Aerosol delivery system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems, as well as circuits for use in aerosol delivery systems and devices including such circuits.SOLUTION: Circuitry for an aerosol delivery system (1), wherein the circuitry is configured to monitor usage of a first device (10) in the aerosol delivery system, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine, based on monitoring the usage of the first device, that there is data available for transfer between the first device and a second device (100) of the aerosol delivery system, wherein the circuitry is configured to, based on determining that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device: A circuit configured to initiate a procedure for data transfer between a first device and a second device through a data communication interface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems, as well as circuits for use in aerosol delivery systems and devices including such circuits. [Background technology]

[0002] Aerosol delivery devices, 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, e.g., by thermal vaporization, for inhalation by a user. Thus, aerosol delivery devices typically include an aerosol-generation chamber containing an aerosol generator, e.g., a heating element, positioned 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 supplied to the vaporizer, air is drawn into the device through an inlet hole and along an inlet air channel connecting to the aerosol-generation chamber, where it mixes with the vaporized precursor material to form a condensed aerosol. An outlet air channel connects the aerosol-generation chamber to an outlet in the mouthpiece, and when a user draws on the mouthpiece, the air drawn into the aerosol-generation chamber travels along the outlet channel to the mouthpiece outlet, carrying the aerosol with it, for inhalation by the user. Some e-cigarettes can also include flavoring elements in the air flow path through the device to provide additional flavoring. Such devices are sometimes referred to as hybrid devices, and the flavor elements may include, for example, a portion of tobacco that is positioned in the air flow path between the aerosol generation chamber and the mouthpiece, so that the aerosol / condensation aerosol drawn into the device passes through that portion of the tobacco before exiting the mouthpiece for inhalation by the user.

[0003] Some aerosol delivery devices are configured to connect to and exchange data with one or more additional devices in a broader delivery system via a wired or wireless connection. For example, an aerosol delivery device may be capable of establishing a wireless data connection with a smartphone to allow usage data acquired by the aerosol delivery device to be uploaded to an application (“app”) on the smartphone or to receive control parameter or software updates from the smartphone. More broadly, an aerosol delivery device may be configured to connect to other devices, such as cases, recharging / refill docks, vending machines, wearables, networked servers, etc., directly or indirectly by data relay through an intermediate data connection with the other device. To transfer data between a first device and a second device in the delivery system, a user may generally be required to initiate a wireless or wired connection between the devices. It may be advantageous to ensure that a data connection is established in the appropriate circumstances to enable the timely exchange of available data within the delivery system.

[0004] Various approaches are described herein that attempt to help address or mitigate at least some of the challenges discussed above. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one embodiment, there is provided a circuit for an aerosol delivery system, comprising: monitoring the use of the first device in the aerosol delivery system; determining, based on monitoring use of the first device, that data is available for transfer between the first device and a second device of the aerosol delivery system; Initiating a procedure for transferring data between the first device and the second device through the data communications interface based on determining that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device; A circuit configured to:

[0006] In one embodiment, determining that there is data available to be transferred includes determining that the amount of data stored on the first device has reached a predetermined threshold.

[0007] In one embodiment, the data available to be transferred includes usage data collected by the first device.

[0008] In one embodiment, the data available to be transferred includes data to be transferred from a second device to a first device to modify the operation of the first device.

[0009] In one embodiment, determining that there is data available to be transferred from the second device to the first device includes determining that a particular amount of time has elapsed since data for altering the operation of the first device was last received by the first device.

[0010] In one embodiment, the data includes software updates or control parameters for modifying the operation of the first device or the second device.

[0011] In one embodiment, monitoring use of the first device includes monitoring how often a data connection is established between the first device and the second device.

[0012] In one embodiment, determining that there is data available to be transferred between the first device and the second device includes determining that a particular amount of time has elapsed since a data connection was last established between the first device and the second device.

[0013] In one embodiment, the elapsed time after which the data is determined to be available to be transferred is determined based on information about the user of the first device.

[0014] In one embodiment, the information about the user includes: i) Information obtained from your activities on online applications ii) Information about your location and / or movements iii) Information provided by you through forms or surveys iv) Information derived from sensing one or more physical characteristics of the user It includes at least one of the following:

[0015] In one embodiment, determining that data is available to be transferred between the first device and the second device includes determining that a user profile associated with the user has changed, the user profile being established based on information about the user of the first device.

[0016] In one embodiment, monitoring the use of the first device includes monitoring the geographic location of the first device and / or the second device.

[0017] In one embodiment, a procedure for establishing a data connection between a first device and a second device is initiated based on determining that the first device has entered a predetermined geographic location.

[0018] In one embodiment, a procedure for establishing a data connection between a first device and a second device is initiated based on determining that the second device has entered a predetermined geographic location.

[0019] In one embodiment, the circuitry is included in the second device, and determining that there is data available to be transferred includes receiving an indication from the first device over a wireless interface.

[0020] In one embodiment, the indication includes a message received from the first device, and determining whether there is data available to be transferred between the first device and the second device of the aerosol delivery system includes determining that the message received from the first device meets predetermined criteria.

[0021] In one embodiment, the message comprises a beacon signal or a paging message.

[0022] In one embodiment, the first device comprises an aerosol delivery device and the second device comprises a personal computing device or a server.

[0023] In one embodiment, the first device includes a personal computing device configured to collect usage data from the aerosol delivery device, and the second device includes a personal computing device or a server.

[0024] In one embodiment, the circuitry is included in the first device.

[0025] In one embodiment, the circuitry is included in a second device.

[0026] In one embodiment, initiating a procedure for data transfer between the first device and the second device includes providing, via the first device, an indication that a user should establish a data connection for data transfer between the first device and the second device.

[0027] In one embodiment, initiating the procedure for data transfer between the first device and the second device includes providing, via the second device, an indication that the user should establish a data connection for data transfer between the first device and the second device.

[0028] In one embodiment, initiating a procedure for data transfer between the first device and the second device includes providing an indication via a further device of the aerosol delivery system that the user should establish a data connection for data transfer between the first device and the second device.

[0029] In one embodiment, the indication that the user should establish a data connection for data transfer between the first device and the second device includes an audible or visual signal.

[0030] In one embodiment, initiating a procedure for data transfer between the first device and the second device includes causing a first device of the first device and the second device to establish a data connection with a second device of the first device and the second device.

[0031] In one embodiment, the circuitry is configured to cause a first one of the first device and the second device to establish a data connection with a second one of the first device and the second device without requiring any input from a user to initiate the data connection.

[0032] In one embodiment, the circuitry is further configured to cause the first device and the second device to transfer data available for transfer between the first device and the second device over the data connection.

[0033] In a further aspect, there is provided a method of operating a circuit for an aerosol delivery system, comprising: causing the circuit to monitor use of the first device in the aerosol delivery system; determining, based on monitoring use of the first device, that data is available for transfer between the first device and a second device of the aerosol delivery system; based on determining that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device, initiating a procedure for transferring data between the first device and the second device through the data communications interface; A method is provided, comprising:

[0034] In a further aspect, an aerosol delivery system comprising at least a first device and a second device, the aerosol delivery system being a circuit comprising: configured to monitor use of the first device; wherein the circuitry is configured to determine, based on monitoring use of the first device, that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device; An aerosol delivery system is provided that includes circuitry configured to initiate a procedure for transferring data between a first device and a second device through a data communication interface based on determining that data is available for transfer between the first device and the second device.

[0035] In a further aspect, an aerosol delivery device for use in an aerosol delivery system comprising a second device, the aerosol delivery device being a circuit comprising: configured to monitor use of a first of the aerosol delivery device and the second device; wherein the circuitry is configured to determine, based on monitoring usage of a first of the first and second devices, that there is data available for transfer between the first and second devices; An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes circuitry configured to initiate a procedure for data transfer between a first device and a second device through a data communication interface based on determining that data is available for transfer between the first device and the second device.

[0036] In a further aspect, when executed by a circuit included in a device of an aerosol delivery system, the circuit monitoring use of a first device of the aerosol delivery system; determining, based on monitoring use of the first device and a first of the second devices of the aerosol delivery system, that data is available for transfer between the first device and the second device; Initiating a procedure for transferring data between the first device and the second device through the data communications interface based on determining that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device; A non-transitory tangible computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions for causing the

[0037] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0038] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol delivery device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a delivery system for use with an aerosol delivery device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram detailing steps performed by a circuit of a delivery system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] Aspects and features of particular examples and embodiments are discussed / described herein. Some aspects and features of particular examples and embodiments may be implemented in a conventional manner and, for the sake 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 in accordance with any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.

[0040] The present disclosure relates to a delivery system 1 including an aerosol delivery device 10 (sometimes referred to as a vapor delivery device), such as a nebulizer or e-cigarette or tobacco heating product, that generates aerosol by heating, rather than burning, tobacco. Throughout the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used, with the understanding that these terms may be used interchangeably with aerosol delivery system 1 / device and electronic aerosol delivery system 1 / device. Furthermore, as is common in the art, the terms "aerosol" and "vapor," as well as related terms such as "vaporization," "volatilization," and "aerosolization," may generally be used interchangeably. In some embodiments, the delivery system 1 is a tobacco heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. In some embodiments, the delivery system 1 is a hybrid system for generating aerosol using a combination of aerosol-forming materials, one or more of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-forming materials may be, for example, in solid, liquid, or gel form and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, a hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosol-forming material and a solid aerosol-forming material, which may include, for example, tobacco or non-tobacco products, while in some embodiments, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system generates a vapor / aerosol from one or more such aerosolizable materials.

[0041] The aerosol delivery device 10 (e-cigarette) often, but not always, includes a modular assembly that includes both reusable and replaceable (disposable) cartridge components. Often, the replaceable cartridge component includes the aerosol-generating material and vaporizer, while the reusable component includes a power source (rechargeable power source) and control circuitry. It is understood that these various components may further include additional elements depending on their functionality. For example, reusable device components often include a user interface that receives user input and displays operational status characteristics, while replaceable cartridge components in some cases include a temperature sensor that helps control temperature. For use, the cartridge is electrically and mechanically coupled to a control unit, e.g., using a thread, bayonet, or magnetic coupling, with appropriately positioned electrical contacts. When the aerosol-generating material in the cartridge is depleted or when a user desires to switch to a different cartridge with a different aerosol-generating material, the cartridge can be removed from the control unit and a replacement cartridge installed instead. Devices that adhere to this type of two-component modular configuration are sometimes generally referred to as two-component devices.

[0042] Electronic cigarettes typically have a generally elongated shape. To provide a concrete example, certain embodiments of the disclosure described herein will be considered to include this type of generally elongated, two-part device using a disposable cartridge. However, it will be understood that the basic principles described herein can be similarly incorporated into various aerosol delivery device 10 configurations, such as single-part devices, modular devices including three or more parts, refillable devices, and single-use disposable devices, as well as devices based on other overall shapes, such as so-called box-mod high-performance devices that typically have a more box-like shape. More generally, certain embodiments of the disclosure are based on aerosol delivery devices 10 / systems operably configured to provide functionality in accordance with the principles described herein, and it will be understood that the structural aspects of the aerosol delivery device 10 configured to provide functionality in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure are not critical.

[0043] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example delivery device 10 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Delivery device 10 includes two major components: a reusable part 2 and a replaceable / disposable cartridge part 4. In normal use, reusable part 2 and cartridge part 4 are removably coupled together at connection surface 6. When a cartridge part is depleted, or when a user simply desires to switch to a different cartridge part, the cartridge part can be removed from the reusable part and a replacement cartridge part can be attached to the reusable part instead. Connection surface 6 provides structural, electrical, and airflow connections between these two parts, and may be established according to conventional techniques, such as thread, magnetic, or bayonet fastening, with appropriately positioned electrical contacts and openings for establishing electrical and airflow connections between the two parts as needed. The specific manner in which cartridge part 4 is mechanically attached to reusable part 2 is not critical to the principles described herein, but for the sake of illustrative example, it will be considered herein to include a magnetic coupling (not shown in FIG. 1 ). It is also understood that connection surface 6 in some embodiments may not support electrical and / or airflow connections between the respective parts. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol generator may be located in the reusable component 2 rather than in the cartridge component 4, or the transfer of power from the reusable component 2 to the cartridge component 4 may be wireless (e.g., based on electromagnetic induction), such that no electrical connection between the reusable and cartridge components is required. Further, in some embodiments, airflow through the electronic cigarette may not pass through the reusable component, such that no airflow path connection is required between the reusable and cartridge components. In some cases, a portion of the airflow path may be defined at the interface between the reusable component 2 and the cartridge component 4 when these components are coupled together for use.

[0044] Cartridge part 4 may be generally conventional, according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In FIG. 1 , cartridge part 4 includes a cartridge housing 42 formed from a plastic material. Cartridge housing 42 supports the other components of the cartridge part and provides a mechanical interface 6 with reusable part 2. The cartridge housing is generally circularly symmetric about the longitudinal axis along which the cartridge part couples to reusable part 2. In this example, the cartridge part has a length of approximately 4 cm and a diameter of approximately 1.5 cm. However, it is understood that the specific geometry, and more generally, the overall shape and materials used, may vary in various embodiments.

[0045] Within the cartridge housing 42 can be a reservoir 44 containing an aerosol-generating material. The aerosol-generating material is a material capable of generating an aerosol when excited, for example, by heating, irradiation, or in any other manner. The aerosol-generating material can be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain active substances and / or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material can include a plant-derived material such as tobacco. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material can include an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid can be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material capable of retaining some fluid, such as a liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material can include, for example, about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% amorphous solid to about 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% amorphous solid. The aerosol-generating materials may include one or more active substances and / or flavorings, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials. The aerosol-forming materials may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming materials may include one or more of glycerin, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixtures, 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 on or in a support to form a substrate, which may be or include, for example, paper, cardboard, paperboard, recycled material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or metal alloy.

[0046] 1, reservoir 44 is configured to store a supply of liquid aerosol-generating material. In this example, liquid reservoir 44 has an annular shape with an outer wall defined by cartridge housing 42 and an inner wall defining an air flow path 52 through cartridge component 4. Reservoir 44 is closed at each end by end walls for containing the aerosol-generating material. Reservoir 44 may be formed according to conventional techniques and may, for example, comprise a plastic material and may be integrally molded with cartridge housing 42.

[0047] The cartridge component may further include an aerosol generator 48 located toward the end of the reservoir 44 opposite the mouthpiece outlet 50. The aerosol generator is a device configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to expose the aerosol-generating material to thermal energy to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material and form the aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to generate the aerosol from the aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to expose the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or electrostatic energy.

[0048] 1, it is understood that the aerosol generator can be present 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 brought into close proximity with a portion of the aerosol-generating material in the cartridge upon engagement of the reusable part 2 and the cartridge 4. 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 a portion of the aerosol-generating material when the cartridge 4 is engaged with the reusable part 2.

[0049] 1, a wick 46 in contact with a heater 48 extends across the cartridge air flow path 52, with both ends of the wick extending into the reservoir 44 of liquid aerosol-generating material through openings in the interior walls of the reservoir 44. The openings in the interior walls of the reservoir are sized to generally match the dimensions of the wick to provide a reasonable seal against leakage from the liquid reservoir into the cartridge air flow path without excessive compression of the wick, which could harm the fluid transport performance of the wick 46.

[0050] The wick 46 and heater 48 are positioned in the cartridge air flow passage 52 such that the area of ​​the cartridge air flow passage 52 around the wick 46 and heater 48 effectively defines the vaporization region of the cartridge component 4. The aerosol-generating material in the reservoir 44 penetrates the wick 46 through the end of the wick 46 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 wrapped 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 is supplied to the heater 48 to vaporize a quantity of aerosol-generating material drawn by the wick 46 to the vicinity of the heater 48. The vaporized aerosol-forming material may then be entrained in air drawn along the cartridge air flow path from the vaporization region toward mouthpiece outlet 50 for inhalation by the user.

[0051] As noted above, the rate at which the aerosol-forming material is vaporized by the vaporizer (heater) 48 is dependent 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-forming material in the cartridge component 4, and the aerosol generation rate can be altered by varying the amount of power supplied to the heater 48, for example, by pulse width and / or frequency modulation techniques.

[0052] The reusable component 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) that provides operating power for the e-cigarette, control circuitry 18 that controls and monitors the operation of the e-cigarette, a first user input button 14, a second user input button 16, and a visual display 24.

[0053] The outer housing 12 may be formed, for example, from a plastic or metal material and, in this example, has a circular cross-section that generally matches the shape and size of the cartridge component 4 so as to provide a smooth transition between the two components at the connection surface 6. In this example, the reusable component has a length of approximately 8 cm, such that when the cartridge component and the reusable component are coupled together, the overall length of the e-cigarette is approximately 12 cm. However, as previously stated, it will be understood that the overall shape and scale of an electronic cigarette embodying embodiments of the present disclosure is not critical to the principles described herein.

[0054] Air inlet 28 connects to an air flow path 51 through reusable part 2. Reusable part air flow path 51 then connects to cartridge air flow path 52 across connecting surface 6 when reusable part 2 and cartridge part 4 are connected together. Thus, when a user inhales at mouthpiece opening 50, air is drawn in through air inlet 28, along reusable part air flow path 51, across connecting surface 6, through the aerosol-generation region near aerosol generator 48 (where 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.

[0055] 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 current for relatively short periods of time. The power source 26 may be charged by a charging connector, such as a USB connector, within the reusable component housing 12.

[0056] For example, first and second user input buttons 14 and 16 may be provided, which in this example are conventional mechanical buttons including spring-loaded components that can be pressed by a user to establish electrical contact. In this regard, the input buttons may be considered input devices that detect user input, and the particular manner in which the buttons are implemented is not important. The buttons may be assigned functions such as turning the delivery device 10 on and off, initiating communication links with other electronic devices according to techniques described further herein, and adjusting user settings such as the power supplied 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.

[0057] A display 24 may be provided to show a user visual indications of various characteristics associated with the aerosol delivery device 10, such as current power setting information, remaining power supply, etc. The display may be implemented in a variety of ways. In this example, the display 24 includes a conventional pixelated LCD screen that can be driven to display desired information in accordance with conventional techniques. In other embodiments, the display may include one or more discrete indicators, such as LEDs, arranged to display desired information, e.g., by particular colors and / or blinking sequences. More generally, the manner in which the display is provided and information is displayed to the user using the display is not critical to the principles described herein. For example, some embodiments may not include a visual display, may include other means of providing the user with information regarding the operating characteristics of the aerosol delivery device 10 / system, e.g., using audio signaling, or may not include any means of indicating information regarding the operating characteristics of the aerosol delivery device 10 / system to the user.

[0058] As further described herein, the controller 22 is suitably configured / programmed to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device 10 to provide functionality according to embodiments of the present disclosure and to provide conventional operational functions of the aerosol delivery device 10 in accordance with established techniques for controlling such devices. The controller (processor circuit) 22 can be thought of as logically including various subunits / circuit elements associated with various aspects of the operation of the delivery device 10. In this example, the controller 22 includes a power supply control circuit that controls the supply of power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 in response to user input, a user programming circuit 20 that establishes configuration settings (e.g., user-defined power settings) in response to user input, and other functional units / circuits associated with functionality according to principles described herein and with 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 controller 22 may be provided in a variety of different ways, for example, using one or more appropriately programmed programmable computer(s) and / or one or more appropriately configured application specific integrated circuit(s) / circuit(s) / chip(s) / chipset(s) configured to provide the desired functionality.

[0059] As described further herein, the aerosol delivery device 10 includes communication circuitry configured to enable a connection to be established with one or more additional electronic devices to enable data transfer between the aerosol delivery device 10 and the additional electronic device(s) in the delivery system 1. In some embodiments, the communication circuitry is incorporated into the controller 22, while in other embodiments, the communication circuitry is implemented separately (e.g., comprising separate application specific integrated circuit(s) / circuit(s) / chip(s) / chipset(s)). In some embodiments, the communication circuitry is configured to support communication between the aerosol delivery device 10 and the one or more additional electronic devices through a wireless interface. The communication circuitry may be configured to support wireless communication between the aerosol delivery device 10 and other electronic devices via 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 10 and additional devices of the delivery system 1. In some embodiments, the communication circuitry is configured to support communication between the aerosol delivery device 10 and one or more additional electronic devices through a wireless interface. This may be present instead of or in addition to the configuration for wireless communication described 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 understood that the communication circuitry may include, for example, any wired communication interface that enables data transfer according to a packet data transfer protocol, and may also include pin or contact pad components configured to engage with cooperating pins or contact pads on a dock, cable, or other external device that can be connected to the aerosol delivery device 10.

[0060] In some embodiments, the reusable part 2 includes an airflow sensor 30 electrically connected to the controller 22. In many embodiments, the airflow sensor 30 includes a so-called "puff sensor" in that the airflow sensor 30 is used to detect when a user puffs 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 a switch when exposed to a specific range of pressure, allowing current to flow from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 when the pressure near the airflow sensor 30 drops below a threshold. The threshold can be set to an empirically determined value that corresponds to a characteristic value associated with the initiation of a puff by a user. In other embodiments, the airflow sensor 30 is connected to the controller 22, which allocates power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 in response to 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 measurement of the capacitance, resistance or other characteristic of the airflow sensor made 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 can be implemented according to any technique known to those skilled in the art.

[0061] The aerosol delivery device 10 may include other sensors configured with a connection to the controller 22 that can provide signals / data to the controller 22 regarding, for example, the geographical position of the aerosol delivery device 10 (e.g., using a GPS receiver), the orientation of the aerosol delivery device 10 (e.g., using one or more tilt sensors and / or accelerometers), the temperature of the aerosol delivery device 10 (e.g., using a thermocouple), the ambient light intensity near the aerosol delivery device 10 (e.g., using a photodiode), or a certain amount of aerosol-generating material within the aerosol delivery device 10 (e.g., using optical or capacitive sensing). Such data includes "usage data," as discussed further herein, which may be collected continuously or periodically and stored in a memory element (e.g., RAM, ROM, or other memory format, including cloud memory elements, associated with controller 22) and / or transmitted continuously or periodically through a wired or wireless data interface, as described further herein, for storage in a further device (e.g., smartphone 100, dock or case 200, vending machine 300, wearable 400, and / or server 1000). Usage data obtained by one or more sensors may be stored or transmitted by controller 22 in a "raw" state (i.e., without analysis or transformation) or may be transformed or analyzed to generate further usage data for storage and / or transmission to a further device.

[0062] (Ecosystem) 2, aerosol delivery device 10 (or more generally, any delivery device as described anywhere in this specification) can operate in a broader delivery system 1 / aerosol delivery system 1. In the broader delivery system 1, multiple devices can communicate with each other directly (indicated by solid arrows) or indirectly (indicated by dashed arrows). This system may otherwise be referred to as a delivery ecosystem / aerosol delivery ecosystem.

[0063] An example aerosol delivery device 10, such as an e-cigarette, can communicate directly with one or more other classes of devices, including, but not limited to, a smartphone 100, a dock 200 (e.g., a recharging case or home refill and / or charging station), a vending machine 300, or a wearable device 400 (e.g., a smartwatch). 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., an aerosol delivery device. As described above, these devices may cooperate in any suitable configuration to form the delivery system 1. This communication can be supported by wired communication circuitry of the aerosol delivery device 10 (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 10 (e.g., Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE, NFC, or RFID module, or another wireless communication interface as further described herein). Aerosol delivery device 10 may be configured to connect to devices of various classes of other classes using a variety of wired or wireless communication protocols, and a data connection may be established between aerosol delivery device 10 and any given second device using wired and / or wireless communication. It is understood that devices of other classes included within delivery system 1 may include communication circuitry for wired or wireless data transmission similar to that described further herein with respect to aerosol delivery device 10.Thus, the smartphone 100, dock 200 (e.g., a home refill and / or charging station), vending machine 300, wearable device 400 (e.g., a smartwatch), or server may be equipped with communications circuitry including Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 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 communications circuitry of the aerosol delivery device 10 (implemented as a single module or separate modules) may enable communication with various devices of additional classes using various wired and / or wireless data transmission protocols. According to one non-limiting example, the aerosol delivery device 10 may be configured with communications circuitry that enables it to communicate data wirelessly with the smartphone 100 and wearable 400 via a Bluetooth interface and in a wired manner with the dock / case 200 via a USB-C interface.

[0064] The aerosol delivery device 10 and other classes of devices in the delivery system 1 can communicate directly or indirectly with the server 1000 via a network such as the Internet 500. The aerosol delivery device 10 can establish such communication directly using one of the wireless communication protocols described further herein to communicate with a communications node / transceiver infrastructure (such as a "base station" or, in LTE terminology, an evolved Node B) that provides connectivity to the server 1000 (e.g., through a backhaul communications link). Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol delivery device 10 can establish communication with the server 1000 via another device in the delivery system 1, for example, using a wired or wireless communication protocol to communicate with the smartphone 100, the dock / case 200, the vending machine 300, or the wearable device 400, which can then communicate with the server 1000 (e.g., via the Internet 500) to relay data for the aerosol delivery device 10, report on its communication with the aerosol delivery device 10, or exchange inferred information regarding the aerosol delivery device 10, without a connection being established to the aerosol delivery device 10. Other devices in the delivery ecosystem, such as the smartphone 100, the dock 200, or the point-of-sale system / vending machine 300, can optionally act as hubs for one or more aerosol delivery devices 10 that have only short-range transmission capabilities (e.g., provided by communication circuitry including Bluetooth or an RFID module). Such a hub can therefore extend the battery life of the aerosol delivery device 10 while allowing data to be exchanged between the aerosol delivery device 10 and further devices of the aerosol delivery system 1 (e.g., the server 1000).

[0065] Other classes of devices in aerosol delivery system 1, such as smartphone 100, dock 200, vending machine (or any other point-of-sale system) 300, and / or wearable 400, can also communicate indirectly with server 1000 via relay devices to perform aspects of their own functionality or on behalf of aerosol delivery system 10 (e.g., as a relay 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 described further herein.

[0066] (Data connection established) A given first device and a second device of the delivery system 1 can generally exist in a connected state or a disconnected state. The disconnected state is sometimes referred to as an idle state, and in such a state, a given first device may not be detectable by other second devices (i.e., the first device does not transmit any signaling that allows its presence and / or identity to be determined) or may be available to establish a connection with a second device (i.e., it may announce its presence / identification using beacon / announcement signaling). In a connected state, the first device and the second device are configured so that data can be transferred 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, establishing a connection between a first device and a second device can be considered to include establishing 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 bound / paired state according to the Bluetooth standard. When the first and second devices of the delivery system 1 are configured to communicate wirelessly, the transition from the unconnected state to the connected state generally follows the following procedure: In an initial interrogation step, the first device (e.g., the aerosol delivery device 10) establishes the presence of the second device (e.g., the smartphone 100) by receiving a beacon signal or other identification signal / message from the second device. In an authentication step, the first and second devices exchange messaging to establish information regarding the data transfer protocol to be used to exchange data (e.g., including encoding 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 data transfer protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, ZigBee, RFID, or other protocols further described herein).This data transmission may be bidirectional or unidirectional. The data communication process for wired communication may be generally similar, with the difference that data is transmitted over a wired interface as opposed to a wireless interface. Further aspects of implementation for establishing wireless and wired communication may be found in standards for communication protocols, such as those listed further herein.

[0067] It is understood that any two devices of the delivery system 1 (e.g., the aerosol delivery device 10 and the smartphone 100) can transition from a non-connected state to a connected state to exchange data for a variety of reasons. Generally, the transition to a connected state between a first device and a second device of the delivery system 1 is initiated by the circuitry of the delivery system 1, described further herein, determining that data is available for transfer between the first device and the second device. The identity of such data and the manner in which such data is generated or made available is not critical, and there are a wide variety of ways in which data may be generated and made available for transfer in one or more devices of the delivery system 1.

[0068] 3, according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a circuit for a delivery system 1 is presented, configured to perform the following steps: In a first step S1, the circuit is configured to monitor use of a first device in the delivery system 1; In a second step S2, the circuit is configured to determine, based on monitoring use of the first device, that there is data available for transfer between the first device and a second device in the delivery system 1; In a third step S3, the circuit is configured, based on determining that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device, to initiate a procedure for data transfer between the first device and the second device through a data communication interface. These steps are further described herein.

[0069] In some embodiments, the circuitry of the delivery system 1 is configured to monitor one or more aspects of the use of a first device of the delivery system 1 and / or one or more aspects of the behavior of a user of the first device. Such data may be considered to include usage data regarding the use of the first device. Such usage data collected by the circuitry may be advantageously shared with other devices in the delivery system 1 so that it can be stored (e.g., backed up), and / or analyzed, and / or used to control operational aspects of one or more additional devices of the delivery system 1.

[0070] In some embodiments, the circuitry is configured to monitor a user's direct interactions with a first device (e.g., aerosol delivery device 10) and record this information as usage data. Typically, the circuitry is contained within the first device, but this is not essential; different devices in the delivery system 1 can monitor these interactions as described further herein. These interactions can relate to vaping / consumption and / or operation / handling and / or parameter settings on the first device and / or connecting the first device to additional devices in the delivery system 1. When the first device is the aerosol delivery device 10, usage data related to direct interactions can be stored by circuitry contained in the controller 22 and is based on inputs received from sensors and buttons, such as airflow sensor 30, buttons 14 and 16, and other sensors as described further herein.

[0071] The vaping / consumption-based interactions stored as usage data may relate to the number, frequency, and / or distribution / pattern of puffs / consumption within one or more selected time periods, such as per day, per hour, location-dependent, pharmacokinetic (e.g., active ingredient half-life in the body for one or more delivered active ingredients), or any other time period that may be related to the user's condition and / or may be selected to enhance a clear correlation between the number, frequency, and / or distribution / pattern of puffs / consumption and the user's condition.

[0072] Vaping-based interactions may also relate to individual vaping behavior or statistical descriptions of that cohort (e.g., but not limited to, a cohort in one of the selected time periods described above), such as duration, volume, average airflow, airflow profile, active ingredient ratio, heater temperature, etc.

[0073] If the first device is an aerosol delivery device 10, the device may include one or more airflow sensors 30 and / or buttons 14 / 16 as previously described herein to determine when and / or how the user vapes, for example, as characterized above. Using a processor in the delivery device, the data can then be used to determine the number, frequency, and / or distribution / pattern of puffs / consumption events within one or more selected time periods, and / or characteristics such as duration, amount, average airflow, airflow profile, average component ratios, heater temperature values, etc., for one or more vaping / consumption events.

[0074] Manipulation / handling-based interactions can relate to how a user interacts with the first device. For example, sensors can be used to characterize whether the first device (e.g., the aerosol delivery device 10 or the smartphone 100) is stored in a bag until immediately before use, or whether the user tinkers with the first device between uses. The first device can include one or more touches by sensors or accelerometers to determine such interactions. Similarly, the first device can include buttons and other settings by which user interactions can be recorded.

[0075] The connection interaction may relate to the establishment of a data connection between the first device and additional devices of the delivery system 1. For example, the circuitry may monitor how often a wired or wireless connection is established between the first device, including the aerosol delivery device 10 or the smartphone 100, and one or more additional devices of the delivery system 1, the identity of the device that established the connection, and a record of the amount of data and / or the identity of any data transferred (e.g., whether the data includes usage data and / or control parameters and / or software updates). It will be understood that the circuitry for monitoring the connection interaction may be included in either the first device or the additional devices.

[0076] While the collection of usage data has been described with particular reference to the aerosol delivery device 10 or the smartphone 100, it is understood that the first device whose usage is monitored by the circuitry may include any additional device of the delivery system 1, such as the device case or dock 200, the vending machine 300, the wearable 400, or the server 1000. The circuitry of the delivery system 1 may be configured to monitor a user's direct interaction with any of these classes of devices and record this information as usage data, which may be accomplished in a manner similar to that described herein for the aerosol delivery device 10 (e.g., by using sensors to monitor usage and analyze and / or store the data in a memory storage element, including a flash or cloud memory element). For example, the circuitry in the smartphone 100 may monitor the use of an application (“app”) used by a user to record information regarding the use of the aerosol delivery device 10. For example, the app may monitor the purchase of consumables for the aerosol delivery device 10 and record data regarding the frequency of purchases and the type of consumables (in terms of fragrance / active ingredient concentration) purchased by the user. The app may also receive user input regarding the use of one or more aerosol delivery devices 10, such as how often consumables are used up and what consumables are used with the aerosol delivery device(s) 10. If the delivery system 1 includes a case or dock 200, circuitry in the dock can monitor information regarding how often aerosol-generating material and / or electrical energy is supplied to the aerosol delivery device 10, as well as connection information regarding how often and for how long the aerosol delivery device 1 engages with the dock 200. If the delivery system 1 includes a vending machine 300 (e.g., providing consumables for use with the aerosol delivery device 10), circuitry in the vending machine 300 can monitor the frequency and types of purchases made by users of the delivery system 10. The monitored data may be stored on the device and / or uploaded to a form of cloud storage via the Internet 500.

[0077] Monitoring the use of a given first device in the delivery system 1 may also include collecting status or contextual information about the first device and / or the behavior and / or identity of the user of the first device. For example, the control circuitry of the first device may monitor location information related to the geographic location of the first device. For example, the first device may include a GPS receiver module that allows tracking of its geographic location. The first device may also include circuitry that tracks date and time information. Other contextual information monitored by the first device may relate to interactions with other devices, such as how frequently the first device is paired with other devices. Other contextual information about the first device and / or the user of the first device may be obtained from one or more calendars and / or databases that provide contextual information about the user of the first device, such as country, religion, occupation, gender, etc. If such usage information is obtained by the circuitry of the delivery system 1, this acquisition may be achieved by connecting to an associated server 1000 via the Internet 500. For example, a first device including a smartphone 100 may download information about a user from an online calendar and one or more social media accounts.

[0078] It is understood that usage data monitored by circuitry in a first device can be made available to circuitry in a second device, and thus the usage data can be considered to be monitored by circuitry included in the second device. For example, the aerosol delivery device 10 can collect any of the forms of usage data described herein and transmit these data continuously or periodically to a second device in the delivery system 1 (such as the smartphone 100, dock / case 200, vending machine 300, wearable 400, or server 1000) via a wired or wireless connection as further described herein. This can be advantageous, particularly when the first device has a relatively small memory capacity. For example, the aerosol delivery device 10 can periodically transmit usage data to the second device, such as the smartphone 100, via a communication interface (such as a Bluetooth, ZigBee, or RFID connection), where the usage data is stored by a memory element in the first device. Once aerosol delivery device 10 transmits the usage data, it may erase the usage data from memory (e.g., a memory module including flash memory associated with controller 22), so that storage space may become available in aerosol delivery device 10 for storing subsequent usage data. It is understood, therefore, that circuitry of a first device in delivery system 1 may be considered to monitor the use of a second device in delivery system 1 when the circuitry of the first device receives usage data from the second device through a wired or wireless data communication interface. Thus, circuitry included in smartphone 100, dock 200, vending machine 300, wearable 400, or server 1000 may be considered to monitor the use of aerosol delivery device 10 because it periodically or continuously obtains data collected by aerosol delivery device 10.

[0079] It will also be understood that the circuitry of a first device can monitor the use of a second device from which the circuitry of the first device does not receive any data. For example, the circuitry of smartphone 100 can obtain user data including geographic information about the location of smartphone 100 over time and / or other contextual information about the user's identity and behavior, for example, obtained from the user's online calendar and social media accounts. This monitoring can be considered to include monitoring the use of another device of delivery system 1 (e.g., aerosol delivery device 10, dock / case 200, or wearable 400). This can be considered to be “implicit” monitoring of the use of the first device. For example, if a user of delivery system 1 uses aerosol delivery device 10, smartphone 100, and wearable 400, usage data collected by smartphone 100 or wearable 400 can be considered to be about the use of aerosol delivery device 10 and, therefore, includes usage data related to aerosol delivery device 10. For example, information regarding the geographic location of smartphone 100 may be considered to apply equally to aerosol delivery device 10 because the same user typically carries both devices simultaneously, such that the location of smartphone 100 may generally be considered to correspond to the location of aerosol delivery device 10. Similarly, contextual information regarding the user of smartphone 100 obtained by circuitry in smartphone 100 from, for example, a social media account, calendar, or email account, may be considered to be data regarding the use of aerosol delivery device 10, based on the assumption that the same user interacts with both smartphone 100 and aerosol delivery device 10.

[0080] Other forms of data may also be available at a given device of the delivery system 1 and, in some cases, may advantageously be transferred through a wired or wireless connection to additional devices of the delivery system 1. For example, in some embodiments, control parameters or software updates that alter the behavior of a first device may be sent by a second device to the first device. For example, in some embodiments, circuitry in the smartphone 100, dock 200, vending machine 300, or wearable 400 may store parameters related to the control of the aerosol delivery device 10. Such parameters may include any control parameters known in the art, and may relate to, by way of non-limiting example, heater control (e.g., parameters specifying one or more power levels or heating cycle durations), determination of consumable depletion (e.g., thresholds used to specify when a consumable is considered depleted), device authentication (e.g., parameters or codes related to device unlock or age verification), a graphical display (e.g., a color or graphic displayed when a particular feature is enabled on the device), or sound (e.g., an audible alert played to indicate that a particular feature is enabled on the device), or a tactile signal such as a vibration. It will be appreciated that the aerosol delivery device 10 can also store control parameters for modifying aspects of the behavior of other devices in the delivery system 1, such as parameters for modifying the operation of the smartphone 100, the dock 200, the vending machine 300, the wearable 400, or the server. The control parameters can be obtained by circuitry in a first device in the delivery system 1 for transfer to further devices in the delivery system 1 based on data obtained by monitoring the use of any of the devices in the delivery system 1.

[0081] It is therefore understood that the data available for transfer in the first device may include usage data or any other data, such as software or firmware updates, that can be used to reprogram and / or update the functionality of one of the first and second devices. For example, the circuitry of the smartphone 100, dock 200, vending machine 300, or wearable 400 may store firmware for modifying the behavior of the controller 22 of the aerosol delivery device 10. This firmware may advantageously be transmitted to the aerosol delivery device 10 via a wired or wireless interface, as further described herein. The particular identity and purpose of the data available for transfer between the first and second devices of the delivery system 1 is not important.

[0082] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the circuitry is configured to determine, based on monitoring use of the first device, that there is data available for transfer between the first device and a second device of the delivery system 1, and to initiate a procedure for transferring data between the first device and the second device based on determining that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device. As described further herein, it is understood that the particular device of the delivery system 1 in which the circuitry is included is not critical. Thus, the circuitry may be included in the first device (i.e., a device whose use is monitored by the circuitry), the second device (i.e., a device with which the first device can transfer data after initiating a procedure for transferring data between the first device and the second device), or a further device of the delivery system 1 (i.e., a third device configured to receive data from the first device and / or the second device, either directly or through an intermediate data communication interface as described further herein).

[0083] There are several different ways in which the circuitry can determine that there is data available for transfer between a first device and a second device of the delivery system 1. In some embodiments, the circuitry's determination that data is available for transfer can be considered explicit. This is generally true, but not limited to, when the circuitry determining that data is available for transfer is included in the same device in which the data is available. For example, as one non-limiting example of an explicit determination, the circuitry may be included in the controller 22 of the aerosol delivery device 10, and the determination that data is available for transfer between the aerosol delivery device 10 and an additional device of the delivery system 1 is based on the circuitry establishing that the amount and / or identity of certain data in a memory element of the aerosol delivery device 10 meets predetermined criteria (e.g., establishing a certain amount of usage data / control parameter data / software update data, or other data as described herein, stored in the aerosol delivery device 10). In some embodiments, the circuit determines that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device of the aerosol delivery system 1 based on determining that a certain amount of data (e.g., usage data or updates) stored in the first device has reached a predetermined threshold. This may include determining that the amount of memory remaining free for storage of usage data in the first device has fallen below a predetermined threshold, such as 10% of the total capacity of a memory element such as a flash memory chip. However, such a threshold may be set to any suitable value. If it is desirable to initiate the procedure of transferring data between the first device and the second device more frequently, the data threshold level used by the circuit to determine that there is data available for transfer may be set lower. If it is desirable to initiate the procedure less frequently, the threshold level may be set higher.In some embodiments, the threshold value may be multiplied by a random factor to introduce stochastic variation into the procedure used to determine if there is data available for transfer.

[0084] In some examples, determining by the circuitry that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device includes the circuitry determining that a control parameter or software / firmware update is available for one of the first device and the second device. For example, the first device may include a server 1000 or a smartphone 100, and the circuitry may determine, based on monitoring the server 1000 or the smartphone 100, that one or more control parameter or software / firmware updates are available at the server 1000 or the smartphone 100, which may be advantageously transferred to another device in the delivery system 1 (e.g., the aerosol delivery device 10, the smartphone 100, the dock / case 200, the vending machine 300, or the wearable 400). The manner in which such updates are made available at the first device may be generally conventional.

[0085] In some embodiments, the circuitry determines that data is available for transfer between the first and / or second devices by receiving signaling from one of the first and second devices. For example, the circuitry may be included in the first device and receives signaling, such as a paging message or beacon signal, from the second device and determines from the paging message or beacon signal that data is available for transfer between the first and additional devices. In some embodiments, the first device includes a smartphone 100 and the second device includes an aerosol delivery device 10. The smartphone 100 is equipped with a wireless receiver module (e.g., a Bluetooth module as described further herein) that monitors for Bluetooth signaling in the vicinity of the smartphone 100. The aerosol delivery device 10 is configured to transmit a beacon or paging signal that provides information regarding data availability. For example, the aerosol delivery device 10 can periodically transmit a message including an indication (e.g., an indicator bit) whose value is set depending on whether data is available at the aerosol delivery device 10. Provided that the signaling sent by the first device indicates that there is data available for transfer, it may also include an indication that the first device is available to receive a transfer of data from a second device. This may include an indication that a software or firmware update is required, or that one or more control parameters are required. A second device, such as a smartphone 100 or a networked transceiver (e.g., a base station connected to server 1000), may monitor for beacon or paging signals from one or more aerosol delivery devices 10. Upon receiving signaling from aerosol delivery device 10 indicating that there is data available for transfer between the aerosol delivery device 10 and a further device, the second device may initiate procedures for the transfer of data between the devices using techniques described further herein.The signaling received from the aerosol delivery device 10 may explicitly indicate the further device to which the aerosol delivery device 10 wishes to transfer data, and in response, the second device may provide an audible, visual, or tactile prompt to the user via one of the devices of the aerosol delivery system 1 to consider establishing a connection between the aerosol delivery device 10 and the further device (e.g., by establishing a Bluetooth link or a wired connection between the aerosol delivery device 10 and the further device).

[0086] In some embodiments, the circuitry determines that there is data available for transfer between the first device and a second device of the aerosol delivery system 1 based on data obtained from monitoring the first device's connection interaction with additional devices of the aerosol delivery system 1. As described further herein, the usage data monitored by the circuitry may include information regarding the periodicity with which a data connection is established between the first device and at least one second device of the aerosol delivery system 1, the identity of the device(s) with which the first device has previously established a connection, and the identity and amount of data transferred during a given connection. To provide a specific example, in some embodiments, the first device may include the aerosol delivery device 10, and the second device may include a smartphone 100, a case / dock 200, a vending machine 300, a wearable 400, or a server 1000. As described further herein, the aerosol delivery device 10 may be directly or indirectly connected to any of these additional devices of the delivery system 1 (e.g., by using an intermediate device to relay information to the additional device). In some embodiments, the circuitry is included in the aerosol delivery device 10 and is configured to monitor usage data including information regarding a data connection established between the aerosol delivery device 10 and one or more additional devices (e.g., smartphone 100) of the delivery system 1. In other embodiments, the circuitry may be included in a second device (e.g., smartphone 100) of the delivery system 1 and is configured to monitor usage data including information regarding a data connection established between the second device and the aerosol delivery device 10. In these embodiments, the determination that there is data available for transfer between the first and second devices of the aerosol delivery system 1 may be made by the circuitry based on the amount of time elapsed since a data connection was last established between the first and second devices of the aerosol delivery system 1.Techniques for establishing appropriate thresholds are described further herein, but may be established, for example, from a look-up table based on usage profiles assigned to users of the first and / or second devices based on usage data collected from monitoring usage of the first and / or second devices.

[0087] The explicit determination that data is available for transfer between the first device and the second device may be made by circuitry included in the first device based on information received from the second device. For example, the first device may receive a message from the second device (e.g., via a beacon or paging message forwarded over the wireless interface) that there is data available for transfer at the second device, and in response, the circuitry of the first device may make an explicit determination that data is available for transfer between the second device and a further device (which may be the first device or a third device) and initiate procedures for the transfer of data between the first device and the second device based on this determination.

[0088] In some embodiments, the circuitry can determine that data is available for transfer between a first device and a second device of the delivery system 1 based on what may be considered an implicit determination procedure. This is generally true, but not limited to, when the circuitry determining that data is available for transfer is not included in the same device on which the data is available. An implicit determination may generally be considered to be a determination made based on analyzing user behavior and / or identification and / or interaction with a given device of the delivery system 1, and may be considered to include an inference that one or more devices may be in a state in which data may be available for transfer, without the circuitry explicitly identifying the identity or amount of such data. For example, in some embodiments, usage data, including direct interaction data and / or contextual data regarding users and how much they use one or more devices (as further described herein), may be used to establish a user profile for a user of one or more devices. For example, the circuitry can directly or indirectly receive data regarding, for example, how often a user of the aerosol delivery device 10 puffs on the device, the duration of each puff, and / or the total puff duration. By way of non-limiting example, the circuitry may be included in the smartphone 100 and may periodically receive this usage data from the aerosol delivery device 10 via a wired or wireless connection. The circuitry may use the usage data to establish a usage profile, which may be loosely thought of as relating to how intensely the user used the device. In one embodiment, a measurement of total puff duration versus time over a particular integration period obtained from the usage data may be used to classify the user into one of a number of intensity profiles. The user's intensity profile may be used to determine the appropriate frequency at which a procedure should be initiated to initiate the transfer of data between the smartphone and the aerosol delivery device 10. For example, more intense use of the aerosol delivery device 10 may generally be thought of as resulting in a higher rate of usage data acquisition by the controller of the aerosol delivery device 10.Thus, for a user with a more intense usage profile, the circuitry may determine that it would be appropriate to more regularly initiate a procedure for data transfer between the first and second devices to avoid a scenario in which the available memory for storing usage data in the aerosol delivery device 10 is exhausted. This may be achieved by using a lookup table to determine an appropriate time elapsed since the last data connection and initiating the procedure for data transfer after this time elapsed. It will be appreciated that the assignment of a user profile to a given user may also be based on contextual and situational information not related to the user's direct interaction with one or more devices of the delivery system 1. For example, the circuitry may assign a user profile to a user based on usage data from monitoring direct interactions with one or more devices and other information obtained, for example, from social media accounts, email accounts, and calendars associated with the user of one or more devices, and / or based on information about the user provided by the user, for example, via a survey in a smartphone app or web interface. Such information may include information about the user's gender, age, and preferences. In some embodiments, such contextual information may be used to assign a user profile without the use of information regarding direct interaction with one or more devices of the delivery system 1 .

[0089] When the circuitry monitors use of the first device and determines a user profile based on the usage data, this usage data can include any combination of data resulting from monitoring direct interactions with one or more devices of the delivery system 1 (e.g., the periodicity and duration of puffs on the aerosol delivery device 10, consumable purchases made using the vending machine 300, the periodicity of charging and refilling the aerosol delivery device 10 via the refill dock 200, the data connection history and the identity and amount of data transferred between any two delivery devices of the delivery system 1, and user input of information to an app on the smartphone 100), as further described herein. It is understood that monitoring use of the first device by the circuitry does not require the circuitry to be included in the first device or to receive any data from the first device. Based on the usage data regarding use of the first device, the circuitry, in some embodiments, can use a model to assign a usage profile to a user of one or more devices of the delivery system 1. A usage profile may be established from the usage data using any technique used in the art for assigning classes or values ​​to a set of input data (e.g., usage data), for example, using machine learning techniques or lookup tables. Such a model or classifier may be parameterized using historical usage data for one or more users of delivery system 1 (or other similar delivery systems 1s) and explicit knowledge about the users to whom the usage data relates. Based on the usage data, such a model or classifier operating in the circuitry may classify the user as belonging to a particular predetermined usage profile. Alternatively, the user may characterize variables representing their usage of one or more of the devices in delivery system 1. In some embodiments, determining by the circuitry that data is available for transfer between the first and second devices of aerosol delivery system 1 includes the circuitry determining that a category or variable assigned to the user by the model based on the usage data has changed.For example, the model may determine, at a first time point, that the user is likely to be at work based on geographic information and calendar information about the user of the aerosol delivery device 10. For example, the user may be determined to be in a geographic location related to a known location of the user's workplace. Thus, based on such a determination, the user may be assigned a "work" category by the circuitry. However, at a later time point, the model may determine, for example, based on geographic information and calendar information, that the user of the aerosol delivery device 10 is likely to be at home or engaged in a recreational activity. Thus, based on such a determination, the user may be assigned a "leisure" category by the circuitry. Based on a determination that the category has changed from "work" to "leisure," the circuitry may initiate a procedure for data transfer between the aerosol delivery device 10 and a second device. For example, the circuitry may prompt the user via a smartphone app to connect the aerosol delivery device 10 to the smartphone 100 so that control parameters can be transmitted from the smartphone 100 to the aerosol delivery device 10. These control parameters may be determined by the circuitry to be more appropriate for the user's current usage profile.

[0090] In some embodiments, the circuitry can determine that there is data available for transfer based on contextual information, such as geographic or calendar information. For example, the circuitry can determine that a user is likely to be in a particular location at a particular time from geographic information or information obtained from an electronic calendar or other online accounts (e.g., social media accounts). This information can be used by the circuitry to estimate that a first device associated with the user (e.g., aerosol delivery device 10) is likely to be near a second device in delivery system 1. For example, GPS information indicating the location of a first device, including a smartphone 100 that includes aerosol delivery device 10 or belongs to the user, or calendar information obtained by an app on the first device, including smartphone 100, can be used to predict that the user of the first device is at home and therefore near a second device, including a docking station or case 200, or that the user is at a shopping mall and therefore near a second device, including a vending machine 300, or that the user is near a second user who owns a second device, including aerosol delivery device 10 and / or smartphone 100. Based on this determination, the circuitry can initiate procedures for data transfer between the first and second devices, which data may include usage data, or control parameters / software updates, or marketing or gaming information.For example, the circuitry can determine, based on estimating the location of a first device including smartphone 100 or aerosol delivery device 10, that a user of the first device is at a shopping mall (or a point of sale for aerosol delivery device 10 and / or consumables or accessories for aerosol delivery device 10), and based on this, can decide to initiate a procedure to establish a connection between the first device and a network-connected transceiver device (e.g., a base station connected to server 1000 via Internet 500) at the shopping mall so that marketing information, such as consumable purchase or entertainment suggestions, can be sent to the first device including aerosol delivery device 10 or smartphone 100, control parameters can be sent to the first device to modify aspects of the operation of the first device, or usage data collected by the first device can be retrieved from the first device. In other embodiments, the circuitry can initiate a procedure to establish a connection between the first device (e.g., aerosol delivery device 10 or smartphone 100) and the network-connected transceiver device to transfer data from the first device (e.g., aerosol delivery device 10 or smartphone 100) to server 1000 via the network-connected transceiver device. In some embodiments, the networked transceiver device may include a smartphone 100 or a vending machine 300 connected to a server 1000 via the Internet 500 .

[0091] When the circuitry determines, based on monitoring use of the first device, that data is available for transfer between the first device and a second device of the delivery system 1, it can initiate a procedure for transferring data between the first device and the second device. It will be appreciated that such a procedure can be initiated in a variety of different ways. For example, the circuitry can provide an audible, visual, or tactile prompt to the user. Such a prompt may include an implicit or explicit indication that suggests the user initiate a data connection (e.g., a wired or wireless connection as further described herein) between the first device and the second device. Such an indication may in principle be provided to any device of the delivery system 1, not necessarily including the device that contains the circuitry used to determine that data is available for transfer.

[0092] In some embodiments, the determination that data is available for transfer is made by circuitry included in the aerosol delivery device 10, in a manner described further herein. An indication to the user (e.g., a predetermined audible, visual, or tactile signal, as described further herein) may be provided in the aerosol delivery device 10 to indicate that the user should consider establishing a data connection between the aerosol delivery device 10 and an additional device in the delivery system 1. Similarly, if the determination that data is available for transfer is made by circuitry included in the smartphone 100, case / dock 200, vending machine 300, or wearable 400, the indication may be provided in the same device that includes the circuitry. However, while the indication (if provided) may be provided in the device that includes the circuitry, this is not essential. For example, in some embodiments, data, as described further herein, is available in the first device (e.g., the aerosol delivery device 10) for transfer to an additional device in the delivery system 1. Circuitry included in the second device (e.g., server 1000) can determine, by techniques further described herein (e.g., implicit determination techniques), that this data is available and can further determine that it would be advantageous for this data to be transferred to an app on smartphone 100 connected to server 1000 via Internet 500. Thus, server 1000 can send signaling to any of aerosol delivery device 10, smartphone 100, dock / case 200, vending machine 300, and wearable 400 to prompt the device to provide a prompt to the user to establish a data connection between the first device (e.g., aerosol delivery device 10) and the second device (e.g., smartphone 100) so that data can be transferred between the devices.For example, the server 1000 may send signaling via the Internet to one of the devices in the delivery system 1 to display on a display (e.g., a screen or LED indicator of the smartphone 100, dock / case 200, vending machine 300 or wearable 400) a message such as a text prompt indicating "Consider pairing your smartphone with your e-cigarette" and / or may provide a visual indicator of a predetermined color and / or pattern, and / or an audible signal such as a predetermined voice alert or musical tone, and / or a tactile signal such as a vibration that the user perceives as indicating that a data connection should be established.

[0093] In some embodiments, the circuitry can initiate a procedure for data transfer between the first device and the second device by automatically or partially automatically establishing a data connection between the first device and the second device. In some embodiments, the data connection includes a wireless data connection as described further herein. In such embodiments, the automatic or partially automatic establishment of the data connection between the first device and the second device can be established in one of the following ways: In some embodiments, the circuitry for initiating a procedure for data transfer between the first device and the second device through a data communication interface is included in the first device (e.g., the aerosol delivery device 10). The circuitry may be configured, for example, to establish a Bluetooth link with the second device (e.g., the smartphone 100) and transfer data with the second device. If the circuitry determines that data is available for transfer between the first device and the second device in a manner described further herein, it can attempt to establish a pairing state with the second device and transfer the available data. The pairing process after determining data availability can be performed without requiring user interaction. For example, a first device (e.g., aerosol delivery device 10) may have been previously paired by a user to a second device (e.g., smartphone 100 or dock / case 200), and the devices are considered to be recognized by each other (which may involve having the user enter authentication information, such as a pin or code, on one or both devices to confirm that the devices should be allowed to become paired). Thus, the circuitry may be able to initiate a procedure to pair the first and second devices (through procedures known in the art for device discovery and connection) and initiate the transfer of available data between the first and second devices over the data communication interface established by the pairing procedure, without requiring the user to manually initiate or authenticate the pairing procedure.

[0094] In some embodiments, the establishment of a data connection and / or data transfer between the first and second devices may be indicated to the user using a visual indication, such as a progress bar, or using an audible or tactile signal. In some embodiments, the user is provided with a visual, audible, or tactile prompt at a first of the first and second devices indicating a request for authentication to establish wireless communication and / or to initiate data transfer between a first of the first and second devices and a second of the first and second devices. If a prompt is provided at a first device, such as a smartphone 100 or an aerosol delivery device 10, the user may be able to approve or reject the proposed pairing and / or data transfer operation with an input such as a button press, a gesture, or a puff pattern on the device (if the device is an aerosol delivery device 10). The circuitry may then automatically continue establishing the data connection and / or transferring data between the first and second devices based on feedback from the user, or may reject establishing the data connection. It will be appreciated that a similar scheme can be used in embodiments in which the first and second devices are configured to connect through a wired connection. For example, the first device can include an aerosol delivery device 10 that can connect to a second device, including a dock 200, via a USB-C or other wired interface. When circuitry in the first or second device (or additional device) decides to initiate a data connection between the first and second devices, the circuitry can be configured to first detect whether the first and second devices are physically connected (e.g., via a USB-C interface).If so, the circuitry can initiate procedures for establishing a data connection between the first device and the second device and transferring data between the first device and the second device without user interaction or with a prompt asking the user to approve that a data connection should be established and / or that data should be transferred, according to procedures described in connection with the wireless connection scenario. If the circuitry determines that the first device and the second device are not physically connected, the circuitry can optionally provide an indication to the user, via one of the first device and the second device, to physically connect the devices via a wired interface or to wait until a physical connection is established, and then, once the physical connection is established, automatically establish a data connection between the devices and / or transfer available data between them, or prompt the user to approve or reject the proposed establishment of the data connection and / or data transfer using techniques such as those described for the wireless connection scenario.

[0095] In the above disclosure, it is understood that the step of the circuit determining that a first device has data available for transfer can include determining that a particular type of data is not present at a given device. For example, determining that a first device, including aerosol delivery device 10, has data available for transfer can include explicitly or implicitly determining that a particular control parameter is not present (or may not be present) in the controller of the first device.

[0096] It is understood that in the above disclosure, circuitry may refer to hardware and / or may be used to refer to software routines executing on a general-purpose processing device. The required adaptation of delivery system 1 to existing components of a conventional equivalent device may be embodied in the form of a computer program product including processor-executable (computer-executable) instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable medium, such as a floppy disk, optical disk, hard disk, solid-state disk, PROM, RAM, flash memory, or any combination of these or other storage media, or may be realized in hardware as an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) or FPGA (field-programmable gate array), or other configurable circuit suitable for use in adapting a conventional equivalent device. Separately, such a computer program may be transmitted via a data signal over a network, such as an Ethernet, a wireless network, the Internet, or any combination of these or other networks.

[0097] 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 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 as defined by the claims or equivalents thereof, and that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. 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, methodologies, 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. The delivery system 1 described herein may be implemented as a combustion-based aerosol delivery system, a non-combustion-based aerosol delivery system, or an aerosol-free delivery system.

Claims

1. 1. A circuit for an aerosol delivery system, comprising: monitoring one or more aspects of the use of a first device in the aerosol delivery system and / or the behavior of a user of the first device; determining, based on monitoring the use of the first device or based on user behavior and / or identification and / or interaction with the first device or a second device, that data is available for transfer between the first device and the second device of the aerosol delivery system; based on determining that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device, initiating a procedure for transferring data between the first device and the second device through a data communication interface; The circuit is configured to:

2. 2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein determining that there is data available to be transferred comprises determining that an amount of data stored on the first device has reached a predetermined threshold.

3. 3. The circuit of claim 2, wherein determining that there is data available to be transferred comprises multiplying the predetermined threshold by a random coefficient. Paragraph 0083

4. the data available to be transferred includes data to be transferred from the second device to the first device to modify the operation of the first device; determining that there is data available to be transferred from the second device to the first device includes determining that a particular amount of time has elapsed since data for modifying the operation of the first device was last received by the first device; The circuit of claim 1 .

5. 2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein monitoring the use of the first device includes monitoring how often a data connection is established between the first device and the second device.

6. 2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein determining that there is data available to be transferred between the first device and the second device comprises determining that a particular amount of time has elapsed since a data connection was last established between the first device and the second device.

7. 7. The circuit of claim 6, wherein an elapsed time after which data is determined to be available to be transferred is determined based on information about a user of the first device.

8. 8. The circuit of claim 7, wherein the elapsed time at which data is determined to be available to be transferred is determined based on a user profile associated with the user, the user profile being established based on information about a user of the first device.

9. 9. The circuit of claim 8, wherein determining that there is data available to be transferred between the first device and the second device comprises determining that the user profile associated with the user has changed.

10. The information about the user includes: i) Information derived from the user's activities in online applications ii) information about the user's location and / or movements; iii) Information provided by the user through forms or surveys iv) information obtained from sensing one or more physical characteristics of the user; 8. The circuit of claim 7, comprising at least one of:

11. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the use of the first device includes monitoring a geographic location of the first device and / or the second device.

12. 12. The circuit of claim 11, wherein a procedure for establishing a data connection between the first device and the second device is initiated based on determining that the first device has entered a predetermined geographic location.

13. 12. The circuit of claim 11, wherein a procedure for establishing a data connection between the first device and the second device is initiated based on determining that the second device has entered a predetermined geographic location.

14. 2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the circuit is included in the second device, and determining that there is data available to be transferred includes receiving an indication from the first device over a wireless interface.

15. 2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein initiating the procedure for data transfer between the first device and the second device includes providing an indication that a user should establish a data connection for the data transfer between the first device and the second device via any one of the first device, the second device, and an additional device.

16. 16. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the indication that a user should establish a data connection for the data transfer between the first device and the second device comprises an audible signal, a visual signal, or a tactile signal.

17. 1. A method of operating a circuit for an aerosol delivery system, comprising: causing the circuitry to monitor one or more aspects of use of a first device in the aerosol delivery system and / or behavior of a user of the first device; determining, based on monitoring the use of the first device or based on user behavior and / or identification and / or interaction with the first device or a second device, that data is available for transfer between the first device and a second device of the aerosol delivery system; based on determining that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device, initiating a procedure for transferring data between the first device and the second device through a data communications interface; A method comprising:

18. 1. An aerosol delivery system comprising at least a first device and a second device, the aerosol delivery system comprising a circuit, configured to monitor one or more aspects of usage of the first device and / or behavior of a user of the first device; wherein the circuitry is configured to determine, based on monitoring the use of the first device or based on user behavior and / or identification and / or interaction with the first device or second device, that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device; An aerosol delivery system comprising: a circuit configured to initiate a procedure for data transfer between the first device and the second device through a data communication interface based on determining that data is available for transfer between the first device and the second device.

19. 1. An aerosol delivery device for use in an aerosol delivery system comprising a second device, the aerosol delivery device comprising a circuit comprising: configured to monitor one or more aspects of use of a first of the aerosol delivery device and the second device and / or behavior of a user of the first device; wherein the circuitry is configured to determine, based on monitoring the use of the first of the first and second devices, or based on user behavior and / or identification and / or interaction with the first or second device, that there is data available for transfer between the first and second devices; An aerosol delivery device comprising: circuitry configured to initiate a procedure for data transfer between the first device and the second device through a data communication interface based on determining that data is available for transfer between the first device and the second device.

20. When executed by a circuit included in a device of an aerosol delivery system, the circuit monitoring one or more aspects of use of a first device of the aerosol delivery system and / or behavior of a user of the first device; determining that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device based on monitoring use of a first of the first device and a second device of the aerosol delivery system or based on user behavior and / or identification and / or interaction with the first device or the second device; based on determining that there is data available for transfer between the first device and the second device, initiating a procedure for transferring data between the first device and the second device through a data communication interface; A non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that cause the

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