Heater controller for vaporizer device

Abstract

A vaporizer device, such as a portable personal vaporizer device, for generating an inhalable aerosol from one or more vaporizable substances.SOLUTION: The system includes a current source circuit, a system power input, and a load switching circuit connecting the current source circuit and the system power input with an output configured to connect with a vaporizer heating element. The current source circuit, the system power input and the load switch circuit are part of an integrated circuit. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles of manufacture are also described.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Related Applications This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 689,774, filed June 25, 2018, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Technical Field The subject matter described herein relates to vaporizer devices, such as, for example, portable personal vaporizer devices for producing inhalable aerosols from one or more vaporizable substances.

[0003] background Vaporizer devices, which may also be referred to as electronic vaporizer devices or e-vaporizer devices, can be used to deliver an aerosol (sometimes referred to as "vapor") containing one or more active ingredients upon inhalation of the aerosol by a user of the vaporizer device. Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are a type of vaporizer device that are typically battery-powered and can be used to simulate the experience of smoking, but without the combustion of tobacco or other substances. When using a vaporizer device, a user inhales an aerosol, typically referred to as vapor, that can be produced by a heating element, which vaporizes (this typically refers to at least partially transferring a liquid or solid to the gas phase) the vaporizable substance, which can be a liquid, solution, solid, wax, or any other form compatible with the use of the particular vaporizer device.

[0004] To receive the inhalable aerosol generated by the vaporizer device, a user can activate the vaporizer device, in some examples, by puffing, pressing a button, or some other approach. The commonly used term "puff" (and as used herein) refers to a user inhaling, which draws a volume of air into the vaporizer device so that the vaporized vaporizable substance mixes with the air to generate the inhalable aerosol. Vaporizer devices typically generate inhalable aerosol from a vaporizable substance by heating the vaporizable substance in a vaporization chamber (sometimes also referred to as a heating chamber) to convert the vaporizable substance to a gas (vapor) phase. The vaporization chamber typically refers to an area or volume within a vaporizer device in which a heat source causes heating of the vaporizable substance (e.g., by conduction, convection, and / or radiation) to produce a mixture of vaporizable substance and air in some equilibrium state between the gas phase and a condensed phase (e.g., liquid and / or solid phase).

[0005] Certain components of the vaporizable substance in the gas phase may condense after being vaporized due to cooling and / or changes in pressure, thereby forming an aerosol comprising particles of a condensed layer (e.g., liquid and / or solid) suspended in at least a portion of the air drawn into the vaporizer device by puffing. When the vaporizable substance comprises a semi-volatile compound (e.g., a compound such as nicotine that has a relatively low vaporization pressure at the temperature and pressure of inhalation), the inhalable aerosol may comprise the semi-volatile compound in some local equilibrium between the gas phase and the condensed layer.

[0006] overview In one embodiment, the system includes a current source circuit, a system power input, and a load switching circuit connecting the current source circuit and the system power input with an output configured to connect to a vaporizer heating element, the current source circuit, the system power input, and the load switching circuit being part of a single integrated circuit.

[0007] One or more of the following features may be included in any workable combination. For example, the system may include a protection circuit configured to compare operating parameters of the vaporizer device with predetermined conditions and output an alarm signal in response to determining that the operating parameters satisfy the conditions. The protection circuit may be part of an integrated circuit. The operating parameters may include voltage, current, temperature, a current limit, and an electrical short. The predetermined conditions may include predetermined thresholds, and the system further includes at least one register storing the predetermined thresholds. The protection circuit may include a comparator circuit configured to compare the operating parameters of the vaporizer device with the predetermined thresholds, the comparator circuit configured to output a signal representative of the comparison. The protection circuit may be configured to detect for a heater timeout, a temperature of a subsystem within the vaporizer device, overvoltage protection (OVP), overcurrent protection (OCP), undervoltage lockout (UVLO), an electrical short, a current above a limit, multi-level throttling, brownout protection, and / or a heater shutdown inhibit signal. The protection circuit may include a watchdog timer circuit and / or a redundant clock source.

[0008] The system can include control logic coupled with the protection circuit, the control logic configured to receive an alarm signal and, in response to receiving the alarm signal, cause a modification of the operation of the vaporizer device, the modification including isolating at least one circuit in the vaporizer device from a power source, modifying a clock speed of the at least one circuit, and / or modifying a power rail voltage of the at least one circuit.

[0009] The system can include a current monitor connected to the first output terminal, a voltage monitor connected to the second output terminal, and control logic connected to the current monitor and voltage monitor, wherein the current monitor is configured to connect to the vaporizer heating element, the current monitor is configured to sense current at the first output terminal, and the voltage monitor is configured to connect to the vaporizer heating element, the voltage monitor is configured to sense voltage across the vaporizer heating element, and the control logic is further configured to receive data representative of characteristics of the current sensed at the first output terminal and the voltage sensed across the vaporizer heating element, and to adjust operation of the load switching circuit to adjust the temperature of the vaporizer heating element based on the received data.

[0010] The system can include an integrated boost converter configured to supply a higher voltage to the load switching circuitry. The system can include a power management unit circuit including at least one low dropout regulator, a DC rectifier, and a switching step-down buck converter, an analog-to-digital converter, a light emitting diode driver, and input / output circuitry.

[0011] The system may include a vaporizer device body including a vaporization chamber and a mouthpiece, a power source connected to a power management unit circuit, a controller connected to the power management unit circuit, an antenna, a memory, an ambient pressure sensor, and an accelerometer.

[0012] The system may include a circuit configured to vary the duty cycle of the signal at the output side based on a puff profile characteristic of duty cycle and puff intensity and / or a vapor profile characteristic of duty cycle and vapor production. The system may include a multiplexer including at least one switch, the multiplexer configured to switch the input side between the load switching circuit and the voltage monitor. The system may include a multiplexer including a first input terminal connected to the load switching circuit, a second input terminal connected to the voltage monitor, a third input terminal connected to the voltage monitor, a fourth input terminal connected to a reference node, and four output terminals, at least one of the four output terminals connected to the output side.

[0013] Systems and methods according to this approach are described, as well as articles of manufacture having tangibly embodied machine-readable media, where the machine-readable media are operable to cause one or more machines (e.g., computers, microcontrollers, etc., which may include general-purpose and / or special-purpose processors or circuitry, etc.) to perform the operations described herein. Similarly, computer systems are described that may include a processor and memory coupled to the processor, where the memory may include one or more programs that cause the processor to perform one or more of the operations described herein.

[0014] The accompanying drawings and the following description set forth in detail one or more variations of the subject matter described herein. Other features and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with the description, serve to explain some of the principles associated with the disclosed embodiments. [Figure 1A] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating features of a vaporizer device having a cartridge and a vaporizer device body according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. [Figure 1B] 1 is a top view of a vaporizer device with a cartridge separated from a cartridge receptacle in the vaporizer device body according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. FIG. [Figure 1C] FIG. 10 is a top view of a vaporizer device with a cartridge inserted into a cartridge receptacle in the vaporizer device body according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. [Figure 1D] FIG. 1 is a top isometric view of a vaporizer device with a cartridge inserted into a cartridge receptacle in the vaporizer device body according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. [Figure 1E] FIG. 1 is a top isometric view, viewed from the mouthpiece end, of a cartridge suitable for use with a vaporizer device body according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. [Figure 1F] 1 is a top isometric view from the opposite end of a cartridge suitable for use with a vaporizer device body according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. FIG. [Figure 2A] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating features of a non-cartridge vaporizer device body according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. [Figure 2B] FIG. 1 is a side isometric view illustrating an exemplary non-cartridge vaporizer device. [Figure 2C] FIG. 1 is a bottom isometric view illustrating an exemplary non-cartridge vaporizer device. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an exemplary vaporizer device that may include an integrated power and / or heater controller according to some aspects of the present subject matter. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an exemplary integrated power management unit in accordance with some aspects of the present subject matter. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a system block diagram illustrating an exemplary heater control device according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a system block diagram illustrating an exemplary protection mechanism circuit in further detail. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a system block diagram illustrating another exemplary heater control device according to some implementations of the present subject matter. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a system block diagram illustrating another exemplary heater control device according to some implementations of the present subject matter. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a system block diagram according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of variable steam output. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a pod identifier circuit according to some embodiments. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary power management unit according to some exemplary implementations of the present subject matter.

[0016] Wherever practical, like reference numerals refer to like structures, features or elements.

[0017] Detailed Description Some aspects of the present subject matter relate to integrated power management and heater control circuits for vaporizer devices. The present subject matter can provide circuitry that provides improved vaporizer operation, including improved heater performance and fail-safe features, thereby improving vaporizer devices. Some embodiments of the present subject matter can include an integrated power management unit, including heater control circuitry, implemented as an integrated circuit (e.g., on a chip such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)). By implementing some aspects of the present subject matter as an ASIC, some aspects of the present subject matter can improve power supply management, reduce power requirements, provide flexible heater controls, and reduce the number of discrete components, which reduces performance variability. Other benefits are possible.

[0018] Examples of vaporizers according to embodiments of the presently protected subject matter include electronic vaporizers, ENDS, and the like. As discussed above, such vaporizers are generally handheld devices that heat a vaporizable substance (by convection, conduction, radiation, or some combination thereof) to provide a predetermined inhalable dose of the substance. The vaporizable substance used with a vaporizer can, in some embodiments, be provided in a cartridge (a cartridge can refer to a portion of a vaporizer that contains the vaporizable substance in a reservoir or other container, which portion can be refilled when empty or can be discarded in favor of a new cartridge containing the same or a different type of additional vaporizable substance). In some embodiments, the vaporizer device can be a cartridge-type vaporizer device, a cartridgeless vaporizer device, or a multi-purpose vaporizer device that can be used with or without a cartridge. For example, a multi-purpose vaporizer device can include a heating chamber (e.g., a furnace) configured to directly accommodate the vaporizable substance within the heating chamber, or to accommodate a cartridge having a reservoir or the like for holding the vaporizable substance. In various embodiments, the vaporizer can be configured for use with a liquid vaporizable substance (e.g., a carrier solution in which active and / or non-active ingredients are suspended or held in solution, or the liquid form of the vaporizable substance itself) or with a solid vaporizable substance. The solid vaporizable substance can include a plant-based or non-plant-based substance that releases a portion of the solid vaporizable substance as vaporizable substance (e.g., so that a portion of the substance remains as waste after the vaporizable substance is released for inhalation by the user), or optionally, the substance can be in the solid form of the vaporizable substance itself, such that all of the solid substance can ultimately be vaporized for inhalation. The liquid vaporizable substance can be similarly fully vaporizable, or the liquid vaporizable substance can include a portion of the liquid substance that remains after all of the inhalable substance has been consumed.

[0019] In accordance with the present subject matter, the term "vaporizer device," as used herein, generally refers to a portable, self-contained device convenient for personal use. Such devices are typically controlled by one or more switches, buttons, touch-sensitive devices, or other user input features (which may generally be referred to as controls) on the vaporizer, although many devices have recently become available that are capable of wireless communication with external controllers (e.g., smartphones, smartwatches, other wearable electronic devices, etc.). In this context, "control" generally refers to the ability to affect one or more of various operating parameters, which may include, but are not limited to, turning the heater on or off, adjusting the minimum and / or maximum temperatures to which the heater is heated during operation, various games or other interactive features accessible to the user on the device, and / or other actions.

[0020] 3 is a system block diagram of an example vaporizer device 300 that may include an integrated power and / or heater control unit according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. The example vaporizer device 300 includes a controller 305 with a system-on-chip (SOC) that supports wireless (e.g., Bluetooth), which is connected to a vapor control system 310, a power and battery system 315, a user interface 320, additional sensors 325, an antenna 330, a memory 335, and a connector 340. The example vaporizer device 300 further includes a power source 350 (e.g., a lithium battery) and a pod connector 345 for connecting to a pod that may include a heating element (e.g., electrically modeled as a resistor) containing a vaporizable material.

[0021] Vapor control system 310 can implement the vaporization functions of the device and includes pod resistance measurement circuitry 312, a pod heater switching field effect transistor (FET) 313, and a pod pressure sensor 314. Pod resistance measurement circuitry 312 and pod heater switching FET 313 can operate to measure the temperature of the pod's heating element (e.g., by intermittently interrupting current to the heating element for short periods, measuring the resistance of the heating element during these short interruptions, and deriving the temperature from the measured resistance using a thermal resistance coefficient). Pod pressure sensor 314 can monitor pressure to detect either the start and end or duration of a puff.

[0022] The power and battery system 315 operates to provide power from the power source 350 to the other systems of the device. The power and battery system 315 may include a charger 316, a battery fuel gauge 317, a battery protector 318, and a low dropout (LDO) regulator 319. The charger 316 may include a charging circuit controllable by the controller 305 and, in some implementations, may include an inductive charger and / or a plug-in charger. For example, a universal serial bus (USB) connection may be used to charge the vaporizer device 300 and / or communication may occur between the computing device and the controller 305 via a wired connection. The charger 316 may charge the power source 350. The battery fuel gauge 317 may monitor battery information such as voltage, current, estimated state of charge, estimated capacity, cycle count, battery authentication, etc. The battery fuel gauge 317 may provide this information to the controller 305 for use, such as to display battery status via the user interface 320. Battery protection device 318 may include a switch for switching a battery (such as a lithium battery or other battery of power supply 350, a separate power storage unit, etc.) in and out of the circuit to protect device 300 from overcharging, over-discharging, over-rapid discharging, etc. LDO regulator 319 may regulate the output voltage of lithium battery 350 for the purpose of powering the remainder of vaporizer device 300.

[0023] User interface 320 includes a buzzer 322 (also referred to as a speaker), a light-emitting diode (LED) driver 323, and an LED 324. Buzzer 322 can provide acoustic and / or tactile feedback (e.g., vibration) to the user, while LED driver 323 and LED 324 can provide visual feedback.

[0024] Additional sensors 325 include an ambient pressure sensor 327 and an accelerometer 328. The accelerometer 328 can provide for detection of rapid movement of the vaporizer device 300 (such as a shaking movement), which can be interpreted by the controller 305 (e.g., through receipt of a signal from the accelerometer 328) as a user command to initiate communication with a user device that is part of the vaporizer system, which can be used to control one or more operations and / or parameters of the vaporizer device 300. Additionally or alternatively, detection of rapid movement of the vaporizer device 300 (such as a shaking movement) can be interpreted by the controller 305 as a user command to cycle through multiple temperature settings, to which the vaporizable substance held within the cartridge will be heated by action of the vapor control system 310.

[0025] 4 is a system block diagram of an exemplary integrated power management unit 400 according to some aspects of the present subject matter, which can improve power supply management, reduce power requirements, provide a flexible heater control, reduce the number of discrete components for tighter performance variability, etc. The exemplary integrated power management unit 400 can perform the functions of the vapor control system 310, the power and battery system 315, and the user interface 320. The exemplary integrated power management unit 400 can interface with the microcontroller 305 and integrates multiple analog and power subsystems on a main board and a high-power flex board.

[0026] The exemplary integrated power management unit 400 includes the following subsystems: heater controller 405, measurement circuitry 410, DC rectifier 415, charger 420, system power rails (not shown), LED driver 425, buzzer driver 430, and gas gauge 435. In some embodiments, the exemplary integrated power management unit 400 does not integrate sensors (accelerometer, pressure sensor) and additional support components such as pod connector 345, antenna 330, connector 340, and memory 335.

[0027] The integrated power management unit 400 can include an LDO regulator 440, a switching step-down buck converter 445 (e.g., buck), and a boost converter 450. The integrated power management unit 400 can include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 455 to monitor the system voltages and currents supplied by the power management unit 400. The ADC 455 can monitor the temperature of the die and a remote NTC temperature monitoring system for the purpose of implementing protection mechanisms as will be described more fully below.

[0028] The integrated power management unit 400 may include input / output (IO) devices and a system controller 460 that allows the controller 305 to modify (e.g., configure) the operation of the integrated power management unit 400. The IO and system controller 460 may include an internal oscillator as well as a connection for an external oscillator to drive the system clock.

[0029] The heater controller 405 can provide an integrated thermal path and current source for heating a pod heating element 480 (also referred to as a pod load) located within the pod. FIG. 5 is a system block diagram illustrating an exemplary heater controller 405 according to some implementations of the present subject matter. The heater controller 405 can include a thermal path that can include a load switch 505 (e.g., a switch as shown, a half-bridge topology, etc.) that controls the application of a current source 510 or an external voltage 515 (represented as VSYS / VBST) to the pod load 480 via a drive line (represented as out+). The load switch 505 can have non-overlapping circuitry to ensure timing (e.g., no risk of back-current power generation). The load switch can be controlled by control logic 520, which can be programmed and / or configured to regulate the load switch 505 to heat the pod heater 480 for heating a vaporizable substance contained within the pod. Control logic 520 may include one or more input terminals 525 or pins, which may receive signals from device controller 305, or from other systems within the vaporizer device or from integrated heater control device 405. Similarly, current source 510 may be programmable and controlled by control logic 520. Load switch 505 may also be controlled by protection mechanism circuitry 530, which will be described more fully below.

[0030] In some embodiments, the load switch 505 can be implemented as a half-bridge topology, where varying the pulse width modulation frequency results in a waveform that varies from 0 V to the DC battery voltage. This variable voltage / power waveform can be used to drive the pod heater 480. The half-bridge implementation allows for higher inductance loads to be tolerated because the current coasts during the off-time.

[0031] Integrated heater controller 405 can include integrated voltage monitor 535 and current monitor 540, which are connected to control logic 520 via decimation block 545. Integrated voltage monitor 535 can include ADC 537 and analog front end 539, which can be connected to the pod via sense+ and sense− connections to measure the voltage across pod heating element 480. Integrated current monitor 540 can include ADC 542, analog front end 543, and switch 544, which can be connected to drive line (out+) to measure the current flowing through drive line (out+). Switch 544 can be configured to connect integrated current monitor 540 to current source 510 or external voltage 515 depending on the device's operating mode. Voltage monitor 535 and current monitor 540 can provide their individual measurements to control logic 520 via decimation block 545 for processing and analysis. Faster control loop response times and more accurate temperature control can be achieved by using an integrated voltage monitor 535 and an integrated current monitor 540 that can provide real-time synchronized voltage and current sensing. Signal conditioning and filtering via analog front ends 539, 543 provides lower noise measurements.

[0032] In some embodiments, guaranteed performance can be achieved (e.g., absolute accuracy, gain variance, group delay, etc.). In some embodiments, a dedicated Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) port can be included for continuous data polling (e.g., 8 kHz) to the controller 305.

[0033] In some embodiments, the integrated heater controller 405 can include an integrated boost converter 550. The boost converter 550 can provide optional power to the heater load switch 505 and can be disabled / bypassed. The inclusion of the boost converter 550 can enable a flexible power supply range for various pod resistances with high efficiency. In some embodiments, the boost converter 550 can support programmable output voltage and current limits.

[0034] In some embodiments, the integrated heater controller 405 can include remote voltage sensing that utilizes four-wire sensing, thereby compensating for losses due to parasitic resistance and pod contact resistance. Such an approach can provide accurate and consistent pod measurements for more precise temperature control. In some embodiments, a multiplexer (mux) can be included to switch one wire of the voltage monitor 535 between one or more of the four pod connection terminals. For example, a multiplexer can be implemented to switch the first connection terminal of the voltage monitor 535 between sense+ and out+.

[0035] The integrated heater controller 405 may include one or more protection mechanism circuits 530. FIG. 6 is a system block diagram illustrating an exemplary protection mechanism circuit 530 in further detail. The protection mechanism may also be referred to as a fail-safe and safety mechanism circuit. The protection mechanism circuit 530 may be operatively connected to the system clock and control logic 520 and may include a configurable protection comparator 605 that compares predetermined thresholds (e.g., stored in registers) with operating parameters of the vaporizer device. These operating parameters may include voltage (e.g., pod input, pod output, boost), current (e.g., pod input, pod output), temperature (e.g., die, negative temperature coefficient resistor (NTC)), current limit (e.g., boost, charger), and short circuit (e.g., output). During operation of the vaporizer device, operating parameters obtainable via one or more sensors or sensing circuits may be compared to their respective thresholds to determine whether the operating parameters are above or below the thresholds. If an operating parameter is determined to be abnormal (e.g., above an upper threshold or below a lower threshold), the protection mechanism can signal an alarm to control logic 520. In response to receiving an alarm signal from protection mechanism circuit 530, control logic 520 can modify the operation of the device, such as disconnecting a particular subsystem from the power source (e.g., isolating a circuit or function of the vaporizer device). For example, if protection mechanism circuit 530 determines that the pod temperature is too high and issues an alarm, control logic 520 can disconnect the thermal path (e.g., current source 510, load switch 505) so that it does not supply current to pod heater 480.

[0036] Another exemplary protection mechanism (e.g., fail-safe) can include a heater timeout. The protection mechanism circuit 530 can include a hardware timer that can disable continuous heating of the pod heating element 480 (e.g., a coil) to protect against firmware or sensor hang-ups. In some embodiments, the timeout period can be programmable (e.g., 5 s, 10 s, 20 s, 40 s, etc.).

[0037] Another exemplary protection mechanism (e.g., fail-safe) can include over-temperature protection. The protection mechanism circuit 530 can implement a temperature-based protection scheme that utilizes various temperature sensors within the vaporizer device to throttle and / or disable various subsystems. These temperature sensors can include negative temperature coefficient resistors (NTCs), allowing for temperature monitoring at various system locations for throttling and protection functions, dedicated battery NTCs for charge-based throttling and protection, on-die temperature monitoring to prevent silicon damage, and the like. If the protection mechanism circuit 530 determines that the temperature measurement within the vaporizer device is too high, the control logic 520 can modify the operation of the vaporizer device to reduce heat generation. The reduction in heat generation can be implemented, for example, by changing the clock speed, output voltage levels, reducing the power of certain subsystems or portions of the device and / or circuitry, etc.

[0038] Another exemplary protection mechanism (e.g., fail-safe) can include overvoltage / overcurrent protection (OVP / OCP) and undervoltage lockout (UVLO). If the voltage and current are outside of expected operating ranges (e.g., as detected by a protection comparator 605, which can include a fast-reacting comparator-based trigger), the protection mechanism circuitry 530 can disable subsystems and functions. In some embodiments, OVP / OCP and UVLO can be implemented in the thermal path signal and high-power subsystems.

[0039] Another exemplary protection mechanism (e.g., fail-safe) can include short-circuit protection. If an electrical short is detected (e.g., there may be an increase in current draw and the short can be detected by the protection comparator 605), the protection mechanism circuit 530 can disable the outputs of various subsystems. In some embodiments, short-circuit protection can be implemented for the output power rails for the charger, the DC-DC converter, the LED driver, the speaker (e.g., buzzer) amplifier, etc. In some embodiments, short-circuit protection can be implemented using a programmable resistance threshold for the output of the pod heater 480.

[0040] Another exemplary protection mechanism (e.g., fail-safe) can include current limiting. To prevent the ratings of external devices / components from being exceeded, the protection mechanism circuit 530 and protection comparator 605 can detect a maximum current threshold (e.g., an upper limit). In some embodiments, these current limit thresholds can be programmable.

[0041] Another exemplary protection mechanism (e.g., fail-safe) can include multi-level throttling and brownout protection. Protection mechanism circuit 530 and protection comparator 605 can perform real-time monitoring of system voltage and temperature. In response to protection mechanism circuit 530 determining that an alarm has been triggered, control logic 520 can prevent the functioning of various subsystems of the vaporizer device depending on the system state (e.g., disable heating when cold, disable charging when hot, etc.). In some embodiments, these thresholds and behaviors can be programmable.

[0042] Another exemplary protection mechanism (e.g., fail-safe) can include a redundant clock source. The protection mechanism circuit 530 can include an internal RCO and an optional external 32 kHz XTAL. Such a redundant clock source can ensure the functionality of the real-time clock (RTC) that controls the heater timeout safety feature, making the RTC less dependent on external components that may be more susceptible to failures.

[0043] Another exemplary protection mechanism (e.g., failsafe) can include a hardware watchdog timer. The protection mechanism circuit 530 can include an external clocking pin 610 required to maintain the thermal path's capabilities. Such a hardware watchdog timer can protect against firmware or hardware (e.g., sensor) latch-up (e.g., hang-up, freeze, etc.). In some embodiments, the clock rate timing threshold can be programmable.

[0044] Another exemplary protection mechanism (e.g., fail-safe) can include a heater shutdown inhibit pin 615. The protection mechanism circuit 530 can include an open-drain architecture that allows other subsystems (e.g., controller 305) to disable the heater (e.g., sensor-induced faults). In some embodiments, disabling the heater includes a programmable delay time.

[0045] Another exemplary protection mechanism (e.g., failsafe) may include a UVLO pin 620. The protection mechanism circuit 530 may include an additional UVLO output pin 620 to notify the system of a low voltage, allowing other external subsystems to handle the low voltage condition separately.

[0046] Another exemplary protection mechanism (e.g., failsafe) can include a fast, graceful shutdown behavior. The protection mechanism circuit 530 can trigger a shutdown behavior triggered by a fault condition or a protection mechanism that is handled gracefully in hardware without requiring firmware control. For example, if an OVP, OCP, or short circuit is detected via temperature, the heater and / or high-power subsystem can be shut down immediately (e.g., within 10 μs to 100 μs) in a manner that does not rely on ADC sampling to determine the fault condition. In some embodiments, each subsystem can have its own individual shutdown mechanism and / or shutdown circuit. For example, a failure in the heater controller 405 can disable the heater block without disabling the rest of the system.

[0047] In some embodiments, one or more parameters, settings, or values ​​can be configured to be one-time programmable (OTP). The various timeout and safety features described above can be hard-programmed at the time of manufacture or via a customer OTP. A desired setting that is an OTP can be specified once and, if so, cannot be subsequently programmed or reconfigured. The OTP prevents erroneous configuration or user error, and core fail-safe related values ​​are less susceptible to unwanted changes (e.g., after being changed at a retail store).

[0048] In some embodiments, the integrated heater controller 405 may include additional pins connected to the control logic 520 for operating the integrated heater controller 405. For example, these pins may include a thermal select pin 625, a thermal pulse-width modulation (PWM) pin 630, a heater ready pin 635, a clock line (SCL) pin 640, and a data line (SDA) pin 645. The thermal select pin 625 may enable selection of a current source and a load switch to drive the pod. The thermal PWM 630 may enable a load switch to vary the power delivered to the pod heater 480 for temperature control. The heater ready pin 635 may include an enable pin for the heater controller 405. The heater stop pin may include an inhibit pin to disable the heater controller 405. The SCL pin 640 and SDA pin 645 may enable a dedicated I2C bus to poll heater voltage and current sensing data.

[0049] In some embodiments, as described above, the integrated heater controller 405 may include registers for setting operating parameters (including performance and safety parameters) such as overvoltage protection (OVP), overcurrent protection (OCP), current limits, hardware timeouts, etc.

[0050] In some embodiments, the integrated heater controller 405 can provide many technical advantages. For example, the integrated heater controller 405 can reduce the number of external discrete components required in a vaporizer device, which can reduce variations in device performance due to component tolerances and mismatches. Additionally, the integrated heater controller 405 can include fast startup from sleep (e.g., 5 ms) and fast measurement settling times (e.g., less than 100 μs).

[0051] 4, in some embodiments, integrated power management unit 400 includes protection mechanism 470. Protection mechanism 470 may be implemented within heater controller 405, as described with reference to FIG. 5, or may be implemented within power management unit 400 as a logic block separate from heater controller 405. The protection mechanism may act on all blocks separately and may respond similarly, for example, by shutting down upon detection of a short circuit.

[0052] In some embodiments, the integrated power management unit 400 can include a pod ID 465. The pod ID 465 can store calibration data and pod information that can feed into a better user experience through more detailed and accurate usage information (such as which pods the device has used, nicotine consumption logs, and pod fill level estimates). In some embodiments, the pod's identifier is programmed at the factory to prevent counterfeiting. Communication can be wireless, via a power line carrier signal, or via a signal line interface.

[0053] Some embodiments of the presently protected subject matter may provide electrical improvements to vaporizer devices. For example, some embodiments of the presently protected subject matter may include a linear charger for functional equivalence (which may achieve functional equivalence in terms of charging performance, e.g., in terms of charging time and charging efficiency), or a switching charger for faster charging speeds and fewer hot spots. Some embodiments may include integrated voltage and / or current monitoring on the xBUS / xBAT / xSYS lines, which may be USB port, battery, and system voltage and current measurements, hardware adjustable current limit (ILIM), charging current, termination voltage, etc., may be Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) compliant, may include remote NTC temperature monitoring, and may further include an integrated input DC rectifier.

[0054] In some embodiments, the LED driver is suitable for driving six LEDs with increased performance compared to individual drivers. Some embodiments of the LED driver can drive currents in the range of 50 μA to 25 mA and include 11-bit current step resolution with PWM dimming without the need for CP. In some embodiments, the LED driver can detect when the LED is shorted and / or open, and when the LED is overvoltage and overcurrent. In some embodiments, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) performance may match or exceed known systems.

[0055] In some embodiments, the speaker / buzzer driver can include a full H-bridge topology, which allows the buzzer to run forward or backward. Sampling rates can include 8 kHz or 16 kHz with 8-bit or 12-bit resolution. The speaker / buzzer driver can include a pulse density modulation (PDM) input, short-circuit protection, and internal RAM loaded with waveforms and supporting looping capabilities.

[0056] Some embodiments of the presently protected subject matter can achieve even lower power consumption. For example, an integrated SoC / PMU can provide control of the maximum power state across all subsystems. Power states can be configured by the SoC or by a wake source. A pod ID wake source can be utilized to keep the device in the lowest possible power state in the absence of a pod, allowing the device to operate in an ultra-low power (e.g., hibernation) mode when no pod is connected. In some embodiments, hibernation mode can draw 1.1 μA of current, sleep mode can draw 5 μA of current (various sleep / pod detection modes, no BLE), and BLE advertising mode can draw 1.7 mA of current, which in some embodiments can power the device for approximately one week.

[0057] Some embodiments of the presently protected subject matter include internal ADCs for all internal power rails, allowing for thorough and extensive in-line factory testing and for monitoring the entire system during use. Self-testing reduces the need for complex test fixture assemblies and test procedures. Test time is reduced, increasing units per hour (UPH). Some embodiments allow for simplified surface mount assembly (SMA) with fewer ICs, discrete components, and passives.

[0058] Some embodiments of the presently protected subject matter may include a single-package chip-scale package (CSP), which can replace 16 or more discrete components, reduce the number of points of failure, reduce the number of external passives, and can be implemented on a 0.35mm (or other size) pitch.

[0059] Referring again to Figure 3, some embodiments of the presently protected subject matter may include a vaporizer device that replaces the separate vapor control system 310 with a stand-alone heater controller such as, or similar to, the heater controller 405 described with reference to Figures 4-6, without replacing the power and battery system 315 or the user interface 320 with integrated circuits. Some embodiments of the presently protected subject matter may include a vaporizer device that replaces the separate power and battery system 315, user interface 320, and vapor control system 310 with an integrated power management unit such as, or similar to, the integrated power management unit 400 described with reference to Figures 3-6. Other implementations and variations are possible.

[0060] FIG. 7 is a system block diagram illustrating another exemplary heater controller 700 according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. The illustrated embodiment includes an integrated output multiplexer 705 for switching between drive (out+) and sensing (sense+, sense-) signals, which can be implemented to measure and compensate for poor pod contact. The multiplexer 705 can accept out+, sense+, sense-, and a fourth wire (e.g., ground) to provide four outputs (out1+, out2+, out1-, and out2-). The multiplexer 705 can enable heating at two contacts or enable remote four-terminal voltage measurements based on two combinations of contacts. For example, if the multiplexer 705 connects the sense+ wire with out2+ and it is determined that the contact tied to the out2+ wire has failed, the multiplexer 705 can switch the sense+ (e.g., a voltage monitor) to the out1+ wire for continued operation. The exemplary multiplexer 705 shown in FIG. 7 includes four switches (707a, 707b, 707c, and 707d), two switches (707a, 707b) multiplex out+ and sense+, and two switches (707c, 707d) multiplex sense- and ground.

[0061] 8 is a system block diagram illustrating another exemplary heater control device according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. In the illustrated embodiment, multiplexer 805 includes three switches (807a, 807b, and 807c) that multiplex out+ and sense+, and three switches (807d, 807e, and 807f) that multiplex sense- and ground. The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 can be advantageous in that it can allow voltage measurements at both combinations of contacts.

[0062] In some embodiments, integrated output multiplexing allows remote four-wire voltage sensing to be performed on any pair of output lines to compensate for insufficient contact resistance to the pod, and local two-wire voltage sensing to compensate for parasitic path resistance.

[0063] Figure 9 is a system block diagram according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. In the example of Figure 9, heating and temperature control logic 905 can include and / or implement additional functionality, including user-programmable coil and system parameters, such as the use of coil parameters 910, heating profile 915, and draw profile 920. An exemplary heater controller can provide integrated, adjustable closed-loop control. Heating temperature and control logic 905 can receive measurements obtained by voltage and current monitors and can perform resistance calculations, temperature conversion, adaptive PID, and heater drive to control load switches in the thermal path.

[0064] The heating and temperature control logic 905 can use coil parameters 910 relating coil resistance to temperature (thus the temperature of the coil (e.g., pod heating element 480) does not have to be measured directly but can be determined from measured voltage and current). The heating and temperature control logic 905 can use heating profiles 915 that can characterize the coil temperature over time. The heating profile 915 can enable the heating and temperature control logic 905 to appropriately drive the pod heater 480 (e.g., coil) to enable a target temperature to be achieved. The heating and temperature control logic 905 can use draw profiles 920 that can characterize the amount of vapor (e.g., variable vapor duty cycle) to generate based on the draw strength of the puff. The draw profile 920 can be used to implement dynamic and / or variable vapor production.

[0065] In some embodiments, the heating and temperature control logic 905 can include user-programmable coil parameters, including a target coil resistance (TCR) (which can be implemented as a mathematical function in a look-up table, etc.) that allows for accurate coil temperature estimation over a wide range of pods, a target regulation temperature for vaporization, and minimum and maximum expected coil resistance ranges for fault checking and measurement range optimization.

[0066] In some embodiments, the heating and temperature control logic 905 can include user-programmable system parameters such as a heating profile 915 that allows for a more consistent vapor experience, a draw profile 920 that allows for a more customizable and realistic vapor experience, minimum and maximum duty cycles to constrain hardware behavior across various (e.g., all) operating conditions, a maximum power that can provide a more consistent heating profile and protect the system across various (e.g., all) operating conditions, and PID coefficients to tune the closed-loop algorithm.

[0067] In some embodiments, the heating and temperature control logic can include one-time programmable settings and protection / throttling mechanisms to ensure safe operation without relying on control loop behavior. The output of the closed-loop temperature control block can regulate the heater block to an appropriate drive level. Inputs for the closed-loop temperature control block can be obtained for coil / system parameters and dedicated coil voltage and current sensing monitors. Additionally, the heating and temperature control logic can include flexible trigger sources, such as options for providing fixed draw / vapor production levels and / or level-dependent triggers that can provide variable vapor production based on draw strength.

[0068] FIG. 10 shows an example of variable vapor production. A draw profile 1005 (which can be related to draw strength and duty cycle) and a vapor profile 1010 (which can be related to vapor production and duty cycle) can be used to provide variable vapor production. For variable vapor production, the heater duty cycle can be varied to control the coil temperature and achieve the target temperature on time. This can include heating times (e.g., when the pod is at vaporization temperature) and off times (e.g., when the pod is below vaporization temperature) that will achieve the target temperature on time, thereby allowing for multiple on and off periods during a single puff. By providing variable length on / off periods, the amount of vapor produced can be controlled. Using this approach, the user can specify (e.g., by turning the dial down or up) a specific amount of vapor to be produced during a single puff.

[0069] In some embodiments, variable vapor production can provide users with more customizable and / or more realistic vapor profiles. Variable vapor production can be achieved by duty cycling the time that the coil temperature is adjusted to the vaporization temperature. The amount of vapor produced can be kept constant via the user application or can be dynamically changed in real time based on the draw strength. The draw profile (e.g., duty cycle for a given draw strength) and the vapor profile (vapor production for a given duty cycle) can be used to generate this variable vapor profile. The frequency of the variable vapor duty cycle can be high enough so as not to cause a discernible gap in vaporization, and low enough so that the thermal PWM has enough cycles to adjust to the vaporization temperature.

[0070] 11 is a block diagram illustrating a pod identifier circuit 1105 according to some embodiments. A pod 1110 can include a heating coil 1115 and a pod identifier integrated circuit (PIC) 1105. Two exemplary implementations of a PIC are shown at 1105a and 1105b.

[0071] The PIC1105 can include a two-pin device, with one pin for ground and the second for both power and data. As long as the device-side host IC uses the same protocol, the PIC1105's power and data over a single wire can be flexible. In some embodiments, the PIC1105 can include a 1 kB OTP for classifying information, internal logic for reading / writing the OTP, and an internal power supply for appropriately powering the internal logic in a single-wire power / data scenario. The PIC1105's OTP information storage can be user-defined and flexible. The PIC1105's OTP can be designed to be programmed on the pod manufacturing line and cannot be changed / overwritten after programming. The PIC1105's one-time programming storage can be intended to store pod-specific information such as serial number, flavor, coil resistance, and various other pod parameters. Using such information, the system can further enhance performance (e.g., heating consistency) and security through pod authentication.

[0072] FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary power management unit 1200 according to some implementations. The power management unit 1200 can include a rectifier bridge and dedicated overvoltage protection (OVP) and overtemperature protection (OTP) circuits. Additionally, the power management unit 1200 can include communication mode management to implement power line communication functionality. The power management unit 1200 can interface with external connections, such as contacts configured to connect to a USB connector, to implement both charging and communication functionality. The power management unit 1200 can protect other components of the circuit from excessive voltage and / or temperature caused by charging. Furthermore, by implementing power line communication functionality, the power management unit 1200 can reduce the number of required contacts (e.g., pins) from four (two for power and two for communication) to two (both power and communication share the same two contacts).

[0073] As noted above, some aspects of the present subject matter relate to integrated power management and heater controls. In some embodiments, the integrated power management unit 400 can be formed as a single integrated circuit or multiple integrated circuits working together. The following description relates to exemplary vaporizer devices within which one or more features of the present subject matter can be implemented. These exemplary vaporizer devices are described to provide context for the description of the features provided by the present subject matter.

[0074] 1A-2C illustrate exemplary vaporizer devices 100, 200 and features according to embodiments of the present subject matter that may be included therein. FIG. 1A shows a schematic diagram of a vaporizer device 100 including a cartridge 114, and FIGS. 1B-1E show diagrams illustrating an exemplary vaporizer device 100 with a vaporizer device body 101 and a cartridge 114. FIGS. 1B and 1C show top views before and after connecting the cartridge 114 with the vaporizer device body 101. FIG. 1D shows an isometric view of the vaporizer device 100 including the vaporizer device body 101 coupled with the cartridge 114, and FIG. 1E shows an isometric view of one variation of the cartridge 114 that holds a liquid vaporizable substance. Typically, if the vaporizer device includes a cartridge (such as cartridge 114), the cartridge 114 can include one or more reservoirs 120 configured to contain the vaporizable substance. Any suitable vaporizable substance may be contained within reservoir 120 of cartridge 114, including solutions of nicotine or other organic substances, as well as compositions that may include one or more solvent-free (e.g., not dissolved in a solvent) chemical compounds, mixtures, formulations, and the like.

[0075] As noted above, the vaporizer device 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a vaporizer device body 101. As shown in FIG. 1, the vaporizer device body 101 according to embodiments of the presently protected subject matter can include a power source 103 (e.g., a device or system that stores electrical energy for on-demand use), which can be a battery, a capacitor, a combination thereof, or the like, and can be rechargeable or non-rechargeable. A controller 105, which can include a processor (e.g., a programmable processor, dedicated circuitry, etc.), can also be included as part of the vaporizer device body 101. The vaporizer device body 101 can include a housing that houses one or more of the components of the vaporizer device body, such as the power source 103, the controller 105, and / or any of the other components described herein as part of such a device. In various embodiments of a vaporizer device including a vaporizer device body 101 and a cartridge 114, the cartridge 114 can be mounted on, within, or partially within the vaporizer device body 101. For example, the vaporizer device body 101 can include a cartridge receptacle 152 into which the cartridge 114 can be bayoneted.

[0076] The processor of the controller 105 can include circuitry to control the operation of the heater 118, which can optionally include one or more heating elements to vaporize a vaporizable substance contained within the cartridge 114, for example, in a reservoir or container that is part of the cartridge 114. In various embodiments, the heater 118 can be provided within the vaporizer device body 101, within the cartridge 114 (as shown in FIG. 1A), or both. The controller circuitry can include one or more clocks (oscillators), charging circuitry, an I / O controller, memory, etc. Alternatively or additionally, the controller circuitry can include circuitry for one or more wireless communication modes, including Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), Wi-Fi, ultrasonic, ZigBee, RFID, etc. The vaporizer device body 101 can also include a memory 125, which can be part of the controller 105 or otherwise in data communication with the controller. Memory 125 may include volatile memory or data storage (e.g., random access memory) and / or non-volatile memory or data storage (e.g., read-only memory, flash memory, solid-state storage, hard disk drives, other magnetic storage, etc.).

[0077] 1 , the vaporizer device 100 can include a charger 133 (and charging circuitry controllable by the controller 105), optionally including an inductive charger and / or a plug-in charger. For example, a universal serial bus (USB) connection can be used to charge the vaporizer device 100, and / or communication can occur between the computing device and the controller 105 via a wired connection. The charger 133 can charge the on-board power supply 103. Vaporizer devices 100 according to embodiments of the presently covered subject matter can also include one or more inputs 117, such as buttons, dials, etc., and sensors 137, which can include acceleration sensors or other motion sensors, pressure sensors (e.g., relative or absolute pressure sensors that can be capacitive, semiconductor-based, etc.), flow sensors, etc. Another such sensor 137 can be used by the vaporizer device 100 to detect user handling and interaction. For example, detection of a rapid movement of the vaporizer device 100 (such as a shaking movement) can be interpreted by the controller 105 (e.g., through receiving a signal from one or more of the sensors 137) as a user command to initiate communication with a user device that is part of the vaporizer system, which can be used to control one or more operations and / or parameters of the vaporizer device 100, as described in more detail below. Additionally or alternatively, detection of a rapid movement of the vaporizer device 100 (such as a shaking movement) can be interpreted by the controller 105 (e.g., through receiving a signal from one or more of the sensors 137) as a user command to cycle through multiple temperature settings to which the vaporizable substance held within the cartridge 114 is heated by action of the heater 118.In some optional variations, removal of the cartridge 114 is detected by the controller 105 (e.g., by receiving a signal from one or more of the sensors 137) while cycling through the multiple temperature settings, thereby operating to stabilize the temperature (e.g., if the cycle is at the desired temperature, the user can remove the cartridge 114 to set the desired temperature). The user can then re-engage the cartridge 114 with the vaporizer device body 101, thereby using the vaporizer device 100 with the heater controlled by the controller 105 according to the selected temperature setting. The multiple temperature settings can be indicated via one or more indicators on the vaporizer device body 101. As mentioned above, a pressure sensor can be used in detecting either the start, end, or continuation of a puff.

[0078] Vaporizer devices 100 according to embodiments of the presently protected application may also include one or more outputs 115. As used herein, output 115 may refer to any of optical (e.g., LED, display, etc.), tactile (e.g., vibrational, etc.), or acoustic (e.g., piezoelectric, etc.) feedback components, or any combination thereof.

[0079] A vaporizer device 100 according to embodiments of the presently protected subject matter that includes a cartridge 114 can include one or more electrical contacts (e.g., pins, plates, sockets, mating receptacles, or other mechanisms for electrically coupling with other contacts) on or within the vaporizer device body 101, such as vaporizer device body electrical contacts 109, 111, 113 shown in FIG. 1A , which can engage complementary cartridge contacts 119, 121, 123 (e.g., pins, plates, sockets, mating receptacles, or other mechanisms for electrically coupling with other contacts) on the cartridge 114 when the cartridge is engaged with the vaporizer device body 101. The contacts on the vaporizer device body 101 are generally referred to herein as "vaporizer device body contacts," and the contacts on the cartridge 114 are generally referred to herein as "cartridge contacts." In embodiments of the presently protected subject matter in which the heater 118 is contained within the cartridge 114, these contacts can be used to provide energy from the power source 103 to the heater 118. For example, by coupling the cartridge 114 to the vaporizer device body 101, the cartridge contacts and the vaporizer device body contacts, when engaged, can form an electrical circuit, thereby controlling the flow of power from the power source 103 in the vaporizer device body 101 to the heater 118 in the cartridge 114. A controller 105 in the vaporizer device body 101 can regulate this flow of power to control the temperature to which the heater 118 heats the vaporizable substance contained within the cartridge 114.

[0080] While three vaporizer device body contacts 109, 111, 113 and three cartridge contacts 119, 121, 123 are shown, certain embodiments of the presently protected subject matter may use only two of each type of contact to complete an electrical circuit that can be used to provide power from power source 103 to heater 118, and optionally measure the temperature of the heating element within the heater (e.g., by intermittently interrupting current to the heating element for a short period of time, measuring the resistance of the heating element during this short interruption, and obtaining the temperature from the measured resistance using a thermal resistance coefficient), and / or transmit data between optional identifier 138 and controller 105. Alternatively or additionally, additional contacts (e.g., optional contacts 113 and 123) can be included for passing data, temperature measurements, and pressure sensor measurements (e.g., if a pressure sensor is included on the cartridge while controller 105 is in vaporizer device body 101).

[0081] An airflow path (150 in FIG. 1E) can direct air to the heater, where it mixes with vaporized vaporizable substance from the reservoir 120 to generate an inhalable aerosol for delivery to a user via a mouthpiece 144, which can be part of the cartridge 114. In some embodiments, the airflow path 150 can pass between an exterior surface of the cartridge 114 and an interior surface of a cartridge receptacle on the vaporizer device body 101, as further described below.

[0082] Any compatible electrical contacts can be used, including pins (e.g., pogo pins), plates, etc. Additionally, as described below, in some embodiments of the presently protected subject matter, unidirectional or bidirectional communication is provided between the vaporizer device body 101 and the cartridge 114 via one or more electrical contacts, which can include electrical contacts used to supply energy from the power source 103 to the heater 118, which can include a heating element, such as a resistive heating element. The cartridge 114 and the vaporizer device body 101 can be removably coupled to each other, for example, by engaging a portion of the cartridge 114 housing with the vaporizer device body 101 and / or the vaporizer housing via a mechanical connection (e.g., a snap fit and / or a friction fit). Alternatively or additionally, the cartridge 114 and the vaporizer device body 101 can be coupled magnetically or via some other coupling or engagement mechanism. Other connection types are within the scope of the presently protected subject matter, as are combinations of two or more connection types.

[0083] 1B-1F illustrate one embodiment of a vaporizer 100, including a vaporizer device body 101 and a cartridge 114. The two are shown separated in FIG. 1B and connected in FIG. 1C. FIG. 1D illustrates an isometric view of the combined vaporizer device body 101 and cartridge 114, while FIGS. 1E and 1F illustrate the individual cartridge 114 from two different perspectives. Combined, FIGS. 1B-1F illustrate an exemplary cartridge-type vaporizer device incorporating many of the features generally depicted in FIG. 1A. Other configurations incorporating some or all of the features described herein are within the scope of this patent. FIG. 1D illustrates a vaporizer device 100 with a cartridge 114 coupled within a cartridge receptacle 152 of the vaporizer device body 101. In some embodiments of this patent, the reservoir 120 can be formed, in whole or in part, from a translucent material so that the level of vaporizable substance is visible through a window 158. The cartridge 114 and / or the vaporizer device body 101 can be configured such that the window 158 remains visible when the cartridge 114 is bayonet-received by the cartridge receptacle 152. For example, in one exemplary configuration, the window 158 can be located between the bottom end of the mouthpiece 144 and the top end of the vaporizer device body 101 when the cartridge 114 is coupled with the cartridge receptacle 152.

[0084] 1E shows one embodiment of an airflow path 150 for allowing a user's puff to draw air from outside the cartridge 114, past the heater 118 (e.g., through a vaporization chamber that includes or houses the heater 118), and toward the mouthpiece 144 to provide inhalable aerosol. The mouthpiece can optionally have multiple openings through which the inhalable aerosol is provided. For example, a cartridge receptacle 152 can be provided at one end of the vaporizer device body 101, such that the pluggable end 154 of the cartridge 114 can be plugged into the cartridge receptacle 152. When the cartridge pluggable end 154 is fully inserted into the cartridge receptacle 152, the inner surface of the cartridge receptacle 152 forms one side of a portion of the airflow path 150, and the outer surface of the cartridge pluggable end 154 forms the other side of that portion of the airflow path.

[0085] 1E, this configuration causes air to flow down around the pluggable end 154 of the cartridge into the cartridge receptacle 152, then around the plugged end of the cartridge 114 (e.g., the end opposite the end containing the mouthpiece 144) before flowing back in the opposite direction as it enters the cartridge body toward the vaporizer chamber and heater 118. The airflow path 150 then proceeds through the interior of the cartridge 114, e.g., via one or more tubes or internal ducts, to one or more outlets 156 formed in the mouthpiece 144. For cartridges 114 having a non-cylindrical shape, the mouthpiece 144 can be similarly non-cylindrical, and two or more outlets 156 can be formed in the mouthpiece, optionally positioned in a line along the longer of the two horizontal axes of the cartridge 114, with the vertical axis of the cartridge 114 oriented along the direction in which the cartridge 114 is moved to be plugged in or otherwise coupled with the vaporizer device body 101, the two horizontal axes being perpendicular to each other and to the vertical axis.

[0086] FIG. 1F illustrates additional features that may be included in the cartridge 114 according to the present subject matter. For example, the cartridge 114 may include two cartridge contacts 119, 121 located on a pluggable end 154 configured to be plugged into a cartridge receptacle 152 of the vaporizer device body 101. Optionally, each of the cartridge contacts 119, 121 may be part of a single metal piece that forms an electrically conductive structure 159, 161 connected to one of the two ends of the resistive heating element. Optionally, the two electrically conductive structures may form opposing sides of the heating chamber and also act as a heat shield and / or heat sink to reduce heat conduction to the outer wall of the cartridge 114. FIG. 1F also illustrates a central tube 162 within the cartridge 114 that defines a portion of the airflow path 150 between the heating chamber and the mouthpiece 144, formed between the two electrically conductive structures 159, 161.

[0087] As noted above, the cross-section of the cartridge 114 and optionally the vaporizer device body 101 may optionally be non-circular, including various rectangular (e.g., having one of two horizontal axes orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the vaporizer device 100 longer than the other) cross-sectional shapes, including approximately rectangular, approximately diamond, approximately triangular or trapezoidal, approximately elliptical, etc. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the use of "approximately" in this context is intended to indicate that the apexes of the cross-sectional shape are not necessarily sharp but may instead have a non-zero radius of curvature, and that the surfaces between such apexes are not necessarily perfectly flat but may instead have a finite radius of curvature.

[0088] 2A-2C relate to exemplary embodiments of the presently protected subject matter in which the vaporizer device is not of the cartridge type. FIG. 2A shows a schematic diagram of a vaporizer device 200 configured for use without a cartridge (although still optionally capable of receiving a cartridge), but instead (or additionally) with loose leaf-like material or some other vaporizable material (e.g., solids, wax, etc.). The vaporizer device 200 of FIG. 2A can be configured to house a vaporizable material, such as loose leaf-like material, wax, and / or some other liquid or solid vaporizable material, in an oven 220 (e.g., vaporization chamber). Many elements similar to those found in the vaporizer device 100 using the cartridge 114 shown in FIGS. 1A-1E can also be included as part of a vaporizer device 200 that does not require the use of a cartridge. For example, the vaporizer device 200 can include, within a single housing, a control circuit 105 that can include power control circuitry and / or a wireless circuit 107 and / or a memory 125. A power source 103 (e.g., a battery, a capacitor, etc.) within the housing can be charged by a charger 133 (and the power source 103 can include a charging control circuit, not shown). The vaporizer device 200 can also include one or more outputs 115 and one or more inputs 117 with sensors 137, which can include one or more of the sensors described above with respect to the cartridge-type vaporizer device 100. Additionally, the vaporizer device 200 can include one or more heaters 118 for heating the vaporization chamber, which can be an oven 220 or other heated chamber. The resistance of the heater 118 can be used to determine the heater temperature, for example, using the temperature coefficient of the heater's resistivity, to control the heater 118. Such a vaporizer device 200 can also include a mouthpiece 144 for delivering the generated inhalable aerosol to a user. FIG. 2B shows a side isometric view of an exemplary vaporizer device 200 along with a vaporizer device body 201.The bottom isometric view of FIG. 2C shows the lid 230 removed from the vaporizer device body 201, thereby exposing the furnace / vaporization chamber 220.

[0089] One or more aspects or features of the protected subject matter described herein may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, integrated circuits, specially designed application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. Various aspects or features may include implementation in one or more computer programs that are executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be special purpose or general purpose, connected to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.

[0090] These computer programs, which may also be referred to as programs, software, software applications, applications, components, or code, include machine instructions for a programmable processor and may be implemented in a high-level procedural language, an object-oriented programming language, a functional programming language, a logic programming language, and / or an assembly / machine language. As used herein, the term "machine-readable medium" refers to any computer program product, apparatus, and / or device, such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, memories, and programmable logic devices (PLDs), which are used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor and include machine-readable media that receive machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor. A machine-readable medium may non-transitory store such machine instructions, such as, for example, a non-transitory solid-state memory or a magnetic hard disk drive or any equivalent storage medium. Alternatively or additionally, the machine-readable medium may store such machine instructions in a temporary manner, such as would be the case in a processor cache or other random access memory associated with one or more physical processor cores.

[0091] To provide for user interaction, one or more aspects or features of the protected subject matter described herein can be implemented in a computer having a display device, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD) or light-emitting diode (LED) monitor, for displaying information to a user, and a keyboard and pointing device, such as a mouse or trackball, by which a user can provide input to the computer. Other types of devices can be used to provide user interaction as well. For example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual, auditory, or tactile feedback, and input from the user can be received in any form, including, but not limited to, acoustic, voice, or tactile input. Other possible input devices include, but are not limited to, touchscreens or other touch-sensitive devices such as single-point or multi-point resistive or capacitive trackpads, voice recognition hardware and software, optical scanners, optical pointers, digital image capture devices, and associated interpretation software. A remote computer can be connected to the analyzer via a wired or wireless network, allowing data exchange between the analyzer and the remote computer (e.g., receiving data from the analyzer at the remote computer and transmitting information such as calibration data, operating parameters, software upgrades or updates), as well as remote control, diagnostics, etc. of the analyzer.

[0092] In the above description and in the claims, phrases such as "at least one of" or "one or more of" may be followed by a conjunctive list of elements or features. The term "and / or" may appear in a list of more than one element or feature. Unless otherwise implicitly or explicitly contradicted by the context, such phrases are intended to mean any of the listed elements or features individually, or any of the listed elements or features in combination with any of the other listed elements or features. For example, the phrases "at least one of A and B," "one or more of A and B," and "A and / or B" are each intended to mean "A alone, B alone, or A and B together." A similar interpretation is intended for lists containing more than two items. For example, the phrases "at least one of A, B, and C," "one or more of A, B, and C," and "A, B, and / or C" are each intended to mean "A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together." Use of the term "based on" in the description above and in the claims is intended to mean "based at least in part on," allowing for unrecited features or elements.

[0093] The subject matter described herein may be embodied in systems, devices, methods, and / or products in any desired configuration. The embodiments set forth in the foregoing description do not represent all possible implementations of the subject matter described herein. Rather, they are merely examples of aspects related to the described subject matter. While a few variations have been described in detail above, other modifications or additions are possible. In particular, additional features and / or variations may be provided in addition to those described herein. For example, the above-described embodiments may be directed to various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features and / or to combinations and subcombinations of certain additional features described above. In addition, the logic flows depicted in the accompanying drawings and / or described herein do not necessarily require the particular order shown or sequential order to achieve desired results. Other implementations may be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. a current source circuit; a system power input side; a load switching circuit connecting the current source circuit and the system power input with an output configured to connect to a vaporizer heating element; A system having: The current source circuit, the system power input, and the load switching circuit are part of a single integrated circuit.

2. and a protection circuit configured to compare an operating parameter of the vaporizer device with a predetermined condition and to output an alarm signal in response to determining that the operating parameter satisfies the condition; the protection circuit is part of the integrated circuit; The system of claim 1 .

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the operating parameters include voltage, current, temperature, current limit, and electrical short.

4. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined condition comprises a predetermined threshold, the system further comprising at least one register that stores the predetermined threshold.

5. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the protection circuit includes a comparator circuit configured to compare the operating parameter of the vaporizer device with the predetermined threshold, the comparator circuit configured to output a signal representative of the comparison.

6. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the protection circuitry is configured to detect heater timeout, temperature of a subsystem within the vaporizer device, overvoltage protection (OVP), overcurrent protection (OCP), undervoltage lockout (UVLO), electrical short circuit, current above limit, multi-level throttling, brownout protection, and / or a heater shutdown inhibit signal.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the protection circuitry includes a watchdog timer circuit and / or a redundant clock source.

8. 3. The system of claim 2, further comprising control logic coupled to the protection circuit, the control logic configured to receive the alarm signal and, in response to receiving the alarm signal, cause a modification of the operation of the vaporizer device, the modification including isolating at least one circuit within the vaporizer device from a power source, modifying a clock speed of the at least one circuit, and / or modifying a power rail voltage of the at least one circuit.

9. a current monitor connected to the first output terminal; a voltage monitor connected to the second output terminal; control logic coupled to the current monitor and the voltage monitor; and the current monitor is configured to communicate with the vaporizer heating element, the current monitor being configured to sense current at the first output terminal; the voltage monitor is configured to communicate with the vaporizer heating element, the voltage monitor being configured to sense a voltage across the vaporizer heating element; the control logic is configured to receive data characteristic of the sensed current at the first output terminal and the sensed voltage across the vaporizer heating element, and to adjust operation of the load switching circuit to adjust the temperature of the vaporizer heating element based on the received data. The system of claim 1 .

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an integrated boost converter configured to power the load switching circuitry.

11. a power management unit circuit including at least one low dropout regulator, a DC rectifier, and a step-down converter; an analog-to-digital converter; a light emitting diode driver; Input / output circuit and The system of claim 1 further comprising:

12. a vaporizer device body including a vaporization chamber and a mouthpiece; a power supply connected to the power management unit circuit; a controller coupled to the power management unit circuit; The antenna and Memory and an ambient pressure sensor; Accelerometer and The system of claim 11 further comprising:

13. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising circuitry configured to vary the duty cycle of the signal at the output based on a puff profile characterizing duty cycle versus puff strength and / or a vapor profile characterizing duty cycle versus vapor production.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a multiplexer including at least one switch, the multiplexer configured to switch an input between the load switching circuit and a voltage monitor.

15. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a multiplexer including a first input terminal connected to the load switching circuit, a second input terminal connected to a voltage monitor, a third input terminal connected to the voltage monitor, a fourth input terminal connected to a reference node, and four output terminals, at least one of the four output terminals being connected to the output side.

16. switching a load switching circuit connecting the current source circuit and the system power input with an output configured to connect to the vaporizer heating element between the current source circuit and the system power input; the current source circuit, the system power input, and the load switching circuit are part of a single integrated circuit; method.

17. comparing, by a protection circuit, an operating parameter of the vaporizer device with a predetermined condition; outputting an alarm signal in response to determining that the operating parameter satisfies the condition; and the protection circuit is part of the integrated circuit; 17. The method of claim 16.

18. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the operating parameters include voltage, current, temperature, current limit, and electrical short.

19. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined condition comprises a predetermined threshold, and the system further comprises at least one register that stores the predetermined threshold.

20. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the protection circuit includes a comparator circuit configured to compare the operating parameter of the vaporizer device with the predetermined threshold, the comparator circuit configured to output a signal representative of the comparison.

21. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the protection circuitry is configured to detect for heater timeout, temperature of a subsystem within the vaporizer device, overvoltage protection (OVP), overcurrent protection (OCP), undervoltage lockout (UVLO), electrical short circuit, current above limit, multi-level throttling, brownout protection, and / or a heater shutdown inhibit signal.

22. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the protection circuitry includes a watchdog timer circuit and / or a redundant clock source.

23. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the integrated circuit further comprises control logic coupled to the protection circuit, the control logic configured to receive the alarm signal and, in response to receiving the alarm signal, cause a modification of the operation of the vaporizer device, the modification including isolating at least one circuit within the vaporizer device from a power source, modifying a clock speed of the at least one circuit, and / or modifying a power rail voltage of the at least one circuit.

24. the integrated circuit further comprising a current monitor coupled to the first output terminal, a voltage monitor coupled to the second output terminal, and control logic coupled to the current monitor and the voltage monitor; the current monitor is configured to communicate with the vaporizer heating element, the current monitor being configured to sense current at the first output terminal; the voltage monitor is configured to communicate with the vaporizer heating element, the voltage monitor being configured to sense a voltage across the vaporizer heating element; the control logic is configured to receive data characteristic of the sensed current at the first output terminal and the sensed voltage across the vaporizer heating element, and to adjust operation of the load switching circuit to adjust the temperature of the vaporizer heating element based on the received data.

17. The method of claim 16.

25. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the integrated circuit further comprises an integrated boost converter configured to power the load switching circuit.

26. The integrated circuit comprises: a power management unit circuit including at least one low dropout regulator, a DC rectifier, and a step-down converter; an analog-to-digital converter; a light emitting diode driver; an input / output circuit; 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

27. The integrated circuit comprises: a vaporizer device body including a vaporization chamber and a mouthpiece; a power supply connected to the power management unit circuit; a controller coupled to the power management unit circuit; The antenna and Memory and an ambient pressure sensor; Accelerometer and 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

28. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of varying the duty cycle of the signal at the output based on a puff profile characterizing duty cycle versus puff strength and / or a vapor profile characterizing duty cycle versus vapor production.

29. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the integrated circuit further comprises a multiplexer including at least one switch, the multiplexer configured to switch an input between the load switching circuit and a voltage monitor.

30. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the integrated circuit further comprises a multiplexer including a first input terminal coupled to the load switching circuit, a second input terminal coupled to a voltage monitor, a third input terminal coupled to the voltage monitor, a fourth input terminal coupled to a reference node, and four output terminals, at least one of the four output terminals being coupled to the output side.

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