Charger device for an electronic cigarette

Abstract

A charger device and a method performed by a charger device for an electronic cigarette are provided. The charger device includes an interface configured to establish a wireless communication pairing between the charger device and the electronic cigarette, the wireless communication pairing being establishable when the electronic cigarette and the charger device are within a communication range of each other; and a controller configured to obtain data related to the electronic cigarette, and configured to inhibit use of the electronic cigarette based on the obtained data and a configurable rule.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a charger device for electronic cigarettes, such as a charger capable of communicating with electronic cigarettes. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic cigarettes typically include a battery that serves as a power source. This provides the power to operate the electronic cigarette. These batteries are usually rechargeable.

[0003] To charge the e-cigarette's battery, the e-cigarette is connected to an external power source. This can be as simple as plugging it into an AC outlet and connecting it to a cable between the plug and the e-cigarette. Alternatively, a charging device can be provided in the form of a hub to which one or more e-cigarettes can be attached for charging.

[0004] Alternatively, the charger device itself may have a battery to which the e-cigarette can be attached. This allows the charger to be portable and carried by the user, enabling charging while on the go.

[0005] While charging devices provide power to enable e-cigarette users to use them, there are situations where e-cigarette use should be avoided. This can include situations where the user is in a location where e-cigarette use is restricted, or when the user wishes to limit their e-cigarette use in a specific location or at a specific time of day.

[0006] Users can decide when to use and when not to use e-cigarettes based on their choices and any specific location restrictions. However, accidental use can still occur, such as when users are unaware of or uninformed about restrictions in certain locations.

[0007] A known charger offers a potential solution to this problem. This charger includes a container into which an e-cigarette is inserted for charging, and also includes a door for closing the container. This door is then lockable.

[0008] However, this solution only works when the e-cigarette is included in the charger. If the e-cigarette is outside the charger, accidental use can still occur. Therefore, an improved way to limit e-cigarette use is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0009] According to a first aspect, a charger device is provided, the charger device comprising: an interface configured to establish a wireless communication pairing between the charger device and an electronic cigarette, the wireless communication pairing being established when the electronic cigarette and the charger device are within each other's communication range; and a controller configured to acquire data related to the electronic cigarette and configured to prohibit the use of the electronic cigarette based on the acquired data and configurable rules.

[0010] This allows for the prohibition and control of e-cigarette use without requiring a wired or any form of physical connection between the charger and the e-cigarette. Additionally, by using configurable rules, users can influence or set when e-cigarette use is prohibited. This reduces the chance of accidental use of an e-cigarette when not intended for use. This is achieved, for example, by disabling the user's ability to use the e-cigarette without requiring further steps.

[0011] The phrase "prohibited" is intended to indicate that the ability of an e-cigarette to generate an aerosol or vapor for a user to inhale or vape is stopped. This could be due to the e-cigarette's heater being turned off, disabled, limited, and / or prohibited, while other functions of the e-cigarette are maintained due to the limitation of one or more of its other functions. Of course, other functions may also be limited in various examples.

[0012] The phrase “within communication range” is intended to indicate the distance at which the charger can send and receive data and / or communicate with one or more other devices.

[0013] The data acquired may include data related to e-cigarette users. This may include one or more of the following: age, gender, health statistics, occupation, and / or e-cigarette use behavior.

[0014] Configurable rules can include any arrangement or combination of factors that may lead to a ban on e-cigarette use. Typically, configurable rules include banning e-cigarette use based on the distance between the e-cigarette and the charging device. This allows for banning e-cigarette use relative to the distance between the charging device and the e-cigarette.

[0015] The controller can be configured to prohibit the use of the e-cigarette if the distance is below a predetermined threshold. This means that a zone can be created in which the e-cigarette cannot be used for its primary purpose (i.e., the user “smoking” by inhaling the output from the e-cigarette).

[0016] The acquired data may alternatively or additionally include any data related to the e-cigarette, such as its manufacturer, model, year, or type. Typically, the acquired data is the ID tag associated with the e-cigarette, and the controller is configured to compare the acquired ID tag with an ID tag stored in the memory of the charging device. This allows for a customized approach for each e-cigarette whose ID tag is stored in the memory of the charging device. This means that different actions can be taken for different e-cigarettes, such as prohibiting their use based on different factors or configurable rules.

[0017] The controller can be configured to disable e-cigarette use based on a match between the acquired ID tag and an ID tag stored in the charger device's memory. The controller can be configured to perform a comparison to determine whether the acquired ID tag matches or does not match the ID tag stored in the charger device's memory. Of course, if the acquired ID tag does not match the ID tag stored in the charger device's memory (i.e., the comparison result is a negative match), the controller can be configured to allow (i.e., not disable) the e-cigarette. Furthermore, this means that the charger device will only take action when the e-cigarette's ID tag is recognized (a match exists, i.e., the comparison result is a positive match), and will not take action when the e-cigarette's ID tag is not recognized, thus allowing the use of unrecognized e-cigarettes regardless of the acquired data and configurable rules. Of course, this can be reversed to disable use when a negative match exists and allow use when a positive match exists.

[0018] The controller can be configured to send a message to the computing device based on the comparison. This allows reports or other data to be provided to external devices to enable further action or data recording. The message can be sent when the comparison finds the e-cigarette's ID tag is not recognized. In this case, no message may be sent if the comparison finds the ID tag is recognized. Alternatively, the reverse applies; for example, a message can be sent if the comparison finds the e-cigarette's ID tag is recognized, and in this case, no message is sent if the comparison finds the e-cigarette's ID tag is not recognized.

[0019] By sending a message to a computing device based on a comparison, the charger can offer the user the option to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes. For example, if the comparison result is an ID tag match, the charger can send a message requesting approval to lock (i.e., prohibit) the e-cigarette. If the charger receives user input in response (e.g., via a mobile phone / cellular phone), the charger can choose to send or not send a prohibition command to the e-cigarette based on that response. Alternatively, if no response is received to the message, the charger can continue to send the prohibition command, as this may be the default action already set by configurable rules. Alternatively or additionally, the charger can upload all data to a server to analyze user behavior for further use. Therefore, the computing device can be a mobile (i.e., cellular) phone or a server.

[0020] The ID tags stored in memory can include ID tags for e-cigarettes authorized for use with the charger device. This allows the use of multiple e-cigarettes to be controlled using a single charger device.

[0021] Typically, when storing one or more ID tags of an e-cigarette authorized for use with a charging device, the controller is configured to perform a registration process between the e-cigarette and the charging device. The registration process may include establishing communication between the charging device and the e-cigarette, the charging device acquiring the e-cigarette's ID tag, and storing the ID tag in memory. The controller may be configured to perform this process. Further, the registration process may include providing a PIN code or providing the user's biometric data, such as a fingerprint, at the charging device, the e-cigarette, or a third device (such as a mobile phone or computer).

[0022] The controller can be configured to disable e-cigarette use when the charging device is in a first mode; and wherein the controller can be further configured to: store user biometric data; acquire biometric data of a user seeking to charge an e-cigarette; determine whether the acquired biometric data matches the stored biometric data; and activate the first mode based on the matching result. This allows for user-based control of e-cigarette use. This could result in one user being disabled while another is allowed, meaning the ability to customize e-cigarette use for specific users or user groups, and even individuals within that group. It also allows users to control when the charging device can disable e-cigarette use. This provides users with oversight, meaning they have greater control. When storing user biometric data, the controller can be configured to store the user biometric data in memory (such as the memory of the charging device).

[0023] The first mode can be activated when the acquired biometric data matches the stored biometric data. Therefore, the first mode can be deactivated when the acquired biometric data does not match the stored biometric data. Conversely, this could mean that the first mode can be activated when the acquired biometric data does not match the stored biometric data. This means that the first mode can be deactivated when the acquired biometric data does match the stored biometric data. This process allows the use of e-cigarettes to be disabled when two conditions are met: the e-cigarette is already wirelessly paired with the charger device, which may include the e-cigarette having previously registered with the charger device, and if this registration has not been done previously, it may further include registering the e-cigarette with the charger device through processes such as storing an ID tag as listed above; and the user has set the charger device to automatically scan for nearby e-cigarettes via wireless communication, and then the user inputs biometric data such as a fingerprint to activate the disabling process, such as by touching a sensor or button. If both conditions are met, the charger device can disable the use of the e-cigarette.

[0024] The controller can be further configured to: store user biometric data; acquire biometric data of users seeking to charge their e-cigarettes; determine whether the acquired biometric data matches the stored biometric data; allow users to select a prohibited threshold distance based on the matching result; receive the threshold distance selection; and set the threshold distance based on the received threshold distance selection. This allows users to select areas where e-cigarette use is prohibited. This means users can customize the e-cigarette application to their needs, making the charging device more user-friendly.

[0025] The selected distance can be set in any suitable way, such as by performing distance calculations via the charging device. However, typically, the controller is configured to set the selected distance by adjusting the power supplied to the wireless transceiver. This results in a distance from which the use of e-cigarettes can be prohibited to a distance from which the wireless transceiver can scan and / or transmit and receive data from one or more other devices. The wireless transceiver can be used to establish wireless communication pairing. This can be achieved through the interface typically provided by the wireless transceiver for wireless communication pairing. By increasing the power supplied to the wireless transceiver, the wireless transceiver can scan at a greater distance. Correspondingly, by decreasing the power supplied to the wireless transceiver, the wireless transceiver can scan at a shorter distance.

[0026] As indicated above, biometric data may include fingerprints. Other biometric data may be used alternatively or additionally. This may include iris scanning and / or facial recognition. This allows for unique identification of the user and thus allows the charging device to take actions specific to the individual user.

[0027] This means that the charger device can further include a biometric sensor configured to receive user biometric data. Of course, user biometric data can be provided to the charger device in other ways, such as from an electronic cigarette or from another device, such as a computing device (e.g., a mobile phone).

[0028] The controller can be further configured to update the stored user biometric data when the ownership of the e-cigarette and / or charging device changes. This allows a change of ownership of the charging device and / or e-cigarette without loss of the functionality of one or the other (or each of them).

[0029] The controller is further configured to send an ID tag associated with the charger device to the e-cigarette. This can be used to verify the charger device's ability to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes.

[0030] According to a second aspect, a method is provided performed by a charger device for an electronic cigarette, the method comprising: establishing a wireless communication pairing, the wireless communication pairing being established when the electronic cigarette and the charger device are within each other's communication range; acquiring data related to the electronic cigarette; and prohibiting the use of the electronic cigarette based on the acquired data and configurable rules. Attached Figure Description

[0031] An example charger device and a method for charging an electronic cigarette using the charger device are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an example charger device and an example electronic cigarette is shown;

[0033] Figure 2 A flowchart of an example method performed by an example charger device is shown;

[0034] Figure 3 A flowchart of a second example method performed by an example charger device is shown;

[0035] Figure 4 A flowchart of a third example method performed by an example charger device is shown;

[0036] Figure 5 A flowchart of a fourth example method performed by an example charger device is shown;

[0037] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a second example charger device and an electronic cigarette is shown; and

[0038] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a third example charger device and an electronic cigarette is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0039] As described above, the examples described herein seek to provide a charging device that restricts the use of an electronic cigarette when the cigarette is within a predetermined distance of the charging device. Various examples of such charging devices, along with details of corresponding electronic cigarettes and example processes that can be performed by the charging device, are listed below.

[0040] According to the example charger device Figure 1 The charger is generally shown as 10. It includes a wireless transceiver 12 and a controller 14. In this example, the charger also includes a memory 16 and a biometric sensor 18. This memory and biometric sensor may not be present in other examples.

[0041] The charger device 10 is powered by an external power source (not shown) or by a battery (not shown) located within the device itself. Regardless of the form of the power source, it supplies power to various components of the charger device.

[0042] In addition to the components of the charger device 10 outlined above, the charger device will also have a charging unit (not shown) that is arranged to charge the e-cigarette during use when a suitable connection is provided between the charger device and the e-cigarette. In some examples, charging may be achieved using a wireless transceiver 12 to provide wireless charging of the e-cigarette. Of course, this would require the e-cigarette to also have wireless charging capabilities.

[0043] Figure 1 An electronic cigarette 20 was also included. In this example, the electronic cigarette has a wireless transceiver 22, a controller 24, a heater 26, and a power source 21. In this example, the electronic cigarette also has a memory 28, which may not be present in other examples. The power source is typically a battery, which is rechargeable in various examples.

[0044] In this example, the wireless transceiver of the charging device and / or the e-cigarette can be a transceiver for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, radio, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G communication, or any other form of wireless communication transceiver, such as near field communication (NFC) or LTE communication. Of course, the wireless transceivers of the charging device and the e-cigarette are designed to be compatible with each other to allow communication between the two.

[0045] In this example, the controller of the charger device and / or the e-cigarette is a processor. This processor is capable of receiving and issuing commands and executing instructions in the form of executable code.

[0046] Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, are typically handheld devices (i.e., electronic cigarettes can be held and supported by a user using only one or two hands). Electronic cigarettes contain a vaporizable substance 23, which, when heated, produces vapor or aerosol that can be inhaled into the user's mouth due to the structural arrangement of the electronic cigarette. The heatable substance can be liquid or solid, each of which vaporizes or produces an aerosol upon heating, or contains components that vaporize or produce an aerosol upon heating. For ease of reference, the entire substance will also be referred to as the vaporizable substance throughout this document.

[0047] Example charger device (e.g.) Figure 1 The charger device 10 shown can be used to prohibit the use of example electronic cigarettes within a predetermined or threshold distance range of the charger device, such as Figure 1 The electronic cigarette 20 shown. This range can cover, for example, the user's home, office, or car.

[0048] To achieve the ban on the use of e-cigarettes, one method was employed, such as... Figure 2 The example method is listed in the flowchart. Initially, at step 100, a wireless communication pairing is established between the charger device and the e-cigarette. Once the wireless communication pairing is established, at step 102, data related to the e-cigarette is acquired. At step 104, based on the acquired data and configurable rules, the use of the e-cigarette is prohibited.

[0049] In this example, for a wireless communication pairing to be established between the charger device and the e-cigarette, the e-cigarette typically needs to be within the communication range of the charger device's wireless transceiver 12. This may not be necessary in other examples. When the e-cigarette needs to be within the communication range of the wireless transceiver, a connection can be established by scanning for the device to be connected using the charger device's wireless transceiver. This could be due to the wireless transceiver or charger device being in scanning mode.

[0050] Accordingly, in order to be within the communication range of the wireless transceiver 12 of the charging device, the wireless transceiver 22 of the electronic cigarette 20 needs to be able to be scanned and identified as a potential communication source by the wireless transceiver of the charging device 10. This typically requires the electronic cigarette to be within a certain distance of the charging device.

[0051] The details of how pairing is established depend on the type of wireless communication. Therefore, pairing is performed according to known methods for establishing a wireless communication path between two devices. In some examples, the charger device 10 has the capability to enable Bluetooth communication to scan for Bluetooth-enabled devices, and the charger device 10 is configured to identify the MAC address (Media Access Control Address) of Bluetooth-enabled devices.

[0052] The scanning range of the wireless transceiver 12 of the charger device 10 is a predetermined threshold. Therefore, if the electronic cigarette 20 is within this range, a communication path between the charger device and the electronic cigarette can be detected and established.

[0053] In some examples, the e-cigarette 20 and the charger device 10 share a logical domain and ecosystem, each with a unique ID and / or IP address, enabling the charger device to identify the e-cigarette and / or the connection between the e-cigarette and the charger device when detected by the e-cigarette's charger device. In other examples, each of the e-cigarette and the charger device has an ID tag (such as RFID or an embedded MAC address) included during the manufacturing process, enabling each to identify the other. In yet another example, a user can register one or more e-cigarettes to the charger via an interface on the charger device or an interface on another device that can be connected to the charger device.

[0054] In this example, the e-cigarette 20 had previously been registered to the charger device 10 before the wireless communication pairing was established. However, in other examples, the e-cigarette had not previously been registered to the charger device before the wireless communication pairing was established, and the wireless communication pairing could still be established.

[0055] Once a wireless communication pairing is established, data related to the e-cigarette 20 is acquired. In various examples, this is achieved by the controller 14 of the charger device 10 issuing a data request command to the e-cigarette. In this example, the data request is a request for the e-cigarette's ID tag. This ID tag is typically stored in the e-cigarette's memory 28. The requested data is then transferred from the e-cigarette to the charger device. In other examples, the data required by the charger device may alternatively or additionally include the brand, model, year, and / or type of the e-cigarette, and / or the brand, model, year, and / or type of the vaporizable substance 23.

[0056] Upon receiving the requested data, the controller 14 of the charger device 10 performs a determination based on the acquired data and configurable rules. Based on the result of this determination, the use of the electronic cigarette 20 is prohibited.

[0057] In this example, the use of the e-cigarette is prohibited by the controller 14 of the charger device 10 issuing a prohibition command to the e-cigarette 20. In this example, the command is to disable the heater 26, thereby suppressing the supply of heat to the vaporizable substance 23. The command is then executed by the controller 24 of the e-cigarette. In other examples, the use of the e-cigarette may be prohibited in other ways, and / or the command may include turning off the e-cigarette or switching the e-cigarette to a standby mode where its functionality is limited. In various examples of prohibiting the use of the e-cigarette, the e-cigarette may still be able to communicate with other devices such as the charger device or another computing device, and may still have all other functions except the ability to supply heat to the vaporizable substance.

[0058] Configurable rules can be pre-defined or pre-selected. The determination of rule selection can be performed by the user, can be applied as a preset mode to which the charger device 10 can be placed, and can be pre-programmed before the charger device is sold.

[0059] In this example, the configurable rule includes: prohibiting the use of e-cigarette 20 when the ID tag of the e-cigarette matches the ID tag stored in the memory 16 of the charger device 10, where the stored ID tag is the ID tag of the e-cigarette registered to the charger device. In some examples, the configurable rule may further or alternatively include: prohibiting the use of the e-cigarette when the e-cigarette is a specific brand, model, year, and / or type and / or the vaporizable substance 23 is a specific brand, model, year, and / or type. In various examples, the configurable rule only includes: prohibiting the use of the e-cigarette if the e-cigarette establishes a wireless communication pairing with the charger device.

[0060] In this example, since the configurable rule includes prohibiting the use of e-cigarette 20 when the e-cigarette's ID tag matches the ID tag stored in the memory 16 of the charger device 10, the following is executed: Figure 3 The process is illustrated below. In this process, once the ID tag of the e-cigarette is received at step 106, at step 108, the ID tag of the e-cigarette, with which the charging device has already established wireless communication pairing, is compared with any ID tags stored in the memory of the charging device. At step 110, if the comparison result shows that the e-cigarette's ID tag matches a stored ID tag, the controller 14 issues a command to prohibit the use of the e-cigarette.

[0061] The charger device 10 can receive the ID tag of the electronic cigarette 20 in response to the establishment of a wireless communication pair, in response to a request from the charger device or another device, or in response to an action taken by the user or another person.

[0062] To prevent the e-cigarette 20 from being permanently disabled after being connected to the charger device 10 in this example, in various examples, the e-cigarette is restored to use when it is no longer connected to the charger device via the established wireless communication pairing. Restoring the e-cigarette's use signifies that heating is no longer disabled, and that any other limited, disabled, stopped, or suppressed functions of the e-cigarette are also restored. This means that the e-cigarette is only disabled within a certain range of the charger device.

[0063] In some examples, configurable rules may also include, in order to prohibit the use of e-cigarette 20, requiring the user's biometric data to match with user biometric data stored in the memory 16 of the charger device 10. The process for performing this assessment is described in... Figure 4Listed in [the document]. At step 112, user biometric data is stored. In this example, the user biometric data is stored in the memory 16 of the charger device. This is achieved by scanning the user biometric data using the charger device's biometric sensor 18, which in this example is a fingerprint sensor. This step is performed either when the charger device is initially set up or at a later time based on a selection made by the user.

[0064] At step 114, the user's biometric data of the current user of the electronic cigarette 20 is acquired. This can be achieved by the current user providing biometric data at the biometric sensor 18 of the charging device 10 or at the biometric sensor (not shown) on the electronic cigarette, and then transmitting the biometric data to the charging device.

[0065] At step 116, the acquired biometric data is compared with the stored user biometric data. If the comparison determines that the acquired biometric data matches the stored user biometric data (i.e., a positive match exists), the use of e-cigarette 20 is prohibited through the above process. When a negative match exists, this step is not taken, thereby allowing continued use of e-cigarette. Additionally or alternatively, another step may be taken.

[0066] Since in this example, the charger device 10 can only issue a command to disable the use of the electronic cigarette 20 when a wireless communication pairing is established between the electronic cigarette and the charger device, the charger device can only disable the use of the electronic cigarette when the distance between the electronic cigarette and the charger device is below a threshold distance. The threshold distance is the wireless communication range of the charger device.

[0067] The threshold distance can be adjusted. To achieve this, execute... Figure 5 The process is listed below. In this example, the first few steps of the process are... Figure 4 The process listed is the same. Accordingly, at step 112, user biometric data is stored. At step 114, the current user's biometric data for the e-cigarette 20 is acquired. Then, at step 116, the acquired biometric data is compared with the stored user biometric data. At step 120, if the comparison determines that the acquired biometric data matches the stored user biometric data (i.e., a positive match exists), the user can select a distance. This can be achieved by presenting options to the user at the interface. The user then selects a distance. If a negative match exists, typically the user cannot select a distance, and alternative options can be provided to the user, such as providing biometric data again for comparison.

[0068] At step 122, the user-selected distance is set by the charging device 10. In this example, this is achieved by adjusting the power supplied to the wireless transceiver 12. To reduce the threshold distance, the amount of power supplied to the wireless transceiver is reduced. If the threshold distance is increased, the amount of power supplied to the wireless transceiver is increased.

[0069] In addition to being able to connect to one or more electronic cigarettes 20, the charger device 10 can also be connected to other computing devices. Now, regarding Figure 6 and Figure 7 Describe two such examples. Figure 6 In, with Figure 1 The charger device shown has the same components and is connected to server 30 (i.e., one or more servers) and electronic cigarette 20.

[0070] The charger device 10 is connected to the server 30 via connection 32. This connection can be wired or wireless. Regardless of the connection type, the connection can be a direct connection (i.e., a connection between the charger device and the server without any devices connected in between) or an indirect connection (i.e., a connection between the charger device and the server with other devices connected in between, such as a connection in a network).

[0071] exist Figure 7 In the example shown, the charger device 10 (also with) Figure 1 The charger device shown has the same components and is connected to the mobile phone 40 and the electronic cigarette 20. Figure 6 As shown in the example, the charger device 10 is connected to the mobile phone 40 via connection 42. This connection can be wired or wireless. Regardless of the connection type, the connection can be a direct connection (i.e., a connection only between the charger device and the mobile phone without any device connected in between) or an indirect connection (i.e., a connection between the charger device and the mobile phone with other devices connected in between, such as a connection in a network).

[0072] Of course, in the example where the charger device 10 is connected to the mobile phone 40 or the server 30, the connection can be temporary or permanent. Furthermore, the connection to the mobile phone or server is independent of the wireless communication pairing between the charger device and the electronic cigarette 20, and the wireless communication pairing between the charger device and the electronic cigarette is also independent of the connection to the mobile phone or server.

[0073] In various examples, the charger device 10 may be a module of the mobile phone 40, thus providing a directional connection between the charger device and the mobile phone. This can be achieved through software on the mobile phone, such as in a user application (also known as an "app"), simulating or otherwise replacing the hardware of the charger device and using various components of the mobile phone to provide components of the charger device.

[0074] Connection to a computing device, such as server 30 or mobile phone 40, allows for the acquisition of additional data during the data acquisition step. Additionally, data can be sent from charger device 10 to the computing device.

[0075] Data obtainable from a computing device may include user-related data, such as the user's age, gender, employment status and type, health statistics, and any other data provided by the user or related to their activities or schedule. If the computing device is a mobile phone 40, the data may include the mobile phone's location. This data obtained from the computing device can be used in configurable rules to further determine when to prohibit and when to permit the use of e-cigarettes 20.

[0076] In the example using mobile phone 40, when fingerprint or other biometric data is required, the biometric data can be provided on the mobile phone instead of at the charging device 10. This can be achieved by the mobile phone notifying the user of a request for biometric data input at a sensor on the mobile phone in response to a request from the charging device. When the user provides biometric data, this can be verified using biometric data stored on the mobile phone or the charging device. For example, this input might be required when the charging device requests verification that it will prohibit the use of an e-cigarette in wireless pairing with the charging device. The steps of the user providing biometric data and the mobile phone can also be replaced by asking the user to enter a PIN code or press a button, which eliminates the need for biometric data.

[0077] In the example using server 30, charger device 10 can also request verification from the server to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes. The server can provide a response based on information stored on the server (such as user details), which can be compared with, for example, the registered owner of the corresponding e-cigarette. The server can then respond to the charger device based on the information stored on the server to determine whether to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes.

[0078] The charger device 10 can provide information to the server 30 or the mobile phone 40. In some examples, this information may include the ID tag of the e-cigarette 20 wirelessly paired with the charger device and a method of identifying the charger device. This allows registration of which e-cigarettes are used with which charger devices.

[0079] In various examples, the charger device 10 can send an ID tag for the corresponding charger device to the electronic cigarette 20 with which it is wirelessly paired. This allows the electronic cigarette to perform an evaluation regarding whether to apply a received command to prohibit the use of the electronic cigarette. This decision can be based on whether the electronic cigarette recognizes the charger device (i.e., whether the received ID tag matches the ID tag used for the charger device and stored in the electronic cigarette's memory 28). If the electronic cigarette does not recognize the charger device, the command to prohibit the use of the electronic cigarette can be ignored.

[0080] There may be a change in ownership of the e-cigarette and / or charging device. Therefore, the ID tags stored on the charging device 10 and / or e-cigarette 20 can be updated by replacement or addition. Additionally or alternatively, the user's biometric data stored on the charging device and / or e-cigarette can be updated by replacement or addition.

[0081] In addition to the processes and procedures listed in the examples above, the charger device 10 is also capable of charging the electronic cigarette 20. This can be achieved via a wired or wireless connection between the charger device and the electronic cigarette. If charging is applied wirelessly, this can be achieved using wireless communication pairing. In the example of providing charging via a wired connection, this can be achieved using a cable connecting the charger device and the electronic cigarette, or via the arrangement of ports and sockets on the electronic cigarette and the charger device.

[0082] Of course, the charger device 10 can be connected to one or more e-cigarettes 20 at any time, and any e-cigarette can be connected to the charger device at any time. This can be used for charging purposes or for establishing wireless communication pairing to control the use of each e-cigarette.

Claims

1. A charger device, comprising: An interface configured to establish a wireless communication pairing between the charger device and the electronic cigarette, the wireless communication pairing being established when the electronic cigarette and the charger device are within each other's communication range; as well as A controller is configured to acquire data related to the e-cigarette and to prohibit its use based on the acquired data and configurable rules. These configurable rules include prohibiting the use of the e-cigarette based on the distance between the e-cigarette and the charging device. The controller is configured to disable the use of the electronic cigarette when the distance is below a predetermined threshold. The controller is further configured as follows: Store user biometric data; Obtain biometric data from users seeking to charge the e-cigarette; Determine whether the acquired biometric data matches the stored biometric data; Users are allowed to select a threshold distance to prohibit based on the matching results; Receive threshold distance selection; and The threshold distance is set based on the received threshold distance selection.

2. The charger device as described in claim 1, wherein, The acquired data is an ID tag associated with the electronic cigarette, and the controller is configured to compare the acquired ID tag with an ID tag stored in the memory of the charger device.

3. The charger device according to claim 2, wherein, The controller is configured to disable the use of the e-cigarette based on the matching of the acquired ID tag with the ID tag stored in the memory of the charger device.

4. The charger device of claim 2, further comprising that the controller is configured to send a message to the computing device based on the comparison.

5. The charger device according to claim 4, wherein, The computing device is either a mobile phone or a server.

6. The charger device according to claim 2, wherein, These ID tags stored in the memory include ID tags for electronic cigarettes that are authorized to be used with the charger device.

7. The charger device according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is configured to disable the use of the electronic cigarette when the charging device is in a first mode, and wherein the controller is further configured to: Store user biometric data; Obtain biometric data from users seeking to charge the e-cigarette; Determine whether the acquired biometric data matches the stored biometric data; and The first mode is activated based on the matching result.

8. The charger device according to claim 7, wherein, This biometric data includes fingerprints.

9. The charger device of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to update the stored user biometric data when the ownership of the electronic cigarette and / or charger device changes.

10. The charger device of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to send an ID tag associated with the charger device to the electronic cigarette.

11. The charger device according to claim 1, further comprising a biometric sensor configured to receive user biometric data.

12. A method performed by a charger device for an electronic cigarette, the method comprising: Establish a wireless communication pairing, which can be established when the electronic cigarette and the charging device are within each other's communication range; Obtain data related to the e-cigarette; as well as The use of this e-cigarette can be prohibited based on the acquired data and configurable rules. These configurable rules include prohibiting the use of the e-cigarette based on the distance between the e-cigarette and the charging device. The use of the electronic cigarette is prohibited if the distance is below a predetermined threshold. The method further includes: Store user biometric data; Obtain biometric data from users seeking to charge the e-cigarette; Determine whether the acquired biometric data matches the stored biometric data; Users are allowed to select a threshold distance to prohibit based on the matching results; Receive threshold distance selection; and The threshold distance is set based on the received threshold distance selection.

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