, such as systems relying on combustion of material to provide an aerosol. Reduced confidence when trying modern systems for older system users is known.

The present invention is directed toward solving some of the above problems.

Summary

Aspects of the invention are defined in the accompanying claims.

In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided an aerosol provision device comprising: a housing comprising an elongate longitudinal portion; a communication element arranged on the elongate longitudinal portion; wherein the communication element is arranged to provide at least one indication to the user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of the aerosol provision device. Such a system is able to provide users with indications in relation to relevant operational concerns. This may include indications that are visual, haptic and/or audio. While any indication may be possible, these are extremely user friendly for handheld devices and have been found to integrate well into such devices.

The use characteristics may be at least one of: power source condition; charging status; consumable condition; heater activation status; boost status; session status; and, operational time. The electrical component status may be at least one of: power source condition; charging status; heater condition; heater status; boost status; and, control circuitry status. Each of these are highly relevant for a user of such an aerosol provision device. The user may be informed of usual day-to-day concerns such as power source level (i.e. how charged is the battery or the like) as well as rarer more pressing concerns such as whether the power source is faulty in some way and requires repair or replacement. With this information, the user is well informed as to the situation of the device from a mechanical, electrical and overall functioning level. The user is therefore highly prepared for actions that may be required (charging the power source, replacing a component, removing and supplying a consumable or aerosol generating material or the like).

The communication element may be an interactive screen. This may provide a human machine interface (HMI) or the like for interacting with the device. This may provide information to the user via a visual display. The user may be able to interact with this visual indications via touching the interactive screen.

The communication element may be elongate. This may increase familiarity of the device for users of older or more traditional systems by emulating the existing habits or rituals they have become accustomed to when using these products. In particular, the communication element may show an illustration of burn down of a consumable. The remaining use time for the consumable in the device may be represented on the communication element. As this is reduced, a burning down visual indication may be shown. This increases the familiarity of the newer aerosol provision device system for users of older or more traditional combustible systems. As such, the confidence of these users is increased by the provision of this information. Users of older or more traditional systems may not be familiar with checking e- liquid levels (e.g.) or the like and therefore this system may be beneficial for such users.

In an example, the communication element is arranged to provide: a plurality of visual indications; a plurality of haptic indications; and at least one audio indications to the user. This may be a particularly advantageous arrangement as the one audio indication may be used for an emergency warning indication. As such, while the visual indications may be used to show general usage of the device (such as showing bum down as the aerosol generating material in the device is being depleted), the haptic indication may be used to indicate that the device is likely to need charge within the next (e.g.) 10 sessions, the audio indication may be used to indicate a fault with the device and that the user is to take the device to a repair point for review by a manufacturer or qualified technician.

In this way, the indications are used so as to clearly provide vast amounts of data to a user for processing accordingly. This can improve user confidence with the device and increase the lifetime of the device as the user can respond proactively to repairs being required.

In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided an aerosolgenerating system for providing an aerosol for inhalation by a user, comprising: aerosol provision device comprising: a housing comprising an elongate longitudinal portion; a communication element arranged on the elongate longitudinal portion; wherein the communication element is arranged to provide at least one indication to the user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of the aerosol provision device.

In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided a method of providing an aerosol for inhalation by a user, the method comprising: providing an aerosol provision device with a housing comprising an elongate longitudinal portion with a communication element arranged thereon, providing, by the communication element, at least one indication to a user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of the aerosol provision device.

The method described herein may be for providing at least one indication to a user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of an aerosol provision device. In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided aerosol provision means comprising: a housing comprising an elongate longitudinal portion; communication means arranged on the elongate longitudinal portion; wherein the communication means is arranged to provide at least one indication to the user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of the aerosol provision means.

Description of Drawings

The present teachings will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following figures:

Figure l is a schematic view of an aerosol provision device according to an example;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of an aerosol provision device according to an example; and, Figure 3 is a flow diagram according to an example.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments are shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description of the specific embodiments are not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, the invention covers all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Detailed Description

Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are discussed / described herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be implemented conventionally and these are not discussed / described in detail in the interests of brevity. It will thus be appreciated that aspects and features of apparatus and methods discussed herein which are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.

The present disclosure relates to aerosol provision systems, which may also be referred to as aerosol provision systems, such as e-cigarettes. Throughout the following description the term “e-cigarette” or “electronic cigarette” may sometimes be used, but it will be appreciated this term may be used interchangeably with aerosol provision system / device and electronic aerosol provision system / device. Furthermore, and as is common in the technical field, the terms "aerosol" and "vapour", and related terms such as "vaporise", "volatilise" and "aerosolise", may generally be used interchangeably.

Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of an example of an aerosol provision device 100 according to the present invention. The aerosol provision device 100 comprises an aerosol provision device housing 110. The aerosol provision device housing 110 has an elongate longitudinal portion 112. The housing 110 may be a broadly cylindrical shape, with a longer longitudinal portion 112 than a corresponding transverse portion. The housing 110 may have a cross section that is not circular, it may be of any cross section, while maintaining an elongate longitudinal portion 112. The elongate longitudinal portion 112 may have a communication element 115 arranged thereon. The communication element 115 may be a series of elements or one continuous element with multiple operating portions. The communication element 115 is arranged to provide at least one indication to the user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of the aerosol provision device 100.

This arrangement may be able to provide information for the user in a manner that is nonintrusive but highly informative. The communications from the communication element 115 may increase familiarity for users more used to older or more traditional combustible systems and increase the confidence of use of newer systems.

The elongate communication element 115 may be able to provide a visual indication that is reminiscent of burning down of a cigarette as the aerosol generating material in the device 100 is depleted. The linear visual communications along the length of the device 100 enable showing the depletion as may be seen in a typical disposable combustible product. Encouraging users of such older or more traditional systems to use newer reuseable systems may also reduce the total devices disposed and therefore provide an environmental benefit.

Provision of data along the elongate portion of the housing is also a user friendly location for providing information as the user is highly likely to view the information. Location along another portion of the device may lead to less easily visible information for the user. As such, the use of visual indications and the location along the elongate portion of the device is synergistic in providing data readily to the user as well as increasing the confidence of users of older systems as indications mimic the effects associated with combustible products.

The communication element may provide visual (as explained above), haptic and/or audio indications to a user. Each of these have advantages. The use of visual has been explained and discussed above. Haptic indications are useful for users that are in low light conditions, wherein visual indications may be less effective. Furthermore, haptic indications are useful for users that are visually impaired and for whom the visual communications are not a viable data transmittal mechanism. The haptic indications may occur along the length of the device from distal end to proximal end in a manner to provide the bum down effect in a haptic manner. This may also provide a clear indication to a user as to sessions remaining by virtue of the user knowing where the indication is occurring in relation to the proximal end. Other haptic indications may be possible, such as a whole device buzz when the battery level is particularly low, say 10% or less. A series of haptic indications, such as a series of five short buzzes, may be used to indicate that the device requires a check-up as certain components may have reached an estimated lifetime and require replacement or repair.

An audio indication may also be useful in situations that are low light or for users with limited visibility. Audio may also be useful for use in scenarios such as cold weather when users may be wearing additional layers over their hands or the like that may dampen haptic indications. As such, audio indications are highly useful. Emergency indications may be performed via audio as audio indication may be the most reliable form of indication. The user may not be in the same room as the device and therefore be unlikely to notice haptic or visual indications, however the user may receive audio indications. As such, audio indications are very useful for indications that may occur (such as expiry of lifetime of components, or urgent repairs required, or other similar emergency issues) during periods of non use.

In general, the communication element may provide each of the indication forms for different matters or aspects of data. Haptic indications may be used for electrical in-use status (as it is likely the user will be holding the device during use and therefore be receptive to haptic indications). Audio indications may be used for powering up (relevant in circumstances wherein the device incorrectly begins powering up when not in a user’s hand, thereby improving safety), and visual indications may be used to indicate operating conditions, such as heater temperature, consumable condition and lifetime. In combination, the communication arrangement may be a highly effective and reliable system for communicating issues to the user.

Issues, problems or use characteristics to be communicated to the user include battery condition (what charge level the battery has, what lifetime remains on the battery), charging status (whether the device is charging successfully or not); consumable condition (how much uses remain in the consumable used in use in the device); heater activation status (whether the heater is on or off); boost status (whether the boost condition is on or off); session status (whether the session is in a beginning, middle or end point); operational time (the amount of active time remaining in battery, or the amount of time that the device has been active for users to track and control their usage).

Similarly, electrical component status comprises at least one of: power source condition (what condition the battery is in, operational, non operational, faulty, etc); charging status (high efficiency charging, low efficiency charging, intermittent charging due to error, no charging due to error); heater condition (operational as expected, operational though unexpected, non operational though expected, non operational though unexpected); heater status (on or off); boost status (on or off); and, control circuitry status (functioning as expected or not). These can in the main indicate to the user whether the device is operating as expected, i.e. working, or not as expected, i.e. faulty or broken. Errors can be indicated to the user via the component status as to whether a component needs replacement or repair. The power source may be battery or capacitor or any other suitable power source.

The communication element may in an example be an interactive screen. The screen may be able to provide indications with which the user may interact by interacting with the screen. For example, the screen may show burn down of a combustible product during use and the user may be able to flick away a burnt end of the combustible product shown on the screen by flicking the screen. The screen detects the interaction of the user and replicates it within the images shown on the screen. This further increases familiarity for users of older or more traditional combustible systems with the newer reuseable systems by emulating the existing habits or rituals they have become accustomed to when using these products.

The communication element may be a human machine interface or the like for allowing the user to interact with data provisions on the device. This may provide the various data to the user in a user-friendly manner.

The communication element 115 in Figure 1 is elongate. It is matched somewhat to the portion of the housing 110 on which it is arranged. The elongate nature of the communication element 115 enhances the likeness to older combustible mechanisms that the communication element 115 tries to some extent to mimic. The technical consideration for this is to improve confidence for newer devices. Linear visual communications enables this to provide high levels of familiarity and therefore confidence to new users of modem devices.

The communication element may be one extended communication element or comprise a series of communicating elements. An example of this is shown in Figure 2. Device 200 has housing 210, with an elongate portion 212. The communication element is shown in portions 215a, 215b, 215c, 215d along the portion 212.

Each may light up when the consumable is full. When the consumable is 25% depleted, the last portion of the communication element 215d may cease to be lit. In this way, the user is informed of the lifetime of the consumable in a manner akin to bum down of a cigarette or the like. These further increases familiarity for users of older or more traditional combustible systems with the newer reuseable systems by emulating the existing habits or rituals they have become accustomed to when using these products.

The device may have LED tins along the length of the device which light according to various technical considerations. For example, the length of the device may be lit when the battery is full and LEDs may cease to be lit as the battery wears down accordingly. This provides a clear visual indication to the user how soon a recharging of the battery will be needed. When 75% of the LEDs are lit, the user has a good amount of use time remaining in the battery. When 10% are lit, the user may begin to look for a charging opportunity. The colours of the LEDs may also change accordingly, such that when the battery is fully charged, the lights are white, at 80% charge the LEDs may be blue, at 40% the LEDs may be green and at 10% the LEDs may be at red to provide a further indication that the battery requires charging.

Any combination of visual, haptic and audio may be used as is useful for a user. As noted above, one may be reserved (e.g. audio) for emergency notice to the user. In this way, the user always associates one form of indication as requiring some immediate action. This improves user interaction with the alarm function disclosed herein and the user is not likely to ignore the indications as may happen if the indication (e.g. haptic) is regularly used and a slightly different form of that indication (e.g. 5 buzzes) indicates a serious or severe problem.

The display screen may show thermal pigments along the length of the consumable when inserted into the device turning to a used colour as the consumable is depleted. This may be consumable is shown initially as white and the colour may change to black or transparent as it is depleted over use in the device. The indication of the consumable on the display screen may instead (or additionally) turn brown during use to mimic that of an older combustible product.

The system may note use characteristics and/or electrical component status using a combination of control circuitry which is in communication with the various aspects to be communicated to a user alongside detectors where relevant. The detectors may be any of a timer; a gyroscope; a magnetometer; a housing-located capacitor; a heat sensor; an accelerometer; an altimeter; a light gate; and, a pressure sensor. Each of these may help provide an assessment of the relevant aspects to be communicated to a user.

In an example, the device has a display screen on which visual indications can be provided to a user during use. The display screen may represent the display condition of the device. The control circuitry may control the display on the display screen. The device may also or additionally have an audio element to provide audio indications to a user. The screen may be OLED or contain LEDs or the like. This provides a more user friendly device and improves the overall safety of the device. The user may be able to interact with the indications physically. For example, the display may show smoke when the device is being operated. The user may be able to swipe through the smoke using movements detected by the detector.

In an example, the display screen may be a display screen with a full wrap-around display. The device may be broadly cylindrical in shape and the screen may be wrapped somewhat or entirely around a portion of the housing. Such an arrangement improves the indications provided by the screen as the screen is more easily visible for a user. As such, indications are more likely to be seen.

Figure 3 shows a method 300 of use of an aerosol provision device. The method 300 is shown as a flow chart. In the method 300, the device may start in a default state 302, which may be a fully charged, fully operational arrangement as for example would be the case with a brand new device. Alternatively, the default operating state may be use condition of a previously used device as would be the case for a user’s device that has been used at least once. The battery may or may not be fully charged but the lifetime of the components within the device would be at least partially diminished due to use.

When a user attempts to use, is using, or is not using, the device, the device detects use characteristics or electrical component statuses. This may be as described above. The device detects the characteristics and/or statuses using a detector (which may contain a number of individual sensors/detectors). The detector may detect 404 the statuses and/or characteristics via any standard mechanism.

The detector sends a signal accordingly to control circuitry 406. The control circuitry may receive regular signals from the detector or detectors as to use characteristics or statuses and only provide indications to the user as deemed relevant. A user would not require permanently informing that the battery is working efficiently. Rather, a preferred method is that the user is informed when the battery begins to not work efficiently. However, consumable lifetime and sessions remaining may be continually (or semi continually, i.e. at regular close intervals) informed to a user so that the user has an up to date understanding of the remaining use in the device. When such an indication is deemed suitable for communication to the user, the control circuitry may provide an indication to the user 308 via the communication element which itself may be any or all of visual, haptic or audio indications as per the above description.

This method provides a user-friendly, indication process for the user that does not overload the user with information but keeps the user regularly informed as to the relevant matters at any one time during the lifetime of the device. The method offers a balance between overloading the user and providing the user with little to no warning ahead of relevant use events (e.g. running out of battery power, or aerosol generating material or the breakdown of a component within the device). With clear indications for users in a variety of situations, the user is well informed and prepared during usage of the device. The method also increases user familiarity for users of older or more traditional combustible-type products.

The detector as noted above may be a series of detectors. The detector may be one instrument or an array of instruments. The detector as disclosed herein may include a series of instruments that operate simultaneously or together to provide an accurate and informed assessment of the various use characteristics and electrical component statuses within the device at any one moment. These are used to ensure correct and relevant indications are provided to the user.

The aerosol provision device may comprise heating arrangements or the like for providing an aerosol from a consumable - the consumable may contain an aerosol generating material or the like. The control circuitry may control the heating arrangement (or the like) according to use requests from a user. The activation and lifetime of various components are detected by detectors in the device and provided to control circuitry that links to the communication element or elements on the device for informing a user.

The device and system herein are described as comprising several components that enable several advantages. The components may be disclosed as on-board the device or within the system. The components may be distributed and therefore not necessarily be located onboard the device. The functionality of the device can be provided by communicatively connected components, and such communication may be wireless, enabling such distribution. At which point it is reasonable to foresee that a distributed array of components will operate in the manner of the devices and systems disclosed herein. Components of the device or system may be contained in a further device such as a smartphone, computer, or remote server or the like.

The method and device disclosed herein enable the user to be informed as suitable as to conditions within the device. This improves the user experience of the device, the lifetime of the device and the safety of general use of the device.

The devices and systems disclosed herein may be used with consumables comprising aerosol generating material. Such consumables may be solid or liquid and may be cartridges or the like.

In a particular example, the device disclosed herein may operate with a flavour pod which is replaceable in the device - this may be referred to as a consumable. The flavour may be any of tobacco and glycol and may include extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, Japanese white bark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamon, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, j asmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, piment, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or a mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha), flavour enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath freshening agents. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof.

When combined with an aerosol generating medium, the aerosol provision device as disclosed herein may be referred to as an aerosol provision system.

Thus there has been described an aerosol provision device comprising: a housing comprising an elongate longitudinal portion; a communication element arranged on the elongate longitudinal portion; wherein the communication element is arranged to provide at least one indication to the user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of the aerosol provision device.

The aerosol provision system may be used in a tobacco industry product, for example a noncombustible aerosol provision system.

In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product comprises one or more components of a non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a heater and an aerosolizable substrate.

In one embodiment, the aerosol provision system is an electronic cigarette also known as a vaping device.

In one embodiment the electronic cigarette comprises a heater, a power supply capable of supplying power to the heater, an aerosolizable substrate such as a liquid or gel, a housing and optionally a mouthpiece.

In one embodiment the aerosolizable substrate is contained in or on a substrate container. In one embodiment the substrate container is combined with or comprises the heater.

In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product is a heating product which releases one or more compounds by heating, but not burning, a substrate material. The substrate material is an aerosolizable material which may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment, the heating device product is a tobacco heating product.

In one embodiment, the heating product is an electronic device.

In one embodiment, the tobacco heating product comprises a heater, a power supply capable of supplying power to the heater, an aerosolizable substrate such as a solid or gel material.

In one embodiment the heating product is a non-electronic article.

In one embodiment the heating product comprises an aerosolizable substrate such as a solid or gel material, and a heat source which is capable of supplying heat energy to the aerosolizable substrate without any electronic means, such as by burning a combustion material, such as charcoal. In one embodiment the heating product also comprises a filter capable of filtering the aerosol generated by heating the aerosolizable substrate.

In some embodiments the aerosolizable substrate material may comprise an aerosol or aerosol generating agent or a humectant, such as glycerol, propylene glycol, triacetin or diethylene glycol.

In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product is a hybrid system to generate aerosol by heating, but not burning, a combination of substrate materials. The substrate materials may comprise for example solid, liquid or gel which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel substrate and a solid substrate. The solid substrate may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel substrate and tobacco.

In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this disclosure shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced and provide for a superior electronic aerosol provision system. The advantages and features of the disclosure are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed features. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilised and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.

Claims

1. An aerosol provision device comprising: a housing comprising an elongate longitudinal portion; a communication element arranged on the elongate longitudinal portion; wherein the communication element is arranged to provide at least one indication to the user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of the aerosol provision device.

2. An aerosol provision device according to claim 1, wherein the communication element is arranged to provide at least one of visual, haptic and/or audio indications to the user.

3. An aerosol provision device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the use characteristics comprise at least one of: power source condition; charging status; consumable condition; heater activation status; boost status; session status; and, operational time.

4. An aerosol provision device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrical component status comprises at least one of: power source condition; charging status; heater condition; heater status; boost status; and, control circuitry status.

5. An aerosol provision device according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the communication element is interactive screen.

6. An aerosol provision device according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the communication element is elongate.

7. An aerosol provision device according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the communication element comprises a series of communicating elements arranged on the elongate longitudinal portion.

8. An aerosol provision device according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the communication element is arranged to provide: a plurality of visual indications; a plurality of haptic indications; and at least one audio indications to the user.

9. An aerosol-generating system for providing an aerosol for inhalation by a user, comprising: aerosol provision device comprising: a housing comprising an elongate longitudinal portion; a communication element arranged on the elongate longitudinal portion; wherein the communication element is arranged to provide at least one indication to the user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of the aerosol provision device.

10. An aerosol-generating system according to claim 9, wherein the communication element is arranged to provide at least one of visual, haptic and/or audio indications to the user.

11. An aerosol-generating system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the use characteristics comprise at least one of: power source condition; charging status; consumable condition; heater activation status; boost status; session status; and, operational time.

12. An aerosol-generating system according to any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the electrical component status comprises at least one of: power source condition; charging status; heater condition; heater status; boost status; and, control circuitry status.

13. An aerosol-generating system according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the communication element is interactive screen.

14. An aerosol-generating system according to any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the communication element is elongate.

15. An aerosol-generating system according to any of claims 9 to 14, wherein the communication element comprises a series of communicating elements arranged on the elongate longitudinal portion.

16. An aerosol-generating system according to any of claims 9 to 15, wherein the communication element is arranged to provide: a plurality of visual indications; a plurality of haptic indications; and at least one audio indications to the user.

17. A method of providing an aerosol for inhalation by a user, the method comprising: providing an aerosol provision device with a housing comprising an elongate longitudinal portion with a communication element arranged thereon, providing, by the communication element, at least one indication to a user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of the aerosol provision device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing at least one indication comprises at least one of: providing a visual indication; providing a haptic indication; and, providing an audio indication.

19. The method of claim 17 or 18, wherein the use characteristics comprise at least one of: power source condition; charging status; consumable condition; heater activation status; boost status; session status; and, operational time, and wherein the electrical component status comprises at least one of: power source condition; charging status; heater condition; heater status; boost status; and, control circuitry status.

20. The method of any of claims 17 to 19, wherein the communication element is interactive screen and wherein the communication element is elongate.

21. The method of any of claims 17 to 20, wherein providing at least one indication comprises: providing a plurality of visual indications; providing a plurality of haptic indications; and, providing one audio indication.

22. Aerosol provision means comprising: a housing comprising an elongate longitudinal portion; communication means arranged on the elongate longitudinal portion; wherein the communication means is arranged to provide at least one indication to the user in relation to use characteristics and/or electrical component status of the aerosol provision means.