Method and device for executing an electronic cigarette device operating system

Abstract

An electronic cigarette device comprises: a shell extending in a longitudinal direction, the shell comprising a mouth end and a connection end; a reservoir containing a pre-vaporization formula, the reservoir being located in the shell; a heating element located in the shell, the heating element being in fluid communication with the reservoir, the heating element being configured to generate steam; and a rechargeable battery configured to power at least the heating element and any other potential power consumption elements (e.g., electronic circuits). The electronic cigarette device also comprises: a first memory having computer readable instructions related to an electronic cigarette operating system (OS) stored thereon; and at least one processor configured to execute the OS computer readable instructions to: execute the operating system and execute target codes related to the functions of the electronic cigarette device, the operating system comprising a real-time kernel configured to operate the electronic cigarette device.

Description

[0001] This patent application is a divisional application of application number 201580074046.0 (PCT / IB2015 / 059125) filed on November 25, 2015 and entitled “Method and device, programming language and application programming interface for executing an electronic cigarette device operating system”.

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This US non-provisional application claims priority under 35 USC §119 to US Provisional Application No. 62 / 084,122 filed on November 25, 2014 in the USPTO, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0004] The present invention relates to a method, system, device and / or computer readable medium related to an electronic cigarette device, which is configured to execute an electronic cigarette operating system and an object code written in an electronic cigarette programming language related to the electronic cigarette operating system and the electronic cigarette application programming interface (API). In addition, the present invention also relates to a dedicated operating system, a dedicated programming language, and a dedicated API for standardizing electronic cigarette devices and components thereof. Background Art

[0005] Many existing electronic cigarette devices (also referred to as e-cigarette devices) contain an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that provides control logic for the power and operating elements contained in the e-cigarette device (such as an atomizer and a battery). Newer e-cigarette devices have been developed that use software programmable microcontrollers instead of ASICs, providing additional complexity and flexibility in the operation and management of the e-cigarette device.

[0006] However, these microcontrollers are often operated using custom product-specific software packages, which are developed by the manufacturers of the electronic cigarette devices themselves, using their own languages, functions and instructions for specific electronic cigarette device models and / or specific microcontrollers. In addition, the software is often developed in a product-specific manner based on the components, functions and requirements of the corresponding electronic cigarette device, and may vary greatly from product to product. As a result, the software and resulting microcontrollers may vary greatly between different manufacturers and even between different products.

[0007] Therefore, current ASICs and microcontrollers in electronic cigarette devices cannot adapt to different components in the electronic cigarette device, such as different reservoirs, batteries, chargers, external software applications, etc., without being specifically programmed and manufactured for each different component. Summary of the invention

[0008] At least one exemplary embodiment relates to an electronic cigarette device, comprising: a shell extending in a longitudinal direction, the shell comprising a mouth end and a connection end; a reservoir containing a pre-vaporization formula, the reservoir being located in the shell; a heating element located in the shell, the heating element being fluidically connected to the reservoir, the heating element being configured to generate vapor; a rechargeable battery configured to power at least the heating element (and any other potential power consumption elements, such as electronic circuits); a first memory having computer-readable instructions related to an electronic cigarette operating system (OS) stored thereon; and at least one processor configured to execute the OS computer-readable instructions to: execute the operating system and execute target code related to the functions of the electronic cigarette device, the operating system comprising a real-time kernel configured to operate the electronic cigarette device.

[0009] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the electronic cigarette device, the at least one processor may also be configured to control vapor generation using the heating element and the reservoir based on the target code.

[0010] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the electronic cigarette device, the charging interface can be configured to connect the rechargeable battery to an external power source; and the at least one processor can also be configured to control the charging of the rechargeable battery using the external power source through the charging interface based on the target code.

[0011] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the electronic cigarette device, at least one input / output element may include at least one of a light emitting diode, a button, a switch, and an airflow sensor; and at least one processor may also be configured to control the at least one input / output element based on the target code.

[0012] In at least one exemplary embodiment of an electronic cigarette device, object code associated with electronic cigarette device functionality may include computer readable instructions for at least one of: electronic cigarette device identification, power on, power off, power consumption, operating efficiency, heating element temperature control, reservoir pre-vaporization formula level detection, operating time, power reduction, power increase, battery charging control, user interface, communication, self-testing, and electronic cigarette device monitoring.

[0013] In at least one exemplary embodiment of an electronic cigarette device, the reservoir interface may be configured to transmit data communications between the at least one processor and the reservoir, the reservoir may include a second memory configured to store reservoir user configuration information related to the pre-vaporization recipe, and the at least one processor may be configured to receive the reservoir user configuration through the reservoir interface based on the operating system for storage in the first memory.

[0014] In at least one exemplary embodiment of an electronic cigarette device, the reservoir user configuration may include at least one of: pre-vaporization recipe type, pre-vaporization recipe identification, manufacturer identification, capacity, heating element configuration data, measurement capacity, deliverable functional quantity, consumption capacity, and software functionality.

[0015] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the electronic cigarette device, the host interface can be configured to transmit data communications between the at least one processor and the external computing device, and the at least one processor can be configured to receive data from the external computing device through the host interface based on the operating system to store in the first memory.

[0016] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the electronic smoking device, the data of the external computing device may include user profile information associated with an owner of the electronic smoking device.

[0017] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the electronic smoking device, the data received from the external computing device may include object code associated with operating the electronic smoking device and the reservoir according to desired operating limits.

[0018] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the electronic cigarette device, the housing may include a battery portion and a reservoir portion; the first memory and the at least one processor may be disposed in the battery portion.

[0019] In at least one exemplary embodiment of an electronic cigarette device, the housing may include a battery portion and a reservoir portion; the first memory and the at least one processor may be disposed in the reservoir portion.

[0020] In at least one exemplary embodiment of an electronic cigarette device, the object code may be based on source code written in an electronic cigarette programming language associated with an electronic cigarette operating system.

[0021] At least one exemplary embodiment relates to a method for operating an electronic cigarette device, which may include: using at least one processor to execute an electronic cigarette operating system, the operating system including a real-time kernel configured to operate the electronic cigarette device; and, using at least one processor to execute target code related to the function of the electronic cigarette device, the electronic cigarette device function is related to at least one of the following: a reservoir, which contains a pre-vaporization formula, the reservoir is located in a shell; a heating element, which is located in the shell, the heating element is fluidly connected to the reservoir, and the heating element is configured to generate vapor; a rechargeable battery, which is configured to power at least the heating element (and any other potential power consumption elements, such as electronic circuits); and a first memory, on which computer-readable instructions related to the operating system are stored.

[0022] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, executing object code associated with the functionality of the electronic cigarette device may include controlling vapor generation using a heating element and a reservoir.

[0023] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, the electronic cigarette device may include a charging interface configured to connect a rechargeable battery to an external power source; and executing the target code may include controlling the charging of the rechargeable battery using an external power source through the charging interface based on the target code.

[0024] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, the electronic cigarette device may include at least one input / output element, which is at least one of a light emitting diode, a button, a switch, and an airflow sensor; and executing the target code may include controlling the at least one input / output element based on the target code.

[0025] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, the object code associated with the electronic cigarette device functionality may include computer readable instructions for at least one of: electronic cigarette device identification, power on, power off, power consumption, operating efficiency, heating element temperature control, reservoir pre-vaporization formula level detection, operating time, power reduction, power increase, battery charging control, user interface, communication, self-testing, and electronic cigarette device monitoring.

[0026] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, the electronic cigarette device may include a reservoir interface configured to transmit data communications between at least one processor and the reservoir; the reservoir may include a second memory configured to store reservoir user configuration information related to the pre-vaporization recipe; and executing the operating system may include receiving the reservoir user configuration through the reservoir interface to store in the first memory.

[0027] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, the reservoir user configuration may include at least one of: pre-vaporization recipe type, pre-vaporization recipe identification, manufacturer identification, capacity, heating element configuration data, measurement capacity, deliverable functional quantity, consumption capacity, and software functionality.

[0028] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, the electronic cigarette device may include a host interface configured to transmit data communications between the at least one processor and the external computing device; and executing the operating system may include receiving data from the external computing device through the host interface to store in the first memory.

[0029] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, the data of the external computing device may include user profile information associated with an owner of the electronic smoking device.

[0030] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, the data received from the external computing device may include object code associated with operating the electronic cigarette device and the reservoir according to desired operating limits.

[0031] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, the housing may include a battery portion and a storage portion; a first memory and at least one processor may be arranged in the battery portion, and computer-readable instructions related to the electronic cigarette operating system may be stored on the first memory.

[0032] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, the housing may include a battery portion and a storage portion; a first memory and at least one processor may be arranged in the storage portion, and computer-readable instructions related to the electronic cigarette operating system may be stored on the first memory.

[0033] In at least one exemplary embodiment of the method, the target code may be based on source code written in an electronic cigarette programming language associated with an electronic cigarette operating system.

[0034] At least one exemplary embodiment relates to a non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer-readable instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor, can configure the processor to: execute computer-readable instructions related to an electronic cigarette device (EVD) operating system, the EVD operating system including a real-time kernel configured to operate the electronic cigarette device; and, execute object code related to the functions of the electronic cigarette device. The electronic cigarette device may include: a housing extending in a longitudinal direction, the housing including a mouth end and a connection end; a reservoir containing a pre-vaporization formula, the reservoir being located in the housing; a heating element located in the housing, the heating element being in fluid communication with the reservoir, the heating element being configured to generate vapor; and a rechargeable battery configured to power the heating element.

[0035] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein.The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] By reviewing the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the various features and advantages of the non-limiting embodiments herein may become more apparent. These drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. These drawings should not be considered to be drawn to scale unless otherwise explicitly stated. For clarity, the dimensions of the drawings may be exaggerated.

[0037] Figure 1 is a side view of an electronic cigarette device according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0038] Figure 2 According to at least one exemplary embodiment Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the electronic cigarette device along line II-II.

[0039] Figure 3 1 is a block diagram showing various elements of an electronic cigarette system block diagram according to at least one exemplary embodiment, which shows various elements of an electronic cigarette system including an electronic cigarette device, including an electronic cigarette operating system circuit.

[0040] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating various elements of a reservoir interface system according to at least one example embodiment.

[0041] Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a software development environment system for developing applications and scripts for an electronic cigarette operating system and an electronic cigarette according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0042] Fig. 6A is a flow chart illustrating a method for developing an electronic cigarette device (EVD) application programming interface (API) according to at least one exemplary embodiment. Figure 6B is a flow chart illustrating a method for developing a software application and / or an embeddable software application using an EVD API for use with an external computing device and / or an electronic cigarette device according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0043] Figure 7 is a flow chart showing a method for operating an electronic cigarette device using a program script, the program script being written in a scripting language compatible with an electronic cigarette operating system according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0044] Figure 8 is a table showing an exemplary functional API package related to the functions of the electronic cigarette device according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0045] It should be noted that these drawings are intended to illustrate the general characteristics of methods and / or structures used in certain exemplary embodiments, and to supplement the textual description provided below. However, these drawings are not drawn to scale, may not accurately reflect the exact structural or performance characteristics of any given embodiment, and should not be understood as defining or limiting the numerical range or performance covered by the exemplary embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] One or more exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in different forms and should not be considered to be limited to the embodiments shown. On the contrary, the embodiments shown are provided only as examples so that the present disclosure is exhaustive and complete, and the concept of the present disclosure can be fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. Therefore, for some exemplary embodiments, known processes, elements and techniques may not be described again. Unless otherwise stated, in all drawings and text descriptions, similar reference numerals represent similar elements, and thus are not repeatedly described.

[0047] Although the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. may be used herein to describe different elements, regions, layers and / or parts, these elements, regions, layers and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, region, layer or part from another region, layer or part. Therefore, the first element, region, layer or part described below may be referred to as the second element, region, layer or part without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0048] Spatial terms, such as "below", "below", "down", "beneath", "above", "on", etc., can be used to describe the relationship between one element or feature shown in the figure and another element or feature for ease of description in this article. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figure, the spatial terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the figure is inverted, the elements described as being "below", "below" or "below" other elements or features will be oriented to be "above" other elements or features. Therefore, the example terms "below" and "below" can cover the orientation of above and below. The device can have other orientations (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial terms used here should be interpreted accordingly. In addition, when referring to an element between two elements, the element can be the only element between the two elements, or there can be one or more other intermediate elements.

[0049] The singular forms "a" and "the" used herein are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "comprising" are used in this specification, it means that the features, integers, steps, operations and / or elements are present, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or combinations thereof are not excluded. The term "and / or" used herein includes any one of one or more of the listed related items and all combinations thereof. Expressions such as "at least one", when placed in front of a series of elements, modify the entire series of elements rather than modifying a single element in the series. At the same time, the term "exemplary" refers to an example or example.

[0050] When an element is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” “coupled to,” or “adjacent to” another element, it may be above, directly connected to, directly coupled to, or directly adjacent to the other element, or one or more other intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,” “directly coupled to,” or “immediately adjacent to” another element, there are no intervening elements.

[0051] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the exemplary embodiments belong. For example, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and / or the present disclosure, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless explicitly defined in this document.

[0052] Exemplary embodiments may be described with reference to behaviors and symbolic representations of operations (e.g., in the form of flow charts, flow tables, data flow diagrams, structure charts, block diagrams, etc.), which may be implemented in conjunction with the units and / or devices described in detail below. Although discussed in a particular manner, the functions or operations specified in a particular block may be implemented differently than those specified in a flow chart, flow table, etc. For example, functions or operations shown as being performed in succession in two successive blocks may actually be performed simultaneously, or in some cases in reverse order.

[0053] The units and / or devices according to one or more exemplary embodiments may be implemented using hardware, software, and / or a combination thereof. For example, a hardware device may be implemented using a processing circuit, such as, but not limited to, a processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a system-on-chip (SoC), a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, or any other device capable of responding to and executing instructions in a determined manner.

[0054] Software may include computer programs, program codes, instructions, or some combination thereof, for individually or collectively instructing or configuring hardware devices to operate as desired. Computer programs and / or program codes may include programs or computer-readable instructions, software elements, software modules, data files, data structure instructions, and / or similar elements that can be executed by one or more hardware devices (e.g., one or more hardware devices as described above). Examples of program codes include both machine code generated by a compiler and higher-level program codes executed using an interpreter.

[0055] For example, when the hardware device is a computer processing device (e.g., a processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a microprocessor, etc.), the computer processing device can be configured to execute the program code by performing algorithms, logic, and input / output operations according to the program code. Once the program code is loaded into the computer processing device, the computer processing device can be programmed to execute the program code, thereby converting the computer processing device into a dedicated computer processing device. In a more specific example, when the program code is loaded into the processor, the processor begins to be programmed to execute the program code and the operations corresponding thereto, thereby converting the processor into a dedicated processor.

[0056] Software and / or data may be permanently or temporarily embodied in any type of machine, element, physical or virtual device, or computer storage medium or apparatus that can provide instructions or data to a hardware device or be interpreted by a hardware device. Software may also be distributed over a network-coupled computer system so that the software is stored and executed in a distributed manner. In particular, for example, software and data may be stored via one or more computer-readable recording media (including tangible or non-transient computer-readable storage media described herein).

[0057] According to one or more exemplary embodiments, the computer processing device may be described as including various functional units that perform various operations and / or functions to increase the clarity of the description. However, the computer processing device is not intended to be limited to these functional units. For example, in one or more exemplary embodiments, these different operations and / or functions of the functional units may be performed by other ones of these functional units. In addition, the computer processing device may perform the operations and / or functions of these different functional units without subdividing these operations and / or functions of the computer processing unit into these different functional units.

[0058] The unit and / or device according to one or more exemplary embodiments may also include one or more storage devices. The one or more storage devices may be tangible or non-transient computer-readable storage media, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), permanent mass storage device (such as disk drive), solid-state electronic device (such as NAND flash memory) and / or any other similar data storage mechanism capable of storing and recording data. The one or more storage devices may be configured to store computer programs, program codes, instructions or combinations thereof for one or more operating systems and / or for performing exemplary embodiments described herein. A drive mechanism may also be used to load a computer program, program code, instruction or some combination thereof from a separate computer-readable storage medium into one or more storage devices and / or one or more computer processing devices. This separate computer-readable storage medium may include a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, a memory stick, a Blu-ray / DVD / CD-ROM drive, a memory card and / or other similar computer-readable storage media. A computer program, program code, instruction or some combination thereof may be loaded into one or more storage devices and / or one or more computer processing devices from a remote data storage device via a network interface (rather than via a local computer-readable storage medium). In addition, the computer program, program code, instructions, or some combination thereof may be loaded into one or more storage devices and / or one or more processors from a remote computing system configured to propagate and / or distribute the computer program, program code, instructions, or some combination thereof over a network. The remote computing system may propagate and / or distribute the computer program, program code, instructions, or some combination thereof via a wired interface, an air interface, and / or any other similar medium.

[0059] The one or more hardware devices, one or more storage devices and / or computer programs, program codes, instructions or some combination thereof may be specially designed and constructed for use in the exemplary embodiments, or they may be known devices that have been changed and / or modified for use in the exemplary embodiments.

[0060] A hardware device such as a computer processing device can run an operating system (OS) and one or more software applications running on the OS. The computer processing device can also access, store, operate, process, and establish data in response to the execution of the software. For simplicity, one or more exemplary embodiments may be exemplified as a computer processing device; however, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a hardware device may include multiple processing elements and multiple types of processing elements. For example, a hardware device may include: multiple processors, or a processor and a controller. In addition, other processing configurations may be used, such as parallel processors.

[0061] Although described with reference to specific embodiments and drawings, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, additions and substitutions to the exemplary embodiments based on the description. For example, the described techniques may be performed in a different order than the described methods, and / or, for example, the described systems, structures, devices, circuits, etc., may be connected or combined differently than the above methods, or, the related results may be appropriately achieved by other elements or equivalents.

[0062] Figure 1 is a side view of an electronic cigarette device according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0063] In at least one exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 As shown, an e-vaping device 60 may include a replaceable cartridge (or first portion) 70 and a reusable battery portion (or second portion) 72, which are coupled to each other at a threaded joint 205. It should be understood that the joint 205 may be any type of joint, such as a snug-fit, a detent, a clamp, a bayonet, and / or a clasp. The first portion 70 may include a housing 6, and the second portion 72 may include a second housing 6'. The e-vaping device 60 includes a mouth end insert 8. The end (i.e., the distal end) of the housing 6 where the mouth end insert 8 is located may be referred to as the "mouth end" or "proximal end" of the e-vaping device 60. The opposite end of the e-vaping device 60 located on the second housing 6' may be referred to as the "connection end", "distal end", "battery end" or "front end" of the e-vaping device 60.

[0064] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the housing 6 and the second housing 6 ′ may have a generally cylindrical cross-section. In other exemplary embodiments, the housings 6 , 6 ′ may have a generally triangular cross-section along one or more of the first portion 70 and the battery portion 72 .

[0065] Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the electronic cigarette device along line II-II.

[0066] In at least one exemplary embodiment, Figure 2As shown, the first portion 70 may include a reservoir 345 and a heater 14, the reservoir being configured to contain substances such as pre-vaporization formulas, dry herbs, essential oils, etc., the heater 14 being capable of vaporizing the substances, which may be drawn from the reservoir 345 through the wick 28. The electronic cigarette device 60 may include the features listed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0192623 filed by Tucker et al. on January 31, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0067] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the pre-vaporization formulation is a substance or combination of substances that can be converted into vapor. For example, the pre-vaporization formulation can be a liquid, solid, and / or gel formulation, including but not limited to water, beads, solvents, active ingredients, ethanol, plant extracts, natural or artificial flavors, and / or vapor formers, such as glycerol and propylene glycol.

[0068] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the first portion 70 may include a shell 6 extending in the longitudinal direction and an inner tube (or flue) 62 coaxially positioned in the shell 6 .

[0069] At the upstream end of the inner tube 62, the nose 61 of the gasket (or seal) 15 can be fitted into the inner tube 62, and at the other end, the outer periphery of the gasket 15 can provide a seal with the inner surface of the outer shell 6. The gasket 15 can also include a central longitudinal air channel 20, which leads to the interior of the inner tube 62 defining the internal channel 21. The transverse channel 33 located at the rear side portion of the gasket 15 can intersect and communicate with the air channel 20 of the gasket 15. The transverse channel 33 ensures the communication between the air channel 20 and the space 35, which is defined between the gasket 15 and the cathode connector 37.

[0070] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the cathode connector 37 may include a threaded portion for achieving a connection between the first portion 70 and the battery portion 72. The cathode connector 37 may also be configured to provide an electrical connection between a data communication bus (not shown) between at least the operating system processing circuit 200, the reservoir interface, and the reservoir 345. There may also be additional components connected to the communication bus, such as a host interface, a charging interface, a memory, an I / O interface, etc. According to some exemplary embodiments, the cathode connector 37 may be used as a reservoir interface.

[0071] In at least one exemplary embodiment, more than two inlet ports 44 may be included in the housing 6. Alternatively, a single inlet port 44 may be included in the outer housing 6. This arrangement allows the inlet port 44 to be placed close to the joint 205 without being blocked by the presence of the cathode connector 37. This arrangement can also increase the area of ​​the inlet port 44 so that the inlet port 44 can be accurately drilled.

[0072] In at least one exemplary embodiment, air inlet 44 may be disposed in joint 205 rather than in outer housing 6 .

[0073] In at least one exemplary embodiment, at least one air inlet 44 can be formed in the outer housing 6 adjacent to the connector 205 to minimize the chance of an adult electronic cigarette smoker's finger blocking one of the ports and to control resistance to draw (RTD) during puffing. In an exemplary embodiment, the air inlet 44 can be machined into the housing 6 using precision machining so that the diameter of the air inlet is tightly controlled during manufacturing and replicated from one electronic cigarette device 60 to the next.

[0074] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the nose 93 of the downstream gasket 10 can fit into the downstream end 81 of the inner tube 62. The outer perimeter of the gasket 10 can provide a substantially tight seal relative to the inner surface 97 of the shell 6. The downstream gasket 10 can include a central passage 63 disposed between the internal passage 21 of the inner tube 62 and the interior of the mouth end insert 8, which can transport steam from the internal passage 21 to the mouth end insert 8.

[0075] During smoking, the pre-vaporization formulation or the like may be transferred from the reservoir 345 to the vicinity of the heater 14 via the capillary action of the wick 28. The wick 28 may include at least a first end and a second end, which may extend into opposite sides of the reservoir 345. The heater 14 may at least partially surround the central portion of the wick 28, so that when the heater 14 is activated, the pre-vaporization formulation (or the like) in the central portion of the wick 28 may be vaporized by the heater 14 to form vapor.

[0076] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the heater 14 may include a coil of wire at least partially surrounding the core 28. The wire may be a metal wire, and / or the heater coil may extend completely or partially along the length of the core 28. The heater coil may also extend completely or partially around the circumference of the core 28. In some exemplary embodiments, the coil of the heater 14 may or may not be in contact with the core 28.

[0077] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the heater 14 can heat the pre-vaporization formulation (or the like) in the wick 28 by thermal conduction. Alternatively, the heat from the heater 14 can be conducted to the pre-vaporization formulation (or the like) by a heat transfer element, or the heater 14 can transfer heat to the incoming ambient air drawn through the electronic cigarette device 60 during smoking, which in turn heats the pre-vaporization formulation (or the like) by convection.

[0078] It should be appreciated that, rather than using a wick 28, the heater 14 may include a porous material incorporating a resistive heater formed of a material having an electrical resistance capable of rapidly generating heat.

[0079] In at least one exemplary embodiment, Figure 2 As shown, the second part 72 of the electronic cigarette device 60 may include an aerosol sensor 16, which responds to air drawn into the second part 72 via the air inlet 44a near the free end or end of the electronic cigarette device 60. The second part 72 may also include a power supply 1, and the operating system processing circuit 200 may include at least one processor, at least one memory, at least one interface, etc. Figure 3 The operating system processing circuit 200 is discussed in more detail. Figure 2 The operating system processing circuit 200 is shown as being disposed in the second portion 72 , however, the exemplary embodiment is not limited thereto, and the operating system processing circuit 200 may be located in other areas (eg, the first portion 70 ) of the housing of the electronic cigarette device.

[0080] After the connection between the first part 70 and the second part 72 is completed, the power supply 1 can be electrically connected to the heater 14 of the first part 70 after the spray sensor 16 is activated. Air is first drawn into the first part 70 through one or more air inlets 44, which can be located along the housing or at the joint 205.

[0081] The power source 1 may include a battery 380 arranged in the electronic cigarette device 60. The power source 1 may be a lithium ion battery or one of its variants, such as a lithium ion polymer battery. Alternatively, the power source 1 may be a nickel metal hydride battery, a nickel cadmium battery, a lithium manganese battery, a lithium cobalt battery, or a fuel cell. The adult electronic cigarette smoker may use the electronic cigarette device 60 until the energy in the power source 1 is exhausted, or until a minimum voltage cut-off level is reached in the case of a lithium polymer battery.

[0082] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the power supply 1 may be rechargeable and may include a circuit configured to allow the battery to be charged by an external charging device. In order to recharge the electronic cigarette device 60, a USB charger or other suitable charger assembly may be used to connect to a charging interface (not shown). In addition, a host interface (not shown) configured to communicate with an external computing device using wired and / or wireless communication may also be included in the housing of the power supply 1.

[0083] In addition, the spray sensor 16 can be configured to sense the decrease in air pressure and activate the power supply 1 to apply voltage to the heater 14. The operating system processing circuit 200 can also include an input / output (I / O) interface (not shown) configured to facilitate communication between the operating system processing circuit 200 and various input / output devices, each of which is configured to provide various status indications to the adult electronic cigarette smoker, such as a heater start light 48 configured to be lit when the heater 14 is activated. The heater start light 48 may include a light emitting diode (LED) and may be located at the upstream end of the electronic cigarette device 60. In addition, the heater start light 48 may be arranged to be visible to the adult electronic cigarette smoker during smoking. In addition, the heater start light 48 may be used for electronic cigarette system diagnosis, or to indicate that charging is in progress. The heater start light 48 may also be configured so that the adult electronic cigarette smoker can activate and / or deactivate the heater start light 48 for private reasons. The heater start light 48 may be located on the end of the electronic cigarette device 60, or on the side of the housing 6.

[0084] In at least one exemplary embodiment, at least one air inlet 44a can be located near the spray sensor 16 so that the spray sensor 16 can sense the air flow indicating the adult electronic cigarette smoker's puff and activate the power supply 1 and the heater start light 48 to indicate that the heater 14 is working. The heater start light 48 can be located at and / or on the end of the electronic cigarette device. In other exemplary embodiments, the heater start light 48 can be located on the side of the housing 6.

[0085] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the first portion 70 may be replaceable. In other words, once the pre-vaporization formula or other contents of the cartridge are exhausted, only the first portion 70 may be replaced. An alternative arrangement may include an exemplary embodiment in which the entire electronic cigarette device 60 may be discarded once the reservoir 345 is exhausted. Additionally, according to at least one exemplary embodiment, the first portion 70 may also be configured so that the contents of the cartridge may be refilled.

[0086] although Figure 1 and Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment of an electronic cigarette device is shown, however, the electronic cigarette device is not limited thereto and may include additional and / or alternative hardware configurations that may be suitable for the purposes described. For example, the electronic cigarette device may include a plurality of additional or alternative components, such as additional heating elements, reservoirs, batteries, etc. In addition, although Figure 1 and Figure 2 The exemplary embodiment of the electronic cigarette device is shown to be embodied as two separate housing elements, however, further exemplary embodiments may relate to the electronic cigarette device being arranged in a single housing and / or in more than two housing elements.

[0087] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing various elements of an electronic cigarette system including an electronic cigarette device according to at least one exemplary embodiment, wherein the electronic cigarette device includes an electronic cigarette operating system loop circuit.

[0088] In at least one exemplary embodiment, Figure 3 As shown, the electronic cigarette system may include an electronic cigarette device 300. The electronic cigarette device may include an operating system processing circuit 200, which may include a processor 310, a memory 320, a bus 330, a storage interface 340, an input / output (I / O) interface 350, a charging interface 360, a host interface 370, a battery 380, etc. The memory 320 may include an electronic cigarette operating system 321, object code and / or script code 322 related to the functions of the electronic cigarette device, user profile data 323, etc.

[0089] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the processor 310 may be at least one processor (and / or processor core, distributed processor, network processor, etc.), which may be configured to control one or more elements of the electronic cigarette device 300. The processor 310 is configured to execute a program by retrieving program code (e.g., computer-readable instructions) and data from the memory 320 to process them, thereby implementing control and functions for the entire electronic cigarette device 300. Once the program instructions are loaded into the processor 310, the processor 310 executes the program instructions, thereby transforming the processor 310 into a dedicated processor.

[0090] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the memory 320 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and may include a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), and / or a permanent mass storage device (e.g., a disk drive or a solid-state drive). Stored in the memory 320 are program codes (i.e., computer-readable instructions), object codes and / or script codes 322, and / or user profile data 323, etc., for an electronic cigarette operating system (OS), object codes and / or script codes 322, and / or user profile data 323, etc. Such software elements may be loaded from a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium independent of the memory 320 using a drive mechanism (not shown), which is connected to the electronic cigarette device 300 via a wired communication protocol (e.g., Ethernet, USB, FireWire, eSATA, ExpressCard, Thunderbolt, etc.) using a host interface 370. In other exemplary embodiments, the software elements may be loaded into the memory 320 via the following wireless communication protocols, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), infrared (IR) communication, RFID communication, 3G, 4G LTE, etc., through the host interface 370.

[0091] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the electronic cigarette operating system (OS) can be configured to use a real-time kernel and a task scheduler to execute instructions / tasks related to providing real-time multi-tasking execution of multiple software applications and / or scripts related to the electronic cigarette device. The electronic cigarette operating system (OS) can also be configured to provide memory management functions, I / O management functions (including interrupt handling), error handling functions, synchronization functions, and / or startup functions. The electronic cigarette operating system (OS) can also include: an interpreter for interpreting scripts written in a compatible electronic cigarette scripting language, and a compiler for compiling software applications written in a compatible electronic cigarette programming language.

[0092] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the bus 330 can enable communication and data transfer between the elements of the electronic cigarette device 300. The bus 330 can be implemented using a high-speed serial bus, a parallel bus, a storage area network (SAN), and / or any other suitable communication technology.

[0093] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the storage interface 340 can enable the processor 310 to communicate with the storage 345 and / or transfer data to / from the storage 345. Examples of data transmission between the processor 310 and the storage 345 may include user profile data related to the pre-evaporation formula stored in the storage 345, user profile data related to the storage 345, software updates stored on the memory included in the storage 345, etc. Figure 4 The storage interface 340 and storage 345 are discussed in more detail.

[0094] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the I / O interface 350 can implement: the processor 310 communicates with and / or controls one or more I / O devices 355. For example, the I / O device 355 can include digital inputs (e.g., digital switches, buttons, airflow sensors, etc.), digital outputs (e.g., LED indicators, display panels, speakers, etc.), analog inputs (e.g., battery voltage controllers, analog switches, analog airflow sensors, etc.), and analog outputs (e.g., atomizer power output, voltage regulators, etc.). The I / O device 355 can be included in an element of the housing of the electronic cigarette device.

[0095] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the charging interface 360 ​​may enable the processor 310 to control the battery charger 365 and the battery 380. The battery 380 may be configured to store electrical energy for use by various components of the electronic cigarette device (including the processor 310, the memory 320, the heater 14, the reservoir 345, etc.). The battery charger 365 may be an external charging device, or may be contained in the housing of the electronic cigarette device 300, and may be configured to deliver electrical energy to the battery 380. According to some exemplary embodiments, the operation of the battery 380 and the battery charger 365 via the charging interface 360 ​​may be managed by the processor 310 that has been loaded with object code related to battery functions. For example, the processor 310 may have been loaded and specifically configured to execute object code related to the rate at which electrical energy is delivered to the battery 380, the time information at which the battery 380 can be charged, etc.

[0096] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the host interface 370 may be a computer hardware element for connecting the electronic cigarette device to one or more computer networks 390 (e.g., the Internet, Intranet, wide area network WAN, local area network LAN, personal area network PAN, cellular communication network, data network, etc.) and / or one or more external computing devices 375 (e.g., personal computer PC, server, database, laptop, smart phone, handwriting tablet, wearable smart device, Internet of Things IOT device, game console, handheld computer PDA, etc.). The host interface 370 may connect the electronic cigarette device 300 to the computer network 390 and / or the external computing device 375 via a wired and / or wireless connection. Figure 5 , Fig. 6A and Figure 6B Host interface 370, computer network 390, and external computing device 375 are discussed in greater detail.

[0097] although Figure 3 An exemplary embodiment of an electronic cigarette system including an electronic cigarette device is shown, but the electronic cigarette system is not limited thereto and may include additional and / or alternative structures that may be suitable for the purposes described. For example, the electronic cigarette device 300 may include a plurality of additional or alternative elements, such as additional processing devices, interfaces, and memories.

[0098] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a reservoir interface system according to at least one example embodiment.

[0099] In at least one exemplary embodiment, Figure 4As shown, a reservoir interface system for an electronic cigarette device (e.g., electronic cigarette device 300) may include a reservoir interface 340, a reservoir 345, an operating system circuit 200, etc. The reservoir 345 may include a reservoir memory 410 configured to store data and / or program code, such as user profile data related to a pre-vaporization recipe stored in the reservoir, user profile data related to the reservoir 345, a software application developed using an API specifically for an electronic cigarette OS environment, a script software developed using a scripting language specifically for an electronic cigarette OS environment, software updates (i.e., patches, upgrades, firmware updates, driver updates, OS updates, etc.) for software and hardware elements of the electronic cigarette device 300, etc. The reservoir memory 410 may be a non-volatile computer-readable medium, such as a ROM module, a programmable read-only memory (PROM) module, an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) module, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) module, a flash EEPROM memory module, etc. In addition, the storage memory 410 can also be a flash memory, such as a NOR flash memory, a NAND flash memory, a vertical NAND flash memory, etc., or a solid-state memory, such as a secure digital (SD) card, a solid-state memory, etc.

[0100] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the reservoir 345 can include a receptacle 420 configured to store a pre-vaporization formulation 430 or other substance (e.g., dried herbs, essential oils, etc.). The receptacle 420 can be configured so that an adult e-cigarette smoker can refill the pre-vaporization formulation 430, and / or fill the receptacle with a different flavor or version of the pre-vaporization formulation or a different substance. In addition, when the receptacle 420 is filled, whether it is filled during the manufacturing stage or by an adult e-cigarette smoker at a subsequent time, the user configuration data of the reservoir memory 410 can be updated via the reservoir interface 340 to include data related to the contents of the receptacle 420, such as substance type (e.g., pre-vaporization formula, dry herbs, essential oils, etc.), content name, manufacturer identification information, flavor name, flavor identification information, production date, refill date, ingredient information (e.g., propylene glycol (PG) %, steam generation %, water %, nicotine %, etc.), property information (e.g., viscosity, dielectric constant, expected operating parameter range (e.g., maximum heating temperature, minimum heating temperature, maximum atomizer power, etc.)), expected steam generation temperature, expected pulse width modulation (PWM) configuration, etc. and / or script information related to the pre-vaporization formula. In addition, the storage memory 410 can also be configured to store user configuration data related to the housing part 420, such as the housing part type (e.g., a cartridge, a refillable tank, a non-refillable tank, etc.), product identification information, manufacturer identification information, capacity, atomizer information (e.g., atomizer type, atomizer resistance, number of coils, coil information for each coil (e.g., coil wire characteristics, coil wire length, etc.), wick information, etc.), pre-vaporization formula liquid level measurement capacity, the amount of pre-vaporization formula consumed per puff per second, electronic and software capacity and version information, information related to various desired operational limitations (e.g., information related to safety limitations on the use of pre-vaporization formula / electronic cigarette devices, information related to regulatory limitations on the use of pre-vaporization formula / electronic cigarette devices, information related to manufacturer-recommended limitations on the use of pre-vaporization formula / electronic cigarette devices), housing part-specific scripts, etc.

[0101] In addition, according to some exemplary embodiments, the storage memory 410 may be configured to store digital rights management (DRM) software, which may indicate whether the storage 345 is properly authorized and / or compatible for use with the electronic cigarette device 300. When the storage 345 is connected to the operating system processing circuit 200 via the storage interface 340, the processor (e.g., the processor 310) and / or the controller (not shown) located in the storage 345 may perform verification based on at least the DRM software stored on the storage memory 410, and accordingly enable or disable the function of the storage 345 for the electronic cigarette device 300. If the DRM verification is successful, the processor 310 of the operating system processing circuit 200 may download user configuration data and / or software from the storage memory 410 to the electronic cigarette device memory 320 via the storage interface 340. The processor 310 may also be configured to upload data, software instructions, etc. to the storage 345 via the storage interface 340. Such data uploads may include modifications to storage user configuration settings (e.g., desired operating settings stored on storage memory 410), updates to DRM software, information related to safe use of pre-vaporization formulations, information related to prescriptive use of pre-vaporization formulations, etc.

[0102] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the reservoir 345 may also include various sensors (not shown), including sensors configured to determine the amount of contents stored in the receptacle 420 (e.g., the amount of pre-vaporization formula 430, the amount of hay, the amount of essential oil, etc.), etc.

[0103] Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a software development environment system for developing applications and scripts for an electronic cigarette operating system and an electronic cigarette device according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0104] In at least one exemplary embodiment, Figure 5 As shown, the software development environment system may include: at least one operating system processing circuit 200 including a memory 320, at least one compiler 530 running on a development computing device 535, at least one electronic cigarette device script 540 stored on a script development computing device 545, at least one application software 550 and at least one API 560 stored on an application development computing device 555, and / or at least one external computing device (e.g., PC 570, server 580, smart phone 590, wearable device 595, etc.). The memory 320 may store the electronic cigarette OS 510, the script interpreter 515, and the target code 520.

[0105] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, an electronic cigarette device script 540 can be developed on a script development computing device 545 (e.g., a PC, laptop, server, smart phone, tablet, wearable smart device, Internet of Things (IOT) device, game console, PDA, etc.) using a high-level electronic cigarette-specific scripting programming language (i.e., scripting language) such as an electronic vapor generation language (eVGL) associated with an electronic cigarette operating system. The scripting language can provide electronic cigarette-specific function packages, libraries, bindings, and / or script extensions to provide software implementations for one or more basic functions of an electronic cigarette device, such as software control of hardware elements of an electronic cigarette device (e.g., heaters, reservoirs, batteries, device drivers, etc.). In addition, the electronic cigarette scripting language can include software instructions that allow control / execution of electronic cigarette device event processors, such as engagement / disengagement of a power switch, an LED indicator, a heater, a timer, etc. For example, a programmer may develop a script using a scripting language to develop a heater power delivery scheme in which the heater is programmed to generate vapor at a desired power level (e.g., 5 watts) for a desired period of time (e.g., 30 seconds), and the LED indicator is powered for the desired period of time. When the electronic cigarette device script 540 of the operating system processing circuit 200 is processed by the OS 510, the script 540 may also access desired data (e.g., user configuration data) and / or memory space stored on the memory of the operating system processing circuit 200 and / or the storage of the electronic cigarette device. However, according to at least one exemplary embodiment, based on the permissions granted to the script 540 determined and monitored by the OS 510, the script 540 may be restricted to access only certain areas of memory and / or data. For example, certain areas of memory may be designated as protected areas of memory that can only be accessed by the OS 510, but are inaccessible to the script 540. In addition, the scripting language may be used to provide programmatic assistance for the safe use of the electronic cigarette device, or to comply with rules and guidelines.

[0106] The source code of the electronic cigarette device script 540 can be loaded onto the memory 320 of the operating system processing circuit 200, and can then be interpreted by the interpreter 515 associated with the script language. The interpreter 515 can be an element of the electronic cigarette operating system 510. The interpreter 515 can be configured to load instructions from the source code of the script 540 and "interpret" (i.e., convert) the source code into a computer-readable (i.e., machine-readable) code. The interpreted code is then executed by the processor of the operating system processing circuit 200 via the OS 510.

[0107] In at least one exemplary embodiment, application software 550 can be developed on an application development computing device 555 (e.g., a PC, laptop, server, smart phone, tablet, wearable smart device, Internet of Things (IOT) device, game console, PDA, etc.) using a high-level compilable application language dedicated to the electronic cigarette operating environment, and the language can have similar syntax to high-level programming languages ​​such as BASIC, C, C++, JAVA, etc. In addition, according to different exemplary embodiments, the application language can have a "natural language" program structure and / or a program user interface, which is configured to allow programming in natural language (e.g., English, etc.) statements and / or phrases instead of more traditional programming languages ​​to facilitate the development of application software by scientists, technicians, enthusiasts, etc. other than computer programmers. The application language can also include one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) 560, which can include function packages, libraries, classes, modules, etc., so as to provide software implementation for the basic functions of one or more electronic cigarette devices, such as for the operation of I / O devices, software control of hardware elements of the electronic cigarette device (e.g., heaters, reservoirs, batteries, device drivers, etc.). In addition, the application language and / or API 560 may include software instructions that allow control / execution of the electronic cigarette device event processor, such as engagement / disengagement of a power switch, LED indicator, heater, timer, etc. The application language and / or API 560 may further include instructions that may provide additional functionality (and / or modify and delete functionality) to the OS 510 of the electronic cigarette device and the hardware elements of the electronic cigarette device 300. For example, a programmer may use the application language and / or API 560 to develop an application to configure the host interface of the electronic cigarette device to communicate with the external computing devices 570 to 595 using a new communication protocol. The application language and / or API 560 may also include tools and software packages related to a graphical user interface (GUI) for use with applications developed for use by external computing devices (e.g., external computing devices 570 to 595). At least one API560 can be configured to be compatible with multiple electronic cigarette devices, production lines, electronic cigarette device components (such as reservoirs, heaters, interfaces, etc.), electronic cigarette operating system versions, external computing device operating system types and versions (such as Window, Linux, Unix, MacOS, Android, iOS, etc.), etc.

[0108] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the source code of the application software 550 may be compiled into the target code 520 using a compiler 530. The compiler 530 may be executed on a development computing device 535 (e.g., a PC, a laptop, a server, a smart phone, a tablet, a wearable smart device, an Internet of Things (IOT) device, a game console, a PDA, etc.). The target code 520 may be a computer-readable (e.g., machine-readable) language / format compatible with the runtime environment into which it is to be loaded. For example, the compiled target code 520 may be loaded into the electronic cigarette device 300, and may also be loaded into an external computing device, such as a PC 570, a server 580, a smart phone 590, a wearable device 595, etc. During compile time, the programmer can indicate the operating environment in which the target code will be executed and / or processed, including indicating the processor type (e.g., x86 type, ARM type, RISC type, 32-bit, 64-bit, 128-bit, etc.) and the operating system type of the operating environment; the compiler 530 can be configured to compile the application software 550 source code into the target code 520 compatible with the desired operating environment. In addition, the electronic cigarette operating system 510 can also include a compiler element configured to compile the application software 550 source code into the target code 520.

[0109] According to some exemplary embodiments, the compiler 530 may be a just-in-time (JIT) compiler, rather than a static compiler, configured to compile the source code of the application software 550 into the target code 520 during the execution of the application software on the electronic cigarette device 300. The JIT compiler may be configured to continuously compile the portion of the source code when it is to be executed (e.g., compile the source code on a per-file, per-function, and / or per-line basis). In addition, the JIT compiler may be configured to further optimize the compiled target code to reflect the target processor and the electronic cigarette operating system, and cache the compiled target code in a memory during the execution of the target code by the electronic cigarette operating system 510. The JIT compiler may be a virtual machine operated by the electronic cigarette operating system 510. According to different exemplary embodiments, the target code may include computer-readable instructions written in a low-level programming language (e.g., machine language, etc.), which is related to the instruction set architecture (ISA) of the specific processor type of the operating system processing circuit 200.

[0110] Additionally, according to some exemplary embodiments, source code may be compiled into portable program code ("P-code") and / or other binary code forms, rather than machine code, to be executed by an interpreter and / or JIT compiler.

[0111] The compiled object code 520 (e.g., machine code) of the application software 550 can be loaded and / or embedded into the memory of the electronic cigarette device 300, the storage of the electronic cigarette device, etc. during manufacturing, and when executed by the processor of the electronic cigarette device through the OS 510, the desired data (e.g., user configuration data) and / or memory space stored on the memory of the electronic cigarette device 300 and / or the storage of the electronic cigarette device can be accessed. However, according to at least one exemplary embodiment, based on the permissions granted to the script 540 determined and monitored by the OS 510, the object code 520 can be restricted to access only certain areas of the memory and / or data. For example, certain areas of the memory can be designated as protected areas of the memory that can only be accessed by the OS 510, while the object code 520 is inaccessible. In addition, the application language can be used to provide programmatic assistance for the safe use of the electronic cigarette device, or to comply with regulations and guidelines. The object code 520 can also be loaded onto at least one external computing device, such as a PC 570, a server 580, a smart phone 590, and / or a wearable device 595, etc., to provide additional related and / or enhanced functionality for adult electronic cigarette smokers. For example, a programmer can develop a smart phone application (i.e., APP) that can be configured to transmit data through an electronic cigarette device host interface to analyze, monitor, and / or track the use of the electronic cigarette device of an adult electronic cigarette smoker. As another example, the APP can be configured to provide a graphical user interface to the adult electronic cigarette smoker, which enables the adult electronic cigarette smoker to illustrate the status and identification information of each component of the electronic cigarette device 300 (e.g., battery power, reservoir content level, reservoir content type, etc.), or to enter and / or otherwise indicate the adult electronic cigarette smoker's personal smoking preferences (e.g., desired and / or preferred smoking power level, puff duration, total time spent smoking, etc.). As another example, the software application can use biometric information (e.g., fingerprint data, image data, voice data, etc.) collected by a PC, laptop, smart phone, wearable device, etc. to store electronic cigarette smoker identity authentication information in order to perform age authentication of adult electronic cigarette smokers and ensure that the electronic cigarette device 300 is not operated by persons who do not meet legal and / or regulatory standards. As another example, the server application can be configured to communicate with the electronic cigarette device 300 through a host interface to determine the electronic cigarette preferences or usage statistics of the adult electronic cigarette smoker, and then provide the adult electronic cigarette smoker with promotional offers and marketing materials formulated according to the preferences of the adult electronic cigarette smoker. As another example, a smoking control / smoking cessation embeddable software application can be developed, which can be configured to monitor the smoking habits of adult electronic cigarette smokers and can limit the use of the electronic cigarette device according to the desired smoking restrictions in order to help adult electronic cigarette smokers reduce and / or abandon their smoking / smoking habits.

[0112] In addition to API 560, application software 550 may also be compatible with and / or used in combination with application development tools related to electronic cigarette programming languages. Application development tools may include a software development kit (SDK) to help programmers develop applications in electronic cigarette programming languages. SDK may include sample source code, detailed API information, etc., to further help programmers. In addition, an integrated development environment (IDE) suitable for electronic cigarette programming languages ​​may also be provided to programmers. IDE may include tools and utilities for programming that are compatible with and / or used in combination with electronic cigarette programming languages, such as source code editors, automatic build tools, and debuggers dedicated to electronic cigarette programming languages. IDE may also include a compiler 530 and a revised version of an interpreter 515, which is configured to execute script code in a development / test environment that may not be an electronic cigarette device (e.g., a PC, server, etc. that programmers can use to develop application software). IDE may also be configured to provide a graphical user interface for API 560 and / or SDK.

[0113] According to different exemplary embodiments, the development computing device 535, the script development computing device 545, and / or the application development computing device 555 may be combined into a single computing device, or may be rearranged so that the compiler 530, the electronic cigarette device script 540, the application software 550, and / or the API 560 are executed on two or more computing devices. In addition, one or more of the compiler 530, the electronic cigarette device script 540, the application software 550, the API 560, the IDE, and / or the SDK may also be stored on external computing devices 570 to 595 and executed by these external computing devices.

[0114] Fig. 6A is a flow chart illustrating a method for developing an electronic cigarette device (EVD) application programming interface (API) according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0115] In operation 601 , an electronic cigarette device (EVD) script may be developed using an electronic cigarette-specific scripting language, such as an electronic vapor generating language (eVGL) scripting language, and an electronic cigarette SDK and / or an electronic cigarette IDE.

[0116] In operation 602 , an EVD script may be loaded from an external computing device (eg, a computer that develops the EVD script) to a memory of the electronic cigarette device through a host interface of the electronic cigarette device.

[0117] In operation 603, one or more EVD script source codes are interpreted by an interpreter into computer readable instructions for execution by a processor of an electronic cigarette device. The EVD script source code is interpreted on a line-by-line basis (i.e., on an instruction-by-instruction basis), and if an error in the script code is detected, the interpretation of the script code is stopped, and an error code / information is generated and / or recorded.

[0118] In operation 604, the interpreted script code is executed by the processor of the electronic cigarette device to perform one or more functions related to the function of the electronic cigarette device. If an operation error is detected, the execution of the translated script code is aborted and an error code / information is generated and / or recorded.

[0119] Figure 6B is a flow chart illustrating a method for developing a software application and / or an embeddable software application using an EVD API for use with an external computing device and / or an electronic cigarette device according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0120] In operation 611 , an electronic cigarette device (EVD) application software may be developed using an electronic cigarette-specific application language and an electronic cigarette SDK and / or an electronic cigarette IDE.

[0121] In operation 612, the application software source code may be compiled into target code (e.g., computer-readable instructions) using a compiler for execution by a processor of the electronic cigarette device and / or an external computing device. All application source code is compiled by the compiler at one time, and if an error in the application code is detected, the compilation of the application code is aborted and an error code / information is generated and / or recorded. According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the compiler may be executed on an external computing device (e.g., a development and / or test computer), or may be executed on the electronic cigarette device. In this exemplary embodiment, the application software source code is loaded onto the memory of the electronic cigarette device before the source code is compiled by the compiler executed on the electronic cigarette device.

[0122] In operation 613, the compiled object code is loaded and / or installed on the electronic cigarette device and / or the external computing device. The loading of the compiled object code can be performed when the electronic cigarette device is manufactured (ie, the object code is embedded in the electronic cigarette device).

[0123] In operation 614, the target code is executed by the processor of the electronic cigarette device and / or the external computing device to implement one or more functions related to the functions of the electronic cigarette device. If an operation error is detected, the execution of the target code is terminated, and an error code / information may be generated and / or recorded.

[0124] In operation 615 , when the object code is executed by the external computing device, the object code may communicate with the electronic cigarette device to provide additional additional functionality to the adult electronic cigarette smoker.

[0125] Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method for operating an electronic cigarette device using a program script, the program script being written in a dedicated program language of an electronic cigarette operating system according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0126] In at least one example, Figure 7 As shown, the e-cigarette script code and / or embedded application code can be configured to manage the operation of the heater 14 based on the timer and the amount of pre-vaporization formulation 430 (deliverable contents) remaining in the reservoir 345. Figure 7 The illustrated operations may be implemented using an electronic cigarette operating system 510 executed on the processor 310 of the electronic cigarette device 300 .

[0127] This article describes the implementation Figure 7 An exemplary embodiment of pseudo code for the illustrated operations.

[0128]

[0129] ENDEVENT

[0130] As shown in the exemplary embodiment of the pseudo code above, the electronic cigarette program language and / or the electronic cigarette script language associated with the electronic cigarette operating system 510 of the electronic cigarette device 300 may include a certain number of function packages, which may include a large number of local libraries, classes, functions, operators, variable types, etc., for use in controlling the operation of the elements of the electronic cigarette device 300. However, the electronic cigarette program language and / or the electronic cigarette script language is not limited to the program operators, variable types, syntax, etc. shown above, but may take alternative forms.

[0131] In operation 702, reservoir data may be identified by the processor 310 via a reservoir interface between the processor 310 and the reservoir 345. The processor 310 may store the user configuration data 415 in the memory 320 of the electronic cigarette device. The reservoir data may include data related to the pre-vaporization formulation 430 (deliverable contents) and the deliverable functions, such as the variable PLD_STATE_OF_LIQUID, which may be a percentage representation of the amount of the pre-vaporization formulation 430 (deliverable contents) remaining in the reservoir 345. In operation 704, the processor 310 may execute a script and / or software application stored in the memory 320, the script and / or software application containing the above-mentioned program code, which may include interpreting the code and / or compiling the program code into an object code and executing the object code. For example, operation 704 may be initiated by engaging a button or other I / O device on the electronic cigarette device when the EVT_PUFF_ON event handler is activated.

[0132] In operation 706, the processor 310 may determine whether the heater 14 is currently activated. If the heater 14 is not activated (e.g., IF VAP_STATE == OFF), then in operation 708, the processor 310 may determine whether the deliverable function (e.g., pre-vaporization formula) remaining in the reservoir 345 is above a minimum amount, such as 5%. If the deliverable function exceeds the minimum amount (e.g., IF PLD_STATE_OF_LIQUID>5), then in operation 710, the processor 310 may instruct the heater 14 to activate (e.g., VAP_POWER_ON()). In the above example, activation of the heater 14 may also include starting a timer (e.g., TMR_ON (1800)) for three minutes to limit the use of the heater 14. If the deliverable function is less than the minimum amount, the process 700 may end because there may not be enough deliverable function for operation.

[0133] Once it is determined that the heater 14 was activated during process 700 (e.g., initially ELSE), then in operation 712, the processor 310 may increment the safety timer and update the reservoir data received from the reservoir 345 regarding the amount of deliverable functional remaining in the receptacle 420. In some cases, this may be done automatically by the processor 310 via concurrently executed program code or the like, such as operating code based on the operating system 510. In other cases, the program code may include additional instructions to update the reservoir user configuration and increment the timer.

[0134] In operation 714, the processor 310 may determine whether a timer limit has been exceeded (e.g., starting an EVT_TMR_EXPR event handler). If the time limit has been exceeded, then in operation 716, the processor 310 may provide an instruction to the heater 14 to stop the heater 14 (e.g., VAP_POWER_OFF()). If the time limit has not been exceeded, the processor may proceed to operation 718, where the processor 310 may determine whether the deliverable power is still above a minimum amount (e.g., IFPLD_STATE_OF_LIQUID>5). If the amount is no longer above the minimum amount, the heater 14 may be stopped (e.g., VAP_POWER_OFF()), as shown in operation 716.

[0135] If the amount of deliverable functionality is above the minimum amount, then in operation 720, the processor 310 may calculate the optimal operating power amount for the heater 14 based on the amount of deliverable functionality (e.g., INT watts = CIEL (PLD_STATE_OF_LIQUID / 20)). In operation 722, the power consumption of the heater 14 may be adjusted by the processor 310 based on the newly calculated power amount (e.g., VAP_SET_WATTS (watts)). The processor may then return to operation 712, wherein the timer is incremented, the amount of deliverable functionality is updated, and the timer and functionality are evaluated again for subsequent operations until the timer is exceeded or the deliverable functionality is exhausted.

[0136] It will be understood by those skilled in the relevant art that the program codes described above and their Figure 7The execution process shown is provided only as an exemplary embodiment, and the program code compiled / interpreted and executed by the electronic cigarette operating system of the electronic cigarette device discussed herein may include multiple additional and / or alternative functions, variables, event handlers, etc. By using these functions and other aspects of the electronic cigarette programming language and / or electronic cigarette scripting language associated with the electronic cigarette operating system, applications and / or scripts can be designed and executed in multiple electronic cigarette devices using a standard programming language through multiple character entities (entities), for execution by any number of processors, to control the operation of any number of components, such as multiple different heaters, reservoirs, contents, etc. In addition, because the variables used therein are standardized due to the application language and / or scripting language of the operating system, the components of the electronic cigarette device using the electronic cigarette operating system can be interchangeable with the components that existed previously when the electronic cigarette device was manufactured and / or newly developed. In addition, for components and electronic cigarette devices that are not originally designed for use with the electronic cigarette operating system, device drivers and / or API packages that allow previously incompatible components and electronic cigarette devices to be used with the electronic cigarette operating system can be developed.

[0137] As a result, the electronic cigarette device developed and operated using the exemplary embodiments described herein has improved capabilities in terms of being easily modified to adapt to different components, provide different operations, and cater to the preferences of adult electronic cigarette smokers and manufacturers relative to traditional electronic cigarette devices, without the need to manufacture new ASICs or microcontrollers, replace key components of the electronic cigarette device, and / or develop custom software dedicated to a single ASIC and / or microcontroller.

[0138] Figure 8 is a table showing an exemplary functional API package related to the functions of the electronic cigarette device according to at least one exemplary embodiment.

[0139] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the programming language developed for use with the electronic cigarette operating system 510 of the electronic cigarette device 300 may include multiple function packages related to the functions and operations of the electronic cigarette device 300. Each function package may provide libraries, classes, functions, modules, basic types, operators, etc. derived from one or more elements and operations of the electronic cigarette operating system 510 and the electronic cigarette device 300. For example, the programming language may include function packages for vapor generation, LED operation, switch and button operation, timer processing, reservoir user configuration (e.g., user configuration of cartridges, tanks, liquids, etc.), electronic cigarette device operation logging and statistics, event handlers, task scheduling, host communication, battery and charging, script processing, reservoir-related functions, handwriting tablet (e.g., text and / or user interface) input and output, I / O configuration (e.g., sensors, buttons, timers, etc.), etc.

[0140] In some exemplary embodiments, the function package can be accessed via one or more APIs. The API may include a code library, such as an object-oriented class library, which may include functions, classes, operators, etc. related to the function package suitable for the operation of the electronic cigarette device 300, the storage 345, the I / O device 355, the charger 365, the external computing device 375, the battery 380, etc. For example, the function package for steam generation may include functions for flashing the light-emitting diode, controlling the power provided to the heater 14, and switching the heater 14; the function package for LED control may include functions for switching the light-emitting diode, controlling the flashing of the light-emitting diode, or setting the light color; the function package for communication may include functions for connecting to an external computing device and / or a server and sending and / or receiving data from an external computing device and / or a server; the function package for battery control may include functions for reading battery power and controlling battery charging current; the function package for program language control may include functions such as compiling and executing program language scripts, providing user interface functions, providing local self-test functions (for example, the operating system can be configured to test the operating status of each component of the electronic cigarette device, etc.) and electronic cigarette device monitoring (for example, electronic cigarette usage data collection, desired operation limit monitoring, etc.).

[0141] Each exemplary embodiment of the function package may be related to a dedicated electronic cigarette device, storage, external computing device, hardware element, etc., and / or may be device-independent and compatible with more than one electronic cigarette device, storage, external computing device, hardware element, etc. In addition, the function package of the electronic cigarette programming language is not limited thereto, but may further include function packages developed for new electronic cigarette devices, storage, external computing devices, hardware elements, etc. Various function packages may also provide device and / or component driver support for the electronic cigarette OS and / or the OS executed on the external computing device. These device driver function packages may be configured to provide a software interface to a hardware device (e.g., an electronic cigarette device, etc.) or a hardware element (e.g., a heater, a storage unit storage, a processor, an I / O device, a battery, etc.), which enables the OS, scripts, and / or software applications to access hardware functions via software instructions contained in the driver, rather than directly calling instructions on the hardware directly through electrical signals (i.e., using electrical pin codes).

[0142] The above description is provided for the purpose of illustration and description. It should not be considered to be exhaustive or limit the present invention. Each element or feature of a particular exemplary embodiment is generally not limited to the particular embodiment, but is interchangeable as long as it is appropriate, and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. It can be changed in a variety of different ways. Such changes should not be considered to depart from the present invention, but all such changes should be included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for operating an electronic cigarette device, comprising: Using at least one processor to execute target code related to the function of the electronic cigarette device, wherein executing the target code includes: authenticating digital rights management (DRM) software stored on a storage memory, wherein the storage memory is included in the storage, and Based on the verification result of the digital rights management (DRM) software, the function of the storage for the electronic cigarette device is enabled, wherein enabling the function of the storage for the electronic cigarette device includes: downloading storage user configuration information from the storage memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein: Executing the object code associated with the electronic cigarette device function further includes: controlling vapor generation using the heating element and the reservoir.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein: The electronic cigarette device includes a charging interface configured to connect the rechargeable battery to an external power source; and Executing the target code includes controlling charging of a rechargeable battery using an external power source through a charging interface based on the target code.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein: The electronic cigarette device includes at least one input / output element, the at least one input / output element is at least one of a light emitting diode, a button, a switch and an airflow sensor or a combination thereof; and Executing the target code includes controlling at least one input / output element based on the target code.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein: The object code associated with the electronic cigarette device function includes computer readable instructions for at least one of the following: Age authentication of adult e-cigarette smokers, e-cigarette device identification, power on, power off, power consumption, operating efficiency, heating element temperature control, reservoir pre-vaporization formulation level detection, operating time, power reduction, power increase, battery charging control, user interface, communication, self-test, e-cigarette device monitoring, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein: The electronic cigarette device includes: a reservoir interface configured to transmit data communications between at least one processor and the reservoir; The reservoir user configuration information includes information related to a pre-evaporation recipe; and Executing the target code includes: receiving storage user configuration information through a storage interface to store in a first memory, wherein the first memory is included in the electronic cigarette device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein: The reservoir user configuration information includes at least one of: pre-vaporization recipe type, pre-vaporization recipe identification, manufacturer identification, capacity, heating element configuration data, measurement capacity, deliverable functional quantity, consumption capacity, software function, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein: The electronic cigarette device includes a host interface configured to transmit data communications between the at least one processor and an external computing device; and Executing the target code includes: receiving data from an external computing device through a host interface to store in a first memory, wherein the first memory is included in the electronic cigarette device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein: The data of the external computing device includes user profile information associated with the owner of the electronic smoking device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein: The data received from the external computing device includes object code associated with operating the electronic cigarette device and the reservoir according to desired operating limits.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein: The target code is based on source code written in an electronic cigarette programming language associated with the electronic cigarette operating system.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor of an electronic cigarette device, configures the processor to: Execute the target code related to the function of the electronic cigarette device, wherein, Executing the target code includes: authenticating digital rights management (DRM) software stored on a storage memory, wherein the storage memory is included in the storage, and Based on the verification result of the digital rights management (DRM) software, the function of the storage for the electronic cigarette device is enabled, wherein enabling the function of the storage for the electronic cigarette device includes: downloading storage user configuration information from the storage memory.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein: Executing the object code associated with the functions of the electronic cigarette device includes controlling vapor generation using a heating element and a reservoir.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein: The electronic cigarette device includes a charging interface configured to connect the rechargeable battery to an external power source; and Executing the target code includes controlling charging of a rechargeable battery using an external power source through a charging interface based on the target code.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein: The electronic cigarette device includes at least one input / output element, the at least one input / output element is at least one of a light emitting diode, a button, a switch and an airflow sensor or a combination thereof; and Executing the object code includes controlling at least one input / output element based on the object code.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein: The object code associated with the functionality of the electronic cigarette device includes computer readable instructions for at least one of the following: Age authentication of adult e-cigarette smokers, e-cigarette device identification, power on, power off, power consumption, operating efficiency, heating element temperature control, reservoir pre-vaporization formulation level detection, operating time, power reduction, power increase, battery charging control, user interface, communication, self-test, e-cigarette device monitoring, or a combination thereof.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein: The electronic cigarette device includes: a reservoir interface configured to transmit data communications between at least one processor and the reservoir; The reservoir user configuration information includes information related to a pre-evaporation recipe; and Executing the object code includes receiving storage user configuration information through a storage interface to store in a first memory.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein: The reservoir user configuration information includes at least one of: pre-vaporization recipe type, pre-vaporization recipe identification, manufacturer identification, capacity, heating element configuration data, measurement capacity, deliverable functional quantity, consumption capacity, software function, or a combination thereof.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein: The electronic cigarette device includes a host interface configured to transmit data communications between the at least one processor and an external computing device; and Executing the object code includes receiving data from an external computing device through a host interface to store in a first memory.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein: The data of the external computing device includes user profile information associated with the owner of the electronic smoking device.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein: The data received from the external computing device includes object code associated with operating the electronic cigarette device and the reservoir according to desired operating limits.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein: The target code is based on source code written in an electronic cigarette programming language associated with the electronic cigarette operating system.

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