Aerosol supply system

Abstract

We provide aerosol supply systems. [Solution] The aerosol supply system 10 comprises a control circuit 28 for determining the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system, an aerosol generator 36 configured to aerosolize an aerosol-generating material, and a sensor 25 configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system by a user of the aerosol supply system and output a corresponding inhalation detection signal to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to determine the duration of inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, and to determine the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and the indication of the operating parameters during inhalation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol supply system.

Background Art

[0002] An electronic aerosol supply system such as an electronic cigarette generally contains an aerosol generating material such as a reservoir of a raw material liquid containing a formulation typically containing nicotine, or a solid material such as a tobacco-based product, from which an aerosol is generated, for example by thermal vaporization, for inhalation by a user. Thus, an aerosol supply system typically includes an aerosol generator, such as a heating element, disposed to aerosolize a portion of the aerosol generating material to generate an aerosol in an aerosol generation region of an air passage through the aerosol supply system. When a user inhales with the device and power is supplied to the aerosol generator, air is drawn into the device through one or more inlet holes and along the air passage to the aerosol generation region. In the aerosol generation region, the air mixes with the vaporized aerosol generator to form a condensed aerosol. The air drawn through the aerosol generation region continues along the air passage to the mouthpiece, carrying a portion of the aerosol with it and exiting through the mouthpiece for inhalation by the user.

[0003] An aerosol supply system generally comprises a modular assembly that often has two main functional parts, namely an aerosol supply device and a disposable / replaceable consumable part. Typically, the consumable comprises a consumable aerosol generating material and an aerosol generator (heating element), and the aerosol supply device part comprises longer-lived items such as a rechargeable battery, a device control circuit, and user interface features. The aerosol supply device may sometimes also be referred to as a reusable part or battery section, and the consumable may sometimes also be referred to as a disposable part, cartridge, or cartomizer.

[0004] The aerosol supply device and consumables are mechanically coupled at the interface for use, for example, using threads, bayonet, latch, or friction fitting fasteners. When the aerosol product material of a consumable is depleted, or when the user wishes to switch to a different consumable with a different aerosol generating material, the consumable can be removed from the aerosol supply device and a replacement consumable can be installed in its place.

[0005] A potential drawback of aerosol supply systems is the lack of a means to monitor user usage. This can lead to overuse of the system. Similarly, the system's factory settings may not reflect the user's desired operation, resulting in decreased user satisfaction.

[0006] This specification describes various techniques that aim to help address or mitigate some of the above-mentioned problems. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0007] This disclosure is provided for by the attached claims.

[0008] An aerosol supply system is provided, according to some embodiments described herein, comprising: a control circuit for determining the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system; an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize an aerosol-generating material; and a sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system by a user of the aerosol supply system and to output a corresponding inhalation detection signal to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to determine the duration of inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, and to determine the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and the indication of the operating parameters during inhalation.

[0009] The control circuit may be configured to determine the duration of a session based on the duration of multiple inhalations, where the time between each of the multiple inhalations is shorter than a predetermined time. In this case, the control circuit may be configured to determine the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during the session based on the duration of the session and the indications of operating parameters during the session.

[0010] The control circuit may be configured to determine the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during a continuous predetermined period based on the duration of each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period and the indications of the operating parameters during each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period. In this case, the control circuit may also be configured to determine the time between each inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal, and the determination of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during a continuous predetermined period is also based on the time between each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period.

[0011] The determination of the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material may further be based on the concentration of the component in the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the component is nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins, melatonin, or cannabinoids.

[0012] In some embodiments, the aerosol supply system also includes a power supply configured to power an aerosol generator, and the operating parameter of the system is the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator by the power supply.

[0013] The control circuit may be configured to determine default user behavior based on an indication of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material for multiple inhalations. For example, the control circuit may be configured to determine the time between each of the multiple inhalations based on an inhalation detection signal, and determining default user behavior is also based on the time between each of the multiple inhalations.

[0014] The control circuit may be configured to change the operating mode of the aerosol delivery system based on default user behavior.

[0015] The control circuit may be configured to provide notifications to the user based on an indication of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during inhalation and default user behavior.

[0016] The control circuit may be configured to provide notification to the user when the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during inhalation exceeds a puff threshold.

[0017] The control circuit may be configured to provide a notification to the user when the indicator of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during a session exceeds a session threshold.

[0018] The control circuit may be configured to provide a notification to the user when the indication of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during a continuous predetermined period exceeds a period threshold.

[0019] Notifications may be provided in applications of aerosol delivery systems and / or remote devices. Notifications may be tactile notifications. The parameters of the tactile notifications may be adjustable by the user.

[0020] A system is provided comprising an aerosol supply system configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material, and a computer, according to some embodiments described herein. The computer is configured to receive an inhalation detection signal from a sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system by a user of the aerosol supply system, to determine the duration of inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, and to determine the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and the indication of the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system during inhalation.

[0021] A method for determining the amount of a component delivered to a user of an aerosol supply system is provided according to several embodiments described herein. The method includes: receiving an inhalation detection signal from a sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system by a user of the aerosol supply system; determining the duration of inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor; and determining the amount of a component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and the indication of the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system during inhalation, wherein the aerosol generator is configured to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions is also provided. When these instructions are executed by a processor, the above method is performed.

[0022] These and other aspects will become clear from the detailed description below. In this regard, certain sections of the description should not be read in isolation from other sections.

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention will be described as merely one example with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0024] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the aerosol supply system. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram of an aerosol supply system. [Figure 3A] It shows a graph of the inhalation detection signal output by the sensor against time. [Figure 3B] It shows a graph of the inhalation detection signal output by the sensor against time. [Figure 3C] It shows a graph of the inhalation detection signal output by the sensor against time. [Figure 4] It shows a system comprising an aerosol supply system and a computer. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart of a method for determining the amount of a component delivered to a user of an aerosol supply system.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] In this specification, specific examples, aspects, and features of embodiments are discussed / described. Some aspects and features of the specific examples and embodiments can be implemented as before, and these aspects and features are not discussed / described in detail for the benefit of brevity. Thus, it will be understood that aspects and features of the articles and systems discussed in this specification that are not described in detail can be implemented according to any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.

[0026] This disclosure relates to an aerosol supply system, sometimes also referred to as an aerosol supply system such as an e-cigarette. Throughout the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" are sometimes used, and it will be understood that this term may be used synonymously with an aerosol supply system and an electronic aerosol supply system.

[0027] As described above, aerosol supply systems (e-cigarettes) often comprise a modular assembly that includes both a reusable component (aerosol supply device) and a replaceable (disposable) cartridge component, known as a consumable. Systems that conform to this type of two-part modular configuration are generally referred to as two-part systems or devices. Electronic cigarettes also generally have an overall elongated shape. To provide a concrete example, the specific embodiments of the disclosure described herein include this type of overall elongated two-part system employing a disposable cartridge. However, it will be understood that the basic principles described herein may also be applied to other e-cigarette configurations, such as modular systems containing three or more parts, as devices that conform to other overall shapes, for example, based on so-called boxmod high-performance devices, which typically have a more boxy shape.

[0028] As described above, this disclosure relates to (but is not limited to) aerosol supply devices and corresponding aerosol supply systems such as e-cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.

[0029] Figure 1 is a very schematic (not to exact scale) diagram of an exemplary aerosol supply system 10, such as an e-cigarette, to which the embodiment is applicable. The aerosol supply system has an overall cylindrical shape and extends along the longitudinal axis or y-axis as indicated by the axis (although embodiments of the present invention are applicable to e-cigarettes configured in other shapes and configurations), and comprises two main components, namely, an aerosol supply device 20 and consumables 30.

[0030] The consumable 30 is an article containing or consisting of an aerosol generating material 38, and part or all of the article is intended to be consumed by the user during use. The consumable 30 may also comprise one or more other components, such as an aerosol generating material storage area, an aerosol generating material transport component 37, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece 35, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0031] The consumable 30 may also include an aerosol generator 36, such as a heating element, which releases heat to cause the aerosol-generating material 38 to generate an aerosol during use. The aerosol generator 36 may include, for example, a flammable material, an electrically conductive material, or a susceptor. It should be noted that the aerosol generator 36 can be part of the aerosol supply device 20, in which case the consumable 30 may include an aerosol-generating material storage area for the aerosol-generating material 38 so that the aerosol-generating material 38 can be moved to the aerosol generator 36 when the consumable 30 is coupled with the aerosol supply device 20.

[0032] The aerosol-generating material 38 is a material that can generate an aerosol when heated, irradiated, or otherwise excited. The aerosol-generating material 38 may or may not contain active substances and / or flavorings, and may be in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, for example. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material 38 may include an "amorphous solid," which is sometimes called a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. The amorphous solid is a solid material that may hold some fluid, such as a liquid, within the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include, for example, about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% amorphous solid to about 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% amorphous solid.

[0033] The aerosol generating material 38 includes one or more active substances and / or flavorings, one or more aerosol former materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials such as pH adjusters, colorants, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and / or antioxidants.

[0034] The active substances used herein may be physiologically active materials. Physiologically active materials are materials intended to achieve or enhance physiological responses. Active substances can be selected from, for example, nutritional supplements, nootropics, and psychoactive agents. Active substances may be of natural origin or obtained synthetically. Active substances may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6, B12, or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or their components, derivatives, or combinations. Active substances may also include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or another plant.

[0035] In some embodiments, the active substance includes nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance includes caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0036] The aerosol supply device 20 includes a power source 14, such as a battery, configured to supply power to the aerosol generator 36. In this example, the power source 14 may be a conventional type, such as a rechargeable battery, commonly used in e-cigarettes or applications requiring a relatively high current supply for a relatively short period of time. The battery 14 can be recharged using a charging port (not shown), which may include, for example, a USB connector.

[0037] The aerosol supply device 20 includes a control circuit 28 configured to determine one or more operating parameters of the aerosol supply system 10. The control circuit also controls the operation of the aerosol supply system 10 based on the determination, providing conventional operating functions in accordance with established techniques for controlling aerosol supply systems such as e-cigarettes. The control circuit (processor circuit) 28 can be thought of as logically containing various subunits / circuit elements associated with various aspects of the operation of the e-cigarette. For example, depending on the functions provided in various implementation forms, the control circuit 28 may include a power control circuit for controlling the power supply from the power source 14 to the aerosol generator 36, a user programming circuit for establishing configuration settings (e.g., user-defined power settings) in response to user input, as well as functions associated with other functional units / circuits in accordance with the principles and conventional operating aspects of e-cigarettes described herein. It will be understood that the functions of the control circuit 28 can be provided in various different ways, for example, by using one or more appropriately programmed programmable computers and / or one or more appropriately configured application-specific integrated circuits / circuits / chips / chipsets configured to provide the desired functions.

[0038] The aerosol supply device 20 shown in Figure 1 includes one or more air inlets 21. During use, when the user inhales through the mouthpiece 35, air is drawn into the aerosol supply device 20 through the air inlets 21 and along the air passage 23 to the aerosol generator 36. In the aerosol generator 36, the air mixes with vaporized aerosol-generating material 38 to form a condensed aerosol. The air drawn in through the aerosol generator 36 continues along the air passage 23 to the mouthpiece 35, carrying a portion of the aerosol with it, and exits through the mouthpiece 35 for inhalation by the user. One or more air inlets may be formed in the consumable 30 such that the air passage 23 is completely contained within the consumable 30, or it will be understood that the aerosol supply device 20 and the consumable 30 may each contain at least one air inlet 21 and a portion of the air passage 23.

[0039] As a specific example, the consumable 30 includes a housing (e.g., formed from a plastic material), a reservoir formed within the housing to hold an aerosol-generating material 38 (in this example, a liquid which may or may not contain nicotine), an aerosol-generating material transport component 37 (in this example, a wick formed from, for example, glass, cotton fiber, or ceramic material, configured to transport the liquid from the reservoir using capillary action), an aerosol-generating location, and a mouthpiece 35. Although not shown, a filter and / or an aerosol modifier (such as a flavoring material) may be placed in or near the mouthpiece 35. The consumable in this example includes a heater element formed from an electrical resistance material (such as NiCr8020) that is spirally wound around the aerosol-generating material transport component 37 and placed in the air passage 23. The location around the combination of the heating element and the wick is the aerosol-generating location of the consumable 30. The consumables include appropriate electrical contacts for coupling to electrical contacts provided on the aerosol supply device 20 so that power can be supplied directly to the heater element.

[0040] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a further example of the aerosol supply system 10, and the same reference numerals are used for similar elements between the aerosol supply system 10 shown in Figure 1 and the aerosol supply system 10 shown in Figure 2.

[0041] The aerosol supply system 10 in Figure 2 includes a sensor 25 configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system 10 by a user of the aerosol supply system 10. For example, the sensor 25 may be a flow sensor, a microphone, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a touch sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or any other type of sensor suitable for directly or indirectly detecting or inferring inhalation of the aerosol supply system 10 by a user of the aerosol supply system 10. The sensor 25 shown in Figure 2 is part of the aerosol supply device 20, but is not required. In other embodiments, the sensor 25 may be part of a consumable 30.

[0042] The sensor 25 may be configured to detect inhalation based on one or more of the air inlets 21 or the airflow into the air passage 23 through the aerosol supply system 10. Alternatively, the sensor may include a pressure sensor or optical sensor located on the mouthpiece 35, configured to detect when the user's lips are placed around the mouthpiece 35, or a pressure sensor or optical sensor located on the aerosol supply device 20, to detect when the user places their hands around the aerosol supply device 20.

[0043] In some embodiments, there are two or more sensors 25. As described above, for example, there may be a sensor 25 placed near the air inlet and another sensor 25 near part of the air passage 23, the aerosol generator 36, and / or the mouthpiece 35. Thus, each sensor is configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system 10. If there are two or more sensors 25, there may be two or more types of sensors, and / or multiple sensors of the same type.

[0044] In response to detection of inhalation of the aerosol supply system 10 by a user of the system, the sensor 25 is configured to output a corresponding inhalation detection signal to the control circuit 28. In some embodiments, the sensor 25 is configured to output an inhalation detection signal continuously or periodically, such as every 0.01 seconds, every 0.1 seconds, or every 1 second. If the sensor 25 outputs an inhalation detection signal periodically, in some implementations the interval between subsequent inhalation detection signals can be set to be less than or equal to the average or typical length of a user's inhalation (e.g., 2-5 seconds), thereby ensuring that inhalation is not missed. In any case, when the sensor 25 detects inhalation of the system, the inhalation detection signal changes. For example, the inhalation detection signal is a binary representation indicating whether inhalation of the system has been detected, for example, "1" indicates that inhalation has been detected and "0" indicates that inhalation has not been detected. Alternatively, the inhalation detection signal may correspond to the inhalation level or intensity detected by the sensor 25. That is, the inhalation detection signal can provide an indication of the inhalation intensity detected by the sensor 25. For example, if the sensor 25 is a microphone or a flow sensor, the inhalation detection signal can provide an indication of the magnitude or intensity of inhalation by the user by providing an indication of the air velocity or mass flow rate through the aerosol supply system 10. In some embodiments, the inhalation detection signal corresponds to the signal detected by the sensor 25. That is, the inhalation detection signal represents the raw output from the sensor 25, which has not been filtered or processed by the sensor 25.

[0045] The inhalation detection signal is set to 0 when no inhalation is detected by the sensor 25, and may correspond to the inhalation level or intensity detected by the sensor 25 when inhalation is detected. In some embodiments, the sensor 25 is configured to output an inhalation detection signal only when inhalation is detected. That is, the sensor 25 is configured to output an inhalation detection signal in response to the detection of inhalation in the system, and the sensor 25 is configured to stop outputting the inhalation detection signal when the sensor 25 no longer detects inhalation.

[0046] Figures 3A to 3C show graphs of the inhalation detection signal output by sensor 25 against time. In the example shown in Figure 3A, sensor 25 continuously outputs an inhalation detection signal, and the inhalation detected by sensor 25 corresponds to the period when the inhalation detection signal is greater than the detection threshold 301. In the example shown in Figure 3B, the inhalation detection signal 305A output by sensor 25 is "0" until time point 302, which corresponds to the time when sensor 25 detects inhalation of the aerosol supply system 10 by the user. This can represent either no inhalation detection signal being output or the inhalation detection signal being output with a value of "0". Between time points 301 and 302, which correspond to the time when sensor 25 detects inhalation of the aerosol supply system 10 by the user, the inhalation detection signal 305B output by sensor 25 is "1". That is, sensor 25 outputs an inhalation detection signal to indicate that inhalation has been detected. After time point 303, the inhalation detection signal 305A output by sensor 25 becomes "0", indicating that sensor 25 no longer detects inhalation. As mentioned above, the above can mean either that there is no inhalation detection signal output, or that the inhalation detection signal is output with a value of "0". In the example shown in Figure 3C, when the sensor 25 does not detect inhalation, the inhalation detection signal 305A is set to "0", and when the sensor 25 detects inhalation, the inhalation detection signal 305C corresponds to the signal recorded by the sensor 25.

[0047] As described above, the sensor 25 is configured to output an inhalation detection signal to the control circuit 28. In response to receiving the inhalation detection signal, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the duration of the inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25. In other words, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the elapsed time of the inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25. As previously mentioned, the sensor 25 may be configured to output an inhalation detection signal to the control circuit continuously or periodically. The control circuit is also configured to determine the duration of the inhalation by using the changes in these signals as described above, for example, by starting the inhalation timer when the inhalation detection signal changes for the first time and stopping the inhalation timer when the inhalation detection signal changes for the second time. The control circuit 28 may be configured to start the inhalation timer when it receives the first non-zero inhalation detection signal, or when it receives the first inhalation detection signal indicating that inhalation has been detected by the sensor 25, such as at time 302 in Figures 3B and 3C. The control circuit 28 can be configured to stop the inhalation timer when it receives the next zero-value inhalation detection signal, or when it receives the next inhalation detection signal indicating that the sensor 25 has stopped detecting inhalation, such as at time 303 in Figures 3A to 3C. Taking Figures 3A to 3C as an example, the duration of inhalation determined by the control circuit 28 is the elapsed time between time 302 and time 303.

[0048] As mentioned above, the sensor 25 can be configured to output an inhalation detection signal only when inhalation is detected. In this case, the control circuit 28 can be configured to determine the duration of inhalation by starting the inhalation timer when an inhalation detection signal is received and stopping the inhalation timer when no more inhalation detection signals are received.

[0049] Alternatively, the duration of inhalation can also be determined based on information contained in the inhalation detection signal, such as a timestamp associated with each inhalation detection signal. For example, in the example shown in Figure 3B or Figure 3C, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the duration of inhalation using the timestamp of the first non-zero inhalation detection signal received (at time 302) and the timestamp of the next zero-value inhalation detection signal received (at time 303). Alternatively, in the example shown in Figure 3A, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the duration of inhalation using the timestamp of the first inhalation detection signal received from sensor 25 that exceeds the detection threshold 301, corresponding to time 302 in Figure 3A, and the timestamp of the next inhalation detection signal received from the sensor that does not exceed the detection threshold, corresponding to time 303 in Figure 3A.

[0050] In an example where the sensor 25 periodically outputs an inhalation detection signal, the control circuit 28 can be configured to determine the duration of inhalation by counting the number of continuous non-zero inhalation detection signals received, or the number of continuous inhalation detection signals received from the sensor 25 indicating that inhalation is being detected by the sensor 25. The duration of inhalation can then be determined using the duration of the output of the airflow detection signal.

[0051] In an example where there are two or more sensors 25, each sensor 25 is configured to output an inhalation detection signal according to the principle described above. In this case, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the duration of inhalation based on the inhalation detection signals received from one or more of the sensors 25. For example, the control circuit 28 may be configured to determine the duration of inhalation in response to receiving an inhalation detection signal indicating that inhalation has been detected from any one of the sensors 25. Alternatively, the control circuit 28 may be configured to determine the duration of inhalation in response to receiving inhalation detection signals indicating that inhalation has been detected from more than a given percentage of the total number of sensors 25, such as 25%, 50%, 80%, or 100%.

[0052] In some embodiments, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the time between inhalations based on the inhalation detection signal. That is, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the elapsed time from one inhalation to the next. The above can be achieved using the same techniques as above with respect to determining the duration of inhalations, such as using a timer, information contained in the inhalation detection signal, or the duration of the output of the inhalation detection signal. For example, the control circuit 28 may be configured to start an interval timer in response to receiving the first zero-value inhalation detection signal after a non-zero inhalation detection signal. The control circuit 28 is then configured to stop the interval timer in response to receiving the next non-zero-value inhalation detection signal.

[0053] In the above embodiment, where the sensor 25 is configured to stop outputting an inhalation detection signal when no inhalation is detected, the control circuit 28 can be configured to determine the time between inhalations by activating an interval timer when the sensor 25 stops outputting an inhalation detection signal. That is, the control circuit 28 is configured to start the interval timer in response to the sensor 25 stopping outputting an inhalation detection signal after inhalation is detected by the sensor 25. The control circuit 28 can then be configured to determine the time between inhalations by stopping the interval timer when the sensor 25 outputs the next inhalation detection signal.

[0054] The duration of each inhalation can be used to determine the duration of multiple inhalations by the user over a given predetermined period, such as one minute, one hour, or one day. For example, the control circuit 28 can be configured to determine the duration of each inhalation over a continuous 24-hour period. The duration of each inhalation can then be summed up to determine the total duration of inhalations over the continuous 24-hour period. As is to be understood, a continuous 24-hour period is intended to mean the 24 hours immediately preceding any given point in time; for example, a continuous 24-hour period represents the most recent 24 hours from a given point in time. Thus, a continuous predetermined period represents the period immediately preceding any given point in time, and that period is predetermined. As mentioned above, a continuous predetermined period may be a longer period, such as a continuous minute, a continuous hour, a continuous day (24 hours), or a continuous week or other period.

[0055] As can be understood, most users of the aerosol supply system 10 do not perform a single inhalation with the aerosol supply system 10, but rather perform a session with the aerosol supply system 10. A session consists of multiple inhalations over periods of 1-2 minutes, sometimes longer periods of 5 or 10 minutes. Therefore, the control circuit 28 can be configured to use the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25 to determine the duration of a session based on the duration of multiple inhalations. In this case, the time between each of the multiple inhalations will be shorter than a predetermined time. The predetermined time may be set and changed by the user or the control circuit 28, or it may be a fixed value based on empirical data, for example. The predetermined time may be less than 1 minute, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or longer. The predetermined time can be defined as the duration over which each inhalation within the most recent predetermined period is considered part of a session by the control circuit 28, as described above. Alternatively, the predetermined time may be set so that the time between each inhalation must be shorter than the predetermined time so that the inhalations are considered part of the same session by the control circuit 28. In this case, a session timer can be implemented to determine the duration of the session. The session timer starts when the inhalation detection signal indicates that the sensor has detected an inhalation. The session timer also stops when the time between inhalations exceeds a predetermined duration. Alternatively, as described above, the session duration can be determined based on the duration of each inhalation and the time between each inhalation using a timestamp associated with each inhalation detection signal.

[0056] The control circuit 28 is configured to determine the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation, based on the duration of inhalation and the indications of operating parameters during inhalation. As can be understood, the amount of aerosol delivered to the user during inhalation (broadly interpreted, the amount of aerosol-generating material 38) varies depending on the duration of inhalation; for example, the longer the inhalation, the more aerosol-generating material 38 is delivered to the user during inhalation.

[0057] As described above, the aerosol-generating material 38 contains one or more components. Therefore, the amount of each of the one or more components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation also varies depending on the duration of inhalation, and thus the control circuit 28 is configured to use the duration of inhalation when determining the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation.

[0058] As described above, the control circuit 28 determines the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system 10. The amount of aerosol-generating material 38 delivered to the user during inhalation varies depending on the operating parameters (settings) of the aerosol supply system 10. Therefore, the indication of the operating parameters during inhalation, along with the duration of inhalation, is used to determine the indication of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation. The indication of the operating parameters may be the actual value of the operating parameters themselves, or a numerical value corresponding to the setting, such as "0" for "off" and "1" for "on," or "1" for low values, "2" for intermediate values, and "3" for high values. Therefore, this indication is any suitable means of communicating the properties or states of the components of the aerosol supply system 10 for use in determining the indication of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation.

[0059] The operating parameter may be the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator 36 by the power supply 14. In this case, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the indication of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material 38 during inhalation based on the indication of the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator 36 by the power supply 14 during inhalation. For example, the indication of the amount of power supplied may be the power delivered to the aerosol generator 36 during inhalation, or the amount of voltage and / or current supplied to the aerosol generator 36 during inhalation, or it may be an integer from 1 to 10, or the power setting of the aerosol generator 36 during inhalation, such as "1" for low values, "2" for intermediate values, and "3" for high values. The amount of aerosol generated by the aerosol generator 36 during inhalation varies depending on the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator 36, and therefore, the indication of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material 38 during inhalation can be determined more accurately by taking the amount of power into consideration during calculation.

[0060] Alternatively, or in addition, the control circuit 28 may also determine one or more other operating parameters of the aerosol supply system, such as the amount of charge of the power supply 14, the temperature of the aerosol generator 36 or the temperature near the aerosol generator 36, the amount and / or velocity of the airflow through the aerosol supply system 10, and a reading subsequently used to determine the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material 38 during inhalation. The operating parameters may change or fluctuate during inhalation (e.g., a decrease in the amount of charge of the power supply 14 or an increase in the temperature of the aerosol generator 36). Therefore, the determination of the operating parameters by the control circuit 28 may correspond to the maximum, minimum, mean, model, or median values ​​of the operating parameters during inhalation. Similarly, the readings of the operating parameters may represent one or more of the values ​​of the operating parameters at the start of inhalation, the values ​​of the operating parameters at the end of inhalation, the maximum value of the operating parameters during inhalation, the minimum value of the operating parameters during inhalation, and the mean, model, and / or median values ​​of the operating parameters during inhalation.

[0061] As described above, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine an indicator of the amount of component delivered. The indicator may represent the actual amount of component delivered, such as the mass or volume of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation. For example, the control circuit 28 may be configured to determine the amount of component delivered during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and operating parameters, using an algorithm or lookup table. The algorithm or lookup table may be based on empirical data relating to the aerosol delivery system 10, such as the maximum or average mass flow rate of air through the air passage 23, or the amount of component delivered for a standard inhalation profile (referred to as the 55 / 3 / 30 profile), such as 55 ml of air in a 3-second inhalation every 30 seconds. If the amount of component delivered for the standard inhalation profile is known, this amount can be converted using the lookup table or algorithm to determine the amount of component delivered for inhalation at different durations and / or volumes of the delivered aerosol, and thus the indicator of this amount of component can be determined.

[0062] Alternatively, the indication of the amount of component delivered during inhalation may relate to the amount of component delivered, compared to the volume of the aerosol-generating material storage area, such that the indication of the amount of component delivered indicates the amount of component and / or aerosol-generating material remaining in the aerosol-generating material storage area. For example, the indication may be a percentage of the total amount of aerosol-generating material present in the aerosol-generating material storage area when it is full.

[0063] In some embodiments, the indication of the amount of component delivered during inhalation is evaluated on a fixed scale, such as an integer or real number between 0 and 10 (where 0 is the lowest value and 10 is the highest). However, scales of different forms and particle sizes can also be used. In this case, an indication of 2 represents that a small amount of component was delivered during inhalation, and an indication of 10 represents that the maximum amount of component was delivered. This evaluation can be calculated by multiplying the indication of the operating parameter during inhalation by the duration of inhalation and applying one or more conversion factors, or by any other suitable calculation technique. Using evaluations on such scales allows for comparison between indications from different inhalations without requiring the same level of accuracy or detailed calculation as when the indication corresponds to the actual amount of component delivered.

[0064] The determination of the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material may occur during the inhalation itself. That is, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the amount of component delivered while inhalation is occurring, so that the determination is in progress during inhalation. Thus, the determination of the amount of component delivered occurs simultaneously with the determination of the duration of inhalation. For example, as described above, the control circuit 28 may be configured to start a timer or otherwise start determining the duration of inhalation in response to receiving an inhalation detection signal from the sensor 25, or in response to a change in the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25. The determination of the amount of component delivered also starts simultaneously. Thus, both the determination of the duration of inhalation and the determination of the amount of component delivered continue until no more inhalation detection signals are received from the sensor 25, or until the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25 changes for the second time.

[0065] Alternatively, the determination of the duration of inhalation may be made during inhalation, while the determination of the amount of delivered component is made after the inhalation is complete. Or, both determinations may be made after the inhalation is complete.

[0066] As described above, the control circuit 28 can be configured to determine the duration of a session based on the duration of multiple inhalations. In response, the control circuit 28 can be configured to determine the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during the session, based on the duration of the session and the indication of the operating parameters during the session. The determination of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during the session may also be based on the duration of each inhalation during the session and the time between each inhalation during the session. As described above, this determination can be made for each inhalation in the session. For example, a separate determination may be made during or after each inhalation in the session. Alternatively, the determination may be made once, either during the session or after the entire session is completed. As described above, the indication of the operating parameters during the session may represent one or more of the following: the value of the operating parameters at the start of the session, the value of the operating parameters at the end of the session, the maximum value of the operating parameters during the session, the minimum value of the operating parameters during the session, and the average value of the operating parameters during the session. Alternatively, the indications for the operating parameters during a session may correspond to the indications for the operating parameters of each inhalation in the session.

[0067] In the above embodiment, where the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the duration of each inhalation over a predetermined period of time, the control circuit 28 may also be configured to determine the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during the predetermined period of time, based on the duration of each inhalation over the predetermined period of time and the indications of the operating parameters during each inhalation over the predetermined period of time. As described above, the control circuit 28 determines the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system. Therefore, the control circuit 28 may be configured to determine the operating parameters during each inhalation over the predetermined period of time in order to determine the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during the predetermined period of time.

[0068] Furthermore, the determination of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during a continuous predetermined period may also be based on the time between each inhalation during that continuous predetermined period. For some components, the amount of residual components in the user's body tissues decreases over time as the components are absorbed, broken down, excreted, or otherwise depleted from the user's body tissues. By considering the time between each inhalation and the duration of each inhalation during the predetermined period, the determination of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during a continuous predetermined period may represent the amount of residual components in the user's body tissues rather than the amount of components delivered to the user during the predetermined period.

[0069] The determination of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol-generating material 38 may also be based on other factors, such as the concentration of the component in the aerosol-generating material 38. For a given amount of aerosol produced by the aerosol generator 36 from the aerosol-generating material 38, it will be understood that the amount of component in the resulting aerosol will differ depending on the concentration, i.e., the amount of the component in the aerosol-generating material 38. As described above, the component may be an active substance such as nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6, B12, or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or their constituents, derivatives, or combinations. The component may also be a flavoring agent, an aerosol former material, or a functional material such as a pH adjuster, colorant, preservative, binder, filler, stabilizer, or antioxidant. Therefore, in order to improve the accuracy of the determination, the concentration of the component in the aerosol-generating material 38 can be considered when determining the amount of component delivered from the aerosol-generating material 38. The concentration of the components in the aerosol-generating material 38 may be provided to the control circuit 38 by the user, for example, by inputting the concentration into a user input device associated with the aerosol supply system 10, or the control circuit 28 may be configured to determine the concentration of the components in the aerosol-generating material 38 in response to, for example, the attachment of a consumable 30 to the aerosol supply system 10. The consumable 30 may include an electronic chip or tag, such as an RFID tag, that the control circuit 28 can read to determine not only the concentration of the components in the aerosol-generating material 38, but also manufacturer or consumable identification information, one or more flavorings or other components contained in the aerosol-generating material 38, and other characteristics of the consumable 30, such as the volume or mass of the aerosol-generating material 38 in the consumable 30.

[0070] In some embodiments, the control circuit 28 is configured to determine default user behavior based on indicators of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 for multiple inhalations. Specifically, the control circuit 28 is configured to detect patterns in inhalation by the user based on data determined about the inhalation, such as the duration of inhalation, the duration of a session, the time between inhalations, the amount of power delivered to the aerosol generator 36 during inhalation, the power level or setting of the aerosol generator 36 for inhalation, and the type and / or concentration of one or more components in the aerosol-generating material 38. These patterns are then used to set default user behavior with respect to the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation. The data determined about the inhalation can also be used to determine default user behavior for the above session or for a predetermined period of time, such as one week, one month, and / or one year. Furthermore, the control circuit 28 can continuously update the determined default user behavior based on changes in indicators of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 for multiple inhalations over time.

[0071] For example, if the control circuit 28 is configured to determine the time between each of multiple inhalations based on the inhalation detection signal, the default user behavior can also be determined based on the time between each of multiple inhalations. From the above, for example, if the user performs a series of puffs, the control circuit 28 can detect patterns in the user's behavior, such as whether there are extended periods between sessions, such as 30 minutes, 1 hour, or longer than 1 hour, or whether the user performs a small number of inhalations, such as one or two, but with more regular intervals, such as every 10 or 20 minutes. Similarly, the collected data can enable the control circuit 28 to identify specific times of day when the user performs more inhalations, such as in the morning or evening, or whether the number and duration of inhalations during a session vary throughout the day. For example, a user may have sessions in the morning that include multiple long inhalations at a high power setting, while evening sessions may include fewer, shorter inhalations at a lower power setting. A user may perform more inhalations on weekdays, but within a month or a year, the data may indicate that the user is performing fewer inhalations, for example, because the user is trying to reduce the use of the aerosol delivery system 10. Such default behavior can be determined for multiple inhalations based on an indication of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38.

[0072] The control circuit 28 can also be configured to change the operating modes of the aerosol supply system 10, such as the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator 36 by the power supply 14, the temperature of the aerosol generator 36, the sensitivity or detection threshold of the sensor 25, the color and / or number of illuminated light indicators, and / or the volume, pitch and / or duration of the sound emitted by the aerosol supply device 20, based on default user behavior.

[0073] If it is determined that the user will perform a prolonged inhalation, for example, for more than 10 seconds, the control circuit 28 may be configured to change the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator 36 by the power supply 14 during inhalation in order to prevent the aerosol generator 36 from drying out or overheating. The power supplied to the aerosol generator 36 may be set to an initial value or power setting and then decreased as inhalation continues. Alternatively, if it is determined that the user will perform a very small or mild inhalation, for example, at a low air velocity or mass flow rate, the control circuit 28 may be configured to change the sensitivity or detection threshold of the sensor 25 to ensure that the user's inhalation is properly detected.

[0074] In some embodiments, the control circuit 28 is configured to provide notifications to the user based on an indication of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation and default user behavior. For example, notifications can be provided by the aerosol supply system 10 by activating an indicator light, emitting a sound from a speaker, or displaying a message on the display screen of the aerosol supply device 20 and / or consumables 30. Notifications may also be tactile notifications in the aerosol supply system 10, such as vibration or force feedback. For example, vibration can be generated by an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) or piezoelectric actuator in the aerosol supply device 20 and / or consumables 30, or force can be generated by a motor in the aerosol supply device 20 and / or consumables 30. The notification may also be a change in the operating mode of the aerosol supply system 10 that the user will notice, such as stopping, disabling, or otherwise blocking the power supply to the aerosol generator 36. For example, the aerosol generator 36 can be deactivated for a certain period of time, such as 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 1 minute, or more than 1 minute.

[0075] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, notifications may also be provided by an application on a remote device. For example, a user of the aerosol supply system 10 may have a device that is associated with the aerosol supply system 10 but is separate from the aerosol supply system 10. The control circuit 28 is configured to communicate with this remote device by, for example, Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), ANT+, Wi-Fi, or other suitable wireless communication method. The control circuit 28 may be configured to communicate with the remote device so that notifications are provided to the user on the remote device, such as by an application installed on the remote device. For example, a message may be displayed on the display screen of the remote device, be a activated indicator light, be a sound emitted from a speaker, or be a tactile notification means of the remote device as described above. The remote device may include any suitable electronic device that can be communicatively coupled with the aerosol supply system 10. For example, the remote device may include a mobile device (such as a smartphone), a PDA, a personal computer, a laptop, a tablet, a smartwatch, etc.

[0076] Furthermore, one or more parameters associated with the notification may be adjusted by the user. For example, the user may adjust the number, brightness, and / or color of the activated indicator lights, the volume, pitch, and / or duration of the sound emitted, and / or the displayed message. The user may also adjust one or more parameters of the haptic notification. For example, the user may adjust the duration, magnitude, and / or pattern of the vibration provided by the actuator or the force provided by the motor.

[0077] The user can adjust one or more parameters associated with the notification in the aerosol supply system 10 and / or the remote device, regardless of whether the notification is provided by the aerosol supply system 10 or by the remote device. For example, even if the notification itself is provided by the aerosol supply system 10, the user can use the application on the remote device to adjust one or more of the parameters associated with the notification. For example, the user can disable notifications during inhalation so that they only receive notifications when inhalation is not detected by the sensor 25.

[0078] In some embodiments, the control circuit 28 is configured to provide a notification to the user when the indication of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during inhalation exceeds a puff threshold. The puff threshold may correspond to a safe usage limit for the components and / or the aerosol-generating material 38, or to a safe usage limit for inhalation of the aerosol-supplying system 10, for example, to prevent one or more of the components of the aerosol-supplying system 10 from overheating or drying out. The notification may take any of the above forms.

[0079] The indication of the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation may represent a percentage of the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation, compared to the puff threshold. For example, the indication may be a percentage of the puff threshold, such as 10%, 20%, 50%, 80%, or 110%. A notification is provided to the user when the percentage exceeds 100%.

[0080] As described above, the determination of the amount of delivered component may be performed during inhalation. In this case, the comparison of the amount of delivered component with the puff threshold may be performed continuously or periodically (e.g., every second or every five seconds) during inhalation. In other words, the amount of delivered component is always determined during inhalation, and the current value of the amount of delivered component is compared with the puff threshold. Such notification can be provided to the user during inhalation as soon as the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material exceeds the puff threshold.

[0081] In some embodiments, the control circuit 28 is configured to provide notification to the user when the indication of the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during a session exceeds a session threshold. Furthermore, or alternatively, the control circuit 28 may be configured to provide notification to the user when the indication of the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during a continuing predetermined period exceeds a period threshold. Similar to the puff threshold, the session threshold and period threshold may correspond to safe usage limits of the component and / or the aerosol-generating material 38, or to safe usage limits of the aerosol supply system 10 for a session and a predetermined period. The notification may take any of the above forms. As described above, the indication of the amount of component delivered can be determined during a session and / or during a continuing predetermined period.

[0082] The operation of the aerosol supply system 10 can be customized or otherwise adjusted to suit the user by configuring the control circuit 28 to change one or more of the above thresholds, such as a puff threshold, a session threshold, or a duration threshold, based on default user behavior. Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the user can further control the operation of the aerosol supply system 10 by changing one or more of the thresholds, for example, by providing input to the input device of the aerosol supply device 20 or consumable 30, or by using an application on an associated remote device.

[0083] Figure 4 shows a system 400 comprising an aerosol supply system 10 configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material 38, as described above. The system 400 also includes a computer 40 configured to receive an inhalation detection signal from a sensor 25 configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system 10 by a user of the aerosol supply system 10. The computer 40 is also configured to determine the duration of inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25, and to determine the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation, based on the duration of inhalation and the indications of the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system 10 during inhalation.

[0084] As described above and as shown in Figure 4, the computer 40 may be a remote device associated with the user and communicating with the aerosol delivery system 10. Therefore, it will be understood that the functions of the control circuit described herein, such as determining the duration of inhalation, determining the amount of component to be delivered, determining default user actions, and providing notifications to the user, can be performed by a computer 40 separate from the aerosol delivery system 10, such as a remote device.

[0085] Figure 5 is a flowchart of method 500 for determining the amount of components delivered to the user of the aerosol supply system 10. The method begins in step 501, in which an inhalation detection signal is received from a sensor 25 configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system 10 by the user of the aerosol supply system 10. Next, in step 502, the duration of inhalation is determined based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor 25. In step 503, the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material 38 during inhalation is determined based on the duration of inhalation and the indications of the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system 10 during inhalation. As described above, the aerosol generator 36 is configured to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material 38.

[0086] The method 500 shown in Figure 5 can be stored as an instruction in a computer-readable storage medium, and therefore, when the instruction is executed by the processor, the method 500 is executed. The computer-readable storage medium may be non-temporary.

[0087] As described above, this disclosure relates to (but is not limited to) an aerosol supply system comprising: a control circuit for determining the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system; an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize an aerosol-generating material; and a sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system by a user of the aerosol supply system and to output a corresponding inhalation detection signal to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to determine the duration of inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, and to determine the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during inhalation based on the duration of inhalation and the indication of the operating parameters during inhalation.

[0088] Accordingly, an aerosol supply system, a system comprising an aerosol supply system and a computer, a method for determining the amount of a component delivered to a user of the aerosol supply system, and a computer-readable storage medium are described.

[0089] 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 representative examples of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limitations of the scope of the invention as defined by the claims, or limitations of equivalents to the claims, and it should be understood that other embodiments may be used and modified without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may appropriately comprise, consist of, or essentially consist of, appropriate combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those described in detail herein. Furthermore, this disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future. [Clause] Article 1. an aerosol supply system, A control circuit for determining the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system, An aerosol generator configured to aerosolize an aerosol-generating material, A sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system by the user of the aerosol supply system and to output a corresponding inhalation detection signal to the control circuit, Equipped with, The aforementioned control circuit Based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, the duration of the inhalation is determined. An aerosol delivery system configured to determine the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during inhalation, based on the duration of the inhalation and the indication of the operating parameter during the inhalation. Article 2. The aerosol supply system according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the duration of a session based on the duration of a plurality of inhalations, and the time between each of the plurality of inhalations is shorter than a predetermined time. Article 3. The aerosol supply system according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine an indication of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during the session, based on the duration of the session and the indication of the operating parameter during the session. Article 4. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during a continuous predetermined period based on the duration of each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period and the indication of the operating parameter during each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period. Article 5. The aerosol delivery system according to claim 4, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the time between each inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal, and the determination of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during the continuous predetermined period is also based on the time between each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period. Article 6. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the determination of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol-generating material to the user is further based on the concentration of the component in the aerosol-generating material. Article 7. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the component is nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins, melatonin, or cannabinoids. Article 8. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a power supply configured to supply power to the aerosol generator, wherein the operating parameter of the system is the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator by the power supply. Article 9. The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a default user action based on the indication of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material for a plurality of inhalations. Article 10. The aerosol delivery system according to claim 9, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the time between each of the plurality of inhalations based on the inhalation detection signal, and the determination of default user behavior is also based on the time between each of the plurality of inhalations. Article 11. The aerosol supply system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the control circuit is configured to change the operating mode of the aerosol supply system based on the default user behavior. Article 12. The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide the user with a notification based on the indication of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during inhalation and the default user behavior. Article 13. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide notification to the user when the indication of the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during inhalation exceeds a puff threshold. Article 14. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 2 to 13, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide notification to the user when the indication of the amount of a component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during the session exceeds a session threshold. Article 15. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 4 to 14, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide notification to the user when the indication of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during the continuous predetermined period exceeds a period threshold. Article 16. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the notification is provided in the aerosol supply system. Article 17. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the notification is provided in the application of a remote device. Article 18. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the notification is a tactile notification. Article 19. The aerosol supply system according to claim 18, wherein the parameters of the tactile notification are adjustable by the user. Article 20. An aerosol supply system configured to generate aerosols from aerosol-generating materials, Computers and, The computer is equipped with, A sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system by the user of the aerosol supply system receives an inhalation detection signal. Based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, the duration of the inhalation is determined. A system configured to determine an indication of the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during inhalation, based on the duration of the inhalation and an indication of the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system during the inhalation. Article 21. A method for determining the amount of a component delivered to a user of an aerosol supply system, The steps include receiving an inhalation detection signal from a sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system by a user of the aerosol supply system, The steps include determining the duration of the inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, A step of determining the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during inhalation, based on the duration of the inhalation and the indication of the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system during the inhalation. Includes, A method comprising an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material. Article 22. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by a processor, The steps include receiving an inhalation detection signal from a sensor configured to detect inhalation of the aerosol supply system by a user of the aerosol supply system, The steps include determining the duration of the inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal received from the sensor, A computer-readable storage medium that performs a method comprising the step of determining an indication of the amount of components delivered to the user from the aerosol-generating material during the inhalation, based on the duration of the inhalation and indications of the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system during the inhalation.

Claims

1. an aerosol supply system, A control circuit for determining the operating parameters of the aerosol supply system, An aerosol generator configured to aerosolize an aerosol-generating material, wherein the operating parameter is the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator, A sensor configured to detect each inhalation in a session involving multiple inhalations by a user of the aerosol supply system, and to output a corresponding inhalation detection signal to the control circuit, Equipped with, The aforementioned control circuit Based on the inhalation detection signal and the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator during the session including the multiple inhalations, the amount of component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during the session is determined. The system is configured to provide notification to the user based on the indication of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during the session, Aerosol supply system.

2. The aerosol supply system according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the duration of a session based on the duration of a plurality of inhalations.

3. The aerosol supply system according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine an indication of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during the session, based on the duration of the session and the indication of the operating parameter during the session.

4. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during a continuous predetermined period based on the duration of each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period and the indication of the operating parameter during each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period.

5. The aerosol supply system according to claim 4, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the time between each inhalation based on the inhalation detection signal, and the determination of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during the continuous predetermined period is also based on the time between each inhalation during the continuous predetermined period.

6. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the determination of the amount of the component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user is further based on the concentration of the component in the aerosol generating material.

7. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the component is nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins, melatonin, or cannabinoids.

8. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a power supply configured to supply power to the aerosol generator, wherein the operating parameter of the system is the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator by the power supply.

9. The aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a default user action based on the indication of the amount of the component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material for a plurality of inhalations.

10. The aerosol delivery system according to claim 9, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the time between each of the plurality of inhalations based on the inhalation detection signal, and the determination of default user behavior is also based on the time between each of the plurality of inhalations.

11. The aerosol supply system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the control circuit is configured to change the operating mode of the aerosol supply system based on the default user behavior.

12. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide notification to the user when the indication of the amount of a component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during the session exceeds a session threshold.

13. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the notification is provided in the aerosol supply system.

14. The aerosol supply system according to claim 13, wherein the aerosol supply system includes a display screen, and the notification includes the display screen for displaying a visual notification.

15. The aerosol supply system according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the aerosol supply system includes an indicator light, and the notification includes activating the indicator light.

16. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the aerosol supply system includes a tactile notification means, and the notification includes a tactile notification generated by the tactile notification means.

17. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the notification is provided by the application of a remote device.

18. The aerosol supply system according to claim 17, wherein the notification is a tactile notification.

19. The aerosol supply system according to claim 18, wherein the parameters of the tactile notification are adjustable by the user.

20. An aerosol supply system including an aerosol generator configured to generate aerosols from aerosol-generating material and to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material, Equipped with a computer, The aforementioned computer, A sensor configured to detect each inhalation in a session involving multiple inhalations by a user of the aerosol supply system receives an inhalation detection signal from the aerosol supply system. Based on the inhalation detection signal and the indication of the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator during the session including the multiple inhalations, the indication of the amount of component delivered from the aerosol generating material to the user during the session is determined. The system is configured to provide notification to the user based on the indication of the amount of a component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during the session, system.

21. A method for determining the amount of a component delivered to a user of an aerosol supply system, The steps include receiving an inhalation detection signal from a sensor configured to detect each inhalation in a session involving multiple inhalations by a user of the aerosol supply system, A step of determining an indication of the amount of component delivered to the user from an aerosol-generating material during a session, based on an indication of the inhalation detection signal and the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator during the session, which includes the plurality of inhalations, wherein the aerosol generator is configured to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material. The steps include providing a notification to the user based on the indication of the amount of a component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during the session, Methods that include...

22. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by a processor, The steps include receiving an inhalation detection signal from a sensor configured to detect each inhalation in a session involving multiple inhalations, by a user of the aerosol supply system, A step of determining an indication of the amount of component delivered to the user from an aerosol-generating material during a session, based on an indication of the inhalation detection signal and the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator during the session, which includes the plurality of inhalations, wherein the aerosol generator is configured to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material. The steps include providing a notification to the user based on the indication of the amount of a component delivered to the user from the aerosol generating material during the session, A computer-readable storage medium that performs a method including the execution of such a method.

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