Customizable aerosol generation device

Abstract

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method of operating an aerosol generation device, the method comprising the steps of: retrieving a user's aerosol delivery profile stored on the aerosol generation device or a personal computing device; obtaining a user schedule from a server or a calendar application on the personal computing device; customizing the retrieved aerosol delivery profile for the user based at least on the user schedule; and controlling operation of the aerosol generation device based on the customized aerosol delivery profile.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device that can be customised according to a user's preferences. More particularly, the present invention relates to an aerosol generating device, such as an electronic cigarette, heat-not-burn device or the like, that can provide an enhanced user experience. BACKGROUND

[0002] Inhalers or aerosol generating devices, such as electronic cigarettes or vaping devices, are becoming increasingly popular. As opposed to burning tobacco in a conventional tobacco product, such aerosol generating devices typically heat or warm an aerosolisable substance to generate an aerosol for inhalation. The generated aerosol can contain flavour and / or stimulant (e.g. nicotine or other active ingredients). Users of these inhalers can wish to control the amount of flavour or stimulant released based on their preferences or other factors.

[0003] Most aerosol generating devices incorporate some form of electronic control circuitry, typically comprising a simple computer processor, allowing a user to control the operation of the aerosol generating device. Some vaping devices also allow the device to be wirelessly connected to a computing device to exchange data relating to the functionality of certain components of the vaping device. However, these devices are typically designed to provide a standardised user experience, rather than catering to the needs of the individual, or relying on manual adjustment by the user to influence the delivery of the aerosol.

[0004] Accordingly, there is a need for a device that can adapt to its user and be customised according to the user's preferences. SUMMARY

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer implemented method of operating an aerosol generating device, the method comprising the steps of: retrieving a user's aerosol delivery profile stored on the aerosol generating device or a personal computing device; obtaining a user schedule from a server or a calendar application on the personal computing device; customising the retrieved aerosol delivery profile for the user based on at least the user schedule; and controlling the operation of the aerosol generating device based on the customised aerosol delivery profile.

[0006] Advantageously, a customisable and user-specific vaping profile can be created taking into account the user's vaping history, preferences and schedule. The profile can be automatically modified based on appointments and tasks in the user's calendar. Controlling the vaping device with this customised vaping profile enhances the user experience and provides the user with better control over his or her vaping habits.

[0007] Preferably, the aerosol delivery profile comprises information relating to the amount of substance to be delivered to the user in the aerosol. Thus, the amount of substance, such as nicotine, delivered to the user can be adjusted based on the user's vaping profile.

[0008] Preferably, the aerosol delivery profile comprises a weekday profile and a non- weekday profile. Thus, the user's vaping profile can be tailored based on different needs on different days of the week.

[0009] Preferably, the method comprises receiving input from the user on the personal computing device to set a recurring event for each day of the week; and limiting use of the aerosol generating device during the recurring event. Thus, vaping can be limited at certain times of the day (e.g. bedtime) for the benefit of the user.

[0010] Preferably, the method further comprises establishing a communication pairing between the aerosol generating device and the personal computing device to allow the aerosol generating device to obtain the user schedule from the personal computing device, wherein the user schedule is obtained periodically by the aerosol generating device. Thus, the vaping device can easily obtain the user schedule automatically from the user's personal computing device (e.g. smartphone) without much effort from the user.

[0011] Preferably, the method further comprises establishing a communication pairing between the aerosol generating device and the personal computing device to allow the aerosol generating device to receive control commands, wherein the control commands are generated by the personal computing device based on the customized aerosol delivery profile, and the operation of the aerosol generating device is controlled based on the received control commands. Thus, the user's personal computing device (e.g. smartphone) can easily control the vaping device.

[0012] Preferably, the method further comprises monitoring usage of the aerosol generating device over time; and modifying the aerosol delivery profile based on the usage. Thus, the vaping device can constantly learn from the user's habits and routines and modify the vaping profile accordingly.

[0013] Preferably, the method further comprises exchanging the aerosol delivery profile and / or the user schedule with other aerosol generating devices or their respective other personal computing devices connected on a network. Thus, vaping device users with common interests can connect and participate in a social network based on common preferences.

[0014] Preferably, the method further comprises searching for other aerosol generating devices or respective personal computing devices with aerosol generating device control applications in a predetermined area to identify candidate devices; and identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices to exchange aerosol delivery profiles and / or user schedules. Thus, other users can be searched only in a limited area for the convenience of arranging a meeting.

[0015] Preferably, the method further comprises comparing the device IDs of the candidate devices with previously stored device IDs; and identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices based on the comparison. Thus, trusted devices with which the user has previously interacted can be used to identify a known user.

[0016] Preferably, the method further comprises sending a list of candidate devices to a server storing user profiles and configurable rules; and identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices by the server based on user profiles associated with the candidate devices and the configurable rules. Thus, other users can be found from profiles stored on a remote server and based on one or more user attributes, such as working for the same employer.

[0017] Preferably, the method further comprises determining a time gap based on the exchanged user schedules; and displaying a message on the user computing device indicating one or more matching users available at the determined time gap, each matching user being associated with at least one of the trusted devices having a matching user profile. Thus, messages can be exchanged and meetings with trusted users can be scheduled, which share the same preferences as the user and are available at the same time as the user.

[0018] According to another aspect of the application, there is provided a computer- implemented method of exchanging aerosol delivery profiles, the method comprising the steps of: searching for other aerosol generating devices or other personal computing devices having an aerosol generating device control application in a predetermined area to identify candidate devices; identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices to exchange aerosol delivery profiles and / or user schedules; determining a time gap based on the exchanged user schedules; and displaying a message on the user computing device indicating one or more matching users available at the determined time gap, each matching user being associated with at least one of the trusted devices having a matching user profile.

[0019] According to another aspect of the application, there is provided a data processing system for generating customizable aerosol delivery profiles for a user, the system comprising means for performing a method as described above.

[0020] According to another aspect of the application, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Embodiments of the application will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0022] Figure 1An aerosol generating apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 It shows including Figure 1 The devices and systems of other entities in the network;

[0024] Figure 3A It shows Figure 1 A block diagram of the various components of the device;

[0025] Figure 3B It shows that it exists Figure 2 A block diagram of the various components of a personal computing device in a system;

[0026] Figures 4A-4B The operation is shown Figure 1 A flowchart of the method of the apparatus; and

[0027] Figures 5A-5C The demonstration shows Figure 1 The image shows the user's history of using the device. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Next, various aspects of the invention will be described. It should be noted that in the following description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals are used to identify the same or similar parts. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the scale of each size differs from the actual sizes. Therefore, specific sizes, etc., should be determined in consideration of the following description.

[0029] Figure 1 A non-combustible aerosol generating device 100 is shown, which is a means for inhaling an aerosol by heating or vaporization without combustion. The device 100 has a rod-like shape, with its body 101 extending from a non-mouthpiece end 102 to a mouthpiece end 103. An air passage or path is defined in the body 100 between the opposite ends 102, 103. The aerosol generating device 100 in this example is an electronic cigarette or inhalation device, and is referred to hereinafter as an electronic cigarette 100. The electronic cigarette 100 releases flavors and / or stimulants for inhalation by a user through the mouthpiece end 103 by vaporizing or heating an aerosol source inserted in the electronic cigarette 100. The construction and operation of such aerosol generating devices are well known in the art, and those skilled in the art will understand that the invention disclosed herein is applicable to aerosol generating devices of any shape and configured with any aerosol generating technology, and is not limited to this example.

[0030] The electronic cigarette 100 can include an activation switch 104 that can be configured to perform at least one of turning on and off the power supply of the electronic cigarette 100. The activation switch 104 can be a push button or a touch button disposed at any convenient location on the surface of the main body 101 of the electronic cigarette 100. Alternatively, the electronic cigarette 100 does not rely on a switch button to activate the power supply of the heater, but rather relies on a puff sensor to detect airflow and trigger the device to start producing aerosol.

[0031] Figure 2 A system 200 is shown that includes the electronic cigarette 100 and other associated entities connected via a network 202. In the present example, the electronic cigarette 100 is configured to communicate with a personal computing device 201 owned by the user. The personal computing device 201 can be a smartphone, a tablet or a laptop. For simplicity, the personal computing device 201 is hereinafter referred to as a smartphone 201. Preferably, the electronic cigarette 100 is configured to wirelessly communicably connect or pair with the smartphone 201 using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or other wireless communication standards. The smartphone 201 preferably runs a mobile application (commonly referred to as an App) that allows the user to interact with the electronic cigarette 100 through a user-friendly interface. The App can be hosted by the manufacturer of the electronic cigarette 100 and is compatible with different mobile platforms such as iOS TM and Android TM and the like.

[0032] The electronic cigarette 100 and / or the smartphone 201 can also be configured to connect to the network 202. The network 202 can be a public network such as the Internet and enables the electronic cigarette 100 and the smartphone 201 to connect to other entities in the system 200. It should be appreciated that the App on the electronic cigarette 100 and the smartphone 201 preferably has built-in security protocols to prevent unauthorized access by any malicious entities connected via the network 202.

[0033] The electronic cigarette 100 is also configured to communicate with other similar aerosol-generating devices that are also connected to the network 202, such as electronic cigarettes 203a, 203b, 203c (hereinafter collectively referred to as electronic cigarettes 203). The electronic cigarettes 203 are similar to the electronic cigarette 100 and preferably have the same components and functions as the electronic cigarette 100. The electronic cigarettes 203 can also be associated with their respective personal computing devices (not shown) that are similar to the smartphone 201. Reference is made later to the interaction of the electronic cigarette 100 with the other electronic cigarettes 203. Figure 4B The interaction of the electronic cigarette 100 with the other electronic cigarettes 203 is described in detail.

[0034] The e-vapor 100, 203 and / or its corresponding smartphone can also be connected to a server 204 through the network 202. The server 204 is a central controller, preferably managed or authorized by the manufacturer of the e-vapor 100, 203, and is preferably configured to remotely manage the e-vapor 100, 203. The server 204 can manage and monitor the operation of the e-vapor 100, 203 and also learn from the habits of the users of these devices running machine learning algorithms or artificial intelligence programs. The App on the smartphone 201 is preferably interfaced with the server 204 to share the status of the e-vapor 100 and receive any updates and recommendations for the user from the server 204. The user can also be able to order refills and other flavors for the e-vapor 100 from the server 204 using the App.

[0035] A user profile indicating the user's preferences can be stored on the server 204, the smartphone 201 or the e-vapor 100. These preferences can be calculated from usage data or selected by the user on the smartphone 201 or the e-vapor 100. For example, the user profile can include personal data (such as name, age, address, etc.) as well as puffing records and / or event records or preferred periods of use or periods of use not allowed.

[0036] The system 200 can also include a tracking device 205 configured to communicate with the smartphone 201 and directly or indirectly (via the smartphone) with the e-vapor 100. The tracking device 205 is preferably a wearable device, such as an Apple TM Watch or a Fitbit TM fitness tracker. The tracking device 205 is able to record the user's health data, such as heart rate, number of steps walked, distance traveled, stress level, sleep pattern, etc., and send this data to the smartphone 201 and / or the e-vapor 100.

[0037] It will be appreciated that the system 200 is implemented using known communication technologies and standards. The system 200 can include several other entities not shown or described for the sake of brevity and well known to those skilled in the art.

[0038] Figure 3Ais a block diagram showing various components or modules of the electronic cigarette 100. In one example, the electronic cigarette 100 includes a consumable module 301a and a heating element 302 that vaporizes a consumable article 301b received by the consumable module 301a to release an aerosol containing flavor and / or stimulant for inhalation by a user. In the present example, the consumable article 301b is a substance containing nicotine. The presence of the consumable article 301b in the consumable module 301a can be detected by a detector 301c. The consumable article 301b can be in the form of a solid or a liquid and is heated by the heating element 302 to release an aerosol without combustion. In the case where the consumable article 301b is a liquid reservoir, more than one consumable article can be received at the consumable module 301a. The heating element 302 can be powered by a power source 303.

[0039] The power source 303 is, for example, a lithium-ion battery. The power source 303 supplies power necessary for the operation of the electronic cigarette 100. For example, the power source 303 supplies power to all other components or modules included in the electronic cigarette 100.

[0040] For the purposes of the present specification, it should be understood that the terms "vapor" and "aerosol" are interchangeable. In some examples, the heating element is arranged within a capsule or a cigarette-like aerosol generating material and is connectable to an aerosol generating device, rather than being a component of the aerosol generating device itself.

[0041] In one embodiment, a flavorant is present in the consumable article 301b. The flavorant can include ethyl vanillin (vanilla), menthol, isoamyl acetate (banana oil), or the like. In another embodiment, the consumable article 301b can include an additional flavor source (not shown) disposed on a side of the mouthpiece end 103, outside of the consumable article 301b of the consumable module 301a, and that generates a flavor to be inhaled by a user along with the aerosol generated from the consumable article 301b. In yet another embodiment, the electronic cigarette 100 includes more than one consumable article, each consumable article including a flavorant and / or a level of active ingredient (nicotine). In this case, each consumable article can be independently heated to generate an aerosol.

[0042] The e-vapor device 100 also includes a controller 304 configured to control various components in the e-vapor device. For example, the controller 304 can control a timing unit 305, a communication unit 306, a memory 307, and a sensor 308 included in the e-vapor device 100. The timing unit 305 is configured to provide time information (e.g., time of day) and to generate timestamps for puffing data or event data that is helpful in analyzing user vaping preferences. The timing unit 305 is further configured to schedule a user-tailored aerosol delivery profile (also referred to as a vaping profile) and provide the tailored vaping profile to the controller 304 to monitor and limit the user's use of the e-vapor device 100. For example, the timing unit 305 can activate a weekday or weekend vaping profile upon determining the day of the week, or activate a strong vaping profile (e.g., higher nicotine demand) or a weak vaping profile (e.g., lower nicotine demand) upon determining the time of day. The timing unit 305 can also disable the device at set times, such as at bedtime, every day, or some specific days set by the user. Alternatively, the functions of the timing unit 305 can be incorporated into the controller 304, in which case the controller 304 receives time information from the timing unit 305 and activates the vaping profile or disables the device.

[0043] The communication unit 306 is configured to manage communications with the smartphone 201, the server 204, the tracking device 205, the network 202, and other e-vapor devices 203. The memory 307 is configured to store different vaping profiles and information, such as user settings and preferences.

[0044] The e-vapor device 100 can also include various sensors 308 (e.g., puffing sensors, biometric sensors, etc.) to record usage data related to each inhalation or puff as the user uses the e-vapor device 100. The recorded usage data can include puffing duration (i.e., length of a puff), puffing interval (i.e., time between consecutive puffs), and fluid and / or nicotine consumption. The usage data can also include heart rate data of the user and any suitable metrics obtained from the tracking device 205 for analyzing consumer behavior. The timing unit 305 is configured to generate timestamps for the usage data, and the timestamps will be stored with the usage data for analysis and building of a vaping profile tailored for the user. In one example, a puff detector can determine the number of puffing actions for inhaling aerosol. The puff detector can also detect the time period required for one puffing action for inhaling aerosol.

[0045] The electronic cigarette 100 can also include an input-output (I / O) or user interface 309 configured to provide indications to the user and receive inputs from the user. The I / O interface 309 preferably includes an indication device and an input device. The indication device can include a visual light-emitting element including one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), a screen display, or a sound emitter, or other suitable devices for providing indications to the user. The visual light-emitting element, such as an LED, can be provided at the tip of the non-mouth end 102 or on the side surface of the electronic cigarette 100. Such an LED can exhibit various light-emitting patterns to provide the following indications to the user: a puffing state in which aerosol is being inhaled, a non-puffing state in which aerosol is not being inhaled, a pre-heating state in which the heater is being heated, a ready-to-vape state in which the heater is operating at a target temperature to generate aerosol, a depletion state in which an LED bar displays a depletion level of the aerosol source, and any other information related to the operating state of the electronic cigarette. The input device can be one or more user-operable buttons or a perceivable touch panel responsible for being pressed, switched, or touched.

[0046] All of the elements described above transmit and / or receive commands and / or data via the communication bus 310.

[0047] Figure 3B is a block diagram of various components in a personal computing device or a smartphone 201. The smartphone 201 includes a processor 311 for controlling various operations of the smartphone, a memory 312 for storing system and user data, an operating system 313 such as Android TM or iOS TM , and a power source 314 such as a lithium-ion battery for powering the device. The smartphone 201 also includes a communication unit 315 including modules such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, etc. to connect with various entities present in the system 200. Further, the smartphone 201 includes an I / O interface 316 for interacting with the user. The I / O interface 316 preferably includes a touch screen capable of receiving inputs from the user via touch actions and displaying content to the user on the screen. However, it would be appreciated that the I / O interface can alternatively include keys for receiving inputs and a non-touch screen for displaying content.

[0048] In addition, the smartphone 201 has an electronic cigarette control App 317 running thereon, which is downloaded onto the smartphone 201 by the user. The electronic cigarette control App 317 preferably allows the user to set his or her vaping preferences on the electronic cigarette 100. The electronic cigarette control App 317 can also allow the user to view vaping history and other useful statistics. The smartphone 201 preferably also has a calendar App 318 (which can be included in a built-in manner or downloaded from an App store) on which the user can record his or her daily schedule and appointments. The smartphone 201 can also have other Apps 319 that the user can use with the electronic cigarette control App 317 and the calendar App 318, such as a clock App or a Fitbit® TM App associated with a fitness tracker.

[0049] All of the elements described above transmit and / or receive commands and / or data via the communication bus 320.

[0050] Figure 4A A flowchart showing a process 400a of managing a user's vaping profile on the electronic cigarette 100 is shown. It should be noted that the steps in the process 400a can not necessarily be performed in the same order. Furthermore, some steps can be optional and can be omitted.

[0051] At step 401, the aerosol generation retrieves the user's aerosol delivery profile from the user's history. In the present example, the electronic cigarette 100 is configured to retrieve the user's vaping profile from the user's history stored in the memory 307 or to connect with the electronic cigarette App 317 on the smartphone 201 to retrieve the user's vaping profile from the memory 312 of the smartphone 201. The user's vaping history can also include preferences set by the user in the past. The retrieval step can be triggered by the user pressing the switch 104 or shaking the electronic cigarette 100 or using the electronic cigarette App 317.

[0052] At step 402, the day of the week is determined. In the present example, the controller 304 is configured to determine the day of the week by means of the timing unit 305. The user can set the date and time on the electronic cigarette 100 at the first use. Alternatively, the electronic cigarette 100 can automatically determine the correct date and time by connecting directly to the network 202 or via the smartphone 201.

[0053] At step 403, it is determined whether it is a weekday. In the present example, the controller 304 compares the day of the week determined with the user’s schedule to see if the day is a weekday for the user. The user’s typical weekly schedule can be stored in the memory 307 of the e-cigarette 100 or the e-cigarette 100 can simply fetch the user’s schedule from the calendar App 318 on the smartphone 201. If no user schedule is set, by default, the controller 304 preferably sets Monday to Friday as weekdays and Saturday to Sunday as non-weekdays. The user can change these settings at any time and / or the e-cigarette 100 can periodically check the user’s schedule on the calendar App 318 and update the settings accordingly. If the controller 304 determines that the day is a weekday, it proceeds to step 404, otherwise it proceeds to step 405.

[0054] At step 404, the aerosol delivery profile is tailored according to the weekday schedule. In the present example, upon determining that it is a weekday, the controller 304 tailors the aerosol delivery profile of the e-cigarette 100. In the weekday aerosol delivery profile, the amount, flavour and timing of aerosol released from the e-cigarette 100 is preferably set so as to provide different amounts and types of aerosol to the user at different times of the day. It is well known that taking an appropriate amount of nicotine during the day can improve mental alertness and help improve concentration and work performance. However, the same amount of nicotine can interfere with sleep at night, but a small amount of nicotine can help to calm the user down. The amount of nicotine required is entirely dependent on the user’s personal lifestyle and varies over time. Thus, by setting the weekday aerosol delivery profile, the controller 304 ensures that the correct amount of nicotine is delivered to the user to meet the user’s requirements. The e-cigarette 100 can be a multi-tank device with different concentrations of nicotine and flavours that can be selectively activated. For example, in the morning, the controller 304 can activate a tank containing light nicotine and a fruit flavour, in the afternoon, a tank containing strong nicotine and a coffee flavour, and in the evening, a tank containing a chamomile flavour.

[0055] The controller 304 can also learn from the user’s vaping habits over time to adjust or modify the aerosol delivery profile. For example, if the user vapes during a particular time of the day and takes longer or more frequent puffs, as determined by the puff sensor, the controller 304 preferably modifies the profile to deliver an increased amount of nicotine during that time on each day of the working week.

[0056] At step 405, the aerosol delivery profile is tailored according to a non-working day schedule. In this example, upon determining that it is not a working day, the controller 304 tailors the aerosol delivery profile of the electronic cigarette 100 based on the non-working day schedule and preferences. The amount, flavour and timing of aerosol released from the electronic cigarette 100 in the non-working day aerosol delivery profile is different to that in the working day profile. As explained above, the user can change these settings, or the controller 304 can adjust the profile according to changes in the user's schedule obtained from the calendar App 318 on the smartphone 201. For example, the user can be working from home or performing some task that requires heightened alertness.

[0057] At step 406, the time of day is determined. In this example, using the timing unit 305, the controller 304 determines what time of day it is. It will be appreciated that if the user is travelling and in a different time zone to his or her home location, the timing unit 305 can automatically adjust to the new time zone either by connecting directly to the network 202 or via the smartphone 201.

[0058] At step 407, it is determined whether it is a preset event time. In this example, the user is able to set a bedtime for each day, preferably using the electronic cigarette control App 318. The controller 304 determines whether the current time is equal to or within a certain number of hours of the preset bedtime (for example, within 8 hours of the preset bedtime). The bedtime can be obtained from the memory 307 of the electronic cigarette 100 or retrieved from the smartphone 201. If it is determined that it is the user's bedtime, the process proceeds to step 408, otherwise it proceeds to step 409. It will be appreciated that the preset event time can relate to any recurring event set by the user for each day of the week or separately for working days and non-working days, including bedtime. For example, the preset event time can be a time set for exercise or meditation, playtime with children, a routine meeting at work, etc.

[0059] At step 408, the device is disabled. In the present example, upon determining that it is the user's bedtime, the controller 304 preferably disables the electronic cigarette 100 for limiting the user's vaping during the night. This can be achieved in various ways. In one embodiment, the controller 304 automatically disables or locks the electronic cigarette 100 as soon as it determines that it is bedtime. In another preferred embodiment, the controller 304 sends a warning message to the user for a predetermined period of time (e.g. 15 to 30 seconds) before automatically disabling the device. This can be done by lighting up the LED in some way or sounding on the I / O interface 309 and / or by displaying a pop-up message on the electronic cigarette App 317 on the smartphone 201. During this period, the user can choose to reject the automatic disabling and continue using the electronic cigarette 100. However, if no input is received from the user, the controller 304 automatically disables the electronic cigarette 100. In yet another embodiment, the controller 304 sends a warning message to the user at bedtime, but does not automatically disable the device. Instead, the controller relies on the user to manually lock or disable the device.

[0060] At step 409, the device is controlled according to the customized profile. In the present example, if it is determined that it is not a set limit time (e.g. bedtime), the working day or non-working day vaping profile is activated on the electronic cigarette 100. Vaping predictions are made taking into account the time of day and the user's schedule. The electronic cigarette 100 can also be able to suggest flavors to the user at different times of the day, for example, a mint flavor after lunch and a coffee flavor in the afternoon. In addition, smart charging can be planned in advance to have the electronic cigarette 100 ready in good condition, adapting to the predicted vaping needs. For example, if according to the vaping profile, Tuesday is expected to be a high vaping day, the predicted user vaping profile can be shared with the associated charger to control the charging to full charge, or the user can be advised to charge in advance, for example, during the night of Monday.

[0061] It should be noted that the profile activation can be performed directly on the electronic cigarette 100 or via the smartphone 201. The communication pairing between the electronic cigarette 100 and the smartphone 201 allows the electronic cigarette 100 to receive control commands generated by the smartphone 201 based on the customized aerosol delivery profile. The operation of the electronic cigarette 100 is thus controlled based on the received control commands.

[0062] At step 410, it is determined whether additional user data is available. In the present example, the electronic cigarette 100 can also receive additional user data from the smartphone 201 and / or the tracking device 205. For example, the tracking device 205 can monitor the user's heart rate, steps taken in a day, stress level, etc. and feed it directly or via the smartphone 201 into the electronic cigarette 100. Such user data can not always be available, for example when the user does not wear the tracking device. It will be appreciated that such data can also be obtained from the sensors 308 on the electronic cigarette 100. If no additional data is available, the electronic cigarette 100 continues to use the activated profile. However, when additional data is available, the process moves to step 411.

[0063] At step 411, the customized profile is modified in accordance with the additional user data. In the present example, the controller 304 preferably modifies the user's activated vaping profile depending on the user data obtained from the smartphone 201, the tracking device 205 or the sensors 308. For example, if it is determined based on the available data that the user's heart rate exceeds a normal range, the vaping intensity and frequency can be reduced or the electronic cigarette 100 can be disabled completely to limit the user's vaping. The user can also be informed of the modification of the vaping profile based on the additional data via the I / O interface 309 on the smartphone 201 and / or the electronic cigarette App 317.

[0064] In the embodiments described above, the method 400a is performed by the electronic cigarette 100. In alternative embodiments, the method 400a can also be performed by the smartphone 201. When the smartphone 201 performs the method, it has access to all the user data recorded by the electronic cigarette 100 and / or the tracking device 205. The smartphone 201 stores the user data in the memory 312. Since the smartphone 201 is communicably connected to the electronic cigarette 100, it can control various functions of the electronic cigarette 100, such as activating the vaping profile, activating the heating element, disabling the device, etc. In yet another embodiment, some steps are performed by the electronic cigarette 100 and some steps are performed by the smartphone 201.

[0065] Figure 4B A flowchart of a method 400b is shown which enables a user of the aerosol generating device 100 to connect with users of other similar devices 203. It will be appreciated that the method 400b can be performed together with the method 400a or can be performed separately.

[0066] At step 412, other devices in the vicinity of the user of the aerosol generation device are searched. In the present example, the user of the electronic cigarette 100 can wish to connect with other users using the electronic cigarette 203 in the system 200. In one embodiment, the electronic cigarette 100 has a Bluetooth communicator included in the communication unit 306 in order to be able to search for other similar electronic cigarettes 203 in close proximity to the electronic cigarette 100. It will be appreciated that only those electronic cigarettes can be found which have activated their Bluetooth communicator. Alternatively, the electronic cigarette 100 has a GPS sensor which can identify other electronic cigarettes 203 present in the vicinity of the electronic cigarette 100 through a GPS tracking App. In another embodiment, the user uses the electronic cigarette App 317 interfacing with the Bluetooth module or GPS sensor of the smartphone 201 to search for other similar electronic cigarettes 203 via their respective personal computing devices running a control application similar to the electronic cigarette control App 317. In an alternative embodiment, the electronic cigarette 100 or the smartphone 201 uses a GPS sensor to identify the location of the user and upload the location information to the server 204 in which all electronic cigarettes 100, 203 are grouped according to their respective locations. The electronic cigarette 100 is informed of the grouping information including a list of electronic cigarettes in the vicinity so that the electronic cigarette 100 can identify other electronic cigarettes 203 in the vicinity. Alternatively, the smartphone 201 paired with the electronic cigarette 100 (belonging to the same user) is informed of the grouping information so that the smartphone 201 can identify other electronic cigarettes 203 in the vicinity or other smartphones respectively paired with other electronic cigarettes 203. It will be noted that for a Bluetooth scan, the area to be searched is automatically set by the Bluetooth range. However, for GPS sensing, the user can define a predetermined area to be searched, for example, limiting the search for other users to an area within a 100 m radius of the user.

[0067] At step 413, it is determined whether other devices are available. In the present example, the controller 304 or the electronic cigarette App 317 analyses the results obtained in step 412 to determine whether any other devices are present in the vicinity of the user of the electronic cigarette 100. In other words, candidate devices are identified from the search results. If no other users are found, the process returns to step 412 and continues to search for other devices, preferably at periodic intervals. However, if candidate devices are found, the process moves to step 414.

[0068] At step 414, it is determined whether the candidate devices are trusted devices. In this example, the e-Cig 100 can store device IDs of other user devices that have previously connected with the e-Cig 100 in the memory 307. Alternatively, this can be stored in the memory 312 of the smartphone 201 via the e-Cig App 317. The controller 304 compares the device IDs of the available users with the device IDs stored in the memory to determine whether these devices are trusted devices. Preferably, these trusted devices in the vicinity of the user are friends, colleagues or collaborators of the user who share a workspace with the user. If trusted devices are found, the process moves to step 416. However, for other users, the process moves to step 415.

[0069] At step 415, additional information of the other candidate devices is requested. In this example, the controller 304 or the e-Cig App 317 of the e-Cig 100 running on the smartphone 201 seeks additional information of the candidate devices that are not found in the memory and have not been deemed as trusted devices. The e-Cig 100 or the smartphone 201 can send a request to the server 204 in which a comprehensive user profile of all connected users of the e-Cig 203 is stored. The comprehensive user profile can include information such as user name, employer name, place of work, contact, etc. In this way, the user can identify other users who are recognizable and verified. In another embodiment, the controller 304 can also directly seek additional information from the other users. The user can also be able to find other candidate devices by sending a list of candidate devices to the server 204 along with configurable rules. The configurable rules are criteria or filtering procedures based on one or more user attributes such as employer name, age, profession, etc. For example, the user can only want to find those users who work for the same employer as the user. In another example, the user can set configurable rules that combine the employer name with another attribute such as flavor preference. The controller 304 can also pose some security questions to ensure that the other users are not malicious entities.

[0070] At step 416, one or more of the candidate devices are added as new trusted devices based on mutual consent. In this example, if the user identifies the other candidate devices and the candidate devices agree to connect with the user of the e-Cig 100, the devices are added as trusted devices. The device IDs of the e-Cig and / or the smartphone of the new trusted devices can then be stored in the memory 312. If one or more of the other users do not pass the verification or mutual consent for any reason, they will not be connected to the e-Cig 100.

[0071] At step 417, the user's aerosol delivery profile and / or the user's schedule are exchanged with the users of the trusted devices. In the present example, the user connects to the trusted devices, such as one or more of the e-vapes 203 or their respective smartphones, via the network 202. The user's vaping profile shared with the users of these trusted devices can include information about the user's lunch break, free time, and their nicotine and flavor preferences. The profile can be shared via the e-vape App 317 on the smartphone 201 with the respective devices of other users who also have the connected App. Additionally, the vaping profiles of the users of the trusted devices are received. In the present example, the e-vape 100 or the smartphone 201 can also seek and receive the profiles of the users of the trusted devices. These users' profiles can also contain their availability and vaping preferences.

[0072] At step 418, the users of the trusted devices having matching profiles to the user are identified. In the present example, the e-vape 100 compares the profiles received from the trusted devices of one or more of the e-vapes 203 via the controller 304 or the smartphone 201, preferably via the e-vape control App 317, and sees which profiles match the user's profile for that day and specific time slot. For example, if the user is free at 4 pm and usually takes a vaping break at that time (determined from the user's schedule) and another user, such as A, is also free at the same time, the controller 304 identifies A as a good match. In other examples, the user can have a set preference for a particular flavor in his or her profile and another user, such as B, can also have a preference for the same flavor, so the controller 304 also identifies B as a good match. Upon determining one or more trusted devices having matching profiles, the smartphone 201 can display a message on the I / O interface 316 indicating the matching user(s) available at the determined time slot, each matching user being associated with at least one of the trusted devices having a matching user profile.

[0073] At step 419, messages are exchanged with the trusted devices. In the present example, based on the matches identified by the e-vape 100 via the controller 304 or the smartphone 201, preferably via the e-vape control App 317, the communication unit 315 of the smartphone 201 can send messages to those matching users to plan a vaping break. For example, the smartphone 201 can send a message to A's smartphone to meet at that time. It can also suggest a preferred location, such as a nearby smoking spot. The smartphone 201 can also send a message to B to arrange a vaping break based on the shared preferences. To avoid exchanging too many messages and to save device / network resources, the smartphone 201 can limit the exchange of messages to only trusted devices and / or limit them based on their proximity to the user.

[0074] In accordance with the foregoing description, the present application is able to describe the user's vaping needs and preferences in accordance with his or her schedule and deliver aerosol to the user accordingly. Furthermore, by sharing the user's profile with other users, the user has the possibility to interact with like-minded people during vaping breaks.

[0075] Figures 5A-5C Graphs 500a, 500b, 500c showing the user's vaping history over a typical week, a typical weekday and a typical non-workday respectively are shown. In the graphs, the height of the bars indicates the frequency of use of the electronic cigarette 100 or the total amount of aerosol inhaled by the user on a particular day. In this example, the user works from Monday to Friday and only during the day. As can be seen from graph 500a, the user vapes more on weekdays and less on weekends. As can be seen from graph 500b, on weekdays, the user can typically vape more around lunchtime and in the afternoon, but relatively less in the morning. As can be seen from graph 500c, on non-workdays, the user can vape more in the evening and late night due to social activities, but less during the day. The usage profile based on historical statistics helps to predict the user's usage on a particular day. However, taking into account the user's actual life schedule, if the user plans to take a day off on Monday, the user can not vape as much on Monday. In case the user needs to stay up and maintain alertness, the user can need to vape more. Therefore, a customized and organized user profile is advantageous.

[0076] For the benefit of the user, the electronic cigarette 100 can automatically lower the nicotine level when it exceeds a predefined threshold level. Furthermore, the electronic cigarette 100 can automatically shut down after a preset time to limit vaping by the user in the late night or during work hours (except during breaks and lunch). Furthermore, the electronic cigarette 100 can also track the total amount of nicotine ingested by the user in a day and can limit further ingestion if the total amount of nicotine reaches the recommended level for a day. Preferably, such settings are hard-coded in the electronic cigarette 100 to control the maximum usage amount. However, this is entirely optional and the electronic cigarette 100 can allow the user to change these settings.

[0077] The controller 304 can also adjust the aerosol delivery to increase or decrease the amount of substance in the aerosol and / or add flavor to the aerosol according to the user's preferences. The amount of substance in the aerosol can be modified (increased or decreased) in a number of ways. In one example, the amount of aerosol released from the consumable article 301b can be changed, thereby affecting the amount of substance to be inhaled by the user. In another example, a multi-chambered vaping device can be used, which includes two or more liquid reservoirs, each containing a liquid with a different concentration of substance. By switching the supply to a reservoir containing a liquid with a different concentration, the amount of substance intake can be adjusted while maintaining the same amount of aerosol. In yet another example, the amount of substance delivery can be modified by controlling the heating operation in a heat-not-burn device and a vapor-based device (e.g., by controlling the energy supplied to the heater), or controlling the pressurized liquid source in a vapor-based device.

[0078] The processing steps described herein as being performed by a main control unit or controller can be stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium or storage associated with the main control unit. The computer readable medium can include non-volatile and volatile media. Volatile media can include, among others, semiconductor memories and dynamic memories. Non-volatile media can include, among others, optical and magnetic disks.

[0079] The foregoing description of illustrative embodiments has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the precise form disclosed to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or from practice of the disclosed embodiments.

[0080] As used herein, the term "non-transitory computer readable medium" is intended to refer to any tangible computer-based media whatsoever that embodies information in any method or technology for short-term and long-term storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and sub-modules, or other data in an apparatus. Thus, the methods described herein can be encoded as executable instructions present in a tangible non-transitory computer readable medium, including but not limited to storage devices and / or memory devices. Such instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform at least a portion of the methods described herein. Moreover, as used herein, the term "non-transitory computer readable medium" includes all tangible computer readable media, including but not limited to non-transitory computer storage devices, including but not limited to volatile and non-volatile media, and removable and non-removable media, such as firmware, physical and virtual storage devices, CD-ROMs, DVDs, and any other digital source, such as a network or the Internet, and digital means yet to be developed, with the sole exception being a transitory propagating signal.

[0081] As will be appreciated based on the foregoing specification, the foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments can be implemented using computer programming or engineering techniques, including computer software, firmware, hardware or any combination of them or subsets thereof. Any such resulting program, having the computer readable codes, can be embodied within one or more computer readable media, thereby making a computer program product, i.e., an article of manufacture. The article of manufacture containing the computer codes can be made and / or used by executing the codes directly from the media, by copying the codes to secondary storage medium, or by transmitting the codes over a network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of operating an aerosol generating device, the method comprising the steps of: retrieving a user's aerosol delivery profile stored on the aerosol generating device or a personal computing device, wherein the aerosol delivery profile comprises a weekday profile and a non-weekday profile; determining a day of the week; obtaining a user schedule from a server or a calendar application on the personal computing device; customizing one of the weekday profile and the non-weekday profile in the retrieved aerosol delivery profile for the user based at least on the user schedule and the determined day of the week; and controlling operation of the aerosol generating device based on the customized aerosol delivery profile.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The aerosol delivery profile comprises information relating to an amount of substance to be delivered to the user in the aerosol.

3. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising: receiving input from the user on the personal computing device to set a recurring event for each day of the week; and limiting use of the aerosol generating device during the recurring event.

4. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising: establishing a communication pairing between the aerosol generating device and the personal computing device to allow the aerosol generating device to obtain the user schedule from the personal computing device, wherein the user schedule is obtained periodically by the aerosol generating device.

5. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising: establishing a communication pairing between the aerosol generating device and the personal computing device to allow the aerosol generating device to receive control commands, wherein the control commands are generated by the personal computing device based on the customized aerosol delivery profile, and controlling operation of the aerosol generating device based on the received control commands.

6. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising: monitoring usage of the aerosol generating device over time; and modifying the aerosol delivery profile based on the usage.

7. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising exchanging the aerosol delivery profile and / or the user schedule with other aerosol generating devices or their respective other personal computing devices connected on a network.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: searching for other aerosol generating devices or respective personal computing devices with aerosol generating device control applications in a predetermined area to identify candidate devices; and identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices to exchange aerosol delivery profiles and / or user schedules.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, Said identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices comprises: comparing device IDs of the candidate devices with previously stored device IDs; and identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices based on the comparison.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein, Said identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices comprises: sending a list of candidate devices to a server storing user profiles and configurable rules; and identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices based on the comparison. one or more of the candidate devices are identified as trusted devices based on user profiles associated with the candidate devices and the configurable rule.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining a time gap based on the exchanged user schedules; and displaying a message on the user computing device indicating one or more matching users available at the determined time gap, each matching user being associated with at least one of the trusted devices having a matching user profile.

12. A computer-implemented method of exchanging aerosol delivery profiles, the method comprising the steps of: searching for other aerosol generating devices or other personal computing devices having aerosol generating device control applications in a predetermined area to identify candidate devices; identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices to exchange aerosol delivery profiles and / or user schedules; determining a time gap based on the exchanged user schedules; and displaying a message on the user computing device indicating one or more matching users available at the determined time gap, each matching user being associated with at least one of the trusted devices having a matching user profile.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising sending a message to the one or more matching users to schedule a meeting at the determined time gap.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, The message further comprises a location of the meeting.

15. The method of claim 13 or 14, wherein, The message is sent to only at least one trusted device in close proximity to the user computing device.

16. A data processing system for generating customizable aerosol delivery profiles for users, the system comprising means for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 15.

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