Electronic aerosol supply system

Abstract

There is described an aerosol supply system for generating an aerosol for inhalation by a user wherein the system comprises: an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosolizable material, the aerosolizable material being a solid or colloid; and a control unit having a receiving portion configured to receive an aerosol-generating article, where the control unit is configured, in use, to generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material. The aerosol-generating article includes a data storage unit configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol-generating article. The control unit is configured to receive the identifier from the data storage unit and cause the control unit to perform an action based on the received identifier.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese patent invention application "Electronic aerosol supply system" with an application date of March 27, 2019 and application number 201980021682.5. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to electronic aerosol delivery systems, such as nicotine delivery systems. Background Art

[0003] Electronic aerosol delivery systems such as heating products are configured to release one or more compounds to generate an aerosol for a user to inhale by heating a matrix material rather than burning the matrix material. Typically, a heating product is configured to heat a portion of tobacco or a tobacco-derived product (e.g., reconstituted tobacco) to generate an aerosol. The matrix material is typically formed in a cigarette rod, which is typically surrounded by a paper layer and includes a mouthpiece end, which is an end for a user to inhale during use (i.e., the mouthpiece end is placed in the user's mouth). These cigarette rods are roughly the same in appearance as combustible cigarettes. The cigarette rod is inserted into an aerosol delivery device, and then power is supplied to the heating element from an energy source such as a battery to atomize a portion of the solid matrix located near the heating element. Such a device is typically provided with one or more air inlets, which are away from the position where the user inhales on the system. When the user inhales / inhales on the mouthpiece end of the cigarette rod, the air inhaled through the air inlet passes through the cigarette rod and passes through the matrix source. There is a flow path connecting between the aerosol source and the opening in the mouthpiece, so that the inhaled air continues along the flow path through the aerosol source to the mouthpiece opening, and the inhaled air will carry some aerosol from the aerosol source. The aerosol-carrying air leaves the aerosol delivery system through the mouthpiece for inhalation by the user.

[0004] Such cigarette rods are constructed of low-cost components and are designed to be discarded after use (i.e., after the aerosolizable material has been aerosolized). Since these cigarette rods are generally quite cheap to manufacture, any cigarette rod of suitable size can be used with the aerosol delivery device. However, this has led to the manufacture of counterfeit cigarette rods for use with the aerosol delivery device. These counterfeit cigarette rods may not comply with the strict manufacturing and distribution regulations imposed on genuine cigarette rods, and may result in inferior cigarette rods being sold to consumers and used with the aerosol delivery device.

[0005] A number of approaches are described that attempt to address some of these issues. Summary of the invention

[0006] According to a first aspect of certain embodiments, there is provided an aerosol supply system for generating an aerosol for inhalation by a user, the system comprising: an aerosol generating article comprising an aerosolizable material, which is a solid or a colloid; and a control unit having a receiving portion configured to receive the aerosol generating article, wherein the control unit is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material during use, wherein the aerosol generating article comprises a data storage unit, the data storage unit is configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating article, and wherein the control unit is configured to receive the identifier from the data storage unit and cause the control unit to perform an action based on the received identifier.

[0007] According to a second aspect of certain embodiments, there is provided an aerosol supply device for causing an aerosol generating product to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user, the aerosol generating product comprising an aerosolizable material, the aerosolizable material being solid or colloid, and the aerosol generating product comprising a readable data storage unit, the readable data storage unit being configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating product, and wherein the aerosol supply device comprises a control unit having a receiving portion configured to receive the aerosol generating product, wherein the control unit is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material during use, and wherein the control unit is configured to perform an action based on the identifier received from the data storage unit of the aerosol generating product.

[0008] According to a third aspect of some embodiments, there is provided an aerosol generating article comprising: an aerosolizable material, the aerosolizable material being a solid or a colloid; and a readable data storage unit configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating article.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect of certain embodiments, there is provided a method for identifying an aerosol generating product, which is used in conjunction with an aerosol supply device to generate an aerosol for a user to inhale, the method comprising: receiving an identifier identifying the aerosol generating product from a readable data storage unit of the aerosol generating product, the aerosol generating product comprising a solid or colloidal atomizable material; and causing a control unit to perform an action based on the received identifier.

[0010] According to a fifth aspect of certain embodiments, there is provided an aerosol supply system for generating an aerosol for a user to inhale, the system comprising: an aerosol generating device comprising an aerosolizable material, which is a solid or a colloid; and a control device having a receiving portion configured to receive the aerosol generating device, wherein the control unit is configured to cause the aerosol generating device to generate an aerosol during use, wherein the aerosol generating device comprises a data storage device, which is configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating device, and wherein the control device is configured to receive the identifier from the data storage device and cause the control device to perform an action based on the received identifier.

[0011] It should be understood that the features and aspects of the present invention described above in relation to the first aspect and other aspects of the present invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the present invention according to other aspects of the present invention, and may be combined with embodiments of the present invention according to other aspects of the present invention as appropriate, rather than just in the specific combinations described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 An aerosol-generating article according to aspects of the present disclosure is schematically illustrated.

[0014] Figure 2 The aerosol delivery system is schematically shown, the aerosol delivery system comprising a Figure 1 The aerosol-generating article shown.

[0015] Figure 3 An exemplary list of electronic identifiers corresponding to types of aerosolizable materials is shown.

[0016] Figure 4 The aerosol delivery system is schematically shown in more detail, wherein the data storage unit is electrically connected to the control circuit of the aerosol delivery device.

[0017] Figure 5 An aerosol delivery system is schematically shown in more detail, wherein a data storage unit is wirelessly coupled to a control circuit of an aerosol delivery device.

[0018] Figure 6 An exemplary method for generating an aerosol is shown, for example, using Figure 2 system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are discussed / described herein. Some aspects and features of these examples and embodiments may be conventionally implemented, and for the sake of brevity, these aspects and features will not be discussed / described in detail. Therefore, it can be appreciated that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented according to any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.

[0020] The present disclosure relates to a kind of aerosol supply system, more specifically, to a kind of heating product, this heating product is configured to release one or more compounds by heating host material rather than burning host material.This host material is atomizable material, and this atomizable material can be other non-tobacco products such as tobacco or may contain or not contain nicotine.The host material that can also refer to aerosol generating material in this article is the material that can generate aerosol when for example heating, radiation or providing energy in any other way.The host material can be in the form of solid or colloid, can contain or not contain nicotine and / or flavoring.In certain embodiments, host material can comprise steam, aerosol generating agent or the wetting agent such as glycerol, propylene glycol, triacetin or diethylene glycol.When using in this article, " flavoring " and " flavoring " refer to and allow through local regulations, can be used to make the material of desired taste or fragrance for adult consumers in product.

[0021] The present disclosure relates to identifying an aerosol generating article for use with an aerosol delivery device. The aerosol generating article includes a solid or colloidal atomizable material and is typically arranged to provide an aerosol sufficient to last for a period of between 8 and 12 inhalations / puffs, but some embodiments may allow up to 20 or 30 puffs depending on the current application. After being exhausted, the aerosol generating article is disposed of and replaced with a new aerosol generating article. The aerosol generating article includes a small number of relatively inexpensive components to reduce the cost of each effective puff of the article.

[0022] The aerosol generating article comprises a data storage unit configured to store an identifier therein. When the aerosol generating article is located in / coupled to the aerosol supply device, the aerosol supply device can read the identifier, thereby enabling the aerosol supply device to identify the loaded aerosol generating article. This allows the aerosol supply device to respond to the aerosol generating article used with the device, and the response may include changing the heating method of the aerosol generating article or whether the aerosol generating article is allowed to be heated. The use of a data storage unit has multiple advantages. The data storage unit allows the aerosol generating article to look visually the same as any other article, but it is possible to associate an identifier with a specific aerosol generating article. These identifiers can only be read / interpreted by a suitable reader (unlike visual marks that can be read by humans). In addition, the use of a data storage unit means that data can be stored securely and, in some cases, can even be encrypted to reduce the possibility of counterfeit aerosol generating articles being provided with genuine identifiers.

[0023] Figure 1 Schematically shown is a perspective view of an example of an aerosol-generating article 10 according to the principles of the present disclosure. The aerosol-generating article 10 comprises an aerosolizable material 12, a substrate layer 14, a mouthpiece 16 and a data storage unit 18.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the aerosol-generating article 10 has a generally cylindrical shape. The dimensions of the aerosol-generating article 10 are a length of about 7 cm (along the x-direction) and a diameter of about 0.8 cm (along the y-direction / z-direction), but the aerosol-generating article 10 may have different sizes and shapes in different embodiments. The aerosol-generating article 10 is intended to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user.

[0025] Aerosol generating article 10 comprises atomizable material 12, which is given as reconstituted tobacco in this example, but it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, any solid or colloidal atomizable material described above can be used as atomizable material 12. The formation and processing of atomizable material (reconstituted tobacco in this example) is not the subject of the present disclosure and is not further discussed herein. In this example, reconstituted tobacco is formed into a substantially rod-shaped / columnar element, and a matrix layer 14 is wrapped around the outer surface of the reconstituted tobacco rod 12. In this example, the matrix layer 14 is made of paper, but other materials such as card or metal foil (e.g., aluminum foil) can also be used in other embodiments. In this example, the matrix layer 14 plays a role of physical isolation between the reconstituted tobacco 12 and the external environment, thereby improving the convenience of the user holding the aerosol generating article 10. In addition, the matrix layer 14 can be used as an external wrapper to keep the columnar rod of the reconstituted tobacco 12.

[0026] The cylindrical rod has a proximal end 10a and a distal end 10b. In this example, a mouthpiece 16 is located at the proximal end 10a. The mouthpiece 16 is the portion of the aerosol generating article 10 that contacts the lips of the user, in other words, when using the aerosol generating article 10, the user wraps the mouthpiece 16 with their lips, which will be further explained below. In some embodiments, the substrate layer 14 can be in the form of a plurality of sub-layers stacked on each other (i.e., in the radial direction of the article 10), wherein at least one sub-layer extends over the entire length of the aerosol generating article 10 and wraps around both the atomizable material 12 and the mouthpiece 16, thereby maintaining the mouthpiece 16 at the proximal end 10a of the aerosol generating article 10. The mouthpiece 16 can be formed of any suitable air-permeable porous material, such as a filter material such as cellulose acetate, sponge, etc. However, it should be appreciated that the mouthpiece 16 is optional and in some embodiments, the mouthpiece 16 is omitted.

[0027] The aerosol generating article 10 further comprises a data storage unit 18, which in the present embodiment is located on the outer surface of the aerosol generating article 10. More specifically, the data storage unit 18 is located on the outer surface of the substrate layer 14. In the present embodiment, the data storage unit 18 is a substantially cubic box having a plurality of circuits therein and may include a plurality of transistors suitable for storing data. The data storage unit 18 is adhered to the outer surface of the substrate layer 14, for example, via a suitable adhesive. However, in other embodiments, the data storage unit 18 may be located within the aerosol generating article 10 and opposite to the outer surface of the substrate layer 14. For example, the data storage unit 18 may be located between two sublayers of the substrate layer 14, or embedded in the aerosol generating material 12 or the mouthpiece 16. In some other embodiments, the data storage unit 18 may be integrally formed with a component of the aerosol generating article 10 (e.g., the substrate layer 14). For example, the data storage unit 18 may be integrally formed during the manufacturing process of the substrate layer 14. The data storage unit 18 is configured to store an identifier associated with the aerosol generating article 10. This will be explained in detail below. It should be understood that Figure 1 Only one data storage unit 18 is shown, and the aerosol generating article 10 may be provided with one or more data storage units 18, each data storage unit 18 having an identifier (for each data storage unit, these identifiers may be the same identifier or different identifiers, for example, two or more different identifiers).

[0028] Figure 2 Schematically illustrates a cross section of an aerosol delivery system 20 according to the principles of the present disclosure. Figure 1In addition to the aerosol generating article 10, the aerosol supply system 20 also includes an aerosol supply device 30 (sometimes referred to herein as device portion 30). The aerosol supply device 30 includes: a housing 32, a battery 34, a control circuit 36, and a size designed to receive Figure 1 The aerosol-generating article 10 comprises a receiving portion 38 , a vaporizer, and a data reader 42 , wherein in this example the vaporizer is in the form of a heater 40 , which is positioned adjacent to the receiving portion 38 and forms at least a portion of the inner surface of the receiving portion 38 .

[0029] Figure 2 The description is made with respect to a right-handed coordinate system; however, it should be appreciated that this reference coordinate system is arbitrary and any other reference system may be used to describe the various orientations and positions of the components of the aerosol delivery device 30 .

[0030] The aerosol delivery device 30 includes a housing 32 that defines the outer surface of the device 30. In this example, the housing 32 is generally cubic and has a height of about 10 cm in the x-direction, a width of about 5 cm in the y-direction, and a thickness of about 2 cm to 3 cm in the z-direction. In this example, the corners of the housing are slightly rounded to provide a sleek appearance and a more ergonomic design. However, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the housing 32 may take different shapes / sizes.

[0031] A battery 34 is disposed within the housing 32. In this example, the battery 34 is a rechargeable battery (such as a lithium-ion battery) that can be charged when the device 30 is appropriately coupled to an external power source. The battery 34 is configured to power the control circuit 36 ​​and ultimately the heater 40 during use of the device 30. The control circuit 36 ​​is coupled to the battery 34 via any suitable form of electrical coupling, such as via a Figure 2 Wire 34a is shown.

[0032] The control circuit 36 ​​is responsible for controlling various functions of the device 30. For example, the control circuit 36 ​​may control the power supply to the heater 40, charging the battery 34 from an external source (e.g., based on a charging mechanism connected to an external power source via a USB / micro USB port located in the housing 32 or via inductive charging) or any other function, such as data communication with a host (e.g., a personal computer, a mobile phone, etc.). The control circuit 36 ​​may include a (micro)controller, a processor, an ASIC or a similar form of control chip to implement the control functions. In addition, the control circuit may be formed on or mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB). It should also be noted that the functions provided by the control circuit 36 ​​may be separated into multiple circuit boards and / or components that are not mounted to the PCB, and these other components and / or PCBs may be appropriately located within the housing. For example, the function of controlling the charging of the battery 32 in the control circuit may be provided separately (e.g., on different PCBs) from the function of controlling the discharge (i.e., for providing power to the heater).

[0033] The device 30 further comprises a receiving portion 38 sized to receive at least a portion of the aerosol generating article 10. In this example, the receiving portion is formed as a cylindrical recess extending in the x-direction for approximately two thirds of the length of the aerosol generating article 10, for example 5 cm. The aerosol generating article 10 is first inserted into the receiving portion 38 with the distal end 10 b. When fully inserted, the distal end of the aerosol generating article 10 is positioned at the bottom of the receiving portion 38 and the proximal end 10 a (including the optional mouthpiece 16) protrudes a distance from the surface of the housing 32, for example, in this example, the aerosol generating article 10 is exposed / protrudes from the surface of the housing 32 by approximately 2 cm. In this manner, the mouthpiece 16 is presented to the user when the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the receiving portion 38.

[0034] A heater 40 is arranged around the receiving portion 38. In the present example, the heater 40 is an annular heater 40 (i.e., a hollow cylindrical element) through which the receiving portion 38 passes. More specifically, in the present example, the inner surface of the annular heater forms a part of the inner surface of the receiving portion 38. This arrangement means that the heater can be arranged close to the surface of the aerosol generating article 10, which means that the efficiency of heat transfer from the heater 40 to the aerosol generating article 10 can be improved. In this example, the heater 40 is formed of a resistive material such as nickel-chromium alloy (NiCr) or at least includes a resistive material that generates heat when an electric current passes through the resistive material. As described above, the power supply from the battery 34 to the heater 40 is controlled via the control circuit 36. The heater 40 is coupled to the control circuit 36 ​​via any suitable form of electrical coupling, such as via Figure 2 The conductive wire 40a is shown.

[0035] In order to generate an aerosol for the user to inhale, the user must first place the aerosol generating article 10 in the receiving portion 38. Then, when the device 30 is activated, the aerosol supply system 20 begins to supply power from the battery 34 to the heater 40. In the example shown, this is achieved by using a user-activated button (not shown) provided on the surface of the housing 32. For example, once the button is pressed, the control circuit 36 ​​supplies power to the heater 40 for a predetermined time (e.g., the length of a stage, such as 2 minutes to 3 minutes). Therefore, the temperature of the heater 40 rises as power is supplied to the heater 40. This then heats the aerosol generating article 10 in the receiving portion 38, and more importantly, the atomizable material 12 in the receiving portion generates vapor or aerosol. It should be emphasized that the atomizable material 12 is heated rather than ignited / burned. In some embodiments, the temperature of the atomizable material when heated is between 150°C and 300°C, but it should be appreciated that the exact temperature depends on the type of atomizable material being heated and the structure of the aerosol generating article 10. The user surrounds the mouthpiece 16 with their lips and draws in air from outside the device 30 via an air inlet (not shown), the inhaled air passes through the opening in the receiving portion 38 and through the aerosol-generating article 10 (e.g., generally along the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article 10 through the aerosol-generating material 12). The air inhaled and along the aerosol-generating article 10 collects vaporized particles released from the aerosol-generating material 12 when the material 12 is heated, thereby forming an aerosol, which then passes through the aerosol-generating article 10 and through the mouthpiece 16 before entering the user's mouth / lungs.

[0036] Typically, the aerosol-generating article 10 includes enough aerosol-generating material to last for a session that is equivalent to about 8 to 12 user puffs. The exact amount of aerosol-generating material 12 depends on the type of aerosol-generating material 12, in addition to the manner in which the device 30 is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material. When the user has completed the session (e.g., the aerosol-generating material has been exhausted), the user will remove and dispose of the aerosol-generating article 10. To begin a new session, the user inserts a fresh aerosol-generating article 10.

[0037] As described above, the aerosol-generating article 10 according to the present disclosure includes a data storage unit 18, and the device 30 includes a data reader 42. The data storage unit 18 is configured to store an identifier that identifies the aerosol-generating article 10. The data reader 42 is configured to read the data storage unit 18 and obtain the identifier from the data storage unit. The data reader 42 is coupled to the control unit via any suitable data connection (e.g., via an electrically conductive wire 42a), and is arranged to send a signal indicating the identifier to the control circuit 36. As will be described in more detail below, the control circuit 36 ​​receives the signal indicating the identifier of the aerosol-generating article 10, and is arranged to cause the device 30 to perform an action based on the identifier.

[0038] The data storage unit 18 in this example is configured to store a digital representation of the identifier (eg, a 128-bit identification number). For example, the identifier may be in the form of a binary sequence or a hexadecimal sequence.

[0039] In the present example, the data storage unit 18 is programmable, meaning that the identifier can be programmed into the data storage unit 18. That is, the data storage unit for two aerosol-generating articles 10 can be identical in structure, but can be programmed so as to store different identifiers. The programming can be performed before, during, or after manufacturing the aerosol-generating article 10. This can simplify the manufacturing process, in particular the process of applying the aerosol-generating article to the data storage unit 18 (or applying the aerosol-generating article to the data storage unit). The data storage unit 18 can be a write-once data storage unit 18 (e.g., a write-once-read-many (WORM) data storage unit 18). That is, the data storage unit 18 can be written once (i.e., when the identifier is applied) and then cannot be easily written again. In other embodiments, depending on the application at hand, the data storage unit 18 can be rewritable (i.e., can be written to multiple times).

[0040] The identifier is arranged to identify the aerosol generating article. This may be based on the type of aerosol-generating material 12 of the aerosol generating article 10. Alternatively or additionally, the identifier may identify the origin (geographical and / or manufacturing origin) of the aerosol generating article 10. Alternatively or additionally, the identifier may uniquely identify the aerosol generating article 10.

[0041] In one embodiment, the identifier is related to the base material and / or the flavor and / or the strength of the aerosolizable material. Figure 3 An example table including numeric identifiers is shown. It should be appreciated that Figure 3 The list is non-exhaustive and is merely an exemplary representation of possible identifiers. In the example shown, the aerosol-generating article 10 may be associated with a textual identifier (e.g., a "Name" column). In this example, for ease of description, each name is a description of the aerosol-generating material 12 in the aerosol-generating article 10, but it will be appreciated that any other naming convention may be used. Figure 3 In the description, the base material to be atomized of each atomizable material 12 is first described (for example, tobacco (such as reconstituted tobacco) or colloid), then the flavor of the base material is described (for example, tobacco flavoring, cherry flavoring, strawberry flavoring, etc.), and then the strength of the active substance (such as nicotine) in the base material is described (expressed herein as "weak", "medium" or "strong", where "medium" means that the active substance contained is more than "weak" but less than "strong").

[0042] According to the present example, each digital identifier (i.e., binary code) is composed of a binary code associated with each of the above-mentioned entries. For example, the material to be atomized may be represented by '01' for tobacco and by '10' for colloid. Flavoring agents may be represented by '000' for tobacco flavoring agents, by '111' for cherry flavor, and by '101' for strawberry flavor, etc. Intensity may be represented by '01' for weak, by '10' for medium, and by '11' for strong. Thus, a seven-digit binary digital code is created to digitally encode the identifier of the aerosol generating article 10, for example, for a tobacco flavoring agent, a medium-strength reconstituted tobacco aerosol generating article 10, the identifier stored in the data storage unit 18 is '0100010'.

[0043] It should be appreciated that the above is only one way to digitally identify the characteristics of the aerosol-generating article 10. For example, in some embodiments, the device 30 may be configured to operate with only one substrate material (e.g., tobacco) and / or the aerosol-generating article 10 may be manufactured using only one substrate material, in which case the first two binary digits may be discarded / omitted. In other examples, the binary code may be randomly generated and assigned to the aerosolizable material 12 of each aerosol-generating article 10.

[0044] Regardless of the specific form of the identifier, once the data reader 42 reads the identifier, a signal representing the identifier is sent to the control circuit 36. For example, the signal representing the identifier can be a modulated signal of a binary code that mirrors the identifier. Once the control circuit 36 ​​receives the signal, the control circuit 36 ​​is configured to interpret the signal and perform an action based on the identifier. In some cases, the control circuit 36 ​​may be configured to determine whether the identifier belongs to an authenticated product (e.g., by comparing the identifier with one or more identifiers stored in the control circuit 36, or by comparing the identifier with a remote database of identifiers). In other cases, the control circuit 36 ​​may additionally or alternatively interpret the identifier as representing a particular type of aerosol-generating product 10, such as a tobacco flavoring, a medium-strength reconstituted tobacco aerosol-generating product 10. In this example, the control circuit 36 ​​includes a memory storing a plurality of predetermined operating modes, and the control circuit 36 ​​is configured to select a predetermined operating mode based on the identifier. These predetermined operating modes may include, for example, a plurality of heating curves (e.g., a curve of temperature relative to time). Each identifier may be associated with a heating curve, and thus may be configured to deliver a particular experience to the user when using the aerosol-generating article 10. Thus, upon receiving an identifier, the control circuit 36 ​​may select a heating curve deemed appropriate for a particular aerosol-generating article 10, and heat the aerosol-generating article in accordance with the heating curve. It will be appreciated that, in addition to the heating curve, other operational parameters may also be varied based on the received identifier, such as the pressure drop (controlled by varying the size of the air inlet in the device). In another example, once it is confirmed that the identifier is authenticated (e.g., if the identifier is present in the memory of the control circuit 36, then the identifier may be considered authenticated), the control circuit 36 ​​may automatically commence heating of the aerosol-generating article 10. In other words, in this embodiment, the control circuit is configured to commence heating of the article once the article is identified without requiring any further input from the user. This may be the case immediately upon confirmation that the identifier is authenticated or after a predetermined delay. Operating in this manner may increase the temperature of the aerosol-generating article 10 before a user begins to draw on the article, or until user input is received, thereby reducing the time between user input (e.g. pressing a button or drawing on the device) and receiving an aerosol.

[0045] Although it has been described that different types of aerosol generating articles 10 are provided with different identifiers, it should be appreciated that some identifiers may be used for multiple types of aerosol generating articles 10. In particular, it may be the case that although the aerosol generating articles 10 include different aerosolizable materials 12, the aerosolizable materials are heated according to the same heating curve. In this case, the aerosol generating articles may be divided into groups having the same characteristics, for example, "Tobacco Cherry Medium" and "Tobacco Strawberry Medium" may be heated in the same way, and thus, these tobacco generating articles may be grouped into the same group and assigned the same identifier. That is, the identifier identifies that these aerosol generating articles 10 belong to a certain group of aerosol generating articles 10.

[0046] In another embodiment, the identifier is provided based on the source of the aerosol-generating article 10 rather than on the type of aerosolizable material. For example, each aerosol-generating article 10 may be provided with an identifier that indicates the source of the article 10. This identifier may indicate that the article was manufactured by a certain manufacturer (in the case where each manufacturer has a unique identifier), or a certain batch of articles 10 may be provided with a unique identifier (in the case where each batch of articles has a unique identifier). Alternatively or additionally, each aerosol-generating article 10 may be provided with a unique identifier (i.e., the identifier is only used for one article 10).

[0047] In these embodiments, the device 30 may be configured to operate only when the identifier is considered to be an authentic identifier. For example, if all aerosol-generating articles 10 manufactured by a certain manufacturer include an identifier, when the data reader 42 reads the identifier and provides a signal representing the identifier to the control circuit 36, the control circuit 36 ​​is configured to compare the received identifier (in this case) with a previously obtained reference identifier. If the two identifiers match, the control circuit 36 ​​is configured to power the heater 40 to heat the aerosol-generating article 10. Conversely, if the received identifier and the reference identifier do not match, the control circuit 36 ​​is configured not to power the heater 40. That is, if it is found that the aerosol-generating article 10 does not include a matching identifier, the device 30 is configured not to aerosolize the aerosolizable material. Although the same control mechanism may be presented for a batch of aerosol-generating articles 10 or a single aerosol-generating article 10, the number of reference identifiers that the received identifier needs to be checked and compared is greater in the case of a single article relative to a group of articles 10.

[0048] It should be appreciated that, although the above generally describes identifiers related to the type and source of the aerosolizable material separately, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that these two types of identifiers can be combined into a single identifier. In addition, the unique identifier may contain information about the type of aerosolizable material and / or information about the source of the aerosol generating article.

[0049] In this example, when the aerosol-generating article 10 is inserted into the receiving portion 38, the data storage unit 18 is read by the data reader 42. The data reader 42 may be controlled by the control circuit 36 ​​to periodically perform a reading operation. If the data storage unit 18 is present or within the range of the data reader 42, the data reader 42 obtains an identifier from the data storage unit 18 and then sends a signal representing the identifier to the control circuit 36. Alternatively, the control data reader 42 may be read when the user activates the device 30 (e.g., by pushing a button), which may reduce overall power consumption because the reader 42 is only activated in certain scenarios.

[0050] Although it has been described above that in some cases, if the identifier does not match the pre-stored or reference identifier, the aerosol supply device 30 can be controlled not to atomize the aerosolizable material 12, it should be appreciated that the device 30 cannot atomize the aerosolizable material 12 if the identifier cannot be read by the data reader 42. For example, if the user inserts the aerosol generating article 10 that does not include the data storage unit 18 into the receiving portion 38, the data reader 42 cannot read the identifier and the control circuit 36 ​​cannot receive the identifier. In this case, the device 30 is configured to prevent power from being supplied to the heater 40 even if the user presses the activation button. In addition, in some embodiments, if the identifier is not read within a preset time period (e.g., 1 minute from the start of the reading operation), the control unit can be configured to shut down or enter a low power consumption mode to save battery power.

[0051] In some examples, the device 30 may include an indicator (such as a light or a display) that can indicate to the user whether the identifier of the aerosol-generating article 10 inserted into the receiving portion 38 has been read. For example, when the user inserts an authentic article 10 (e.g., an article including a data storage unit 18 having an authentic identifier) ​​but the data reader 42 cannot read the data storage unit 18, the indication that the identifier cannot be read can remind the user to rotate the aerosol-generating article 10 about its longitudinal axis so that the data storage unit 18 is close to the data reader 42.

[0052] Re-reference Figure 2, the data storage unit 18 is disposed at a position of the aerosol-generating article 10 that is not directly heated, specifically, the data storage unit 18 is located above the heater 40. When the aerosol-generating article 10 is inserted into the receiving portion 38, the annular heater 40 generally heats the immediate area of ​​the aerosol-generating article 10 that is surrounded by the heater 40. Although heat can be transferred along the axial direction of the aerosol-generating article 10, these areas are not directly heated by the heater 40 itself. Therefore, the data storage unit 18 is located in these positions that are not directly heated by the heater 40. That is, the data storage unit is disposed adjacent to the area of ​​the aerosol-generating article 10 that is heated by the heater 40. This can help significantly reduce the effect of the heater 40 on the data storage unit 18 (i.e., reduce the possibility of the heater 40 damaging the data storage unit 18) and can also enable the use of a data storage unit with lower heat resistance (thereby further reducing costs).

[0053] Typically, the data storage unit 18 described above does not require a power source to store the identifier, i.e., the identifier is written to a permanent memory. However, in some embodiments, the data storage unit 18 may be provided with a power source (which may be integrally formed as part of the data storage unit 18, or provided separately and coupled to the data storage unit 18), which may provide power to the non-volatile memory once the identifier is written to the data storage unit 18. This may be advantageous because the power source may define the life of the aerosol-generating article 10 (see more detailed discussion below).

[0054] Figure 4 and Figure 5 Embodiments of a data storage unit and a data reader are schematically shown in more detail, and in particular with regard to the manner in which the data storage unit and the data reader are coupled.

[0055] Figure 4 is a schematic representation of an aerosol-generating article 110 having a data storage unit 118 configured to be electronically readable by an aerosol delivery device 130 .

[0056] The aerosol generating article 110 is substantially identical to the aerosol generating article 10 described above, and similar features will not be discussed herein. The aerosol generating article 110 includes a data storage unit 118 that is substantially similar to the data storage unit 18 described above; however, in Figure 4In the embodiment of the invention, the data storage unit 118 is coupled to one or more conductive traces 119. One end of the conductive trace 119 is bonded to the data storage unit 118, while the other end is exposed. In this example, each conductive trace 119 is approximately one-third of the circumference of the aerosol-generating article 10 and extends from the data storage unit 118 in either direction. Thus, the traces 119 cover approximately two-thirds of the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article 10. The number of conductive traces 119 used depends on the type of data storage unit 118 (e.g., based on the number of inputs and outputs required to read / write to the data storage unit 118).

[0057] The device 130 is generally consistent with the device 30 described above. However, the receiving portion 138 in this example includes a conductive contact 141 coupled to the control circuit 136. When the aerosol-generating article 110 is inserted into the receiving portion 138, the exposed end of the conductive trace 119 is arranged to contact the conductive contact 141. This allows signals to be sent from the data storage unit 118 to the control circuit 136 via the conductive trace 119 and the conductive contact 141.

[0058] In this arrangement, the control circuit 36 ​​is arranged to perform the functions of the data reader 42 described above. Specifically, the control circuit 136 is configured to read the data storage unit 118 and obtain the identifier stored therein. The precise manner in which this function is implemented depends on the type of data storage unit 118 used, and whether the data storage unit 118 requires the passage of current to be read (in which case the control circuit 136 will be configured to cause current to flow through the data storage unit 118 to obtain the identifier) ​​or the data storage unit 118 does not require the passage of current to be read (in which case the identifier is passed to the control circuit 136 when the contacts 119 and 141 are coupled).

[0059] In this arrangement, the identifier is received via a direct electrical connection between the aerosol-generating article 110 and the receiving portion 138 of the aerosol delivery device 130 .

[0060] In the illustrated embodiment, the data storage unit 118 and the conductive traces 119 are disposed on the surface of the aerosol-generating article 110. However, in other embodiments, at least a portion of the data storage unit 118 and the conductive traces 119 may be located below the outermost surface of the aerosol-generating article 110 (e.g., within the aerosolizable material or between sublayers of the substrate layer). This may help protect the data storage unit 118 and the connection between the traces 119 and the data storage unit 118, particularly during the period when the aerosol-generating article 110 is held in the hand of the user. However, it should be appreciated that in the present embodiment, at least a portion of the conductive traces 119 are exposed (i.e., disposed on the outermost surface of the aerosol-generating article 110) in order to achieve electrical contact between the data storage unit 118 and the conductive contacts 141.

[0061] In some embodiments, the conductive traces 119 and the data storage unit 118 are printed directly onto the substrate layer of the aerosol-generating article 110. The printing of the electronic circuitry can be performed during assembly of the aerosol-generating article 110 (i.e., before the substrate layer has been wrapped around the aerosol-generating material) or after the aerosol-generating article 110 has been manufactured (i.e., printed onto the surface of the curved / wrapped substrate layer). Although the data storage unit 118 is generally described as a separate self-contained unit (i.e., the housing contains the circuitry), it should be appreciated that the data storage unit 118 itself can be composed of a plurality of interconnected electronic components that can be printed directly onto the substrate layer of the aerosol-generating article 110.

[0062] By printing the conductive components directly onto the substrate layer of the aerosol generating article 110, any attempt to transfer the data storage unit 118 to another aerosol generating article (e.g., a counterfeit article) will result in damage to the data storage unit 118 and / or the conductive traces 119, thereby making it unsuccessful (or even impossible) to transfer the data storage unit 118 to the counterfeit article. This is particularly useful in preventing counterfeit articles from being used with the aerosol delivery device 130, which may not be manufactured in a highly regulated environment. In addition, the electronic components may be printed with different patterns (and therefore store different identifiers) when manufactured.

[0063] Figure 5 An aerosol-generating article 210 is schematically represented having a data storage unit 218 configured to be wirelessly read by an aerosol delivery device 230 .

[0064] The aerosol generating article 210 is generally consistent with the aerosol generating article 10 described above, and a discussion of similar features will not be provided herein. The aerosol generating article 210 includes a data storage unit 218 that is generally similar to the data storage unit 18 described above; however, in Figure 5, the data storage unit 218 is electrically coupled to an antenna / transmitter 219. The transmitter 219 is configured to wirelessly transmit a signal representing an identifier of the data storage unit 218. The transmitter 219 may be formed of any suitable material (e.g., the transmitter may be a metal strip). The transmitter 219 may be formed on an outer surface of the article 210, for example, on layer 14. In addition, in some examples, the data storage unit 218 may be directly located on top of the transmitter 219 so as to form an electrical contact between the transmitter 219 and the data storage unit 218 (in this case, the transmitter 219 may have a different size than the corresponding data storage unit 218, that is, the transmitter may have a larger size than the corresponding data storage unit). Therefore, the data storage unit 218 may be provided with suitable electronic components to be able to form a suitable wireless signal that can be transmitted via the transmitter 219; for example, the data storage unit 218 may form a portion of an integrated circuit (IC) coupled to the transmitter 219, in which the function of the IC is to generate a wireless signal suitable for transmission via the transmitter 219. In this example, the remainder of the IC may generally be referred to as a controller / control unit, and thus, may be configured to control various functions of the IC, including the generation of signals.

[0065] The device 230 is generally identical to the device 30 described above. However, the device 230 is provided with a wireless receiver 242 connected to a control circuit 236. The wireless receiver 242 performs the functions of the data reader 42 described above, wherein the receiver 242 is configured to receive a signal representing an identifier wirelessly transmitted by the transmitter 219. Once the signal is received by the wireless receiver 242, the signal representing the identifier is passed to the control circuit 236, and the control circuit 236 is configured to change aspects of the operation of the device 230 based on the identifier (as described above).

[0066] The data storage unit 218 and the transmitter 219 are configured to transmit a signal representing the identifier using any suitable transmission protocol and in any suitable manner. In some embodiments, the data storage unit 218 and the transmitter 219 form an integral component, for example, the RFID tag is configured to transmit a radio frequency (RF) signal (or a modulated RF signal) representing the identifier. The data storage unit 218 and the transmitter 219 may be formed on the same substrate (e.g., a semiconductor chip). In these examples, the wireless receiver 242 is a wireless RF receiver and can be adjusted to receive a specific RF frequency. For example, the RF signal can generate a signal in the following frequencies: ultra-high frequency (UHF; approximately 300MHz to 3000MHz), very high frequency (VHF; approximately 30MHz to 300MHz), high frequency (HF: approximately 3MHz to 30MHz), medium frequency (MF; approximately 300KHz to 3000KHz) or low frequency (LF; approximately 30KHz to 300KHz). In some embodiments, the RF frequency is in the range of 2.3GHz to 2.5GHz, for example, 2.45GHz. However, it should be appreciated that other radio-based systems (such as Bluetooth TM ) and / or other radio frequencies different from those given above.

[0067] In some embodiments, a power source (not shown) is provided on the aerosol generating article 210. The power source may be provided as a separate component attached to the aerosol generating article 210 and coupled to the data storage unit 218 / transmitter 219, or the power source may be provided as an integrated component with the data storage unit 218 and / or the transmitter 219 (e.g., the IC may include the power source). In this case, the controller may be programmed to periodically transmit the identifier regardless of whether the aerosol generating article 210 is located in the receiving portion 238 of the device 230. (Alternatively, the controller may be configured to transmit the identifier in response to a received signal, which will be described in detail below).

[0068] This arrangement may increase the product cost of the aerosol generating article 210, but may set an expiration date for the aerosol generating article 210 (depending on the capacity of the power source and the power consumption of the controller / transmitter 219). Thus, once the power source is completely depleted, either the signal strength becomes too weak to receive the identifier via the receiver 242, or the controller stops working and thus stops transmitting the signal. This means that the identifier cannot be received by the control circuit 236 and therefore the aerosol generating article 210 cannot be used in the device 230. In other words, the arrangement including the power source may limit the time period during which the article 210 can be used, starting from manufacture.

[0069] In some other embodiments, both the transmitter 219 and the receiver 242 are configured as transceivers (i.e., they both have the ability to send and receive). In these embodiments, the aerosol-generating article 210 is configured to transmit the identifier (or a signal representing the identifier) ​​until a request signal sent by the device 230 is received via the transceiver 219. In other words, the device 230 is configured to periodically send a request signal via the transceiver 242, which request signal signals a request for the identifier. If the identifier is not received within a certain period of time, the device 230 may resend the request signal. The aerosol-generating article 210 receives the request signal, and upon receiving the request signal, sends the identifier (or a signal representing the identifier) ​​via the transceiver 219. This arrangement ensures that the aerosol-generating article only sends the identifier at an appropriate time, and further reduces the power requirement. The device 230 is configured to atomize the aerosol-generating article 210 until the identifier is received via the transceiver 242. The aerosol-generating article 210 is aerosolized.

[0070] In other embodiments, the aerosol-generating article 210 is provided with a wireless power receiving module (not shown). The wireless power receiving module is configured to receive power wirelessly transmitted by the device 230, for example, via induction or any other suitable form of wireless power transmission. The wireless power receiving module may be provided integrally with the data storage unit 218 and / or the transmitter 219, or the wireless power receiving module may be provided as a separate component and electrically coupled to the data storage unit 218. That is, the wireless power receiving module may form a part of the IC. In some examples, corresponding to the wireless power receiving module, the device 230 is provided with a wireless power transmitter (not shown). The wireless power transmitter is correspondingly configured to wirelessly transmit power to the wireless power receiving module located on the aerosol-generating article 210. The wireless power transmitter may be configured to transmit power according to any suitable mechanism, for example, the wireless power transmitter may transmit RF at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. Note that the power transmitter and the transmitter 219 may operate at the same or different frequencies. Upon receiving power, as previously described, the above circuitry enables the identifier stored in the data storage unit 218 to be transmitted via the transmitter 219. This arrangement may be referred to as passive (or passive transmission of the identifier) ​​because the identifier is only transmitted in response to power being received from a source external to (or separate from) the aerosol-generating article 210.

[0071] In yet another embodiment, the data storage unit 218 and the transmitter 219 may form an integrated circuit having a relatively small size, referred to herein as a small IC chip. For example, the area of ​​the small IC chip may be less than 6.25 mm 2 Less than 1mm 2 , or less than 0.1mm 2. By way of example only, the area of ​​the small IC chip may be 1.0 mm×1.0 mm or less, 0.75 mm×0.75 mm or less, or 0.5 mm×0.5 mm or less. In some embodiments, the size of the small IC chip may even be as small as 0.05 mm×0.05 mm. The thickness of the small IC chip may depend on the structure of the small chip or the components included, but by way of example, the thickness may be 1.0 mm or less, 0.5 mm or less, or 0.1 mm or less. In some embodiments, the thickness may be as thin as 0.005 mm. Typically, the arrangement of the small IC chip may be particularly suitable for situations where no power supply is provided (outside the small IC chip or as part of the small IC chip), otherwise the size of the small IC chip is usually increased. In other words, such a small size is usually achieved in a passive small IC chip. Suitable examples of such a small IC chip include the RFID DUST developed by Hitachi, Tokyo, Japan, or the Monza 4RFID chip manufactured by Impinj, Washington, USA.

[0072] The read range of the IC chip (the distance between the transmitter 219 and the receiver 242 described above when the receiver no longer receives the identifier) ​​may depend on the size of the transmitter 219 and / or the size of the wireless power receiving module. The read range may also be inconsistent with respect to the angular position (i.e., the read range may depend on the orientation). The read range in this embodiment may take any desired value; however, the article 210 and the receiver 242 are typically placed close to each other, and in some embodiments, the read range may be 30 cm or less, 20 cm or less, 10 cm or less, or 1 cm or less. Such a read range can typically use an IC chip with an integrated transmitter (i.e., the size of the transmitter is comparable to or smaller than the total size of the IC chip).

[0073] Providing a small IC chip enables the small IC chip to be integrated into the components that make up the aerosol-generating article 210. For example, one or more small IC chips may be integrally formed / embedded in a substrate layer 14 (e.g., a paper material that forms the substrate layer 14), or in some cases, even in the aerosol-generating material 12 of the aerosol-generating article 210. As described above, the aerosol-generating article 210 may include a substrate layer 14 (such as paper), and the small IC chip may be embedded within the substrate layer 14. Thus, during manufacturing, the substrate layer 14 may be processed along with other components that make up the aerosol-generating article 210 (e.g., aerosol-forming material 12) to form the aerosol-generating article 210. In some embodiments, the layer 14 is a tipping paper that includes an embedded small IC chip, wherein the layer 14 may be wound (i.e., forming a bobbin / reel 14 of paper) and then used to produce the aerosol-generating article 10 according to known techniques / using known machinery. That is, one aspect of the present disclosure is a component for forming an aerosol generating article, wherein the component includes an integrated data storage unit. The small IC chip can be integrated with layer 14 by a printing method (such as gravure printing), but those skilled in the art will appreciate that other printing / manufacturing techniques are possible. In some embodiments, the small IC chip can be mixed into the pulp used to form layer 14 before forming layer 14. In some examples, when layer 14 is wrapped around aerosol-forming material 12 and / or filter 16 (in some cases, layer 14 is adhered to the aerosol-forming material and / or filter), the small IC chip is in a suitable position to be read by receiver 242 when aerosol generating article 210 is inserted into device 230. Alternatively or additionally, one or more small IC chips may be embedded in the atomizable material 12 of the product 210, either by embedding the small IC chip within the atomizable material during manufacture of the atomizable material 12 (e.g., during the reconstituted tobacco sheet making process) or by applying the small IC chip during formation of the atomizable material 12 (e.g., during the product 210 making process when the reconstituted tobacco sheet is formed into a reconstituted tobacco rod element).

[0074] Alternatively, one or more small IC chips may be applied to the surface of the substrate layer 14, for example, by embedding one or more small IC chips in a suitable coating material, which is then coated on the substrate layer 14, or applying the small IC chips to the atomizable material 12 when the atomizable material 12 is formed / shaped into a desired shape. The coating may be applied over the entire article 210 or only over a portion (e.g., a portion near the proximal end 10a and the distal end 10b, or conversely, over the middle portion of the article 210). To this end, the coating may be formed as a suspension (e.g., a suspension comprising a coating material and one or more small IC chips), which is then applied to the substrate layer 14 (however, other techniques for applying the coating may also be used, depending on the manufacture of the article 210). It should also be appreciated that the coating may be applied to any surface of the substrate layer 14 and may be applied before or after the article 210 is assembled. The coating material may include a liquid adhesive, and in some embodiments, the liquid adhesive may be applied to the layer 14 during manufacture of the aerosol-generating article 210 (e.g., during wrapping of the layer 14 around the aerosol-forming material 12 and / or the filter 16). For example, a liquid adhesive including a small IC chip may bond one end of the layer 14 to the other end. Thus, one aspect of the present disclosure includes an aerosol-forming article in which the substrate layers forming the article are bonded using an adhesive including one or more small IC chips.

[0075] Figure 6 Exemplary methods of generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating article 10 , 110 , 210 for inhalation by a user are described.

[0076] The method starts at step S1 , in which a user inserts an aerosol-generating article 10 into the receiving portion 38 of the aerosol delivery device 30. If necessary, the previous aerosol-generating article may need to be removed before this step.

[0077] Once the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the receiving portion 38, the reading operation is activated. As discussed above, this may be triggered by the user activating a button located on the outer housing of the aerosol supply device 30, at which time the data reader 42 begins to read the data storage unit 18, or the data reader 42 may periodically perform the reading operation (in this case, step S2 need not exist only between step S1 and step S3, but may exist periodically before step S1).

[0078] At step S3, the control circuit determines whether the identifier has been received by the control circuit 36 ​​(e.g., whether the data reader 42 has read the identifier). If so, the method proceeds to step S4, in which the control circuit 36 ​​causes a change in an aspect of the operation of the device 30. As described above, this may be in terms of commencing a heating operation (when the identifier is an authentic identifier) ​​or by changing the manner in which the aerosol-generating article 10 is heated.

[0079] In an alternative, if the result of step S3 is no, the method proceeds to repeat the reading steps S5 and S2. If the reading operation is a periodic reading operation, the periodic reading operation can be temporarily stopped for a period of time, for example, a stage of time (for example, 5 minutes to 10 minutes) when transitioning from step S3 to step S4. For example, when the user actuates a button located on the housing of the device 30, the reading operation of step S2 is started, and if the identifier is not initially received, the method proceeds to activate another instance of the reading operation of step S2 until the identifier is read.

[0080] In some cases, the identifier cannot be read (because the identifier does not exist), and in such cases, after a predetermined number of read operations (or after a predetermined time from an initial read operation), the device 30 may be configured to indicate that the identifier cannot be read (e.g., through an indicator such as an LED).

[0081] Thus, an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol for inhalation by a user has been described, wherein the system comprises: an aerosol generating article comprising a solid or colloidal aerosolizable material; and a control unit having a receiving portion configured to receive the aerosol generating article, wherein the control unit is configured to cause the aerosolizable material to generate an aerosol in use. The aerosol generating article comprises a data storage unit configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating article. The control unit is configured to receive the identifier from the data storage unit and cause the control unit to perform an action based on the received identifier.

[0082] Although the above generally describes an aerosol generating article 10, 110, 210 in the form of a cylindrical rod, it should be appreciated that the aerosol generating article 10, 110, 210 can take any desired shape. For example, the aerosol generating article may include a flat (i.e., non-curled) substrate layer 14, and the atomizable material 12 is disposed on the surface of the substrate layer 14 (e.g., coated on the layer 14). Other shapes of aerosol generating articles may also be used, depending on the existing application. It should also be appreciated that the size of the receiving portion 38, 138, 238 is set accordingly to receive the aerosol generating article. The aerosol generating article 10, 110, 210 can also be arranged in the form of a cabin, for example, the atomizable material 12 is contained in a plastic box / housing with air holes that allow air to pass.

[0083] Although the above generally describes aerosol generating articles 10, 110, 210, wherein these aerosol generating articles 10, 110, 210 include a substrate layer 14. It should be appreciated that the substrate layer 14 of the aerosol generating articles 10, 110, 210 can be separated from the aerosol generating material 12 so that the aerosol generating material can be removed from the substrate layer 14. In this example, the atomizable material may include a support member arranged to keep the atomizable material in a form in which the user can hold the atomizable material, for example, the support member can be a tube of paper or card. The removable substrate layer can function multiple atomizable materials and include a data storage unit. That is, the substrate layer 14 includes a data storage unit and can releasably contain or releasably couple to multiple atomizable materials. Relative to the atomizable material, the substrate layer 14 can be replaced less frequently, that is, the substrate layer 14 can be used for multiple suction stages, wherein one suction stage corresponds to generating an aerosol from a portion of the atomizable material. The substrate layer 14 can be formed of any suitable material, such as paper, card, metal, plastic, etc., and can be configured as a substrate layer of a sleeve inserted into the device to receive a corresponding portion of the atomizable material. For this arrangement, it is easier and less costly to set an identifier on or in each sleeve than to set an identifier on each portion of the atomizable material.

[0084] It will also be appreciated that, although a system has been described above in which the heater 40 surrounds the periphery of the aerosol generating article, the heater may be provided integrally with or in the aerosol generating article. For example, the aerosol generating article may include a susceptor material (e.g., mild steel) disposed adjacent to the aerosolizable material. The aerosol delivery device is provided with an induction work coil instead of the heater 40, which generates a varying magnetic field that can penetrate and heat the induction material. It will be appreciated that any suitable heating mechanism (or more generally, atomizing mechanism) may be applied to the present disclosure.

[0085] It should be appreciated that while the above description has described a system in which the data storage unit stores an identifier for identifying the article 10 and causes the control unit to perform an action, the data control unit 18 may also be configured to store other data. For example, the data storage unit 18 may be configured to store other information or parameters about the article 10, such as a batch number, a manufacturing number, a manufacturing date, etc. In other embodiments, the data storage unit 18 may be configured to store other information, such as a heating curve or parameters about the heating curve. For example, in this case, when the identifier is sent, the heating curve may also be sent to the device, and thus, the device may heat the article according to the sent curve. In this case, the identifier may only be used to identify the article 10, and there is no need to provide a description of the flavor / type of the aerosol generating material 12.

[0086] The embodiments described above focus on some specific aerosol delivery systems in some aspects, and it should be appreciated that the same principles can be applied to aerosol delivery systems using other technologies. That is, the specific way of implementing functions in various aspects of the aerosol delivery system is not directly related to the basic principles of the examples described herein.

[0087] In order to solve various problems and make this field more advanced, the present disclosure shows multiple embodiments by way of illustration, and one or more inventions claimed for protection can be practiced in these embodiments. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are only representative samples of embodiments, rather than being exhaustive and / or exclusive. These embodiments are presented only to help understand and teach one or more inventions claimed for protection. It should be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures and / or other aspects of the present disclosure are not considered to limit the present disclosure defined by the claims or to limit the equivalents of the claims, and other embodiments may be used and the above may be modified without departing from the scope of the claims. In addition to those specifically described herein, each embodiment may appropriately include various combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, devices, etc., composed of various combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, devices, etc., or mainly composed of various combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, devices, etc. The present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed for protection but may be claimed for protection in the future.

Claims

1. An aerosol supply system for generating an aerosol for a user to inhale, the system comprising: Aerosol-generating articles, including aerosolizable materials; as well as a control unit having a receiving portion configured to receive the aerosol-generating article, wherein the control unit is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material in use, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises a data storage unit configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol-generating article, and wherein the control unit is configured to receive the identifier from the data storage unit and cause the control unit to perform an action based on the received identifier, Therein, the control unit is configured to determine whether the identifier belongs to an authenticated article and to cause an indicator to indicate a user when the identifier has been read from the aerosol-generating article.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The data storage unit is configured to digitally store the identifier.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The data storage unit is programmable such that the identifier can be programmed into the data storage unit.

4. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The identifier identifies at least one of: identifies a type of aerosol-generating material in the aerosol-generating article, identifies a source of the aerosol-generating article, and uniquely identifies the aerosol-generating article.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein: The type corresponds to at least one of: a flavor of the aerosolizable material, and a concentration of an active substance present in the aerosolizable material.

6. The system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein: The control unit is configured to operate according to a predetermined set of operating modes, and wherein the control unit is configured to select one of the operating modes based on the received identifier.

7. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The control unit is configured to prevent aerosol generation if no identifier is received or if the received identifier is regarded as an unauthorized identifier.

8. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The identifier comprises a light or a display of the aerosol delivery device.

9. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The indicator is configured to indicate to a user that the identifier has not yet been obtained by the control unit.

10. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The control unit is configured to heat a portion of the aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material, and wherein the data storage unit is positioned adjacent to the portion of the aerosol-generating article that is heated.

11. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The data storage unit is embedded in at least a portion of a component forming the aerosol-generating article.

12. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The data storage unit is applied to a surface of at least a portion of a component forming the aerosol-generating article.

13. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein: The aerosol-generating article comprises a plurality of data storage units, each data storage unit comprising an identifier.

14. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein: The aerosol-generating article comprises a substrate, wherein the aerosol-generating material is disposed adjacent to the substrate.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein: The matrix surrounds the aerosolizable material.

16. The system according to claim 14 or 15, wherein: The substrate includes at least one of paper, card, and metal foil.

17. A system according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein: The data storage unit is integrally arranged in the material of the substrate or integrally positioned on the material of the substrate.

18. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein: The aerosol-generating article comprises a plurality of electrical contacts coupled to the data storage unit, wherein the electrical contacts are exposed on a surface of the aerosol-generating article, and wherein the control unit comprises a plurality of electrical contacts configured to be electrically coupled with electrical contacts of the aerosol generating article when the aerosol generating article is received by the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to receive the identifier by applying an electric current through the electrical contacts of the aerosol generating article.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein: The electrical contacts and / or the data storage unit are printed onto or form a portion of a substrate forming an outer surface of the aerosol-generating article.

20. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein: The aerosol-generating article comprises a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is coupled to the data storage unit and is configured to wirelessly transmit the identifier, and wherein the control unit further comprises a receiver configured to wirelessly receive the identifier transmitted from the transmitter.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein: The aerosol-generating article is configured to transmit the identifier when the aerosol-generating article is engaged with the control unit.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein: The transmitter of the aerosol-generating article is a transceiver configured to receive a wireless signal from the control unit and to transmit the identifier in response to the wireless signal.

23. The system according to claims 21 to 22, wherein: The data storage unit and the transmitter are integrally disposed on a base matrix material to form an integrated unit.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein: The area of ​​the integrated unit is 6.25mm 2 or smaller, 1mm 2 or smaller, or 0.1mm 2 or smaller.

25. A system according to claim 23 or 24, wherein: The aerosol-generating article comprises a plurality of said integrated units.

26. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein: The atomizable material is one or more selected from the following group: tobacco, reconstituted tobacco and colloid.

27. An aerosol supply device for generating an aerosol for inhalation by a user from an aerosol generating article, the aerosol generating article comprising an aerosolizable material, the aerosol generating article comprising a readable data storage unit, the data storage unit being configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating article, and wherein, The aerosol supply device comprises: a control unit having a receiving portion configured to receive the aerosol-generating article, wherein the control unit is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material in use, wherein the control unit is configured to perform an action based on an identifier received from the data storage unit of the aerosol-generating article, Therein, the control unit is configured to determine whether the identifier belongs to an authenticated article and to cause an indicator to indicate a user when the identifier has been read from the aerosol-generating article.

28. A method of identifying an aerosol-generating article for use with an aerosol delivery device to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user, the method comprising: receiving an identifier from a readable data storage unit of the aerosol-generating article, the identifier identifying the aerosol-generating article; as well as The control unit is caused to perform an action based on the received identifier, including determining whether the identifier belongs to an authenticated article and causing an indicator to indicate a user when the identifier is read from the aerosol-generating article.

29. An aerosol supply system for generating an aerosol for inhalation by a user, the system comprising: Aerosol generating devices, including aerosolizable materials; as well as a control device having a receiving portion configured to receive the aerosol generating device, wherein the control unit is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating device in use, wherein the aerosol generating device comprises a data storage device configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating device, and wherein the control device is configured to receive the identifier from the data storage device and, based on the received identifier, causes the control device to perform an action, wherein the control unit is configured to determine whether the identifier belongs to an authenticated product and causes an indicator to indicate a user when the identifier is read from the aerosol generating product.

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