Aerosol-generating device with capacitance or magnetic article detection

Abstract

The invention relates an aerosol-generating device comprising a cavity for receiving an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-generating device further comprises an article detector. The article detector comprises a capacitance sensor or a magnetic field sensor configured to detect an identification element of the aerosol-generating article. The present invention further relates to an aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating system and a method for identifying an aerosol-generating article.

Description

[0001] AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE WITH CAPACITANCE OR MAGNETIC ARTICLE DETECTION

[0002] The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating device, an aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating system and a method for identifying an aerosol-generating article.

[0003] It is known to provide an aerosol-generating device for generating an inhalable vapor. Such devices may heat aerosol-forming substrate to a temperature at which one or more components of the aerosol-forming substrate are volatilised without burning the aerosolforming substrate. Aerosol-forming substrate may be provided as part of an aerosolgenerating article. The aerosol-generating article may have a rod shape for insertion of the aerosol-generating article into a cavity, such as a heating chamber, of the aerosol-generating device. A heating element may be arranged in or around the heating chamber for heating the aerosol-forming substrate once the aerosol-generating article is inserted into the heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device. Aerosol-generating devices are typically designed to operate best when used with an original and specifically designed aerosol-generating article. Furthermore, manufacturers of aerosol-generating articles may offer a product line of an aerosol-generating article in a variety of types with different characteristics, such as flavor or nicotine content.

[0004] It would be desirable to provide an aerosol-generating device capable of identifying an aerosol-generating article. It would be desirable to provide an aerosol-generating device capable of detecting an authorized aerosol-generating article. It would be desirable to provide an aerosol-generating device capable of detecting an aerosol-generating article with enhanced reliability. It would be desirable to provide an aerosol-generating device with improved detection capabilities. It would be desirable to have an aerosol-generating device providing an optimized user experience. It would be desirable to have an aerosol-generating article enabling improved identification by an aerosol-generating device.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the invention there may be provided an aerosolgenerating device that may comprise a cavity for receiving an aerosol-generating article that may comprise an aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-generating device may further comprise an article detector. The article detector may comprise a capacitance sensor or a magnetic field sensor configured to detect an identification element of the aerosol-generating article.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the invention there is provided an aerosol-generating device comprising a cavity for receiving an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosolforming substrate. The aerosol-generating device further comprises an article detector. The article detector comprises a capacitance sensor or a magnetic field sensor configured to detect an identification element of the aerosol-generating article.

[0007] Providing the aerosol-generating device with an article detector enables the aerosolgenerating device to detect a type of aerosol-generating article. Providing the article detector with a capacitance sensor or a magnetic field sensor enables the detection of a type of aerosol-generating article without the need of a physical contact between the capacitance sensor or the magnetic field sensor and the aerosol-generating article.

[0008] It will be appreciated that identifying the aerosol-generating article for use with the aerosol-generating device may be useful for a variety of different purposes, and the invention is not limited to any one particular purpose for identifying the aerosol-generating article. For instance, identifying the aerosol-generating article may allow one of a plurality of predetermined heating profiles to be applied that is associated with the identified aerosolgenerating article; identifying the aerosol-generating article may allow a user interface of the aerosol-generating device to operate differently in response to identifying the aerosolgenerating article, e.g. by displaying a flavour of the aerosol-generating article; and / or identifying the aerosol-generating article may allow a record of consumption of each type of aerosol-generating article used with the aerosol-generating device to be stored at the aerosol-generating device to assist the user in monitoring their usage habits.

[0009] The aerosol-generating device may comprise the capacitance sensor as well as the magnetic field sensor. This is preferred if the aerosol-generating article comprises a corresponding capacitive identification element as well as a corresponding magnetic identification element.

[0010] The article detector may comprise a thin-film detection element.

[0011] The article detector may be configured to measure a capacitance between the article detector and the identification element.

[0012] The article detector may comprise an electrode. The article detector may be configured as a capacitance sensor. The capacitance sensor may comprise the electrode. The capacitor which capacitance is measured may be formed between the electrode of the capacitance sensor and a corresponding capacitive identification element of the aerosolgenerating article and described in more detail below with reference to the aerosolgenerating article. The electrode of the capacitance sensor and the capacitive identification element may be arranged distanced from each other when the aerosol-generating article is received in the cavity of the aerosol-generating device. The electrode of the capacitance sensor and the identification element may then form a plate-like capacitor having a measurable capacitance. The capacitance of this capacitor changes with the distance between the electrode of the capacitance sensor and the capacitive identification element in the aerosol-generating article. The distance between the electrode and the capacitive identification element may influence the capacitance measured by the capacitance sensor. Further parameters of the electrode and the capacitive identification element may further influence the measured capacitance. For example, the shape and material of the electrode and of the capacitive identification element may influence the measured capacitance. One or both of the electrode and the capacitive identification element may be configured such that a unique capacitance is measured for a specific type of aerosol-generating article, when the aerosol-generating article is received in the cavity of the aerosol-generating device.

[0013] The electrode of the capacitance sensor and the capacitive identification element may comprise a conductive material. There may be a non-conductive material between the electrode of the capacitance sensor and the capacitive identification element to avoid direct electrically conductive contact between the electrode of the capacitance sensor and the capacitive identification element. The non-conductive material may have a dielectric constant that is greater than 1 . The non-conductive material may be formed on an outer surface of the electrode and / or on an outer surface of the capacitive identification element.

[0014] In use, the charged capacitance of the electrode of the capacitance sensor is modified when a conductive material or a material with a dielectric constant different from the air (i.e., a dielectric constant greater than 1 ) approaches the electrode, by deviating a part or all the charged capacitance. The surface area, shape, sizes and / or volumes of the identification element can be related to the capacitance that is sensed. By using different identification elements with different surface areas, shapes, sizes and / or volumes, it is possible to identify different consumables.

[0015] The magnetic field sensor may comprise, preferably consists of, a Hall effect sensor. This embodiment may be employed in addition or alternatively to the herein described embodiment of the aerosol-generating device having a capacitance sensor. Providing a magnetic field sensor may enable the measurement of a unique magnetic field created by a magnetic identification element of the aerosol-generating article, when the aerosolgenerating article is received in the cavity of the aerosol-generating device. The magnetic identification element is described in more detail below with reference to the aerosolgenerating article.

[0016] Herein, the terms “magnetic element” or “magnetic material” or “magnetic identification element” may refer to an element or a material which is ferrimagnetic. Herein, the terms “magnetic element” or “magnetic material” or “magnetic identification element” may refer to a magnetised element or a magnetised material. Herein, the terms “magnetic element” or “magnetic material” or “magnetic identification element” may refer to an element or a material having a magnetic field in the absence of an external field. A “magnetic element” or “magnetic material” or “magnetic identification element” may comprise or be a permanent magnet. A permanent magnet may have a magnetic field in the absence of an external magnetic or electrical field.

[0017] The magnetic field sensor may comprise or may be configured as a Hall effect sensor.

[0018] The aerosol-generating device may further comprise an induction heating coil configured for induction heating. The induction heating coil may least partly surround the cavity. The induction heating coil may be configured to generate an alternating magnetic field. The alternating magnetic field may create eddy currents in a susceptor. The aerosolgenerating article or the aerosol-generating device may comprise the susceptor. The eddy currents and potentially hysteresis losses may heat the susceptor. The susceptor may be arranged within the induction heating coil. The susceptor may have a cylindrical hollow shape. The susceptor may at least partly surround the cavity. Alternatively, the susceptor may be pin or blade shaped and arranged within the cavity. The susceptor may in this case pierce into the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article when the aerosolgenerating article is received in the cavity.

[0019] The article detector may be arranged at a sidewall of the cavity. The article detector may be arranged in a recess of the cavity. The article detector may thus be protected from the aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is received in the cavity. The article detector may be distanced from the aerosol-generating article when the aerosolgenerating article is received in the cavity. Unwanted contamination of the article detector may thus be prevented. The configuration of the article detector as a capacitance sensor or as a magnetic field sensor enables a physical distance between the article detector and the aerosol-generating article a while the article detector is still able to detect a type of aerosolgenerating article received in the cavity.

[0020] The article detector may be arranged distanced from the aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is received in the cavity. In other words, the article detector may be configured to enable detection of a type of aerosol-generating article without the need of direct physical contact between the article detector and the aerosol-generating article.

[0021] The article detector may have a length of between 0.65 millimeter and 3 millimeter, preferably between 0.5 millimeter and 2.6 millimeter. The article detector may have a width of between 1 millimeter and 2 millimeter, preferably between 0.65 millimeter and 1 .8 millimeter. The article detector may have a height of between 0.35 millimeter and 1.5 millimeter, preferably between 0.20 millimeter and 1 millimeter.

[0022] The article detector may comprise a first article detector and a second article detector. Providing a first article detector and a second article detector may improve redundancy of the detection of the type of the aerosol-generating article. Further, providing a first article detector and a second article detector may make detection of the type of aerosolgenerating article easier independent of the orientation of the aerosol-generating article within the cavity. On an aerosol-generating article, a wrapper with a conductive marker formed as a single metallic strip will typically include an edge overlap which is bonded with an adhesive. Such bonding produces an electrical discontinuity within the conductive strip. By providing additional capacitive or magnetic field sensors, even if a capacitive or magnetic field sensor is in alignment with the edge overlap, the additional capacitive or magnetic field sensors are enabled to provide additional measurements to avoid any wrongly executed measurements.

[0023] The first article detector may be arranged laterally or longitudinally distanced from the second article detector. The first article detector and the second article detector may be offset from one another in the longitudinal direction and / or the first article detector and the second article detector may be aligned with one another in the longitudinal direction.

[0024] Providing a lateral or longitudinal distance between the first article detector and the second article detector may enable a check whether an appropriate type of aerosolgenerating article has been received in the cavity. For example, a check whether a proprietary accepted aerosol-generating article is used may depend upon the aerosolgenerating article having appropriate first and second identification elements aligning with the first article detector and the second article detector, respectively, after the aerosol-generating article has been received in the cavity. This may prevent unwanted usage of a nonproprietary aerosol-generating article with the aerosol-generating device.

[0025] In an exemplary basic operation, a capacitance-to-digital converter for capacitive sensing may implement a switched capacitor circuit to transfer charge from the capacitance sensor to a sigma-delta analog to digital converter. A step waveform from an excitation source such as a driving circuit connected to a power supply may be driven on the sensor line for a particular duration of time to charge up the capacitance sensor. After a certain amount of time, the charge on the capacitance sensor may be transferred to a sample-hold circuit. The analog to digital converter may convert the analog voltage into a digital signal. Once the analog to digital converter completes its conversion, the result may be digitally filtered and corrected depending on gain and offset calibrations. The resultant signal output from the capacitance-to-digital converter may be collected and stored by a (micro)processor or (micro)controller as digital information. Subsequently, a comparison algorithm stored in the controller may determine if the collected data corresponds to stored reference data. Afterwards, the controller may control the supply of power to an induction coil after comparing the capacitance data from the capacitance sensor and the stored reference data. For example, if the capacitance measured by the capacitance sensor fails to correlate with a reference capacitance value, then the controller may prevent the supply of power to the induction coil. If the measured capacitance correlates with stored reference data, the controller may allow the supply of power to the induction coil. In other words, based on a data comparison, the microcontroller may identify, if an original aerosol-generating article is present in the cavity and may allow the aerosol generator to operate only when an original aerosol-generating article is determined to be present in the cavity. Furthermore, the controller may operate a particular power control procedure depending on a correlation between the measured capacitance and the stored reference data. The induction coil may be activated by the controller only in case the detected capacitance corresponds to a reference capacitance or in case the detected capacitance is within a respective pre-defined range of acceptability around reference capacitance values. Otherwise, in case a discrepancy is detected, a heating operation of the aerosol-generating article may not be performed. Thus, usage of noncompatible aerosol-generating article may be effectively prevented, and a specific type of aerosol-generating article can be detected. In an exemplary embodiment of an operation procedure, as the user turns on the aerosol-generating device, a measure of the capacitance formed by the combination of the capacitance sensor and the magnetic field sensor may be continuously sampled by a measuring circuit that is part of the controller or part of a supporting PCB. For example, upon detection of a change in capacitance, a capacitance-to-digital converter connected to the supporting PCB may begin to receive an independent signal from each capacitive and magnetic field sensor. Generally, a capacitance-to-digital converter can be configured to convert the capacitance to a corresponding digital signal. This digital signal may communicate to a microprocessor or other digital processing logic, which may be part of the main controller.

[0026] The capacitive identification element or the magnetic field identification element may comprise, preferably consist of, cold laminated aluminium. The capacitive identification element or the magnetic field identification element may comprise, preferably consist of deposited thin films of metallic materials, for example, one of nickel, iron, or alloys. The capacitive identification element or the magnetic field identification element may comprise, preferably consist of magnetic substances in a solvent matrix e.g., CoCrPt, deposited thin films of ferromagnetic material, for example, one of nickel, iron, or alloys thereof, for example, carbon steel or ferritic stainless steel thereof, for example, carbon steel or ferritic stainless steel. The capacitive identification element or the magnetic field identification element may comprise, preferably consist of soft magnetic materials such as Co and NiFe. The capacitive identification element or the magnetic field identification element may comprise, preferably consist of hard magnetic materials such as NdFeB. As an alternative or in addition to providing the aerosol-generating article with a capacitive identification element and the aerosol-generating device with a capacitance sensor, the aerosol-generating article may be provided with a resistive identification element and the aerosol-generating device may be provided with a resistive detector. The resistive detector may be arranged to directly contact the resistive identification element when the aerosol-generating article is received in the cavity. The resistive identification element may have an electrical resistance indicative of the type of aerosol-generating article. The measurement of the resistance of the resistive identification element by the resistance detector may be utilized to determine the type of the aerosol-generating article.

[0027] The controller may be configured to detect a type of the aerosol-generating article based on an article detector output.

[0028] The controller may be configured to control operation of the aerosol-generating device depending upon an article detector output.

[0029] The controller may be configured to choose a heating profile of the aerosolgenerating device depending upon an article detector output.

[0030] The controller may be configured to deactivate operation of the aerosol-generating device if an unauthorized aerosol-generating article may be detected.

[0031] The controller may comprise a memory. The memory may comprise pre-stored reference data. The reference data may comprise reference signals of the article detector. Each of such reference signals may correspond to an aerosol-generating article having a specific type. The type of the aerosol-generating article may be determined by one or more of the type of aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article, dimensions of the aerosol-generating article and heating properties of the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article.

[0032] The controller may be configured to compare an electrical signal provided from the article detector with the pre-stored reference data. The controller may be configured to correlate the electrical signal provided from the article detector with the pre-stored reference data. The controller may be configured to detect and identify the type of the inserted aerosolgenerating article by correlating the electrical signal provided from the article detector with the pre-stored reference data. In this way the controller may be configured to identify the aerosol-generating article inserted into the cavity of the aerosol-generating device.

[0033] The controller may comprise a microprocessor, which may be a programmable microprocessor. The controller may be configured to regulate a supply of power to the heating element. Power may be supplied to the heating element continuously following activation of the aerosol-generating device or may be supplied intermittently, such as on a puff-by-puff basis. The power may be supplied to the heating element in the form of pulses of electrical current. The controller may be configured to monitor the electrical resistance of the heating element, and preferably to control the supply of power to the heating element dependent on the electrical resistance of the heating element.

[0034] The controller may be configured to regulate power supply to a heating element based on the identification of a type of aerosol-generating article. The heating element may be the induction heating coil. Upon identification of a type of aerosol-generating article, the controller may allow power to be supplied to the heating element. Upon identification of a type of aerosol-generating article, the controller may allow the provision of a user experience. Upon identification of a type of aerosol-generating article, the controller may adjust the power supply in dependence on the article type identified. The controller may be configured to provide power to the heating element according to a predefined heating profile for the respective identified article.

[0035] The controller may adjust the magnitude of power supply in dependence on the article type identified. The controller may adjust the time period of power supply in dependence on the article type identified. The controller may adjust the temperature of the heating element in dependence on the article type identified. The controller may adjust one or more of the amplitude and the frequency of a current supplied to the heating element in dependence on the article type identified. The controller may adjust the signal powering the heating element in dependence on the article type identified.

[0036] The memory of the controller may comprise a database of pre-stored heating profiles for each known type of aerosol-generating article. The controller may be configured to provide power according to the heating profile of the identified type of aerosol-generating article. Power supply may be tailored to the configuration of a specific article type.

[0037] The aerosol-generating device may be configured to be used with a plurality of different types of aerosol-generating articles.

[0038] As used herein, the terms ‘proximal’, ‘distal’, ‘downstream’ and ‘upstream’ are used to describe the relative positions of components, or portions of components, of the aerosolgenerating device and the aerosol-generating article in relation to the direction in which a user draws on the aerosol-generating device or aerosol-generating article during use thereof.

[0039] The aerosol-generating device may comprise a mouth end through which in use an aerosol exits the aerosol-generating device and is delivered to a user. In use, a user draws on the proximal or mouth end of the aerosol-generating device in order to inhale an aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating device. Alternatively, a user may directly draw on an aerosol-generating article inserted into an opening at the proximal end of the aerosolgenerating device. The opening at the proximal end may be an opening of the cavity. The aerosol-generating device comprises a distal end opposed to the proximal or mouth end. The proximal or mouth end of the aerosol-generating device may also be referred to as the downstream end and the distal end of the aerosol-generating device may also be referred to as the upstream end. Components, or portions of components, of the aerosol-generating device may be described as being upstream or downstream of one another based on their relative positions between the proximal, downstream or mouth end and the distal or upstream end of the aerosol-generating device.

[0040] As used herein, an ‘aerosol-generating device’ relates to a device that interacts with an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol. The aerosol-forming substrate may be part of an aerosol-generating article, for example part of a smoking article. An aerosolgenerating device may be a smoking device that interacts with an aerosol-forming substrate of an aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol that is directly inhalable into a user’s lungs thorough the user's mouth. An aerosol-generating device may be a holder. The device may be an electrically heated smoking device. The aerosol-generating device may comprise a housing, electric circuitry, a power supply, a heating chamber and a heating element.

[0041] As used herein with reference to the present invention, the term ‘smoking’ with reference to a device, article, system, substrate, or otherwise does not refer to conventional smoking in which an aerosol-forming substrate is fully or at least partially combusted. The aerosol-generating device of the present invention is arranged to heat the aerosol-forming substrate to a temperature below a combustion temperature of the aerosol-forming substrate, but at or above a temperature at which one or more volatile compounds of the aerosolforming substrate are released to form an inhalable aerosol.

[0042] The aerosol-generating device may have a length of between 86 millimeters to 130 millimeters.

[0043] The cavity of the aerosol-generating device may have an open end into which the aerosol-generating article is inserted. The open end may be a proximal end. The cavity may have a closed end opposite the open end. The closed end may be the base of the cavity. The closed end may be closed except for the provision of air apertures arranged in the base. The base of the cavity may be flat. The base of the cavity may be circular. The base of the cavity may be arranged upstream of the cavity. The open end may be arranged downstream of the cavity. The cavity may have an elongate extension. The cavity may have a longitudinal central axis. A longitudinal direction may be the direction extending between the open and closed ends along the longitudinal central axis. The longitudinal central axis of the cavity may be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating device.

[0044] The cavity may be configured as a heating chamber. The cavity may have a cylindrical shape. The cavity may have a hollow cylindrical shape. The cavity may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the aerosol-generating article to be received in the cavity. The cavity may have a circular cross-section. The cavity may have an elliptical or rectangular cross-section. The cavity may have an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article. An airflow channel may run through the cavity. Ambient air may be drawn into the aerosol-generating device, into the cavity and towards the user through the airflow channel. Downstream of the cavity, a mouthpiece may be arranged or a user may directly draw on the aerosol-generating article. The airflow channel may extend through the mouthpiece. The cavity may have a length of between 28 millimeters and 67 millimeters. The cavity may have a diameter of between 8 millimeters and 12 millimeters.

[0045] In any of the aspects of the disclosure, the heating element may comprise an electrically resistive material. Suitable electrically resistive materials include but are not limited to: semiconductors such as doped ceramics, electrically "conductive" ceramics (such as, for example, molybdenum disilicide), carbon, graphite, metals, metal alloys and composite materials made of a ceramic material and a metallic material. Such composite materials may comprise doped or undoped ceramics. Examples of suitable doped ceramics include doped silicon carbides. Examples of suitable metals include titanium, zirconium, tantalum platinum, gold and silver. Examples of suitable metal alloys include stainless steel, nickel-, cobalt-, chromium-, aluminium- titanium- zirconium-, hafnium-, niobium-, molybdenum-, tantalum-, tungsten-, tin-, gallium-, manganese-, gold- and iron- containing alloys, and super-alloys based on nickel, iron, cobalt, stainless steel, Timetai® and iron-manganese-aluminium based alloys. In composite materials, the electrically resistive material may optionally be embedded in, encapsulated or coated with an insulating material or vice-versa, depending on the kinetics of energy transfer and the external physicochemical properties required.

[0046] Alternatively or additionally to utilizing a heating element in the aerosol-generating device for vaporizing the aerosol-forming substrate, an aerosol-generating arrangement may be employed. The aerosol-generating arrangement may be an ultrasonic aerosol-generating arrangement; and

[0047] Alternatively or additionally to utilizing a heating element in the aerosol-generating device for vaporizing the aerosol-forming substrate, a heating arrangement may be employed. The heating arrangement may be an inductive, resistive, dielectric or microwave heating arrangement.

[0048] As described, in any of the aspects of the disclosure, the heating element may be part of an aerosol-generating device. The aerosol-generating device may comprise an internal heating element or an external heating element, or both internal and external heating elements, where "internal" and "external" refer to the aerosol-forming substrate. An internal heating element may take any suitable form. For example, an internal heating element may take the form of a heating blade. Alternatively, the internal heater may take the form of a casing or substrate having different electro-conductive portions, or an electrically resistive metallic tube. Alternatively, the internal heating element may be one or more heating needles or rods that run through the center of the aerosolforming substrate. Other alternatives include a heating wire or filament, for example a Ni-Cr (Nickel-Chromium), platinum, tungsten or alloy wire or a heating plate. Optionally, the internal heating element may be deposited in or on a rigid carrier material. In one such embodiment, the electrically resistive heating element may be formed using a metal having a defined relationship between temperature and resistivity. In such an exemplary device, the metal may be formed as a track on a suitable insulating material, such as ceramic material, and then sandwiched in another insulating material, such as a glass. Heaters formed in this manner may be used to both heat and monitor the temperature of the heating elements during operation.

[0049] An external heating element may take any suitable form. For example, an external heating element may take the form of one or more flexible heating foils on a dielectric substrate, such as polyimide. The flexible heating foils can be shaped to conform to the perimeter of the substrate receiving cavity. Alternatively, an external heating element may take the form of a metallic grid or grids, a flexible printed circuit board, a molded interconnect device (MID), ceramic heater, flexible carbon fibre heater or may be formed using a coating technique, such as plasma vapour deposition, on a suitable shaped substrate. An external heating element may also be formed using a metal having a defined relationship between temperature and resistivity. In such an exemplary device, the metal may be formed as a track between two layers of suitable insulating materials. An external heating element formed in this manner may be used to both heat and monitor the temperature of the external heating element during operation.

[0050] As an alternative to an electrically resistive heating element, the heating element may be configured as an induction heating element. The induction heating element may comprise a heating induction coil and a susceptor. In general, a susceptor is a material that is capable of generating heat, when penetrated by an alternating magnetic field. When located in an alternating magnetic field, if the susceptor is conductive, then typically eddy currents are induced by the alternating magnetic field. If the susceptor is magnetic, then typically another effect that contributes to the heating is commonly referred to hysteresis losses. Hysteresis losses occur mainly due to the movement of the magnetic domain blocks within the susceptor, because the magnetic orientation of these will align with the magnetic induction field, which alternates. Another effect contributing to the hysteresis loss is when the magnetic domains will grow or shrink within the susceptor. Commonly all these changes in the susceptor that happen on a nano-scale or below are referred to as “hysteresis losses”, because they produce heat in the susceptor. Hence, if the susceptor is both magnetic and electrically conductive, both hysteresis losses and the generation of eddy currents will contribute to the heating of the susceptor. If the susceptor is magnetic, but not conductive, then hysteresis losses will be the only means by which the susceptor will heat, when penetrated by an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be electrically conductive or magnetic or both electrically conductive and magnetic. An alternating magnetic field generated by one or several induction coils heat the susceptor, which then transfers the heat to the aerosol-forming substrate, such that an aerosol is formed. The heat transfer may be mainly by conduction of heat. Such a transfer of heat is best, if the susceptor is in close thermal contact with the aerosol-forming substrate.

[0051] The aerosol-generating device may comprise a power supply, typically a battery, within a main body of the aerosol-generating device. In one embodiment, the power supply is a Lithium-ion battery. Alternatively, the power supply may be a Nickel-metal hydride battery, a Nickel cadmium battery, or a Lithium based battery, for example a Lithium-Cobalt, a Lithium-lron-Phosphate, Lithium Titanate or a Lithium-Polymer battery. As an alternative, the power supply may be another form of charge storage device such as a capacitor. The power supply may require recharging and may have a capacity that enables to store enough energy for one or more usage experiences; for example, the power supply may have sufficient capacity to continuously generate aerosol for a period of around six minutes or for a period of a multiple of six minutes. In another example, the power supply may have sufficient capacity to provide a predetermined number of puffs or discrete activations of the heating element.

[0052] The invention further relates to an aerosol-generating device for use with a plurality of different aerosol-generating articles. The aerosol-generating device comprises an article classifier configured to determine that an aerosol-generating article engaged with the device is a first article type from the plurality of different aerosol-generating articles.

[0053] The invention further relates to an aerosol-generating article. A portion of the aerosolgenerating article may be configured to be at least partly received in a cavity of the aerosolgenerating device. The portion of the aerosol-generating article may comprise a capacitive identification element or a magnetic identification element.

[0054] The invention further relates to an aerosol-generating article. A portion of the aerosolgenerating article is configured to be at least partly received in a cavity of the aerosolgenerating device. The portion of the aerosol-generating article comprises a capacitive identification element or a magnetic identification element.

[0055] Providing the aerosol-generating article with the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element may enable the aerosol-generating device to detect the type of aerosol-generating article. The capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element may be indicative of the type of aerosol-generating article.

[0056] The aerosol-generating article may comprise the capacitive identification element as well as the magnetic identification element. This embodiment is preferred if the aerosolgenerating device comprises the capacitance sensor as well as the magnetic field sensor. The detection of the type of the aerosol-generating article may in this case be based upon the detection of the capacitive identification element of the aerosol-generating article by the capacitance sensor of the aerosol-generating device and by the detection of the magnetic identification element of the aerosol-generating article by the magnetic field sensor of the aerosol-generating device. This may lead to redundancy. This may further or alternatively lead to an improvement of the detection of the type of the aerosol-generating article by the aerosol-generating device.

[0057] The capacitive identification element may comprise a plurality of electrically conductive dots.

[0058] The electrically conductive dots may be printed on an inner surface of an outer wrapper of the aerosol-generating article.

[0059] The electrically conductive dots may be printed on an outer surface of an outer wrapper of the aerosol-generating article.

[0060] The electrically conductive dots may be embedded within an outer wrapper of the aerosol-generating article.

[0061] The electrically conductive dots may lead to a capacitance being formed between the capacitance sensor, particularly of the electrode of the capacitance sensor, and the electrically conductive dots. This capacitance may be detectable by the capacitance ends of the aerosol-generating device. The capacitance of the electrically conductive dots may be indicative of a type of aerosol-generating article. Each of the electrically conductive dots may have a predefined capacitance together with the capacitance sensor, particularly together with the electrode of the capacitance sensor. The electrically conductive dots may together have a predefined capacitance together with the capacitance sensor, particularly together with the electrode of the capacitance sensor.

[0062] Each one of the electrically conductive dots may be circular, oval, square or rectangular in shape.

[0063] The length and / or the width of each one of the electrically conductive dots may be less than 1 mm, less than 0.5mm, less than 0.1 mm, or less than 0.01 mm.

[0064] The electrically conductive dots may be formed in a pattern. The pattern may have a predefined area such as an area with a width and / or length less than 5mm, 2mm, 1 ,5mm, or 1 mm.

[0065] The pattern may be repeated in a plurality of instances. The pattern may be repeated in the lateral and / or longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article.

[0066] The capacitive identification element may comprise, preferably consists of, an electrically conductive marker or the magnetic identification element may comprise, preferably consists of, a magnetized electrically conductive marker. The electrically conductive marker may lead to a capacitance being formed between the capacitance sensor, particularly of the electrode of the capacitance sensor, and the electrically conductive marker. This capacitance may be detectable by the capacitance ends of the aerosol-generating device.

[0067] The capacitive identification element may comprise, or consist of, an electrically conductive material or a non-electrically conductive material have a dielectric constant greater than 1 .

[0068] The aerosol-generating article may comprise an outer wrapper. The capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element may be arranged, preferably printed, on an inner surface of the outer wrapper, on an outer surface of the outer wrapper or embedded within the outer wrapper.

[0069] Printing the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element on an inner surface of the outer wrapper may protect the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element from being damaged.

[0070] Printing the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element on an outer surface of the outer wrapper may improve the signal quality of the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element due to the minimized distance between the capacitive identification element and the capacitance sensor or the magnetic identification element and the magnetic field sensor, respectively.

[0071] Embedding the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element in the outer wrapper may enable providing the aerosol generating article with the outer wrapper and simultaneously providing the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element. This may improve one or both of manufacturing costs and manufacturing speed.

[0072] The portion of the aerosol-generating article may comprise a first capacitive identification element and a second capacitive identification element or a first magnetic identification element and a second magnetic identification element.

[0073] Providing first and second capacitive identification elements or first and second magnetic identification elements may enable a more reliable detection of the aerosolgenerating article by the aerosol-generating device. Potentially, the first capacitive identification element or the first magnetic identification element may carry a first information and the second capacitive identification element or the second magnetic identification element may carry a second information. The first information may be different from the second information. One or both of the first information and the second information may be indicative of a characteristic of the aerosol-generating article such as the type of aerosolforming substrate, one or more dimensions of the aerosol-generating article, a moisture level of the aerosol-generating article and a preferred heating profile for the aerosol-generating article.

[0074] The first capacitive identification element may be arranged laterally or longitudinally distanced from the second capacitive identification element or the first magnetic identification element may be arranged laterally or longitudinally distanced from the second magnetic identification element.

[0075] Arranging the identification elements laterally or longitudinally distanced may enable detection whether the aerosol-generating article is an accepted proprietary aerosolgenerating article. A nonaccepted non-proprietary aerosol-generating article may be rejected by the controller of the aerosol-generating device upon detection that either one or both of the identification elements is missing or misaligned. A misalignment of one or both identification elements may be detected when one or both identification elements are not arranged adjacent the respective detectors of the aerosol-generating device when the aerosol-generating article is received in the cavity of the aerosol-generating device. That an identification element is not arranged adjacent a detector may be detected by comparing the detector output with reference data of the memory.

[0076] The capacitive identification element may comprise one or more rings circumscribing the aerosol-generating article. The rings may be offset from one another along the length of the aerosol-generating article. One or more of the rings may vary in width. Each one of the rings may be positioned on the article so as to align with one or more detectors in the device. In this way, the aerosol-generating article may be inserted in any rotational orientation about the insertion direction of the aerosol-generating article into the aerosol-generating device.

[0077] The capacitive identification element may comprise, preferably consists of, a rectangular band of aluminium. The band of aluminium may be flat. The band may have a length larger than a width of the band. The thickness of the band may be smaller than the width and the length.

[0078] The capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element may comprise, preferably consists of, a printed layer of metallic ink.

[0079] The magnetic identification element may comprise, preferably consists of, a magnetic marker, preferably wherein the magnetic marker may comprise one or both of magnetic wires and magnetic sheets.

[0080] The magnetic identification element may comprise, preferably consists of, a ferromagnetic rod arranged within the aerosol-generating article and extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article. The rod may be embedded within the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article.

[0081] The capacitive identification element may be arranged as a transversal stripe at least partly, preferably fully, surrounding the aerosol-generating article. The transversal stripe may be arranged fully surrounding the periphery of the aerosol-generating article. Alternatively, the transversal stripe may be arranged partly surrounding the periphery of the aerosolgenerating article.

[0082] As used herein, the term ‘aerosol-generating article’ refers to an article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate that is capable of releasing volatile compounds that can form an aerosol. For example, an aerosol-generating article may be a smoking article that generates an aerosol that is directly inhalable into a user’s lungs through the user's mouth. An aerosolgenerating article may be disposable.

[0083] An aerosol-generating article may comprise a plurality of elements, including one or more of a mouthpiece, a spacer, a hollow acetate tube, a sensorial media plug and a front plug. All elements may be connected to each other by an outer wrapper. An aerosolgenerating article may have a cylindrical shape.

[0084] The front plug may be used as an end portion of the aerosol-generating article. The front plug may be used to ensure that the sensorial media is retained within the aerosolgenerating article. The front plug may be made from a material that allows air to be drawn through the front plug. The front plug may be made from a material having an adequate porosity. The front plug may be made from a filter material. The front plug may be made from cellulose acetate tow. The front plug may be made from one or more materials selected from the group comprising ceramic, polymer, biopolymer, metal, zeolite, paper, cardboard, inert material, and inorganic material.

[0085] The aerosol-generating article may be substantially cylindrical in shape. The aerosolgenerating article may be substantially elongate. The aerosol-generating article may have a length and a circumference substantially perpendicular to the length. The aerosol-generating article may be substantially rod shaped. The aerosol-forming substrate may be substantially cylindrical in shape. The aerosol-forming substrate may be substantially elongate. The aerosol-forming substrate may also have a length and a circumference substantially perpendicular to the length. The aerosol-forming substrate may be substantially rod shaped.

[0086] The aerosol-generating article may have a total length between 55 millimeters and 110 millimeters, preferably of between 60 millimeters and 90 millimeters. The aerosolgenerating article may have an external diameter between 4.5 millimeters and 17 millimeters, preferably between 6 millimeters and 9 millimeters. The aerosol-generating article may comprise a filter plug. The filter plug may be located at a downstream end of the aerosolgenerating article. The filter plug may be a cellulose acetate filter plug. The filter plug is approximately 7 millimeters in length in one embodiment, but may have a length of between approximately 5 millimeters to approximately 10 millimeters. The aerosol-generating article may comprise a separation between the aerosolforming substrate and the filter plug. The separation may be approximately 18 millimeters, but may be in the range of 5 millimeters to 25 millimeters.

[0087] As used herein, the term ‘aerosol-forming substrate’ relates to a substrate capable of releasing one or more volatile compounds that can form an aerosol. Such volatile compounds may be released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate. An aerosol-forming substrate may conveniently be part of an aerosol-generating article.

[0088] The aerosol-forming substrate may be a solid aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosolforming substrate may comprise both solid and liquid components. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a tobacco-containing material containing volatile tobacco flavour compounds which are released from the substrate upon heating. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a non-tobacco material. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise an aerosol former that facilitates the formation of a dense and stable aerosol. Examples of suitable aerosol formers are glycerine and propylene glycol.

[0089] The aerosol-generating substrate preferably comprises homogenised tobacco material, an aerosol-former and water. Providing homogenised tobacco material may improve aerosol generation, the nicotine content and the flavour profile of the aerosol generated during heating of the aerosol-generating article. Specifically, the process of making homogenised tobacco involves grinding tobacco leaf, which more effectively enables the release of nicotine and flavours upon heating.

[0090] The invention further relates to an aerosol-generating system that may comprise the aerosol-generating device as described herein and an aerosol-generating article as described herein.

[0091] The aerosol-generating system may comprise a mouth end through which in use an aerosol exits the aerosol-generating system and is delivered to a user. The mouth end may also be referred to as the proximal end. In use, a user draws on the proximal or mouth end of the aerosol-generating system in order to inhale an aerosol generated by the aerosolgenerating system. The aerosol-generating system may comprise a distal end opposed to the proximal or mouth end. The proximal or mouth end of the aerosol-generating system may also be referred to as the downstream end and the distal end of the aerosol-generating system may also be referred to as the upstream end. Components, or portions of components, of the aerosol-generating system may be described as being upstream or downstream of one another based on their relative positions between the proximal, downstream or mouth end and the distal or upstream end of the system.

[0092] The invention further relates to a method for identifying an aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device as described herein. The method may comprise the following step: detecting, by the article detector, the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element of the aerosol-generating article.

[0093] The invention further relates to a method for identifying an aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device as described herein. The method comprises the following step: detecting, by the article detector, the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element of the aerosol-generating article.

[0094] The aerosol-generating device may further comprise a controller. The method may comprise the following step of detecting, by the controller, a type of the aerosol-generating article based on an article detector output.

[0095] The controller may control operation of the aerosol-generating device depending upon an article detector output.

[0096] The controller may choose a heating profile of the aerosol-generating device depending upon an article detector output.

[0097] The controller may deactivate operation of the aerosol-generating device if an unauthorized aerosol-generating article may be detected.

[0098] The method may comprise the step of controlling the operation of the aerosolgenerating device based on an article detector output.

[0099] The step of controlling the operation of the aerosol-generating device may include preventing operation of the aerosol-generating device if an unauthorized aerosol-generating article is detected.

[0100] The step of controlling the operation of the aerosol-generating device may include choosing a heating profile of the aerosol-generating device depending upon an output of the article detector.

[0101] Below, there is provided a non-exhaustive list of non-limiting examples. Any one or more of the features of these examples may be combined with any one or more features of another example, embodiment, or aspect described herein.

[0102] Example ex1. An aerosol-generating device comprising: a cavity for receiving an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate; an article detector, wherein the article detector comprises a capacitance sensor or a magnetic field sensor configured to detect an identification element of the aerosol-generating article.

[0103] Example ex2. The aerosol-generating device according to example ex1 , wherein the article detector comprises a thin-film detection element. Example ex3. The aerosol-generating device according to any of the preceding examples, wherein the article detector is configured to measure a capacitance between the article detector and the identification element.

[0104] Example ex4. The aerosol-generating device according to example ex3, wherein the article detector comprises an electrode.

[0105] Example ex5. The aerosol-generating device according to any of the preceding examples, wherein the magnetic field sensor comprises, preferably consists of, a Hall effect sensor.

[0106] Example ex6. The aerosol-generating device according to any of the preceding examples, wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises an induction heating coil configured for induction heating.

[0107] Example ex7. The aerosol-generating device according to any of the preceding examples, wherein the article detector is arranged at a sidewall of the cavity.

[0108] Example ex8. The aerosol-generating device according to any of the preceding examples, wherein the article detector comprises a first article detector and a second article detector.

[0109] Example ex9. The aerosol-generating device according to example ex8, wherein the first article detector is arranged laterally or longitudinally distanced from the second article detector.

[0110] Example ex10. The aerosol-generating device according to any of the preceding examples, wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises a controller, wherein the controller is configured to detect a type of the aerosol-generating article based on an article detector output.

[0111] Example ex11. The aerosol-generating device according to example ex10, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the aerosol-generating device depending upon an article detector output.

[0112] Example ex12. The aerosol-generating device according to example ex10 or ex11 , wherein the controller is configured to choose a heating profile of the aerosolgenerating device depending upon an article detector output.

[0113] Example ex13. The aerosol-generating device according to any of examples ex10 to ex12, wherein the controller is configured to deactivate operation of the aerosolgenerating device if an unauthorized aerosol-generating article is detected.

[0114] Example ex14. An aerosol-generating article, wherein a portion of the aerosolgenerating article is configured to be at least partly received in a cavity of the aerosolgenerating device, wherein the portion of the aerosol-generating article comprises a capacitive identification element or a magnetic identification element. Example ex15. The aerosol-generating article according to example ex14, wherein the capacitive identification element comprises, preferably consists of, an electrically conductive marker or a non-electrically conductive marker with a dielectric constant greater than 1 , or the magnetic identification element comprises, preferably consists of, a magnetized electrically conductive marker.

[0115] Example ex16. The aerosol-generating article according to example ex14 or ex15, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises an outer wrapper, and wherein the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element is arranged, preferably printed, on an inner surface of the outer wrapper, on an outer surface of the outer wrapper or embedded within the outer wrapper.

[0116] Example ex16a. The aerosol-generating article according to any of examples ex14 to ex16, wherein the capacitive identification element comprises a plurality of electrically conductive dots, preferably printed on an inner surface of an outer wrapper of the article, on an outer surface of an outer wrapper of the article or embedded within an outer wrapper of the article.

[0117] Example ex16b. The aerosol-generating article according to example ex16a wherein each one of the dots are circular, oval, square or rectangular in shape.

[0118] Example ex16c. The aerosol-generating article according to example ex16a or ex16b wherein the length and / or the width of each one of the dots is less than 1 mm, less than 0.5mm, less than 0.1 mm, or less than 0.01 mm.

[0119] Example ex16d. The aerosol-generating article according to any of examples ex16a to ex16c, wherein the electrically conductive dots are formed in a pattern, preferably within a predefined area such as an area with a width and / or length less than 5mm, 2mm, 1.5mm, or 1 mm.

[0120] Example ex16e. The aerosol-generating article according to example 16d wherein the pattern is repeated in a plurality of instances, preferably in the lateral and / or longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article.

[0121] Example ex16f. The aerosol-generating article according to any of examples ex 14 to ex16e wherein the capacitive identification element may comprise one or more rings circumscribing the article, preferably the rings are offset from one another along the length of the aerosol-generating article, preferably one or more of the rings vary in width, preferably each one of the rings may be positioned on the aerosol-generating article so as to align with one or more detectors in the aerosol-generating device.

[0122] Example ex17. The aerosol-generating article according to any of examples ex14 to ex16, wherein the portion of the aerosol-generating article comprises a first capacitive identification element and a second capacitive identification element or a first magnetic identification element and a second magnetic identification element. Example ex18. The aerosol-generating article according example ex17, wherein the first capacitive identification element is arranged laterally or longitudinally distanced from the second capacitive identification element or wherein the first magnetic identification element is arranged laterally or longitudinally distanced from the second magnetic identification element.

[0123] Example ex19. The aerosol-generating article according to any of examples ex14 to ex16, wherein the capacitive identification element comprises, preferably consists of, a rectangular band of aluminium.

[0124] Example ex20. The aerosol-generating article according to any of examples ex14 to ex19, wherein the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element comprises, preferably consists of, a printed layer of metallic ink.

[0125] Example ex21. The aerosol-generating article according to any of examples ex14 to ex20, wherein the magnetic identification element comprises, preferably consists of, a magnetic marker, preferably wherein the magnetic marker comprises one or both of magnetic wires and magnetic sheets.

[0126] Example ex22. The aerosol-generating article according to any of examples ex14 to ex21 , wherein the magnetic identification element comprises, preferably consists of, a ferromagnetic rod arranged within the aerosol-generating article and extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article.

[0127] Example ex23. The aerosol-generating article according to any of examples ex14 to ex22, wherein the capacitive identification element is arranged as a transversal stripe at least partly, preferably fully, surrounding the aerosol-generating article.

[0128] Example ex24. An aerosol-generating system comprising the aerosolgenerating device of any of examples ex1 to ex13 and an aerosol-generating article, preferably according to any of examples ex14 to ex23.

[0129] Example ex25. A method for identifying an aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device, preferably according to the aerosol-generating system of example ex24, wherein the method comprises the following step: detecting, by an article detector, a capacitive identification element or a magnetic identification element of the aerosol-generating article.

[0130] Example ex26. The method of example ex25, wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises a controller, wherein the method comprises the following step of detecting, by the controller, a type of the aerosol-generating article based on an article detector output.

[0131] Example ex27. The method according to example ex26, wherein the controller controls operation of the aerosol-generating device depending upon an article detector output. Example ex28. The method according to example ex26 or ex27, wherein the controller chooses a heating profile of the aerosol-generating device depending upon an article detector output.

[0132] Example ex29. The method according to any of examples ex26 to ex28, wherein the controller deactivates operation of the aerosol-generating device if an unauthorized aerosol-generating article is detected.

[0133] Features described in relation to one embodiment may equally be applied to other embodiments of the invention.

[0134] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0135] Fig. 1 shows a sideview of an aerosol-generating article;

[0136] Fig. 2 shows a sideview of the aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating device;

[0137] Fig. 3 shows a top sectional view of the aerosol-generating article and the aerosolgenerating device;

[0138] Fig. 4 shows a top sectional view of a further embodiment of the aerosol-generating article and the aerosol-generating device;

[0139] Fig. 5 shows a top sectional view of a further embodiment of the aerosol-generating article and the aerosol-generating device; and

[0140] Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of a capacitive identification element of the aerosolgenerating article.

[0141] Figure 1 shows a sideview of an aerosol-generating article 10. The aerosolgenerating article 10 comprises aerosol-forming substrate (not shown). The aerosolgenerating article 10 comprises a capacitive identification element 12 or a magnetic identification element 14. The capacitive identification element 12 or the magnetic identification element 14 is arranged surrounding the aerosol-generating article 10. The capacitive identification element 12 or a magnetic identification element 14 is arranged on the periphery of the aerosol-generating article 10. The capacitive identification element 12 or a magnetic identification element 14 is arranged on a portion of the aerosol-generating article 10 that is configured to be received in an aerosol-generating device 16, more particularly a cavity 18 of the aerosol-generating device 16. The capacitive identification element 12 or the magnetic identification element 14 is indicative of a type of aerosol-generating article 10. Particularly, the capacitive identification element 12 or the magnetic identification element 14 is indicative of a type of aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article 10.

[0142] Figure 2 shows a sideview of the aerosol-generating article 10 and an aerosolgenerating device 16. The aerosol-generating article 10 in Figure 2 has not yet been inserted into the cavity 18. The aerosol-generating device 16 comprises an article detector 20. The article detector 20 comprises a capacitance sensor 22 or a magnetic field sensor 24. The capacitance sensor 22 is configured to detect a capacitance when the aerosol-generating article 10 is received in the cavity 18. Then, the capacitance sensor 22 is configured to measure a capacitance between an electrode of the capacitance sensor 22 and the capacitive identification element 12. In other words, a capacitor is formed between the electrode of the capacitance sensor 22 and the capacitive identification element 12 of the aerosol-generating article 10. The measured capacitance may be indicative of a type of aerosol-generating article 10.

[0143] Alternatively or additionally, the magnetic field sensor 24 is configured to detect a magnetic field when the aerosol-generating article 10 is received in the cavity 18. Then, the magnetic field sensor 24 is configured to measure a magnetic field emitted by the magnetic identification element 14. The measured magnetic field strength or magnetic profile may be indicative of a type of aerosol-generating article 10.

[0144] The aerosol-generating article 10 is inserted into the cavity 18 at a proximal end 26 of the aerosol-generating device 16.

[0145] The article detector 20 comprises a plurality of capacitance sensors 22 or magnetic field sensors 24 is arranged at or surrounding a sidewall 28 of the cavity 18. The article detector 20 may comprise a supporting PCB. The capacitance sensor 22 or the magnetic field sensor 24 is arranged distanced from the aerosol-generating article 10 when the aerosol-generating article 10 is received in the cavity 18. This is enabled due to the detection of the aerosol-generating article 10 being facilitated by one or both of a capacitance measurement or a magnetic field measurement. Both of these measurements do not necessitate a direct physical contact between the article detector 20 of the aerosolgenerating device 16 and the identifications elements of the aerosol-generating article 10.

[0146] Figure 2 further shows an induction coil. The induction coil 30 is arranged surrounding the cavity 18. The induction coil 30 in configured to generate an alternating magnetic field. A susceptor (not shown) may be arranged inside of the induction coil 30. The susceptor may have a cylindrical hollow shape. The susceptor may be arranged surrounding the cavity 18. The susceptor may at least partly form the sidewall 28 of the cavity 18. Alternatively, the susceptor may be pin or blade shaped and arranged centrally within the cavity 18 to penetrate in the aerosol-generating article 10 when the aerosol-generating article 10 in received in the cavity 18. As a further alternative, the susceptor may be part of the aerosol-generating article 10. The induction coil 30 is electrically connected with a controller 32 of the aerosol-generating device 16. The controller 32 is configured to control of electrical energy from a power supply 34 towards the induction coil 30.

[0147] The controller 32 is also electrically connected with the article detector 20. The controller 32 is configured to receive the output of the capacitance sensor 22 or of the magnetic field sensor 24. The controller 32 is configured to identify the type of aerosolgenerating article 10 based upon the output of the capacitance sensor 22 or of the magnetic field sensor 24. The controller 32 is configured to control operation of the induction coil 30 based upon the identified type of aerosol-generating article 10. Particularly, the controller 32 in configured to one or more of: deactivate the induction coil 30 if an unauthorized aerosolgenerating article 10 is detected; deactivate the induction coil 30 after a predetermined amounts of puffs on the aerosol-generating article 10; deactivate the induction coil 30 after a predetermined heating time of the susceptor via the induction coil 30 has been elapsed; and apply a specific heating profile for the aerosol-generating article 10 depending upon the identified type of aerosol-generating article 10. The aerosol-generating device 16 may comprise a puff sensor (not shown) to detect puffs of a user. The aerosol-generating article 10 may comprise a timer to measure a time of operation of the induction coil 30. The aerosolgenerating device 16 may comprise a memory for storing one or more of: reference data of aerosol-generating article 10s indicative of a type of aerosol-generating article 10 for one or both of measured capacitance and magnetic field values.

[0148] Figure 3 shows a top sectional view of the aerosol-generating article 10 and the aerosol-generating device 16. In this embodiment, the aerosol-generating article 10 comprises a plurality of capacitive identification elements 12 or magnetic identification elements 14. Correspondingly, the aerosol-generating device 16 comprises a plurality of capacitance sensors 22 or magnetic field sensors 24. This improves the detection quality. Particularly, an orientation of the aerosol-generating article 10 within the cavity 18 may be less relevant for the detection in case of multiple identification element and detectors. The capacitive identification elements 12 or magnetic identification elements 14 are arranged uniformly around the periphery of the aerosol-generating article 10. The capacitance sensors 22 or magnetic field sensors 24 are arranged uniformly around the sidewall 28 of the cavity 18 of the aerosol-generating device 16.

[0149] Figure 4 shows a top sectional view of a further embodiment of the aerosolgenerating article 10 and the aerosol-generating device 16. In this embodiment, multiple article detectors 20 are provided. The article detectors 20 are arranged uniformly around the sidewall 28 of the cavity 18 of the aerosol-generating device 16.

[0150] The aerosol-generating article 10 comprises a single capacitive identification element 12 or magnetic identification element 14. The capacitive identification element 12 or magnetic identification element 14 is arranged fully surrounding the periphery of the aerosolgenerating article 10. The capacitive identification element 12 or magnetic identification element 14 is made of a thin sheet of conductive material that defines an area of overlap with a conductive element 36 to increase an effective capacitance. The capacitive identification element 12 may be made from a non-conductive material with a dielectric constant higher than 1 . The conductive element 36 can be replaced with a non-conductive element with a dielectric constant higher than 1 .

[0151] The capacitance sensor in effect provides one capacitor plate, with the other “plate” of the capacitor being provided by the capacitive identification element 12. In principle, when the aerosol-generating article 10 is inserted into the cavity 18, the capacitive identification element 12 and the capacitance sensor behave as parallel plates. In a two-plate capacitor, an electrical interaction between the plates is defined by a relationship in which the amount of stored electrical charge inside the plates is inversely proportional to the distance between the plates. Accordingly, by increasing or decreasing the distance between the plates, or equivalently, by varying the thickness or other cross-sectional dimensions of the capacitive identification element 12, it is possible to influence the output signal from a capacitance measurement. In an advantageous implementation, a capacitance value is an indicative of the thickness of the conductive marker, which may appropriately correlate to a specific type of aerosol-generating article 10.

[0152] Figure 5 shows a top sectional view of a further embodiment of the aerosolgenerating article 10 and the aerosol-generating device 16. In this embodiment, the aerosolgenerating article 10 comprises a magnetic identification element 14 in the form of a magnetic rod 38 extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article 10. The magnetic field sensor is provided as a Hall effect sensor. Preferably, multiple magnetic field sensor are arranged uniformly distributed around the cavity 18 to detect the magnetic field of the magnetic rod 38. Alternatively or additionally to providing a rod 38, a magnetic sheet 40 or lamina is depicted in Figure 5 as a potential magnetic identification element 14. A further option is the provision of magnetic wires as a magnetic identification element 14. One or more of the orientation, shape and materials of any of these magnetic identification elements 14 may create a unique magnetic profile indicative of a specific type of aerosolgenerating article 10.

[0153] Figure 6 shows an embodiment of the capacitive identification element 12 of the aerosol-generating article 10. The capacitive identification element 12 in this embodiment comprises, preferably consists of, electrically conductive dots 42. The electrically conductive dots 42 may be arranged randomly or may be arranged, particularly preferred, in a pattern. A capacitance is measured by the capacitance sensor 22 when the electrically conductive dots 42 are arranged adjacent the capacitance sensor 22. The electrically conductive dots 42 are printed on an inner or outer surface of an outer wrapper of the aerosol-generating article 10. Alternatively, the electrically conductive dots 42 are embedded into the outer wrapper of the aerosol-generating article 10.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . An aerosol-generating device comprising: a cavity for receiving an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate; an article detector, wherein the article detector comprises a capacitance sensor or a magnetic field sensor configured to detect an identification element of the aerosol-generating article.

2. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the article detector is configured to measure a capacitance between the article detector and the identification element.

3. The aerosol-generating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the magnetic field sensor comprises, preferably consists of, a Hall effect sensor.

4. The aerosol-generating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the article detector comprises a first article detector and a second article detector.

5. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 4, wherein the first article detector is arranged laterally or longitudinally distanced from the second article detector.

6. The aerosol-generating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises a controller, wherein the controller is configured to detect a type of the aerosol-generating article based on an article detector output.

7. An aerosol-generating article, wherein a portion of the aerosol-generating article is configured to be at least partly received in a cavity of an aerosol-generating device, wherein the portion of the aerosol-generating article comprises a capacitive identification element or a magnetic identification element.

8. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 7, wherein the capacitive identification element comprises, preferably consists of, an electrically conductive marker or a non-electrically conductive marker with a dielectric constant greater than 1 , or the magnetic identification element comprises, preferably consists of, a magnetized electrically conductive marker.

9. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the aerosolgenerating article comprises an outer wrapper, and wherein the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element is arranged, preferably printed, on an inner surface of the outer wrapper, on an outer surface of the outer wrapper or embedded within the outer wrapper.

10. The aerosol-generating article according to any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the portion of the aerosol-generating article comprises a first capacitive identification element and a second capacitive identification element or a first magnetic identification element and a second magnetic identification element.11 . The aerosol-generating article according claim 10, wherein the first capacitive identification element is arranged laterally or longitudinally distanced from the second capacitive identification element or wherein the first magnetic identification element is arranged laterally or longitudinally distanced from the second magnetic identification element.

12. The aerosol-generating article according to any of claims 7 to 11 , wherein the capacitive identification element or the magnetic identification element comprises, preferably consists of, a printed layer of metallic ink.

13. An aerosol-generating system comprising the aerosol-generating device of any of claims 1 to 6 and an aerosol-generating article, preferably according to any of claims 7 to 12.

14. A method for identifying an aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device, preferably according to the aerosol-generating system of claim 13, wherein the method comprises the following step: detecting, by an article detector, a capacitive identification element or a magnetic identification element of an aerosol-generating article.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises a controller, wherein the method comprises the following step of identifying, by the controller, a type of the aerosol-generating article based on an article detector output.

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