Aerosol provision system

Abstract

To provide an aerosol provision system with means to monitor the usage of the aerosol provision system by a user.SOLUTION: An aerosol provision system 10 includes control circuitry 28 for determining an operational parameter of the aerosol provision system, an aerosol generator 36 configured to aerosolize an aerosol-generating material, and a sensor 25 configured to detect inhalation on the aerosol provision system by a user of the aerosol provision system, and to output corresponding inhalation detection signals to the control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to determine the duration of the inhalation based on the inhalation detection signals received from the sensor, and to determine an indication of an amount of an ingredient delivered from the aerosol-generating material to the user during the inhalation based on the duration of the inhalation and an indication of the operational parameter during the inhalation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol delivery system. [Background technology]

[0002] Electronic aerosol delivery systems, such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), generally contain an aerosol-generating material, such as a liquid feedstock that typically contains a formulation that includes nicotine, or a reservoir of a solid material, such as a tobacco-based product, from which an aerosol is generated, for example by thermal vaporization, for inhalation by a user. Thus, an aerosol delivery system typically includes an aerosol generator, e.g. a heating element, arranged to aerosolize a portion of the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol in an aerosol-generating region of an airway through the aerosol delivery system. When a user inhales on the device and power is applied to the aerosol generator, air is drawn into the device through one or more inlet holes and along the airway to the aerosol-generating region. In the aerosol-generating region, the air mixes with the vaporized aerosol generator to form a condensed aerosol. The air drawn through the aerosol-generating region continues along the airway to a mouthpiece, carrying with it a portion of the aerosol and exiting through the mouthpiece for inhalation by the user.

[0003] Aerosol delivery systems generally comprise a modular assembly that often has two main functional parts: an aerosol delivery device and a disposable / replaceable consumable part. Typically, the consumable part comprises the consumable aerosol generating material and the aerosol generator (heating element), while the aerosol delivery device part comprises longer-life items such as rechargeable batteries, device control circuitry, and user interface features. The aerosol delivery device may also be referred to as the reusable part or battery section, and the consumable part may also be referred to as the disposable part, cartridge, or cartomizer.

[0004] The aerosol delivery device and the consumable are mechanically coupled at their interface for use, for example, using a screw thread, a bayonet, a latch, or a friction fit fastener. When the aerosol producing material of the consumable is exhausted, or when a user wishes to switch to a different consumable having a different aerosol producing material, the consumable can be removed from the aerosol delivery device and a replacement consumable can be installed in the device instead.

[0005] A potential drawback of the aerosol delivery system is that there is no means to monitor the user's usage of the aerosol delivery system, which may lead to overuse of the system by the user. Similarly, the factory settings of the system may not resemble the user's desired operation of the system, resulting in reduced user satisfaction.

[0006] Various approaches are described herein that aim to address or help alleviate some of the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present disclosure is defined by the following claims.

[0008] According to some embodiments described herein, there is provided an aerosol delivery system comprising: a control circuit for determining an operating parameter of the aerosol delivery system; an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize an aerosol generating material; and a sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol delivery system by a user of the aerosol delivery system and output a corresponding inhalation detection signal to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to determine a duration of the inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, and to determine an indication of an amount of a component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and the indication of the operating parameter during inhalation.

[0009] The control circuitry may be configured to determine a duration of the session based on a duration of the plurality of inhalations, the time between each of the plurality of inhalations being less than a predetermined time, and in which case the control circuitry may be configured to determine an indication of a quantity of the component delivered from the aerosol-generating material to a user during the session based on the duration of the session and the indication of the operating parameter during the session.

[0010] The control circuitry may be configured to determine an indication of an amount of a component delivered from the aerosol generating material to a user during a continuous predetermined period of time based on a duration of each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period of time and an indication of the operating parameter during each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period of time, wherein the control circuitry may be configured to determine a time between each inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal, and the determination of the indication of the amount of a component delivered from the aerosol generating material to a user during a continuous predetermined period of time is also based on the time between each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period of time.

[0011] Determining the indication of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material may be further based on the concentration of the component in the aerosol-generating material, hi some embodiments, the component is nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, a vitamin, melatonin, or a cannabinoid.

[0012] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system also includes a power source configured to supply power to the aerosol generator, and an operating parameter of the system is an amount of power supplied by the power source to the aerosol generator.

[0013] The control circuitry may be configured to determine a default user behavior based on the indication of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user for the multiple inhalations. For example, the control circuitry may be configured to determine a time between each of the multiple inhalations based on the inhalation detection signal, where determining the default user behavior is also based on the time between each of the multiple inhalations.

[0014] The control circuitry may be configured to change an operational mode of the aerosol delivery system based on a default user action.

[0015] The control circuit may be configured to provide a notification to a user based on an indication of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during inhalation and a default user action.

[0016] The control circuitry may be configured to provide a notification to the user when an indication of the amount of constituent delivered from the aerosol forming material to the user during inhalation exceeds a puff threshold.

[0017] The control circuitry may be configured to provide a notification to a user when an indication of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol-forming material to a user during a session exceeds a session threshold.

[0018] The control circuit may be configured to provide a notification to a user when an indication of the amount of a component delivered from the aerosol generating material to a user during a continuing predetermined period of time exceeds a period threshold.

[0019] The notification may be provided by an application on the aerosol delivery system and / or the remote device. The notification may be a tactile notification. Parameters of the tactile notification may be adjustable by the user.

[0020] According to some embodiments described herein, there is provided a system comprising an aerosol delivery system configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material and a computer configured to receive an inhalation detection signal from a sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol delivery system by a user of the aerosol delivery system, determine a duration of the inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, and determine an indication of an amount of a component delivered from the aerosol-generating material to the user during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and an indication of an operating parameter of the aerosol delivery system during inhalation.

[0021] According to some embodiments described herein, a method is provided for determining an amount of a component delivered to a user of an aerosol delivery system, the method comprising the steps of receiving an inhalation detection signal from a sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol delivery system by a user of the aerosol delivery system, determining a duration of the inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, and determining an indication of an amount of a component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and an indication of an operating parameter of the aerosol delivery system during inhalation, the aerosol generator being configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material. A computer-readable storage medium is also provided that includes instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the method.

[0022] These and other aspects will become apparent from the following detailed description, and in this regard, certain sections of the description should not be read in isolation from other sections.

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol delivery system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol delivery system. [Figure 3A] 4 shows a graph of the inhalation detection signal output by the sensor versus time. [Figure 3B] 4 shows a graph of the inhalation detection signal output by the sensor versus time. [Figure 3C] 4 shows a graph of the inhalation detection signal output by the sensor versus time. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates a system comprising an aerosol delivery system and a computer. [Diagram 5] 1 is a flow chart of a method for determining an amount of a component to be delivered to a user of an aerosol delivery system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are discussed / described herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be implemented conventionally, and these aspects and features will not be discussed / described in detail for the sake of brevity. Thus, it will be understood that aspects and features of the articles and systems discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented according to any conventional technique for implementing such aspects and features.

[0026] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems, sometimes referred to as aerosol delivery systems, such as e-cigarettes. Throughout the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" are sometimes used, with the understanding that these terms may be used interchangeably with aerosol delivery systems and electronic aerosol delivery systems.

[0027] As mentioned above, aerosol delivery systems (e-cigarettes) often comprise modular assemblies that include both a reusable part (aerosol delivery device) and a replaceable (disposable) cartridge part, called a consumable. Systems conforming to this type of two-part modular configuration may be generally referred to as two-part systems or devices. Electronic cigarettes also generally have an elongated overall shape. To provide a concrete example, certain embodiments of the present disclosure described herein include this type of generally elongated two-part system employing a disposable cartridge. However, it will be understood that the basic principles described herein may be similarly employed in other e-cigarette configurations, such as modular systems including three or more parts, as devices conforming to other overall shapes, for example based on so-called box mod high-performance devices that typically have a more box-like shape.

[0028] As noted above, the present disclosure relates to (but is not limited to) aerosol delivery devices and corresponding aerosol delivery systems, such as e-cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.

[0029] 1 is a highly schematic diagram (not to scale) of an exemplary aerosol delivery system 10, such as an e-cigarette, to which embodiments are applicable. The aerosol delivery system has a generally cylindrical shape, extends along a longitudinal axis or y-axis as indicated by the axis (although aspects of the invention are applicable to e-cigarettes configured in other shapes and configurations), and includes two main components: an aerosol delivery device 20 and a consumable 30.

[0030] A consumable 30 is an article that includes or consists of an aerosol-forming material 38, some or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user. The consumable 30 may include one or more other components, such as an aerosol-forming material storage location, an aerosol-forming material transfer component 37, an aerosol generation location, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece 35, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0031] The consumable 30 may also include an aerosol generator 36, such as a heating element, that emits heat during use to cause the aerosol-generating material 38 to generate an aerosol. The aerosol generator 36 may include, for example, a combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor. It should be noted that the aerosol generator 36 may be part of the aerosol delivery device 20, in which case the consumable 30 may include an aerosol-generating material storage location for the aerosol-generating material 38 such that the aerosol-generating material 38 can be transferred to the aerosol generator 36 when the consumable 30 is coupled to the aerosol delivery device 20.

[0032] The aerosol-generating material 38 is a material capable of generating an aerosol when, for example, heated, irradiated, or otherwise excited. The aerosol-generating material 38 may or may not contain actives and / or flavorings and may be in the form of, for example, a solid, liquid, or gel. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material 38 may include an "amorphous solid." An "amorphous solid" may also be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that may retain some fluid, such as a liquid, within the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include, for example, about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% amorphous solid to about 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% amorphous solid.

[0033] The aerosol-generating material 38 includes one or more ingredients, such as one or more active agents and / or flavorings, one or more aerosol former materials, and, optionally, one or more other functional materials, such as pH adjusters, colorants, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and / or antioxidants.

[0034] The active substance as used herein may be a bioactive material. A bioactive material is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substance may be selected from, for example, dietary supplements, nootropics, psychoactive agents. The active substance may be of natural origin or synthetically obtained. The active substance may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or constituents, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active substance may include one or more constituents, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or another plant.

[0035] In some embodiments, the active agent comprises nicotine, hi some embodiments, the active agent comprises caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0036] The aerosol delivery device 20 includes a power source 14, such as a battery, configured to power the aerosol generator 36. The power source 14 in this example is rechargeable and may be of a conventional type, such as the type typically used in e-cigarettes and other applications requiring the delivery of relatively high currents for relatively short periods of time. The battery 14 may be rechargeable using a charging port (not shown), which may include, for example, a USB connector.

[0037] The aerosol delivery device 20 includes a control circuit 28 configured to determine one or more operating parameters of the aerosol delivery system 10. The control circuit also controls the operation of the aerosol delivery system 10 based on the determination, providing conventional operating functionality in line with established techniques for controlling aerosol delivery systems such as electronic cigarettes. The control circuit (processor circuit) 28 can be considered to logically include various sub-units / circuit elements associated with various aspects of the operation of an electronic cigarette. For example, depending on the functionality provided in various implementations, the control circuit 28 may include power control circuitry for controlling the supply of power from the power source 14 to the aerosol generator 36, user programming circuitry for establishing configuration settings (e.g., user-defined power settings) in response to user input, as well as functionality associated with other functional units / circuitry in accordance with the principles described herein and conventional aspects of the operation of an electronic cigarette. It will be appreciated that the functionality of control circuitry 28 may be provided in a variety of different ways, for example using one or more appropriately programmed programmable computer(s) and / or one or more appropriately configured application specific integrated circuit(s) / circuit(s) / chip(s) / chipset(s) configured to provide the desired functionality.

[0038] The aerosol delivery device 20 shown in FIG. 1 includes one or more air inlets 21. In use, as a user inhales on a mouthpiece 35, air is drawn into the aerosol delivery device 20 through the air inlet 21 and along an air path 23 to an aerosol generator 36. In the aerosol generator 36, the air mixes with vaporized aerosol-generating material 38 to form a condensed aerosol. The air drawn through the aerosol generator 36 continues along the air path 23 to the mouthpiece 35, carrying with it a portion of the aerosol, and exits through the mouthpiece 35 for inhalation by the user. It will be appreciated that the one or more air inlets may be formed in the consumable 30 such that the air path 23 is entirely contained within the consumable 30, or that the aerosol delivery device 20 and the consumable 30 may each include at least one air inlet 21 and a portion of the air path 23.

[0039] As a specific example, the consumable 30 includes a housing (e.g., formed from a plastic material), a reservoir formed within the housing for containing an aerosol-generating material 38 (which in this example may be a liquid that may or may not contain nicotine), an aerosol-generating material transfer component 37 (which in this example is a wick formed, for example, from glass or cotton fiber, or a ceramic material, and configured to transport the liquid from the reservoir using capillary action), an aerosol-generation location, and a mouthpiece 35. Although not shown, a filter and / or an aerosol modifier (such as a flavoring material) may be located in or near the mouthpiece 35. The consumable in this example includes a heater element formed from an electrically resistive material (such as NiCr8020) spirally wrapped around the aerosol-generating material transfer component 37 and located in the air passage 23. The location around the combination of the heating element and the wick is the aerosol-generation location of the consumable 30. The consumable includes suitable electrical contacts for coupling to electrical contacts provided on the aerosol delivery device 20 so that power can be supplied directly to the heater element.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a further example of an aerosol delivery system 10, with the same reference numbers used for similar elements between the aerosol delivery system 10 shown in FIG. 1 and the aerosol delivery system 10 shown in FIG. 2.

[0041] The aerosol delivery system 10 of Figure 2 includes a sensor 25 configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol delivery system 10 by a user of the aerosol delivery system 10. For example, the sensor 25 may be a flow sensor, a microphone, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, a touch sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or any other type of sensor suitable for directly or indirectly detecting or inferring inhalation of the aerosol delivery system 10 by a user of the aerosol delivery system 10. The sensor 25 shown in Figure 2 is part of the aerosol delivery device 20, although this is not required. In other embodiments, the sensor 25 may be part of the consumable 30.

[0042] Sensor 25 can be configured to detect inhalation based on the flow rate of air into one or more of air inlets 21 or air passage 23 through aerosol delivery system 10. Alternatively, the sensor can include a pressure or light sensor at mouthpiece 35 configured to detect when a user's lips are placed around mouthpiece 35, or a pressure or light sensor placed on aerosol delivery device 20 to detect when a user places their hand around aerosol delivery device 20.

[0043] In some embodiments, there are two or more sensors 25. As noted above, for example, there may be a sensor 25 located proximate the air inlet and a sensor 25 proximate a portion of the air passage 23, the aerosol generator 36, and / or the mouthpiece 35. Thus, each sensor is configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol delivery system 10. When there is two or more sensors 25, there may be two or more types of sensors and / or multiple sensors of the same type.

[0044] In response to detecting an inhalation of the aerosol delivery system 10 by a user of the system, the sensor 25 is configured to output a corresponding inhalation detection signal to the control circuit 28. In some embodiments, the sensor 25 is configured to output the inhalation detection signal continuously or periodically, such as every 0.01 seconds, every 0.1 seconds, or every second. If the sensor 25 outputs the inhalation detection signal periodically, in some implementations, the period between outputs of subsequent inhalation detection signals can be set to be equal to or less than the average or typical length of a user's inhalation (e.g., 2-5 seconds), thereby ensuring that no inhalation is missed. In either case, the inhalation detection signal changes when the sensor 25 detects an inhalation of the system. For example, the inhalation detection signal is a binary representation of whether an inhalation of the system has been detected, e.g., a "1" indicates that an inhalation has been detected and a "0" indicates that an inhalation has not been detected. Alternatively, the inhalation detection signal may correspond to an inhalation level or intensity detected by the sensor 25. That is, the inhalation detection signal can provide an indication of the strength of the draw detected by the sensor 25. For example, if sensor 25 is a microphone or flow sensor, the inhalation detection signal can provide an indication of the air velocity or mass flow rate through aerosol delivery system 10, thereby providing an indication of the magnitude or intensity of an inhalation by a user. In some embodiments, the inhalation detection signal corresponds to the signal detected by sensor 25. That is, the inhalation detection signal represents the raw output from sensor 25, with no filtering or processing applied by sensor 25.

[0045] The inhalation detection signal may be set to zero when no inhalation is detected by the sensor 25, and may correspond to the inhalation level or intensity detected by the sensor 25 when inhalation is detected. In some embodiments, the sensor 25 is configured to output the inhalation detection signal only when inhalation is detected. That is, the sensor 25 is configured to output the inhalation detection signal in response to detecting inhalation in the system, and the sensor 25 is configured to stop outputting the inhalation detection signal when inhalation is no longer detected by the sensor 25.

[0046] 3A-3C show graphs of the inhalation detection signal output by the sensor 25 against time. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, the sensor 25 continuously outputs the inhalation detection signal, and the inhalation detected by the sensor 25 corresponds to the period during which the inhalation detection signal is greater than the detection threshold 301. In the example shown in FIG. 3B, the inhalation detection signal 305A output by the sensor 25 is "0" until time 302, which corresponds to the time when the sensor 25 detects the inhalation of the aerosol delivery system 10 by the user. This can represent either no inhalation detection signal being output, or the inhalation detection signal being output with a value of "0". Between time 301 and 302, which corresponds to the time when the sensor 25 detects the inhalation of the aerosol delivery system 10 by the user, the inhalation detection signal 305B output by the sensor 25 is "1". That is, the sensor 25 outputs the inhalation detection signal to indicate that inhalation has been detected. After time 303, the inhalation detection signal 305A output by the sensor 25 becomes "0", indicating that the sensor 25 no longer detects inhalation. As previously mentioned, this can represent either no inhalation detection signal being output or the inhalation detection signal being output with a value of "0." In the example shown in Figure 3C, when no inhalation is detected by sensor 25, inhalation detection signal 305A is set to "0," and when sensor 25 detects inhalation, inhalation detection signal 305C corresponds to the signal recorded by sensor 25.

[0047] As described above, the sensor 25 is configured to output an inhalation detection signal to the control circuit 28. In response to receiving the inhalation detection signal, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the duration of the inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25. That is, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the elapsed time of the inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25. As described above, the sensor 25 may be configured to output the inhalation detection signal to the control circuit continuously or periodically. The control circuit is also configured to use the changes in these signals described above to determine the duration of the inhalation, for example, by starting an inhalation timer when the inhalation detection signal changes a first time and stopping the inhalation timer when the inhalation detection signal changes a second time. The control circuit 28 may be configured to start an inhalation timer upon receiving a first non-zero inhalation detection signal or upon receiving a first inhalation detection signal indicating that inhalation is being detected by the sensor 25, such as at time 302 in Figures 3B and 3C. Control circuitry 28 may be configured to stop the inhalation timer upon receiving the next zero value inhalation detection signal, or upon receiving the next inhalation detection signal indicating that sensor 25 is no longer detecting inhalation, such as at time 303 in Figures 3A-3C. Taking Figures 3A-3C as an example, the duration of inhalation determined by control circuitry 28 is the elapsed time between time 302 and time 303.

[0048] As previously discussed, sensor 25 may be configured to output an inhalation detection signal only when inhalation is detected, in which case control circuit 28 may be configured to determine the duration of inhalation by starting an inhalation timer when the inhalation detection signal is received and stopping the inhalation timer when the inhalation detection signal is no longer received.

[0049] Alternatively, the duration of the inhalation can be determined based on information included in the inhalation detection signal, such as a timestamp associated with each inhalation detection signal. For example, in the case shown in Fig. 3B or 3C, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the duration of the inhalation using the timestamp of the first non-zero inhalation detection signal received (at time 302) and the timestamp of the next zero-value inhalation detection signal received (at time 303). Alternatively, in the example shown in Fig. 3A, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the duration of the inhalation using the timestamp of the first inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25 that exceeds the detection threshold 301, which corresponds to time 302 in Fig. 3A, and the timestamp of the next inhalation detection signal received from the sensor that does not exceed the detection threshold, which corresponds to time 303 in Fig. 3A.

[0050] In examples where the inhalation detect signal is output periodically by sensor 25, control circuit 28 may be configured to determine the duration of inhalation by counting the number of consecutive non-zero inhalation detect signals received, or the number of consecutive inhalation detect signals received from sensor 25 that indicate that inhalation is being detected by sensor 25. The duration of the output of the airflow detect signal may then be used to determine the duration of inhalation.

[0051] In examples where there are two or more sensors 25, each sensor 25 is configured to output an inhalation detection signal according to the above principles. In this case, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the duration of inhalation based on the inhalation detection signals received from one or more of the sensors 25. For example, the control circuit 28 can be configured to determine the duration of inhalation in response to receiving an inhalation detection signal indicating that inhalation has been detected from any one of the sensors 25. Alternatively, the control circuit 28 can be configured to determine the duration of inhalation in response to receiving an inhalation detection signal indicating that inhalation has been detected from more than a given percentage of the total number of sensors 25, such as 25%, 50%, 80%, or 100%.

[0052] In some embodiments, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the time between inhalations based on the inhalation detection signal. That is, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the elapsed time from one inhalation to the next. This can be accomplished using the same techniques described above for determining the duration of an inhalation, such as using a timer, information contained in the inhalation detection signal, or the duration of the output of the inhalation detection signal. For example, the control circuit 28 can be configured to start an interval timer in response to receiving the first zero value inhalation detection signal after a non-zero inhalation detection signal. The control circuit 28 is then configured to stop the interval timer in response to receiving the next non-zero value inhalation detection signal.

[0053] In the above embodiment in which sensor 25 is configured to stop outputting the inhalation detection signal when no inhalation is detected, control circuit 28 can be configured to determine the time between inhalations by starting an interval timer when sensor 25 stops outputting the inhalation detection signal. That is, control circuit 28 is configured to start the interval timer in response to sensor 25 stopping outputting the inhalation detection signal after inhalation is detected by sensor 25. Control circuit 28 can then be configured to stop the interval timer when sensor 25 outputs the next inhalation detection signal, thereby enabling control circuit 28 to determine the time between inhalations.

[0054] The duration of each inhalation can be used to determine the duration of multiple inhalations by the user during a given predetermined period, such as one minute, one hour, or one day. For example, the control circuit 28 can be configured to determine the duration of each inhalation during a continuous 24-hour period. The duration of each inhalation can then be summed to determine the total duration of inhalations during the continuous 24-hour period. As will be appreciated, a continuous 24-hour period is intended to mean the 24 hours immediately preceding any point in time, e.g., the continuous 24-hour period represents the most recent 24 hours from a given point in time. Thus, a continuous predetermined period represents a period immediately preceding any point in time, the period being predetermined. As previously mentioned, a continuous predetermined period may be a longer period, such as a continuous minute, a continuous hour, a continuous day (24 hours), or a continuous week or other period.

[0055] As will be appreciated, many users of the aerosol delivery system 10 do not take a single inhalation with the aerosol delivery system 10, but rather take a session with the aerosol delivery system 10. A session is multiple inhalations within a period of time, such as 1-2 minutes, and sometimes longer, such as 5 or 10 minutes. Thus, the control circuit 28 can be configured to use the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25 to determine the duration of the session based on the duration of the multiple inhalations. In this case, the time between each of the multiple inhalations is less than the predetermined time. The predetermined time can be set and changed by the user or the control circuit 28, or can be a fixed value based, for example, on empirical data. The predetermined time can be less than 1 minute, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or more. The predetermined time can be defined as a duration of time such that each inhalation within the immediately preceding predetermined period is considered by the control circuit 28 to be part of a session, as discussed above. Alternatively, the predetermined time can be set such that the time between each inhalation must be less than the predetermined time in order for the inhalations to be considered by the control circuit 28 to be part of the same session. In this case, a session timer can be implemented to determine the duration of the session. The session timer starts when the inhalation detection signal indicates that an inhalation is detected by the sensor, and the session timer stops when the duration between inhalations exceeds a predetermined time. Alternatively, as described above, the timestamp associated with each inhalation detection signal can be used to determine the duration of the session based on the duration of each inhalation and the time between each inhalation.

[0056] Control circuitry 28 is configured to determine an indication of the amount of constituents delivered from aerosol generating material 38 to a user during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and the indication of the operating parameters during inhalation. As will be appreciated, the amount of aerosol delivered to a user during inhalation (and, by extension, the amount of aerosol generating material 38) will depend on the duration of inhalation, e.g., the longer the inhalation, the more aerosol generating material 38 will be delivered to the user during inhalation.

[0057] As noted above, aerosol-generating material 38 includes one or more components. Thus, the amount of each of the one or more components delivered from aerosol-generating material 38 to a user during inhalation also depends on the duration of inhalation, and thus control circuitry 28 is configured to use the duration of inhalation in determining the amount of the component delivered from aerosol-generating material 38 to a user during inhalation.

[0058] As described above, the control circuit 28 determines the operating parameters of the aerosol delivery system 10. The amount of aerosol generating material 38 delivered to a user during inhalation depends on the operating parameters (settings) of the aerosol delivery system 10. Thus, an indication of the operating parameters during inhalation is used along with the duration of inhalation to determine an indication of the amount of a component delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to a user during inhalation. The indication of the operating parameter may be the actual value of the operating parameter itself, or a numerical value corresponding to a setting, such as "0" for "off" and "1" for "on", or "1" for a low value, "2" for a medium value, and "3" for a high value. Thus, the indication is any suitable means of communicating the nature or state of a component of the aerosol delivery system 10 for use in determining an indication of the amount of a component delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to a user during inhalation.

[0059] The operating parameter may be the amount of power provided by the power source 14 to the aerosol generator 36. In this case, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine an indication of the amount of components delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user during inhalation based on an indication of the amount of power provided by the power source 14 to the aerosol generator 36 during inhalation. For example, the indication of the amount of power provided may be the power delivered to the aerosol generator 36 during inhalation, or the amount of voltage and / or current provided to the aerosol generator 36 during inhalation, or may be an integer between 1 and 10, or a power setting of the aerosol generator 36 during inhalation, such as "1" for a low value, "2" for a medium value, and "3" for a high value. The amount of aerosol generated by the aerosol generator 36 during inhalation depends on the amount of power provided to the aerosol generator 36, and therefore an indication of the amount of components delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user during inhalation may be more accurately determined by taking the amount of power into account in the calculation.

[0060] Alternatively, or in addition, the control circuitry 28 may determine one or more other operating parameters of the aerosol delivery system, such as the amount of charge of the power source 14, the temperature of or near the aerosol generator 36, the amount and / or rate of airflow through the aerosol delivery system 10, a reading that is then used to determine an indication of the amount of constituent delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user during inhalation. The operating parameters may change or fluctuate during inhalation (e.g., a decrease in the amount of charge of the power source 14 or an increase in the temperature of the aerosol generator 36). Thus, the determination of the operating parameter by the control circuitry 28 may correspond to a maximum, minimum, or average, modeled, or median value of the operating parameter during inhalation. Similarly, the indication of the operating parameter may represent one or more of the value of the operating parameter at the start of inhalation, the value of the operating parameter at the end of inhalation, the maximum value of the operating parameter during inhalation, the minimum value of the operating parameter during inhalation, and the average, modeled, and / or median value of the operating parameter during inhalation.

[0061] As described above, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine an indication of the amount of the component delivered. The indication may represent an actual amount of the component delivered, such as a mass or volume of the component delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user during inhalation. For example, the control circuit 28 may be configured to use an algorithm or look-up table to determine the amount of the component delivered during inhalation based on the duration of the inhalation and the operating parameters. The algorithm or look-up table may be based on empirical data for the aerosol delivery system 10, such as the maximum or average mass flow rate of air through the air passage 23, or the amount of the component delivered for a standard inhalation profile, such as 55 ml of air for 3 seconds of inhalation every 30 seconds (referred to as a 55 / 3 / 30 profile). If the amount of the component delivered for the standard inhalation profile is known, this amount can be converted using a look-up table or algorithm to determine the amount of the component delivered for inhalations with different durations and / or volumes of aerosol delivered, and therefore an indication of the amount of the component can be determined.

[0062] Alternatively, the indication of the amount of a component delivered during inhalation may relate to the amount of a component delivered compared to the capacity of the aerosol-generating material storage location, such that the indication of the amount of a component delivered indicates the amount of component and / or aerosol-generating material remaining in the aerosol-generating material storage location. For example, the indication may be a percentage of the total amount of aerosol-generating material present in the aerosol-generating material storage location when the aerosol-generating material storage location is full.

[0063] In some embodiments, the indication of the amount of the component delivered during inhalation is a fixed-scale rating, such as an integer or real number between 0 and 10, with 0 being the lowest value and 10 being the highest value. However, scales of different forms and granularities can also be used, where a reading of 2 represents a small amount of the component delivered during inhalation, and a reading of 10 represents a maximum amount of the component delivered. This rating can be calculated by multiplying the duration of inhalation by the indication of the operating parameter during inhalation, applying one or more conversion factors, or by any other suitable calculation technique. The use of such a scale rating allows comparison between readings from different inhalations without requiring as precise or detailed calculations as when the reading corresponds to the actual amount of the component delivered.

[0064] The determination of the indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user may be performed during the inhalation itself. That is, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the indication of the amount of the component delivered while the inhalation is taking place, such that the determination is ongoing during the inhalation. Thus, the determination of the indication of the amount of the component delivered is performed simultaneously with the determination of the duration of the inhalation. For example, as described above, the control circuit 28 can be configured to start a timer or otherwise initiate the determination of the duration of the inhalation in response to receiving an inhalation detection signal from the sensor 25 or in response to a change in the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25. The determination of the indication of the amount of the component delivered is also initiated simultaneously. Thus, both the determination of the duration of the inhalation and the determination of the indication of the amount of the component delivered continue until the inhalation detection signal is no longer received from the sensor 25 or the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25 changes for a second time.

[0065] Alternatively, the determination of the duration of inhalation may be made during inhalation, while the determination of the indication of the amount of delivered component is made after inhalation is completed, or both determinations may be performed after inhalation is completed.

[0066] As described above, the control circuitry 28 may be configured to determine the duration of the session based on the duration of the multiple inhalations. In response, the control circuitry 28 may be configured to determine an indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user during the session based on the duration of the session and the indication of the operating parameter during the session. The determination of the indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during the session may also be based on the duration of each inhalation during the session and the time between each inhalation during the session. As described above, this determination may be performed for each inhalation of the session. For example, a separate determination is performed during or after each inhalation of the session is completed. Alternatively, the determination may be performed once, either during the session or after the entire session is completed. As described above, the indication of the operating parameter during the session may represent one or more of the value of the operating parameter at the start of the session, the value of the operating parameter at the end of the session, the maximum value of the operating parameter during the session, the minimum value of the operating parameter during the session, and the average value of the operating parameter during the session. Alternatively, the indications of the operating parameters during a session may correspond to indications of the operating parameters for each inhalation of the session.

[0067] In the above embodiments in which control circuitry 28 is configured to determine the duration of each inhalation during a continuous predetermined period of time, control circuitry 28 may also be configured to determine an indication of the amount of component delivered from aerosol generating material 38 to a user during a continuous predetermined period of time based on the duration of each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period of time and the indication of the operating parameter during each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period of time. As described above, control circuitry 28 determines the operating parameters of the aerosol delivery system. Thus, control circuitry 28 may be configured to determine the operating parameters during each inhalation during a continuous predetermined period of time to determine an indication of the amount of component delivered from aerosol generating material 38 to a user during a continuous predetermined period of time.

[0068] Additionally, the determination of the indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol-generating material 38 to the user during the continuous predetermined period of time may also be based on the time between each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period of time. For some components, the amount of the component remaining in the user's body tissue decreases over time as the component is absorbed, degraded, excreted, or otherwise depleted from the user's body tissue. By considering the time between each inhalation and the duration of each inhalation during the predetermined period of time, the indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol-generating material 38 to the user during the continuous predetermined period of time may be indicative of the amount of the component remaining in the user's body tissue, rather than the amount of the component delivered to the user during the predetermined period of time.

[0069] The determination of the indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol-generating material 38 may also be based on other factors, such as the concentration of the component in the aerosol-generating material 38. It will be appreciated that for a given amount of aerosol generated by the aerosol generator 36 from the aerosol-generating material 38, the amount of the component in the resulting aerosol will vary depending on the concentration, i.e., the amount of the component in the aerosol-generating material 38. As noted above, the component may be an active substance, such as nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or constituents, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The component may be a flavoring, an aerosol former material, or a functional material, such as a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, or an antioxidant. Thus, to improve the accuracy of the determination, the concentration of the component in the aerosol-generating material 38 may be taken into account when determining the indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol-generating material 38. The concentration of the ingredient in the aerosol-generating material 38 may be provided to the control circuitry 38 by a user, for example, by inputting the concentration into a user input device associated with the aerosol delivery system 10, or the control circuitry 28 may be configured to determine the concentration of the ingredient in the aerosol-generating material 38, for example, in response to the consumable 30 being attached to the aerosol delivery system 10. The consumable 30 may include an electronic chip or tag, such as an RFID tag, that can be read by the control circuitry 28 to determine not only the concentration of the ingredient in the aerosol-generating material 38, but also other characteristics of the consumable 30, such as the manufacturer or consumable identification, one or more flavorings or other ingredients included in the aerosol-generating material 38, and the volume or mass of the aerosol-generating material 38 in the consumable 30.

[0070] In some embodiments, the control circuitry 28 is configured to determine a default user behavior based on an indication of the amount of ingredients delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user for multiple inhalations. That is, the control circuitry 28 is configured to detect patterns in inhalations by the user based on the determined data of the inhalations, such as the duration of the inhalation, the duration of the session, the time between inhalations, the amount of power delivered to the aerosol generator 36 during the inhalation, the power level or setting of the aerosol generator 36 for the inhalation, and the type and / or concentration of one or more of the ingredients in the aerosol generating material 38. These patterns are then used to set a default user behavior with respect to the amount of ingredients delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user during the inhalation. The determined data of the inhalations can also be used to determine a default user behavior for the session or another period of time, such as a sustained predetermined period of time, a week, a month, and / or a year. Additionally, the control circuitry 28 can continually update the determined default user behavior based on changes in the indication of the amount of ingredients delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user for multiple inhalations over time.

[0071] For example, if the control circuitry 28 is configured to determine the time between each of the multiple inhalations based on the inhalation detection signal, the default user behavior can also be determined based on the time between each of the multiple inhalations. From the above, for example, if a user takes a series of puffs, whether the sessions have extended times between sessions, such as 30 minutes, an hour, or longer than an hour, or whether the user takes a small number of inhalations, such as one or two, but spaced at more regular intervals, such as every 10 or 20 minutes, can be detected as patterns of user behavior. Similarly, the collected data can enable the control circuitry 28 to identify specific times of day when the user takes more inhalations, such as in the morning or evening, or whether the number and duration of inhalations during a session varies throughout the day. For example, a user may have a session in the morning that includes multiple long inhalations at a high power setting, while an evening session includes fewer, shorter inhalations at a lower power setting. A user may take more inhalations during the weekday, but over the course of a month or year, the data may indicate that the user is taking fewer inhalations, for example, due to the user attempting to reduce use of the aerosol delivery system 10. Such a default action may be determined based on an indication of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol-forming material 38 to the user over multiple inhalations.

[0072] The control circuit 28 may also be configured to change the operating mode of the aerosol delivery system 10, such as the amount of power supplied by the power source 14 to the aerosol generator 36, the temperature of the aerosol generator 36, the sensitivity or detection threshold of the sensor 25, the color and / or number of illuminated light indicators, and / or the volume, pitch and / or duration of sounds emitted by the aerosol delivery device 20, based on default user actions.

[0073] If it is determined that the user is taking a long inhalation, e.g., greater than 10 seconds, the control circuitry 28 can be configured to modify the amount of power provided by the power source 14 to the aerosol generator 36 during inhalation to prevent drying or overheating of the aerosol generator 36. The power provided to the aerosol generator 36 may be set to an initial value or power setting and then decreased as inhalation continues. Alternatively, if it is determined that the user is taking a very small or light inhalation, e.g., with a low air velocity or mass flow rate, the control circuitry 28 can be configured to modify the sensitivity or detection threshold of the sensor 25 to ensure that the user's inhalation is properly detected.

[0074] In some embodiments, the control circuitry 28 is configured to provide a notification to the user based on an indication of the amount of components delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user during inhalation and a default user action. For example, the notification can be provided at the aerosol delivery system 10 by activating an indicator light, playing a sound through a speaker, displaying a message on a display screen of the aerosol delivery device 20 and / or consumable 30, etc. The notification can also be a tactile notification at the aerosol delivery system 10, such as vibration or force feedback. For example, the vibration can be generated by an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) or a piezoelectric actuator in the aerosol delivery device 20 and / or consumable 30, or the force can be generated by a motor in the aerosol delivery device 20 and / or consumable 30. The notification can also be a change in the operating mode of the aerosol delivery system 10 that the user would notice, such as shutting off, disabling, or otherwise preventing the supply of power to the aerosol generator 36. For example, the aerosol generator 36 may be disabled for a period of time, such as 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 1 minute, or more than 1 minute.

[0075] Alternatively, or in addition, the notification may be provided in an application on a remote device. For example, a user of the aerosol delivery system 10 may have a device associated with the aerosol delivery system 10, but separate from the aerosol delivery system 10. The control circuitry 28 may be configured to communicate with the remote device, for example, by Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), ANT+, Wi-Fi, or other suitable wireless communication methods. The control circuitry 28 may be configured to communicate with the remote device such that the notification is provided to the user at the remote device, such as in an application installed on the remote device. For example, a message may be displayed on a display screen of the remote device, an indicator light may be activated, a sound may be emitted from a speaker, or a tactile notification may be provided to the remote device as described above. The remote device may include any suitable electronic device that can be communicatively coupled to the aerosol delivery system 10. For example, the remote device may include a mobile device (such as a smartphone), a PDA, a personal computer, a laptop, a tablet, a smartwatch, or the like.

[0076] Additionally, one or more parameters associated with the notification may be adjusted by the user. For example, the user may adjust the number, brightness, and / or color of activated indicator lights, the volume, pitch, and / or duration of sounds made, and / or the message displayed. The user may also adjust one or more parameters of a haptic notification. For example, the user may adjust the duration, magnitude, and / or pattern of vibrations provided by an actuator or force provided by a motor.

[0077] A user may adjust one or more parameters associated with notifications at aerosol delivery system 10 and / or a remote device, regardless of whether the notifications are provided at aerosol delivery system 10 or at a remote device. For example, a user may adjust one or more of the parameters associated with notifications using an application on a remote device, even when the notifications themselves are provided at aerosol delivery system 10. For example, a user may disable notifications during inhalation, such that notifications are received only when inhalation is not detected by sensor 25.

[0078] In some embodiments, control circuitry 28 is configured to provide a notification to the user when an indication of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during inhalation exceeds a puff threshold. The puff threshold may correspond to a safe use limit of the component and / or aerosol generating material 38 or a safe use limit for inhalation of aerosol delivery system 10, for example, to prevent one or more of the components of aerosol delivery system 10 from overheating or drying out. The notification may be in any of the forms described above.

[0079] The indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol-generating material 38 to the user during inhalation may represent a ratio or percentage of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol-generating material 38 to the user during inhalation compared to a puff threshold. For example, the indication may be a percentage of the puff threshold, such as 10%, 20%, 50%, 80%, or 110%. A notification is provided to the user when the percentage exceeds 100%.

[0080] As described above, the determination of the delivered amount of component may be performed during inhalation. In this case, the comparison of the delivered amount of component with the puff threshold may be performed either continuously or periodically (such as every 1 second or every 5 seconds) during inhalation. That is, the delivered amount of component is constantly determined during inhalation, and the value of the delivered amount of component is compared to the puff threshold at the current time. Such a notification may be provided to the user during inhalation as soon as the amount of component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user exceeds the puff threshold.

[0081] In some embodiments, the control circuitry 28 is configured to provide a notification to the user when an indication of the amount of an ingredient delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user during a session exceeds a session threshold. Additionally or alternatively, the control circuitry 28 may be configured to provide a notification to the user when an indication of the amount of an ingredient delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user during a continuing predetermined period of time exceeds a duration threshold. Similar to the puff threshold, the session threshold and duration threshold may correspond to safe usage limits of the ingredient and / or the aerosol generating material 38 or safe usage limits of the aerosol delivery system 10 for a session and a predetermined period of time. The notification may be in any of the forms described above. As described above, the determination of the indication of the amount of an ingredient delivered may occur during a session and / or during a continuing predetermined period of time.

[0082] By configuring control circuitry 28 to modify one or more of the above thresholds, such as the puff threshold, session threshold, or duration threshold, based on default user behavior, the operation of aerosol delivery system 10 can be customized or otherwise tailored to the user. Alternatively, or in addition, the user can modify one or more of the thresholds, for example, by providing input to an input device of aerosol delivery device 20 or consumable 30, or using an application on an associated remote device, thereby providing additional control over the operation of aerosol delivery system 10.

[0083] 4 illustrates a system 400 that includes an aerosol delivery system 10 configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material 38, as described above. System 400 also includes a computer 40 configured to receive an inhalation detection signal from a sensor 25 configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol delivery system 10 by a user of the aerosol delivery system 10. Computer 40 is also configured to determine a duration of inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from sensor 25, and to determine an indication of an amount of a component delivered from the aerosol-generating material 38 to the user during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and an indication of an operating parameter of the aerosol delivery system 10 during inhalation.

[0084] 4, computer 40 may be a remote device associated with a user and in communication with aerosol delivery system 10. It will thus be understood that the functions of the control circuitry described herein, such as determining the duration of inhalation, determining an indication of the amount of components delivered, determining default user actions, and providing notifications to the user, may be performed by a computer 40 separate from aerosol delivery system 10, such as a remote device.

[0085] 5 is a flow chart of a method 500 for determining an amount of a component delivered to a user of the aerosol delivery system 10. The method begins at step 501, where an inhalation detection signal is received from a sensor 25 configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol delivery system 10 by a user of the aerosol delivery system 10. Next, at step 502, a duration of the inhalation is determined based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25. At step 503, an indication of an amount of a component delivered from the aerosol generating material 38 to the user during inhalation is determined based on the duration of inhalation and an indication of an operating parameter of the aerosol delivery system 10 during inhalation. As described above, the aerosol generator 36 is configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material 38.

[0086] 5 may be stored as instructions in a computer-readable storage medium such that, when executed by a processor, the above method 500 is performed. The computer-readable storage medium may be non-transitory.

[0087] As noted above, the present disclosure relates to (but is not limited to) an aerosol delivery system that includes a control circuit for determining an operating parameter of the aerosol delivery system, an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize an aerosol generating material, and a sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol delivery system by a user of the aerosol delivery system and output a corresponding inhalation detection signal to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to determine a duration of inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, and to determine an indication of an amount of a component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and the indication of the operating parameter during inhalation.

[0088] Thus, an aerosol delivery system, a system comprising an aerosol delivery system and a computer, a method for determining an amount of a component to be delivered to a user of the aerosol delivery system, and a computer readable storage medium are described.

[0089] The various embodiments described herein are presented only to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as a representative sample of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or equivalents thereof, and it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. The various embodiments of the invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of any suitable combination of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., specifically described herein. Moreover, this disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. 1. An aerosol delivery system comprising: a control circuit for determining operating parameters of the aerosol delivery system; an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize an aerosol-generating material, the operating parameter being an amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator; a sensor configured to detect a session including multiple inhalations of the aerosol delivery system by a user of the aerosol delivery system and output a corresponding inhalation detection signal to the control circuit; Equipped with The control circuit determining an indication of a quantity of components delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during the session based on the inhalation detection signal and an indication of the operating parameter during the inhalation; providing a notification to the user when an indication of a quantity of a component delivered from an aerosol generating material to the user during the session exceeds a session threshold, the notification including a change in an operational mode of the aerosol delivery system. Aerosol delivery system.

2. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine a duration of a session based on the duration of multiple inhalations.

3. 3. The aerosol delivery system of claim 2, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine an indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during the session based on the duration of the session and an indication of the operating parameter during the session.

4. 4. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine an indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during a continuous predetermined period of time based on the duration of each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period of time and an indication of the operating parameter during each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period of time.

5. 5. The aerosol delivery system of claim 4, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the time between each inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal, and wherein the determination of the indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during the continuous predetermined period is also based on the time between each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period.

6. 6. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the indication of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material is further based on a concentration of the component in the aerosol generating material.

7. 7. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the component is nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, a vitamin, melatonin, or a cannabinoid.

8. 8. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a power source configured to supply power to the aerosol generator, and wherein the operating parameter of the system is the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator by the power source.

9. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a default user action based on the indication of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material for multiple inhalations.

10. 10. The aerosol delivery system of claim 9, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a time between each of the plurality of inhalations based on the inhalation detection signal, and determining a default user behavior is also based on the time between each of the plurality of inhalations.

11. The aerosol delivery system of claim 9 or 10, wherein the control circuitry is configured to change an operational mode of the aerosol delivery system based on the default user action.

12. An aerosol delivery system as described in any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide a notification to the user based on the indication of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during inhalation and the default user behavior.

13. 13. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide a notification to the user when the indication of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during inhalation exceeds a puff threshold.

14. An aerosol delivery system as described in any one of claims 2 to 13, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide a notification to the user when the indication of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during the session exceeds a session threshold.

15. 15. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 4 to 14, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide a notification to the user when the indication of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during the continuous predetermined period of time exceeds a period threshold.

16. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the notification is provided by the aerosol delivery system.

17. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the notification is provided in an application on a remote device.

18. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the notification is a tactile notification.

19. 20. The aerosol delivery system of claim 18, wherein parameters of the tactile notification are adjustable by the user.

20. an aerosol delivery system configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material, the aerosol delivery system including an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material; A computer, wherein the computer: receiving an inhalation detection signal from a sensor configured to detect a session including multiple inhalations of the aerosol delivery system by a user of the aerosol delivery system; determining an indication of an amount of components delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during the session based on the inhalation detection signal and an indication of an operating parameter of the aerosol delivery system during the inhalation, the operating parameter being an amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator; The system, wherein the computer is configured to provide a notification to the user when an indication of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during the session exceeds a session threshold, the notification including a change in an operating mode of the aerosol delivery system.

21. 1. A method for determining an amount of a component delivered to a user of an aerosol delivery system, comprising: receiving an inhalation detection signal from a sensor configured to detect a session including multiple inhalations of the aerosol delivery system by a user of the aerosol delivery system; determining an indication of an amount of components delivered from an aerosol generating material to the user during the session based on the inhalation detection signal and an indication of an operating parameter of the aerosol delivery system during the inhalation, wherein an aerosol generator is configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material, and the operating parameter is an amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator; providing a notification to the user if an indication of a quantity of a component delivered from an aerosol generating material to the user during the session exceeds a session threshold, the notification including a change in an operational mode of the aerosol delivery system. method.

22. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, receiving an inhalation detection signal from a sensor configured to detect a session including multiple inhalations of the aerosol delivery system by a user of the aerosol delivery system; determining an indication of an amount of components delivered from an aerosol generating material to the user during the session based on the inhalation detection signal and an indication of an operating parameter of the aerosol delivery system during the inhalation, wherein an aerosol generator is configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material, and the operating parameter is an amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator; A computer-readable storage medium executing a method, comprising: providing a notification to the user if an indication of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during the session exceeds a session threshold, the notification including a change in an operating mode of the aerosol delivery system.

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