WO2016094885A1

WO2016094885A1 - Method and apparatus for electronic cigarette modules suitable for integration into various modular smartphones and modular tablets

Info

Publication number: WO2016094885A1
Application number: PCT/US2015/065413
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arash Sabet
Original assignee: Arash Sabet
Priority date: 2014-12-12
Filing date: 2015-12-12
Publication date: 2016-06-16

Abstract

The present invention describes an e-cig module that can be docked in a modular smartphone or modular tablet. This e-cig module holds, protects, and recharges one or more electronic cigarettes and monitors their usage. And on command of the user, the battery energy available in the e-cig module can be transferred to the main battery in the smartphone or tablet (or vice versa). Usage information such as the charge level of the e-cig's battery, the type of fluid and fluid level in the e-cig's cartridge, and a historical record of the amount of a user's e-cig smoking can be shown on the display screen associated with the modular smartphone or modular tablet using a specialized user application (USE APP). This USE APP can also provide useful guidance on ordering e-cig smoking materials, managing the e- smoker's daily use, and making the user's daily routine easier and/or more productive.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE MODULES SUITABLE FOR INTEGRATION INTO VARIOUS MODULAR SMARTPHONES AND MODULAR TABLETS

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/124,227 filed 12 December 2014, titled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE MODULES SUITABLE FOR INTEGRATION INTO VARIOUS MODULAR SMARTPHONES AND MODULAR TABLETS and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/966,527 filed on February 24, 2014 and PCT Patent Application PCT/US2015/017249 filed February 24, 2015, both titled ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE CHARGING AND OPERATING SYSTEMS INTEGRATION WITH VARIOUS CELL PHONE AND TABLET TYPES USING A COMMON CASE, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to reducing the number of discrete personal electronic devices a user must carry and periodically recharge by employing a module to hold, protect, monitor usage, and recharge electronic cigarettes that can be directly integrated (docked or attached) into modular smartphones and/or modular tablets. Since the electronic cigarette(s) in this module include rechargeable batteries or some other electrical storage capabilities, such as an ultra- capacitor, their electrical power can, if needed, be used to recharge the main battery for the phone of tablet or directly operate these devices. 2. Description of Related Art

[0003] The electronic cigarette (e-cig) was invented in 2003 by Lik

Hon in China. Hon's patent was issued in 2013 as U.S. Pat. No.

8,511,312 B2. The e-cig described therein is a device that has a physical appearance similar to a regular cigarette containing tobacco.

However, the e-cig does not normally contain any tobacco. Rather, it houses a small cartridge (chamber) holding a fluid solution typically containing approximately 1% nicotine in a propylene glycol based solution that is heated and atomized using electrical power from an internal battery when the user inhales air through the e-cig. Of course, the concentration of nicotine can be varied or even eliminated based on the user's preference. And various flavorings can be added to the fluid solution such as mint, cinnamon, or a selection of fruits. It should also be mentioned that other chemicals like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the most active ingredient in cannabis) can also be added to the solution but use of this compound has been banned in a number states and countries.

[0004] The experience using an e-cig (which will henceforth be referred to as e-smoking) is quite similar to smoking a regular tobacco cigarette. Even the visual experience has been simulated. For example, the atomized propylene glycol solution has an appearance similar to regular cigarette smoke. And many of the present e-cigs have a red light emitting diode (LED) near their distal tips that turns on when the user inhales to simulate the appearance of a conventional lit cigarette. However, there is a major benefit to the user of an e-cig because it eliminates all of the carcinogenic tars associated with burning tobacco. And since no burning actually takes place when using an e-cig, there is no possibility of inadvertently starting a fire. In view of these and other benefits, it is not surprising that sales of e-cigs have grown rather rapidly since it was conceived in 2003. Presently, multiple brands of e-cigs are sold, where permitted, in most drug stores in the U.S. and other retail outlets where conventional cigarettes are sold.

[0005] Most e-cigs are comprised of two basic cylindrical components that can be easily assembled by the user simply by screwing them together. One component contains a battery, which may be either for single use or rechargeable, while the other component contains a cartridge of, typically, nicotine fluid solution and an atomizer to convert this solution into a mist when an e-smoker inhales through an e-cig. This second component is usually referred to as the "cartridge" but sometimes it is also called the "cartomizer" (a recently coined word signifying the combination of a fluid cartridge and an atomizer). This component is often disposed of after the fluid in the cartridge has been depleted. But, some cartridges can be refilled and reused. [0006] Although e-cigs come in many different colors and styles, the typical appearance is that of a regular tobacco cigarette with the battery in the form of a white cylinder simulating the white paper that wraps the tobacco in a regular cigarette and a tan colored cartridge that simulates a filter on the proximal end of a regular cigarette. When used, a single e-cig provides the e-smoker approximately as many puffs as an entire pack of regular cigarettes (there are typically 20 cigarettes per pack). So, an e-cig user typically carries only a single battery component and one or several cartridges in a pack or case that often has the appearance of a regular cigarette pack or case. However, if the user chooses to use an e-cig with a battery component that is rechargeable, and therefore more economical to use, he/she must either carry a battery charger or face the possibility that the e-cig' s battery will run too low before returning to a location where a charger is available. So, the logistics of porting both e-cigs and, possibly, a battery charger can become an inconvenience if not an annoyance for the user.

[0007] It would clearly be a convenience to the user rechargeable e-cig not to have to port a charger dedicated to this device and, in fact, it would be even a greater convenience if the user did not have to carry a separate pack or case dedicated to his/her

It would also be advantageous to the user to be able to draw upon the battery power available in a cell phone or tablet to recharge his/her e- cig. Alternatively it would also be advantageous for the user to be able to use the battery power (or other stored electrical power) in the e-cig as a supplemental power source to sustain operation of the cell phone on days when call activity is high and smoking activity is low.

Finally, it would be of value to some e-cig users to have the ability to automatically monitor their daily e-smoking activity using their cell phone or tablet, possibly to assist in reducing nicotine consumption or in support of some other desired behavioral modification.

[0008] A previous patent application (U.S. Patent Application 61/966,527 filed on February 24, 2014 and PCT Patent Application PCT/US2015/017249 filed February 24, 2015 both titled ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE CHARGING AND OPERATING SYSTEMS INTEGRATION WITH VARIOUS CELL PHONE AND TABLET TYPES USING A COMMON CASE) have described a common case that can be used to carry and protect both a mobile phone or tablet along with one or more e-cigs with bidirectional electrical power sharing capabilities between the phone or tablet and the e-cig(s). However, future trends in technology and packaging may permit a higher level of integration between e-cigs and phones or tablets that could be even more convenient to some users. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention describes an e-cig module that can be docked in a modular smartphone or modular tablet. This e-cig module holds, protects, and recharges one or more electronic cigarettes and monitors their usage. And on command of the user, the battery energy available in the e-cig module can be transferred to the main battery in the smartphone or tablet (or vice versa). Usage information such as the charge level of the e-cig' s battery, the type of fluid and fluid level in the e-cig' s cartridge, and a historical record of the amount of a user's e-cig smoking can be shown on the display screen associated with the modular smartphone or modular tablet using a specialized user application (USE APP). This USE APP can also provide useful guidance on ordering e-cig smoking materials, managing the e-smoker's daily use, and making the user's daily routine easier and/or more productive. For example, the USE APP could monitor e-cig usage, and automatically order replacement cartridges to replenish stocks, as pre-determined by the user.

[0010] With approximately 150 million smart cell phones presently in use in the U.S. as well as a growing use of tablet computers

(subsequently referred to as simply as "tablets"), it is likely that a substantial majority of e-cig users also carry cell phones and/or tablets when they move about during their daily activities. The novel concept associated with the present invention is to integrate (dock or attach) a special purpose module to hold, protect, and recharge one or more e- cigs into either a smartphone or a tablet designed to accept various modules. There is, in fact, a well-supported recent trend towards the introduction of modular smartphones, such as the smartphone design currently named Project Ara by Google, Inc. and another made by

Vseen (a recent company co-founded by a former manager at Nokia).

These efforts provide an opportunity to design and produce a broad range of special purpose modules for use within the main body of a modular smartphone and, possibly, future modular tablets that are still in a conceptual phase. One such module would be that of a very high resolution camera, while another, which is the subject of this patent application, is for an e-cig module.

[0011] Once one or more e-cigs are available in an e-cig module that is integrated into a smartphone or tablet, a number of specific features can be offered that simplify or make the user's daily routine easier and/or more productive. One such feature is to offer the user ability to share the total battery energy available in his/her cell phone or tablet with the battery energy (or other electrically stored energy) in his/her e-cig module so that, for example, battery energy in the could be used as a supplemental energy source to sustain operation of the cell phone on days when call activity is high and smoking activity is low (or vice versa). Another feature would be to offer the user the ability to quickly check the charge status of his/her e-cig similar to the way the battery charge status of the smartphone or tablet can now be monitored. Finally, it would be of value to some e-cig users to have the ability to automatically monitor their daily e-smoking activity using the processing power already in their smartphone or tablet, possibly to assist in reducing nicotine consumption or in support of some other behavioral modification activity. Such features can be realized in one or more specialized applications (USE APPS) that can enhance an e-smoker's overall experience.

[0012] While the e-cig module introduced in this patent application for holding, protecting, charging, and communicating usage data that is shared between one or more e-cigs and a smartphone or tablet is novel, there is some related prior art that will now be mentioned. One is a cell phone case that is produced and sold by Mophie, LLC under the trade name "Juice Pack" (Mophie, LLC, 6244 Technology Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49009 with web site at www.mophie.com) that includes a rechargeable battery that is integrated into the case structure and can be used to supplement the cell phone's battery. In use, both the cell phone and the external supplemental battery can simultaneously charged so that the operating time for the cell phone/external battery combination on a single charge exceeds that of a stand-alone cell phone. This case has no provision for including or containing any other components or devices such as an e-cig.

[0013] There is another cell phone case covered by U.S. Patent Pub. No: U.S. 2012/0302294 titled ILLUMINATED CELL PHONE CASE that also includes a supplemental battery in the case for purposes of illumination. And there are a variety of other cell phone cases that include batteries to support special features, including a shocking feature for personal defense (WO 2013126871 Al). However, none of these special purpose case designs include the feature of charging an e- cig.

[0014] Another example of prior art is a cell phone case sold under the name iHit (found on the Internet at "theihit.com") that includes a hidden pocket for storing, for example a single regular cigarette or a small ceramic pipe. There is no charging capability provided to the stored cigarette or pipe. However, the iHit case does include a second pocket for storing tobacco.

[0015] Finally, as mentioned above, U.S. Patent Application

61/966,527 filed on February 24, 2014 and titled ELECTRONIC

CIGARETTE CHARGING AND OPERATING SYSTEMS

INTEGRATION WITH VARIOUS CELL PHONE AND

TABLET TYPES USING A COMMON CASE has described a common case that can be used to carry and protect both a mobile phone or tablet along with one or more e-cigs with bi-directional electrical power sharing capabilities between the phone or tablet and the e-cig(s). While this is considered to represent a significant advance in the state-of the-art, it is not as advanced nor feature-rich as use of an e-cig module in modular smartphone and/or modular tablet, as discussed in the present patent application.

[0016] The following drawings and the associated discussions provide further information on the design and operation of an e-cig module that can be docked to a modular smartphone or modular tablet to hold, protect, communicate usage data, simultaneously recharge batteries or share electrical energy bi-directionally between the module and the phone's or tablet's main battery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] The above SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION as well as other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed descriptions of illustrative embodiments in accordance with the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the two basic components that make up an e-cig.

FIG. IB is a perspective view of the same two basic components shown in FIG. 1 A screwed together.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the common backbone or endoskeleton (referred to as an "endo") that is used in a typical modular smartphone.

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a typical modular smartphone showing the screen component lifted to expose the endo and a multiplicity of modules. FIG. 2C is a perspective view of the same smartphone shown in Fig.

2A with the screen component secured in place on the endo.

FIG. 3 A is a drawing of both the front and rear surfaces of a typical stand-alone endo used in a modular smartphone showing built in electrical interface blocks in each location where a module can be inserted or docked.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a typical e-cig module suitable for incorporation into a modular smartphone.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the printed circuit board and some of the related electrical components that may be included in the e-cig module shown in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the e-cig module, as in FIG. that is placed into a common endo shown in Fig. 2A.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a modular smartphone, as in Fig, 2C, with an e-cig module, as in Fig.4 A, in place. FIG. 7 A is a perspective top view of a typical e-cig module suitable for incorporation into a modular smartphone consistent with Project Ara design guidelines.

FIG. 7B is a perspective bottom view of the e-cig module shown in

FIG. 7A.

FIG 7C is a perspective view of the e-cig module shown in F'IG. 7A with the e-cig battery and cartridge components extended so that they can be grasped by a user.

FIG. 7D is a perspective view of view of a typical e-cig module for incorporation in a modular smartphone as in FIG. 7A with its cover removed to expose the interior components.

FIG. 7E is a perspective view similar to FIG. 7D with the e-cig battery and cartridge components removed.

FIG. 8 shows the e-cig module in FIG. 7A located (docked) into an endo. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the proximal end of an e-cig cartridge showing an optical sensor means for determining the fluid level in a solution container located inside of an e-cig cartridge.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an arrangement for an alternative means for measuring the amount of fluid solution remaining in the e-cig cartridge.

FIG. 11 shows a barcode printed on the outer circumference of an e- cig cartridge component.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing two cavities in the outer surface of an e-cig module for holding e-cigs with an e-cig inserted in one cavity and the other cavity is empty.

FIG. 13 is an electrical and data diagram for a typical e-cig module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1A shows an e-cig, based on prior art, made up of two main components, a cartridge component 1 and a battery component 2.

The cartridge component 1 contains two subcomponents, the fluid solution cartridge 4 and the atomizer 3 The distal tip of the e-cig is frequently (but not always) covered with a diffuse plastic cap 6 to simulate a regular cigarette ash enclosing a red LED 5 that is turned on when the user inhales through the e-cig. The two basic e-cig components 1 and 2 are screwed together with a male screw thread 8 that is integral with the cartridge component 1 and a female screw thread that is integral with the battery component 2. There number of other internal components inside of the e-cig that are not shown because they are not material to this patent application. These internal components include, amongst others, a heating coil to heat the fluid solution before atomization, and a battery voltage regulator. [0019] FIG. IB shows a prior art cartridge component 1 and a prior art battery component 2 screwed together to form a fully assembled e- cig 100.

[0020] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the common backbone or endoskeleton (referred to as an "endo") 11 that is used in a typical prior art modular smartphone. It has a single spine 12 and multiple ribs 13a through 13e oriented orthogonal to the spine that separate the locations where various modules can be inserted or docked. For example, location 14 in endo 11 could be used dock an e-cig module 20 (not shown in this view but shown in FIG. 4A).

[0021] FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a typical prior art modular smartphone 200 such as the Project Ara smartphone described in the

Module Developers Kit that has been released by Google and other associated companies on May 28, 2014 showing the screen component 15 lifted to expose the endo, 11 and a multiplicity of modules 16a through 16g. Each of these modules is held in place with one or more electro-permanent magnets that mate to the endo to secure the module in place.

[0022] FIG. 2C is a perspective view of the same prior art smartphone 200 shown in Fig. 2B with the screen component 15 secured in place on the endo 11.

[0023] FIG. 3 A is a drawing of the front surface 35a and rear surface

35b of a typical prior art stand-alone endo used in the Project Ara modular smartphone design with ribs 13f through 13i, spine 12, and electrical interface blocks 30a through 3 Op in each location where a module can be inserted or docked. For example, an e-cig module could be inserted into the lower right location to mate with interface block 3 Op in this figure. One can visualize that the large flat area of the endo where the electrical interface bocks are located on both sides contains a double-sided printed circuit board with lithographically defined conductive wiring paths that interconnect the various electrical interface blocks.

[0024] FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of one of the prior art common electrical interface blocks 30 that is detailed in the Project Ara design instructions. This block includes ten connection pads 33a through 33j that are either square (2.8 mm on a side) or circular (2.8 mm in diameter). The circular connection pad 33a is designated BAT+ (for positive battery voltage) and circular connection pad 33j is designated

GND (for ground). The remaining eight square shaped connection pads are for data transmission to and from the various modules along two different data lanes designated Lane A and Lane B. To minimize complexity of the interface blocks only two pads, BAT+ and GND, in each module make conductive electrical connections to a mating block in the endo using spring loaded pins. The remaining eight data pads simply make a proximity (capacitive) contact between the module and endo as detailed in the Project Ara design guidelines. The total of eight capacitive contacts are required to support the numerical product of 2 data lanes (Lane A and Lane B) times 2 directions (transmit and receive) times 2 voltage levels (positive and negative) in the Project

Ara design (2 x 2 x 2 = 8 contacts). However, in other designs versions, different data designations could be made. For example, one of the capacitive connections could be dedicated to a digital clock

(timing function) rather than data transmission.

[0025] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a typical e-cig module 20 suitable for incorporation into a modular smartphone 200, as shown in

FIG. 2C. E-cig module 20 has an electrical connector 21 located on its side surface as shown or on its back surface (not shown) that provides an electrical power connection and a data connection to the other modules in the smartphone. This e-cig module 20 serves to house side-by-side an e-cig cartridge component 1 and an e-cig battery component 2. These components can be held in place by various means such as a friction fit or other means such as the shown in FIG.

11. In this example drawing, the cartridge component 1 and battery component 2 are positively retained in place when not in use by lid 24 that can swing open or closed on a hing

[0026] Fig. 4B is a perspective view of the printed circuit board 45 and some of the related electrical components that may be included in module. In this instance, the e-cig cartridge component 1 and battery component 2 are shown to be fully assembled into

100. Attached to the printed circuit board are a multi-pin electrical connector 21 , a microprocessor 47, an optional supplemental battery

46, and pogo connectors 44a and 44b. The physical connection between the printed circuit board 45 and the e-cig battery component 2 is made employing pogo connectors 44a and 44b that are permanently fixed to the circuit board that make contact to the e-cig 100 when it is positioned as shown in this drawing. The name "pogo connector" derives from having a design similar to a child's pogo stick with an internal spring (not shown) inside of the connector's cylindrical body that presses a small conducting ball firmly against the battery component 2. Pogo connector 44a makes electrical contact to the positive pole of the battery 2 while pogo connector 44b makes electrical contact to the negative pole of the battery 2 by contacting the cylindrical surface of 2. Since the surface of battery component 2 is often covered with white paint to simulate white paper on a regular cigarette, this paint must either be made to be electrical conductive or a narrow strip of that paint must be removed around the battery component's circumference as shown in location 47. Microprocessor

48 is programmed to communicate data through the data lanes in the endo 11 to other smartphone modules. The data may include information on the use of an e-cig such the presence or absence of an e-cig 100 in the e-cig module 20, the measured voltage of e-cig battery

2, if present, the type of e-cig cartridge 1 being used based on a serial number or some equivalent designator that may be electronically determined by an optical barcode reader or RFID (radio frequency identification) tag reader mounted on the e-cig module's printed circuit board.

[0027] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the e-cig module 20 in

FIG. 4A that is placed into an endo 11 shown in Fig. 2A.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a modular smartphone 200, as in Fig, 2C, with an e-cig module 20, as in Fig.4A, in place. In this figure, the lid 24 is open and the cartridge component 1 and battery component 2 are partially withdrawn from the e-cig module 20. [0029] FIG. 7 A is a perspective top view of a typical e-cig module

70 suitable for incorporation into a modular smartphone consistent with Project Ara design guidelines. This module is sized to fit into a standard sized module location on the endo of a modular smartphone

(not shown) that is approximately 80 mm long by 40 mm wide. It contains both an e-cig cartridge 1 and an e-cig battery 2. When the slider 71 is moved in the channel 70c in the e-cig module's cover 70a with the force of a user's finger from the position shown in this figure to the left, the e-cig cartridge 1 and e-cig battery 2 move partially out of the module 70, as shown in Fig 7C, where they can be gripped and then fully removed from the module 70 by pulling.

[0030] FIG. 7B is a perspective bottom view of the e-cig module 70 shown if FIG. 7A. An electrical interface block 72 is incorporated into its bottom surface 70b located to overlay on one of the mating electrical interface blocks in the endo that is shown in FIG. 3B. [0031] FIG 7C is a perspective view of the e-cig module shown in

FIG. 7 A with the slider 71 moved fully to the left so as to cause the e- cig battery 2 and cartridge components 1 to be partially extended out of the e-cig module 70 so that they can be grasped by a user and pulled free of the e-cig module 70.

[0032] FIG. 7D is a perspective view of a typical e-cig module 70, as shown in FIG. 7A, with its cover 70a removed to expose the interior components including an e-cig cartridge 1 and an e-cig battery 2. Also shown are sensors 73a and 73b used for sensing the presence absence) of the e-cig cartridge and e-cig battery, respectively. These sensors 73a and 73b could simply be electrical switches that open when the e-cig cartridge 1 or e-cig battery 2 is removed and close when these e-cig components are returned. Alternatively, these sensors might electronically read RFID (radio frequency identification) tags, data on a magnetic strip or product bar codes included with these components to gain additional information on the type of e-cig cartridge 1 and e-cig battery 2 that is currently being used. Sensor 73a may also include an optional optical means to sense the liquid level in the fluid solution cartridge 3 (see Fig 1A) as shown in Fig. 9. As in the alternative e-cig module previously shown in Fig.

4B, pogo connectors 77a and 77b are used to make electrical connection to the positive and negative poles of the e-cig battery 2.

The bottom (base) 76 of this e-cig module supports a printed circuit board (PCB) 79 that, in turn, supports a microprocessor 75 used for data communication to and from other modules in the modular smartphone, the pogo connectors 77a and 77b, and spring clips 78 a and 78b that provide frictional force on the e-cig cartridge 1 and battery 2 so that they remain securely in position until the slider 71

(not shown in this figure) is moved. A supplemental battery or ultra- capacitor 74, is also included that can provide additional backup electrical energy for the e-cig battery or the smartphone's main battery (not shown).

[0033] FIG. 7E is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 7D, with the e- cig battery and cartridge components removed to provide a better view of the spring clips 78a and 78b.

[0034] FIG. 8 shows the e-cig module 70, as in FIG. 7A, located (docked) into an endo 11.

[0035] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the proximal end of an e- cig cartridge 1 showing an example of an optical sensor means for determining the liquid level in a solution container lb. When the solution level is high, a laser beam 83 emitted from a solid state laser

82 is reflected off of the solution's surface 81a in direction 84a to a linear photodetector array 85. When the solution level is lower, the same laser beam is reflected off of the lower liquid surface 81b as beam 84b which arrives at a lower location in the photodetector array

The arrival position of the laser beam on the photodetector array

85 can then be used to infer the solution level whenever the cartridge happens to be in a vertical or near vertical orientation (say within 15 degrees of true vertical). Verticality can be determined by the output of a tilt sensor associated with the smartphone's display screen. In order for this measurement technique to be viable, it is necessary that the side wall of the solution container lb is transparent to the laser beam and the side wall la of the e-cig cartridge is at least partially transparent to the laser beam. Partial transparency could be achieved by making a periodic array of very small holes in the e-cig cartridge's wall la that are overlaid by a transparent film.

[0036] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an arrangement for an alternative means for measuring the amount of fluid remaining in the cartridge 1. The e-cig cartridge 1 is made of electrically insulating cylinder 86 terminated at both ends by electrically conductive electrodes 85a and 85b. When the e-cig cartridg inserted into an e-cig module, such as module 70 shown in FIG. the electrically conductive electrodes 85a and 85b are contacted by connectors 88a and 88b that are mounted on a printed circuit board 89 that also supports a microprocessor 87. The function of the microprocessor 87 is to periodically measure the electrical resistance between the two conductive electrodes 85a and 85b. If the fluid solution is suspended in a cotton (non-conductive) matrix that is in direct contact with the electrodes 85a and 85b, then the measured electrical resistance will be that associated with the fluid solution which is known to be electrically conductive. This measured resistance is inversely proportional to the amount of remaining fluid solution in the e-cig cartridge 1. If the fluid solution is contained within a vial located within the e-cig cartridge 1, a similar measurement of electrical resistance can be made to determine the remaining amount of fluid solution if the electrodes 85a and 85b are made to extend into the vial containing the fluid solution. In order to ensure reproducible resistance measurements, it may be necessary to restrict the measurement to time intervals when the e-cig cartrid; happens to be in a predetermined orientation (say, within 15 deg horizontal or vertical) as determined by a data signal from the tilt sensor (not shown) associated with the modular

smartphone's display screen.

[0037] FIG. 11 shows a barcode 80 printed on the outer circumference of the cartridge component 1. This barcode can be optically read when this cartridge component 1 is moved past the barcode reader head when the cartridge component 1 is inserted into the e-cig module 20. Use of a circumferential barcode 80 is advantageous because it will be correctly read regardless orientation of the e-cig cartridge component during insertion into the e-cig module. If a barcode is printed on the outer surface of the cartridge component 1, it may be advantageous to print the barcode using invisible ink that can only be read in the infrared or ultraviolet portions of the optical spectrum so that the visual appearance of the e- cig is not compromised by the barcode's presence. Suitable infrared and ultraviolet inks are commercially available and are described in a Wikipedia article titled INVISIBLE INK that can be found on the Internet. Since the user puts the cartridge component into his/her mouth during e-smoking, it may be desirable to coat the barcode ink on the cartridge component with a transparent film of chemically inert material such as a film of perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) or some other similar material that would be transparent to the optical wavelength used by the barcode reader.

[0038] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an alternative way of holding e-cigs in an e-cig module. There are two cavities 91a and 91b in the outer surface 90 of this e-cig module for holding e-cigs with an e-cig inserted in one cavity 92b while the other cavity 91a is empty.

Such a module could be designed to hold one, two or more e-cigs within recessed cavities in the e-cig module. The narrow transverse opening of each cavity 91a or 91b is slightly smaller than the diameter of the e-cig 100. But, the cavity, itself, is sized to comfortably fit the entire e-cig once it is fully inserted into place. The user can press fit his/her e-cig 100 into the cavity 91a or 91b and it will be firmly held in place by the narrow restrictive cavity opening. To remove the e-cig

100 from the cavity, there are depressed zones, 92a, 92b, and 92c for finger access to each of the e-cigs. The user can get a firm finger grip on e-cig 100a or 100b and pull it free from the cavity 91a or 91b when he/she is ready to use the e-cig. [0039] FIG. 13 is an electrical circuit diagram for a typical e-cig module showing both electrical power lines (in bold) and electrical data/signal lines (not bold) interconnecting various components. Four modules are shown in Fig. 10: the e-cig module 70 and three additional non-e-cig modules 101, 102, and 103 that may be used for other smartphone applications such as cell phone communications, camera, display screen driver, etc. All of the modules have electrical power connections (112, 113, 114, 115, and 116) and data connections

(121,122, 123, 124, 125, and 126) to and from the endo 11. In addition, e-cig module has internal electrical power connections 110 and 111 and internal data connection 127. Cavity 105 is for an e-cig cartridge and cavity 106 for an e-cig battery. A microprocessor 107 manages all data connections and a power management unit 108 manages all electrical power within the e-cig module. Also shown are sensors 73a and 73b previously discussed in Fig. 7D, above. The optional supplemental battery 74 is also shown in Fig. 12. [0040] While the above disclosure describes several specific examples of modules used to hold, protect, and recharge one or more and a modular cell phone or tablet, these examples should merely be considered to be representative of many other configurations for accomplishing the desired objectives of holding, protecting and recharging. It is therefore to be understood that the scope of this invention is broader than specifically described specification and following claims and that the apparatus and methods described herein relate broadly to the integration of e-cigs into modular smartphones or modular tablets.

END

Claims

CLAIMS The invention claimed is:

1. An e-cig module that can hold and protect at least one e-cig (either fully assembled or in two parts consisting of a cartridge component and a battery component that can be easily joined together by a user, such as by screwing these parts together), a printed circuit board, and associated support electronics that can be incorporated (docked) in a modular smartphone or modular tablet.

2. An e-cig module as in Claim 1 having an outer shell made from a metal, an impact resistant plastic material, or a combination of these materials.

3. An e-cig module as in Claim 2 having one or more electro- permanent magnets on its external surface that mate to an endoskeleton (endo) to secure the module in place.

4. An e-cig module as in Claim 1 in which an e-cig battery component and supplemental battery component will be simultaneously recharged whenever the modular smartphone is recharged using an external charging source.

5. An e-cig module as in Claim 4 in which the electrical energy stored in the e-cig battery component or supplemental battery or ultra- capacitor can be shared, bi-directionally, with the electrical energy stored in the main battery in the modular smartphone at the user's discretion.

6. An e-cig module as in claim 1 that includes an e-cig battery component sensing electrical switch that is closed when an e-cig battery component is present and is open when the e-cig battery component is removed.

An e-cig module as in Claim 1 in which the voltage of the battery component part is frequently monitored and its value is stored in a buffer electronic memory within the modular smartphone such that the last battery voltage value before the e-cig is removed from the e-cig module and the first battery voltage value after the e-cig is reinserted into the e-cig module will be saved and be used to determine, by a calculation, the total battery energy used during an e- smoking episode and, if desired, be converted by a use monitoring application (USE APP) in the smartphone to display on the smartphone screen the effective number of conventional tobacco cigarettes that would have been smoked to provide the same amount of nicotine per day or per week as consumed with the e-cig usag alternatively displaying some other easily understood units corresponding to e-cig usage over time at the user's request.

8. An e-cig module as in Claim 7 in which the said USE APP includes a feature for the user to optionally specify the specific cartridge type being used or nicotine concentration in the fluid solution within the cartridge actually being used if different from a typical average value (say, 16 mg/dl) so that the conversion of the e-smoking usage into an equivalent number of conventional tobacco cigarettes smoked would be more accurate.

9. An e-cig module as in Claim 7 that includes an integral optical scanner that can read an identifying bar code printed on the outer cylindrical surface of the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the e-cig module along with a USE APP that can convert the bar code information into a cartridge type and/or nicotine concentration level to eliminate the need for the user to manually enter this information into the USE APP.

10. An e-cig module as in Claim 9 that employs a barcode scanner operating in the infrared portion of the optical spectrum to read infrared ink that is not visible to a human eye to preserve the appearance of the e-cig cartridge component.

11. An e-cig module as in Claim 9 that employs a barcode scanner operating in the ultraviolet portion of the optical spectrum to read ultraviolet ink that is not visible to a human eye to preserve the appearance of the e-cig cartridge component.

An e-cig module as in Claim 7 that includes an integral magnetic strip scanner that can read a magnetic data code written on a strip that is bonded to the outer cylindrical surface of the cartridge so that when the cartridge is inserted into the e-cig module a USE APP can convert gnetic information into a cartridge type and/or nicotine concentration level to eliminate the need for the user to manually enter this information into the USE APP.

13. An e-cig module as in Claim 7 that includes a proximity sensor that can read an RFID tag that is inside or bonded to the cylindrical surface of the cartridge so that when the cartridge is inserted into the e- cig module a USE APP can convert the RFID tag information into a cartridge type and/or nicotine concentration level to eliminate the need for the user to manually enter this information into the USE APP.

An e-cig module as in Claim 7 having an optical sensor that can be used in conjunction with the output of a tilt sensor associated with the smartphone's display screen to determine the fluid solution level in the container located in the e-cig cartridge.

15. An e-cig module as in Claim 7 having an electrical resistance sensor that can be used in conjunction with the output of a tilt sensor associated with the smartphone's display screen to determine the amount of fluid solution in a cotton matrix or fluid container located in the e-cig cartridge.

16. An e-cig module as described in Claim 7 having two pogo connectors fixed to the printed circuit board that make connection to the battery of an e-cig.

17. An e-cig module as described in Claim 7 having two pogo connectors fixed to the printed circuit board that make connection to the cartridge of an e-cig.

18. An e-cig module as in Claim 7 functioning in conjunction with other modules in a modular smartphone or modular tablet that can display the charge status of an e-cig on the smartphone's or tablet's screen.

An e-cig module as in Claim 1 where the e-cig and/or the battery and cartridge components are held in place by a press fit into a cavity having an opening slightly smaller than the diameter of the e- cig or its components.

An e-cig module as in Claim 19 where the e-cig and/or the battery and cartridge components can be removed by gripping with the user's fingers in a zone where the sides of the cavity have been relieved and then pulling the e-cig or e-cig components free.

An e-cig module as in Claim 7 where the e-cig and/or the battery and cartridge components can be removed by opening a small door or lid that is attached to the e-cig module by a hinge.

22. An e-cig module as in Claim 21 in which the small door or lid is held securely closed with a friction fit to one or more surfaces of the e- cig module and can be opened with finger force.

An e-cig module as in Claim 1 where the e-cig and/or the battery and cartridge components can be partially removed by applying lateral finger force to a slider located in the top surface of the e-cig module.