Pressure sensing for aerosol delivery devices

Abstract

This invention provides an aerosol delivery device. The aerosol delivery device includes a control unit and a digital pressure sensor. The digital pressure sensor is configured to measure pressure applied thereto and generate a corresponding signal indicating the pressure thus measured. The control unit or digital pressure sensor is further configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the pressure indicated by the corresponding signal, or based on the state of the aerosol delivery device or the state of its user determined by the corresponding signal. Control of the at least one functional element includes an output displaying the pressure or status.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the application for patent having application number "201780082924.2" and titled "Pressure sensing for aerosol delivery devices" and filed on November 17, 2017. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles, and more specifically to aerosol delivery devices that can utilize electro-thermal generation of aerosol (e.g., smoking articles commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes). The smoking articles can be configured to heat an aerosol precursor to form an inhalable substance for consumption by a human, which can incorporate materials made from or derived from tobacco or otherwise incorporate tobacco. BACKGROUND

[0003] Many smoking devices have been proposed through the years as improvements upon, or replacements for, smoking products that require combusting tobacco for use. Many of these devices have been designed to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking, but without delivering considerable amounts of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products found in mainstream tobacco smoke. In order to achieve this, numerous smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed which utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material, or attempt to provide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without combusting tobacco to a significant degree. See, for example, the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat sources described in the background sections described in U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 to Griffith Jr. et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 to Sears et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096782 to Ampolini et al., and U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 222,615 to Watson et al., filed July 28, 2016, all incorporated herein by reference. See also, for example, various embodiments of products and heating configurations described in the background sections of U.S. Patent No. 5,388,594 to Counts et al., and U.S. Patent No. 8,079,371 to Robinson et al., also incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] However, it is desirable to provide an aerosol delivery device having functionality for sensing pressure within an environment of the aerosol delivery device. SUMMARY

[0005] This disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods of forming such devices, and components of such devices. This disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following embodiments.

[0006] Example Embodiment 1: An aerosol delivery device includes at least one housing enclosing a reservoir holding an aerosol precursor composition; a heating element; a control unit configured to operate in an activation mode, in which the control unit is configured to control the heating element to activate components of the aerosol precursor composition and cause the components of the aerosol precursor composition to evaporate; and a digital pressure sensor configured to measure pressure applied thereto and generate a corresponding signal indicating the pressure thus measured, wherein the control unit or the digital pressure sensor is further configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the pressure indicated by the corresponding signal, or the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user determined by the corresponding signal, wherein control of the at least one functional element includes an output displaying the pressure or the state.

[0007] Example Implementation 2: An aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein a control unit or digital pressure sensor is further configured to determine the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user based on a corresponding signal, and wherein control of at least one functional element includes an output of the state so determined being presented by a display.

[0008] Example Implementation 3: An aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the digital pressure sensor includes a variable sensor function, and the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user includes the height change rate of the aerosol delivery device.

[0009] Example Implementation 4: An aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the digital pressure sensor includes spirometer functionality, and the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user includes the user's breathing state.

[0010] Example Implementation 5: An aerosol delivery device for any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination of the foregoing example implementations, wherein the digital pressure sensor is or includes a piezoresistive pressure sensor or a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based capacitive pressure sensor, wherein, in at least one embodiment, the piezoresistive pressure sensor has a Wheatstone bridge circuit.

[0011] Example Implementation 6: An aerosol delivery device for any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the aerosol delivery device further includes a rechargeable power supply configured to power a digital pressure sensor and includes a lithium-ion battery (LiB), a thin-film solid-state battery (SSB), or a supercapacitor.

[0012] Example Implementation 7: An aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the aerosol delivery device further includes an infinite input response (IIR) filter or ferrite bead operatively coupled to a digital pressure sensor and configured to reduce short-term fluctuations in the pressure measured by the digital pressure sensor.

[0013] Example Implementation 8: An aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the digital pressure sensor is selectively operated in a static mode or in an active or continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is disabled in the static mode, and the digital pressure sensor is configured to obtain a single pressure measurement or multiple pressure measurements in the active or continuous mode, respectively.

[0014] Example Implementation 9: An aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination of the foregoing example implementations, wherein in at least one embodiment in which the digital pressure sensor can operate in continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is configured to acquire multiple pressure measurements at a predetermined oversampling rate.

[0015] Example Implementation 10: An aerosol delivery device of any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination of the foregoing example implementations, wherein in at least one embodiment where the digital pressure sensor is operable in a continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is configured to continuously cycle between an active mode and a static period.

[0016] Example Implementation 11: A control body coupled to or capable of being coupled to a barrel to form an aerosol delivery device, the barrel being equipped with a heating element and containing an aerosol precursor composition, the control body comprising: a housing; a control component within the housing configured to operate in an activation mode, in which the control component is configured to control the heating element to activate and evaporate components of the aerosol precursor composition; and a digital pressure sensor configured to measure pressure applied thereto and generate a corresponding signal indicating the pressure so measured, wherein the control component or the digital pressure sensor is further configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the pressure indicated by the corresponding signal, or the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user determined by the corresponding signal, wherein control of at least one functional element includes an output of pressure or state presented by a display.

[0017] Example Implementation 12: A control body for any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the control component or digital pressure sensor is further configured to determine the state of the aerosol delivery device or user based on a corresponding signal, and wherein control of at least one functional element includes an output of the state so determined being presented by a display.

[0018] Example Implementation 13: A control entity for any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination of the foregoing example implementations, wherein the digital pressure sensor includes a variable sensor function, and the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user includes the height change rate of the aerosol delivery device.

[0019] Example Implementation 14: A control subject of any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the digital pressure sensor includes spirometer functionality, and the aerosol delivery device or the state of its user includes the user's breathing state.

[0020] Example Implementation 15: A control entity for any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination of the foregoing example implementations, wherein the digital pressure sensor is or includes a piezoresistive pressure sensor or a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based capacitive pressure sensor, wherein, in at least one embodiment, the piezoresistive pressure sensor has a Wheatstone bridge circuit.

[0021] Example Implementation 16: A control body of any of the foregoing embodiments or any combination thereof, wherein the control body further includes a rechargeable power supply configured to power a digital pressure sensor and includes a lithium-ion battery (LiB), a thin-film solid-state battery (SSB), or a supercapacitor.

[0022] Example Implementation 17: A control body for any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the control body further includes an infinite input response (IIR) filter or ferrite bead operatively coupled to the digital pressure sensor and configured to reduce short-term fluctuations in the pressure measured by the digital pressure sensor.

[0023] Example Implementation 18: A control body for any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination thereof, wherein the digital pressure sensor is selectively operated in a static mode or in an active or continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is disabled in the static mode, and the digital pressure sensor is configured to obtain a single pressure measurement or multiple pressure measurements in the active or continuous mode, respectively.

[0024] Example Implementation 19: A control body for any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination of the foregoing example implementations, wherein in at least one embodiment where the digital pressure sensor can operate in continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is configured to acquire multiple pressure measurements at a predetermined oversampling rate.

[0025] Example Implementation 20: A control body for any of the foregoing example implementations or any combination of the foregoing example implementations, wherein in at least one embodiment where the digital pressure sensor can operate in continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is configured to continuously cycle between an active mode and a static period.

[0026] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of this disclosure will be apparent from reading the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. This disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four, or more features or elements set forth in this disclosure, regardless of whether such features or elements are explicitly combined or otherwise referenced in the particular exemplary embodiments described herein. This disclosure is intended to be read as a whole such that any separable feature or element of this disclosure, in its aspects and exemplary embodiments, should be considered composable unless the context of this disclosure clearly indicates otherwise.

[0027] Therefore, it will be understood that the content of this invention is provided merely for the purpose of outlining some exemplary embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of this disclosure. It will also be understood that the exemplary embodiments described above are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope or spirit of this disclosure in any way. Other embodiments, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the principles of some of the described embodiments by way of example. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Therefore, this disclosure has been described in the foregoing summary manner, and now refers to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which:

[0029] Figure 1 The figure shows a side view of an aerosol delivery device including a cylinder coupled to a control body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery device according to various embodiments; and

[0031] Figure 3 Showing various embodiments Figure 1 and Figure 2 Various components of aerosol delivery equipment. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The present disclosure will now be described more fully below with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof. These embodiments are described so that the disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. In fact, the disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein; rather, these implementations are provided so that the disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification and appended claims, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the singular forms “a / an,” “the,” and similar terms include a plurality of indicators. Furthermore, while references may be made herein to quantitative measurements, values, geometric relationships, etc., any one or more (if not all) of these references may be absolute or approximate to illustrate acceptable variations that may occur, such as variations due to engineering tolerances, etc.

[0033] As described below, exemplary embodiments of this disclosure relate to aerosol delivery systems. Aerosol delivery systems according to this disclosure use electrical energy to heat materials (preferably without burning the materials to any significant extent) to form an inhalable substance; and components of such systems are in the form of articles, most preferably compact enough to be considered handheld devices. That is, by using components of preferred aerosol delivery systems, no smoke is generated due to aerosols produced by the combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco; instead, the use of those preferred systems causes certain components bound therein to volatilize or evaporate, thereby generating vapor. In some exemplary embodiments, components of the aerosol delivery system can be characterized as electronic cigarettes, and those electronic cigarettes are most preferably incorporating tobacco and / or tobacco-derived components, and thus delivering tobacco-derived components in aerosol form.

[0034] Certain preferred aerosol delivery systems can provide the many sensations associated with smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe (e.g., inhalation and exhalation posture, type of taste or flavor, sensory effects, bodily sensations, ritual of use, visual cues such as those provided by visible aerosols) without any substantial degree of combustion in any of its components. For example, a user of the aerosol generator of this disclosure holds and uses the aerosol generator like a smoker using a conventional type of smoking product, inhaling from one end of the aerosol generator to inhale the aerosol produced by the aerosol generator, and inhaling at selected time intervals, etc.

[0035] The aerosol delivery system disclosed herein can also be characterized as a vapor article or a pharmaceutical delivery article. Thus, such an article or device can be used to deliver one or more inhalable forms or states of a substance (e.g., flavoring agents and / or pharmaceutical active ingredients). For example, the inhalable substance can be substantially in vapor form (i.e., a substance that is in the gas phase at temperatures below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substance can also be in aerosol form (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in a gas). For simplicity, the term "aerosol" as used herein is intended to include vapors, gases, and aerosols in forms or types suitable for human inhalation, regardless of whether they are visible or not and regardless of whether they can be considered as smoke-like forms.

[0036] The aerosol delivery system disclosed herein typically includes several components disposed within an outer body or housing, which may also be referred to as a shell. The overall design of the outer body or housing can vary, and the type or configuration of the outer body that defines the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device can vary. Typically, an elongated body resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar can be formed from a single integral shell, or from two or more separable bodies. For example, an aerosol delivery device may include a substantially tubular elongated shell or body, thus resembling the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one embodiment, all components of the aerosol delivery device are contained within a single shell. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device may include two or more joined and separable shells. For example, an aerosol delivery device may have a control body at one end, comprising a shell containing one or more reusable components (e.g., a battery such as a rechargeable battery and / or supercapacitor, and various electronic devices for controlling the operation of the article), and an outer body or housing at the other end containing a disposable portion (e.g., a disposable flavor cartridge), which can be removably coupled.

[0037] The aerosol delivery system disclosed herein most preferably includes a combination of the following components: a power source (i.e., an electrical power supply), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating, controlling, regulating, and stopping the power used to generate heat, such as by controlling the current from the power source to other components of the article, e.g., a microprocessor alone or as part of a microcontroller), a heater or heating element (e.g., a resistance heating element or other component, which may be referred to as an atomizer alone or in combination with one or more other components), an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a liquid that is generally capable of generating an aerosol under sufficient heat, such as the components commonly referred to as "smoke juice," "e-liquid," and "e-juice"), and a mouthpiece area or mouthpiece that allows inhalation of the aerosol on the aerosol delivery device (e.g., a defined airflow path through the article so that the generated aerosol can be drawn from there during inhalation).

[0038] In view of the further disclosure provided below, more specific types, configurations, and arrangements of the components within the aerosol delivery device of this disclosure will become apparent. Furthermore, the selection and arrangement of various aerosol delivery device components can be achieved by considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices. Furthermore, the arrangement of components within the aerosol delivery device can also be achieved by considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices. Examples of commercially available products (for which the components, methods of operation, materials included therein, and / or other properties may be included in the device of this disclosure) have been marketed as products from Philip Morris Incorporated. ALPHA of InnoVapor LLC TM JOYE 510 TM and M4 TM ; CIRRUS by White Cloud Cigarettes TM and FLING TM ;BLU by Lorillard Technologies, Inc. TM ; COHITA International Inc. TM COLIBRI TM ELITE CLASSIC TM MAGNUM TM PHANTOM TM and SENSE TM ; DUOPRO by Electronic Cigarettes, Inc. TM STORMTM and Egar Australia's EGAR TM Joyetech's eGo-T TM ELUSION UK Ltd TM Eonsmoke LLC's FINBranding Group, LLC's FIN TM ;Green Smoke Inc.USA Greenarette LLC's Greenarette TM Smoke HALLIGAN TM HENDU TM JET TM MAXXQ TM PINK TM and Pitbul TM ; HEATBAR by Philip Morris International, Inc. TM ; HYDRO IMPERIAL from Crown7 TM and LXE TM LOGIC Technology's LOGIC TM and THE CUBAN TM Luciano Smokes Inc. Nicotek, LLC Sottera, Inc. and ONEJOY TM SS Choice LLC's No. 7 TM ; PREMIUM ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE by PremiumEstore LLC TM RAPP E-MYSTICK by Ruyan America, Inc. TM ; RED DRAGON of Red Dragon Products, LLC TM ; Ruyan Group (Holdings) Ltd. Smoker Friendly International,LLC GREEN SMART by The Smart SmokingElectronic Cigarette Company Ltd. SMOKE of Coastline Products LLC SMOKING by Smoking Everywhere, Inc. V2CIGS of VMRProducts LLC TM VaporNine LLC's Vapor Nine TM Vapor 4Life, Inc. VEPPO, E-CigaretteDirect, LLC TM RJ Reynolds Vapor Company's AVIGO, VUSE, VUSE CONNECT, VUSE FOB, VUSE HYBRID, ALTO, ALTO+, MODO, CIRO, FOX+FOG, and SOLO+; Mistic Ecigs' MISTIC MENTHOL; and CN Creative Ltd.'s VYPE. Other powered aerosol delivery devices, and specifically those devices described as so-called e-cigarettes, are marketed under the trade name: COOLER VISIONS. TM DIRECT E-CIG TM DRAGONFLY TM EMIST TM EVERSMOKE TM , HYBRID FLAME TM KNIGHT STICKS TM ROYAL BLUES TM , SOUTHBEACH SMOKE TM .

[0039] Other manufacturers, designers, and / or assignees of components and related technologies that may be used in the aerosol delivery devices disclosed herein include: Shenzhen Jieshibo Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen First United Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China; Safe Cig, Los Angeles, California; Janty Asia Company, Philippines; Joyetech Changzhou Electronics, Shenzhen, China; SIS Resources; B2B International Holdings of Dover, Germany; Evolv LLC, Ohio; Montrade, Bologna, Italy; Bauway Technology, Shenzhen, China; Global Vapor Trademarks Inc., Pompano Beach, Florida; Vapor Corp., Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Nemtra GmbH, Lachaux-McBach, Germany; and Perrigo L., Allegheny, Michigan. L.Co.); Needs Co., Ltd.Smokefree Innotec, Las Vegas, Nevada; McNeil AB, Helsingborg, Sweden; Chong Corp; Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Mountain View, California; BLEC, LLC, Charlotte, North Carolina; Gaitrend Sari, Raoul Barclays, France; FeelLife Bioscience International, Shenzhen, China; Vishay Electronic GmbH, Selborg, Germany; Smaco Technology Ltd, Shenzhen, China; Vapor Systems International, Pocaronton, Florida; Exonoid Medical Devices, Israel; Shenzhen Nowotech Electronic, Shenzhen, China; Minilogic Device Corporation, Hong Kong, China; Shenzhen Kangtai Electronics Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China Kontie Electronics; and Fuma International, LLC in Medina, Ohio, and 21st Century Smoke in Berloit, Wisconsin.

[0040] In various examples, aerosol delivery devices may include reservoirs configured to hold aerosol precursor compositions. Reservoirs may, in particular, be formed of porous materials (e.g., fibrous materials) and thus may be referred to as porous substrates (e.g., fibrous substrates).

[0041] The fiber substrate used as a reservoir in an aerosol delivery device can be a woven or nonwoven material formed from various fibers or filaments, and can be formed from one or both of natural and synthetic fibers. For example, the fiber substrate may include a glass fiber material. In a particular example, cellulose acetate material may be used. In other embodiments, carbon materials may be used. The reservoir may be substantially in the form of a container and may include the fiber material contained therein.

[0042] Figure 1 The figure shows a side view of an aerosol delivery device 100, including a control body 102 and a cartridge 104, implemented according to various examples of this disclosure. Specifically,Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a control body and a cartridge coupled together. The control body and cartridge are detachably configured in a functional relationship. Various mechanisms can be used to connect the cartridge to the control body, resulting in threaded engagement, press-fit engagement, interference fit, magnetic engagement, and so on. In some example embodiments, when the cartridge and control body are assembled together, the aerosol delivery device is substantially rod-shaped, substantially tubular, or substantially cylindrical. The cross-section of the aerosol delivery device can also be substantially rectangular or elongated rhomboid, thereby allowing for better compatibility with substantially flat or thin-film power sources (such as power sources including flat batteries, e.g., lithium-ion polymer batteries). The cartridge and control body may comprise separate, individual housings or outer bodies that can be formed from any of a variety of different materials. The housing can be formed from any suitable structurally sound material. In some examples, the housing may be formed from metals or alloys such as stainless steel, aluminum, etc. Other suitable materials include various plastics (e.g., polycarbonate), metal-plating-over plastic, ceramics, etc.

[0043] In some example embodiments, one or both of the control body 102 and the cartridge 104 of the aerosol delivery device 100 may be referred to as disposable or reusable. For example, the control body may have a replaceable or rechargeable battery and thus be compatible with any type of charging technology, including connection to a typical wall socket, a car charger (i.e., a cigarette lighter socket), a computer (such as via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or connector), a photovoltaic cell (sometimes called a solar cell) or a solar panel of a solar cell (e.g., a gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cell with an efficiency of 28%), or an RF-DC converter. Additionally, in some example embodiments, the cartridge may include the disposable cartridge disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,910,639 to Chang et al., cited in this invention.

[0044] Figure 2 A more specific illustration is shown of an aerosol delivery device 100 according to some exemplary embodiments. As seen in the cross-sectional view shown therein, the aerosol delivery device includes a control body 102 and a cartridge 104, each having multiple components. Figure 2The components illustrated are representative of those that may be present in the control body and the barrel, and are not intended to limit the scope of components covered by this disclosure. As shown, for example, the control body may be formed of a control body housing 206, which may include one or more of various electronic components such as a control component 208 (e.g., a microprocessor alone or as part of a microcontroller), a flow sensor 210, a power supply 212, and / or a light-emitting diode (LED) 214, and the configuration of these components may vary. An LED may be an example of a suitable visual indicator that an aerosol delivery device may be equipped with. In addition to or as an alternative to visual indicators such as LEDs, other indicators such as audio indicators (e.g., speakers) and tactile indicators (e.g., vibration motors) may be included.

[0045] Power source 212 may include, for example, a battery (disposable or rechargeable), a lithium-ion battery (LiB), a solid-state battery (SSB), a thin-film SSB, a supercapacitor, or some combination thereof. Some examples of suitable power sources are provided in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 918,926, filed October 21, 2015, by Sur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0046] An example of a suitable solid-state battery is STMicroelectronics' EnFilm rechargeable solid-state lithium-ion thin-film battery, which features a LiCoO2 cathode, a LiPON ceramic electrolyte, and a lithium anode. Specifically, STMicroelectronics' EFL700A39 battery has a nominal voltage of 4.1V and a thickness of only 220 micrometers. The battery is rated for a 10-year lifespan and 4,000 charge-discharge cycles. The battery also has a relatively short nominal charging time, sometimes around 30 minutes (e.g., up to 30 minutes to fully charge (100%) or up to 10 minutes to charge to at least 80%). The battery has a ceramic electrolyte, which generates current through the movement of electrons, thus reducing the risk of unwanted crystal growth in the cathode and anode that can lead to short circuits. The ceramic electrolyte also protects against fire hazards upon contact with fire.

[0047] Supercapacitors can be any of many different types, such as electrically double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) and hybrid capacitors such as lithium-ion capacitors (LICs). Supercapacitors such as EDLCs are suitable for fast charging (e.g., three seconds). Supercapacitors are suitable for long lifespans (e.g., 32 years) and long cycle lives (e.g., 1,000,000 charge-discharge cycles), and provide an environmentally friendly, low-cost solution. Supercapacitors can deliver high-current pulses to electrical loads. And because supercapacitors do not contain the electrolyte between the electrodes, the probability of a short circuit during operation is negligible.

[0048] Hybrid capacitors, such as those from LIC, typically possess the characteristics of batteries (high voltage and high energy density) while retaining the traditional characteristics of fast-charging capacitors (e.g., three (3) seconds to one hundred and twenty (120) seconds). Hybrid capacitors are also rechargeable and can operate autonomously for extended periods without requiring a separate energy source to recharge them. Compared to other options, hybrid capacitors offer longer lifespans (e.g., 10 years) and cycle life, and are more environmentally friendly.

[0049] The barrel 104 may be formed of a barrel shell 216 that encloses a reservoir 218 configured to hold the aerosol precursor composition and includes a heater 220 (sometimes referred to as a heating element). In various configurations, such a structure may be referred to as a tank; and accordingly, the terms "barrel," "tank," etc., are used interchangeably to refer to the housing or other enclosure that encloses the reservoir of the aerosol gas composition and includes the heater.

[0050] As shown in the figures, in some examples, the reservoir 218 may be in fluid communication with a liquid delivery element 222, which is adapted to wick or otherwise deliver the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to the heater 220. In some examples, a valve may be provided between the reservoir and the heater, configured to control the amount of aerosol precursor composition transferred from the reservoir to the heater.

[0051] Various examples of materials that generate heat when an electric current flows through them can be used to form heater 220. These examples of heaters can be resistance heating elements such as wire coils or microheaters. Examples of materials that can form heating elements include Kanthal (FeCrAl), Nichrome, stainless steel, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), aluminum-doped molybdenum disilicide (Mo(Si,Al)2), graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and yarns), and ceramics (e.g., ceramics with positive or negative temperature coefficients). Further examples of heaters or heating elements useful in aerosol delivery devices according to this disclosure are described below, and these examples may include those described herein. Figure 2 The device shown in the figure.

[0052] An opening 224 (e.g., at the mouthpiece end) may be present in the barrel shell 216 to allow the aerosol formed to be discharged from the barrel 104.

[0053] The barrel 104 may also include one or more electronic components 226, which may include integrated circuits, memory components, sensors, etc. The electronic components may be adapted to communicate with the control unit 208 and / or external devices via wired or wireless means. The electronic components may be located anywhere within the barrel or its base 228.

[0054] Although the control component 208 and the flow sensor 210 are shown separately, it is understood that various electronic components, including the control component and the flow sensor, can also be combined on an electronic circuit board (PCB) that supports and electrically connects these electronic components. Furthermore, the electronic circuit board (PCB) can be relative to... Figure 1 The illustration is positioned horizontally because the circuit board (PCB) can be parallel to the central axis of the control body in length. In some examples, the air flow sensor may include its own circuit board (PCB) or other base elements to which it can be attached. In some examples, a flexible circuit board may be utilized. The flexible circuit board can be configured in various shapes, including substantially tubular shapes. In some examples, the flexible circuit board may be combined with, laminated onto, or form part or all of the heater substrate.

[0055] The control body 102 and the barrel 104 may include components adapted to facilitate fluid engagement between them. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the control body may include a coupler 230 having a cavity 232 therein. The base 228 of the barrel is adaptable to engage the coupler and may include a protrusion 234 adapted to the cavity. This engagement facilitates a stable connection between the control body and the barrel, and establishes an electrical connection between the power supply 212 and control unit 208 in the control body and the heater 220 in the barrel. Further, the control body housing 206 may include an air inlet 236, which may be a recess on the housing connected to the coupler, allowing air around the coupler to pass through and enter the housing, then through the cavity 232 of the coupler within the housing and into the barrel via the protrusion 234.

[0056] Couplers and bases useful for this disclosure have been described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495, Novak et al., which is cited in this invention. For example, as Figure 2The coupler 230, as seen herein, may define an outer periphery 238 configured to mate with an inner periphery 240 of the base 228. In one example, the radius defined by the inner periphery of the base may be substantially equal to or slightly larger than the radius of the outer periphery of the coupler. Further, the coupler may have one or more protrusions 242 defined on its outer periphery, which are configured to engage with one or more grooves 244 defined on the inner periphery of the base. However, various other examples of structures, shapes, and components may also be used to couple the base to the coupler. In some examples, the connection between the base of the barrel 104 and the coupler of the control body 102 may be substantially permanent; however, in other examples, it may be a detachable connection, such that, for example, the control body can be reused with one or more other disposable and / or replaceable barrels.

[0057] In some examples, the aerosol delivery device 100 may be substantially rod-shaped, substantially tubular, or substantially cylindrical. In other examples, further shapes and sizes are covered, such as rectangular or triangular cross-sections, multifaceted shapes, and so on.

[0058] Figure 2 The reservoir 218 illustrated in the figure may be a container or a fiber reservoir, as described above. For example, in this example, the reservoir may comprise one or more layers of nonwoven fibers, ultimately formed as a tube surrounding the interior of the barrel shell 216. The aerosol precursor composition may be stored in the reservoir. For example, liquid components may be stored in the reservoir in an adsorbent manner. The reservoir may be fluidly connected to a liquid delivery element 222. In this example, the liquid delivery element may transfer the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir to a heater 220, which is in the form of a metal coil, via capillary action. Thus, the heater and the liquid delivery element are arranged in a heated configuration. Example embodiments of reservoirs and delivery elements for aerosol delivery devices according to this disclosure are further described below, and such reservoirs and / or delivery elements may be incorporated into devices as described herein. Figure 2 The device illustrated herein. Specifically, a particular combination of heating elements and conveying elements, as further described below, can be incorporated into the device as described herein. Figure 2 The device shown in the figure.

[0059] In use, when a user inhales at the aerosol delivery device 100, the flow sensor 210 detects the airflow, and the heater 220 is activated to evaporate the components of the aerosol precursor composition. Inhalation at the mouthpiece end of the aerosol delivery device draws ambient air into the inlet 236 and through the cavity 232 in the coupler 230 and the central opening in the protrusion 234 of the base 228. In the cartridge 104, the drawn-in air combines with the generated vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol is carried away, drawn away, or extracted from the heater and drawn out through the opening 224 at the mouthpiece end of the aerosol delivery device.

[0060] In some examples, the aerosol delivery device 100 may include a variety of additional software-controlled functions. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include power protection circuitry configured to detect power input, load on power terminals, and charging input. Power protection circuitry may include short-circuit protection and under-voltage lockout and / or over-voltage charging protection. The aerosol delivery device may also include components for measuring ambient temperature, and its control component 208 may be configured to control at least one functional element to prevent power charging, particularly the charging of any battery, from occurring before charging begins or during charging when the ambient temperature is below a certain temperature (e.g., 0°C) or above a certain temperature (e.g., 45°C).

[0061] The power delivery from power source 212 can vary according to the power control mechanism with each smoke emission process of device 100. The device may include a long-duration smoke emission safety timer, such that in the event of a user or component failure (e.g., flow sensor 210) causing the device to attempt continuous smoke emission, control unit 208 can control at least one functional element to automatically terminate smoke emission after a period of time (e.g., four seconds). Furthermore, the time interval between multiple smoke emission events can be limited to less than a period of time (e.g., 100 seconds). If the control unit of the aerosol delivery device or the software running on the aerosol delivery device becomes unstable and fails to provide watchdog safety timer service for an appropriate time interval (e.g., eight seconds), the timer can be automatically reset. Further safety protection can be provided in the event of a defective or otherwise malfunctioning flow sensor 210, such as by permanently disabling the aerosol delivery device to prevent unintentional heating. In the event of a pressure sensor failure causing the device to be continuously activated without stopping after the maximum four-second smoke emission time, a smoke emission limit switch can deactivate the device.

[0062] The aerosol delivery device 100 may include a smoke tracking algorithm that locks the heater (based on the number of available smokes calculated from the e-liquid feed in the cartridge) once the attached cartridge has reached a predetermined number of smokes. The aerosol delivery device may include sleep, standby, or low-power mode functions, thereby automatically cutting off power delivery after a defined period of inactivity. Further safety protection can be provided by detecting all charge / discharge cycles throughout the lifespan of the power supply 212 using the control unit 208. After the power supply has reached a predetermined number (e.g., 200) of full discharge and full charge cycles, it can be declared depleted, and the control unit can control at least one functional element to prevent further charging of the power supply.

[0063] The various components of the aerosol delivery device according to this disclosure can be selected from those described in the art and commercially available. Examples of batteries that can be used according to this disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0028766 by Peckerar et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0064] When aerosol generation is desired (e.g., during aspiration during use), the aerosol delivery device 100 may include a flow sensor 210 or other sensors or detectors for controlling the electrical power supplied to the heater 220. Thus, for example, a manner or method is provided in which the power to the heater is disconnected when the aerosol delivery device is not aspirating during use, and the power is switched on during aspiration to actuate or trigger heating of the heater. Other representative types of sensing or detection mechanisms, their structures and configurations, their components, and general methods of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., and PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO 2010 / 003480 to Flick, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0065] The aerosol delivery device 100 preferably includes a control element 208 or another control mechanism for controlling the electrical power of the heater 220 during suction. Representative types of electronic components, their structures and configurations, their features, and general methods of operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,205,622 to Pan, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0230117 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collet et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0270727 to Ampolini et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0257445 to Henry et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0066] Representative types of substrates, reservoirs, or other components used to support aerosol precursors are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569 to Newton, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261487 to Chapman et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0059780 to Davis et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216232 to Bless et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, various wicking materials in certain types of electronic cigarettes, as well as the configuration and operation of those wicking materials, are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0209105 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0067] Aerosol precursor compositions, also known as vapor precursor compositions, may include a variety of components, such as polyols (e.g., glycerol, propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extracts, and / or flavorings. Representative types of aerosol precursor components and formulations are also described and characterized in U.S. Patent No. 7,217,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0008457 to Zheng et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0213417 to Chong et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collett et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020823 to Lipowicz et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020830 to Koller, and WO 2014 / 182736 to Bowen et al., and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 222,615 to Watson et al., dated July 28, 2016, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that can be used include those already included in VUSE products manufactured by RJ Reynolds Vapor, BLUTM products manufactured by Imperial Tobacco Group PLC, MISTIC MENTHOL products manufactured by Mistic Ecigs, and VYPE products manufactured by CN Creative Ltd. So-called "tobacco juice" for e-cigarettes, already marketed by Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC, is also preferred.

[0068] Additional representative types of components that generate visual cues or indicators, such as visual indicators and related components, audio indicators, tactile indicators, etc., may be employed in the aerosol delivery device 100. Examples of suitable LED components, their configurations, and uses are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,499,766 to Newton, U.S. Patent No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0216233 to Sears et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0069] Other features, controls, or components that may be incorporated into the aerosol delivery device of this disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0016550 to Katase, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0016550 to Fernando et al. Please refer to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0163063, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0192623 by Tucker et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0298905 by Leven et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0180553 by Kim et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 by Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 by Novak et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261408 by DePiano et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0070] As previously described, control unit 208 includes several electronic components and, in some examples, is formed as an electronic circuit board (PCB). The electronic components may include a microprocessor or processor core and memory. In some examples, control unit may include a microcontroller with an integrated processor core and memory, and the microcontroller may further include one or more integrated input / output peripherals. In some examples, control unit may be coupled to communication interface 246 to enable wireless communication with one or more networks, computing devices, or other suitably enabled devices. More specific examples are described in U.S. Patent Serial No. 14 / 638,562, filed March 4, 2015, by Marions et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, examples of aerosol delivery devices suitable for configuration as wireless communication are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0007651 by Ampolini et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0219933 by Henry, Jr. et al., which are also incorporated herein by reference.

[0071] According to some example embodiments, control body 102 may include a digital pressure sensor 248 configured to measure pressure applied thereto. The digital pressure sensor may generate a corresponding signal indicating the pressure thus measured. Examples of suitable digital pressure sensors may include or include piezoresistive pressure sensors, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based capacitive pressure sensors, and / or sensors with varistor or spirometer functions. For example, the digital pressure sensor may include varistor functionality, and the state of the aerosol delivery device 100 or its user may include the rate of change of altitude of the aerosol delivery device. In another example, the digital pressure sensor may include spirometer functionality, and the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user may include the user's respiratory state. In some embodiments, the digital pressure sensor may include noise cancellation characteristics to eliminate the effects of noise variables if the pressure is measured at sea level or at a considerably high altitude.

[0072] Examples of suitable piezoresistive pressure sensors are in U.S. Patent No. 7,017,420 to Bhansali et al., No. 7,856,885 to Cobianu et al., and No. 2006 / 0213275 to Cobianu et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Examples of sensors with suitable varistor functionality are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,191,792 to Gloor, which is incorporated herein by reference. Examples of sensors with suitable spirometer functionality are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,063,669 to Brawner et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0073] The digital pressure sensor 248 can selectively operate in a static mode, in which it is disabled. The digital pressure sensor can also selectively operate in an active or continuous mode, in which it acquires a single pressure measurement or multiple pressure measurements, respectively. In at least one embodiment where the digital pressure sensor can operate in continuous mode, it is configured to acquire multiple pressure measurements at a predefined oversampling rate. Furthermore, in at least one embodiment where the digital pressure sensor can operate in continuous mode, it is configured to continuously cycle between an active mode and a standby period. In some examples, the digital pressure sensor may be connected to a control unit 208, which is configured to enable the digital pressure sensor to operate in an active mode (e.g., a single measurement mode) or a continuous mode.

[0074] Figure 3More specifically, an aerosol delivery device 100 including a digital pressure sensor 248 is shown. As previously described, the digital pressure sensor can be configured to generate a corresponding signal indicating the pressure it measures (the pressure applied to the digital pressure sensor). The control unit 208 or the digital pressure sensor can be configured to control at least one functional element 302 of the aerosol delivery device based on (1) the pressure indicated by the corresponding signal, or (2) the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user determined according to the corresponding signal.

[0075] Typically, the functional element 302 of the aerosol delivery device 100 can be controlled in any of a variety of different ways in response to measured pressure or a state determined by a corresponding signal. For example, control of the functional element 302 may include the presentation of a pressure or state output by a display 304. In another example, an indicator 250 (e.g., a visual indicator, an audio indicator, a tactile indicator) may be controlled to provide user-perceptible feedback (e.g., visual, auditory, vibratory, tactile feedback). As another example, the functional element may be controlled to change the locked state of the aerosol delivery device 100. This may include, for example, disabling the operation of one or more components of the aerosol delivery device based on measured pressure or a state determined by a corresponding signal.

[0076] In some examples, the control unit 208 or the digital pressure sensor 248 may further be configured to determine the state of the aerosol delivery device 100 or the state of its user based on corresponding signals. For example, this state may include weather forecasts, assessments of the user's lungs to diagnose conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other respiratory illnesses. In some examples, the control unit or digital pressure sensor may be configured to control the functional element 302 to output the determined state to be presented by the display 304. In some examples, the corresponding signals or states may be presented by the display in a tabular or graphical format.

[0077] In some examples where the control body 102 includes a communication interface 246, the control of the functional element 302 may include the communication interface 246. The control of the functional element 302 may include controlling the communication interface to wirelessly transmit appropriate signals or statuses of the aerosol delivery device or user to a remote computing device (external computing device) of the aerosol delivery device 100. This computing device can also be implemented by many different devices. For example, information can be sent to medical devices, weather tracking systems, GPS, etc. Examples of suitable computing devices include any of many different mobile computers, such as portable computers (e.g., laptops, notebooks, tablets), mobile phones (e.g., cell phones, smartphones), wearable computers (e.g., smartwatches), etc. In other examples, the computing device may be implemented in ways other than mobile computers, such as desktop computers, server computers, etc.

[0078] Other examples Figure 3 As shown, the aerosol delivery device 100, and more specifically the control unit 102, may include multiple electronic components, including an infinite input response (IIR) filter 306, a DC-DC converter 308, etc. The IIR filter or ferrite bead may be operatively coupled to the digital pressure sensor 248 and configured to reduce short-term fluctuations in the pressure measured by the digital pressure sensor. A power supply 212 may be configured to power the digital pressure sensor and may include a LiB, SSB, or supercapacitor. In these examples, the DC-DC converter may be operatively coupled between the power supply and the digital pressure sensor and configured to direct a constant voltage from the power supply to the digital pressure sensor. In some examples, the DC-DC converter is a switching regulator configured to reduce errors caused by the switching of a bidirectional single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch from a load state of off to on.

[0079] Refer again Figure 2 In addition to or as an alternative to control unit 102, the barrel may include a digital pressure sensor 252 (e.g., a capacitive (such as a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based capacitive), resistive, thermal conductivity, or piezoresistive digital pressure sensor), and may also include an indicator 254. Similar to the above, the functional elements of the aerosol delivery device 100 can be controlled in any of a variety of different ways in response to measured pressure or a state determined by a corresponding signal. For example, the pressure or state of the aerosol delivery device or its user can be presented via a display (e.g., display 304), or the indicators 250, 254 can be controlled to provide user-perceptible feedback.

[0080] The foregoing description of the use of the articles (multiple articles) can be applied with minor modifications to the various exemplary embodiments described herein, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art given the greater disclosure provided herein. However, the foregoing description of the use is not intended to limit the use of the articles, but rather to comply with all necessary requirements of the disclosure herein. Figures 1-3 Any element shown in the article or any element as described above may be included in the aerosol delivery device according to the invention.

[0081] Thanks to the teachings presented in the foregoing description and associated drawings, those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure set forth herein. Therefore, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments thereof are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, although the foregoing description and associated drawings describe embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of elements and / or functions, it should be understood that different combinations of elements and / or functions can be provided through alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, combinations of elements and / or functions different from those explicitly described above are also contemplated, as are some of those set forth in the appended claims. Although specific terminology is used herein, it is used only in a general and descriptive sense and not for limiting purposes.

Claims

1. An aerosol delivery device, comprising: Aerosol precursor composition; A control unit configured to operate in an activation mode, wherein the control unit is configured to cause the aerosol delivery device to generate an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition. as well as A digital pressure sensor, configured to measure pressure applied thereto and generate a corresponding signal indicating the pressure thus measured; and The control unit or the digital pressure sensor is further configured to determine the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user based on the corresponding signal, and to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the pressure indicated by the corresponding signal or the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user, wherein the digital pressure sensor includes a variable sensor function, and the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user includes the rate of change of the height of the aerosol delivery device as measured by the digital pressure sensor.

2. The aerosol delivery device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The digital pressure sensor includes spirometer functionality, and the aerosol delivery device or its user's status includes the user's breathing status.

3. The aerosol delivery device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Control of the at least one functional element further includes disabling a component of the aerosol delivery device.

4. The aerosol delivery device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The digital pressure sensor is or includes a piezoresistive pressure sensor or a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based capacitive pressure sensor, wherein, in at least one embodiment, the piezoresistive pressure sensor has a Wheatstone bridge circuit.

5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a rechargeable power supply configured to power the digital pressure sensor, and comprising a lithium-ion battery (LiB), a thin-film solid-state battery (SSB), or a supercapacitor.

6. The aerosol delivery device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The digital pressure sensor can be selectively operated in a static mode or in an active or continuous mode. The digital pressure sensor is disabled in the static mode and configured to obtain a single pressure measurement or multiple pressure measurements in the active or continuous mode, respectively.

7. The aerosol delivery device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, In at least one embodiment where the digital pressure sensor can operate in the continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is configured to obtain the multiple pressure measurements at a predefined oversampling rate.

8. The aerosol delivery device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, In at least one embodiment of the digital pressure sensor that is operable in the continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is configured to continuously cycle between the active mode and the static mode.

9. The aerosol delivery device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The aerosol precursor composition is contained within a reservoir.

10. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The aerosol precursor composition is supported by a substrate.

11. An aerosol delivery device, comprising: Aerosol precursor composition; A control unit configured to operate in an activation mode, wherein the control unit is configured to cause the aerosol delivery device to generate an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition. as well as A digital pressure sensor configured to measure pressure applied thereto and generate a corresponding signal indicating the pressure thus measured, wherein the digital pressure sensor is selectively operable in a static mode or in an active or continuous mode, wherein the digital pressure sensor is disabled in the static mode, and wherein the digital pressure sensor is configured in the active or continuous mode to obtain a single pressure measurement or multiple pressure measurements, respectively. and The control unit or the digital pressure sensor is further configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the pressure indicated by the corresponding signal, or the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user determined by the corresponding signal. The digital pressure sensor includes a variable sensor function, and the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user includes the rate of change of the height of the aerosol delivery device as measured by the digital pressure sensor.

12. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, Control of the at least one functional element further includes disabling a component of the aerosol delivery device.

13. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, In at least one embodiment where the digital pressure sensor can operate in the continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is configured to obtain the multiple pressure measurements at a predefined oversampling rate.

14. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, In at least one embodiment of the digital pressure sensor that is operable in the continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is configured to continuously cycle between the active mode and the static mode.

15. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The digital pressure sensor is or includes a piezoresistive pressure sensor or a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based capacitive pressure sensor, wherein, in at least one embodiment, the piezoresistive pressure sensor has a Wheatstone bridge circuit.

16. The aerosol delivery device of claim 11, further comprising a rechargeable power supply configured to power the digital pressure sensor, and comprising a lithium-ion battery (LiB), a thin-film solid-state battery (SSB), or a supercapacitor.

17. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The aerosol precursor composition is contained within a reservoir.

18. The aerosol delivery device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The aerosol precursor composition is supported by a substrate.

19. A control body coupled to or capable of being coupled to a cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge containing an aerosol precursor composition, the control body comprising: case; as well as, The control component within the housing is configured to operate in an activation mode, wherein the control component is configured to cause the aerosol delivery device to generate an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition. as well as A digital pressure sensor, configured to measure pressure applied thereto and generate a corresponding signal indicating the pressure thus measured; as well as The control unit or the digital pressure sensor is further configured to determine the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user based on the corresponding signal, and to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the pressure indicated by the corresponding signal or the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user, wherein the digital pressure sensor includes a variable sensor function, and the state of the aerosol delivery device or its user includes the rate of change of the height of the aerosol delivery device as measured by the digital pressure sensor.

20. The control body as described in claim 19, characterized in that, The digital pressure sensor includes a spirometer function, and the aerosol delivery device or the user's status includes the user's respiratory status.

21. The control body as described in claim 19, characterized in that, Control of the at least one functional element further includes disabling a component of the aerosol delivery device.

22. The control body as described in claim 19, characterized in that, The digital pressure sensor is or includes a piezoresistive pressure sensor or a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based capacitive pressure sensor, wherein, in at least one embodiment, the piezoresistive pressure sensor has a Wheatstone bridge circuit.

23. The control body of claim 19, further comprising a rechargeable power supply configured to power the digital pressure sensor, and comprising a lithium-ion battery (LiB), a thin-film solid-state battery (SSB), or a supercapacitor.

24. The control body as described in claim 19, characterized in that, The digital pressure sensor can be selectively operated in a static mode, or in an active or continuous mode. The digital pressure sensor is disabled in the static mode, and the digital pressure sensor is configured to obtain a single pressure measurement or multiple pressure measurements in the active or continuous mode, respectively.

25. The control body as described in claim 24, characterized in that, In at least one embodiment where the digital pressure sensor can operate in the continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is configured to obtain the multiple pressure measurements at a predefined oversampling rate.

26. The control body as described in claim 24, characterized in that, In at least one embodiment of the digital pressure sensor that is operable in the continuous mode, the digital pressure sensor is configured to continuously cycle between the active mode and the static mode.

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