Aerosol delivery device with utilization data monitoring

Abstract

An aerosol delivery device comprising a sensor configured to monitor aspects of a user's use of the aerosol delivery system, and a controller configured to establish usage data based on the monitoring of aspects of the user's use of the aerosol delivery system over a plurality of puffs, including 20 to 150 puffs, wherein the controller is further configured to control aspects of operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the established usage data.

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Aerosol delivery systems, such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), generally contain an aerosol-generating material, such as a reservoir of a precursor liquid that may contain an active substance and / or flavoring, from which an aerosol or vapor is generated, for example via thermal evaporation, for inhalation by a user. Thus, an aerosol delivery system will typically comprise an aerosol generation chamber that contains an aerosol generator, for example a heating element, arranged to vaporize or aerosolize a portion of the precursor material to generate a vapor or aerosol in the aerosol generation chamber. When a user draws on the device and power is provided to the vaporizer, air is drawn into the device through an inlet hole and along an inlet air channel connected to the aerosol generation chamber, where the air mixes with the vaporized precursor material and forms a condensed aerosol. There is an outlet air channel connecting the aerosol generation chamber to the outlet of the mouthpiece, and when the user inhales on the mouthpiece, the air drawn into the aerosol generation chamber continues along the outlet flow path, carrying the aerosol with it, to the mouthpiece outlet for inhalation by the user. Some e-cigarettes may also include a flavoring element in the flow path through the device to impart additional flavoring. Such devices are sometimes referred to as hybrid devices, and the flavouring element may include, for example, a portion of tobacco disposed in the air flow path between the aerosol generation chamber and the mouthpiece, such that aerosol / condensation aerosol drawn through the device passes through the portion of tobacco before exiting the mouthpiece for inhalation by the user.

[0003] The aerosol generating system may be operable to use previous usage data to determine how to control aspects of the device's operation during future operations. In such aerosol generating systems, it is of interest to optimize the storage and use of usage data. Various approaches are described herein that attempt to help address or mitigate at least some of the challenges discussed above. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol delivery device comprising a sensor configured to monitor aspects of usage of the aerosol delivery system by a user; and a controller configured to establish usage data based on the monitoring of aspects of usage of the aerosol delivery system by the user over a plurality of puffs, including 20 to 150 puffs, the controller being further configured to control aspects of operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the established usage data.

[0005] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of controlling an aerosol delivery device comprising a sensor and a controller, the method including controlling the aerosol delivery system to: monitor, using the sensor, an aspect of usage of the aerosol delivery system by a user; establish, using the controller, usage data based on the monitoring of an aspect of usage of the aerosol delivery system by the user over a plurality of puffs, including 20 to 150 puffs; and control, using the controller, an aspect of operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the established usage data.

[0006] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform the method according to the second aspect.

[0007] It will be appreciated that the features and aspects of the invention described above with respect to the first and other aspects of the invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the invention according to other aspects of the invention and may be combined therewith as appropriate, and not just in the specific combinations set out above.

[0008] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol delivery system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] A schematic diagram of a data communication environment in which an aerosol delivery system is configured to transmit data to and receive data from one or more external electronic devices. [Diagram 3] 1 is a flow chart designing aspects of the operation of an aerosol delivery system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary profile of a monitored parameter over the number of puffs in an aerosol delivery device based on monitoring an embodiment of a utilization of the aerosol delivery device. [Diagram 5] 13 is a schematic diagram of a further exemplary profile of monitored parameters over multiple puffs in an aerosol delivery device based on monitoring aspects of the use of the aerosol delivery device. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are discussed / described herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be implemented in a conventional manner and will not be discussed / described in detail for the sake of brevity. Thus, it will be understood that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented according to any conventional technique for implementing such aspects and features.

[0011] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems (sometimes referred to as vapor delivery devices), such as nebulizers or e-cigarettes. Throughout the following description, the term "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used, but it will be understood that the terms may be used interchangeably with aerosol delivery systems / devices and electronic aerosol delivery systems / devices. Additionally, as is common in the art, the terms "aerosol" and "vapor" and related terms such as "vaporize," "volatilize," and "aerosolize" may be used interchangeably throughout.

[0012] Aerosol delivery systems (e-cigarettes) often, but not always, comprise a modular assembly that includes both a reusable part and a replaceable (disposable) cartridge part. In many cases, the replaceable cartridge part will include the aerosol generating material and the vaporizer, and the reusable part will include a power source (e.g., a rechargeable power source) and control circuitry. It will be understood that these different parts can include further elements depending on the function. For example, the reusable device part will often include a user interface for receiving user input and displaying operational status characteristics, and the replaceable cartridge part will in some cases include a temperature sensor to assist with temperature control. The cartridge is electrically and mechanically coupled to a control unit for use, for example, by means of a screw thread, a bayonet, or a magnetic coupling with appropriately positioned electrical contacts. When the aerosol generating material in the cartridge is exhausted or the user wishes to switch to a different cartridge having a different aerosol generating material, the cartridge can be removed from the control unit and a replacement cartridge can be installed in its appropriate location. Devices following this type of two-part modular configuration can generally be referred to as two-part devices.

[0013] It is common for electronic cigarettes to have a generally elongated shape. To provide a specific example, certain embodiments of the present disclosure described herein are construed to include this type of generally elongated two-part device that utilizes a disposable cartridge. However, it will be understood that the underlying principles described herein can be equally employed for different aerosol delivery system configurations, such as single-part devices, or modular devices including two or more parts, refillable devices, and single-use disposable devices, as well as devices following other overall shapes, such as those based on so-called box-mod high-performance devices that typically have a more box-like shape. More generally, it will be understood that certain embodiments of the present disclosure are based on aerosol delivery systems configured to operate to provide functions according to the principles described herein, and that the structural aspects of the aerosol delivery systems configured to provide functions according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure are not of paramount importance.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view through an exemplary aerosol delivery system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery system 1 includes two main components: a reusable part 2 and a replaceable / disposable cartridge part 4. The cartridge part 4 is an example of an aerosol product or consumable. In normal use, the reusable part 2 and the cartridge part 4 are removably coupled to each other at an interface 6. When a cartridge part is used up or a user simply wants to replace it with a different cartridge part, the cartridge part can be removed from the reusable part and the replacement cartridge part can be attached to the reusable part at its appropriate position. The interface 6 provides a structural, electrical and air flow connection between the two parts and can be established according to conventional techniques based on fastening means, for example, by threads, magnetism or bayonet, with appropriately positioned electrical contacts and openings for appropriately establishing the electrical connection and air flow path between the two parts. The particular manner in which the cartridge part 4 is mechanically attached to the reusable part 2 is not important to the principles described herein, but for the sake of a concrete example, it is assumed herein to include a magnetic coupling (not shown in FIG. 1). It will also be appreciated that in some embodiments, the interface 6 may not support electrical and / or air flow path connections between the respective parts. For example, in some implementations, the aerosol generator may be provided in the reusable part 2 rather than the cartridge part 4, or the transmission of power from the reusable part 2 to the cartridge part 4 may be wireless (e.g., based on electromagnetic induction) such that an electrical connection between the reusable part and the cartridge part is not required. Furthermore, in some implementations, the airflow through the electronic cigarette may not pass through the reusable part such that an air flow path connection between the reusable part and the cartridge part is not required. In some examples, a portion of the air flow path may be defined at an interface between the reusable part 2 and the cartridge part 4 when they are coupled together for use.

[0015] The cartridge portion 4, according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, may be broadly conventional. In FIG. 1, the cartridge portion 4 comprises a cartridge housing 42 formed of a plastic material. The cartridge housing 42 supports the other components of the cartridge portion and provides a mechanical interface 6 with the reusable portion 2. The cartridge housing is generally circularly symmetric about the longitudinal axis along which the cartridge portion joins the reusable portion 2. In this example, the cartridge portion has a length of about 4 cm and a diameter of about 1.5 cm. However, it will be understood that the particular geometry, and more generally the overall shape and materials used, may vary in different embodiments.

[0016] Within the cartridge housing 42 is a reservoir 44 that contains an aerosol-generating material. The aerosol-generating material is a material capable of generating an aerosol when activated, for example, by heating, irradiation, or in any other manner. The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of, for example, a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain actives and / or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include a plant material, such as tobacco. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that can hold some fluid, such as a liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include, for example, about 50%, 60%, or 70% by weight of an amorphous solid to about 90%, 95%, or 100% by weight of an amorphous solid. The aerosol-generating material may include one or more actives and / or flavorings, one or more aerosol former materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials. The aerosol former material may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol former material may include one or more of glycerin (e.g., vegetable glycerin), glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate. The one or more other functional materials may include one or more of pH adjusters, colorants, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and / or antioxidants. The aerosol-forming material may be present on or in a support to form a substrate.The substrate may be or include, for example, paper, card, corrugated board, cardboard, recycled material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or alloy.

[0017] The active ingredient or ingredients (sometimes referred to herein as active substances) may include one or more physiologically and / or olfactorily active ingredients and are included in the aerosolizable material for the purpose of achieving a physiological and / or olfactory response in the user. In some embodiments, the active ingredient is a physiologically active ingredient and may be selected from nicotine, nicotine salts (e.g., nicotine tartrate / nicotine tartrate), nicotine-free tobacco substitutes, other alkaloids such as caffeine, cannabinoids, or mixtures thereof. Cannabinoids are a class of natural or synthetic compounds that act on cannabinoid receptors (i.e., CB1 and CB2) in cells that inhibit neurotransmitter release in the brain. Two of the most important cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabinoids may occur naturally in plants such as cannabis (phytocannabinoids), naturally in animals (zoocannabinoids), and artificially produced (synthetic cannabinoids). Cannabinoids are cyclic molecules that exhibit certain properties such as the ability to easily cross the blood-brain barrier, low toxicity, and few side effects. Cannabis species exhibit at least 85 different phytocannabinoids, which are cannabigerol, cannabichromene, cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinol and cannabinodiol, as well as cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabinol (CBN), cannabinodiol (CBDL), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV ...CBV It is divided into subclasses that include other cannabinoids such as hydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM), cannabinerolic acid, cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabinol propyl variant (CBNV), cannabidiol (CBO), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), and tetrahydrocannabivarinic acid (THCVA).

[0018] In the example shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, a reservoir 44 is provided that is configured to contain a supply of liquid aerosol generating material. In this example, the liquid reservoir 44 has an annular shape with an outer wall defined by the cartridge housing 42 and an inner wall 58 that defines an air flow passage 52 through the cartridge portion 4. The reservoir 44 is closed at each end by end walls for containing the aerosol generating material. The reservoir 44 may be formed in accordance with conventional techniques and may, for example, comprise a plastic material and may be integrally molded with the cartridge housing 42.

[0019] The cartridge portion further comprises an aerosol generator 48 located towards the end of the reservoir 44 opposite the mouthpiece outlet 50. The aerosol generator is a device configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from an aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to subject the aerosol material to thermal energy to liberate one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, pressure increase, or electrostatic energy.

[0020] It will be appreciated that in a two-part device such as that shown in Figure 1, the aerosol generator can be in either the reusable part 2 or the cartridge part 4. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol generator 48 (e.g., a heater) can be included in the reusable part 2 and is adapted to be proximate to a portion of the aerosol-generating material in the cartridge 4 when the cartridge is engaged with the reusable part 2. In such embodiments, the cartridge can contain a portion of the aerosol-generating material and the aerosol generator 48, including the heater, is at least partially inserted into or at least partially surrounds the portion of the aerosol-generating material when the cartridge 4 is engaged with the reusable part 2.

[0021] 1, the wick 46 in contact with the heater 48 extends laterally across the cartridge air flow path 52, with its end extending into the reservoir 44 of liquid aerosol generating material through an opening in the inner wall of the reservoir 44. The opening in the inner wall of the reservoir is sized to generally match the dimensions of the wick 46 to provide a reasonable seal against leakage from the liquid reservoir into the cartridge air flow path without undue compression of the wick that could be detrimental to fluid transfer performance.

[0022] The wick 46 and heater 48 are positioned in the cartridge air passage 52 such that the area of ​​the cartridge air passage 52 around the wick 46 and heater 48 actually defines the vaporization area of ​​the cartridge portion 4. The aerosol-generating material in the reservoir 44 enters the wick 46 through the end of the wick that extends into the reservoir 44 and is drawn along the wick by surface tension / capillary action (i.e., wicking). The heater 48 in this example comprises an electrical resistance wire wound around the wick 46. In the example of FIG. 1, the heater 48 comprises a nickel-chromium alloy (Cr20Ni80) wire and the wick 46 comprises a glass fiber bundle, although it will be understood that the particular aerosol generator configuration is not critical to the principles described herein. In use, power can be supplied to the heater 48 to vaporize a quantity of aerosol-generating material (aerosol-generating material) drawn by the wick 46 into the vicinity of the heater 48. The vaporized aerosol-forming material may then be entrained in air drawn from the vaporization region along the cartridge air flow path towards mouthpiece outlet 50 for inhalation by the user.

[0023] As discussed above, the rate at which the aerosol-generating material is vaporized by the vaporizer (heater) 48 depends on the amount (level) of power supplied to the heater 48. Thus, power can be applied to the heater to selectively generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material in the cartridge portion 4, and further, the rate of aerosol generation can be varied by varying the amount of power supplied to the heater 48, for example, by pulse width and / or frequency modulation techniques.

[0024] The reusable part 2 comprises an outer housing 12 having an opening defining an air inlet 28 for the e-cigarette, a power source 26 (e.g. a battery) for providing operating power to the e-cigarette, a control circuit / controller 22 for controlling and monitoring operation of the e-cigarette, a first user input button 14, a second user button 16, and a visual display 24.

[0025] The outer housing 12 may be formed, for example, from a plastic or metal material and, in this example, has a circular cross-sectional area that generally follows the shape and size of the cartridge portion 4, thereby providing a smooth transition between the two portions at the interface 6. In this example, the reusable portion has a length of about 8 cm, such that the overall length of the e-cigarette when the cartridge portion and the reusable portion are coupled together is about 12 cm. However, as previously noted, it will be understood that the overall shape and scale of an electronic cigarette embodying an embodiment of the present disclosure is not critical to the principles described herein.

[0026] Air inlet 28 connects to an air flow path 51 through reusable part 2, which in turn connects to cartridge air flow path 52 across interface 6 when reusable part 2 and cartridge part 4 are connected to one another. Thus, when a user inhales through mouthpiece opening 50, air is drawn through air inlet 28, along reusable part air flow path 51, across interface 6, through the aerosol-generating region adjacent aerosol generator 48 (vaporized aerosol-generating material is entrained in the airflow), along cartridge air flow path 52, and out through mouthpiece opening 50 for inhalation by the user.

[0027] The power source 26 in this example is rechargeable and may be of a conventional type, such as the type commonly used in e-cigarettes and other applications requiring the delivery of relatively high currents for relatively short periods of time. The power source 26 may be recharged via a charging connector, such as a USB connector, on the reusable portion housing 12.

[0028] The first and second user input buttons 14, 16, which in this example are conventional mechanical buttons, may be provided with, for example, spring-loaded components that can be depressed by a user to establish electrical contact. In this regard, the input buttons may be considered input devices for detecting user input, although the particular manner in which the buttons are implemented is not important. The buttons may be assigned functions such as turning the aerosol delivery system 1 on and off and adjusting user settings such as the power provided from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48. However, the inclusion of user input buttons is optional, and in some embodiments, buttons may not be included.

[0029] A display 24 may be provided to visually indicate to the user various characteristics associated with the aerosol delivery system, such as current power setting information, remaining power supply power, etc. The display may be implemented in various ways. In this example, the display 24 comprises a conventional pixelated LCD screen that may be driven to display the desired information according to conventional techniques. In other embodiments, the display may comprise one or more separate indicators, such as LEDs, arranged to display the desired information, for example by a particular color and / or flash sequence. More generally, the manner in which the display is provided and information is displayed to the user using the display is not important to the principles described herein. For example, some embodiments may not include a visual display, may include other means for providing information to the user regarding the operating characteristics of the aerosol delivery system, for example by means of an audio signal, or may not include any means for providing information to the user regarding the operating characteristics of the aerosol delivery system.

[0030] The controller 22 is suitably configured / programmed to control the operation of the aerosol delivery system to provide functions according to embodiments of the present disclosure as further described herein, as well as conventional operational functions of the aerosol delivery system according to established techniques for controlling such devices. The controller (processor circuit) 22 can be logically considered to include various subunits / circuit elements associated with various aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system 1. In this example, the controller 22 includes a power supply control circuit for controlling the supply of power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 in response to user input, a user programming circuit 20 for establishing configuration settings (e.g., user-defined power settings) in response to user input, and other functional units / circuit related functions according to the principles described herein and conventional operational aspects of e-cigarettes, such as a display driver circuit and a user input detection circuit. It will be appreciated that the functionality of the controller 22 can be provided in a variety of different ways, for example, using one or more appropriately programmed programmable computer(s) and / or one or more appropriately configured application specific integrated circuit(s) / circuit(s) / chip(s) / chipset(s) configured to provide the desired functionality. The functionality of the controller 22 is further described herein. For example, the controller 22 can include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or microcontroller for controlling the aerosol delivery device. The microcontroller or ASIC can include a CPU or microprocessor. The operation of the CPU and other electronic components is generally controlled, at least in part, in a software program executed in the CPU (or other components). Such software programs can be stored in a non-volatile memory, such as a ROM, which can be integrated into the microcontroller itself or provided as a separate component. The CPU can access the ROM to load and execute individual software programs as needed and required.

[0031] The reusable part 2 includes an airflow sensor 30 electrically connected to the controller 22. In most embodiments, the airflow sensor 30 includes a so-called "puff sensor" in that the airflow sensor 30 is used to detect when the user is puffing on the device. In some embodiments, the airflow sensor includes a switch in the electrical path that provides power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48. In such embodiments, the airflow sensor 30 generally includes a pressure sensor configured to close the switch when subjected to a certain range of pressure, allowing current to flow from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 when the pressure in the vicinity of the airflow sensor 30 drops below a threshold value. The threshold value can be set to a value determined by experimentation to correspond to a characteristic value associated with the initiation of a user puff. In other embodiments, the airflow sensor 30 is connected to the controller 22, which distributes power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 based on a signal received by the controller 22 from the airflow sensor 30. The particular manner in which the signal output from the airflow sensor 30 (which may include a measure of the capacitance, resistance or other characteristic of the airflow sensor created by the controller 22) is used by the controller 22 to control the supply of power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 may be performed according to any technique known to those of skill in the art.

[0032] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the airflow sensor 30 is mounted on a printed circuit board 31, although this is not required. The airflow sensor 30 may include any sensor configured to determine a characteristic of the airflow in the airflow passage 51 disposed between the air inlet 28 and the mouthpiece opening 50, such as a pressure sensor or transducer (e.g., a membrane or solid-state pressure sensor), a combined temperature and pressure sensor, or a microphone (e.g., an electret microphone) sensitive to changes in air pressure that include an acoustic signal. The airflow sensor is disposed within a sensor cavity 32, which includes an interior space defined by one or more chamber walls 34. The sensor cavity 32 may also be referred to herein as a sensor chamber 32 (these terms may be used interchangeably), and includes an area within one or more chamber walls 34 in which the airflow sensor 30 may be fully or partially disposed. In some embodiments, the airflow sensor 30 is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) 31 that includes one of the chamber walls of the sensor housing that includes the sensor chamber / cavity 32. The deformable membrane is disposed across an opening that provides communication between the sensor cavity 32, which contains the sensor 30, and a portion of the air flow path disposed between the air inlet 28 and the mouthpiece opening 50. The deformable membrane covers the opening and is attached to one or more of the chamber walls according to techniques described further herein.

[0033] As further described herein, the aerosol delivery device 1 includes a communication circuit configured to enable a connection to be established with one or more further electronic devices (e.g., a storage / charging case and / or a refill / charging dock) to enable data transfer between the aerosol delivery device 1 and the further electronic device(s). In some embodiments, the communication circuit is integrated into the controller 22, while in other embodiments, it is implemented separately (e.g., comprising a separate application specific integrated circuit(s) / circuit / chip(s) / chipset(s)). For example, the communication circuit may include a module separate from the controller 22 that provides dedicated data transfer functionality of the aerosol delivery device while connected to the controller 22. In some embodiments, the communication circuit is configured to support communication between the aerosol delivery device 1 and one or more further electronic devices over a wireless interface. The communication circuit may be configured to support wireless communication between the aerosol delivery device 1 and other electronic devices, such as a case, a dock, a computing device such as a smartphone or PC, a base station supporting cellular communication, a relay node providing a forward connection to a base station, a wearable device, or any other portable or fixed device supporting wireless communication. The wireless communication between the aerosol delivery device 1 and the further electronic device can be configured according to known data transfer protocols such as Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, Wifi Direct, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE, NFC, RFID, etc. More generally, it will be understood that in principle any wireless network protocol can be used to support wireless communication between the aerosol delivery device 1 and the further electronic device. In some embodiments, the communication circuitry is configured to support communication between the aerosol delivery device 1 and one or more further electronic devices over a wired interface. This can be done instead of or in addition to the configurations for wireless communication shown above.The communication circuitry may include any suitable interface for a wired data connection, such as a USB-C, micro USB, or Thunderbolt interface. More generally, it will be appreciated that the communication circuitry may include any wired communication interface that allows for the transfer of data, for example according to a packet data transfer protocol, and may include a pin or contact pad arrangement configured to engage with cooperating pins or contact pads on a dock, case, cable, or other external device that may be connected to the aerosol delivery device 1.

[0034] Referring now to FIG. 2, the aerosol delivery device 1 (or more generally, any delivery device described elsewhere herein) can operate within a broader delivery system / aerosol delivery system that includes one or more of a smartphone 100, a dock 200 (e.g., a storage / charging case or home refill and / or charging station), a personal computer (PC) 300, or a wearable device 400 (e.g., a smart watch), and a server 1000 (communication with the server may be supported via an Internet or other packet data connection 500). The electronic devices included in the system can communicate with the aerosol delivery device 1 directly (as indicated by the solid arrows) or indirectly (as indicated by the dashed arrows). This delivery system / aerosol delivery system can be referred to as a delivery ecosystem / aerosol delivery ecosystem.

[0035] An exemplary aerosol delivery device 1, such as an e-cigarette, can communicate directly with one or more other classes of devices in a broader aerosol delivery ecosystem, including, but not limited to, a smartphone 100, a dock 200 (e.g., a recharging case or a home refill and / or charging station), a personal computer (PC) 300, or a wearable device 400 (e.g., a smart watch). In a similar manner, an aerosol delivery device 10, such as an e-cigarette, can communicate directly with another device of the same class, i.e., another aerosol delivery device. As discussed above, these devices can cooperate in any suitable configuration to form a delivery system 1. This communication can be supported by wired communication circuitry of the aerosol delivery device 1 (e.g., using an interface such as USB-C, micro USB, Thunderbolt, or another wired communication interface as further described herein) or by wireless communication circuitry of the aerosol delivery device 1 (e.g., Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, Wifi Direct, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE, NFC or RFID module, or another wireless communication interface as further described herein). The aerosol delivery device 1 can be configured to connect to different of other classes of devices using different wired or wireless communication protocols, and the data connection between the aerosol delivery device 10 and any given second device can be established using wired and / or wireless communication. It will be understood that other classes of devices included in the broader delivery system can include communication circuitry for wired or wireless data transmission similar to that further shown in this specification in connection with the aerosol delivery device 1.Thus, the smartphone 100, the dock 200 (e.g., a home refill and / or charging station), the personal computer (PC) 300, the wearable device 400 (e.g., a smartwatch) or the server 1000 can be equipped with communication circuitry including Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, Wifi Direct, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE, NFC, RFID or other wireless transmission modules and / or wired interfaces such as USB-C, micro USB, Thunderbolt or other wired interfaces. The communication circuitry of the aerosol delivery device 1 (implemented as a single module or separate modules) can enable the device to communicate with different ones of further classes of devices using different wired and / or wireless data transmission protocols.

[0036] The aerosol delivery device 1 and other classes of devices in the delivery system can communicate directly or indirectly with the server 1000 via a network such as the Internet 500 or other suitable packet data protocols known to those skilled in the art (such as those set out in the 3GPP standards for cellular wireless communications). The aerosol delivery device 1 can establish such communications directly to communicate with a communications node / transceiver infrastructure (such as a "base station" or "Evolved Node B" in LTE terminology) that provides connectivity with the server 1000 (e.g., via a backhaul communications link) using one of the wireless communications protocols further described herein. Alternatively or in addition, the aerosol delivery device 1 establishes communication with the server 1000 via another device of the delivery system 1, for example, using a wired or wireless communication protocol that communicates with the smartphone 100, the dock / case 200, the personal computer (PC) 300, or the wearable device 400, which in turn communicates with the server 1000 (e.g., via the Internet 500) to relay data to or from the aerosol delivery device 1, report on communications with the aerosol delivery device 1, or exchange inferred information about the aerosol delivery device 1 without a connection being established with the aerosol delivery device 1. Other devices of the delivery ecosystem, such as the smartphone 100, the dock 200, or the POS system / personal computer (PC) 300, can optionally act as a hub for one or more aerosol delivery devices 1 that have only short-range transmission capabilities (e.g., provided by communication circuitry including a Bluetooth or RFID module). Such a hub can thus extend the battery life of the aerosol delivery device 1 while allowing data to be exchanged between the aerosol delivery device 1 and further devices in the aerosol delivery system 1 (e.g., server 1000).

[0037] Other classes of devices of the aerosol delivery system 1, such as the smartphone 100, the dock 200, the personal computer (or, for example, a POS system) 300, and / or the wearable 400, can also indirectly communicate with the server 1000 via relay devices to achieve aspects of their own functionality or indirectly communicate on behalf of the aerosol delivery system 1 (e.g., as a repeater or co-processing unit). These devices can also transfer data to each other directly or indirectly via any of the wired or wireless communication protocols further indicated herein. Thus, in embodiments of the present disclosure, a given first and second device of the delivery system can generally be in either a connected or unconnected state. The unconnected state can also be referred to as an idle state, in which a given first device may not be detectable by other second devices (i.e., the first device is not transmitting signaling that allows its presence and / or identity to be determined) or may be available for establishing a connection with the second device (i.e., it may be advertising its presence / identity using beacon / advertisement signaling). In the connected state, the first and second devices are configured to be able to transfer data from the first device to the second device (e.g., "uplink" transmission) and / or from the second device to the first device (e.g., "downlink" transmission). Thus, the establishment of a connection between the first device and the second device can be considered to include the establishment of any state, in which the two devices can exchange data regardless of the data transfer direction. Non-limiting examples of a connected state are the establishment of an RRC connected state according to the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, or a combined / paired state according to the Bluetooth standard. When the first and second devices of the delivery system are configured to communicate wirelessly, the transition from the unconnected state to the connected state generally follows a procedure as follows.In an initial inquiry step, the first device (e.g., aerosol delivery device 1) establishes the presence of the second device (e.g., smartphone 100 or case 200) by receiving a beacon signal or other identification signal / message from the second device. In an authentication step, the first and second devices exchange messages to establish information regarding the data transfer protocol to be used to exchange data (e.g., including coding and encryption parameters used when exchanging data packets). In a data transfer step, the first and second devices transfer data over the established air interface according to an agreed upon data transfer protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, ZigBee, RFID, or other protocols further described herein). This data transmission can be two-way or one-way. The data communication process for wired communication can be broadly similar, except that data is transmitted over a wired interface rather than a wireless interface. Further aspects of the implementation for the establishment of wireless and wired communication can be found in standard documents for communication protocols such as those further listed herein.

[0038] 2 and described in the accompanying text, it will be understood that references herein to the functionality of the controller 22 of the aerosol delivery device may be "offloaded" to a processor or controller associated with an external electronic device having a wired or wireless data connection to the aerosol delivery device in terms of monitoring usage of the aerosol delivery device, storing usage data, and establishing parameters for control of operation of the aerosol delivery device based on such usage data. If some or all of the computational operations are performed in the external electronic device, the resulting parameters determined for control of the aerosol delivery device are transmitted back to the aerosol delivery device via a wired or wireless data connection, as appropriate. Thus, throughout this disclosure, when reference is made to operations in which (i) user input, such as selection of parameters and device modes, is provided to a user input interface of the reusable device portion 2, (ii) information is displayed to a user on a display of the reusable device portion 2, and (iii) information is processed by the controller 22 (e.g., to determine how to control at least one aspect of the operation of the aerosol delivery system based on target operating characteristics of the aerosol delivery system and to identify cartridge / consumable part information), it will be understood that one or more of these functions can be performed by an external electronic device (e.g., a smartphone, refill / charging dock or case, personal computer (PC), wearable device (e.g., a smart watch) or a server) to which the aerosol delivery system is configured to connect via a wired or wireless communication protocol using a wired or wireless data interface between the aerosol delivery system 1 and the external electronic device.

[0039] The controller 22 of the aerosol delivery device is configured to monitor at least one aspect of the utilization of the aerosol delivery device by a user. For example, an inhalation event (also referred to herein as a "puff") can be detected based on a signal received by the controller from an activation device including an airflow sensor 30. When the airflow velocity (and / or pressure drop) detected by the airflow sensor 30 increases above a predetermined threshold, the controller 22 can determine that a puff has begun, and a puff start time can be stored in a memory element associated with the controller 22. When the airflow velocity (and / or pressure drop) detected by the airflow sensor 30 again falls below the predetermined threshold (or a second, different threshold to account for sensor hysteresis), the controller 22 can determine that a puff has ended, and a puff end time can be stored in a memory element associated with the controller 22. This timing information can be used to determine the duration of each of the multiple puffs, and the delay between subsequent puffs. The supply of power to the heater 48 can be initiated and terminated by the controller at the puff start and puff end times.

[0040] As mentioned above, button 14, representing a form of manual activation device, may be located on the outer housing of body 20. Button 14 may be implemented using any suitable mechanism operable to be manually activated by a user, for example, a mechanical button or switch, a capacitive or resistive touch sensor, etc. The above-described puff start and end times may, in other embodiments, be determined based on the time that a user presses and releases button 14, respectively, at which the power supply to heater 48 is started and stopped.

[0041] If the aerosol delivery device 1 includes an airflow sensor 30, the controller 22 can monitor the intensity of the user's inhalation associated with each of the multiple puffs and the output by the airflow sensor 30 and store this in a memory element. This can include, for example, the maximum inhalation intensity during each puff, or a time-varying profile of the inhalation intensity during each puff. The power supplied to the heater during each puff can also be monitored and stored in a memory element. The power supplied to the heater by the controller 22 can be adjusted by the user on a puff-by-puff or session-by-session basis using a user input interface associated with the aerosol delivery device or associated with an external electronic device, such as, for example, a smartphone 100, having a data connection to the aerosol delivery device. For example, the power level supplied to the heater can be selected via a software application (APP) running on the smartphone 100, and as described further herein, this power level is indicated to the controller 22 via a wireless data connection between the smartphone 100 and the aerosol delivery device.

[0042] In the present disclosure, the term "inhalation session" may be used to refer to a sequence of user inhalations (i.e., puffs). The sequence may correspond to a characteristic pattern, such as a high-to-low puff sequence, where the amount of aerosol delivered per puff generally decreases over subsequent puffs. Alternatively, an inhalation session may correspond to a predetermined number or range of inhalations of the aerosol delivery device by a user. For example, a session may be defined as 10 inhalations or 8-12 inhalations. Additionally or alternatively, a session may be defined by a preset time from a first inhalation by a user on the aerosol delivery device. For example, the predetermined time may be 4 minutes. Thus, a session may be defined when the total number of inhalations reaches 8-12 inhalations and / or when the time elapsed since the first inhalation reaches 4 minutes. It should be understood that the values ​​of the predetermined number of inhalations and the predetermined time are given purely by way of example, and other numbers and times may be used as appropriate in other implementations.

[0043] Alternatively or in addition, in embodiments of the present disclosure, an inhalation session can be separated from another session by a period of non-use, and a first session is considered to have ended and a second subsequent session to have begun when a threshold duration between the last puff of a first session and the first puff of a second session is longer than the threshold duration. For example, the threshold duration can be selected for ease of understanding by the user (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or 55 minutes, or more preferably, a period in the range of 5-45 minutes, or more preferably, a period in the range of 10-30 minutes, or more preferably, a period in the range of 15-20 minutes), or can be selected based on pharmacokinetics, such as the so-called half-life, of an active agent contained in the aerosol-generating material aerosolized by the aerosol delivery device. Thus, an inhalation session may include a characteristic pattern and / or may be separated from another session by a threshold duration of non-use, and the usage data may include information regarding the number of puffs in each of the multiple sessions and the duration of each of the multiple sessions over a period during which N puffs are taken on the device.

[0044] In embodiments of the present disclosure, usage data / information can include parameters derived based on sensing other interactions of the user with the aerosol delivery system that are not directly associated with inhalation, but are nevertheless recorded by the device with respect to the timeline of the puff. For example, usage data can include:

[0045] Data regarding the location of the aerosol delivery device or an external electronic device, such as a smartphone, over time based on GPS location tracking over a period spanning multiple N puffs, according to GPS tracking techniques known to those skilled in the art.

[0046] Data regarding parameter selection or manual input of data by a user into an associated electronic device of the aerosol delivery device or aerosol delivery system. For example, usage data can include a record of how a user adjusted the level of power supplied to the heater 48 of the aerosol delivery device over a period spanning multiple N puffs.

[0047] Data relating to a user's physical interaction with the aerosol delivery device that is not directly related to airflow through the device. For example, suitable sensors can be placed on the exterior housing of the aerosol delivery device according to techniques known to those skilled in the art to monitor the temperature of the user's skin as the user holds the device, the acceleration of the device, to name a few non-limiting examples, over a period spanning multiple N puffs.

[0048] The inventors have recognized that it may be desirable to optimize the amount of usage data held by the controller of the aerosol delivery device in view of the overhead involved in storing and processing such data. In particular, in situations where the controller 22 is configured to monitor multiple aspects of the usage of the aerosol delivery device such that multiple types of usage data are established (e.g., relating to puff characteristics, session characteristics, device location characteristics, and user input characteristics), this monitoring may result in a significant rate of data generation, which requires storage in memory elements of the controller 22. In view of attempts to simplify the controller 22 to reduce costs and / or power drawn from the battery / power supply 26, it may be desirable to optimize the amount of data stored to achieve a compromise between storing enough raw monitoring data to enable the establishment of meaningful usage data representative of the user's characteristic behavior, and the amount of storage space required to store this data. Furthermore, even in the absence of a technical requirement to limit the storage space available for storage of usage data, it may be desirable to optimize the amount of usage data taken into account when establishing how to control aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system based on the established usage data. The inventors have recognized that the processing overhead of a controller of an aerosol delivery system can be minimized by optimizing the amount of data utilized to establish how to control aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system.

[0049] 3 shows a flow chart of a method according to the present disclosure, whereby in a first step S1, a user's usage of the aerosol delivery system is monitored using a sensor. In a second step S2, usage data is established based on the monitoring of the user's usage of the aerosol delivery system over a number of puffs, including 20-150 puffs. In a third step S3, an aspect of the operation of the aerosol delivery system is controlled by a controller based on the established usage data.

[0050] In embodiments of the present disclosure, usage data is established based on monitoring one or more aspects of usage over a period of time spanning a puff number N including 20-150 puffs. In some embodiments, the actual puff number N can be selected to be characteristic of a user's pattern of usage of the aerosol delivery device. It has been recognized that a user's usage of the device can follow a generally cyclical pattern having some periodicity. For example, a user may generally use an aerosol delivery device over a session of puffs having similar characteristics in terms of characteristics such as session length, average inhalation strength of puffs in the session, average length of puffs in the session, and other parameters. Other aspects of usage of the aerosol delivery device can be similar over each of the first and second periods of equal length, where the length of the period covers a characteristic number N of puffs. Thus, aspects of usage such as patterns of device location, patterns of user inputs at the device (such as variations in heater power settings) may be generally similar over both the first and second periods, where each period covers a characteristic number N of puffs. For example, if the period covering N puffs is approximately equal to 24 hours, it can be assumed that the manner in which a user utilizes the aerosol delivery device over successive periods is similar, based on the assumption that users generally follow similar daily routines and experience similar patterns of interaction with the aerosol delivery device over the course of each day.

[0051] Thus, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, a puff number N of 20-150 puffs is established, over which utilization data is established based on monitoring utilization of the aerosol delivery system. An appropriate value for N in the range of 20-150 puffs can be established in one of several different ways, as described further herein. FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic of an exemplary profile of monitored parameters over puff number on an aerosol delivery device, based on monitoring aspects of utilization of the aerosol delivery device. The monitored parameters can depend on the particular context in which the methodology is performed, for any aspect of utilization described herein. The particular parameters are not deemed particularly important and will vary in different embodiments. Thus, in one non-limiting example, the monitored parameter is average puff duration. FIG. 4 illustrates a graph showing that the magnitude of the average puff duration (which can be a windowed average over multiple puffs) follows a cyclical pattern, and the first multiple puff number N i Over the course of N, the average puff duration starts at a higher value, i 10 shows a gradual drop in the concentration over the course of puffs. i+1 ), the average puff duration returns to a higher value, N i+1 The cycle continues for N puffs. i+2 This is repeated over subsequent cycles of puffs. Figure 4 shows the monitored parameter profile over the N puff cycle. i , N i+1 , and N i+2 , where N is the number of puffs, i , N i+1 , and N i+2 contains the same number of puffs, but N i , N i+1 and N i+2There may be some variation between the number of puffs in each of the cycles, and between the profile of the monitored parameter (e.g., puff duration). What is important is that the profile of the monitored parameter follows a generally cyclical nature, having a generally characteristic periodicity in terms of the number of puffs N in each cycle. Thus, in embodiments of the present disclosure, utilization data established based on monitoring aspects of utilization (via the monitored parameter) over multiple puffs N can be assumed to represent utilization of the device over other periods (e.g., in the example of FIG. 4, multiple puffs N over multiple puffs N). i Use over multiple puffs i+1 and N i+2 (representing widespread use).

[0052] 5 is similar to FIG. 4, except that in this example, the parameters monitored include a power level selected by the user (or automatically selected by controller 22). Thus, the first plurality of puffs N i A relatively high power is initially provided to the heater for a first subset of puffs, and then the power level is increased over a number of puffs, N i A similar profile of power levels is gradually reduced over the subsequent subset of puffs in i+1 and N i+2 4 and 5 depict monitored puff duration and power delivered to the heater, respectively, it will be understood that in other embodiments, any of the monitored / utilized parameters described herein may be substituted.

[0053] If the determination of N is based on determining a characteristic period of cyclical changes in the manner in which the user utilizes the aerosol delivery device, this determination can be performed by a software routine executed in the controller 22 or in a processor associated with an external electronic device such as that shown in FIG. 2. This process can use data representing values ​​of the monitored parameters over a number of puffs (e.g., acquired over a period of hours, days, or weeks) to determine an appropriate value of N using appropriate algorithms / statistical techniques. For example, a technique utilizing Fourier-based spectral decomposition of the monitored parameter data can be used to establish the characteristic periodicity of the monitored parameter with respect to the number of puffs. However, any statistical technique for determining a characteristic periodicity in a time-varying signal may be used.

[0054] In other embodiments, the number of puffs in the plurality of puffs N can include the number of puffs for which the average of the monitored parameter is determined to represent the monitored parameter. For example, to avoid skewing of an average, such as the mean or median of the monitored parameter, due to the degree of noise in the values ​​of the monitored parameter across the plurality of puffs, a number of puffs N>i can be taken into account when averaging the parameter across the plurality of puffs, where i can be determined using statistical techniques known in the art to establish an appropriate sample size to use. An appropriate value of N for a given usage scenario can be determined experimentally or by modeling and can be based on empirical data derived by monitoring usage scenarios over time using the techniques presented herein for one or more users. An appropriate value of i can be selected using standard statistical techniques for selecting appropriate sample sizes known to those skilled in the art.

[0055] An aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure can, in some examples, "learn" an appropriate value for N based on monitoring aspects of the device's usage during an initial training period as a user interacts with the device. A software routine executing in the controller 22 or in a processor associated with an external electronic device such as that shown in FIG. 2 can use data representing the monitored parameter values ​​over a number of puffs (e.g., acquired over a period of hours, days, or weeks) to determine an appropriate value for N according to any of the techniques described further herein, thereby determining an appropriate value for N based on an analysis of the usage data. In some examples, the value of N can be based on monitoring aspects of the usage of a number of aerosol delivery devices by a number of users, and the monitored parameter data derived during this monitoring is collected, for example, by the server 1000 via a wireless data connection between the server 1000 and each of the plurality of aerosol delivery devices using the data connection techniques described further herein.

[0056] In other embodiments, the value of N can be determined by monitoring the number of puffs over a plurality of respective 24-hour periods and setting N to the average number of puffs per 24-hour period. The inventors have recognized that several values ​​of N provide usage data that are particularly representative of the usage of the aerosol delivery device by the user. For example, the value of N is preferably 10-300 puffs, or 20-250 puffs, or 30-200 puffs, or 40-175 puffs, or 50-150 puffs, or 60-140 puffs, or 70-130 puffs, or 80-120 puffs, or 90-110 puffs, or 95-105 puffs. In some embodiments, the value of N can be between 20 and 150 puffs, between 20 and 100 puffs, or between 20 and 50 puffs, the latter of which may be particularly appropriate when aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system on a given day are controlled based on usage data established earlier in the same day according to any of the approaches further described herein.

[0057] Once the value of N has been determined, it can be used to control aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery device according to one or more of the following approaches: It will be appreciated that the value of N (i.e., the number of puffs in the plurality of puffs for which usage data is established based on monitoring aspects of usage of the aerosol delivery system by a user) is generally preset by controller 22 of the aerosol delivery system. By "preset," it is meant that the number of puffs for which usage data is established and used to control operation of the aerosol delivery system is determined by controller 22 before the controller obtains the usage data and controls operation of the aerosol delivery system based on the usage data.

[0058] In some embodiments, the value of N is used to determine how much monitoring data has been obtained through monitoring aspects of the utilization of the aerosol delivery device for storage in a memory element of the aerosol delivery device. The memory element can be integrated into the controller 22 or can be a stand-alone memory element (e.g., a microSD card or similar flash memory).

[0059] For example, a hardware or virtual buffer included in a memory element associated with the controller 22 can be configured to provide N data slots, each of which can store values ​​of data of a monitored parameter associated with an individual puff, based on which utilization data is established according to the techniques described further herein. When a puff is taken, the value of the monitored parameter associated with the puff can be written to the lead slot of the buffer, and the remaining N-1 values ​​are shifted one slot along the buffer (so that values ​​relating to the less recent puff are no longer included in the buffer). The utilization data can then be re-established based on the updated values ​​in the buffer. For example, when the values ​​stored in the buffer include puff duration values ​​and the utilization data used to control aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system include an average of the last N puff duration values, the average can be recalculated following each puff. This technique can be viewed as a windowed averaging approach to generating utilization data based on monitoring aspects of utilization of the aerosol delivery device, where the utilization data is a windowed average over N puffs of the monitored parameter derived by the user by monitoring aspects of utilization of the aerosol delivery device. It will be appreciated that this approach can be applied with respect to any usage data associated with each puff, as described further herein. In the aerosol delivery device, the value of N can be updated over time (e.g., N is recalculated on an hourly, daily or weekly basis based on analyzing the variation of the monitored parameters over time, as described further herein), and the size of the buffer can be dynamically changed. This can be advantageous because it can allow the storage capacity of the memory element that contains the buffer to be optimized, whereby space not allocated to the buffer can be allocated by the controller for other purposes.

[0060] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller 22, the aerosol delivery system, and / or a processor of an external electronic device as further described herein are configured to determine one or more control parameters for controlling aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on usage data derived by monitoring one or more aspects of the usage of the aerosol delivery device by a user over a period corresponding to N inhalation events or "puffs" by the user at the aerosol delivery device (which may be distributed among M sessions).

[0061] Aspects of device operation may be determined by one or more device control parameters, which may include: parameters related to controlling a heater or other aerosol generating element; parameters related to controlling visual, audible and / or tactile indications provided to a user; parameters related to data connectivity, such as uploading usage data from the aerosol delivery device to one or more external devices in a broader aerosol delivery system; or any other parameters for controlling aspects of operation of an aerosol delivery device known to those of skill in the art. Device parameters are typically used as inputs to the controller 22 to vary operating parameters of the aerosol delivery device, or may be used to control aspects of operation of one or more external electronic devices, as shown in FIG. 2 and described in the accompanying description. For example, device control parameters including heater control parameters can specify a power level provided by controller 22 from battery / power source 26 to heater 48; device control parameters including indication control parameters can be used by controller 22 to control the provision of visual, audible or tactile notifications or prompts to a user; device control parameters including interruption control parameters can be used by controller 22 to control periods during which a user may or may not generate aerosol using the aerosol delivery device, respectively. More generally, data control parameters can include any parameters usable by controller 22 of the aerosol delivery system to modify some aspect of the operation of the aerosol delivery system and can be based on aspects of the operation of aerosol delivery devices known to those of skill in the art.

[0062] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the monitored aspect of usage includes one or more characteristics of a plurality of user puffs, including N puffs, and the controlled aspect of the operation of the aerosol delivery device is the amount of power provided to the heater of the device in a subsequent puff or session. The characteristics of the N puffs can be considered to be indicative of the demand for aerosol by the user, and the usage data can thereby be considered to represent a pattern of such demand. Thus, the usage data established over a plurality of N puffs can be used to control the manner in which aerosol is generated in one or more subsequent puffs.

[0063] In one embodiment, utilization data of the preceding N puffs is used to control the heating duration and / or heater power level in subsequent puffs. For example, after a puff, the average aerosol mass loss per puff can be estimated based on calculations of the aerosol mass loss in each of the preceding N puffs, where N is between 20 and 100 puffs. The aerosol mass loss can be estimated using a function of heater power and puff duration, and optionally, airflow velocity, determined based on the output of an airflow sensor. These parameters can be input into an experimentally derived fitted model to quantify the aerosol mass loss across different puff lengths, heater power levels, and optionally airflow velocities. Thus, once the average aerosol mass loss per puff is estimated based on the preceding N puffs, the heating duration and / or heater power level can be controlled in subsequent puffs to target the same mass loss value. This can be based on assuming that the length of the puff and, optionally, the airflow rate in the subsequent puff will be the average of the previous N puffs, and then controlling the power to the heater to target the mass loss value based on the fitted model. In other embodiments, the control parameters may not be directly related to controlling the heating, but may be related, for example, to providing a user indication. For example, based on the average mass loss of the aerosol in each of the previous N puffs and information about the amount of aerosol-generating material remaining in the consumable parts coupled to the aerosol delivery system, the controller can estimate the remaining number of available puffs with the assumption that future puffs are associated with the average mass loss per puff. This estimated number of puffs can be displayed to the user on the user interface of the aerosol delivery device or on an APP running on a smartphone with a data connection to the aerosol delivery system.

[0064] If the controller is configured to estimate the user's demand for the next puff or inhalation session by the user, this may be determined by the controller 22 based on any suitable characteristic or combination of characteristics of multiple preceding puffs, including N puffs, as represented by usage data including, for example, puff start and end times, puff intensity, or information regarding the power delivered to the heater per puff, as determined by the controller 22 based on monitored parameters of aspects of usage of the aerosol delivery device, as further described herein.

[0065] For example, with reference to FIG. 4, usage data can be derived that indicates aerosol demand generally decreases over the N puffs based on identifying that the average puff duration of the puffs taken by a user follows a decreasing pattern over the N puffs.

[0066] In some examples, the value of the control parameter is N i Based on utilization data including a profile of the monitored parameter over a preceding sequence of puffs, +1 can be changed over a sequence of puffs, where n is the sequence i+1 and N i may or may not overlap. Thus, for example, if the parameter being monitored is puff duration as shown in Figure 4, a series of N i+1 The power delivered by the controller 22 to the heater 48 during the nth puff of the puffs may be based on the average duration of the puffs in the preceding N puffs (i.e., the power P n teeth,

number

number

[0067] In embodiments of the present disclosure, the control parameter can be an interruption control parameter. The value of the interruption control parameter for one or more puffs can be established based on usage data including the characteristic rate of aerosol generation, based on monitoring of puff durations and timings over the preceding N puffs. For example, usage data including the amount of aerosol per puff can be established based on a function such as f(t, P), where t is the puff duration of the puff in a plurality of puffs N, and P is the power delivered to the heater for each of the plurality of puffs N. Based on an estimate of the amount of aerosol delivered in each of the puffs in the preceding plurality of N puffs, the controller can establish an interruption control parameter used to prevent the user from using the aerosol delivery device, and can generate aerosol over a period of time. For example, the interruption control scheme can include preventing the user from generating aerosol over a preset period when it is determined that the aerosol generation rate in a second plurality of puffs exceeds the rate of aerosol generation in the previous plurality of N puffs. For example, the rate of aerosol generation over the last N puffs can be calculated in the controller, for example, based on the power supplied to the heater and the duration of each puff (i.e., using a preset function that links heater power to the rate of aerosol generation, established through modeling and / or experimentation), by estimating the mass loss of aerosol for each one of the N puffs and calculating the mass loss of aerosol over the elapsed time during which the N puffs were inhaled, as the mass of aerosol per unit time. In subsequent use of the aerosol delivery device, following the N puffs, the controller can calculate the current rate of aerosol generation for the last Q puffs after each puff. Here, Q < N. For example, Q can include less than 50 puffs, less than 40 puffs, less than 30 puffs, less than 20 puffs, or less than 10 puffs.If the rate of aerosol generation for the last Q puffs (in terms of mass of aerosol per unit time) exceeds the rate of aerosol generation for the last N puffs (in terms of mass of aerosol per unit time), the controller 22 can establish an interrupt control parameter that includes a lockout period during which aerosol cannot be generated by the device regardless of user demand. The length of the lockout period (e.g., in seconds, minutes, or hours) may be proportional to the extent to which the rate of the last Q puffs exceeds the rate of the last N puffs. In a variation of this scheme, the interrupt control parameter can be replaced with a power control parameter, whereby power delivery to the heater is increased depending on the difference between the aerosol delivery rate during the last Q puffs and the aerosol delivery rate during the last N puffs.

[0068] In any of the embodiments described herein, the controller can optionally be configured to establish usage data based on monitoring aspects of a user's usage of the aerosol delivery system over a plurality of puffs, including 20 to 150 puffs, and the controller is further configured to control aspects of operation of the aerosol delivery system based on the established usage data, and the selection of usage data to use is based on the context in which the control of the aspects of operation of the aerosol delivery system is to be performed.

[0069] Thus, in some embodiments, the context includes a day of the week, and the usage data includes usage data based on monitoring aspects of a user's usage of the aerosol delivery system over a plurality of puffs, including 20-150 puffs, on a given day of the week, where the day of the week from which the usage data is derived is a prior instance of the same day of the week for which aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system will be controlled based on the usage data. Thus, during Monday, the controller may control aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system as described herein based on usage data, where the usage data is established based on monitoring any aspect of the usage of the aerosol delivery system by the user as described herein over a plurality of puffs, including 20-150 puffs, where the usage data is obtained by monitoring aspects of usage during the previous Monday (i.e., 20-150 puffs made between 0000H and 2400H on the previous Monday). It will be appreciated that the choice of Monday is not important and the principles may be applied with respect to any other day of the week as well. This embodiment recognizes that usage may often be characteristically different for different days, and in particular usage on weekends may be characteristically different from usage on weekdays due to users having different usage patterns depending on whether they are on a work day (where device use may be constrained) or a non-work day (where device use may be less constrained). Thus, more generally, usage data for a weekend (which may be either Saturday or Sunday) may be used to determine how to control aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system on a subsequent weekend (which may also be either Saturday or Sunday), and / or usage data for a weekday (which may be any of Monday through Friday) may be used to determine how to control aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system on a subsequent weekday (which may also be any of Monday through Friday). Thus, usage data for a Saturday may be used to control aspects of the operation of the device on Sunday, or usage data for a Monday may be used to control aspects of the operation of the device on Thursday, and so on.

[0070] Even more generally, the context used to determine which usage data to use when controlling aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system can be based on the selection of one of a number of distinct / distinct time periods, during which the user's usage of the device may generally differ, but the usage of the device may be similar for different instances of the same type of time period. For example, time periods during which the user is at work, at home, or on vacation can comprise distinct / distinct type time periods, and control of aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system during one of these distinct / distinct time periods can be based on usage data established based on monitoring aspects of the user's usage of the aerosol delivery system over a number of puffs, including 20-150 puffs, where the 20-150 puffs were taken during a previous instance of the same type of distinct time period. For example, when a user is determined to be on vacation (e.g., based on GPS information indicating that the user has traveled to a different country or city, or based on the user explicitly indicating that they are on vacation via an input into an app running on a smartphone having a data connection with the aerosol delivery system, or based on an application running on the smartphone that accesses the user's electronic calendar and establishes that the user is on vacation), aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system can be based on usage data established when the user was previously determined to be on vacation (through any of the techniques mentioned above). The reference to vacation is just one example of a context, and this concept can be generalized to other distinct / characteristic periods (e.g., "at work," "at home," "sick leave," or any other type of period known to one of skill in the art).

[0071] As described herein, in embodiments of the present disclosure, the context can be determined based on GPS location tracking via a GPS tracking module located on the aerosol delivery system or smartphone, for example, based on the location of the aerosol delivery system established based on information regarding the location of the aerosol delivery device or an external electronic device, such as a smartphone, according to GPS tracking techniques known to those skilled in the art. Thus, the usage data can include usage data based on monitoring aspects of the usage of the aerosol delivery system by a user over a plurality of puffs, including 20-150 puffs, when the aerosol delivery system (or user smartphone) is in a particular location or area, and aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system are controlled based on the usage data when the aerosol delivery system (or user smartphone) is located in the same location or area. Thus, when the aerosol delivery system or user smartphone is located in a particular building, road, city, area, or country, aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system can be based on usage data based on monitoring aspects of the usage of the aerosol delivery system by a user over a plurality of puffs, including 20-150 puffs, when the aerosol delivery device or user smartphone was located in the same building, road, city, area, or country.

[0072] To this end, an aerosol delivery device is described comprising a sensor configured to monitor aspects of a user's usage of the aerosol delivery system, and a controller configured to establish usage data based on the monitoring of aspects of the user's usage of the aerosol delivery system over a plurality of puffs, including 20 to 150 puffs, the controller being further configured to control aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the established usage data.

[0073] The various embodiments described herein are presented only as an aid in understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as a representative sample of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. It is understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, features, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or to the equivalents of the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. The various embodiments of the present invention may suitably include, consist of, or consist essentially of any suitable combination of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. In addition, the present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future. The delivery system described herein may be implemented as a combustion aerosol delivery system, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, or an aerosol-free delivery system.

Claims

1. a sensor configured to monitor an aspect of a user's use of the aerosol delivery system; a controller configured to establish usage data based on monitoring a user's usage of the aerosol delivery system over a plurality of puffs, including between 20 and 150 puffs; 1. An aerosol delivery device comprising: The aerosol delivery device, wherein the controller is further configured to control aspects of operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the established usage data.

2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of puffs comprises 50 to 150 puffs.

3. 10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the number of puffs in the plurality of puffs is determined based on the number of puffs taken by a user in at least one preset period of time.

4. 4. The aerosol delivery device of claim 3, wherein the preset period has a duration of 24 hours.

5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the number of puffs in the plurality of puffs is determined based on establishing a characteristic periodicity in the user's usage of the aerosol delivery system, the periodicity being established based on analysis of usage data.

6. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the number of puffs in the plurality of puffs is determined based on establishing a number of puffs for which an average value of a parameter included in the usage data is determined to be characteristic of the manner in which the user uses the aerosol delivery system.

7. 7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 6, wherein the aspect of the operational usage data is controlled based on usage data for a plurality of puffs, including 20 to 150 puffs preceding a user puff.

8. 7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 6, wherein the manner of operation is controlled for a second plurality of puffs based on usage data associated with the first plurality of puffs, the second plurality of puffs also including between 20 and 150 puffs.

9. 9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 8, wherein the first and second pluralities of puffs overlap.

10. 9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 8, wherein the first and second pluralities of puffs do not overlap.

11. The aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the first and second pluralities of puffs comprise the same number of puffs.

12. 12. The aerosol delivery device of claim 8, wherein the manner of operation is controlled for puff n of the second plurality of puffs based on usage data associated with puff n of the first plurality of puffs.

13. 12. The aerosol delivery device of claim 8, wherein the mode of operation is controlled for puff n of the second plurality of puffs based on usage data of a subset of puffs of the first plurality of puffs, the subset of puffs being centered on puff n of the first plurality of puffs.

14. 14. An aerosol delivery device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the mode of operation is controlled by setting the power level supplied to the atomizer in a puff.

15. 15. The aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the mode of operation is controlled by determining an aerosol generation rate based on the usage data, and determining an aerosol generation rate to be applied in one or more puffs based on the determined aerosol generation rate.

16. 16. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the usage data includes at least one of puff timing, puff duration, puff intensity, and power delivered to the atomizer during each puff.

17. The aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the usage data includes information regarding the location of a user of the aerosol delivery device.

18. The aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the usage data includes information regarding one or more control parameters entered by a user of the aerosol delivery system.

19. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the usage data includes information regarding at least one of the following: a temperature of the user's skin, a user's heart rate, and an acceleration of the device.

20. The aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the aerosol delivery system comprises a memory element configured to store usage data, and the storage capacity of the usage data of the memory element is predetermined based on an amount of usage data associated with the plurality of puffs.

21. The aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 1 to 20, comprising a transceiver circuit configured to transmit usage data to an external electronic device via a data communication interface and to receive at least one control parameter for controlling an aspect of operation of the aerosol delivery system from the external electronic device via the data communication interface, the control parameter being derived based on the usage data.

22. 22. The aerosol delivery device of claim 21, wherein the external electronic device comprises a smartphone, a charging dock, a refill dock, a wearable device, a personal computer, or a server.

23. The aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the controller is configured to establish a current context for the aerosol delivery device and control aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system based on usage data established based on monitoring aspects of the usage of the aerosol delivery system during a period associated with a previous instance in which the aerosol delivery device was established to be associated with the same context.

24. The aerosol delivery device of claim 23 , wherein the context comprises a preset time period.

25. The aerosol delivery device of claim 24 , wherein the context includes a day of the week.

26. The aerosol delivery device of claim 25 , wherein the context includes one of a weekday or a weekend.

27. The aerosol delivery device of claim 23 , wherein the context includes a location or area.

28. 1. A method of controlling an aerosol delivery device comprising a sensor and a controller, the method comprising: using the sensor to monitor a user's use of the aerosol delivery system; establishing usage data based on monitoring, with the controller, how the user utilizes the aerosol delivery system over a plurality of puffs, including between 20 and 150 puffs; and controlling, with the controller, aspects of operation of the aerosol delivery device based on the established usage data. controlling the aerosol delivery system so that

29. 30. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform the method of claim 28.

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