Aerosol generating device

Abstract

The aerosol generating device includes a container for receiving a consumable including an aerosol substrate, a heating mechanism for heating the aerosol substrate, and a controller. The controller includes a monitoring unit for monitoring an observable indicative of a moisture content of the aerosol substrate during heating of the aerosol substrate, a detection unit for detecting an indication that the moisture content differs from a predetermined moisture content based on the monitored observable, and a signal unit for generating a control signal for interrupting operation of the device based on the detected indication. A method and a computer program for controlling an aerosol generating device.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Exemplary aspects herein relate to the generation of aerosol from consumables, and in particular to an aerosol generating device, a method and a computer program for controlling an aerosol generating device. [Background technology]

[0002] Devices are known that are used to heat or warm aerosolizable substances for the purpose of generating an aerosol, including known types of atomizers, vaporizers, electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigar-likes, etc., that are used to heat aerosolizable substances from traditional tobacco products as risk-reducing or risk-modifying devices.

[0003] Commonly available risk reduction or modification devices are substrate heated aerosol generating devices or heated non-combustion devices. This type of device generates an aerosol or vapor by heating an aerosol substrate that typically includes moist tobacco or other suitable aerosolizable material. By heating, rather than burning or combusting, the aerosol substrate, an aerosol is released that contains the ingredients desired by the user but does not include the toxic and carcinogenic by-products of combustion and burning.

[0004] Typically, the aerosolizable substance is provided as an aerosol substrate contained in a consumable, and the device is capable of heating or warming the substrate to generate the aerosol when the consumable is coupled to the device. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Consumables adapted for such aerosol generating devices are generally designed for a particular amount of use, for example until the aerosol substrate is depleted. Tobacco sticks are an example of consumables designed to be of limited use or disposable, meaning that the tobacco stick should be discarded after it has been heated once.

[0006] Beyond the intended use, due at least in part to the weakening as the moisture content of the aerosol substrate is reduced, the structural integrity of the consumable can no longer be ensured and there is a risk that the consumable will break, which may shut down the aerosol generating device or create a safety hazard, for example if the broken consumable causes an electrical short or a flame (e.g., if the broken consumable comes into contact with a heating element within the device).

[0007] Additionally, in the case of tobacco sticks, the tobacco (which is the aerosol substrate) can dry out, leading to a bad taste. Similar problems occur with non-tobacco containing aerosol substrates.

[0008] Therefore, in order to improve the safety and reliability of aerosol generating devices, it is necessary to prevent the use of consumables that have already been used, thereby preventing the consumables from being damaged while coupled to the device and degrading the user experience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to a first exemplary aspect disclosed herein, there is provided an aerosol generation device comprising: a container for receiving a consumable comprising an aerosol substrate; a heating mechanism for heating the aerosol substrate; and a controller comprising: a monitoring unit for monitoring an observable quantity indicative of a moisture content of the aerosol substrate during heating of the aerosol substrate; a detection unit for detecting an indication that the moisture content differs from a predetermined moisture content based on the monitored observable quantity; and a signal unit for generating a control signal for interrupting operation of the device based on the detected indication.

[0010] Thus, the aerosol generating device can recognize whether a consumable is a new or used consumable based on the moisture content inferred from the observed quantity, and can discontinue operation of the device if the consumable is not considered new, thereby improving the safety and usability of the device.

[0011] Preferably, the monitoring unit is arranged to monitor the observable quantity by obtaining a value of the observable quantity at each of a plurality of time points during heating of the aerosol substrate.

[0012] Preferably, the aerosol generating device further comprises a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the heating mechanism, the monitoring unit being arranged to obtain a signal indicative of the temperature of the heating mechanism from the temperature sensor.

[0013] Preferably, the detection unit is arranged to detect the indication based on deviation of an observable from a corresponding predetermined profile, the observable comprising at least one of a thermal profile of the device, a moisture profile for the aerosol substrate, and an electrical energy profile of the device, which correspond to the predetermined thermal profile, the predetermined moisture profile, and the predetermined electrical energy profile, respectively (i.e. the detection unit is arranged to detect the indication based on deviation of the thermal profile of the device from the predetermined thermal profile, deviation of the moisture profile for the aerosol substrate from the predetermined moisture profile, and / or deviation of the electrical energy profile of the device from the predetermined electrical energy profile).

[0014] Preferably, the observables include a thermal profile of the device, the predetermined thermal profile including information regarding a temperature change for heating of the aerosol substrate from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value over a first predetermined length of time, and the detection unit is arranged to detect an indication at least one of when the monitored thermal profile differs from the predetermined thermal profile by more than a predetermined thermal threshold and when the monitored thermal profile changes from the first predetermined value to the second predetermined value in less than a reference length of time (which may be predetermined), the reference length of time being less than or equal to the first predetermined length of time.

[0015] Preferably, the first predetermined value is one of the ambient temperature, the initial temperature of the aerosol substrate, and the initial temperature of the heating mechanism, and the second predetermined value is the temperature of the device in which the aerosol or vapour is generated from the aerosol substrate.

[0016] Preferably, the monitoring unit is arranged to monitor the thermal profile by obtaining temperature values ​​indicative of a temperature associated with one of the device and the aerosol substrate at each of a plurality of time points during heating of the aerosol substrate, and the detection unit is arranged to detect an indication when at least one of the temperature values ​​differs from a corresponding one of the reference values ​​by more than a predetermined thermal threshold, the reference value being determined based on the information of the temperature changes.

[0017] Preferably, the monitoring unit is arranged to obtain, for each temperature value, a measurement of the associated time between the time when heating of the aerosol substrate begins and the time when the temperature indicated by the temperature value is reached, and the detection unit is arranged to determine, for each temperature value, a point in time in the first predetermined length of time based on the measurement of the associated time, and to determine a reference value as the temperature identified by information relating to the temperature change at the determined point in time.

[0018] Preferably, the monitoring unit is arranged to monitor the electrical energy profile by measuring a value indicative of power in the device during heating of the aerosol substrate and integrating the values ​​indicative of power during heating of the aerosol substrate, the predetermined electrical energy profile comprising information indicative of a predetermined integrated power value, and the detection unit is arranged to detect the symptom when the integrated value indicative of power differs from the predetermined integrated power value by more than a predetermined electrical energy threshold.

[0019] Preferably, the monitoring unit is arranged to measure a value indicative of power based on at least one of a current output from a battery coupled to or within the device and a current provided to the heating mechanism.

[0020] Preferably, the aerosol generating device is arranged to control the temperature of the heating mechanism by controlling at least one switching element using pulse width modulation, and the monitoring unit is arranged to monitor the electrical energy profile by calculating the amount of electrical energy used to heat the aerosol substrate based on the length of time that the at least one switching element is turned on by the pulse width modulation.

[0021] Preferably, the monitoring unit is arranged to calculate an accumulated length of time that the at least one switching element is in an on-state, and to calculate the amount of electrical energy based on the accumulated length of time.

[0022] According to a second exemplary aspect disclosed herein, there is provided a method for controlling an aerosol generating device including a container for receiving a consumable, the consumable including an aerosol substrate, and a heating mechanism for heating the aerosol substrate, the method including: monitoring an observable quantity indicative of a moisture content of the aerosol substrate during heating of the aerosol substrate; detecting an indication that the moisture content differs from a predetermined moisture content based on the monitored observable quantity; and generating a control signal to interrupt operation of the device based on the detected indication.

[0023] According to a third exemplary aspect herein, there is provided a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method according to the second exemplary aspect above.

[0024] According to a further exemplary embodiment herein, there is provided a non-transitory storage medium storing the computer program of the third exemplary embodiment.

[0025] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, which are presented for a better understanding of the inventive concept, but should not be considered as limiting the present invention. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an aerosol generating device and consumables. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of electrical components of an aerosol generating device. [Diagram 3] 1 shows an example of a monitored thermal profile and a predetermined thermal profile of a device during heating of an aerosol substrate. [Figure 4A] 1 shows an example of a predetermined moisture profile during heating of an aerosol substrate and subsequent use of the consumable. [Figure 4B] 1 shows an example of a predetermined electrical energy profile during heating of an aerosol substrate. [Figure 4C] 1 shows an example of a predetermined profile during heating of an aerosol substrate. [Figure 5A] 1 shows an example of a monitored thermal profile and a predetermined thermal profile during heating of an aerosol substrate. [Figure 5B] 1 shows an example of a monitored thermal profile and a predetermined thermal profile during heating of an aerosol substrate. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of electrical components of an aerosol generating device. [Figure 7] 1 shows an example of the duty ratio of the signal used to control the switching element and the temperature of the heating mechanism during heating of the aerosol substrate. [Figure 8] A method for controlling an aerosol generating device is presented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Although illustrative embodiments are described below, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made to these illustrative embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the following description and accompanying drawings should be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting.

[0028] Numerous details are set forth in the following description and in the accompanying drawings to provide an understanding of various exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these details.

[0029] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an aerosol generation device 100 and a consumable 10 for use with the aerosol generation device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. The consumable 10 includes an aerosol substrate 12. The aerosol generation device 100 includes a container 110 for receiving the consumable 10, a heating mechanism 120 for heating the aerosol substrate 12, and a controller 130.

[0030] The consumable 10 is designed for single use (i.e., the consumable 10 should be heated only once to generate the aerosol substrate). In the example shown in Figure 1, the consumable 10 is a tobacco stick forming a tubular region with an aerosol substrate 12 and an outer layer of material, such as paper, foil, or other flexible planar material, that may be used to provide additional structural integrity and hold the aerosol substrate in place. Thus, the consumable 10 may be roughly similar to a cigarette.

[0031] However, the consumable 10 is not limited to any particular configuration, and any configuration that allows the consumable 10 to be received in the container 110 may be used. Additionally, the consumable 10 may not require an outer layer of material, for example, if the aerosol substrate 12 may have sufficient structural integrity for use alone, or if a material embedded in the aerosol substrate 12 provides the required level of structural integrity. In some designs, filters, vapor collection regions, cooling regions, and other structures may also be included in the consumable 10.

[0032] The aerosol substrate 12 may be provided as a solid or paste-type material in shredded, pelleted, powdered, granular, strip or sheet form, optionally a combination thereof. Similarly, the aerosol substrate may include a fluid (e.g., liquid or gel). The aerosol substrate may include tobacco, e.g., in a dried or cured form, and optionally with additional ingredients for flavor or to provide a smoother or more satisfying experience. Depending on the materials included in the aerosol substrate, the consumable may be defined as a tobacco stick, or the aerosol substrate may be defined as a flavor-releasing medium. In some examples, the aerosol substrate 12, such as tobacco, may be treated with a vaporizing agent. The vaporizing agent may improve the generation of vapor from the aerosol substrate. The vaporizing agent may include, for example, a polyol, such as glycerol, or a glycol, such as propylene glycol. In some cases, the aerosol substrate may not include tobacco or even nicotine, but instead may include natural or artificially derived ingredients to provide flavor, volatility, improved smoothness, and / or other satisfying effects. The aerosol substrate 12, such as tobacco, may include one or more humectants, such as glycols, to retain moisture.

[0033] Before use, the aerosol substrate 12 has a predetermined moisture content, which may depend on its design, shape, packaging, type, flavor, etc. As used herein, moisture content refers to the amount of water and any other humectants that may be present in the aerosol substrate 12, and may be defined by mass (e.g., gravimetric moisture content), by volume (e.g., volumetric moisture content), or by any other measurable physical quantity of the aerosol substrate. It will be understood that in practice the moisture content may differ slightly from the predetermined value. The expression "predetermined value" may therefore be understood to indicate a range, which may be defined around the predetermined value (e.g., ±2% of the predetermined value) or with a lower limit and an upper limit. Typically, the moisture content of a tobacco stick before use (i.e., the predetermined moisture content) is a value within or around the range of 13% to 14.3%. After use, the moisture content of a tobacco stick typically drops to a value within or around the range of 6% to 8%. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the predetermined moisture content may be a value higher than 14.3% or a value lower than 13%.

[0034] The container 110 receives the consumable 10 to be used (i.e., the consumable 10 is placed in / on / near the container 110 in a predetermined position / orientation relative to the aerosol generation device 100).

[0035] The heating mechanism 120 is positioned to heat the consumable 10 when the consumable 10 is received within the container 110 .

[0036] 1, the heating mechanism 120 includes a heating chamber 122 (e.g. an oven) that defines a space, and the container 110 provides an opening to the heating chamber 122 into which the consumable 10 is inserted. The container 110 further includes fastening means (not shown) for releasably securing the consumable 10 in place, although it will be appreciated that a separate fastening means is not required, for example if the heating chamber and / or heater is arranged to secure the consumable during use.

[0037] However, the container 110 is not limited to this shape and the container 110 may have any other shape capable of receiving the consumable and holding the consumable in place during heating of the aerosol substrate. For example, the container 110 and the consumable 10 may include corresponding connectors (e.g., plug and socket type mechanical connectors, magnets of opposite polarity located within the container 110 and the consumable 10, etc.).

[0038] Heating mechanism 120 is positioned to heat aerosol substrate 12, for example, by using a heating element in contact with or in close proximity to the aerosol substrate, by heating a thermally conductive element (e.g., a wick) in contact with or in close proximity to the aerosol substrate, by inductive heating of a coil or other conductive object within consumable 10 that is in contact with or capable of radiating thermal energy to aerosol substrate 12, etc. Heating mechanism 120 may use any means of heating aerosol substrate 12, including but not limited to these examples.

[0039] 1, the heating mechanism 120 includes a heater 124 that includes a coil disposed on a surface of the heating chamber 122 to heat the heating chamber, and thereby the aerosol substrate 12 of the consumable 10 received within the heating chamber 122. However, it should be understood that other types of heating mechanisms may be used and that the heater may have any other configuration.

[0040] It will further be appreciated that the generated aerosol can be used by directing it towards an outlet, such as a mouthpiece (not shown), through which a user of the aerosol generating device can inhale the aerosol. As a non-limiting example, the consumable 10 can include a region that acts as a mouthpiece and that can protrude from the container 110 when the consumable 10 is received in the container 110. Alternatively, the aerosol generating device 100 can include a separate mouthpiece coupled to the heating chamber 122 such that the aerosol can be directed towards the mouthpiece (e.g., by a user's inhalation or by operation of a ventilation device within the aerosol generating device).

[0041] The controller 130 includes a monitoring unit 132 , a detection unit 134 , and a signal unit 136 .

[0042] The monitoring unit 132, the detection unit 134, and the signal unit 136 may be implemented as software, hardware, or a combination thereof. Specifically, in some examples, the controller 130 may include one or more processors (e.g., single / multi-core CPU, microprocessor, etc.), one or more working memories (e.g., random access memory, RAM, flash memory, etc.), and one or more non-volatile instruction stores (e.g., read only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), flash memory, etc.) that store computer-readable instructions, and the processors that execute the computer-readable instructions in the instruction stores function as the monitoring unit 132, the detection unit 134, and the signal unit 136 according to the computer-readable instructions. In other examples, the monitoring unit 132, the detection unit 134, and the signal unit 136 may be implemented as hardware components each including separate circuits, such as an integrated circuit (IC), in which case data acquired by each unit may be transmitted to the other units via a communication channel (e.g., a dedicated signal line or bus) by storing the data in a memory accessible to the other units.

[0043] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the controller 130 is a microcontroller (MCU) that functions as a monitoring unit 132, a detection unit 134, and a signal unit 136.

[0044] The monitoring unit 132 is for monitoring an observable indicative of the moisture content of the aerosol substrate during heating of the aerosol substrate, where the observable is a physical property that may be sensed / detected via one or more sensors (or derived based on data acquired by the sensors) and is indicative of the moisture content of the aerosol substrate.

[0045] As non-limiting examples, the observable may be the moisture level measured in the heating chamber 122 with a moisture sensor, the dielectric constant measured across a cross-section of the aerosol substrate 12, the temperature of the aerosol substrate at a given time during heating, the rate of change of temperature of the aerosol substrate during heating, the amount of energy used to heat the aerosol substrate, the apparent load sensed by the inductive heating coil in the heating mechanism 120 when the consumable is received in the container, or any other observable indicative of the moisture content in the aerosol substrate 12. In some examples, the observable may be multiple physical properties that can be monitored (e.g., a combination of the examples discussed above).

[0046] 1, the observables include a temperature of the heating mechanism 120. Specifically, the heating mechanism 120 includes a temperature sensor 126 (e.g., a thermistor, a thermocouple, a resistance-based temperature detector, etc.) communicatively coupled to the controller 130, and the monitoring unit 132 is configured to obtain a temperature from the temperature sensor 126 at one or more time points during heating of the aerosol substrate. The temperature sensor 126 may also be used to control the temperature of the heater 124, as discussed further below. For example, the monitoring unit 132 may obtain a temperature value at the start of heating of the aerosol substrate 12 and obtain a temperature value periodically (e.g., every second) during heating of the aerosol substrate 12. As another example, the monitoring unit 132 may obtain a temperature value at a single time point (e.g., 7 seconds) relative to the start of heating of the aerosol substrate 12.

[0047] It will be understood, however, that in other examples, the temperature sensor 126 may be omitted. For example, the resistance of the heater may be determined (e.g., using voltage and current sensors) and the temperature of the heater may be determined based on a known relationship between heater resistance and temperature. For the sake of brevity, methods for determining the resistance of a heater or for determining the temperature of the heater based on that resistance, which are known to those of skill in the art, will not be described herein.

[0048] The detection unit 134 is for detecting an indication that the moisture content differs from a predetermined moisture content based on the monitored observables. In other words, the detection unit 134 obtains values ​​of the observables monitored by the monitoring unit 132 and detects an indication based on the values ​​of the monitored observables.

[0049] The detection unit 134 may detect that the moisture content differs from the predetermined moisture content, for example, if the value of the monitored observable falls outside a predetermined range of values ​​for the monitored observable (e.g., if the value is lower than a first predetermined value, if the value is not between a first and a second predetermined threshold, or if the value is higher than a second predetermined threshold). In such examples, it will be appreciated that the predetermined range may be defined by a single threshold (i.e., a lower threshold that defines the predetermined range as all values ​​equal to or greater than the threshold, or a higher threshold that defines the predetermined range as all values ​​equal to or less than the threshold) or by a lower threshold and an upper threshold.

[0050] In the example shown in Figure 1, the detection unit 134 is arranged to detect an indication that the moisture content of the aerosol substrate differs from a predetermined moisture content if the temperature value obtained by the monitoring unit 132 less than 13 seconds after the start of heating of the aerosol substrate 12 is equal to or greater than 120°C. As will be explained in more detail below with reference to Figure 3, this indicates that the moisture content of the aerosol substrate 12 differs from (in this case is less than) the predetermined moisture content.

[0051] However, it will be understood that this is only one example of symptom detection, and the invention is not limited to this example, and that this exemplary embodiment may be used in any other detection described herein or derived from this disclosure, in particular the detection described in connection with Figures 4A, 4B, 4C, 5A and 5B below.

[0052] The signal unit 136 is for generating, based on the detected indication, a control signal for interrupting the operation of the aerosol generating device 100. In other words, the signal unit 136 gets a notification when the detection unit 134 detects an indication that the moisture content of the aerosol substrate 12 differs from a predetermined moisture content, and the notification causes the signal unit to generate the control signal.

[0053] For example, a generated control signal may be sent to the heating mechanism 120 to indicate that heating of the aerosol substrate 12 should be discontinued, such as a signal to shut down the heating mechanism 120, a signal to the power source 140 to interrupt the supply of power to the heating mechanism 120, or a signal to the power source 140 to completely stop the supply of power to the aerosol generating device 100. The control signal may interrupt operation, for example, by tripping a circuit breaker or by diverting power away from the component to be shut down (e.g., by shorting the component). Although the term control signal is used in the singular, it should be understood that the term refers to at least one control signal that may control the operation of various components within the aerosol generating device.

[0054] In each of these cases, generation of the control signal causes heating of the aerosol substrate to cease.

[0055] 1, the signal unit generates a first control signal to switch off the heater 124, thereby preventing the heater 124 from heating the aerosol substrate 12. If the aerosol generating device includes a display screen, the signal unit may generate a second control signal to control the display screen to display a message informing a user of the aerosol generating device that the consumable does not have the required moisture content. However, it will be appreciated that other means of informing the user, such as haptic feedback, may be used instead of or in addition to displaying a message.

[0056] Thus, heating of consumables with insufficient moisture content is prevented, improving the safety / reliability of the aerosol generating device.

[0057] Although not shown in FIG. 1, it will be understood that the aerosol generating device 100 may include additional components, such as a power supply integral with the aerosol generating device or a connection to an external power supply, control circuitry for controlling the supply of power from the power supply to the controller 130 and / or heating mechanism 120, a frame for holding the various components together, a display screen for informing a user of the aerosol generating device about information regarding the device or consumables, buttons or other controls that allow a user to turn the aerosol generating device on / off or control the aerosol generating device.

[0058] With reference to FIG. 2, an example of electrical components of the aerosol generating device 100 according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described.

[0059] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the aerosol generating device 100 includes a heating mechanism 120, a controller 130 (e.g., an MCU), a power source 140, and a charging mechanism 150.

[0060] The power supply 140 provides power to the other components of the aerosol generating device 100, including the controller 130 and the heating mechanism 120.

[0061] 2, the power source 140 includes a battery 142 (e.g., a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, or a non-rechargeable battery) and a battery protection circuit 144. However, it will be understood that in some cases the battery protection circuit 144 may be omitted (e.g., using a battery that does not require a protection circuit), or rather the power source 140 may be a connector that can be coupled to a power source external to the aerosol generation device 100 (e.g., mains power, a DC 5V power source, etc.) and transmits power from the external power source to the components of the aerosol generation device 100.

[0062] The charging mechanism 150 is for providing power from a power source electrically coupled to the aerosol generating device to recharge the battery 142. However, it will be understood that the charging mechanism 150 may be omitted if the power source 140 does not include a power storage element (e.g., the battery 142 is not rechargeable or is omitted).

[0063] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the charging mechanism 150 includes a connector 152 that can be coupled to an external power source, a charging IC 154 for controlling the supply of power from the external power source to the battery 142, and optionally a transformer for changing the voltage / current characteristics of the power provided by the external power source.

[0064] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the heating mechanism 120 includes a transducer 128 , a heater 124 , a temperature sensor 126 , and a switching element 129 .

[0065] Converter 128 is positioned to convert the power received from power source 140 into power suitable for heating the aerosol substrate. For example, the converter may be a boost circuit to increase the voltage of the power received from power source 140 to a higher level voltage. However, it will be appreciated that in some cases, the power output by the power source does not need to be converted to heat the aerosol substrate, in which case converter 128 may be omitted.

[0066] In the example shown in Fig. 2, the converter 128 is a booster that boosts the voltage of 3.3 V output by the power supply 140 to a voltage in the range of 3.8-4.3 V, the converter 128 being controllable by a user of the aerosol generating device 100 using a button. As shown in Fig. 2, the booster can be enabled or disabled by the controller 130 to controllably provide boosted power (when enabled) to the heater 124. However, it will be understood that the voltage levels or ranges described herein are exemplary and the booster is not limited with respect to the voltage it receives from the power supply 140 or the voltage / voltage range it outputs (the converter 128).

[0067] The heater 124 is positioned to heat a heating chamber (not shown). In the example shown in Figure 2, the heater 124 is a coil. However, it will be appreciated that the heater is not limited to this form and can be any other type of heater, whether conduction-based (such as a coil and wick combination) or convection-based.

[0068] The temperature sensor 126 provides the temperature of the heating chamber 122 to a controller 130, as discussed above with reference to FIG.

[0069] The switching element 129 enables the controller 130 to control the temperature within the heating chamber. The switching element 129 may be a field effect transistor (FET) (e.g., Si MOSFET, GaN MOSFET, SiC MOSFET, etc.), a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), a thyristor, or other known types of switching elements. Although the switching element 129 is referred to as a single switching element, the switching element 129 may include two or more switching elements arranged in series and / or cascade, and thus a reference to the switching element 129 should be interpreted as a reference to at least one switching element.

[0070] 2, the switching element 129 is a MOSFET disposed in series between the heater and the terminals of the power source such that by controlling the state of the MOSFET, a power loop can be controllably formed between the power source and the heater (and including other components of the heating mechanism 120, such as the converter 128). Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the controller 130 obtains the temperature from the temperature sensor 126. The sensed temperature is input to a PID (proportional, integral, derivative) control loop implemented in the controller 130, which outputs a value based on the difference between the sensed temperature and a desired temperature, and the output of the PID control loop is compared to a pulse signal and converted to a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal for controlling the state of the MOSFET 129 (i.e., the PWM signal is applied to the gate of the MOSFET 129).

[0071] For the sake of brevity, further details of the control loops and control of the switching elements 129 known to those skilled in the art are omitted. However, it should be understood that the controller is not limited to using a PID control loop and / or controlling the switching elements with a PWM signal, but rather any other known type of control loop may be implemented, including a PI or P control loop or signal for controlling the switching elements.

[0072] 3 illustrates an exemplary temperature of the heating mechanism 120, and in particular the heating chamber 122 during heating of the aerosol substrate. In FIG. 3, heating of an aerosol substrate having a given moisture content (e.g., a new consumable) is illustrated with a solid line, and heating of an aerosol substrate having no or little moisture content (e.g., a consumable that has already been used) is illustrated with a dashed line.

[0073] Heating mechanism 120 is arranged to heat aerosol substrate 12 from an initial (e.g., ambient) temperature to a higher temperature, typically in the range of 150° C. to 300° C. During heating of the aerosol substrate, substantial emission of aerosol typically does not occur until the higher temperature is reached.

[0074] Heating the aerosol substrate to that higher temperature causes the particles in the substrate to volatilize, atomize, and / or vaporize, resulting in the release of an aerosol. In the example shown in Figure 3, the aerosol substrate is heated to a temperature of about 230°C, however, this is a non-limiting example, rather, any temperature that allows an aerosol to be generated from the substrate can be used.

[0075] Once heated, the aerosol substrate can be maintained at or near the desired temperature if aerosol generation continues. In some cases, this second stage can last for a period of time that can be predetermined (e.g., until a predetermined time, such as 5 seconds, is reached) or ends when an event occurs (e.g., until the user stops using the aerosol generating device, until the aerosol substrate is used up, etc.). However, the aerosol substrate does not need to be maintained at a higher temperature, such as when only a small amount of aerosol is desired.

[0076] FIG. 3 only illustrates the heating of the aerosol substrate and the initiation of use of the consumable during which the generated aerosol may be inhaled by a user (which may be referred to as a session). Although not shown in FIG. 3, it will be appreciated that once heated, the consumable may be maintained at a higher temperature for several minutes (e.g., 4-5 minutes). Typically, towards the end of the session (e.g., 270 seconds from the start of heating the aerosol substrate), the heater is turned off and the session ends shortly thereafter (e.g., 290 seconds from the start of heating the aerosol substrate). At the end of the session, the consumable may be disconnected from the aerosol generating device and discarded.

[0077] As is evident from FIG. 3, the moisture level in the new consumable creates a period during which the temperature reaches approximately 100° C., during which the temperature does not increase substantially while the water evaporates (e.g., a “plateau”). Thus, a consumable with a lower moisture content would not have the same plateau and would reach a temperature above 100° C. more quickly. Although an example of water is shown in FIG. 3, it should be understood that the detection unit 134 is not limited to detecting the absence of water. For example, if the aerosol base 12 includes a humectant or other evaporative substance, heating the aerosol base 12 will create an additional period during which the temperature does not increase substantially near the boiling point of the humectant / evaporative substance (e.g., if the aerosol base 12 includes propylene glycol and the temperature remains temporarily at approximately 188° C., the boiling point of propylene glycol), and the reduced level or absence of the humectant / evaporative substance can be detected based on the differential rate of temperature rise, or the length of time required for the temperature to increase by a particular amount.

[0078] Therefore, whether the consumable is new or used can be detected based on measurement information indicative of the moisture content of the aerosol base during heating of the aerosol base.

[0079] In an exemplary embodiment, the observables include at least one of a thermal profile of the device, a moisture profile for the aerosol substrate, and an electrical energy profile of the device. The monitoring unit 132 is arranged to monitor at least one of the thermal profile, moisture profile, and electrical energy profile of the device during heating of the aerosol substrate. In other words, the thermal profile, moisture profile, and electrical energy profile of the device are profiles for heating of the aerosol substrate.

[0080] As used herein, the term profile includes the value of an observable at one or more time points during heating of an aerosol substrate. The time may be defined relative to the start of heating of the aerosol substrate or relative to the time when the observable reaches a particular value (e.g., the heating mechanism 120 or the aerosol substrate 12 reaches a particular temperature). Thus, a profile that includes values ​​of an observable at two or more time points defines the change in the value of the observable over the period between two time points. A profile may optionally define a function of temperature over time during heating of an aerosol substrate.

[0081] For example, the thermal profile may include temperature values ​​for the aerosol substrate 12 obtained at one or more points during heating of the aerosol substrate 12, such as the temperature of the aerosol substrate 12 itself, or the temperature of a component of the aerosol generating device 100 indicative of the temperature of the aerosol substrate (e.g., the temperature of the heating chamber 122, as described above with reference to Figures 1 and 3).

[0082] The moisture profile includes values ​​indicative of moisture (e.g., the moisture level in the heating chamber 122) obtained from the aerosol generating device 100 (e.g., using a moisture or humidity sensor) or from the aerosol substrate 12 at one or more points during heating of the aerosol substrate 12.

[0083] The electrical energy profile of the device includes values ​​indicative of the electrical energy used during heating of the aerosol substrate 12, obtained at one or more points during heating of the aerosol substrate 12. This may represent, for example, the electrical energy used by the heating mechanism 120 or heater 124 to heat the aerosol substrate, or alternatively, the electrical energy used by more or all components of the device during heating of the aerosol substrate. This value may be obtained by measuring the energy output from the power source 140 (or an external power source), or the energy provided to the heater 124 may be measured (e.g., via a shunt resistor in series with the heater 124 and a current measurement circuit in parallel with the shunt resistor). The value obtained by the monitoring unit 132 may represent the electrical energy used at that time (e.g., instantaneous energy), or may represent the cumulative amount of electrical energy used over a period of time (e.g., from the start of heating of the aerosol substrate 12 to that time).

[0084] The detection unit 134 is arranged to detect the indication based on the deviation of the observable from a corresponding predefined profile. The predefined profile may define predefined values ​​of the observable for one or more time points during heating of the aerosol substrate 12 that are expected when the aerosol substrate 12 has substantially a predefined moisture content. The predefined profile may be defined, for example, as a function of the observable over time. The predefined profile may be stored, for example, in a memory on the aerosol generating device 100 that is accessible to the detection unit 134.

[0085] The detection unit 134 is arranged to detect the indication based on a comparison of values ​​of the observables obtained by the monitoring unit 132 with values ​​of the observables derived from a predefined profile.

[0086] For example, the detection unit 134 may be arranged to detect an indication when the difference between the value acquired by the monitoring unit 132 and the corresponding value in a predetermined profile is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, which may be the same for all time points or may be set differently for each time point.

[0087] 3, 4A, 4B and 4C, examples of predefined profiles according to the present exemplary embodiment are discussed.

[0088] 3 is an example of a predetermined thermal profile that defines the change in temperature of the heating chamber 122 during heating of the aerosol substrate 12. However, it will be understood that the predetermined thermal profile is not limited to the temperature of the heating chamber 122, as it may be any temperature indicative of the temperature of the aerosol substrate 12, the temperature of the consumable 10, or the temperature of the heating mechanism 120 or another component of the aerosol generation device 100, such as the temperature of the aerosol substrate 12 itself.

[0089] 4A shows an example of a predetermined moisture profile that defines a predetermined moisture level within the heating chamber 122 during heating of the aerosol substrate 12 and subsequent use of the consumable. However, the present invention is not limited to a predetermined moisture profile that defines a moisture level within the heating chamber. Rather, the predetermined moisture profile can define a moisture level in the aerosol substrate 12 itself (e.g., corresponding to a moisture level that would be expected to be measured by a moisture sensor contacting the aerosol substrate 12 when the consumable is received in the container 110).

[0090] 4A, the moisture level is predetermined to start at an initial value (e.g., about 13%) and decrease to a lower value (e.g., 10%) during heating of the aerosol substrate as the water and any humectants and other substances in the aerosol substrate 12 evaporate. After the aerosol substrate 12 is heated to a higher temperature at which an aerosol is generated, the moisture level continues to decrease during use of the consumable.

[0091] 4B illustrates an example of a predetermined electrical energy profile that defines the cumulative amount of energy used during heating of the aerosol substrate 12. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4B, the cumulative amount of energy output from the power source 140 is predetermined to increase at a substantially constant rate to a value of about 180 Joules for the first 10 seconds of heating, and then increase at a relatively slower rate thereafter. As discussed above, the predetermined electrical energy profile is not limited to defining the cumulative electrical energy output from the power source 140, but rather can be the instantaneous energy provided to the heater 124 at different times, etc.

[0092] In the present exemplary embodiment, the monitoring unit 132 may be arranged to monitor one or more of a thermal profile, such as the thermal profile shown in Figure 3, a moisture profile, such as the moisture profile shown in Figure 4A, and an electrical energy profile, such as the electrical energy profile shown in Figure 4B. The detection unit 134 may be arranged to detect an indication based on a deviation present in one of these profiles from a corresponding pre-defined profile, or to detect an indication when a respective deviation is present in two or all of the monitored profiles, the detected deviation in each profile being indicative of the moisture content in the aerosol substrate differing from the pre-defined moisture content.

[0093] For example, if the monitoring unit 132 is positioned to monitor the thermal profile shown in FIG. 3, the monitoring unit 132 may detect a symptom if the monitored temperature at t=100 seconds is significantly higher than 130° C.; if the monitoring unit 132 is positioned to monitor the moisture profile shown in FIG. 4A, the monitoring unit 132 may detect a symptom if the monitored moisture content at t=0 seconds is less than 10%; and / or if the monitoring unit 132 is positioned to monitor the electrical energy profile shown in FIG. 4B, the monitoring unit 132 may detect a symptom if the monitored cumulative energy at t=10 seconds is less than 160 J (indicating no / less energy is being used to evaporate water and / or other wetting agents in the aerosol substrate 12).

[0094] Alternatively, a predefined profile may instead include one or more associations, each association being an association between a time point and a predefined value of an observable at that time point, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4C.

[0095] In these cases, the detection unit 134 is arranged to compare the value obtained by the monitoring unit 132 at each point in time with an associated predetermined value.

[0096] Although FIG. 4C illustrates the predefined profiles in a tabular format, it will be appreciated that this tabular format is for illustrative purposes and the associations may be in any other suitable format.

[0097] 4C, the predetermined temperature profile defines a first association of time t=5 seconds with a predetermined value of 100° C. of temperature, a second association of time t=8 seconds with a predetermined value of 150° C., a third association of time t=13 seconds with a predetermined value of 230° C., and associations for time t=100 seconds, 150 seconds, 200 seconds, 270 seconds, and 290 seconds, each associated with the predetermined value of 230° C., etc. Similarly, the predetermined moisture profile defines associations of time points with predetermined values ​​of moisture levels (time t=0 seconds and 13%, time t=5 seconds and 12%, time t=8 seconds and 11%, time t=13 seconds and 10%, time t=100 seconds and 9%, time t=150 seconds and 8%, time t=200 seconds and 7%, time t=270 seconds and 6%, and time t=290 seconds and 6%). The predetermined electrical energy profile defines an association between time points and predetermined values ​​of electrical energy (time point t=0 seconds and 0 J, time point t=5 seconds and 90 J, time point t=8 seconds and 150 J, time point t=13 seconds and 185 J, time point t=100 seconds and 405 J, time point t=150 seconds and 530 J, time point t=200 seconds and 660 J, time point t=270 seconds and 840 J, and time point t=290 seconds and 840 J).

[0098] While each predetermined profile in the example shown in FIG. 4C defines multiple associations, it will be understood that one or more of the predetermined profiles may instead include only one association. For example, a predetermined electrical energy profile may define a single association between a time point and a predetermined value of electrical energy, such as t=13 seconds and 185 J. In addition, two or more of the predetermined profiles may define an association for the same time point, similar to the example shown in FIG. 4C, but instead, each of the predetermined profiles may define one or more associations with mutually exclusive time points (e.g., a first predetermined profile may define an association with a time point t=t1, and a second predetermined profile may define an association with a second time point t=t2, where t2 is different from t1).

[0099] The exemplary predefined profile shown in Figure 4C includes associations to time points during heating of the aerosol substrate and subsequent use of the consumable during which the aerosol substrate is maintained at the temperature at which the aerosol substrate is generated. However, it will be appreciated that the predefined profile need not include any associations to time points past the moment the aerosol substrate reaches a higher temperature. For example, the aerosol substrate is predicted to reach a temperature of 230°C at t = 13 seconds, and therefore the associations defined in the predefined profile for time points t = 100 seconds, 150 seconds, 200 seconds, 270 seconds, and 290 seconds may be omitted.

[0100] Optionally, the detection unit 134 may be arranged to determine, when the monitoring unit 132 obtains a value at a time point that does not have an associated predefined value, a corresponding value based on the association defined in the predefined profile, by regression analysis (e.g., interpolation / extrapolation), curve fitting, etc.

[0101] Thus, indications that the aerosol substrate 12 does not have the desired moisture content may be more accurately detected while reducing the resources required to maintain the desired profile.

[0102] In an exemplary embodiment, the observables include a thermal profile of the device. Thus, the monitoring unit 132 is arranged to monitor the thermal profile of the device. The observables may also, optionally, include a moisture profile and / or an electrical energy profile as described herein.

[0103] In this exemplary embodiment, the predetermined thermal profile includes information about the temperature change for the heating of the aerosol substrate from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value over a first predetermined length of time. The first predetermined value may be, for example, one of the following: an ambient temperature (i.e., the temperature of the environment surrounding the aerosol generating device 100), an initial temperature of the aerosol substrate, or an initial temperature of the heating mechanism 120 (e.g., the heating chamber 122 or the heater 124). The second predetermined value may be, for example, a temperature at which the aerosol or vapor is generated from the aerosol substrate. Alternatively, the first predetermined value may be a value that is higher than a typical ambient temperature (e.g., 50° C.) and therefore reduces the effect of variations due to different ambient / initial temperatures of the aerosol substrate. Similarly, the second predetermined value may be a value that is lower than a temperature at which the aerosol or vapor is generated from the aerosol substrate (e.g., 170° C.) and therefore reduces the risk that the consumable 10 loses its structural integrity due to heating.

[0104] In the present exemplary embodiment, the detection unit 134 is arranged to detect the symptom when the monitored thermal profile differs from the predetermined thermal profile by more than a predetermined thermal threshold and / or when the monitored thermal profile changes from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value in less than a predetermined reference length of time, the predetermined reference length of time being less than or equal to the first predetermined length of time.

[0105] In other words, the detection unit 134 detects the symptom if the difference between one or more of the values ​​acquired by the monitoring unit 132 and the corresponding values ​​defined in the predefined profile is greater than a predefined thermal threshold, where the predefined threshold may be a degree (e.g., 2°C, 3.5°C, 5°C, etc.) or a percentage of a predefined value (e.g., 1.0%, 3%, 5.5%).

[0106] However, it will be apparent that the detection unit 134 may be arranged to detect an indication when at least two or more of the values ​​obtained in the monitored thermal profile differ from the corresponding values ​​derived from the predetermined thermal profile. By relying on more comparisons, the risk of a false positive that the aerosol substrate 12 does not contain the predetermined moisture content may be reduced. Similarly, by requiring that both individual values ​​in the monitored thermal profile differ substantially from the corresponding values ​​in the predetermined thermal profile (i.e., by more than a predetermined thermal threshold) and that the changes in the monitored thermal profile occur substantially faster (i.e., within less than a corresponding reference time length) than the changes in the predetermined threshold profile, a false positive that the aerosol substrate 12 does not contain the predetermined moisture content may be avoided.

[0107] Additionally or alternatively, when the monitoring unit 132 determines that the difference between the temperature value obtained at the first time point and the temperature value obtained at the second time point is greater than or equal to the difference between a second predetermined value and the first predetermined value, and the length of time between the first time point and the second time point is less than or equal to a predetermined reference length of time, the detection unit 134 detects that the aerosol substrate 12 does not have a predetermined moisture content.

[0108] 5A, an example of a predetermined thermal profile and a monitored thermal profile (based on values ​​obtained by monitoring unit 132) according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described.

[0109] 5A, the predetermined thermal profile defines four associations: t=0 seconds and 20° C., t=6 seconds and 100° C., t=9 seconds and 102° C., and t=18 seconds and 230° C. Additionally, the predetermined thermal profile defines a reference time length of 15.5 seconds for the interval from 0 to 18 seconds defined by the first and last time points in the predetermined thermal profile.

[0110] However, the number of associations and time points / values ​​defined in a given thermal profile are exemplary, and a given thermal profile may define any number of associations (e.g., 1, 3, 10, or more). Additionally, rather than a single reference time length being defined for an entire interval spanning the given thermal profile, rather, the given thermal profile may define respective predetermined reference time lengths for one or more sub-intervals defined by pairs of time points having associated values ​​in the given thermal profile. For example, the following reference time lengths may instead be defined: a reference time length of 7 seconds for the interval 0-9 seconds, a reference time length of 2 seconds for the interval 6-9 seconds, and a reference time length of 10 seconds for the interval 6-18 seconds.

[0111] In the example of Figure 5A, the predetermined thermal profile includes information regarding the temperature change for heating the aerosol substrate from a predetermined value of 20°C to a predetermined value of 90°C over a predetermined length of time of 7 seconds. Additionally, the predetermined thermal profile shown in Figure 5A also includes information regarding the temperature change for heating the aerosol substrate from a predetermined value of 20°C to a predetermined value of 230°C over a predetermined length of time of 18 seconds. In a second example, the first predetermined value (20°C) is the predetermined initial temperature of the heating chamber 122 and the second predetermined value (230°C) is the temperature of the device when the aerosol or vapor is generated from the aerosol substrate.

[0112] Although not shown in FIG. 5A, the predetermined threshold is set to 5.5° C. in this example.

[0113] The right-most column of FIG. 5A shows exemplary temperature values ​​obtained by monitoring unit 132 at 3 second intervals from the start of heating of aerosol substrate 12.

[0114] Thus, in the example of FIG. 5A, the detection unit 134 i) the obtained value is 135°C at t=9 seconds and differs from the predetermined value of 102°C by more than the predetermined thermal threshold of 5°C; and / or ii) The monitored temperature profile changes from a value of 20°C to a value of 230°C (actually a larger change from 19°C to 230°C) in less than a reference time length of 15.5 seconds (a difference between the time points of only 15 seconds). Thus, an indication that the moisture content in the aerosol substrate 12 differs from a predetermined moisture content is detected.

[0115] Accordingly, the detection unit 134 notifies the signal unit 136 , which generates a control signal to interrupt the operation of the aerosol generating device 100 .

[0116] Although in the above description the same threshold (5° C.) is used for all time points, one or more of the predefined values ​​may have their own predefined thermal threshold. Additionally, lower and upper thresholds may be set differently for one or more of the predefined values ​​to define a range of acceptable values ​​(i.e., the thresholds define minimum and maximum values ​​around the predefined value).

[0117] An example of a modified thermal profile and thresholds established on a monitored thermal profile is described with reference to FIG. 5B.

[0118] As shown in Figure 5B, for time t = 0 seconds a threshold of 10°C is set, with minimum and maximum temperature values ​​of 10°C to 30°C. For time t = 7 seconds a minimum value of 88°C and a maximum value of 93°C are set (note that this corresponds to setting a threshold of -2°C to +3°C for a value of 90°C). Similarly, for time t = 12 seconds the minimum / maximum values ​​are set to 125°C / 135°C and for time t = 17 seconds 228°C / 135°C.

[0119] Thus, in the example of FIG. 5B, the detection unit 134 detects the symptom if the value obtained by the monitoring unit 132 at t=7 is less than 88° C. or greater than 93° C.

[0120] Thus, a more accurate detection can be performed.

[0121] It will be appreciated that once the minimum and maximum values ​​are set, the corresponding predetermined temperature values ​​(20°C, 90°C, 130°C, and 230°C shown in the second column) may be omitted since the detection unit 134 will determine whether the monitored value falls within the range defined by the minimum and maximum values.

[0122] In an exemplary embodiment, the monitoring unit 132 is arranged to monitor a thermal profile by obtaining temperature values ​​indicative of a temperature associated with either the aerosol generating device 100 or the aerosol substrate 12 at each of multiple points in time during heating of the aerosol substrate 12.

[0123] The detection unit 134 is arranged to detect the symptom when at least one of the temperature values ​​differs from a corresponding one of the reference values ​​by more than a predetermined thermal threshold, the reference value being determined based on the information of the temperature changes.

[0124] More specifically, the detection unit 134 is arranged to determine, for one or more of the temperature values ​​acquired by the monitoring unit 132, a respective reference value based on information about temperature changes contained in a predefined threshold profile. The reference value may be determined for any time point at which the monitoring unit 132 acquires a value and for which the predefined thermal profile does not define a predefined value. The reference value may be determined, for example, by using regression analysis or curve fitting.

[0125] The detection unit 134 is then configured to compare each value obtained by the monitoring unit 132 with the corresponding determined reference value. If the difference between the compared values ​​is equal to or greater than a predetermined thermal threshold for any of the values ​​obtained by the monitoring unit 132, then the detection detects an indication that the moisture content in the aerosol substrate 12 differs from the predetermined moisture content.

[0126] The detection unit 134 may be arranged to detect the symptom only if two or more of the values ​​obtained in the monitored thermal profile differ from the corresponding reference values, as explained above. This may reduce the risk of an inaccurate detection. Additionally or alternatively, the pre-defined thermal threshold does not have to be set the same for all time points, as explained above.

[0127] Thus, detection may be more accurate while reducing the resources required to maintain a given profile.

[0128] An example of this embodiment will now be described with reference to FIG. 5A.

[0129] In this example, the monitoring unit 132 obtains the following values ​​for time t=3 seconds: 50° C., for time t=12 seconds: 175° C., and for time t=15 seconds: 230° C. Since the predefined thermal threshold does not define predefined values ​​for these time points, the detection unit 134 determines the reference values ​​for time points t=3 seconds, 12 seconds, and 15 seconds.

[0130] The detection unit 134 determines the reference value using a linear regression of the predefined value against the time points t=0 seconds and t=6 seconds, i.e. before and after the time point t=3 seconds at which the predefined value is determined.

[0131] Thus, the detection unit 134 determines the reference value as (3 s-0 s) / (6 s-0 s) x (98° C.-20° C.)+20° C.=59° C. Thus, the detection unit 134 detects the symptom when the value of 50° C. in the monitored thermal profile differs from the reference value of 59° C. by more than the set predefined thermal threshold at time t=3 s.

[0132] For the time instants t=12 seconds and 15 seconds, the detection unit 134 is arranged to obtain the reference value using quadratic interpolation based on the predetermined values ​​at the time instants t=6 seconds, 9 seconds, and 18 seconds, which is calculated according to the equation T=148−14.778·t+1.074·t 2where t is a time point and T is a reference value of temperature. Thus, the detection unit 134 determines a reference value of 148-14.77778×12+1.074074×12^2=125.33° C. for the time point t=12 seconds and a reference value of 168° C. for the time point t=15 seconds. The inspection unit 134 then detects a symptom when the value of 175° C. in the monitored thermal profile differs from the reference value of 125.33° C. by more than the set predefined thermal threshold at the time point t=12 seconds and / or when the value of 230° C. in the monitored thermal profile differs from the reference value of 168° C. by more than the set predefined thermal threshold at the time point t=15 seconds.

[0133] It will be appreciated that the detection unit 134 need not determine a reference value corresponding to each value obtained by the monitoring unit 132. Some of the values ​​obtained by the monitoring unit 132 may still be used to determine whether a change in the monitored thermal profile occurs substantially faster than a change in the predefined thermal profile, but may not be compared to a reference value. For example, continuing with the example described above, there is no need to determine a reference value for time t=15 seconds, since a change in the monitored thermal profile from 20° C. to 230° C. indicates that a change in the monitored thermal profile occurs significantly faster than a change in the predefined thermal profile, and may itself trigger detection of an indication.

[0134] In an exemplary embodiment, the monitoring unit 132 is arranged to obtain, for each temperature value (i.e., for one or more temperature values), a measurement of the associated time between the time when heating of the aerosol substrate begins and the time when the temperature indicated by the temperature value is reached.

[0135] In other words, when the monitoring unit 132 acquires a temperature value, the monitoring unit 132 is also arranged to acquire a measurement of the time that has elapsed since heating of the aerosol substrate began and to associate this measurement of time with the acquired temperature value.

[0136] As a first example, the monitoring unit 132 may be arranged to start a timer when heating of the aerosol substrate 12 begins and to obtain the elapsed time indicated by the timer as a measurement of the time associated with each time a temperature value is obtained.

[0137] As a second example, the monitoring unit 132 may be arranged to acquire temperature values ​​at regular intervals (e.g., every 0.5 seconds) beginning when heating of the aerosol substrate 12 begins. In this case, the monitoring unit 132 acquires a first temperature value acquired at the beginning of heating of the aerosol substrate to be 0. Then, for each subsequent temperature value, the monitoring unit 132 acquires an associated time measurement by incrementing the value by 0.5 seconds.

[0138] In this exemplary embodiment, the detection unit 134 is arranged to determine, for each temperature value, a point in time in the first predetermined length of time based on the associated time measurement, and to determine the reference value as the temperature identified by the information regarding the temperature change at the determined point in time.

[0139] For an exemplary predefined thermal profile shown by a solid line in FIG. 3, the detection unit 134 may be arranged to determine, for a time measurement obtained by the monitoring unit 132, a temperature value in the predefined thermal profile corresponding to the time measurement as a reference value.

[0140] For example, if the monitoring unit 132 obtains a temperature value of 105° C. and an associated time measurement of 8 seconds, the detection unit 134 determines as a baseline that the temperature value corresponding to 8 seconds in the predefined thermal profile is 102° C. Although the example of FIG. 3 has been described showing the predefined thermal profile as a continuous function, it should be understood that the detection unit 134 may instead use a predefined thermal profile having multiple discrete values, such as the associations described above.

[0141] In an exemplary embodiment, the monitoring unit 132 is arranged to measure a value indicative of the power in the aerosol generating device 100 during heating of the aerosol substrate.

[0142] For example, the monitoring unit 132 may be arranged to measure, via one or more sensors, the value of the instantaneous power output by the power source, the value of the current flowing through the aerosol generation device 100, and the value of the current provided to a particular component of the aerosol generation device (e.g., the heating mechanism 120).

[0143] In the present exemplary embodiment, the monitoring unit 132 is positioned to monitor the electrical energy profile by integrating a value indicative of the power during heating of the aerosol substrate 12 .

[0144] In other words, the monitoring unit 132 is arranged to sum values ​​indicative of power obtained at multiple points during heating of the aerosol substrate to obtain a cumulative power value (i.e. a value indicative of the amount of power generated or used from the moment a first value indicative of power was obtained, e.g. from the start of heating of the aerosol substrate 12).

[0145] In this exemplary embodiment, the predetermined electrical energy profile includes information indicative of a predetermined integrated power value, and the detection unit 134 is arranged to detect the symptom when the integrated value indicative of the power differs from the predetermined integrated power value by more than a predetermined electrical energy threshold.

[0146] With reference to FIG. 6, an example of electrical components of the aerosol generating device 100 according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described.

[0147] For the sake of brevity, a description of electrical components 120-150 will be omitted here since electrical components 120-150 have already been described in connection with FIG.

[0148] In the example shown in Fig. 6, the aerosol generating device 100 includes a current measuring mechanism 160 for measuring the current provided to the heating mechanism 120. The current measuring mechanism 160 includes a shunt resistor 162 arranged in series with the heating mechanism 120 (specifically, between a node B coupled to the positive terminal of the battery 142 and the controller 130 and the converter 128). The current measuring mechanism 160 also includes a current measuring element 164 in parallel with the shunt resistor 162, the current measuring element 164 being arranged to detect the value of the current flowing through the shunt resistor 162. Specifically, the current measuring element 164 is arranged to measure the voltage across the shunt resistor 162.

[0149] 6, the monitoring unit 132 is arranged to derive a value of a current flowing through the shunt resistor 162 based on a resistance value of the shunt resistor 162 to obtain a value of a voltage measured across the shunt resistor 162 by the current measuring element 164. Then, based on the value of the current flowing through the shunt resistor 162, the monitoring unit 132 is arranged to obtain a value indicative of a current provided to the heating mechanism 120. For example, the monitoring unit 132 may use a value of an equivalent resistance of the heating mechanism 120 or a predetermined equivalent resistance of the heater 124 and calculate the power provided to the heating mechanism 120 accordingly.

[0150] The monitoring unit 132 is arranged to accumulate values ​​indicative of power during heating of the aerosol substrate 12. For example, the monitoring unit 132 may obtain a first value at the beginning of heating of the aerosol substrate 12 and thereafter obtain a second value during heating of the aerosol substrate. The monitoring unit 132 may add the first and second values ​​as an accumulated power value indicative of the power provided to the heating mechanism 120 between the time the first value was obtained and the time the second value was obtained. Then, each time the monitoring unit 132 obtains a new value, the monitoring unit 132 adds the new value to the accumulated power value.

[0151] 6, detection unit 134 obtains an integrated power value from monitoring unit 132. Detection unit 134 determines a corresponding integrated power value based on information contained in the predetermined electrical energy profile and compares the integrated power value to the predetermined integrated power value. If the comparison values ​​differ (e.g., differ by more than a predetermined threshold), detection unit 134 detects an indication that the moisture content in aerosol substrate 12 differs from the predetermined moisture content.

[0152] Although a specific configuration of the aerosol generation device 100 with a current measurement mechanism has been described above, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to this specific mechanism and different configurations of the current measurement mechanism 160 and / or different placements of the current measurement mechanism 160 in the circuit shown in Fig. 6 are also possible. For example, a current measurement mechanism (having the same or a different configuration) can be placed in series with the power source 140 to measure the current provided to both the controller 130 and the heating mechanism 120, such that the current output from the power source 140 or the current between the nodes labeled A and B in Fig. 6 can be measured. It will be understood that other locations for the current measurement mechanism 160 are also possible, allowing the monitoring unit 132 to obtain a value indicative of the power generated and / or used in the aerosol generation device 100 during heating of the aerosol substrate 12.

[0153] Additionally, two or more current measurement mechanisms (of the same or different configurations) may be provided in the aerosol generation device 100, and the invention is not limited to this aspect. For example, a first mechanism may be provided to measure the current output from a battery coupled to or within the device, and a second mechanism may be provided to measure the current provided to the heating mechanism 120.

[0154] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller is arranged to control the temperature of the heating mechanism by controlling at least one switching element using pulse width modulation.

[0155] For example, the controller 130 may be arranged to determine whether the temperature of the heating mechanism should be increased, decreased, or maintained at a current level based on a current temperature of the heating mechanism (which may be obtained via one or more temperature sensors, such as the temperature sensor 126 described in connection with FIG. 1, or from the resistance of the heater 124) and a desired temperature of the heating mechanism. Based on the determination, the controller 130 may determine a duty ratio of at least one switching element to increase, decrease, or maintain the temperature of the heating mechanism, and generate one or more control signals using a pulse width modulation scheme to control a respective state of the at least one switching element.

[0156] When the at least one switching element is controlled to an on state, a current is allowed to flow through the heating mechanism, and when the at least one switching element is controlled to an off state, a current is prevented from flowing through the heating mechanism. Thus, when the at least one switching element is controlled to an off state, no electrical energy is provided to the heating mechanism 120. Thus, the state of the at least one switching element can be used to determine the amount of electrical energy used during heating of the aerosol substrate. In other words, the duty ratio of the control signal used to control the switching element is proportional to the electrical energy used to heat the aerosol substrate.

[0157] Each switching element may be any known type of switching element (eg, the type described in connection with FIG. 2 above), as the invention is not limited in this respect.

[0158] The controller may be arranged to control the temperature using any type of control, such as those described in connection with FIG. 2 (e.g., PID, PI, or P control loops), as the invention is not limited in this respect.

[0159] In the present exemplary embodiment, the monitoring unit 132 is arranged to monitor the electrical energy profile by calculating the amount of electrical energy used to heat the aerosol substrate based on the length of time that at least one switching element is turned on by pulse width modulation.

[0160] For example, the monitoring unit 132 may obtain the control signal generated to control the state of at least one switching element and determine the amount of electrical energy used by the heating mechanism during the portion of a cycle in which the at least one switching element is in an on state. The amount of electrical energy used during heating of the aerosol substrate 12 (e.g., during the entire duration of heating or a portion thereof) can then be obtained by accumulating the determined amount of electrical energy during each cycle.

[0161] Thus, the controller in this exemplary embodiment can detect indications that the moisture content of the aerosol substrate differs from a predetermined moisture content and generate a signal to interrupt operation of the aerosol generating device without the need for additional sensing / measuring components such as current measurement mechanism 160.

[0162] 2 and 7, an example of an aerosol generating device 100 according to the present exemplary embodiment will now be described.

[0163] As shown in FIG. 2, the heating mechanism 120 includes a switching element 129, in this example a MOSFET, although it will be understood that more than one switching element may be provided which may improve safety in the event of a switching element failure, and that various types of switching elements may be provided instead, and that the types of switching elements described herein are exemplary.

[0164] In the present exemplary embodiment, controller 130 generates a pulse width modulated control signal that is provided to the gate of MOSFET 129. The control signal is controlled to vary between a high voltage level that causes MOSFET 129 to allow current to flow between its drain and source, and a low voltage level that causes MOSFET 129 to block current from flowing between its drain and source. For purposes of brevity, a detailed description of the control of the state of MOSFET 129, which is well known to those skilled in the art, is omitted for clarity.

[0165] Because the MOSFET 129 is connected in series with the heater 124 (specifically, the drain and source terminals of the MOSFET 129 are connected in series with the heater 124), the controller 130 can control whether or not current should be allowed to flow through the heater 124 by controlling the state of the MOSFET 129.

[0166] FIG. 7 shows an example of a duty ratio determined by the controller 130 that is used to generate a control signal for controlling the state of the MOSFET 129 and the temperature of the heater 124 during heating of the aerosol substrate 12.

[0167] As shown in FIG. 7, to begin heating the aerosol substrate 12, the MOSFET 129 is controlled to an on state with a duty ratio of about 100% to increase the temperature of the heater 124 to a desired temperature (e.g., in the range of 200-230° C.). When the temperature of the heater approaches about 150° C., the controller 130 determines that the rate at which the heater temperature increases should be reduced, and so reduces the duty ratio accordingly. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, after 9 seconds the duty ratio is reduced and the heater temperature increases at a reduced rate. The controller 130 then adjusts the temperature of the heater by controlling the duty ratio of the MOSFET 129 to be within a desired range that allows for aerosol or vapor to be generated.

[0168] Thus, for example, if the moisture content of the aerosol base 12 is lower than a predetermined moisture content, less electrical energy will be required to heat the aerosol base (e.g., if it contains less water or other humectant than a predetermined amount). This difference in electrical energy used to heat the aerosol base 12 can be detected as an indication that the moisture content in the aerosol base is lower than the predetermined moisture content.

[0169] Although the controller 130 has been described as controlling the at least one switching element to control the temperature of the heating mechanism 120, alternatively, a second controller (not shown in FIG. 6 ) separate from the controller 130 may be arranged to control the temperature of the heating mechanism 120 instead. In these cases, the monitoring unit 132 may be arranged to obtain a value indicative of the temperature of the heating mechanism 120, a value indicative of a duty ratio determined for the control of the at least one switching element, or a value indicative of a control signal generated by the second controller to control the state of the switching element.

[0170] Thus, the aerosol generating device 100 may include a second controller arranged to control the temperature of the heating mechanism by controlling at least one switching element using pulse width modulation, and the monitoring unit may be arranged to monitor the electrical energy profile by calculating the amount of electrical energy used to heat the aerosol substrate based on the length of time that the at least one switching element is controlled to an on state by the pulse width modulation used by the second controller.

[0171] Although the monitoring unit has been described as calculating an accumulated length of time that at least one switching element is in an on state and calculating an amount of electrical energy based on the accumulated length of time, alternatively, the monitoring unit may be arranged to calculate an average (arithmetic mean, weighted average, etc.) amount of electrical energy used to heat the aerosol substrate and determine that the moisture content of the aerosol substrate differs from a predetermined moisture content if the calculated average amount differs from a predetermined average amount. Other combinations of values ​​indicative of the duty ratio of the control signal used to control the state of the switching element may be calculated instead of an average value, such as combinations including a product of two or more values, a ratio of two or more values, etc.

[0172] It will be seen from the above description that certain exemplary embodiments perform a method for controlling an aerosol generating device that includes a container for receiving a consumable including an aerosol substrate and a heating mechanism for heating the aerosol substrate.

[0173] Referring to FIG. 8, in step 802, the aerosol generating device monitors an observable indicative of the moisture content of the aerosol substrate during heating of the aerosol substrate.

[0174] In step 804, the aerosol generating device detects an indication that the moisture content differs from a predetermined moisture content based on the monitored observables.

[0175] In step 806, the aerosol generating device generates a control signal to interrupt operation of the device based on the detected symptom.

[0176] change Many modifications and variations can be made to the exemplary embodiments described above.

[0177] In the exemplary embodiment described above, the monitoring unit 132 monitors the observable from the start of heating of the aerosol substrate 12. However, the monitoring unit 132 may also obtain a value of the observable (e.g., moisture level, temperature, instantaneous power, or any other type of observable) before the consumable is received in the container or before heating of the aerosol substrate is initiated. For example, the monitoring unit 132 may be arranged to obtain a value of the observable when a predetermined event occurs prior to heating of the aerosol substrate 12, such as detecting that a consumable has been inserted or that the aerosol substrate should be heated.

[0178] The value of this observable may then be used as a reference value representative of the environment of the aerosol generating device 100. The detection unit 134 may obtain this environmental reference value and adapt the predefined profile based on the environmental reference value, for example by increasing or decreasing the expected value of the observable during heating of the aerosol substrate, changing the time point associated with the value of the observable, etc.

[0179] For example, if the predefined thermal profile stores a value of 20° C. as an initial value and a value of 50° C. associated with a time measurement 3 seconds after the start of heating the aerosol substrate 12, while the monitoring unit 132 detects that the ambient temperature is 30° C., the detection unit 134 may increase the value of 50° C. (e.g., to 55° C.) and / or decrease the associated time measurement (e.g., to 2.7 seconds), thereby taking into account that the environment is different from the environment indicated by the predefined thermal profile. Similarly, the moisture level in the container 110 before the consumable is received may be obtained as an environmental reference value, and / or the instantaneous power used by the device before heating the aerosol substrate may be obtained. It will be understood that the same obtaining and use of environmental reference values ​​may be used for any other type of observable.

[0180] In the exemplary embodiment described above, the monitoring unit 132 obtains values ​​of the observable at one or more time points during heating of the aerosol substrate, and the detection unit 134 obtains each value of the observable from the monitoring unit 132. However, the monitoring unit 132 may alternatively be arranged to provide to the detection unit 134 only values ​​that indicate that the observable has changed by more than a certain amount (e.g., a change of at least 2% of the previous output value), which may be absolute or relative to the previous output value. Thus, the detection unit 134 may assume that the value of the observable has not substantially changed until a new value is output, thereby reducing processing at the detection unit 134.

[0181] Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications other than those described above can be made.

[0182] In particular, it will be understood that the exemplary embodiments described above may be combined.

[0183] In the preceding description, exemplary aspects have been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments. Thus, the present specification should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. Similarly, the diagrams shown in the drawings, which highlight the functionality and advantages of the exemplary embodiments, are presented for illustrative purposes only. The architecture of the exemplary embodiments is sufficiently flexible and configurable so that it can be utilized in ways other than those shown in the accompanying figures.

[0184] The example software embodiments presented herein may, in one exemplary embodiment, be provided as a computer program, such as one or more programs having instructions or a set of instructions contained in or stored on an article of manufacture, such as a machine-accessible or machine-readable medium, an instruction store, or a computer-readable storage device, or software, each of which may be non-transitory. The programs or instructions on the non-transitory machine-accessible medium, machine-readable medium, instruction store, or computer-readable storage device may be used to program a computer system or other electronic device. The techniques described herein are not limited to any software configuration. These techniques may find applicability in any computing or processing environment. As used herein, the terms "computer-readable," "machine-accessible medium," "machine-readable medium," "instruction store," and "computer-readable storage device" are intended to include any medium capable of storing, encoding, or transmitting an instruction or a set of instructions for execution by a machine, computer, or computer processor, causing the machine / computer / computer processor to perform any one of the methods described herein. Additionally, it is common in the art to refer to software in some way (e.g., as a program, procedure, process, application, module, unit, logic, etc.) as taking an action or causing a result. Such expressions are merely a shorthand way of stating that execution of the software by a processing system causes a processor to perform an action and produce a result.

[0185] Also, some embodiments may be implemented by the preparation of application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, or by interconnecting an appropriate network of conventional component circuits.

[0186] Some embodiments include a computer program product. The computer program product may be one or more storage media, instruction store(s), or storage device(s) having instructions stored thereon or therein that can be used to cause a computer or computer processor to perform any of the procedures of the exemplary embodiments described herein or to control a computer or computer processor to perform any of these procedures. The storage media / instruction store / storage device may include, by way of example and without limitation, optical disks, ROM, RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, DRAM, VRAM, flash memory, flash cards, magnetic cards, optical cards, nanosystems, molecular memory integrated circuits, RAID, remote data storage / archive / preservation, and / or any other type of device suitable for storing instructions and / or data.

[0187] Some embodiments include software stored on one or more computer-readable media, instruction store(s), or storage device(s) for controlling the hardware of the aerosol generating device and for enabling the aerosol generating device or microprocessor to operate in accordance with the exemplary embodiments described herein. Such software includes, but is not limited to, device drivers, operating systems, and user applications. Finally, such computer-readable media or storage devices further include software for carrying out the exemplary aspects of the present invention, as described above.

[0188] The programming and / or software of the aerosol generating device includes software modules for carrying out the procedures described herein. In some exemplary embodiments herein, the modules include software, while in other exemplary embodiments herein, the modules include hardware or a combination of hardware and software.

[0189] While various exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that these embodiments are presented by way of example, and not of limitation. Various changes in form and detail may be made in such embodiments, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. Thus, the present invention should not be limited by any of the exemplary embodiments described above, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

[0190] Moreover, the purpose of the Abstract is to enable patent offices and the public, particularly scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phrases, to quickly determine the nature and substance of the technical disclosure of the present application from a cursory inspection. The Abstract is not intended to be limiting in any way with respect to the scope of the exemplary embodiments presented herein. It should also be understood that any steps recited in the claims need not be performed in the order presented.

[0191] Although this specification contains many specific embodiment details, these embodiments should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to the particular embodiments described herein. Certain features described herein in relation to separate embodiments may also be realized in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in relation to a single embodiment may also be realized in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in a particular combination and may even initially be claimed as such, one or more features from the claimed combination may be deleted from the combination in some cases, and the claimed combination may also be directed to a subcombination or a variation of the subcombination.

[0192] In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments.

[0193] Having now described several exemplary embodiments and implementations, it is clear that the foregoing is presented by way of example, and not by way of limitation. In particular, while many of the examples presented herein include specific combinations of device or software elements, these elements may be combined in other ways to achieve the same purpose. Acts, elements, and features described only in the context of one embodiment are not intended to be excluded from a similar role in other embodiments or implementations.

[0194] The apparatus described herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the characteristics of the invention. The scope of the apparatus described herein is therefore indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims are intended to be embraced therein. [Explanation of symbols]

[0195] 10 Consumables 12 Aerosol Substrate 100 Aerosol generating device 110 Container 120 Heating mechanism 122 Heating Chamber 124 Heater (e.g. coil) 126 Temperature Sensor 128 Converter 129 Switching elements (e.g., MOSFETs) 130 Controller (e.g. MCU) 132 Surveillance Unit 134 Detection Unit 136 Signal Unit 140 Power supply 142 Batteries 144 Battery protection circuit 150 Charging mechanism 152 Connectors (e.g. USB connectors) 154 Charging IC 160 Current measurement mechanism 162 Shunt resistor 164 Current measuring element

Claims

1. 1. An aerosol generating device comprising: a container for receiving a consumable product including an aerosol substrate; a heating mechanism for heating the aerosol substrate; a controller, a monitoring unit for monitoring an observable indicative of the moisture content of the aerosol base during heating of the aerosol base; a detection unit for detecting an indication that the moisture content differs from a predetermined moisture content based on the monitored observables; a signal unit for generating a control signal for interrupting operation of the aerosol generating device based on the detected symptom; a controller including:

1. An aerosol generating device comprising:

2. 2. The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to monitor the observable quantity by obtaining a value of the observable quantity at each of a plurality of time points during the heating of the aerosol substrate.

3. further comprising a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the heating mechanism; The aerosol generating device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to obtain a signal indicative of the temperature of the heating mechanism from the temperature sensor.

4. the detection unit is configured to detect the indication based on deviation of the observable from a corresponding predefined profile; the observables include at least one of a thermal profile of the aerosol-generating device, a moisture profile for the aerosol substrate, and an electrical energy profile of the aerosol-generating device, the at least one observable corresponding to a predetermined thermal profile, a predetermined moisture profile, and a predetermined electrical energy profile, respectively; The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 .

5. the observable comprises the thermal profile of the aerosol generating device; the predetermined thermal profile includes information regarding a temperature change for the heating of the aerosol substrate from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value over a first predetermined length of time; The detection unit if the monitored thermal profile differs from the predetermined thermal profile by more than a predetermined thermal threshold; and the monitored thermal profile changes from the first predetermined value to the second predetermined value in less than a reference time period, and / or the reference time period is less than or equal to the first predetermined time period. configured to detect the symptom in The aerosol generating device according to claim 4.

6. the first predetermined value is one of an ambient temperature, an initial temperature of the aerosol substrate, and an initial temperature of the heating mechanism; the second predetermined value is the temperature of the aerosol-generating device at which the aerosol or vapor is generated from the aerosol substrate; The aerosol generating device according to claim 5 .

7. the monitoring unit is configured to monitor the thermal profile by obtaining temperature values indicative of a temperature associated with one of the aerosol-generating device and the aerosol substrate at each of a plurality of time points during the heating of the aerosol substrate; the detection unit is configured to detect the symptom when at least one of the temperature values differs from a corresponding one of the reference values by more than the predetermined thermal threshold, the reference value being determined based on the information about the temperature change.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 5 or 6.

8. the monitoring unit is configured to obtain, for each temperature value, a measurement of the associated time between when the heating of the aerosol substrate began and when the temperature indicated by the temperature value was reached; the detection unit is configured to determine, for each temperature value, a point in time in the first predetermined length of time based on the associated time measurement, and to determine the reference value as the temperature identified by the information on the temperature change at the determined point in time. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7.

9. The monitoring unit: measuring a value indicative of power in the aerosol-generating device during the heating of the aerosol substrate; monitoring the electrical energy profile by integrating the value indicative of the power during the heating of the aerosol substrate; It is configured as follows: the predetermined electrical energy profile includes information indicating a predetermined integrated power value; the detection unit is configured to detect the symptom when the integrated value indicative of the power differs from the predetermined integrated power value by more than a predetermined electrical energy threshold.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 4 or 5.

10. The aerosol generating device of claim 9, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to measure the value indicating the power based on at least one of a current output from a battery coupled to or within the aerosol generating device and a current supplied to the heating mechanism.

11. the aerosol generation device is configured to control the temperature of the heating mechanism by controlling at least one switching element using pulse width modulation; the monitoring unit is configured to monitor the electrical energy profile by calculating an amount of electrical energy used for the heating of the aerosol substrate based on a length of time that the at least one switching element is turned on by the pulse width modulation.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 4 or 5.

12. The aerosol generating device of claim 11, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to calculate a cumulative length of time that the at least one switching element is in an on state and to calculate the amount of electrical energy based on the cumulative length of time.

13. 1. A method for controlling an aerosol generating device comprising: a container for receiving a consumable product including an aerosol substrate; and a heating mechanism for heating the aerosol substrate, the method comprising: monitoring an observable indicative of the moisture content of the aerosol base during heating of the aerosol base; detecting an indication that the moisture content differs from a predetermined moisture content based on the monitored observables; and generating a control signal to interrupt operation of the aerosol generating device based on the detected symptom; A method comprising:

14. A computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of claim 13.

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