Trigger-based wireless broadcasting of aerosol delivery devices

Abstract

An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a control component and a communication interface. The control component controls the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device in an instance in which air flow through at least a portion of at least one housing is detected. The communication interface is coupled to the control component and enables wireless communication. The control component further detects a predefined trigger and automatically responds thereto by causing the communication interface to broadcast the availability of the aerosol delivery device for connection with a wirelessly capable device. The predefined trigger includes at least one instance in which air flow is detected and excludes user actuation of any button on the aerosol delivery device.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with the application date of July 20, 2016, application number 201680055197.6, and name “Triggered Wireless Broadcasting for Aerosol Delivery Device”. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles (e.g., smoking articles commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes) that can use electrically generated heat to generate an aerosol, and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices that initiate wireless broadcasts based on the detection of a trigger for connection with a wirelessly capable device. The smoking article can be configured to heat an aerosol precursor that can be combined with a material that can be made from, derived from, or otherwise combined with tobacco, the precursor being capable of forming an inhalable substance for human consumption. Background Art

[0003] For several years, many smoking devices have been proposed as improvements or substitutes for smoking products that need to burn tobacco for use. Many of these devices are allegedly designed to provide the sensation associated with cigarettes, cigars or pipes, but a large amount of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products caused by tobacco burning will not be delivered. For this purpose, numerous smoking products, flavor generators and medicinal inhalers that utilize electric energy to evaporate or heat volatile materials or attempt to provide the sensation of cigarettes, cigars or pipes to a great extent without burning tobacco have been proposed. Referring to various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and heat generation sources in the background technology described in U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 of Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 of Griffith Jr. et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 of Sears et al., for example, described, the document is all incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. See, for example, various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically powered heat generating sources referenced by trade names and commercial sources in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 170,838, filed on February 3, 2014, by Bless et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In addition, other types of smoking articles have been proposed in U.S. Patent No. 5,505,214, by Collins et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,894,841, by Voges, U.S. Patent No. 6,772,756, by Shayan, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006 / 0196518, by Hon, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0267031, by Hon, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0004] Continued developments in the field of aerosol delivery devices have resulted in increasingly sophisticated aerosol delivery devices. For example, some aerosol delivery devices are enabled to communicate wirelessly (e.g., Bluetooth communications) with other wireless-capable devices. This communication typically requires an initial setup process in which the aerosol delivery device broadcasts an advertisement for connection to the wireless-capable device, and in response thereto, further establishes a communication line with at least one device. However, since there is no user input button at the aerosol delivery device for initiating the broadcast, initiation of this process can be complicated. Therefore, there is a need for a wireless broadcast method that is initiated independently of user actuation of any button on the aerosol delivery device. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods of forming such devices, and elements of such devices.The present disclosure therefore includes, but is not limited to, the following example implementations.

[0006] Example implementation 1: An aerosol delivery device, comprising: at least one shell; and a control component and a communication interface contained within the at least one shell, the control component being configured to control the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device in an instance in which air flow is detected through at least a portion of the at least one shell; the communication interface being coupled to the control component and configured to implement wireless communication, wherein the control component is further configured to detect a predefined trigger and, in automatic response thereto, cause the communication interface to broadcast the availability of the aerosol delivery device for connection to a wirelessly capable device, the predefined trigger including at least one instance in which the air flow is detected and excluding user actuation of any button on the aerosol delivery device.

[0007] Example Implementation 2: The aerosol delivery device of the preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, wherein the trigger comprises a predefined length of time between at least two instances where air flow is detected.

[0008] Example Implementation 3: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, wherein the predefined length of time between the at least two instances in which air flow is detected does not exceed approximately 1,250 milliseconds.

[0009] Example Implementation 4: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, wherein the trigger comprises a predefined duration of an instance in which air flow is detected.

[0010] Example Implementation 5: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, wherein the predefined duration is between approximately 70 milliseconds and 750 milliseconds.

[0011] Example Implementation 6: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, wherein the trigger comprises a predefined number of instances in which air flow is detected.

[0012] Example implementation 7: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation or any combination thereof, wherein the aerosol delivery device comprises a control body, the control body comprising the at least one housing, the control component, and the communication interface. The control body may be coupled to a charging component and a cartridge, and the triggering further comprises coupling the control body to the charging component or the cartridge.

[0013] Example Implementation 8: An aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation or any combination thereof, wherein the trigger further includes coupling of the control body to the cartridge, and wherein the at least one instance is a first instance in which air flow is detected after coupling of the control body to the cartridge.

[0014] Example Implementation 9: An aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the communication interface is a Bluetooth communication interface, and the communication interface is enabled to broadcast availability including the Bluetooth communication interface being enabled to transmit an advertisement including information for connecting the Bluetooth communication interface to a Bluetooth-enabled device, and in at least one instance, engaging with the Bluetooth-enabled device upon connection.

[0015] Example implementation 10: An aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the aerosol delivery device includes a control body, the control body including the at least one shell, the control component and the Bluetooth communication interface, and the trigger further includes coupling of the control body to the cartridge, and the at least one instance is a first instance in which air flow is detected after coupling of the control body to the cartridge, and the Bluetooth communication interface is caused to transmit an advertisement including being caused to transmit the advertisement within a time length not longer than a predetermined time length after the first instance, and thereafter stopping transmission of the advertisement.

[0016] Example Implementation 11: A method for operating an aerosol delivery device, the method comprising, at the aerosol delivery device: a control component controlling the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device in an instance in which air flow is detected through at least a portion of the at least one shell; a communication interface implementing wireless communication; and the control component further detecting a predefined trigger, and automatically responding thereto, causing the communication interface to broadcast the availability of the aerosol delivery device for connection to a wirelessly capable device, the predefined trigger including at least one instance in which the air flow is detected and excluding user actuation of any button on the aerosol delivery device.

[0017] Example Implementation 12: The method of any preceding or subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, wherein the trigger comprises a predefined length of time between at least two instances where air flow is detected.

[0018] Example Implementation 13: The method of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, wherein the predefined length of time between the at least two instances in which air flow is detected does not exceed approximately 1,250 milliseconds.

[0019] Example Implementation 14: The method of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, wherein the trigger comprises a predefined duration of an instance in which air flow is detected.

[0020] Example Implementation 15: The method of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, wherein the predefined duration is between approximately 70 milliseconds and 750 milliseconds.

[0021] Example Implementation 16: The method of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, wherein the trigger comprises a predefined number of instances in which air flow is detected.

[0022] Example Implementation 17: The method of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the aerosol delivery device includes a control body coupleable to a charging component and a cartridge, and the triggering further includes coupling of the control body to the charging component or cartridge.

[0023] Example Implementation 18: The method of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation or any combination thereof, wherein the trigger further includes coupling of the control body to the cartridge, and the at least one instance is a first instance in which air flow is detected after coupling of the control body to the cartridge.

[0024] Example Implementation 19: A method of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the communication interface is a Bluetooth communication interface, and the communication interface broadcasting availability includes the Bluetooth communication interface transmitting an advertisement including information for connecting the Bluetooth communication interface to a Bluetooth-enabled device, and in at least one instance, engaging with the Bluetooth-enabled device upon connection.

[0025] Example implementation 20: A method of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the aerosol delivery device includes a control body, the control body includes the control component and a Bluetooth communication interface, and the trigger further includes coupling of the control body to a cartridge, and the at least one instance is a first instance in which air flow is detected after coupling of the control body to the cartridge, and the Bluetooth communication interface transmitting an advertisement includes transmitting the advertisement within a time length not longer than a predetermined time length after the first instance, and thereafter ceasing transmission of the advertisement.

[0026] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will be understood by reading the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings briefly described below. The present disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four or more than four features or elements set forth in the present disclosure, regardless of whether such features or elements are explicitly combined or otherwise referenced in the specific example implementations described herein. The present disclosure is intended to be read as a whole so that any separable features or elements in any of the aspects and example implementations of the present disclosure should be considered as given, i.e., combinable, unless the context of the present disclosure clearly specifies otherwise.

[0027] Therefore, it will be understood that this brief summary is provided only for the purpose of summarizing some example implementations in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. Therefore, it will be understood that the example implementations described above are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope or spirit of the present disclosure in any way. Other example implementations, aspects, and advantages will become apparent through the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that illustrate by way of example the principles of some of the described example implementations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Having thus described the present disclosure in the foregoing summary, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which:

[0029] Figure 1 illustrates a side view of an aerosol delivery device including a cartridge coupled to a control body according to an example implementation of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 2 is based on various example implementations that can be used with Figure 1A partial cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery device corresponding to the aerosol delivery device;

[0031] Figure 3 is a state diagram for trigger-based Bluetooth advertising according to an example implementation; and

[0032] Figure 4 Various operations in a method of operating an aerosol delivery device according to an example implementation of the present disclosure are illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The present disclosure will now be more fully described below with reference to example implementations of the present disclosure. These example implementations are described so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. In fact, the present disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein; rather, these implementations are provided so that the present disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the,” and similar terms include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. ”

[0034] As described below, example implementations of the present disclosure relate to aerosol delivery systems. Aerosol delivery systems according to the present disclosure use electrical energy to heat materials (preferably without burning the materials to any significant extent) to form inhalable substances; and components of such systems are in the form of articles, most preferably being sufficiently compact as handheld devices. That is, the use of the components of the preferred aerosol delivery system does not result in the generation of smoke in the sense of aerosols produced primarily as byproducts of tobacco combustion or pyrolysis, but the use of those preferred systems results in the generation of vapors caused by the volatilization or evaporation of certain components incorporated therein. In some example implementations, the components of the aerosol delivery system can be characterized as electronic cigarettes, and those electronic cigarettes most preferably combine tobacco and / or components derived from tobacco, and thus deliver components derived from tobacco in the form of aerosols.

[0035] The aerosol-generating member of certain preferred aerosol delivery systems can provide many of the sensations of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe used by lighting and burning tobacco (and thus inhaling tobacco smoke) (e.g., inhalation and exhalation habits, taste or flavor type, sensory effects, physical sensations, usage habits, visual cues, such as those provided by a visible aerosol, etc.), without any significant degree of combustion of any of its components. For example, a user of the aerosol-generating member of the present disclosure can hold and use the member much like a smoker uses a conventional type of smoking article, draw on one end of the member to inhale the aerosol generated by the member, take or draw puffs at selected time intervals, and the like.

[0036] Aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure can also be characterized as steam generation goods or drug delivery goods.Therefore, this type of goods or equipment can be adapted to provide one or more materials (for example, flavoring agent and / or active pharmaceutical ingredient) in inhalable form or state.For example, inhalable material can be in vapor form (that is, material in gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical point) in general.Alternately, inhalable material can be in aerosol form (that is, fine solid particles or small droplets in the suspension of gas).For simplicity, no matter whether it is visible and no matter whether it is a form that may be regarded as aerosol, as used herein, term "aerosol" is intended to include steam, gas and aerosol in a form or type suitable for human inhalation.

[0037] The aerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure generally include a plurality of components provided within an outer body or shell (which may be referred to as a shell). The overall design of the outer body or shell may vary, and the type or configuration of the outer body that may define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device may vary. Typically, an elongated body having a shape similar to that of a cigarette or cigar may be formed by a single integral shell, or the elongated shell may be formed by two or more separable bodies. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include an elongated shell or body that may be generally tubular in shape, and thus resemble the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one example, all of the components of the aerosol delivery device are contained within a shell. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device may include two or more joined and separable shells. For example, an aerosol delivery device may have a control body at one end, which includes a housing containing one or more reusable components (e.g., a rechargeable battery and various electronic devices for controlling the operation of the article), and an outer body or shell at the other end that is integral with or removably coupled thereto, which body or shell contains a disposable portion (e.g., a disposable cartridge containing a flavoring agent).

[0038] The aerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure most preferably include a power source (i.e., an electrical power source), at least one control component (e.g., a device for actuating, controlling, regulating, and stopping the power used for heat generation, such as by controlling the flow of current through the power source to other components of the article, such as a microprocessor alone or as part of a microcontroller), a heater or heat generating member (e.g., a resistive heating element or other component, which alone or in combination with one or more other components may generally be referred to as an "atomizer"), an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a liquid that is generally capable of producing an aerosol when sufficient heat is applied, such as ingredients commonly referred to as "smoke juice," "e-liquid," and "e-juice"), and a mouth end region or tip (e.g., a defined air flow path through the article so that the generated aerosol can be drawn therefrom when puffing) that allows the aerosol delivery device to be puffed to inhale the aerosol.

[0039] In view of the further disclosure provided below, more specific types, configurations and arrangements of components within the aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure will be apparent. In addition, the selection and arrangement of various aerosol delivery system components can be understood after considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices such as those representative products mentioned in the background technology section of the present disclosure.

[0040] In various examples, the aerosol delivery device may include a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition. The reservoir may be formed of a porous material (eg, a fibrous material) and may therefore be referred to as a porous substrate (eg, a fibrous substrate).

[0041] The fiber substrate used as a reservoir in an aerosol delivery device can be a woven or nonwoven material formed of a plurality of fibers or filaments, and can be formed of one or both of natural fibers and synthetic fibers. For example, the fiber substrate can include a glass fiber material. In a specific example, a cellulose acetate material can be used. In other example implementations, a carbon material can be used. The reservoir can be generally in the form of a container, and can include a fiber material included therein.

[0042] Figure 1 A side view of an aerosol delivery device 100 including a control body 102 and a cartridge 104 is illustrated according to various example implementations of the present disclosure. Specifically, Figure 1The control body and the cartridge coupled to each other are shown. The control body and the cartridge can be aligned in a functional relationship in a permanent manner or in a removable manner. Various mechanisms can connect the cartridge to the control body to produce threaded engagement, press-fit engagement, interference fit, magnetic engagement, etc. In some example implementations, when the cartridge and the control body are in an assembled configuration, the aerosol delivery device can be generally rod-shaped, generally tubular in shape, or generally cylindrical in shape. The cartridge and the control body can include an integral housing or an outer body or a separate, respective housing or outer body that can be formed by any one of a variety of different materials. The housing can be formed by any suitable structurally reasonable material. In some examples, the housing can be formed by a metal or alloy such as stainless steel, aluminum, etc. Other suitable materials include various plastics (e.g., polycarbonate), metal-plating over plastic, etc.

[0043] In some example implementations, one or both of the control body 102 or cartridge 104 of the aerosol delivery device 100 may be referred to as disposable or reusable. For example, the control body may have a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery, and thus may be combined with any type of recharging technology, including, for example, connection to a typical AC outlet, connection to a car charger (i.e., cigarette lighter socket), and connection to a computer via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or connector. Additionally, in some example implementations, the cartridge may include a single-use cartridge as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,910,639 to Chang et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0044] In one example implementation, the control body 102 and the cartridge 104 forming the aerosol delivery device 100 can be coupled to each other in a permanent manner. Examples of aerosol delivery devices that can be configured to be disposable and / or can include a first external body and a second external body configured for permanent coupling are disclosed in U.S. patent application serial number 14 / 170,838 filed by Bless et al. on February 3, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In another example implementation, the cartridge and the control body can be configured in a single-piece non-detachable form and can incorporate the components, aspects, and features disclosed herein. However, in another example implementation, the control body and the cartridge can be configured to be separate so that, for example, the cartridge can be refilled or replaced.

[0045] Figure 2 1 shows a more specific example implementation of an aerosol delivery device 100. As seen in the cross-sectional view shown therein, the aerosol delivery device may include a control body 102 and a cartridge 104. Figure 2As shown in , the control body can be formed by a control body shell 206, which may include a control component 208 (e.g., a microprocessor alone or as part of a microcontroller), a flow sensor 210, a battery 212, and one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) 214, and such components can be aligned in a variable manner. In addition to or as a substitute for the LED, further indicators (e.g., tactile feedback components, audio feedback components, etc.) may be included. The cartridge may be formed by a cartridge shell 216 enclosing a reservoir 218 that is fluidically connected to a liquid delivery element 220, and the liquid delivery element is suitable for wicking or otherwise delivering an aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to a heater 222 (sometimes referred to as a heating element). In a certain example, a valve may be positioned between the reservoir and the heater and configured to control the amount of aerosol precursor composition transmitted or delivered to the heater from the reservoir.

[0046] The heater 222 can be formed using various examples of materials configured to generate heat when an electric current is applied therethrough. The heater in these examples can be a resistive heating element such as a wire coil. Example materials from which the wire coil can be formed include Kanthal (FeCrAl), Nichrome, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), molybdenum disilicide doped with aluminum (Mo(Si,Al)2), graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and yarns), and ceramics (e.g., positive or negative temperature coefficient ceramics). Example implementations of heaters or heating components that can be used in aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure are further described below and can be incorporated into a device such as described herein. Figure 2 In the device shown in the figure.

[0047] An opening 224 may be present in the cartridge housing 216 (eg, at the mouth end) to allow the formed aerosol to be released from the cartridge 104. Such features are representative of features that may be present in a cartridge and are not intended to limit the scope of cartridge features encompassed by the present disclosure.

[0048] The cartridge 104 may also include one or more electronic components 226, which may include integrated circuits, memory components, sensors, etc. The electronic components may be adapted to communicate with the control component 208 and / or with external devices via wired or wireless means. The electronic components may be positioned anywhere within the cartridge or its base 228.

[0049] Although the control component 208 and the flow sensor 210 are shown separately, it should be understood that the control component and the flow sensor can be combined into an electronic circuit board having the air flow sensor directly attached thereto. Further, the electronic circuit board can be relative to Figure 1, because the electronic circuit board may be longitudinally parallel to the central axis of the control body. In some examples, the air flow sensor may include its own circuit board or other base element to which it may be attached. In some examples, a flexible circuit board may be utilized. The flexible circuit board may be configured in a variety of shapes, including a generally tubular shape. In some examples, the flexible circuit board may be combined with, laminated to, or form part or all of a heater substrate as further described below.

[0050] The control body 102 and the cartridge 104 may include components suitable for facilitating fluid engagement therebetween. Figure 2 As shown in , the control body may include a coupler 230 having a cavity 232 therein. The base 228 of the cartridge may be adapted to engage the coupler and may include a protrusion 234 adapted to fit within the cavity. Such engagement may facilitate a stable connection between the control body and the cartridge, as well as establishing an electrical connection between the battery 212 and control component 208 in the control body and the heater 222 in the cartridge. Further, the control body housing 206 may include an air inlet 236, which may be a notch in the housing connected to the coupler, the notch allowing ambient air around the coupler to pass through and enter the housing, then within the housing through the cavity 232 of the coupler and into the cartridge through the protrusion 234.

[0051] Couplers and mounts useful according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Figure 2 The coupler 230 seen in the figure can define an outer periphery 238 configured to cooperate with the inner periphery 240 of the base 228. In one example, the inner periphery of the base can define a radius that is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the radius of the outer periphery of the coupler. Further, the coupler can define one or more protrusions 242 at the outer periphery that are configured to engage with one or more grooves 244 defined at the inner periphery of the base. However, various other examples of structures, shapes, and components can be used to couple the base to the coupler. In some examples, the connection between the base of the cartridge 104 and the coupler of the control body 102 can be substantially permanent, while in other examples, the connection therebetween can be releasable, so that, for example, the control body can be reused with one or more additional cartridges that can be disposable and / or refillable.

[0052] In some examples, the aerosol delivery device 100 can be generally rod-shaped or generally tubular or generally cylindrical. In other examples, other shapes and sizes are contemplated, such as rectangular or triangular cross-sections, multi-faceted shapes, and the like.

[0053] As currently described, Figure 2 The reservoir 218 shown in the figure can be a container or can be a fiber reservoir. For example, in this example, the reservoir can include one or more layers of non-woven fibers, which are generally formed into the shape of a tube surrounding the interior of the cartridge shell 216. The aerosol precursor composition can be stored in the reservoir. The liquid component can be stored in an adsorption manner through the reservoir, for example. The reservoir can be fluidly connected to the liquid delivery element 220. In this example, the liquid delivery element can transport the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir to a heater 222 in the form of a metal wire coil via capillary action. Thus, the heater is in a heating arrangement with the liquid delivery element. Example implementations of reservoirs and delivery elements that can be used for aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure are further described below, and such reservoirs and / or delivery elements can be incorporated into a device as described herein. Figure 2 Specifically, a specific combination of heating components and conveying elements as further described below can be incorporated into the device as described herein. Figure 2 In the device shown in the figure.

[0054] In use, when the user draws on the aerosol delivery device 100, the flow sensor 210 detects the air flow, and the heater 222 is activated to vaporize the components of the aerosol precursor composition. Drawing on the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device causes ambient air to enter the air inlet 236 and pass through the cavity 232 in the coupler 230 and the central opening in the protrusion 234 of the base 228. In the cartridge 104, the drawn air combines with the formed vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol is agitated, sucked or otherwise drawn out of the heater and discharged at the opening 224 in the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device.

[0055] In some examples, the aerosol delivery device 100 may include a variety of additional software-controlled functions. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include a battery protection circuit configured to detect battery input, load on battery terminals, and charging input. The battery protection circuit may include short circuit protection and under-voltage lock out. The aerosol delivery device may also include a component for ambient temperature measurement, and its control component 208 may be configured to control at least one functional element so that before charging begins or during charging, if the ambient temperature is below a certain temperature (e.g., 0°C) or above a certain temperature (e.g., 45°C), then battery charging is inhibited.

[0056] The power delivery from the battery 212 can vary over the course of each puff on the aerosol delivery device 100 according to the power control mechanism. The device can include a "long puff" safety timer so that in the event that the user or an unintentional mechanism causes the device to attempt to puff continuously, the control component 208 can control at least one functional element to automatically terminate the puff after a period of time (e.g., four seconds). Further, the time between puffs on the device can be limited to less than a period of time (e.g., 100). If its control component or software running on the monitoring safety timer becomes unstable and cannot maintain the timer within an appropriate time interval (e.g., eight seconds), the monitoring safety timer can automatically reset the aerosol delivery device. In the event that the flow sensor 210 fails or is otherwise damaged, further safety protection can be provided, such as by permanently disabling the aerosol delivery device to prevent unintentional heating. In the event that the pressure sensor is damaged and the device is continuously activated without stopping after the maximum puff time of four seconds, the puff limit switch can deactivate the device.

[0057] The aerosol delivery device 100 may include a puff tracking algorithm configured to lock the heater once a defined number of puffs has been reached with an attached cartridge (based on the number of available puffs calculated based on the e-liquid feed in the cartridge). In some implementations, the puff tracking algorithm indirectly counts the number of puffs based on the corresponding puff seconds. As such, the puff tracking algorithm may count puff seconds incrementally in order to calculate when a specified number of puffs have occurred, and then shut down the device once the puff seconds reach what is estimated to be a predetermined number of puffs. For example, if three (3) seconds are defined as equal to one "average" puff and the device has been configured to shut down after two hundred (200) average puffs, the device may shut down after six hundred (600) puff seconds have passed with respect to the use of the cartridge. The puff tracking algorithm may further estimate the amount of e-liquid used per puff second, and mathematically calculate the e-liquid volume based at least in part on the estimate of the corresponding puff seconds.

[0058] Various components of an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure may be selected from those described in the art and commercially available. Examples of batteries that may be used according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0028766 to Peckerar et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0059] When aerosol generation is desired (e.g., when puffing during use), the aerosol delivery device 100 can include a sensor 210 or another sensor or detector for controlling the supply of electrical power to the heater 222. Thus, for example, a manner or method is provided to disconnect the power supply to the heater when the aerosol delivery device is not being puffed during use, and to turn on the power supply during puffing to actuate or trigger the generation of heat by the heater. Additional representative types of sensing or detection mechanisms, their structures and configurations, their components, and general methods of operation thereof are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., and PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO 2010 / 003480 to Flick, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0060] Aerosol delivery device 100 most preferably includes a control component 208 or another control mechanism for controlling the amount of electrical power to heater 222 during a puff. Representative types of electronic components, their structure and configuration, their features, and general methods of operation thereof are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., 4,947,874 to Brooks et al., 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., 7,040,315 to Pan et al., 7,040,434 to Nguyen et al., 7,040,435 to Nguyen et al., 7,040,436 to Pan et al., 7,040,437 to Nguyen ... No. 8,205,622, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0230117 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collet et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0270727 to Ampolini et al., and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 209,191 filed on March 13, 2014 by Henry et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0061] Representative types of substrates, reservoirs, or other components for supporting aerosol precursors are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569 to Newton, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261487 to Chapman et al., U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 011,992 to Davis et al., filed on August 28, 2013, and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 170,838 to Bless et al., filed on February 3, 2014, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Additionally, various wicking materials within certain types of electronic cigarettes, as well as the configuration and operation of those wicking materials, are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0209105 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0062] Aerosol precursor compositions, also known as vapor precursor compositions, may include a variety of components including, for example, polyols (e.g., glycerol, propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extracts, and / or flavoring agents. Various components that may be included in aerosol precursor compositions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Additional representative types of aerosol precursor compositions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,839 to Jakob et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,531 to Biggs et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 to Zheng et al., and Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco in RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company Monograph (1988), all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0063] Additional representative types of components that produce visual cues or indications may be employed in the aerosol delivery device 100, such as LEDs and related components, auditory elements (e.g., speakers), vibratory elements (e.g., vibratory motors), etc. Examples of suitable LED components and their configurations and uses are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,499,766 to Newton, U.S. Pat. No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday, and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 173,266 to Sears et al., filed February 5, 2014, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0064] Still other features, controls, or components that may be incorporated into the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0016550 to Katase, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0016550 to Fernando et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0163063 to Tucker et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0192623 to Tucker et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0298905 to Leven et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0180553 to Kim et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261408 to DePiano et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0065] The control component 208 includes several electronic components, and in some examples may be formed by a printed circuit board (PCB) that supports and electrically connects the electronic components. Examples of suitable electronic components include a microprocessor or processor core, an integrated circuit, a memory, etc. In some examples, the control component may include a microcontroller with an integrated processor core and memory, and the microcontroller may further include one or more integrated input / output peripheral configurations.

[0066] The aerosol delivery device 100 may further include a communication interface 246 coupled to the control component 208, and the communication interface may be configured to enable wireless communication. In some examples, the communication interface may be included on a PCB of the control component, or on a separate PCB that may be coupled to the PCB of the control component or one or more components. The communication interface may enable the aerosol delivery device to wirelessly communicate with one or more networks, computing devices, or other appropriately enabled devices. Examples of suitable computing devices include any of several different mobile computers. More specific examples of suitable mobile computers include portable computers (e.g., laptop computers, notebooks, tablet computers), mobile phones (e.g., cell phones, smart phones), wearable computers (e.g., smart watches), and the like. In other examples, the computing device may be embodied as something other than a mobile computer, such as in the manner of a desktop computer, server computing, and the like. And in yet another example, the computing device may be embodied as an electric beacon, such as using iBeacon developed by Apple. TM Examples of suitable manners according to which an aerosol delivery device may be configured for wireless communication are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 327,776 filed on July 10, 2014 by Ampolini et al. and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 609,032 filed on January 29, 2015 by Henry, Jr. et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0067] The communication interface 246 may include, for example, an antenna (or multiple antennas) and supporting hardware and / or software for implementing wireless communication with a communication network (e.g., cellular network, Wi-Fi, WLAN, etc.) according to one or more desired communication technologies, and / or for supporting short-range communication from device to device. The communication interface may sometimes consist of multiple separate or integrated communication interfaces that implement communication according to multiple communication technologies. Examples of suitable short-range communication technologies that can be supported by the communication interface include various near field communication (NFC) technologies, wireless personal area network (WPAN) technologies, and the like. More specific examples of suitable WPAN technologies include those specified by the IEEE 802.15 standard or otherwise, including Bluetooth, low power Bluetooth (Bluetooth LE), ZigBee, infrared (e.g., IrDA), radio frequency identification (RFID), wireless USB, and the like. Yet other examples of suitable short-range communication technologies include Wi-Fi Direct and certain other technologies based on the IEEE 802.11 standard or specified by the IEEE 802.11 standard and supporting direct device-to-device communication.

[0068] In some example implementations, the aerosol delivery device 100 may utilize trigger-based wireless broadcasts as a means for initiating connections with other wireless-enabled devices (e.g., mobile computers), and its connection and communication with these devices may be implemented by the communication interface 246. In this regard, the control component 208 may detect a predefined trigger and automatically respond thereto by causing the communication interface to broadcast the availability of the aerosol delivery device for connection with the wireless-enabled device. As used herein, broadcasting the availability of the aerosol delivery device for connection with the wireless-enabled device may be simply referred to as "broadcasting availability."

[0069] In some examples, the predefined triggers may include at least one instance in which air flow is detected, and exclude user actuation of any button on the aerosol delivery device 100. Triggers may be defined such that the difficulty of implementing and / or executing the triggers ranges from easy to moderately difficult. In instances where execution of the triggers is moderately difficult for a user of the aerosol delivery device, inadvertent occurrence of broadcast availability may be prevented.

[0070] In some example implementations, the trigger includes a predefined number of instances in which air flow is detected. In some implementations, the trigger includes a predefined length of time between at least two instances in which air flow is detected. In one implementation, for example, the predefined length of time between at least two instances in which air flow is detected is no more than about 1,250 milliseconds. However, in other implementations, the predefined length of time between at least two instances in which air flow is detected may be greater than about 1,250 milliseconds.

[0071] In some implementations, the trigger includes a predefined duration of an instance in which air flow is detected. In one implementation, for example, the predefined duration is between about 70 milliseconds and 750 milliseconds. However, in other implementations, the predefined duration between at least two instances in which air flow is detected may be less than about 70 milliseconds or greater than about 750 milliseconds.

[0072] It should be noted that the triggering may include any one or more combinations of the triggers discussed elsewhere herein. For example, timing information may be predefined within the aerosol delivery device to identify a specific length, amount, and / or sequence of detected airflows to implement a predefined trigger.

[0073] In some example implementations where the control body 102 includes a control component 208 and a communication interface 246, the control body can be coupled to a charging component and a cartridge 104. In these example implementations, the trigger can further include the coupling of the control body to the charging component or the cartridge. And in at least some of these example implementations, the at least one instance where the air flow is detected is the first instance where the air flow is detected after the coupling of the control body to the cartridge. Thus, broadcast availability can occur at any time after the user connects and / or couples the control body to or the cartridge or the charging component and obtains at least one puff.

[0074] In some example implementations, detection of the coupling of the control body 102 to or cartridge 104 or charging component results in the activation of the control body within the software. In at least some of these example implementations, the software can then cause broadcast availability to occur only at the next single puff, such that if another initiation of broadcast availability is required, the control body must first be disconnected from the cartridge or control component. A subsequent initiation of broadcast availability can then occur after re-coupling of the control body and another initial single puff thereafter.

[0075] In some example implementations where the communication interface 246 may be or include a Bluetooth communication interface, broadcasting availability may include the Bluetooth communication interface being caused to transmit an advertisement including information for connecting the Bluetooth communication interface with a Bluetooth-enabled device. As used herein, transmission of an advertisement including information for connecting the Bluetooth communication interface with a Bluetooth-enabled device may be referred to as "advertising availability," or even more simply, "advertisement." In at least one instance, the Bluetooth communication interface may engage with the Bluetooth-enabled device upon connection.

[0076] It should be noted that while many of the example implementations discussed herein specifically relate to Bluetooth communication technology (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy), the example implementations may be used in conjunction with other wireless communication technologies not explicitly stated herein, including near field communication (NFC) technology, wireless personal area network (WPAN) technology, ZigBee, infrared (e.g., IrDA), radio frequency identification (RFID), wireless USB, Wi-Fi (e.g., Wi-Fi Direct), etc. As such, an implementation in which the communication interface 246 may be or include a Bluetooth communication interface merely represents one example implementation of the present disclosure.

[0077] In some example implementations, the Bluetooth communication interface being caused to transmit the advertisement includes being caused to transmit the advertisement within a length of time no longer than a predetermined length of time after a first instance of air flow is detected, and thereafter ceasing transmission of the advertisement. For example, the Bluetooth communication interface may initialize advertisement availability within 30 seconds after a first instance of air flow is detected, and thereafter ceasing advertisement availability.

[0078] Figure 3 A state diagram 300 for trigger-based Bluetooth advertising according to an example implementation of the present disclosure is illustrated. In some example implementations where the communication interface 246 may be or include a Bluetooth communication interface, the Bluetooth communication interface may be set to an initial state 302 during the process of manufacturing the aerosol delivery device 100. In this initial state, the Bluetooth communication interface, and more specifically, power to the Bluetooth communication interface may be disabled until at least one trigger is initially detected.

[0079] After detecting the at least one trigger, the Bluetooth communication interface may enter an initial advertising state 304, wherein the Bluetooth communication interface may advertise for a predetermined duration (e.g., 30 seconds). In one example, the advertising state may be associated with a timer that is set based at least in part on the predetermined duration. In another example, expiration of the timer may initialize a timeout period.

[0080] The Bluetooth communication interface may include a whitelist that specifies one or more identifiers of any Bluetooth-enabled devices (e.g., trusted Bluetooth-enabled devices) with which the Bluetooth communication interface has previously engaged and / or is allowed to engage. In one example implementation, if a timer has expired, thereby initiating a timeout period during the initial advertising state 304, and the whitelist is empty, the Bluetooth communication interface may re-enter the initial state 302. Alternatively, if a timer has expired, thereby initiating a timeout period and the whitelist is not empty (e.g., the whitelist has one or more entries), the Bluetooth communication interface may enter the active state 306, during which the Bluetooth communication interface may be configured to slow down advertising if not actively connected to a Bluetooth-enabled device within range.

[0081] During the active state 306, the Bluetooth communication interface may detect and connect with a Bluetooth enabled device within range, and thereby enter a connected state 308. In the event that the connected device becomes out of range, the Bluetooth communication interface may re-enter the active state. Also during the active state, a trigger may be detected at the aerosol delivery device 100, which causes the Bluetooth communication interface to enter a secondary advertising state 310. In this state, the Bluetooth communication interface may advertise for a predetermined duration (such as 30 seconds), or otherwise advertise until the expiration of a timer, at which time a timeout period may be initialized and the Bluetooth communication interface may re-enter the active state.

[0082] Referring again to the initial advertising state 304, if the Bluetooth communication interface receives a response from the Bluetooth-enabled device, the Bluetooth communication interface may initiate a joining process 312 with the Bluetooth-enabled device. In one example implementation, if the joining process fails and the whitelist is empty, the Bluetooth communication interface may re-enter the initial state 302. Alternatively, if the joining process fails (or succeeds) and the whitelist is not empty, the Bluetooth communication interface may enter the active state 306. Otherwise, if the joining process is successful, the Bluetooth communication interface may connect with the responding Bluetooth-enabled device and thereby enter the connected state 308.

[0083] In some example implementations, where the whitelist is not empty, the Bluetooth communication interface may determine a subsequent state after the joining process 312 based at least in part on whether a previously joined Bluetooth enabled device is within range. In one implementation, for example, if a previously or most recently joined Bluetooth enabled device is within range, the Bluetooth communication interface may enter the connected state 308. If the previously joined Bluetooth enabled device (i.e., the whitelist is not empty) is not within range, the Bluetooth communication interface may enter the active state 306.

[0084] Figure 4 Various operations in a method 400 for operating an aerosol delivery device are illustrated. As shown at box 402, the method may include a control component controlling the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device in an instance in which air flow is detected through at least a portion of the at least one housing. As shown at box 404, the method may also include a communication interface enabling wireless communication. As shown at box 406, the method may also include the control component further detecting a predefined trigger, and automatically responding thereto, causing the communication interface to broadcast the availability of the aerosol delivery device for connection to a wirelessly capable device. The predefined trigger includes at least one instance in which air flow is detected, and excludes user actuation of any button on the aerosol delivery device.

[0085] The foregoing descriptions of use of one or more articles of manufacture may be applied to the various example implementations described herein with minor modifications that may be apparent to one skilled in the art in view of the greater disclosure provided herein. However, the above descriptions of use are not intended to limit the use of the articles of manufacture, but are provided to meet all necessary requirements of the disclosure of the present disclosure. Figures 1 to 3 Any of the elements illustrated in or presented in one or more articles as otherwise described above may be included in an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure.

[0086] Thanks to the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the related figures, the technical personnel in the field to which the disclosure relates will understand many modifications and other embodiments of these disclosures set forth herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and its modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included in the scope of the appended claims. In addition, although the foregoing description and the related figures describe example implementations in the context of certain example combinations of elements and / or functions, it should be understood that different combinations of elements and / or functions can be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, combinations of elements and / or functions different from those combinations explicitly described above are also covered, as are set forth in some of the appended claims. Although specific terms are used herein, the terms are used only in a general sense and a descriptive sense, and are not used for limitation purposes.

Claims

1. An aerosol delivery device comprising: A control body, comprising a housing; and contained in the housing, a control component configured to control the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device in instances in which at least one predefined trigger is detected; as well as a communication interface coupled to the control component and configured to implement wireless communication, Wherein the control component is further configured to detect at least one predefined trigger and automatically respond thereto by causing the communication interface to broadcast the availability of the aerosol delivery device for connection to a wirelessly capable device, wherein the at least one predefined trigger includes coupling of the control body to the cartridge.

2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect air flow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device.

3. An aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 2, wherein when air flow through at least a portion of the housing is detected, the control component controls the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device.

4. An aerosol delivery device as described in claim 1, wherein another predefined trigger of the at least one predefined trigger includes detecting air flow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device after the control body is coupled to the cartridge.

5. An aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 4, wherein yet another predefined trigger of the at least one predefined trigger comprises a predefined length of time between at least two instances of detecting the air flow.

6. An aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 4, wherein yet another predefined trigger of the at least one predefined trigger comprises a predefined duration of an instance of detecting the air flow.

7. An aerosol delivery device as described in claim 1, wherein the control body is capable of being coupled to a charging component, and wherein another predefined trigger of the at least one predefined trigger includes coupling of the control body to the charging component.

8. An aerosol delivery device as described in claim 1, wherein the at least one predefined trigger excludes user actuation of any button on the aerosol delivery device.

9. An aerosol delivery device as described in claim 1, wherein the communication interface is a Bluetooth communication interface, which is configured to broadcast availability and transmit advertisements including information for connecting the Bluetooth communication interface to a Bluetooth-enabled device, and in at least one instance, engage with the Bluetooth-enabled device when connected.

10. An aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 9, The Bluetooth communication interface being configured to transmit the advertisement comprises being configured to transmit the advertisement within a time length no longer than a predetermined time length after detecting the at least one predefined trigger, and thereafter ceasing the transmission of the advertisement.

11. An aerosol delivery device as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising the cartridge.

12. The aerosol delivery device of claim 11, wherein the cartridge comprises a housing and a reservoir at least partially disposed within the housing, the reservoir retaining an aerosol precursor composition therein.

13. A method of operating an aerosol delivery device, the method comprising, at the aerosol delivery device: a control component that controls the operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device in instances in which at least one predefined trigger is detected; The communication interface enables wireless communication; and The control component further detects the at least one predefined trigger and automatically responds thereto by causing the communication interface to broadcast the availability of the aerosol delivery device for connection to a wirelessly capable device, wherein the at least one predefined trigger includes coupling of a control body of the aerosol delivery device to a cartridge.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting air flow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the control component controls operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device when air flow through at least a portion of a housing of the aerosol delivery device is detected.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein another of the at least one predefined trigger comprises detecting air flow through at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device after the control body is coupled to the cartridge.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein yet another one of the at least one predefined trigger comprises a predefined length of time between at least two instances of detecting the air flow.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein yet another one of the at least one predefined trigger comprises a predefined duration of time during which an instance of the air flow is detected.

19. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the aerosol delivery device includes the control body, which is capable of coupling to the charging component and the cartridge, and wherein another predefined trigger of the at least one predefined trigger includes coupling the control body to the charging component.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one predefined trigger excludes user actuation of any button on the aerosol delivery device.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the communication interface is a Bluetooth communication interface, the Bluetooth communication interface being configured to broadcast availability and transmit advertisements including information for connecting the Bluetooth communication interface with a Bluetooth-enabled device, and in at least one instance, engaging with the Bluetooth-enabled device upon connection.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the Bluetooth communication interface transmitting the advertisement comprises transmitting the advertisement for a length of time no longer than a predetermined length of time after detecting the at least one predefined trigger and thereafter ceasing transmission of the advertisement.

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