Aerosol generator with wireless communication interface
The aerosol generating device ensures secure operation by requiring a wireless link with a paired user device during consumable preparation, addressing usability and battery efficiency concerns.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- JT INTERNATIONAL SA
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-23
Smart Images
Figure 2026102904000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device. Specifically, the present invention relates to an aerosol generating device having a wireless communication interface.
Background Art
[0002] There is a need for an aerosol generating device having an improved security function that prevents unauthorized users, such as children or thieves, from using the device. However, such security features can negatively impact the usability of the device. The object of the present invention is to address these conflicting requirements.
Summary of the Invention
Means for Solving the Problems
[0003] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aerosol generating device configured to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user using an aerosol-forming substance, the device comprising: a wireless communication interface configured to communicate wirelessly with a previously paired user electronic device; a controller configured to enable generation of the aerosol when the wireless communication interface has established that a wireless link with the previously paired user electronic device is available; a chamber for accommodating a consumable containing the aerosol-forming substance; a lid configured to move from a first position in which the chamber is closed by the lid to a second position in which the chamber is open; and a sensor configured to detect an operation by the user involving an operation of the lid to enable the aerosol generating device to accommodate the consumable, wherein, in response to detection of the operation, the wireless communication interface is triggered to search for a wireless link with the previously paired user electronic device, and the sensor is configured to detect a time point when the lid is in one of the first position or the second position.
[0004] Thus, the device can perform a user confirmation check while the user is preparing to supply consumables to the aerosol generator. This has the advantage of enhanced security, as the device cannot be used for aerosol generation until the security condition that a wireless link with the user's electronic device is available is met. However, this security advantage does not impair the practicality of the device, as the wireless communication interface performs the user confirmation check while the user is preparing the device to accommodate the consumables. This means that as soon as the user operates the device and supplies the consumables containing the aerosol-forming material to the device, the device can immediately begin generating aerosols. In some embodiments, the wireless communication interface may be configured to perform a single or short wireless search of the user's electronic device when triggered. This can advantageously reduce the battery load by avoiding continuous and unnecessary wireless searches of the user's electronic device. A sensor may be configured to trigger the wireless communication interface in response to the detection of motion. In other embodiments, a controller may be configured to trigger the wireless communication interface in response to receiving a signal from the sensor indicating that the sensor has detected motion.
[0005] The aerosol generator includes a chamber for housing consumables, and a sensor is configured to detect when the lid is in one of a first or second position, thereby enabling the sensor to detect when the chamber is open or closed. In this way, the sensor can detect when the user intends to supply consumables to the aerosol generator. In one embodiment, the sensor detects when the chamber is open and when the chamber is closed The chamber may include a photosensitive diode configured to detect incoming background light. The chamber may be an elongated cylindrical chamber configured to house a rod containing a cigarette. Alternatively, the chamber may be configured to house a cartridge, the cartridge comprising a reservoir for containing an aerosol-forming fluid. In a further embodiment, the chamber may function as a reservoir for containing an aerosol-forming fluid, and the chamber can be opened and closed by puncturing a perforable member that seals the fluid inside the chamber. In such an embodiment, the sensor may be configured to detect the point in time when the seal is punctured.
[0006] The aerosol generator includes a lid, which may be embodied as a slider, configured to move from a first position where the chamber is closed by the lid to a second position where the chamber is open. In this way, the chamber can be covered to protect it from contaminants such as dust when the device is not in use. In one embodiment, the chamber may also function as a heating oven when heat is supplied to the aerosol-forming material inserted into the chamber. In such embodiments, it is desirable to provide a slider to protect the chamber from impurities, because these impurities will enter the airflow and be inhaled by the user. In other embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that the lid may be provided as a hinge and a latch, and the hinge may be opened and closed by engaging with or disengaging from the latch, respectively. In such embodiments, the hinge may be opened to access the chamber. In another example, the lid may be provided as a removable cap configured to cover the chamber.
[0007] The sensor may comprise a Hall effect sensor and a permanent magnet, with one of the permanent magnet and the Hall effect sensor being located inside the lid. The sensor may include an electrical contact configured to be in contact or non-contact as the lid moves between a first position and a second position. The sensor is preferably a non-contact sensor. Those skilled in the art will understand that any other suitable proximity sensor may be used to detect actions performed by the user. In another example, the sensor may comprise a touch sensor configured to detect the user's finger on the lid.
[0008] Preferably, the controller is configured to allow aerosol generation for a predetermined period of time when the wireless communication interface establishes that a wireless link with a previously paired user electronic device is available. In this way, if the user encounters a delay after aerosol generation has been enabled, aerosol generation will not be enabled indefinitely, thus improving the safety of the device. This prevents unintended users from using the device during the delay.
[0009] Preferably, the aerosol generator further comprises an input device configured to be activated by a user to initiate aerosol generation. In this way, the user can supply the device with an aerosol-generating substance and, as appropriate, activate the input device to initiate aerosol generation. In one embodiment, the input device may be a button. In another embodiment, the aerosol generator may have an unmarked, touch-sensitive button that is not visually distinguishable from the external casing of the device. Such an embodiment may be advantageous because it makes it more difficult for children to use the aerosol generator.
[0010] Preferably, the controller is configured to detect the operation of the input device and, if aerosol generation has not yet been enabled, to trigger the wireless communication interface in response to the detection of the operation to search for a wireless link with a previously paired user electronic device. In this way, if the initial user confirmation is unsuccessful, a second user confirmation can be performed. Allowing the user to control when the second user confirmation is performed helps to avoid excessive strain on the battery, because the user expects that the confirmation to be successful. This is because the input device can be activated in certain situations. In some embodiments, the wireless communication interface may be configured to perform a single or short wireless search when the user activates the input device. In such cases, continuous wireless searches are avoided, thus improving the battery life of the device. For example, the user can prompt the device to start a search by activating the input device after turning on their user electronic device, thus avoiding excessive wireless searches.
[0011] Preferably, the aerosol generator further comprises an indicator configured to show the user the status of the aerosol generator. In one embodiment, the indicator may be an LED light source. Those skilled in the art will understand that other indicators, such as a vibration unit, may be used instead or in addition. The indicator may show the user whether a wireless link with the user's electronic device has been found. The indicator can provide the user with a visual cue that vaping can begin, thus improving the operability of the device. The indicator may also inform the user that a wireless link with the user's electronic device is unavailable.
[0012] Preferably, the wireless communication interface is a Bluetooth interface. Using a general-purpose wireless interface in this way can increase device compatibility. Alternatively, or in addition, the wireless communication interface may include a near-field communication (NFC) interface.
[0013] Preferably, the sensor is configured to detect when the lid moves toward a first position, and in response to the sensor detecting that the lid has moved toward the first position, the wireless communication interface is disabled. In this way, the sensor can detect when the user has closed or is closed the lid, i.e., when the user does not intend to start or continue vaping, and can disable the wireless function accordingly, thereby saving more battery power to the aerosol generator. Therefore, the aerosol generator can disable the wireless security function as quickly as possible to prevent excessive strain on the battery. In some cases, disabling the wireless function in this way can stop unnecessary wireless searches more quickly than disabling the wireless function using a timeout timer. The wireless communication interface may be partially disabled. For example, an ongoing wireless search of the user electronic device may be canceled. Alternatively, to save even more battery power, the wireless communication interface may be completely disabled. The sensor may be configured to detect when the lid has reached a first position. Alternatively or in addition, the sensor may be configured to detect when the lid has moved toward the first position. For example, the sensor may be configured to measure a physical quantity, and an increase or decrease in the physical quantity may indicate to the sensor that the lid is closed. In this case, the sensor may be a Hall effect sensor configured to measure a magnetic field from a magnet inside the lid, and an increase or decrease in the magnetic field can indicate that the lid is being moved toward a first position by the user. The wireless communication interface may be disabled by the controller, for example, in response to the controller receiving a control signal from the sensor. Alternatively, the sensor may directly trigger the disabling of the wireless communication interface.
[0014] Preferably, the chamber is configured to contain the consumable in the form of a rod containing a tobacco stick, and the aerosol generator further comprises a heater configured to heat the consumable within the chamber. Thus, the aerosol generator may function as a heating non-combustion device, and the chamber and heater form an oven for heating the consumable to a temperature below the tobacco's combustion temperature. In such a configuration, it is particularly advantageous to trigger a wireless communication interface in response to detection of lid operation by the user. The consumable, including the tobacco stick, typically needs to be replaced after each vaping session, and this is until replacement is needed. This is in contrast to configurations that utilize replaceable cartridges, which tend to last for several vaping sessions. Therefore, the wireless security feature can be automatically triggered for each vaping session simply by opening the lid, without any specific input from the user. User verification of the electronic device can be completed by the time the user has finished inserting the consumables into the chamber, which means the device can be immediately available for each vaping session.
[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for operating an aerosol generator to generate an aerosol for user inhalation using an aerosol-forming material, the method comprising: enabling aerosol generation when a wireless communication interface has established that a wireless link with a previously paired user electronic device is available; detecting an action performed by the user, involving the operation of a lid of the aerosol generator to allow the aerosol generator to house consumables containing an aerosol-forming material; and in response to the detection of the action, triggering the wireless communication interface to search for a wireless link with a previously paired user electronic device, the action detection step comprising detecting whether the lid is in a first position or one of a second position.
[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a non-temporary computer-readable medium containing an executable instruction is provided, which, when executed by a processor on an aerosol generator, causes the aerosol generator to perform steps including: enabling aerosol generation when a wireless communication interface has established that a wireless link with a previously paired user electronic device is available; detecting an action performed by a user, involving the operation of a lid of the aerosol generator to enable the aerosol generator to house consumables containing aerosol-forming material; and in response to the detection of the action, triggering the wireless communication interface to search for a wireless link with a previously paired user electronic device, wherein detecting the action includes detecting whether the lid is in a first position or one of a second position.
[0017] Here, embodiments of the present invention will be described as examples with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0018] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the aerosol generating apparatus in the first configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the aerosol generating apparatus shown in Figure 1, which is part of the second configuration. [Figure 3A] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lid of the aerosol generating device. [Figure 3B] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lid of the aerosol generating device. [Figure 4] This is a schematic block diagram of the control system in an aerosol generator according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart showing the control sequence in an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0019] Figures 1 and 2 show perspective views of the aerosol generator 100 in the first and second configurations, respectively.
[0020] An aerosol generating device 100 is provided, and the aerosol generating device includes a housing 102 that houses the internal components of the device. A chamber 104 for containing an aerosol-forming substance is provided. A slider 106 is provided on the upper surface of the aerosol generating device and is configured to expose, i.e., open, the chamber 104 by sliding along the arrow direction (A) so as to cover the chamber 104. An LED indicator 112 is provided on the outer surface of the case 102 to indicate the state of the device.
[0021] The housing 102 may include any suitable material in the relevant technical field, such as plastic or metal. In the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the chamber 104 is a cylindrical cavity configured to contain an aerosol-forming substance in the form of a cylindrical rod including tobacco. One end of the rod may include a porous filter element. Those skilled in the art will understand that the chamber 104 may alternatively be configured to contain other forms of aerosol-forming substances, such as a cartridge including a reservoir containing an aerosol-forming fluid. In other examples, the chamber 104 may be replaced by or function as a reservoir for containing an aerosol-forming fluid configured to be replenished by an external reservoir.
[0022] Slider 106 is provided, in part, as a means of protecting chamber 104 from dust or other impurities. In other embodiments, chamber 104 may be protected from dust by a removable cap. In other embodiments, chamber 104 may be opened and closed using a hinge mechanism, which allows the lid of aerosol generating device 100 to rotate about the hinge to open and close chamber 104. In other embodiments, slider 106 may be actuated by a twisting or rotational movement to open and close chamber 104. Slider 106, in an alternative embodiment, may be any component that can be actuated or operated by a user to allow the aerosol generating device to contain an aerosol-forming substance.
[0023] LED indicator 112 may be used in conjunction with an alternative indicator capable of communicating information to the user. In one example, aerosol generating device 100 may include, in addition to or instead of LED indicator 112, a vibration unit that vibrates to indicate the state of the device. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, LED indicator 112 comprises an elongated strip of LEDs. In other embodiments, the indicator may be configured as a round strip of LEDs or a circular array of LEDs.
[0024] FIGS. 3A and 3B show schematic cross-sectional views of the lid of aerosol generating device 100 in a first configuration and a second configuration, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0025] A Hall effect sensor 110 is provided to detect a permanent magnet 111 in the slider 106 and determine the position of the slider 106 relative to the housing 102. The Hall effect sensor 110 is positioned on the housing 102 and configured to detect the permanent magnet 111 in the slider 106. Those skilled in the art will understand that other sensors may be used in addition to or instead of the Hall effect sensor 110 and the permanent magnet 111. In another example, a photosensitive diode and an LED emitter may be provided on the housing 102, and the slider 106 may have a reflective portion on the surface of the slider 106 facing the housing 102, which reflects light from the LED toward the photosensitive diode. In another example, the sensor may have electrical contacts located on the slider 106 and the housing 102, which make contact when the slider 106 is in a first or second position. Preferably, the sensor is a non-contact sensor.
[0026] In some embodiments, the aerosol generator 100 may include multiple sensors, each configured to detect one or more sensing elements located within or on the slider 106. This can reduce the possibility of false detection of the slider 106's position. Including multiple sensors also makes it possible to determine the slider 106's position more accurately and over a wider range of movement. Furthermore, including multiple sensors provides redundancy in case one of the sensors fails. In other embodiments, the permanent magnet 111 may instead be located on the housing 102. The Hall effect sensor 110 may instead be located on the slider 106.
[0027] Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of the control system in an aerosol generator in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] A heater 114, inserted into the chamber 104 to generate an aerosol, is provided to heat the aerosol-generating material. The heater 114 may be any type of heating mechanism known in the art, such as a resistance heater, induction heater, or convection heater. In the exemplary embodiments shown in Figures 1, 2, 3A, and 3B, the heater 114 is appropriately positioned within the aerosol generator 100 to provide heating to the chamber 104. The heater 114 is configured to heat a rod containing tobacco when it is inserted into the chamber 104. Thus, the chamber 104 and the heater 114 form an oven for heating the rod. During use, the tobacco rod is heated to a temperature below its combustion temperature and can be maintained at that temperature for an extended period. The heated tobacco releases smoke particles, which, when mixed with air drawn in through the air inlet of the chamber 104, form an aerosol. The heater 114 may include heating elements that form the cylindrical inner wall of the chamber 104. Alternatively, the heater 114 may at least partially surround the wall of the chamber 104. In other exemplary embodiments in which the chamber 104 is configured to house a cartridge comprising a reservoir containing an aerosol-forming substrate, the heater 114 may be configured in other forms. For example, the heater 114 may be configured as a resistive element positioned in fluid connection with the reservoir, as is known in the art.
[0029] A button 116 is provided on the outer surface of the housing 102 to detect user input. The button 116 may be replaced by, or used in conjunction with, any other input device configured to receive input from the user and relay that input to other components. In one embodiment, the button 116 may be configured as an operable push button on the housing 102. In another embodiment, the button 116 may have a touch-sensitive portion on the housing 102, which is configured to detect the user's finger on the touch-sensitive portion. In such an embodiment, the touch-sensitive portion may intentionally lack an identifier to identify the portion of the housing 102 that is touch-sensitive. This can help prevent children from using the device. In another exemplary embodiment, the button 116 may be included together with other input devices, such as a shake sensor, which is configured to detect the acceleration of the device provided by the user.
[0030] A Bluetooth interface 118 is provided for wireless communication with user electronic devices such as a user smartphone 120. Those skilled in the art will understand that the Bluetooth interface 118 may instead be any other wireless protocol interface, such as a near-field communication (i.e., NFC) interface. Those skilled in the art will also understand that in other embodiments, the aerosol generator 100 may be used in conjunction with other user electronic devices, such as a laptop, wireless key fob, smartwatch, or any other user-owned electronic device capable of wireless communication, instead of or in addition to the user smartphone 120.
[0031] Controller 122 is provided to control the operation of the electronic components of the device. Controller 122 is configured to be in telecommunication with the other electronic components of the aerosol generator 100, i.e., the electronic components of the aerosol generator 100 shown in Figure 4. Controller 122 comprises one or more processors configured to execute instructions that manage the operation of the device. Controller 122 controls the how of the aerosol generator 100. It may be provided as a chip positioned inside the Zing 102.
[0032] A memory 124 is provided to store an identifier for a user electronic device, such as a user smartphone 120. The memory 124 may also be provided as a chip located inside the housing 102.
[0033] Returning to Figures 3A and 3B, the slider 106 is movably mounted to the housing 102 by rails (not shown). The rails may have elongated slots in the housing 102 in the direction of arrow (A). A portion of the slider 106 is positioned through the elongated slots, allowing the slider 106 to move back and forth along the direction of arrow (A) and preventing the slider 106 from separating from the housing 102. During use, the user can push the slider 106 from a first position, as shown in Figures 1 and 3A, where the chamber 104 is covered or closed, to a second position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3B, where the chamber 104 is exposed or open.
[0034] The Hall effect sensor 110 is configured to detect the magnetic field of a permanent magnet 111 located inside the slider 106, as shown by the dotted line in Figures 3A and 3B. As the user pushes the slider 106 toward the second position, the permanent magnet 111 moves closer to the Hall effect sensor 110, increasing the magnetic field strength around the Hall effect sensor 110. Once the magnetic field strength increases and exceeds a threshold, the Hall effect sensor 110 determines that the slider 106 is in the second position. When the Hall effect sensor 110 determines that the slider 106 is in the second position, it is configured to send a control signal to the controller 122. This control signal indicates to the controller 122 that the user intends to insert a rod containing tobacco and begin generating an aerosol, or in other words, intends to begin a vaping session or "vaping".
[0035] In other exemplary embodiments, the Hall effect sensor 110 may be positioned to detect a slider 106 in a first position. In such a case, the Hall effect sensor 110 may signal to the controller 122 if it detects a magnetic field below a threshold indicating that the slider 106 has been pushed away from the Hall effect sensor 110 and is in a second position. In such a configuration, the slider 106 does not need to traverse the distance between the first and second positions to be detected. Thus, such a configuration may be advantageous because the sensor can detect the movement of the slider 106 as soon as the slider 106 begins to move from the first position. However, the Hall effect sensor arrangement shown in Figures 3A and 3B may be preferable because the slider 106 must traverse the entire displacement from the first to the second position. Thus, the Hall effect sensor 110 is less likely to detect accidental and partial displacements of the slider 106 that may occur in the user's pocket or bag. This can help prevent accidental wireless searches that could put an excessive strain on the device's battery.
[0036] In other exemplary embodiments where the slider 106 is replaced by an alternative operable component, the Hall effect sensor 110 can be repositioned relative to the alternative component. For example, if a removable cap is used instead to open and close the chamber 104, the permanent magnet 111 may be located on or inside the cap, and the Hall effect sensor 110 may be located on the housing 102. In another embodiment where the chamber 104 is opened and closed using a hinge mechanism, the Hall effect sensor 110 and the permanent magnet 111 may be configured to be in close proximity when the hinge is closed.
[0037] In an exemplary use of the present invention, the user can open the slider 106 and insert a consumable rod containing a cigarette into the chamber 104. The slider 106 is in a second position, i.e., the open position. As soon as the Hall effect sensor 110 detects the presence of the user, the controller 122 instructs the Bluetooth interface 118 to search for a wireless link with the user's smartphone 120 in order to authenticate the user as an authorized user of the aerosol generator 100. Authentication occurs while the user is preparing to insert the rod and while the rod is inserted, thus avoiding the need for the user to wait for authentication after the rod has been inserted. Once the Bluetooth interface 118 has received an identification certificate (e.g., MAC address) from the user's smartphone 120, the controller 122 enables aerosol generation. Then, when the user has finished inserting the rod and is ready to begin vaping, the user can press button 116 to start the heater 114. In response, the controller 122 instructs the heater 114 to begin heating the rod, thereby generating an aerosol in the chamber 104. An air inlet fluidly connected to the chamber 104 allows the user to inhale the generated aerosol through the end of the rod protruding from the chamber 104.
[0038] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the control sequence in an embodiment of the present invention. Here, the exemplary usage of the embodiments of the present invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 5.
[0039] In step 202, the slider 106 is in the first position and the chamber 104 is closed. In this state, the aerosol generator 100 may be inactive.
[0040] In step 204, the user moves the slider 106 to the second position to expose the chamber 104, thus allowing the user to insert a rod containing a cigarette into the chamber 104. Moving the slider 106 to the second position may also “awaken” the device, i.e., activate it.
[0041] In step 206, the user inserts the rod into the chamber 104. Once the rod is fully inserted into the chamber 104, one end of the rod protrudes from the aerosol generator 100. The user can then inhale the generated aerosol by suctioning or inhaling through the exposed end of the rod.
[0042] In step 208, the Hall effect sensor 110 detects that the slider 106 is in the second position and transmits a control signal to the controller 122. In step 210, the controller 122 receives the control signal from the Hall effect sensor 110 and, in response, instructs the Bluetooth interface 118 to search for a wireless link with the user's smartphone 120. Establishing that a link with the user's smartphone 120 is available generally means that the aerosol generator 100 is within a predetermined physical distance of the user's smartphone 120, which means that it can be presumed that the owner of the smartphone is the person operating the device. Generally, it takes time for the user to open the slider 106 and insert the rod into the chamber 104, and this time can be advantageously used to search for a wireless link with the user's smartphone 120. Thus, steps 206 and 210 occur simultaneously. In this way, the wireless search in step 210 can be performed while the user is inserting the rod in step 206, providing a more convenient user experience.
[0043] Before using the device, the user can perform a pairing operation between the user's smartphone 120 and the aerosol generator 100 via the Bluetooth interface 118. During the pairing operation, the user's smartphone 120 will receive a unique identifier for the user's smartphone 120, such as its MAC address, from the aerosol generator 100. The MAC address may be transmitted to device 100. The user smartphone 120 may need to have an application installed that is configured to interface with the aerosol generator 100 and perform the pairing operation. In this case, the MAC address may be stored in the memory 124 of the aerosol generator 100 for future use in authentication. In some embodiments, the application may only need to perform the initial pairing operation and may not need to enable aerosol generation. In such cases, the user smartphone 120 may transmit the MAC address without using the application, using the Bluetooth interface. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator 100 may be associated with an account, and the pairing operation may be protected by account login, thus preventing a thief of the aerosol generator 100 from pairing the device with their own electronic device. In some exemplary embodiments, a user may pair multiple user electronic devices with the aerosol generator 100.
[0044] Returning to step 210, more specifically, the controller 122 instructs the Bluetooth interface 118 to search for the user smartphone 120. The Bluetooth interface 118 may then wirelessly request the MAC addresses of all Bluetooth-enabled devices within range of the aerosol generator 100. In some embodiments, in step 210, the controller 122 simply enables the Bluetooth functionality of the Bluetooth interface 118. Once the Bluetooth functionality is enabled, the Bluetooth interface 118 can receive advertising data from the user smartphone 120 and any other Bluetooth-enabled devices within wireless range. Advertising data is a packet of data that is periodically transmitted from the device's Bluetooth interface and includes the device's identity (e.g., MAC address). By utilizing advertising data, the Bluetooth interface 118 does not need to establish a bidirectional connection with the user smartphone 120; instead, it can infer that a wireless link with the user smartphone 120 is available when advertising data is received from the user smartphone 120. By utilizing advertising data, the power consumption of the Bluetooth interface 118 can be reduced, at least partially. This is because the Bluetooth interface 118 does not need to transmit data to establish that the link is available.
[0045] In some embodiments, a direct wireless link between the aerosol generator 100 and the user's smartphone 120 may not be required. In such cases, the MAC address of the user's smartphone 120 may be transmitted via an intermediate wireless-enabled device within the wireless range of the aerosol generator 100.
[0046] In step 210, the Bluetooth interface 118 is activated for a predetermined detection period (e.g., 1 minute) to detect nearby Bluetooth-enabled devices, and after the predetermined detection period has expired, the Bluetooth interface 118 will stop detecting or be disabled from detecting, regardless of whether a paired phone has been found, as described with reference to steps 214 and 228.
[0047] In step 212, the controller checks the MAC address received in step 210 against the MAC address of the user smartphone 120 stored in memory 124 from a previous pairing operation. If the controller 122 determines that the MAC address of the paired device was not received within a predetermined detection period, the controller 122 determines that the user may not be an authorized user and proceeds to step 2 Proceed to 14. In reality, the MAC address of the user's smartphone 120 may not be received for reasons such as: the user's smartphone 120 is not within the wireless range of the aerosol generator 100; the user's smartphone 120 does not have its Bluetooth function turned on; or an unauthorized user who does not own the paired electronic device attempts to use the aerosol generator 100.
[0048] In step 214, if the Bluetooth interface 118 is unable to detect a previously paired electronic device within a predetermined detection period, the controller 122 instructs the Bluetooth interface 118 to stop the wireless search. This helps prevent excessive battery consumption caused by continuous wireless searches. In one embodiment, the aerosol generator will provide haptic feedback to the user to indicate a failure in a security check or authentication.
[0049] In step 216, the controller 122 waits for the user to activate button 116. In one exemplary use, the user may press button 116 after realizing that the wireless function of the user smartphone 120 is turned off and then turning it back on. Once the user has enabled the Bluetooth capability of the user smartphone 120 and inserted the rod into the chamber 104, the user can then press button 116.
[0050] In step 218, the user presses button 116, and the controller 122 receives a control signal from button 116 indicating that the user intends to start vaping.
[0051] In step 220, in response to receiving a control signal from button 116, the controller 122 instructs the Bluetooth interface 118 to search for a wireless link with the user smartphone 120, as described with reference to step 210.
[0052] In step 222, as described with reference to step 212, the controller 122 checks the identification certificate of a Bluetooth-enabled device within range of the aerosol generator 100. If the MAC address of the user smartphone 120 is not received in this step, the controller 122 may, in step 224, instruct the LED indicator 112, or in other exemplary embodiments, the vibration unit, to indicate the presence of an error. In some embodiments, the control sequence may return to step 216 after indicating the presence of an error in step 224. This step may be reached due to a system failure, for example, a component failure, or it may be reached due to, for example, the user smartphone 120 not being within Bluetooth range of the aerosol generator 100. The LED indicator 112 may be configured to indicate what type of failure prevented aerosol generation.
[0053] Instead, in step 222, if the controller 122 receives the MAC address of the user's smartphone 120, the controller 122 determines that the user's smartphone 120 is nearby and therefore the current user is an authorized user of the device. In addition, since the user pressed button 116 in step 218, the controller 122 determines that the user intends to start vaping. In step 226, the controller 122 commands the heater 114 to start heating the rod that was inserted into the cavity 104 in step 206.
[0054] The heated rod generates an aerosol in the chamber 104. When the user inhales through the protruding end of the rod, air is drawn in through an air inlet that is fluidly connected to the chamber 104, and thus the generated aerosol is delivered to the user for enjoyment.
[0055] Returning to step 212, in this step the controller 122 instead receives the MAC address of the user's smartphone 120, and the received MAC address may successfully match the MAC address stored in memory 124. If a match is determined, the controller 122 infers that the user is an authenticated user.
[0056] In step 228, the controller 122 instructs the Bluetooth interface 118 to stop searching for wireless devices.
[0057] In step 230, the controller 122 enables aerosol generation for a predetermined period (e.g., 1 minute or 30 seconds). While aerosol generation is enabled, the user can start heating the rod by pressing button 116. If the user presses button 116 after the predetermined period has elapsed, the controller 122 does not command the heater 114 to heat the rod. Thus, heating of the tobacco rod can only be started while aerosol generation is enabled. Once heating is started, the heater 114 is configured to heat the rod for the duration of the vaping session. That is, heating is not deactivated by the elapsed period. In one embodiment, the vaping session may continue until the user returns the slider 106 to the first position. The vaping session may have a maximum time limit after which the heater 114 is deactivated, thereby increasing the safety of the device.
[0058] By using a predetermined period, the safety of the device can be increased because, once aerosol generation is enabled, heating cannot be started indefinitely. For example, if a user experiences a 5-minute delay between enabling aerosol generation and pressing button 116, a child user cannot pick up the aerosol generator 100 and start heating during the last 4 minutes of the delay.
[0059] In step 232, the controller 122 waits for the user to press button 116 and thus indicate that the user can immediately start vaping.
[0060] In step 234, the controller 122 determines whether the user pressed button 116 within a predetermined period to start heating the rod. Step 234 may occur in response to the user pressing button 116 or in response to the elapsed period. If the user pressed button 116 within the predetermined period, in step 226, the controller 122 commands the heater 114 to start heating the rod. In this case, the controller 122 commands the LED indicator 112 to provide a display of the heating status. For example, the LED indicator 112 may be configured to indicate the progress of heating toward the maximum temperature by lighting up a proportional number of LEDs on the LED indicator 112.
[0061] Otherwise, if the user does not press button 116 within a predetermined period, in step 236, the controller disables aerosol generation. While aerosol generation is disabled, pressing button 116 will not result in the controller 122 commanding the heater 114 to heat the rod. Aerosol generation is disabled by default.
[0062] Once aerosol generation is disabled, the controller 122 returns to or moves to step 216. The user then must perform an additional verification attempt, as described with reference to steps 216-226, and if successful, the heating of the rod can then be started.
[0063] The control sequence can be canceled or reset at any time by the user by moving the slider 106 to the first position. If the Hall effect sensor 110 determines that the slider 106 is no longer in the second position, a control signal may be sent to the controller 122 to inform the controller 122 that the user intends to stop or give up vaping. The Hall effect sensor 110 may infer this by detecting that the magnetic field falls below a threshold as the slider 106 is returned to the first position and thus the permanent magnet 111 moves away from the Hall effect sensor 110. The controller 122 may then disable the heater 114, or the power supply to the heater 114, thereby disabling aerosol generation and returning to step 202.
[0064] The presence of an error is indicated in step 224, but in other embodiments, other operational statuses may be indicated after certain steps. For example, after aerosol generation is enabled, the controller 122 may instruct the LED indicator 112 to indicate to the user that the device can immediately generate aerosols. Similarly, in step 234, the controller 122 may also instruct the LED indicator 112 to indicate to the user that the user has failed to press button 116 within a predetermined period.
[0065] In some embodiments, the aerosol generator 100 is configured to disable the Bluetooth interface 118 when the Hall effect sensor 110 detects movement of the slider 106 toward a first position. This may occur when the user has finished vaping, or when the user has initially moved the slider 106 toward a second position, thereby triggering a wireless search, and then chooses not to start a vaping session. As the user pushes the slider 106 toward the first position, the permanent magnet 111 is pushed away from the Hall effect sensor 110, and the magnetic field strength around the Hall effect sensor 110 decreases. Once the magnetic field strength decreases to below a threshold, the Hall effect sensor 110 determines that the slider 106 is in the first position. Alternatively, the Hall effect sensor 110 may be configured to determine when the magnetic field is decreasing in order to infer when the slider 106 is being pushed to close the chamber 104. If the Hall effect sensor 110 determines that the slider 106 is in or moving toward a first position, the Hall effect sensor 110 may be configured to send a control signal to the controller 122. This control signal indicates to the controller 122 that the user no longer intends to start a vaping session, or that the user has finished vaping. In either case, it may be desirable to immediately disable the Bluetooth interface 118 to minimize the amount of battery energy used for unnecessary radio searching or other radio functions. Therefore, in these exemplary embodiments, if the controller 122 determines that the slider 106 is in a first position, the controller 122 disables the Bluetooth interface 118. The Bluetooth interface 118 may be completely disabled, in which case all radio functions are blocked. Alternatively, the radio functions may be partially disabled, for example, any ongoing radio searching operations are stopped and canceled.
Claims
1. An aerosol generating device configured to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user using an aerosol-forming material, A wireless communication interface configured to communicate wirelessly with a previously paired user electronic device, A controller configured to enable the generation of aerosols when the wireless communication interface establishes that a wireless link with a previously paired user electronic device is available, A chamber for housing consumables containing the aerosol-forming substance, A lid configured to move from a first position in which the chamber is closed by the lid to a second position in which the chamber is open, The aerosol generating device comprises a sensor configured to detect an action performed by the user, which involves operating the lid to allow the consumables to be contained, In response to detecting the aforementioned operation, the wireless communication interface is triggered to search for a wireless link with the previously paired user electronic device. The aerosol generating device is configured such that the sensor detects the moment when the lid is in one of the first or second positions.
2. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to enable the generation of aerosols for a predetermined period of time when the wireless communication interface establishes that a wireless link with a previously paired user electronic device is available.
3. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an input device configured to be activated by the user to initiate the generation of the aerosol.
4. The aerosol generator according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to detect the operation of the input device and, if the aerosol generation has not yet been enabled, to trigger the wireless communication interface in response to the detection of the operation to search for a wireless link with the previously paired user electronic device.
5. The aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an indicator configured to show the user the status of the aerosol generating apparatus.
6. The aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the wireless communication interface is a Bluetooth interface.
7. The aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sensor is configured to detect the time when the lid has moved toward a first position, and in response to the sensor detecting that the lid has moved toward the first position, the wireless communication interface is deactivated.
8. The aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the chamber is configured to contain consumables in the form of a rod including a cigarette, and the aerosol generating apparatus further comprises a heater configured to heat the consumables within the chamber.
9. A method for generating an aerosol for inhalation by a user using an aerosol-forming substance by operating an aerosol generating device, wherein the method is: The steps include enabling the generation of the aerosol when the wireless communication interface has established that a wireless link with a previously paired user electronic device is available, A step of detecting an action performed by the user, which involves operating the lid of the aerosol generator, to enable the aerosol generator to house the consumables containing the aerosol-forming material, The steps include: in response to detecting the aforementioned operation, triggering the wireless communication interface to search for a wireless link with the previously paired user electronic device; A method for detecting an action, comprising detecting whether the lid is in a first position or one of a second position.
10. A non-temporary computer-readable medium containing executable instructions, wherein, when the instructions are executed by a processor on an aerosol generator, the aerosol generator receives, The steps include enabling the generation of the aerosol when the wireless communication interface has established that a wireless link with a previously paired user electronic device is available, A step of detecting an action performed by the user, which involves operating the lid of the aerosol generator, to enable the aerosol generator to contain consumables containing aerosol-forming material, In response to detecting the aforementioned operation, the wireless communication interface is triggered to search for a wireless link with the previously paired user electronic device. The detection of the operation includes detecting whether the lid is in a first position or one of a second position, in a non-temporary computer-readable medium.