WO2023001981A1

WO2023001981A1 - Method of operating an aerosol generating device

Info

Publication number: WO2023001981A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/070540
Authority: WO
Inventors: Layth Sliman BOUCHUIGUIR
Original assignee: Jt International Sa
Priority date: 2021-07-23
Filing date: 2022-07-21
Publication date: 2023-01-26

Abstract

A method (300) of operating an aerosol-generating device is disclosed comprising detecting (301) puffs taken by a user; counting (302) user puffs in succession and disabling (304) aerosol generation when the number of puffs reaches a predetermined value; enabling (307) the aerosol generation and resetting the count of user puffs when a reset condition is satisfied, wherein the reset condition is satisfied when a current orientation of the aerosol-generation device is different to the orientation of the aerosol-generating device at the last user puff based on a rotation of the aerosol-generating device about a main longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating device.

Description

METHOD OF OPERATING AN AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of operating an aerosol generating device for an enhanced user experience. More specifically, it relates to an aerosol generating device such as e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn devices and the like, which are capable of measuring aerosol intake based on a usage, and prevent the user from generating aerosol according to a preset limit.

BACKGROUND

Inhalers or aerosol generating devices such as e-cigarettes or vaping devices are becoming increasingly popular. They generally heat or warm an aerosolisable substance to generate an aerosol for inhalation, as opposed to burning tobacco as in conventional tobacco products. The generated aerosol may contain a flavour and/or a stimulant (e.g., nicotine or other active component). Users of such inhalers may wish to monitor and control the amount of flavour or stimulant taken during use at times.

Most aerosol generating devices incorporate some form of electronic control circuit, typically including a simple computer processor, allowing a user to control operation of the aerosol generation device and remind the user of the amount of aerosol they are consuming. However, these devices can be quite restrictive in their settings and may not offer much flexibility to the user. Even in devices that allow a user to customise settings, it requires some effort from the user and may not be intuitive.

Therefore, there exists a need for a device that can be operated and controlled in accordance with the user’s preference for aerosol monitoring and consumption control without requiring much effort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating an aerosol-generating device comprising detecting puffs taken by a user; counting user puffs in succession and disabling aerosol generation when the number of puffs reaches a predetermined value; enabling the aerosol generation and resetting the count of user puffs when a reset condition is satisfied, wherein the reset condition is satisfied when a current orientation of the aerosol-generation device is different to the orientation of the aerosol-generating device at the last user puff based on a rotation of the aerosol-generating device about a main longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating device.

Advantageously, by monitoring user puffs and disabling aerosol generation once a certain puff count is reached, the user is reminded of their aerosol intake without any intervention from the user. This provides the user with a clear barrier to further aerosol consumption thereby allowing the user to better manage their consumption of aerosol. Aerosol generation is only enabled if a reset condition of changing the orientation of the device compared to the orientation of the device at the last (or most recent) user puff, is satisfied, which requires the user to make a conscious decision to continue vaping. This is an effective way to encourage the user to regulate their aerosol intake.

Preferably, the method includes storing an orientation of the aerosol generating device after each user puff or after a predetermined puff number. In this way, when aerosol generation is disabled, the current orientation of the device may be compared to the stored orientation to determine if the reset condition is satisfied.

Preferably, the rotation may be at least 140 degrees, preferably at least 160 degrees, and more preferably at least 180 degrees. In this way the change in orientation required to satisfy the reset condition is sufficiently large that it is unlikely the user will accidentally enable aerosol generation.

Preferably, the aerosol-generating device is also configured to provide a first alert signal when the number of puffs reaches the predetermined value and aerosol generation is disabled. In this way the user is provided with additional feedback that they have reached a puff limit. The feedback may be one or more of audible, visual and sensory. Preferably, the method includes the step of providing a second alert signal when the count of user puffs has been reset and aerosol generation has been enabled. In this way the user is made aware when the aerosol generating device is ready for use. Again, the feedback generated by the second alert signal may be one or more of audible, visual and sensory.

The reset condition may include the elapse of a predetermined time period since the last user puff. In this way, if the user takes a long break between puffs, it is determined that the user is not engaging in sustained continuous vaping and thus puffs taken after a long break do not contribute to the puff count of the previous vaping session.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an aerosol- generating device comprising a body having a main longitudinal axis, an inlet and an outlet with an air channel defined between the inlet and the outlet; an orientation sensor configured to determine rotational orientation around the main longitudinal axis; a puff detector configured to detect puffs taken by a user; and a controller configured to start a counter to count the puffs in succession and disable aerosol generation when the number of puffs reaches a predetermined value; and wherein the controller is configured to enable aerosol generation and reset the counter when a reset condition is satisfied, wherein the reset condition is satisfied when a current orientation of the aerosol-generation device is determined to be different to the orientation of the aerosol-generating device at the last user puff, based on a rotation of the aerosol-generating device about the main longitudinal axis.

Method steps may be provided as corresponding apparatus features and vice- versa.

Preferably, the device includes a data storage unit configured to store information regarding the orientation of the device after each user puff, or after a predetermined puff number, as determined by the orientation sensor. Preferably, the controller of the device is also configured to provide a first alert signal when the predetermined value is reached. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions which when executed by a processor in an aerosol generation device cause the processor to perform the method steps described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are now described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows an aerosol generating device according to an aspect of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of various components of the device of Fig. 1 ; and Fig. 3 shows a flow diagram of a method of operating the device of Fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Next, various aspects of the invention will be described. Note that the same or similar portions are denoted with the same or similar reference signs in the descriptions of the drawings below. Note that the drawings are schematic and a ratio of each size is different from a real one. Therefore, specific sizes and the like should be judged in consideration of the following descriptions.

Fig. 1 shows a non-combustion-type aerosol generating device 100, which is a device for inhaling an aerosol by heating or vaporisation without combustion. The device 100 has a rod-like shape with a main body 101 extending from a non-mouthpiece end 102 to a mouthpiece end 103. An air channel or path is defined in the main body 100 between the opposite ends 102, 103. The non- mouthpiece end 102 is an air inlet, and the mouthpiece end 103 is an air outlet. The aerosol-generating device 100 in the present example is an electronic cigarette or a vaping device, and is referred to as e-cig 100 hereinafter. The e- cig 100 works by vaporizing or heating an aerosol source inserted into the e-cig 100 to release a flavour and/or a stimulant for a user to inhale through the mouthpiece end 103. The construction and operation of such a device to generate aerosol is well-known in the art and it will be understood by a skilled person that the invention disclosed herein can be applicable to aerosol generation devices in any shapes, configured with any aerosol generating techniques, not limited to the example.

The e-cig 100 may include an activation switch 104 that may be configured to perform at least one of a turn-on and a turn-off of a power source of the e-cig 100. The activation switch 104 may be a push button or a touch button disposed at any convenient location on the surface of the main body 101 of the e-cig 100. Alternatively, the e-cig 100 does not rely on a switch button to activate power supply to heater, but relies on a puff sensor to detect air flow and trigger the device to start generating aerosol.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing various components or modules of the e-cig 100. In one example, the e-cig 100 comprises a consumables module 201a and a heating element 202 that vaporizes a consumable item 201b received by the consumables module 201a to release aerosol containing the flavour and/or stimulant for the user to inhale. In the present example, the consumable item 201b is a substance containing nicotine. Presence of the consumable item 201b in the consumables module 201a may be detected by a detector 201c. The consumable item 201b may be in the form of solid, liquid or semi-solid and is heated by the heating element 202 to release the aerosol without combustion. In case the consumable item 201b is a liquid store, more than one consumable items can be received at the consumable module 201a. The heating element 202 may be powered by a power source 203. The power source 203 is, for example, a lithium ion battery. The power source 203 supplies an electric power necessary for an action of the e-cig 100. For example, the power source 203 supplies the electric power to all other components or modules included in the e-cig 100.

For the purposes of the present description, it will be understood that the terms vapour and aerosol are interchangeable. In some examples, the heating element is arranged within a capsule or cigarette-like aerosol generating material and connectable to the aerosol generation device, rather than being a component of the aerosol generation device itself.

In one embodiment, a flavouring is present in the consumable item 201b. The flavouring may include Ethylvanillin (vanilla), menthol, Isoamyl acetate (banana oil) or similar. In another embodiment, the consumable item 201b may include an additional flavour source (not shown) provided on the side of the mouthpiece end 103 beyond the consumables module 201a the consumable item 201b, and generates a flavour to be inhaled by the user together with the aerosol generated from the consumable item 201b. In yet another embodiment, the e- cig 100 comprises more than one consumable item each comprising a flavouring and/or a certain level of active component (nicotine). In this case, each consumable item can be independently heated to generate aerosol.

The e-cig 100 also includes a controller 204 that is configured to control various components in the e-cig 100. For example, the controller 204 may control a timing unit 205 (comprising a timer), a communications unit 206, a memory 207, an orientation sensor 208, and a puff sensor 209 included in the e-cig 100. The timing unit 205 is configured to provide time information (e.g., time of the day) and generate a timestamp for puff data or event data, which is helpful for managing the user’s aerosol consumption. The timing unit 205 is further configured to monitor timing of each puff and breaks in between and provide this information to the controller 204 to monitor and potentially restrict the user’s usage of the e-cig 100. It is to be noted that the functions of the timing unit 205 can be consolidated into the controller 204. The communications unit 206 is configured to manage communication with any personal computing device, a server, a tracking device, or other e-cigs in the vicinity of the e-cig 100. The memory 207 is configured to store vaping usage history and information such as user settings and preferences.

The e-cig 100 may also include various sensors such as the orientation sensor 208 and the puff sensor 209. The orientation sensor 208, such as a gyroscope, or an accelerometer, is configured to determine a positional orientation of the e- cig 100, for example, determining if the e-cig 100 is held face up or face down when in use. The orientation of the e-cig 100 may be stored in memory 207 of the e-cig 100 at different points in time.

The puff sensor 209 is configured to determine the number of puff actions of inhaling the aerosol. The puff sensor 209 can also determine a time period required for one puff action of inhaling the aerosol. The recorded usage data can comprise puff duration (i.e., length of a puff), a puff interval (i.e., the time between consecutive puffs), and a fluid and/or nicotine consumption amount. The puff sensor 209 may also be configured to activate the heater 202 in response to the user taking a puff from the e-cig 100.

The e-cig 100 may also include a consumable recognition sensor (not shown) configured to identify the consumable item 201b inserted in the e-cig 100. The recognition sensor may be included in the consumables module 201a or the detector 201c. The recognition sensor may use NFC, RFID or any other known technique to recognise the strength of the stimulant contained in the consumable item 201b from an NFC/RFID tag disposed on the consumable item 201b.

The e-cig 100 may also include an Input-Output (I/O) or user interface 210 configured to provide indications to the user and to receive inputs from the user. The I/O interface 210 preferably comprises an indication device and an input device. The indication device may comprise a visual light emitting element including one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), a screen display, or a sound emitter, or other appropriate means to provide indication to users. The visual light-emitting element such as an LED may be disposed at the tip of the non mouthpiece end 102, or on a side surface of the e-cig 100. Such an LED may exhibit various light-emitting modes to provide the user with an indication of a puff state where the aerosol is being inhaled, a non-puff state where the aerosol is not being inhaled, a pre-heating state when the heater is heating up, a ready- to-vape state when the heater operates at target temperature to generate aerosol, a depletion state where LED bar shows depletion level of the aerosol source, and any other information related to the operation status of the e-cig 100. The input device can be one or more user operable buttons or sensible touch panel, responsible to depression, toggling, or touch.

All the elements described above transmit and/or receive command and/or data via communication bus 211.

Fig. 3 shows a flow diagram for a process 300 of operating the e-cig 100. It is to be noted that steps in the process 300 may not necessarily be performed in the displayed sequence. Also, not all steps are shown and some of the steps may be optional and can be omitted.

At step 301, puffs taken by a user are detected. In the present example, when the user starts inhaling aerosol from the e-cig 100, the puff sensor 209 detects each puff taken by the user. In each puff the user intakes a certain amount of aerosol but the total amount of aerosol inhaled depends on the duration and number of puffs. The puff sensor 209 preferably communicates with the controller 204 and the timing unit 205 to record the duration and number of puffs taken by the user.

At step 302, puffs taken by the user in succession are counted. In the present example, the controller 204 initiates a counter to count the number of puffs inhaled by the user. As the puff sensor 209 detects the end of each puff, the counter is successively incremented by one to record the number of puffs taken by the user in one puff session. Any break taken by the user between two consecutive puffs is monitored by the timing unit 205 and controller 204 as explained above, and a sufficiently long break may lead to the count of user puffs being reset. The count of puffs is monitored to prevent excessive sustained use of the e-cig 100.

At step 303, it is determined if the number of puffs equals a predetermined value. The predetermined value may be set according to a user’s preference i.e. , according to user input via the I/O interface on the e-cig 100 or via wireless communication with a personal computing device, or alternatively may be set by controller 204 according to the strength of stimulant measured by the consumable recognition sensor. Alternatively, the predetermined value may be set as a default number by firmware operating on the e-cig 100. The predetermined value can be e.g., 15 or 30 number of puffs. The current value of the puff counter is compared to the predetermined value to determine if the current number of puffs equals the predetermined value. If the current value of the puffs counter is found to be less than the predetermined value, then the count of successive user puffs continues until the predetermined value is reached.

When the predetermined value is reached, at step 304, aerosol generation is disabled. In the present example, the controller is configured to disable aerosol generation. For example, disabling aerosol generation may be achieved by disabling the heating element 202 or by electrically isolating the power source 203 from the heating element 202. At the time that the last user puff (i.e. the most recent user puff) is being taken or right after being completed, the orientation of the device may be determined. A trigger to start determining the orientation of the device can be either detecting a begin of a puff or an end of a puff. For example, the controller 204 may determine the orientation of the e-cig 100 from the orientation sensor 208. The orientation of the device after the last user puff may be stored in memory 207.

In one example, the orientation sensor 208 is activated by the controller once the e-cig 100 has reached the predetermined number of puffs and remain active until a reset condition is reached. In this case, the orientation sensor 208 is inactive and does not determine orientation of the e-cig 100 before reaching the predetermined number of puffs. In another example, the orientation sensor 208 remains active during the entire vaping session to be able to determine orientation of the e-cig for each puff.

There are a number of other ways that disabling aerosol generation may be implemented. In one example, where the heater 202 is activated by the puff sensor 209 in response to the user taking a puff, disabling aerosol generation may be achieved by disabling the puff sensor 209, or by electrically isolating the power source 203 from the puff sensor 209.

In another example, aerosol generation may be disabled by the e-cig 100 entering a low power mode, in which only the components required to determine if the reset condition has been satisfied are able to operate. For example, in the low power mode, the orientation sensor 208, timing unit 205 and controller may be powered by the power source 203, to determine if the reset condition is satisfied, but the remaining components of the e-cig 100 would be electrically isolated, and not operational. In the low power mode the I/O interface may signal to the user that the device is in a low power mode, or the I/O interface may also be turned off.

In another example, the air channel between the mouthpiece and the consumable module may be blocked, or altered to prevent the user from generating aerosol.

There may be other ways of disabling aerosol generation, and these would be understood by the person skilled in the art.

Optionally, the controller may provide the user with a first alert signal when the number of puffs reaches the predetermined value. The first alert signal may comprise activating an LED, emitting a sound, or some other way of communicating with the user so that the user receives notification to be guided to make conscious decision to continue vaping by manipulating the e-cig 100 as described below.

By disabling aerosol generation based on the number of puffs taken by the user, the user is reminded about their sustained usage without any effort being required on their part. The user is encouraged to manage their consumption of aerosol and is prevented from inadvertently consuming more than they intended. This somewhat mimics the experience a user finds when consuming a conventional cigarette, where the user’s smoking session is brought to a natural end due to the end of the cigarette being reached. However, it is worth noting that in the present example, aerosol generation is disabled because a predetermined puff number is reached, not because the consumable item 201b has been depleted.

At step 305, the current orientation of the device is determined. In the present example, the controller 204 determines from the orientation sensor 208 what the current orientation of the e-cig 100 is.

At step 306 it is determined if the current orientation of the device is different to the orientation of the device at the last user puff. In the present example, the difference in orientation is typically measured with respect to a main longitudinal axis 105 of the e-cig 100. If the current orientation is sufficiently different to the orientation of the device at the last user puff, then the reset condition is satisfied. Otherwise, the controller continues to determine the current orientation of the device until the orientation of the device changes sufficiently or until a predetermined time period has elapsed.

The reset condition is typically satisfied when the user consciously rotates the e- cig 100 about its main longitudinal axis 105. The amount of rotation required to satisfy the reset condition may be adjusted by the user, or may be preset. Optionally, the rotation may be at least 140 degrees, or at least 160 degrees, or at least 180 degrees. Any other degree of rotation is also possible. By requiring a sufficient amount of rotation about the main longitudinal axis 105 of e-cig 100, it becomes unlikely that the user could accidentally enable aerosol generation, for example, through natural movement of the device during use. Rather, when the aerosol generation is disabled, the user is alerted to the extent of their consumption, and must then make the conscious decision to enable aerosol generation if they wish to continue vaping. This encourages the user to manage their aerosol consumption.

Additionally or alternatively, the reset condition may be satisfied after the elapse of a predetermined time period since the last user puff, as measured by the timing unit 205. This reset condition would be met when the user takes a break from continuous sustained vaping. For example, the predetermined time period may be 7 minutes, or an hour. In an example, the predetermined time period may be set by the user.

Once the reset condition is determined to be satisfied, at step 307, the count of user puffs is reset, and the controller 204 enables aerosol generation of the e- cig. For example, this may be achieved by enabling the heating element 202 or re-connecting the power source 203 to the heating element 202. Once the user count is reset and aerosol generation is enabled, the user may continue to vape until the number of user puffs once again reaches the predetermined value.

There are also a number of different ways that aerosol generation can be enabled. For example, when the puff sensor 209 has been disabled as a means to prevent aerosol generation, the puff sensor 209 can be enabled to facilitate aerosol generation. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 204 could control the e-cig 100 to leave a low power mode, thereby enabling all components required for aerosol generation. Aerosol generation could also be enabled by restoring the air channel between the consumable module to full functionality.

Optionally, when the count of user puffs is reset, the controller may provide the user with a second alert signal to inform them that aerosol generation has been enabled. The second alert signal may comprise activating an LED, emitting a sound, or some other way of communicating with the user. According to the above method of operating an aerosol generating device, the user is encouraged to be manage the amount of aerosol they consume. By disabling aerosol generation when a predetermined number of user puffs is reached, the user is provided with feedback on how much aerosol they have consumed, and is given a chance to pause and consider if they wish to continue vaping. If the user does wish to continue vaping, then they must make a mindful decision, that is, to rotate the device in a specific way, to enable aerosol generation.

The processing steps described herein carried out by the main control unit, or controller, may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, or storage, associated with the main control unit. A computer-readable medium can include non-volatile media and volatile media. Volatile media can include semiconductor memories and dynamic memories, amongst others. Non-volatile media can include optical disks and magnetic disks, amongst others.

As used herein, the term “non-transitory computer-readable media” is intended to be representative of any tangible computer-based device implemented in any method or technology for short-term and long-term storage of information, such as, computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules and submodules, or other data in any device. Therefore, the methods described herein may be encoded as executable instructions embodied in a tangible, non- transitory, computer readable medium, including, without limitation, a storage device, and/or a memory device. Such instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform at least a portion of the methods described herein. Moreover, as used herein, the term “non-transitory computer- readable media” includes all tangible, computer-readable media, including, without limitation, non-transitory computer storage devices, including, without limitation, volatile and non-volatile media, and removable and non-removable media such as a firmware, physical and virtual storage, CD-ROMs, DVDs, and any other digital source such as a network or the Internet, as well as yet to be developed digital means, with the sole exception being a transitory, propagating signal.

As will be appreciated based on the foregoing specification, the above-described embodiments of the disclosure may be implemented using computer programming or engineering techniques including computer software, firmware, hardware or any combination or subset thereof. Any such resulting program, having computer-readable code means, may be embodied or provided within one or more computer-readable media, thereby making a computer program product, i.e., an article of manufacture, according to the discussed embodiments of the disclosure. The article of manufacture containing the computer code may be made and/or used by executing the code directly from one medium, by copying the code from one medium to another medium, or by transmitting the code over a network.

It is to be understood that the above described device and the method may be modified according to design choices and manufacturer’s preferences. For example, the reset condition may be changed based on other positional orientations of the device. In addition, various thresholds and preset values may be either hard coded or user configurable.

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

1. A method (300) of operating an aerosol-generating device comprising: detecting (301) puffs taken by a user; counting (302) user puffs in succession and disabling (304) aerosol generation when the number of puffs reaches a predetermined value; and enabling (307) the aerosol generation and resetting the count of user puffs when a reset condition is satisfied, wherein the reset condition is satisfied when a current orientation of the aerosol-generation device is different to the orientation of the aerosol-generating device at the last user puff based on a rotation of the aerosol-generating device about a main longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating device.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising the step of storing an orientation of the aerosol generating device at the last user puff.

3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the rotation is at least 140 degrees, preferably at least 160 degrees, and more preferably at least 180 degrees.

4. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosol generating device is also configured to provide a first alert signal when the number of puffs reaches the predetermined value and aerosol generation is disabled.

5. The method of any of the preceding claims, comprising the step of providing a second alert signal when the count of user puffs has been reset and aerosol generation is enabled.

6. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the reset condition includes the elapse of a predetermined time period since the last user puff.

7. An aerosol-generating device (100) comprising: a body having a main longitudinal axis (105), an inlet (102) and an outlet (103) with an air channel defined between the inlet and the outlet; an orientation sensor (208) configured to determine rotational orientation around the main longitudinal axis; a puff detector (209) configured to detect puffs taken by a user; and a controller (204) configured to: start a counter to count the puffs in succession and disable aerosol generation when the number of puffs reaches a predetermined value; and enable aerosol generation and reset the counter when a reset condition is satisfied, wherein the reset condition is satisfied when a current orientation of the aerosol-generation device is determined to be different to the orientation of the aerosol-generating device at the last user puff, based on a rotation of the aerosol-generating device about the main longitudinal axis.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising: a data storage unit (207) configured to store information regarding the orientation of the device at the last user puff, as determined by the orientation sensor.

9. The device of any of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is also configured to provide a first alert signal when the predetermined value is reached and aerosol generation is disabled.

10. A computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions which when executed by a processor in an aerosol generation device cause the processor to perform the steps of any of claims 1 to 6.