Lockable Aerosol Delivery System

Abstract

A device component for an aerosol delivery system comprises a microphone operable to detect an acoustic signal and a controller, the controller being configured to receive the acoustic signal detected by the microphone, extract data from the acoustic signal, process the extracted data to determine whether the extracted data corresponds to either a lock command or an unlock command for the aerosol generation system, and if a correspondence with a lock command is found, change the operational state of the aerosol delivery system from an enabled state to a disabled state, and if a correspondence with an unlock command is found, change the operational state of the aerosol delivery system from a disabled state to an enabled state.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to lockable aerosol delivery systems or portions thereof, and methods for locking and / or unlocking aerosol delivery systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Aerosol delivery systems, formatted as personal handheld electronic devices that generate an aerosol from a substrate material for inhalation by a user, are becoming widely used. For safety and / or hygiene reasons, users may prefer that their systems cannot be used by others without their permission. For example, if the aerosol contains nicotine or is used to deliver a drug, it is undesirable for others, including minors, to have access to the aerosol generation. Thus, aerosol delivery systems can be configured to be placed in an inoperable or locked state in which they cannot operate to generate aerosol, from which they can only be re-enabled or unlocked by the intended user of the system.

[0003] Therefore, the arrangement for locking and / or unlocking the aerosol delivery system is important. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of some embodiments described herein, there is provided a device component for an aerosol delivery system, the device component comprising: a microphone operable to detect an acoustic signal; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive the acoustic signal detected by the microphone, extract data from the acoustic signal, process the extracted data to determine whether the extracted data corresponds to either a lock command or an unlock command for the aerosol generation system, and if a correspondence with a lock command is found, change the operational state of the aerosol delivery system from an enabled state to a disabled state, and if a correspondence with an unlock command is found, change the operational state of the aerosol delivery system from the disabled state to the enabled state.

[0005] According to a second aspect of some embodiments described herein, there is provided an aerosol delivery system comprising a device component according to the first aspect.

[0006] According to a third aspect of some embodiments described herein, there is provided a method for operating an aerosol delivery system, the method including the steps of: storing data associated with lock and unlock commands for the aerosol delivery system in a data storage of an electronic personal device having a speaker; in response to a user input for locking the electronic personal device, generating a lock drive signal for the speaker through which the lock command is conveyed, and supplying the lock drive signal to the speaker to cause the speaker to emit an acoustic lock signal for detection by a microphone of the aerosol delivery system; and in response to a user input for unlocking the electronic personal device, generating an unlock drive signal for the speaker through which an unlock command is conveyed, and supplying the unlock drive signal to the speaker to cause the speaker to emit an acoustic unlock signal for detection by a microphone of the aerosol delivery system.

[0007] According to a fourth aspect of some embodiments described herein, there is provided a computer readable medium storing a computer program that, when installed in an electronic personal device having a processor and a speaker, enables the electronic device to perform a method according to the third aspect.

[0008] These and further aspects of particular embodiments are set forth in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. It will be understood that features of the dependent claims may be combined with each other and with features of the independent claims in combination with features other than those explicitly set forth in the claims. Furthermore, the approaches described herein are not limited to specific embodiments such as those described below, but include and contemplate any suitable combination of features presented herein. For example, an aerosol delivery system, or portion thereof, or related method may be suitably provided by the approaches described herein including any one or more of the various features described below.

[0009] Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a simplified schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary electronic aerosol delivery system in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic cross-sectional view of a first example of device components for an aerosol delivery system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 1 is a flow diagram of steps in an exemplary method of operating an aerosol delivery system for locking and unlocking according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary system for locking and unlocking an aerosol delivery system using a personal electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5]1 is a flow diagram of steps in an exemplary method of using a personal electronic device to lock and unlock an aerosol delivery system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Aspects and features of particular examples and embodiments are discussed / described herein. Some aspects and features of particular examples and embodiments may be conventionally implemented and, for purposes of brevity, will not be discussed / described in detail. Accordingly, it will be understood that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented by any conventional technique for implementing such aspects and features.

[0012] As mentioned above, the present disclosure relates to aerosol or vapor delivery systems, including (but not limited to) electronic systems such as e-cigarettes. Throughout the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" and "electronic cigarette" may be used, but it will be understood that these terms can be used interchangeably with aerosol (vapor) delivery systems. The systems are intended to generate an inhalable aerosol by evaporation of a substrate (aerosol-forming material) in liquid or gel form, which may or may not contain nicotine. Additionally, hybrid systems may include a solid substrate that is further heated in addition to the liquid or gel substrate. The solid substrate may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. As used herein, the terms "aerosol-forming material" and "aerosolizable material" are intended to refer to a material capable of forming an aerosol by application of heat or some other means. The term "aerosol" can be used interchangeably with "vapor."

[0013] As used herein, the terms "system" and "delivery system" encompass systems that deliver substances to a user and are intended to include non-combustion aerosol delivery systems that release compounds from aerosolizable materials without burning them, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems that generate aerosols using a combination of aerosolizable materials, as well as articles that comprise aerosolizable materials and are configured for use in one of these non-combustion aerosol delivery systems. According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is one in which the constituent aerosolizable materials of the aerosol delivery system (or its components) are not burned or combusted to facilitate delivery to the user. In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as a powered non-combustion aerosol delivery system. In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery (END) system, although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosolizable material is not a requirement. In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is a hybrid system that generates the aerosol using a combination of aerosolizable materials, and may also heat one or more of the aerosolizable materials. Each of the aerosolizable materials may be, for example, in solid, liquid, or gel form, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosolizable material and a solid aerosolizable material. The solid aerosolizable material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0014] Typically, a non-combustible aerosol delivery system can include a non-combustible aerosol delivery device and an article (consumable) for use with the non-combustible aerosol delivery device. However, it is contemplated that an article that itself includes an aerosol generator or a means for powering an aerosol-generating component can itself form a non-combustible aerosol delivery system. In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device can include a power source and a controller. The power source can be, for example, an electrical source. In some embodiments, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery device can include an aerosol-generating component (aerosol generator), an aerosol-generating region, a mouthpiece, and / or a region for receiving the aerosol-generating material.

[0015] In some systems, the aerosol-generating component or aerosol generator comprises a heater capable of interacting with the aerosolizable material to liberate one or more volatile substances from the aerosolizable material and form an aerosol, although the present disclosure is not limited in this respect and also applies to systems that use other techniques to form the aerosol, such as a vibrating mesh.

[0016] In some embodiments, an article for use with a non-burning aerosol delivery device can comprise an aerosolizable material or an area for receiving an aerosolizable material. In some embodiments, an article for use with a non-burning aerosol delivery device can comprise a mouthpiece. The area for receiving an aerosolizable material can be a storage area for storing the aerosolizable material. For example, the storage area can be a reservoir. In some embodiments, the area for receiving an aerosolizable material can be separate from the aerosol-generation area or can be combined with the aerosol-generation area.

[0017] As used herein, the term "component" can be used to refer to a portion, section, unit, module, assembly, etc., of an electronic cigarette or similar device, which incorporates several smaller parts or elements, possibly within an external housing or outer wall. An aerosol delivery system, such as an electronic cigarette, can be formed or constructed from one or more such components, such as articles and devices, which can be detachably or separably connectable to one another or can be permanently joined together during manufacturing to define the entire system. The present disclosure is applicable (but not limited to) to systems comprising two detachably connectable components, configured, for example, as an article in the form of an aerosolizable material carrying component (alternatively referred to as a cartridge, cartomizer, pod, or consumable) that holds a liquid or other aerosolizable material, and a device having a battery or other power source to provide power to operate the aerosol generating component or aerosol generator to produce a vapor / aerosol from the aerosolizable material. A component may include more or fewer parts than those included in the examples.

[0018] In some examples, the present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems and components thereof that utilize aerosolizable material in liquid or gel form, where the aerosolizable material is held in a storage area, such as a reservoir, tank, container, or other receptacle, included in the system, or absorbed into a carrier substrate. Apparatus is included for delivering the material from the reservoir to provide the material to an aerosol generator for vapor / aerosol generation. Terms such as "liquid," "gel," "fluid," "source liquid," "source gel," and "source fluid" may be used interchangeably with terms such as "aerosol-generating material," "aerosolizable substrate material," and "substrate material" to refer to materials having a form that can be stored and delivered by examples of the present disclosure.

[0019] 1 is a highly schematic illustration (not to scale) of a generic, exemplary electronic aerosol / vapor delivery system, such as an e-cigarette 10, in which aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented, presented for the purposes of illustrating the relationships between various parts of a typical system and explaining general principles of operation. It should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to systems configured in this manner, and features may be modified in accordance with various options and definitions discussed above and / or apparent to those skilled in the art. The e-cigarette 10, in this example, has a generally elongated shape, extends along a longitudinal axis indicated by a dashed line, and comprises two main components: a device 20 (a control or power component, section, or unit) and an article or consumable 30 (a cartridge assembly or section, sometimes referred to as a cartomizer or clearomizer) that operates to deliver aerosol-generating material and generate vapor / aerosol.

[0020] The article 30 includes a storage area, such as a reservoir 3, containing a liquid feedstock or other aerosol-generating material, including a nicotine-containing liquid or gel formulation from which an aerosol is generated. By way of example, the liquid feedstock may contain approximately 1% to 3% nicotine and 50% glycerin, with the remainder consisting of approximately equal amounts of water and propylene glycol, and possibly other components, such as flavoring. A nicotine-free liquid feedstock may also be used, such as for delivering flavoring. It may also contain a solid substrate (not shown), such as tobacco or other flavoring elements, through which vapor generated from the liquid passes. The reservoir 3 may have the form of a storage tank, a container or receptacle in which the liquid feedstock can be stored, allowing for free movement and flow of the liquid within the tank. For consumable products, the reservoir 3 may be sealed after filling during manufacture so that the liquid feedstock is disposable after consumption; otherwise, the reservoir 3 may have an inlet port or other opening through which a user can add new liquid feedstock. Article 30 also includes an aerosol generator 5, which in this example constitutes an aerosol-generating component, and may take the form of an electrically powered heating element or heater 4 and an aerosol-generating material transfer component 6. The heater 4 is located external to the reservoir 3 and is operable to generate an aerosol by heating and vaporizing a source liquid. The aerosol-generating material transfer component 6 is a transfer or delivery device configured to transfer the aerosol-generating material from the reservoir 3 to the heater 4. In some examples, the aerosol-generating material transfer component 6 may take the form of a wick or other porous element. The wick 6 may have one or more portions located within the reservoir 3 or may otherwise be in fluid communication with the liquid in the reservoir 3, thereby absorbing the source liquid and transferring it by wicking or capillary action to other portions of the wick 6 adjacent to or in contact with the heater 4. The liquid is then heated and vaporized, and replacement liquid is drawn from the reservoir 3 by the wick 6 via continued capillary action and transferred to the heater 4.The wick can be thought of as a conduit between the reservoir 3 and the heater 4 that delivers or transfers liquid from the reservoir to the heater. In some designs, the heater 4 and the aerosol-generating material transfer component 6 are unitary or monolithic and formed from the same material that can be used for both liquid transfer and heating, such as a material that is both porous and conductive. In still other cases, the aerosol-generating material transfer component can operate by other than capillary action, such as by including an arrangement of one or more valves that allow liquid to enter the reservoir 3 and proceed to the heater 4.

[0021] The combination of heater and wick (or similar), referred to herein as aerosol generator 5, may be referred to as an atomizer or atomizer assembly, and the atomizer, together with the reservoir containing the feed liquid, may be collectively referred to as an aerosol source. Various designs are possible, and these parts may be arranged differently compared to the highly schematic representation in FIG. 1 . For example, as noted above, wick 6 may be a completely separate element from heater 4, or heater 4 may be porous and configured to perform at least part of the wicking function directly (e.g., a metal mesh). If the system is electronic, heater 4 may comprise one or more electric heating elements operating by ohmic / resistive (Joule) heating, although induction heating may also be used, in which case the heater comprises a susceptor within an induction heating device. Thus, generally, in this context, an atomizer or aerosol generator can be considered to be one or more elements that implement the functions of a vapor-generating element capable of generating vapor by heating a source liquid (or other aerosol-generating material) delivered thereto, and a liquid transport or delivery element capable of delivering or transporting liquid from a reservoir or similar liquid store to the vapor-generating element by wicking / capillary forces or otherwise. The aerosol generator is typically housed within article 30 of the aerosol generation system, as in FIG. 1 , although in some examples, at least the heater portion can also be housed within device 20. Embodiments of the present disclosure are applicable to any such configuration consistent with the examples and descriptions herein.

[0022] Referring again to FIG. 1, article 30 also includes a mouthpiece or mouthpiece portion 35 having an opening or air outlet through which a user can inhale the aerosol produced by heater 4 .

[0023] The device 20 includes a cell or battery 7 (hereafter referred to as the battery, which may or may not be rechargeable) to provide power to the electrical components of the e-cigarette 10, particularly to operate the heater 4. Additionally, there is a controller 8, such as a printed circuit board and / or other electronics or circuitry, for controlling the e-cigarette as a whole. The controller may include a processor programmed with software, which may be modifiable by a user of the system. The control electronics / circuitry 8 uses power from the battery 7 to operate the heater 4 when vapor is needed. At this point, the user inhales on the system 10 through the mouthpiece 35, with air A entering through one or more air inlets 9 in the wall of the device 20 (alternatively, or in addition, the air inlets may be located in the article 30). When the heater 4 is operated, it vaporizes the feedstock liquid delivered from the reservoir 3 by the aerosol-generating material delivery component 6, generating an aerosol by entraining the vapor in the air flowing through the system, which is then inhaled by the user through an opening in the mouthpiece 35. When the user inhales into the mouthpiece 35, the aerosol is transported from the aerosol generator 5 to the mouthpiece 35 along one or more air channels (not shown) connecting the air inlet 9 to the aerosol generator 5 and then to the air outlet.

[0024] More generally, controller 8 is suitably configured / programmed to control the operation of the aerosol delivery system to provide functionality in accordance with embodiments and examples of the present disclosure described further herein, as well as to provide conventional operational functions of the aerosol delivery system in accordance with established techniques for controlling such devices. Controller 8 can be thought of as logically comprising various subunits / circuit elements associated with different aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system in accordance with the principles described herein, such as display driver circuitry for the system, which may include a user display such as a screen or indicator lights, and detection of user input via one or more user-actuable controls 12, as well as other conventional operational aspects of the aerosol delivery system. It will be appreciated that the functionality of controller 8 can be provided in a variety of different ways, for example, using one or more suitably programmed programmable computers configured to provide the desired functionality and / or one or more suitably configured application-specific integrated circuits / circuits / chips / chipsets.

[0025] Device 20 and article 30 are separate, connectable parts that are detachable from one another by separation in a direction parallel to their longitudinal axes, as indicated by the double-headed arrow in FIG. 1 . Components 20, 30 are joined together by cooperating engaging elements 21, 31 (e.g., screws or bayonet fittings) that provide a mechanical and possibly electrical connection between device 20 and article 30 when device 20 is in use. The electrical connection is required when heater 4 operates by ohmic heating, so that current can be passed through heater 4 when connected to battery 5. In systems using induction heating, the electrical connection can be omitted if the power-requiring parts are not located within article 30. An induction workcoil can be housed within device 20 and powered by battery 5, with article 30 and device 20 being shaped so that heater 4 is appropriately exposed to the magnetic flux generated by the coil when connected, for the purpose of generating current flow within the heater material. The design of FIG. 1 is merely an exemplary arrangement, and various portions and features may be distributed differently between device 20 and article 30 and may include other components and elements. The two sections may be connected end-to-end in a longitudinal configuration, as in FIG. 1 , or may be connected in a different configuration, such as a parallel side-by-side arrangement. The system may or may not be generally cylindrical and / or have a generally longitudinal shape. One or both sections or components may be intended to be disposed of and replaced when depleted (e.g., when the reservoir is empty or the battery is dead), or may be intended to be enabled for multiple uses by actions such as refilling the reservoir and recharging the battery. In other examples, system 10 may be unitary in that portions of device 20 and article 30 are contained within a single housing and cannot be separated. The embodiments and examples of the present disclosure are applicable to any of these configurations and others recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0026] According to the present disclosure, the aerosol delivery system is configured to be locked and unlocked, i.e., disabled or enabled, or to change its operational state between a disabled and enabled state, using acoustic signals. The acoustic signals conveying or representing lock and unlock commands are received by the aerosol delivery system, which responds by setting its operational state according to the received commands. "Locked" or "disabled" means that the aerosol delivery system is disabled from functioning or operating in at least one way. Primarily, this can be temporary disabling of vapor generation functionality, for example, by preventing or interrupting the supply of power from a battery to a heater or other vapor generator. The disabled state can allow other functionality, such as the ability for a user to adjust operational settings or upload / download data. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery system can be completely powered down and rendered non-functional when in the disabled state. Conversely, "unlocked" or "enabled" means that functionality unavailable in the locked state can be used. Primarily this may be enabling a vapor generation function, for example by enabling power supply from a battery to a heater or other vapor generator.

[0027] The use of an acoustic signal allows locking and unlocking to be performed contactlessly, remotely, and wirelessly, for example, when the user is across the room from the aerosol delivery system, or without the need to remove the aerosol delivery system if it is in a pocket or bag. It also provides enhanced security. If the user's personal second electronic device or entity is used to generate and emit the acoustic signal, security features such as password and biometric unlocking associated with the second electronic device can be implemented in the device to prevent unauthorized locking and unlocking. This is advantageous compared to, for example, a simple lock and unlock switch on the aerosol delivery system itself, which may be accessible by a third party, and is easier than providing such security features on the aerosol delivery system itself.

[0028] Other techniques enable wireless or contactless communication from one electronic entity to another. Near-field communication (NFC) is a technology standard used, for example, to enable contactless payments. NFC includes a set of communication protocols for enabling communication between two NFC-enabled entities via radio frequencies over very short distances of 4 cm or less. The extreme physical proximity required between the entities is considered to provide good security, and therefore the communication channel is not encrypted. However, for an entity to use NFC, appropriate compatibility, software drivers, etc. are required. An alternative technology for contactless communication is Bluetooth®, a wireless technology standard that uses ultra-high frequency waves to exchange data between two paired devices over distances of up to approximately 10 m. The significantly longer range compared to NFC means that various channel encryptions are used to protect Bluetooth communications. Encryption can consume a significant amount of power and therefore affect the battery life of portable electronic devices. The electronic device must also be configured for Bluetooth compatibility to be used in this manner, and the two devices must be currently paired in order to communicate via Bluetooth. To use these techniques for contactless or remote locking and unlocking of the system, various requirements of NFC or Bluetooth would need to be met by the aerosol delivery system.

[0029] The use of audio signals instead of NFC or Bluetooth to lock and unlock aerosol delivery devices offers an alternative approach that may be more flexible than the close proximity and Bluetooth pairing requirements required for NFC. Generating and receiving audio signals is a straightforward technique that can be implemented using simple components that are readily available and inexpensive, and can also be small so as not to take up too much valuable space within a handheld portable device. The software required to operate via audio signal communication can also be simple and compact, so it does not require large storage space within the device's memory or large power requirements to run. This is important in portable devices where maximum battery life is an important characteristic for users. The more complex software and operating system compatibility required to enable a device to use NFC or Bluetooth is avoided.

[0030] For communication channel security, which may be relevant to protecting the aerosol delivery system from being unlocked for unauthorized use by a third party, the voice signal (or voice transmission channel) can be simply encrypted using existing established encryption methods, for example, asymmetric cryptography. This can be comparable to the unencrypted communication of NFC and the more complex encryption techniques required for Bluetooth, and therefore can achieve much lower power consumption and associated battery consumption, eliminating the need for compatibility with more detailed encryption. Because aerosol generation can consume a relatively large amount of power and battery capacity is necessarily limited in portable devices, providing a low-power, contactless locking and unlocking technique is attractive for aerosol delivery systems.

[0031] As discussed above, an aerosol delivery system can include device components housing a power supply (battery) and a controller or processor for controlling the system coupled to a cartridge or consumable component containing a source of aerosol-generating substrate material that is vaporized to generate the required aerosol. For practical, cost, and environmental reasons, longer-lasting parts of the system tend to be housed within the device for multiple uses over a long operational life, while shorter-lasting parts are housed within consumables that are periodically replaced. In accordance with the present disclosure, it is proposed that the parts related to audio signal communication be located within the device for long-term use. However, this is not a limiting arrangement; some or all of these parts could be located within a consumable component in a two-part system, or the system could be a one-part design in which the cartridge cannot be removed from the device. Thus, the following description showing audio components within an aerosol generation system is exemplary only and not limiting; various parts may be otherwise distributed within the aerosol delivery system.

[0032] 2 shows a highly schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an exemplary device or device component for an aerosol delivery system configured for audio signal communication for locking and / or unlocking purposes. It should be noted that in this disclosure, the terms "audio" and "acoustic" can be used interchangeably to refer to the use of sound and sound waves, and the terms "audio signal" and "acoustic signal" refer to sound waves (sound waves shaped in some way to encode the information) purposefully configured to carry specified information from an audio or sound source or transmitter to an audio or sound detector or receiver over a specified communication channel.

[0033] In FIG. 2 , device 20 includes a housing 20a having a coupling arrangement 21 to allow for joining or connecting consumable components to device 20 to create a complete aerosol delivery system, as previously described in FIG. 1 . Located within housing 20a are battery 7 and controller 8, with controller 8 configured to control operation of the aerosol generation system, including providing power from battery 7 to the system's electrical components as needed. Other elements of the device that are not relevant to this disclosure but may be present are omitted for clarity. Associated with controller 8 is memory or data storage element 14. Memory 14 stores software executed by the controller to operate the aerosol delivery system and also stores various data or information representing values ​​required for the execution of the software, such as power level settings for running the heating elements. In some cases, these may be preset values ​​provided during manufacture for the controller to access when needed. In other cases, data may be entered by the device user to customize or personalize the system. Such data can be entered directly into the device via a user input interface (not shown), such as a touchscreen, or can be transmitted to the device from an external device, such as a computer or smartphone, via a wired or wireless communication connection (the device is enabled by an appropriate connection, also not shown). In particular, according to the present disclosure, the memory stores data 15 associated with lock instructions for locking the aerosol delivery system, i.e., placing the system in an inoperable state in which it cannot operate to generate aerosol, and unlock instructions for unlocking the aerosol delivery system, i.e., placing the system in an operable state in which it can operate to generate aerosol. In accordance with the present concepts, the lock and unlock instructions are provided to the device using acoustic signals.

[0034] The device also includes a microphone 16 operable in a conventional manner to detect an incoming acoustic signal 22. The microphone is connected to a controller 8 via connection 18, which converts the acoustic signal into an electrical signal and passes it to the controller 8 for use in locking or unlocking the aerosol delivery system. The microphone is a passive electrical element that does not require any power supply. As such, it is a useful component for enabling the aerosol delivery system, and it is generally desirable to conserve battery power for receiving communication signals, where possible. Depending on the amplitude (volume) and frequency of the acoustic signal intended to be detected, the microphone 16 can be mounted behind a suitable aperture or window (not shown) in the housing 20a so that the housing material does not attenuate the acoustic signal. In other cases, the acoustic signal 22 can be strong enough to transmit through the housing 20a so that a window is not required, thereby simplifying construction and protecting the microphone 16 from physical damage. The microphone 16 can be located anywhere convenient within the housing 20a, but it is useful to give some consideration to a location that makes it less likely that a user holding the device will block access to the microphone 16 for the acoustic signal 22 with their hand when holding the aerosol delivery system.

[0035] The lock and unlock commands can be encoded or embedded in any manner within the audio signal received by the microphone. Amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, or a combination of the two can be used, so that the audio signal varies in volume and / or pitch to reflect the embedded commands. The overall frequency range can also be selected according to preference, e.g., to make the audio signal more or less perceptible to a listener. For example, one or more frequencies within the range of human hearing, generally defined as 20 Hz to 20 kHz, can be used. The use of audible frequencies, particularly in the central portion of this range (e.g., 200 Hz to 2 kHz), allows the user to perceive that an instruction has been transmitted. However, in non-quiet environments, additional audible audio signals may be considered undesirable or intrusive, or may not be heard anyway, so audibility is not an issue. Thus, the audio signal can be pitched within inaudible frequency ranges, such as below 20 Hz (infrasound or infrasound) or above 20 kHz (ultrasonic frequencies or ultrasound). The lock and unlock instructions themselves can take any form that can be understood, recognized, or identified by the aerosol delivery system, examples of which are discussed further below. For example, a binary or non-binary sequence or string of numbers or other characters can be used. This sequence can be considered, for example, to be a code, which may or may not be uniquely assigned to a particular aerosol delivery system. A unique code, sequence, or instruction can improve security and prevent unauthorized locking and unlocking by others with access to instructions associated with other aerosol delivery systems.

[0036] In many cases, the aerosol delivery system 10 is typically relatively close to the source of the acoustic signal (discussed further below). For example, the aerosol delivery system 10 is likely within 5 meters, 1 meter, or 50 cm of the source. Therefore, the acoustic signal 22 does not need to have a high volume to be recognizable by the microphone 44. However, to avoid confusion or interference with other sounds propagating nearby, the acoustic signal can be configured to include identifying information indicating that the acoustic signal is intended for the aerosol delivery system. Such information can be included, for example, in a header portion of the acoustic signal. The aerosol delivery system is configured to find the header and thus know that a later sound detected contains the required acoustic signal. Similarly, the acoustic signal can include a footer portion having a signal indicating that the relevant portion of the acoustic signal carrying the lock or unlock command has ended.

[0037] Alternatively, or in addition, the acoustic signal may occupy only a single frequency or a narrow frequency band, and the aerosol delivery system may include one or more acoustic filters configured to separate the detected acoustic signal of this one or more frequencies from other detected sounds, such as background noise. Filtering may be achieved by dedicated filtering components or may be achieved during processing of the detected acoustic signal.

[0038] The operation of an aerosol delivery system device such as the example of FIG. 2 will now be described. The aerosol delivery system is used in conjunction with a second electronic device associated with a user of the aerosol delivery system, and the aerosol delivery system is enabled to emit an appropriate acoustic signal upon command from the user (or possibly automatically, e.g., at a specific time or after a specific period of time). The second electronic device can be considered a prompting device in that it provides lock and unlock instructions to the aerosol delivery system. By way of example, a mobile cellular telephone can be used as the prompting device, although this is not limiting and other appropriately configured or configurable devices, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or a device configured primarily for emitting acoustic signals and formatted as a remote control device, key fob, or the like, can alternatively be used. The operation of the prompting device will be described in more detail below.

[0039] As described above, the aerosol delivery system is designated as having an operational state, which may be an enabled or disabled state. Assume that the aerosol delivery system is being used by a user for aerosol delivery, and the user then wishes to stop use and disable the aerosol delivery system, such as for safety reasons, so that the aerosol delivery system can be left unattended. Using the indicating device, the user emits an acoustic signal 22 carrying a lock command for the aerosol delivery system. The acoustic signal 22 is received and detected by a microphone 16 of the aerosol delivery system, which operates in a conventional manner to convert the sound waves of the acoustic signal into an electrical signal and pass the electrical signal to controller 8 via connection 18.

[0040] The controller 8 is configured to manipulate the acoustic signal 22 as represented by the electrical output of the microphone in order to extract data from the acoustic signal 22. Depending on the technique used to embed or encode the data in the acoustic signal, such as amplitude modulation or frequency modulation as discussed above, this may be done by appropriate processing to recover the information or data carried by the acoustic signal. Where encryption of the acoustic signal is used, data extraction may involve decryption to determine the underlying data string, code, or sequence.

[0041] Next, controller 8 must determine whether any data extracted from received acoustic signal 22 corresponds to a lock command for the aerosol delivery system. To accomplish this, data storage 14 includes stored data 15 associated with lock and unlock commands for the aerosol delivery system, which can be used by the controller to test whether the extracted data is an expected lock command. This can be used not only to separate the lock signal from other detected sounds, but also to ensure that the received lock signal is correct or authentic for the aerosol delivery system and not an attempt by an unauthorized person to interact with the aerosol delivery system using lock or unlock commands designed for a different aerosol delivery system. Thus, controller 8 processes the extracted data using stored data 15 to determine whether the extracted data corresponds to a lock command. Several options for determining correspondence are described below. Note that lock and unlock commands may or may not be unique to the aerosol delivery system.

[0042] If, as a result of this processing, controller 8 finds that the extracted data from the received acoustic signal corresponds to a lock command, controller 8 acts to disable the aerosol delivery system, such as by changing the operational state of a currently operational aerosol delivery system to an inoperable or locked state or condition, as described above. For example, the supply of power from battery 7 to the vapor generator may be interrupted or disabled in a manner that is not in response to activation of the aerosol delivery system, such as inhalation to operate an airflow or pressure sensor switch or manual operation of an external power switch.

[0043] Next, a user may wish to consume aerosol from the aerosol delivery system, requiring the system to be unlocked. This time, the indicating device generates and emits an acoustic signal carrying an unlock command, which is received and detected by microphone 16 as described above and passed as an electrical signal to controller 8, which acts to extract data. Controller 8 processes the extracted data, this time using stored data 15, to determine whether there is a correspondence between the extracted data and the aerosol delivery system's unlock command. If a correspondence is found, controller 8 acts to change the operational state of the aerosol delivery system from a locked or disabled state to an unlocked or enabled state, in which the aerosol delivery system can be used, and in particular, to provide aerosol. Typically, unlocking involves reversing the action previously taken to lock the aerosol delivery system. Thus, following the above example, in response to activation of the aerosol delivery system, the supply of power from battery 7 to the vapor generator is re-enabled.

[0044] 3 shows a flow diagram of steps in an exemplary method of operating an aerosol delivery system in this manner. In a first step S1, an acoustic signal is detected by a microphone in the aerosol delivery system. In a second step S2, data is extracted from the acoustic signal. In a next step S3, the extracted data is processed to determine whether there is a correspondence of the extracted data to a lock or unlock command to determine whether the acoustic signal conveys a command for the aerosol delivery system. In a next step S4, an evaluation is made to determine whether a correspondence is found. If a correspondence with a command is not found, the method returns to the start via the "no" path and detects the next acoustic signal in step S1. However, if a correspondence is found, the method proceeds via the "yes" path to step S5, where an evaluation is made as to whether the correspondence is a correspondence of the extracted data to a lock command. If "yes," the method proceeds to a first alternative final step S6a, where the operational state of the aerosol delivery system is changed from operable to inoperable. If no, the method proceeds to a second alternative final step S6b, whereby the correspondence is assumed to be with an unlock command and the operational state is changed from disabled to enabled.

[0045] In an alternative, step S5 can be evaluated for correspondence with an unlock instruction rather than a lock instruction, with the choices for steps S6a and S6b reversed. In another alternative, correspondence with either instruction can be evaluated, and then the appropriate state change made to match that instruction.

[0046] In some circumstances, a user may inadvertently or intentionally (e.g., out of an abundance of caution to ensure the system is locked) send a lock command to an already locked or inoperable aerosol delivery system, or send an unlock command to an already unlocked or operable aerosol delivery system, In such cases, final steps S6a and S6b may instead involve maintaining the operational state of the aerosol delivery system in its current state, rather than changing or swapping between states.

[0047] Any technique suitable for testing the correctness of data strings or other instructions may be used to determine the correspondence of the extracted data to either lock or unlock instructions, and the stored data associated with the lock and unlock instructions and used by the processor in determining correspondence will be configured appropriately for the technique selected.

[0048] In a first non-limiting example, lock and unlock instructions can be generated using one or more rules or algorithms, e.g., starting from a seed value. The stored data in the data storage includes one or more associated or related rules (or the same rules, depending on the mathematical operations used), and extracted data can be tested against such rules to determine whether the data was generated according to the original rules. Thus, the stored data includes rules capable of identifying lock and unlock instructions. The controller processes the extracted data to determine whether it matches or follows the stored rules. If a match is found, it is assumed that the command was created using the original rules and is therefore a valid command for the aerosol delivery system. Correspondence of the extracted data to one or other of the lock and unlock instructions is thus considered to have been found or determined. For simplicity, a single rule or set of rules can be used for both lock and unlock instructions, or different rules can be used, thereby providing, for example, ease of distinction between lock and unlock instructions.

[0049] In a second non-limiting example, the lock and unlock commands each include a code, i.e., a fixed string or sequence of letters, numbers, or values, that is assigned to the aerosol delivery system. In this case, the stored data associated with the lock and unlock commands represents a lock code and an unlock code. The controller processes the extracted data from the received acoustic signal by comparing it with the stored data to look for a match. If the extracted data is found to match either the stored lock code or the stored unlock code, a correspondence is considered to have been found.

[0050] Regardless of the technique used to determine correspondence, in some examples, the lock command is selected to be different from the unlock command. While this adds a small amount of complexity, it allows the two commands to be distinguished from each other, thus preventing a user from accidentally sending a command opposite to the intended one. The aerosol delivery system is already in the desired operating state and is not switched from there when an erroneous command is received. Instead, the controller simply maintains the current operating state. Thus, for example, the aerosol delivery system cannot be accidentally unlocked by a lock command.

[0051] On the other hand, in other examples, the lock command and the unlock command are selected to be the same or identical. In this case, the lock command and the unlock command can be considered to be a single lock and unlock command. When this command is received (after a correspondence is found), the controller simply acts to switch the aerosol delivery system from its current state to the opposite state. Thus, if the system is locked, sending the command unlocks it. If the system is unlocked, sending the command locks it. This configuration provides simplicity. The indicating device need only hold a single code, and data storage within the aerosol delivery system need only be data associated with the single code. This process is also simplified because the controller does not need to perform more than one test to determine the correspondence of extracted data to the command.

[0052] In another approach that can reduce the required correspondence tests, the controller can determine the current operational state of the aerosol delivery system when the acoustic signal is received and then perform only the appropriate correspondence tests for the current operational state. Commands to place the aerosol delivery system in an operational state that already exists can be ignored. If the current operational state is determined to be locked or disabled, the received lock command can be ignored because no change in operational state is required. Thus, when the controller identifies a disabled state, the controller processes data extracted from the acoustic signal to determine only a correspondence with an unlock command, and if this correspondence is found, switches the operational state from disabled to enabled. Conversely, if the current operational state is determined to be unlocked or enabled, the received unlock command can be ignored. When the controller finds an enabled state, the controller processes data extracted from the acoustic signal to determine only a correspondence with a lock command, and if a correspondence is found, switches the operational state from enabled to disabled.

[0053] This embodiment can be implemented using any method that allows the controller to determine the operational state of the aerosol delivery system before processing the extracted data. For example, the controller can query a component used to change between an operational state and an inoperable state, such as a switch connecting a battery to a vapor generator. Another simple approach can use a status flag. When the controller places the aerosol delivery system in one or the other of the operational states, the controller also sets or stores in data storage an operational status flag indicating the operational state to which the aerosol delivery system has been placed. A simple binary flag can be used, where, for example, "0" indicates an unlocked state and "1" indicates a locked state. When the next acoustic signal is received, the controller checks the stored operational status flag to determine the current operational state and processes the extracted data according to the determined operational state. That is, if the flag indicates a locked state, it can test for correspondence with an unlock command, and if the flag indicates an unlocked state, it can test for correspondence with a lock command.

[0054] 4 shows a simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary system configured to operate an aerosol delivery system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system comprises an aerosol delivery system 10, which includes a device component 20 connected to a cartridge component 30, similar to the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. The aerosol delivery system includes a microphone 16 within the device component 20 for detecting acoustic signals, similar to the example of FIG. 2.

[0055] The system additionally includes an electronic personal device 40 associated with or otherwise belonging to the individual (user) to whom the aerosol delivery system 10 belongs or is associated. The electronic personal device 40 can be considered a pointing device and can include any of the wide range of devices described above. A mobile cellular telephone is a useful example. The pointing device 40 includes a speaker 42 operable to emit an acoustic signal 22 that can be received by the aerosol delivery system 10 for detection by the microphone 16. The speaker 42 is connected to a processor or controller 44 via a connection that can provide a drive signal from the controller 44 to the speaker 42. The controller has access to a data storage 45 within the pointing device 40, in which stored data 47 is associated with lock and unlock commands for the aerosol delivery system 10. The data associated with the lock and unlock commands can be any data from which the lock and unlock commands can be obtained or derived. For example, this data may include one or more rules capable of generating lock and unlock instructions, as in the examples described above, or may include codes, strings, or character sequences that can be used directly as lock and unlock instructions. The controller is operable to retrieve stored data 47 associated with either the required lock or unlock instruction, generate and supply to the speaker a drive signal for the speaker that conveys the instruction, the drive signal being configured to cause the speaker to emit an acoustic signal conveying the instruction. If desired, the generation may include encryption of the instruction. The generation of the drive signal may be performed each time an instructive acoustic signal needs to be emitted, or the drive signal may be stored for repeated use, so that generation is simply a matter of retrieval of the drive signal. In this case, the stored data 47 associated with the lock and unlock instructions may include a drive signal for the lock instruction and a drive signal for the unlock instruction.Generally, a drive signal for emitting a lock signal can be considered to be a lock drive signal, and a drive signal for emitting an unlock signal can be considered to be an unlock drive signal.

[0056] The indicating device also includes a user input interface or element 46 configured to allow a user to input requirements for locking or unlocking the aerosol delivery system 10 into the indicating device 40. The user input element 46 may include a touch screen or one or more buttons or switches, depending on the design and format of the indicating device 40. As a non-limiting example, if the indicating device 40 is a mobile phone or other handheld portable computing device, such as a tablet, the indicating device may be installed with an "app" for controlling the aerosol delivery system, which, when accessed by a user, displays icons for lock and unlock that the user can touch to activate one or other of the lock and unlock functions. User input element 46 is connected to or otherwise in communication with controller 44, such that when a user uses user input element 46 to input a request or command for locking, a corresponding signal is sent to controller 44, which responds by generating a lock drive signal and providing the lock drive signal to speaker 42, which causes speaker 42 to emit acoustic signal 22 (acoustic lock signal) carrying the lock command for transmission to aerosol delivery system 10. Similarly, when a user uses user input element 46 to input a request or command for unlocking, a corresponding signal is sent to controller 44, which responds by generating an unlock drive signal and providing the unlock drive signal to speaker 42, which causes speaker 42 to emit acoustic signal 22 (acoustic unlock signal) carrying the unlock command for transmission to aerosol delivery system 10.

[0057] As mentioned above, the lock and unlock commands can be different from one another, or they can be the same to constitute a single lock and unlock command. In the former case, the lock and unlock drive signals are also different from one another, as are the audible lock and unlock signals. In the latter case, the lock and unlock drive signals are the same (a single lock and unlock drive signal), and the audible lock and unlock signals are the same (a single lock and unlock signal). In this case, the user input element on the pointing device can provide the user with a single lock and unlock button, icon, switch, or control.

[0058] The indicating device 40 can further be used to set a lock / unlock function for the aerosol delivery system. To do so, a user can enter inputs for aerosol delivery system configuration into a user input element 46 of the indicating device 40, causing a command for configuration to be sent to the controller 44. To enable the aerosol delivery system to lock and unlock itself in response to received acoustic lock and unlock signals, data associated with the lock and unlock commands described in connection with FIG. 2 is required by the aerosol delivery device so that the detected acoustic signals can be evaluated for the lock or unlock command. Thus, the configuration procedure can include providing data associated with the lock and unlock commands to the aerosol delivery system 10 by the indicating device. In response to receiving the setting command by the controller 44 of the indicating device 40, the controller 44 generates one or more initial drive signals for the speaker 42, which are provided to the speaker 42 and configured to cause the speaker 42 to emit one or more initial acoustic signals 22 carrying data associated with the lock and unlock commands for detection by the microphone 16 of the aerosol delivery system. The initial drive signals can be generated using stored data 47 associated with the lock and unlock commands, which is stored within the indicating device 40 for generating the lock and unlock drive signals, for example, if the lock and unlock commands are codes or other sequences that are matched to confirm correspondence. Alternatively, additional data associated with the lock and unlock commands may be available and required by the aerosol generation system 10. For example, if rules are used to generate the commands and to determine the authenticity of the commands, different data can represent the rules used by the indicating device 40 to generate the commands from data representing the corresponding rules used by the aerosol generation system 10 to confirm the commands.Additionally, the initial drive signal(s) and initial acoustic signal(s) may carry further data required by controller 8 of aerosol delivery system 10 to configure the aerosol delivery for locking / unlocking, such as instructions for storing data associated with the locking and unlocking commands extracted from the initial acoustic signals in data storage 14 of aerosol delivery system 10, and instructions for enabling controller 8 to process data extracted from the received acoustic signals to identify whether a locking or unlocking command has been received. When the initial acoustic signal(s) is detected by microphone 16, the data associated with the locking and unlocking commands is extracted by controller 8 and stored in data storage 14 of aerosol delivery system 10.

[0059] In other examples, rather than being transmitted from an instruction device, data 15 associated with the lock and unlock instructions stored in the data storage of the aerosol delivery system 10 (as well as any other data required to set the lock and unlock functions) can be included during manufacture of the device components 20 or can be delivered to the aerosol delivery system by other data transmission or communication channels equipped or enabled in the aerosol delivery system, which may be wired or wireless.

[0060] The setup procedure may additionally or alternatively involve transmission of a start acoustic signal from indicating device 40 to aerosol delivery system 10 (after generation of a suitable start drive signal for the speaker), for example, if aerosol delivery system 10 is new and unused. For safety purposes and / or to conserve battery power, a new aerosol delivery system or a new aerosol delivery system device component may be provided in an inoperative state. The start acoustic signal carries start data extracted from the start acoustic signal by controller 8 of aerosol delivery system 10 prior to first use of aerosol delivery system 10, and this start data is used by controller 8 to initiate or prime aerosol delivery system 10 for use by changing aerosol delivery system 10 or device component 20 of aerosol delivery system 10 from the inoperative state as delivered to the operative state described above. After being activated, aerosol delivery system 10 may be changed between an operable state and an inoperative state in response to unlock and lock commands. The initiation data may include, for example, instructions or commands for controller 8 to switch aerosol delivery system 10 or a device component 30 of the aerosol delivery system from an inactive state to an active state. To prevent unauthorized starting of a new aerosol delivery system 10, device component 30 may be provided with stored data associated with the initiation instruction, which may be unique to the device component or a model number or batch number, for example. When data is extracted from the received acoustic signal, controller 8 processes the extracted data by using the stored data associated with the initiation instruction to determine correspondence of the extracted data to the initiation instruction. If correspondence is found, the extracted data is considered to be the expected initiation instruction and is used to switch to an active state, as described above.

[0061] In a simple example, the start command can be the same as the unlock command: the first receipt of the unlock command in the start acoustic signal causes the aerosol delivery system to go from an inoperative state to an operative state, and the subsequent receipt of the unlock command in the acoustic signal causes the aerosol delivery system to go to an operative or unlocked state when it was in an inoperative or locked state.

[0062] Referring again to FIG. 4 , the various data required by the indicating device to perform the various operations described above can be included within the indicating device 40 at the time of manufacture, for example, if the indicating device 40 is a dedicated lock / unlock remote controller for the aerosol delivery system 10. If the indicating device 40 is a personal computing device used for other purposes, such as a mobile phone or tablet, the data can be provided to the indicating device from an external server (not shown) when it is desired to use the indicating device to lock / unlock the aerosol delivery system 10. A user can input a request for data using a user input element 46 of the indicating device 40. The external server can be maintained, for example, by the supplier of the aerosol delivery system, and can communicate with the external server via any suitable or appropriate data transmission channel 50, such as a mobile telecommunications network (e.g., operating according to 3G, 4G, or 5G standards) or via the Internet, and download data to the indicating device 40 using a local or area network connected to the indicating device by wireless (Wi-Fi) or wired connection (Ethernet). The external server can be a remote server. In another scenario, the external server can be a terminal located in a retail store from which a user can download the required data, e.g., using a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection, when purchasing aerosol delivery system 10. The provided data can include data associated with a lock command, data associated with an unlock command, and / or data associated with a start command, and / or any or all of the data required by controller 44 of pointing device 40, including the lock command, unlock command, and start command or start data.

[0063] Similarly, a computer program such as an app that enables the instruction device 40 to initiate, unlock, and / or control the unlocking of an aerosol delivery system or device components of an aerosol delivery system according to examples herein can be downloaded to the instruction device 40 from an external server in response to a request by a user, etc.

[0064] 5 shows a flow diagram of steps in an exemplary method for controlling an aerosol delivery system having locking and unlocking capabilities. In a first step S10, data associated with locking and unlocking instructions for the aerosol delivery system is provided to an electronic personal device required for use as an instruction device for locking and unlocking the aerosol delivery system, such as by storing the data in a data storage device within the electronic personal device. In a second step S11, the electronic personal device receives an input command from a user to lock / unlock the aerosol delivery system. In a third step S12, the input is evaluated to determine whether it is a command for locking.

[0065] If yes, the method proceeds via a first option to step S13a, where the electronic personal device uses the stored data to generate a lock drive signal for a speaker in the electronic personal device, the lock drive signal carrying a lock command. In a next step S14a, the lock drive signal is provided to the speaker, causing the speaker to emit a lock acoustic signal carrying the lock command. The lock acoustic signal is intended to be detected by the aerosol delivery system, which is configured to use the acoustic lock signal to obtain the lock command and lock or disable itself, similar to the method of FIG. 3.

[0066] If step S12 is no, the method proceeds via a second option to step S13b, in which the electronic personal device uses the stored data to generate an unlock drive signal for a speaker in the electronic personal device, the unlock drive signal carrying an unlock command. In a next step S14b, the unlock drive signal is provided to the speaker, causing the speaker to emit an unlock acoustic signal carrying the unlock command. The unlock acoustic signal is intended to be detected by the aerosol delivery system, which is configured to use the acoustic unlock signal to obtain the unlock command and unlock or enable itself, similar to the method of FIG. 3.

[0067] The various examples discussed above primarily describe locking and unlocking in the context of the aerosol delivery system as a whole. When configured for normal use, the aerosol delivery system often includes a device component operably coupled to a cartridge component or a consumable. A controller in the device component can operate to lock and unlock the system as a whole, for example, by disabling the ability of a battery in the device component to provide power to a vapor generator in the consumable. However, the cartridge component may be specifically designed to be disposable or replaceable, and a user may maintain the device component in an uncoupled state for a period of time before installing a new cartridge component rather than immediately replacing it with a new one. In this situation, locking only the device component may be desirable to prevent its unauthorized use by a different person who may have their own unique cartridge component. Accordingly, all references to locking and unlocking herein apply equally to the complete aerosol delivery system (which may or may not be composed of separable components) and to the individual components of the aerosol delivery system, particularly the device components, including when in an uncoupled state. In the context of a device component, disabling a device component renders the device component inoperable and inoperable to cause vapor production when coupled to a cartridge component. For example, one or more electrical connections that provide power to the cartridge component to which the device component is connected can be temporarily disabled or rendered inoperable. Similarly, the device component can be unlocked when a user wishes to recouple the cartridge to the device component so that it is operable to produce vapor with the cartridge system when needed.

[0068] The examples presented above described a controller that performs a determination of whether the extracted data corresponds to either a lock or unlock instruction, such as by utilizing stored data associated with the lock and unlock instructions. In another example, the controller may alternatively be configured to perform processing of the extracted data to determine the correspondence, and a remote or external server may be used to perform the determination, which may be a back-end server or a cloud server. In this case, the controller is configured to pass the extracted data to the remote server, where the correspondence determination is performed, and the controller then receives the result of the determination, which is sent from the remote server back to the device.

[0069] The various embodiments described herein are presented solely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as a representative sample of embodiments and are not intended to be exhaustive and / or exclusive. It is understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered limitations on the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims, or limitations on 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. Various embodiments of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of any suitable combination of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. In addition, the present disclosure may include other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. 1. A device component for an aerosol delivery system, comprising: a microphone operable to detect an acoustic signal; a controller, the controller comprising: receiving an acoustic signal detected by the microphone; extracting data from the acoustic signal; processing the extracted data to determine whether the extracted data corresponds to either a lock command or an unlock command for the aerosol generation system; changing the operational state of the aerosol delivery system from an enabled state to an disabled state if a correspondence with the lock command is found, and from the disabled state to an enabled state if a correspondence with the unlock command is found. The device component is configured to:

2. 2. The device component of claim 1, further comprising: a data storage for storing data associated with the locking and unlocking instructions, wherein the controller is configured to perform the determination using the data associated with the locking and unlocking instructions.

3. the data associated with the locking and unlocking instructions includes one or more rules for identifying the locking and unlocking instructions; 3. The device component of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to process the extracted data by testing the extracted data for conformance with the one or more rules, and determine correspondence with the lock instruction if the extracted data conforms to the one or more rules for identifying the lock instruction, and determine correspondence with the unlock instruction if the extracted data conforms to the one or more rules for identifying the unlock instruction.

4. the data associated with the lock and unlock commands represent lock and unlock codes for the aerosol generation system; 3. The device component of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to process the extracted data by comparing the extracted data to one or both of the lock code and the unlock code, and determine correspondence with the lock instruction if the extracted data matches the lock code, and determine correspondence with the unlock instruction if the extracted data matches the unlock code.

5. The controller: determining the operational state of the aerosol delivery system upon receiving an acoustic signal; processing the extracted data to determine correspondence only with the lock command if the aerosol delivery system is in an operable state, and processing the extracted data to determine correspondence only with the unlock code if the aerosol delivery system is in an inoperable state; The device component of claim 2 , further configured to:

6. 6. The device component of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to store an operational status flag in the data storage indicating the operational status of the aerosol delivery system after changing the operational status in response to receiving a previous acoustic signal, and to determine the operational status of the aerosol delivery system by checking the operational status flag in response to receiving a next acoustic signal.

7. A device component according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lock command and the unlock command constitute a single lock and unlock command, and the controller is configured to change the operational state of the aerosol delivery system from the operable state to the inoperable state, or from the inoperable state to the operable state, when it is determined that the extracted data corresponds to the lock and unlock code.

8. The device component of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lock command is different from the unlock command.

9. The device component of claim 2 , including the data associated with the lock and unlock instructions stored in the data storage.

10. 3. The device component of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to extract data, including the data associated with the locking and unlocking commands, from one or more initial acoustic signals detected by the microphone and store the data associated with the locking and unlocking commands in the data storage.

11. 11. The device component of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to extract initiation data from an initiation acoustic signal detected before first use of the aerosol delivery system, and to use the initiation data to switch the aerosol delivery system from a non-operational state to the operational state.

12. The device component of claim 11 , wherein the initiation data includes instructions for the controller to switch the aerosol delivery system from the inactive state to the active state.

13. 12. The device component of claim 10 or 11, wherein data associated with a start command is stored in a data storage within the device, and the controller determines correspondence of the start data with the start command, and if correspondence is found, uses the start data by switching the aerosol delivery system from the non-operational state to the operational state.

14. The device component of claim 13 , wherein the start command is the same as the unlock command.

15. 10. The device component of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to process the extracted data by passing the extracted data to a remote server configured to perform the determination and receiving a result of the determination from the remote server.

16. An aerosol delivery system comprising a device component according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. 17. The aerosol delivery system of claim 16, comprising an article comprising an aerosol generator, wherein the controller of the device component is further configured to control the aerosol generator to generate an aerosol for consumption by a user when the aerosol delivery system is in the operable state.

18. 1. A method of operating an aerosol delivery system, comprising: storing data associated with lock and unlock commands for the aerosol delivery system in a data storage of an electronic personal device with a speaker; generating a lock drive signal for the speaker carrying the lock command in response to a user input to the electronic personal device for locking, and providing the lock drive signal to the speaker to cause the speaker to emit an acoustic lock signal for detection by a microphone of the aerosol delivery system; generating an unlock drive signal for the speaker carrying the unlock command in response to a user input to the electronic personal device for unlocking, and providing the unlock drive signal to the speaker to cause the speaker to emit an acoustic unlock signal for detection by the microphone of the aerosol delivery system; A method comprising:

19. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the lock command and the unlock command comprise a single lock and unlock command, the lock drive signal is the same as the unlock drive signal, and the audible lock signal is the same as the audible unlock signal.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the lock instruction is different from the unlock instruction.

21. The method of any one of claims 18 to 20, further comprising the step of generating one or more initial drive signals for the speaker that carry data associated with the locking and unlocking commands in response to a user input for setting up the aerosol delivery system on the electronic personal device, and supplying the initial drive signals to the speaker to cause the speaker to emit one or more initial acoustic signals that carry the data associated with the locking and unlocking commands for detection by the microphone of the aerosol delivery system.

22. 21. The method of any one of claims 18 to 20, further comprising receiving, at the electronic personal device, the locking and unlocking instructions, and optionally the data associated with the locking and unlocking instructions, from an external server.

23. 23. The method of claim 21 or 22, wherein the data associated with the locking and unlocking instructions includes one or more rules for identifying the locking and unlocking instructions.

24. 23. The method of claim 21 or 22, wherein the data associated with the locking and unlocking instructions includes a locking code and an unlocking code.

25. A method according to any one of claims 18 to 24, further comprising the step of generating a start drive signal for the speaker carrying start data for enabling the aerosol delivery system to switch from a non-operating state to an operating state in response to a user input for starting the aerosol delivery system before first use of the aerosol delivery system to the electronic personal device, and supplying the start drive signal to the speaker to cause the speaker to emit the start drive signal carrying the start data for detection by the microphone of the aerosol delivery system.

26. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving the initiation data from an external server at the electronic personal device in response to the user input for initiation of an aerosol delivery system.

27. A computer readable medium storing a computer program which, when installed in an electronic personal device having a processor and a speaker, enables said electronic device to perform the method of any one of claims 18 to 26.

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