Aerosol supply device

Abstract

To provide a novel aerosol supply device. [Solution] An aerosol supply device comprising a chamber, a set of insertion sensors for detecting the insertion of consumables into the chamber, a generator for generating aerosols from the consumables, a controller for controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to an automatic start mode in which the controller's function for initiating aerosol generation in the generator in response to the detection of consumable insertion is enabled, and a non-automatic start mode in which the controller's function for initiating aerosol generation in the generator in response to the detection of consumable insertion is disabled, and a control interface for providing input data corresponding to the input to the controller, wherein the controller switches from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device in automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device in non-automatic start mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol supply device, an aerosol supply system, and a method of operating an aerosol supply device.

Background Art

[0002] Smoking articles such as cigarettes and cigars burn tobacco during use to produce tobacco smoke. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these articles by creating products that release compounds without combustion. Examples of such products are so-called "non-combustion heating type" products or tobacco heating devices or products, which release compounds by heating the material without burning it. The material may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect, an aerosol supply device is provided, the aerosol supply device comprising: a consumable chamber for receiving a consumable containing an aerosol-generating material; a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors being configured to detect insertion of the consumable into the consumable chamber; and an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber, (i) an automatic start mode in which the function of the controller that causes the aerosol generator to start generating aerosol in response to detection of insertion of the consumable into the consumable chamber by the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors is enabled, and (ii) a non-automatic start mode in which the function of the controller that causes the aerosol generator to start generating aerosol in response to detection of insertion of the consumable into the consumable chamber by the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors is disabled The system comprises a controller configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device according to a specific condition, and a control interface configured to receive inputs and provide the controller with corresponding input data. The controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to an automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to a non-automatic start mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from an automatic start mode to a non-automatic start mode.

[0004] In the embodiment, the control interface comprises one or more input components for receiving input from a user, and a command to switch from an auto-start mode to a non-auto-start mode includes one or more inputs received by one or more input components.

[0005] In the embodiment, one or more input components are configured to receive input from the user in the form of a physical operation by the user.

[0006] In the embodiment, a command to switch from an automatic start mode to a non-automatic start mode includes one or more inputs received by one or more input components in the form of a physical operation.

[0007] In the embodiment, one or more input components include one or more buttons, and a command to switch from auto-start mode to non-auto-start mode includes one or more presses of one or more buttons.

[0008] In the embodiment, one or more presses of one or more buttons include presses that last longer than a threshold period.

[0009] In the embodiment, pressing a button once or more times includes a sequence of presses.

[0010] In the embodiment, one or more input components include a touchscreen, and a command to switch from auto-start mode to non-auto-start mode includes one or more touches on the touchscreen.

[0011] In the embodiment, one or more touches of the touchscreen include touches that are longer than a threshold period.

[0012] In this embodiment, one or more touches on the touchscreen include multiple touches.

[0013] In this embodiment, one or more touches on the touchscreen include a gesture.

[0014] In the embodiment, one or more input components include a first input component and a second input component.

[0015] In this embodiment, the first input component is of a different type from the second input component.

[0016] In this embodiment, the instruction to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode includes a first input received by a first input component and a second input received by a second input component.

[0017] In this embodiment, the second input component is configured to be convertible between multiple different configurations.

[0018] In this embodiment, the instruction to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode includes converting the second input component to a specific configuration.

[0019] In this embodiment, the instruction to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode includes a first input that is received by the first input component while the second input component is in a specific configuration.

[0020] In the embodiment, the second input component includes a switch, which is configured to be convertible between a first configuration in which the switch is in a first longitudinal position and a second configuration in which the switch is in a second longitudinal position, and the switch is convertible between the first and second configurations by the movement of the switch along its longitudinal axis.

[0021] In an embodiment, the second input component includes a dial, the dial is configured to be switchable between a first configuration in which the dial is in a first rotational position and a second configuration in which the dial is in a second rotational position, and the dial is switchable between the first configuration and the second configuration by rotation of the dial about the rotational axis of the dial.

[0022] In an embodiment, the second input component includes a cover, the cover is configured to be switchable between a closed configuration in which a consumable chamber of the aerosol supply apparatus for receiving a consumable is covered by the cover, and an open configuration in which the consumable chamber is substantially unobstructed by the cover.

[0023] In an embodiment, the cover includes a sliding cover, and the sliding cover is switchable between the closed configuration and the open configuration by movement of the sliding cover along the longitudinal axis of movement of the cover.

[0024] In an embodiment, the cover includes a pivoting cover, and the pivoting cover is switchable between the closed configuration and the open configuration by rotation of the pivoting cover about the rotational axis of the pivoting cover.

[0025] In an embodiment, the cover includes an iris cover, and the iris cover is switchable between the closed configuration and the open configuration by coordinated movement of a ring of movable parts for adjusting the size of an opening defined within the ring of movable parts.

[0026] In an embodiment, the particular configuration of the cover is the open configuration.

[0027] In an embodiment, the control interface comprises a communication circuit configured to receive input including data from one or more further apparatuses, and the instruction to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode comprises an input received from the further apparatus by the communication circuit.

[0028] In an embodiment, the communication circuit includes a wireless communication module.

[0029] In an embodiment, the wireless communication module includes a Bluetooth module.

[0030] In an embodiment, the wireless communication module includes a WiFi module.

[0031] In an embodiment, the wireless communication module includes a Near Field Communication (NFC) module.

[0032] In an embodiment, the instruction to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode includes an input received by the communication circuit from a further device, and the further device is a local computing device.

[0033] In an embodiment, the instruction to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode includes an input generated by local software or a web application of the local computing device, and optionally, the local computing device is a smartphone.

[0034] In an embodiment, the instruction to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode includes an input received by the communication circuit from a further device, and the further device is a remote computing device, optionally a server on the cloud.

[0035] In an embodiment, the instruction to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode includes an input received by the communication circuit from a further device, and the further device is an external power supply device configured to supply power to charge the power source of the aerosol supply device.

[0036] In an embodiment, the aerosol supply device comprises a charging interface configured to receive power from a power supply device.

[0037] In this embodiment, the charging interface is configured to receive data-containing input from an external power supply, and the charging interface is included in the communication circuit.

[0038] In this embodiment, the command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode includes an input received from an external power supply via the charging interface.

[0039] In this embodiment, the external power supply unit includes a control interface configured to receive inputs, and a command to switch from an auto-start mode to a non-auto-start mode includes inputs received from the external power supply unit, based on inputs received by the control interface of the external power supply unit.

[0040] In the embodiment, the external power supply unit comprises one or more input components, and the instruction to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode includes inputs received from the external power supply unit, based on inputs received by one or more input components of the external power supply unit.

[0041] In the embodiment, the external power supply unit comprises a recess for receiving an aerosol supply unit and a cover, the cover being convertible between a closed configuration in which the consumable chamber of the aerosol supply unit for receiving consumables is covered by the cover and an open configuration in which the consumable chamber is not substantially obstructed by the cover.

[0042] In the embodiment, one or more input components of the external power supply include a cover.

[0043] In the embodiment, one or more input components of the external power supply include one or more buttons or touchscreens.

[0044] In the embodiment, a command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode includes an input received from a further device by a communication circuit of the control interface of the aerosol supply device, and one or more inputs received by one or more input components of the control interface of the aerosol supply device.

[0045] In this embodiment, in both automatic start mode and non-automatic start mode, the controller's function is enabled to cause the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols using consumable aerosol generating material in response to the control interface receiving a command to start aerosol generation.

[0046] In the embodiment, in both automatic start mode and non-automatic start mode, after detection of the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, the controller is enabled to start generating aerosols in the aerosol generator using the aerosol generating material of the consumables in response to the control interface receiving a command to start aerosol generation.

[0047] In the embodiment, in both automatic start mode and non-automatic start mode, the controller is enabled to start generating aerosols in the aerosol generator using the aerosol-generating material of the consumables in response to the control interface receiving a command to start aerosol generation before the removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0048] In the embodiment, the control interface includes one or more output components for providing an output to the user, and the controller's functionality is enabled to cause one or more output components to provide one or more specific outputs in both automatic start mode and non-automatic start mode.

[0049] In the embodiment, one or more specific outputs include one or more indications of parameters of the aerosol supply device.

[0050] In the embodiment, the aerosol supply device includes a power supply configured to power the aerosol generator, and the parameter is the charge level of the power supply.

[0051] In the embodiment, the aerosol generator includes a heating assembly configured to heat the aerosol-generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber.

[0052] In the embodiment, the controller is configured to cause the heating assembly to heat according to one of a set of one or more consumable heating profiles, thereby initiating aerosol generation in the aerosol generator, each of the one or more consumable heating profiles is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber in order to generate an aerosol for suction.

[0053] In the embodiment, a set of one or more consumable heating profiles includes a plurality of consumable heating profiles.

[0054] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to select one of several consumable heating profiles based on a command to select a consumable heating profile received by the control interface, and the controller is configured to initiate aerosol generation in the aerosol generator by heating the heating assembly according to the selected heating profile when the controller causes the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols.

[0055] In this embodiment, the parameter is the selected heating profile.

[0056] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic start mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from the non-automatic start mode to the automatic start mode.

[0057] In this embodiment, the aerosol supply device comprises one or more sets of consumable removal sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors configured to detect the removal of an object or consumable from the consumable chamber.

[0058] In the embodiment, a set of one or more consumable removal sensors includes one or more sensors from a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors.

[0059] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device in a non-automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device in an automatic start mode in response to the detection of removal of an object or consumable from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0060] In the embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to a non-automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to an automatic start mode, in response to detection of removal of an object or consumable from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, and thereafter after at least a predetermined time delay.

[0061] In the embodiment, one or more input components include input components configured to be convertible between multiple different configurations.

[0062] In this embodiment, an instruction to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode includes converting the input components to a specific configuration.

[0063] In this embodiment, an instruction to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode includes converting a second input component to a specific configuration and then to a subsequent configuration.

[0064] In the embodiment, the input component includes a switch or a dial.

[0065] In the embodiment, the input component includes a cover, which is configured to be convertible between a closed configuration in which the consumable chamber of the aerosol supply device for receiving consumables is covered by the cover and an open configuration in which the consumable chamber is not substantially obstructed by the cover.

[0066] In this embodiment, the cover includes a sliding cover.

[0067] In this embodiment, a particular configuration of the second input component is a closed configuration.

[0068] In this embodiment, a specific configuration of the second input component is a closed configuration, and the subsequent configuration is an open configuration.

[0069] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to control the aerosol supply device according to an automatic start mode when the aerosol supply device is powered on.

[0070] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to control the aerosol supply device according to a non-automatic start mode when the aerosol supply device is powered on.

[0071] In this embodiment, in non-automatic start mode, one or more sensors in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors are inactive.

[0072] In the embodiment, a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes non-mechanical sensors for detection without mechanical action.

[0073] In the embodiment, the non-mechanical sensor includes an electrical sensor for detecting electrical characteristics, and the electrical sensor includes a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, or a resistive sensor.

[0074] In this embodiment, the non-mechanical sensor includes an optical sensor for detecting optical properties.

[0075] In the embodiment, a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes a mechanical sensor for detecting mechanical operation.

[0076] In this embodiment, the aerosol supply device comprises one or more sets of consumable removal sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber.

[0077] In this embodiment, the controller is (i) An automatic stop mode in which the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, (ii) Non-automatic stop mode in which the controller's function of stopping aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors is disabled, It is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device accordingly.

[0078] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic stop mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode.

[0079] In this embodiment, in automatic start mode, the controller's function is enabled to cause the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols in response to the detection of consumable insertion into the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors.

[0080] In this embodiment, in automatic stop mode, the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0081] In this embodiment, a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes a first sensor which is also included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, and a second sensor which is not included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0082] In this embodiment, a set of one or more consumable removal sensors includes a first sensor which is also included in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, and a third sensor which is not included in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors.

[0083] In the embodiment, a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes the same one or more sensors as a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0084] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to perform maintenance operations in response to the occurrence of a predetermined maintenance trigger.

[0085] An aerosol supply system is provided, comprising an aerosol supply device according to a first embodiment and consumables including an aerosol generating material.

[0086] A system is provided comprising an aerosol supply device according to a first embodiment and a further device.

[0087] In this embodiment, a further device is a local computing device.

[0088] In this embodiment, a further device is a smartphone.

[0089] In this embodiment, a further device is an external power supply.

[0090] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, a method is provided for an aerosol supply device, the aerosol supply device comprising a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol generating material, and a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, each sensor of the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors being configured to detect the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber, the method comprising the step of controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device by a controller, the controller (i) An automatic start mode is enabled in which the controller function is configured to initiate aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, (ii) Non-automatic start mode in which the controller's function of initiating aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to detection of consumable insertion into the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors is disabled, The operation of the aerosol supply device is configured to be controlled according to the following steps: The aerosol supply device receives a command via its control interface to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode, In response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode, the controller switches from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to non-automatic start mode. Includes.

[0091] Any of the features described with respect to the aerosol supply device of the first embodiment may be applied to the method of the first embodiment.

[0092] According to a second embodiment, an aerosol supply device is provided, the aerosol supply device comprising: a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol generating material; a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, each sensor of the set of one or more consumable removal sensors configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber; and an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber. (i) An automatic stop mode in which the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, (ii) Non-automatic stop mode in which the controller's function of stopping aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors is disabled, The system comprises a controller configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the following, and a control interface configured to receive inputs and provide the controller with input data corresponding to the inputs, wherein the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic stop mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode.

[0093] In the embodiment, the control interface comprises one or more input components for receiving input from a user, and a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes one or more inputs received by one or more input components.

[0094] In the embodiment, one or more input components are configured to receive input from the user in the form of a physical operation by the user.

[0095] In the embodiment, a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes one or more inputs received by one or more input components in the form of a physical operation.

[0096] In the embodiment, one or more input components include one or more buttons, and a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes one or more presses of one or more buttons.

[0097] In the embodiment, one or more presses of one or more buttons include presses that last longer than a threshold period.

[0098] In the embodiment, pressing a button once or more times includes a sequence of presses.

[0099] In the embodiment, one or more input components include a touchscreen, and a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes one or more touches on the touchscreen.

[0100] In the embodiment, one or more touches of the touchscreen include touches that are longer than a threshold period.

[0101] In this embodiment, one or more touches on the touchscreen include multiple touches.

[0102] In this embodiment, one or more touches on the touchscreen include a gesture.

[0103] In the embodiment, one or more input components include a first input component and a second input component.

[0104] In this embodiment, the first input component is of a different type from the second input component.

[0105] In this embodiment, a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes a first input received by a first input component and a second input received by a second input component.

[0106] In this embodiment, the second input component is configured to be convertible between multiple different configurations.

[0107] In this embodiment, a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes converting a second input component to a specific configuration.

[0108] In this embodiment, a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes a first input received by the first input component while the second input component is in a specific configuration.

[0109] In the embodiment, the second input component includes a switch, which is configured to be convertible between a first configuration in which the switch is in a first longitudinal position and a second configuration in which the switch is in a second longitudinal position, and the switch is convertible between the first and second configurations by the movement of the switch along its longitudinal axis.

[0110] In the embodiment, the second input component includes a dial, which is configured to be convertible between a first configuration in which the dial is in a first rotational position and a second configuration in which the dial is in a second rotational position, and the dial is convertible between the first and second configurations by rotation of the dial around the axis of rotation of the dial.

[0111] In the embodiment, the second input component includes a cover, which is configured to be convertible between a closed configuration in which the consumable chamber of the aerosol supply device for receiving consumables is covered by the cover and an open configuration in which the consumable chamber is not substantially obstructed by the cover.

[0112] In the embodiment, the cover includes a sliding cover which is convertible between a closed configuration and an open configuration by the movement of the sliding cover along the longitudinal axis of the cover's motion.

[0113] In this embodiment, the cover includes a swing cover, which can be converted between a closed configuration and an open configuration by rotation of the swing cover about its axis of rotation.

[0114] In the embodiment, the cover includes an iris cover, which is convertible between a closed configuration and an open configuration by the coordinated movement of a ring of a movable part to adjust the size of an opening defined within a ring of a movable part.

[0115] In the embodiment, a particular configuration of the cover is an open configuration.

[0116] In one embodiment, the control interface includes a communication circuit configured to receive inputs containing data from one or more further devices, and a command to switch from an automatic stop mode to a non-automatic stop mode includes inputs received by the communication circuit from the further devices.

[0117] In this embodiment, the communication circuit includes a wireless communication module.

[0118] In this embodiment, the wireless communication module includes a Bluetooth module.

[0119] In this embodiment, the wireless communication module includes a WiFi module.

[0120] In this embodiment, the wireless communication module includes an NFC module.

[0121] In this embodiment, the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes an input received by a communication circuit from a further device, the further device being a local computing device.

[0122] In this embodiment, the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes an input generated by local software or a web application on the local computing device, and optionally the local computing device is a smartphone.

[0123] In this embodiment, the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes an input received from a further device via a communication circuit, where the further device is a remote computing device, optionally a server on the cloud.

[0124] In this embodiment, the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes an input received by a communication circuit from a further device, the further device being an external power supply configured to provide power to charge the power supply of the aerosol supply device.

[0125] In this embodiment, the aerosol supply device includes a charging interface configured to receive power from a power supply.

[0126] In this embodiment, the charging interface is configured to receive data-containing input from an external power supply, and the charging interface is included in the communication circuit.

[0127] In this embodiment, the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes an input received from an external power supply via the charging interface.

[0128] In the embodiment, the external power supply unit includes a control interface configured to receive inputs, and a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes inputs received from the external power supply unit, based on inputs received by the control interface of the external power supply unit.

[0129] In the embodiment, the external power supply unit comprises one or more input components, and the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes inputs received from the external power supply unit, based on inputs received by one or more input components of the external power supply unit.

[0130] In the embodiment, the external power supply unit comprises a recess for receiving an aerosol supply unit and a cover, the cover being convertible between a closed configuration in which the consumable chamber of the aerosol supply unit for receiving consumables is covered by the cover and an open configuration in which the consumable chamber is not substantially obstructed by the cover.

[0131] In the embodiment, one or more input components of the external power supply include a cover.

[0132] In the embodiment, one or more input components of the external power supply include one or more buttons or touchscreens.

[0133] In the embodiment, a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode includes an input received from a further device by a communication circuit of the control interface of the aerosol supply device, and one or more inputs received by one or more input components of the control interface of the aerosol supply device.

[0134] In this embodiment, in both automatic stop mode and non-automatic stop mode, the controller's function is enabled to stop the aerosol generator from generating aerosols using consumable aerosol generating materials in response to the control interface receiving a command to stop aerosol generation.

[0135] In this embodiment, in both automatic stop mode and non-automatic stop mode, the controller's function is enabled to cause the aerosol generator to stop generating aerosols in response to the control interface receiving a command to stop aerosol generation.

[0136] In the embodiment, the control interface includes one or more output components for providing an output to the user, and the controller's functionality is enabled to cause one or more output components to provide one or more specific outputs in automatic stop mode and non-automatic stop mode.

[0137] In the embodiment, one or more specific outputs include one or more indications of parameters of the aerosol supply device.

[0138] In the embodiment, the aerosol supply device includes a power supply configured to power the aerosol generator, and the parameter is the charge level of the power supply.

[0139] In the embodiment, the aerosol generator includes a heating assembly configured to heat the aerosol-generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber.

[0140] In the embodiment, the controller is configured to cause the heating assembly to heat according to one of a set of one or more consumable heating profiles, thereby initiating aerosol generation in the aerosol generator, each of the one or more consumable heating profiles is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber in order to generate an aerosol for suction.

[0141] In the embodiment, a set of one or more consumable heating profiles includes a plurality of consumable heating profiles.

[0142] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to select one of several consumable heating profiles based on a command to select a consumable heating profile received by the control interface, and the controller is configured to initiate aerosol generation in the aerosol generator by heating the heating assembly according to the selected heating profile when the controller causes the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols.

[0143] In this embodiment, the parameter is the selected heating profile.

[0144] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic stop mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from the non-automatic stop mode to the automatic stop mode.

[0145] In the embodiment, one or more input components are configured to be convertible between multiple different configurations.

[0146] In this embodiment, a command to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode includes converting the input components to a specific configuration.

[0147] In this embodiment, an instruction to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode includes converting a second input component to a specific configuration and then to a subsequent configuration.

[0148] In the embodiment, the input component includes a switch or a dial.

[0149] In the embodiment, the input component includes a cover, which is configured to be convertible between a closed configuration in which the consumable chamber of the aerosol supply device for receiving consumables is covered by the cover and an open configuration in which the article chamber is not substantially obstructed by the cover.

[0150] In this embodiment, the cover includes a sliding cover.

[0151] In this embodiment, a particular configuration of the second input component is a closed configuration.

[0152] In this embodiment, a specific configuration of the second input component is a closed configuration, and the subsequent configuration is an open configuration.

[0153] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to control the aerosol supply device according to an automatic stop mode when the aerosol supply device is powered on.

[0154] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to control the aerosol supply device according to a non-automatic stop mode when the aerosol supply device is powered on.

[0155] In this embodiment, in non-automatic stop mode, one or more sensors of a set of one or more consumable removal sensors are inactive.

[0156] In the embodiment, a set of one or more consumable removal sensors includes non-mechanical sensors for detection without mechanical action.

[0157] In the embodiment, the non-mechanical sensor includes an electrical sensor for detecting electrical characteristics, and the electrical sensor includes a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, or a resistive sensor.

[0158] In this embodiment, the non-mechanical sensor includes an optical sensor for detecting optical properties.

[0159] In this embodiment, a set of one or more consumable removal sensors includes a mechanical sensor for detecting mechanical operation.

[0160] In this embodiment, the aerosol supply device comprises one or more sets of consumable insertion sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors configured to detect the insertion of a consumable into the consumable chamber.

[0161] In this embodiment, the controller is (i) An automatic start mode is enabled in which the controller function is configured to initiate aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, (ii) The aerosol supply device is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device in accordance with a non-automatic start mode in which the function of the controller that causes the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols in response to the detection of the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors is disabled.

[0162] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic start mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode.

[0163] In this embodiment, in automatic start mode, the controller's function is enabled to cause the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols in response to the detection of consumable insertion into the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors.

[0164] In this embodiment, in automatic stop mode, the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to detection of removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors.

[0165] In this embodiment, a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes a first sensor which is also included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, and a second sensor which is not included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0166] In this embodiment, a set of one or more consumable removal sensors includes a first sensor which is also included in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, and a third sensor which is not included in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors.

[0167] In the embodiment, a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes the same one or more sensors as a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0168] In this embodiment, the control interface is configured to perform maintenance operations in response to the occurrence of a predetermined maintenance trigger.

[0169] An aerosol supply system is provided, comprising an aerosol supply device according to a second embodiment and consumables including an aerosol generating material.

[0170] A system is provided comprising a second embodiment of an aerosol supply device and further devices.

[0171] In this embodiment, a further device is a local computing device.

[0172] In this embodiment, a further device is a smartphone.

[0173] In this embodiment, a further device is an external power supply.

[0174] Furthermore, according to a second embodiment, a method is provided for an aerosol supply device, the aerosol supply device comprising a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol generating material, and a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, each sensor of the set of one or more consumable removal sensors being configured to detect the removal of consumables from the consumable chamber, the method comprising the step of controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device by a controller, the controller (i) An automatic stop mode in which the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, (ii) The aerosol supply device is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device in accordance with a non-automatic stop mode in which the function of the controller that stops the aerosol generator from generating aerosols in response to the detection of the removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors is disabled, The aerosol supply device receives a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode via its control interface, The process includes the step of the controller switching from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic stop mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode.

[0175] Any of the features described with respect to the aerosol supply device of the second embodiment may be applied to the method of the second embodiment.

[0176] According to a third embodiment, an aerosol supply device is provided, the aerosol supply device comprising: a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol generating material; a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, each of which is configured to detect the insertion of a consumable into the consumable chamber; a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, each of which is configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber; an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber; and a controller configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device, wherein the controller The aerosol supply device is controlled according to an automatic start mode in which the controller's function is enabled to initiate aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of consumable insertion into the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors. The aerosol supply device is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device according to an automatic stop mode in which the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in response to the detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors. A set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes a first sensor which is also included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, and a second sensor which is not included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0177] In this embodiment, the second sensor is a different type of sensor from the first sensor.

[0178] In this embodiment, the first sensor is a mechanical sensor.

[0179] In this embodiment, the first sensor is a non-mechanical sensor for detection without mechanical operation.

[0180] In this embodiment, the first sensor is an electrical sensor for detecting electrical characteristics, and the electrical sensor optionally includes a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, or a resistive sensor.

[0181] In the embodiment, the first sensor is an optical sensor for detecting optical properties, and the optical sensor optionally includes a visible light sensor, an ultraviolet (UV) sensor, or an infrared (IR) sensor.

[0182] In this embodiment, the second sensor is a mechanical sensor.

[0183] In this embodiment, the second sensor is a non-mechanical sensor for detection without mechanical operation.

[0184] In this embodiment, the second sensor is an electrical sensor for detecting electrical characteristics, and the electrical sensor optionally includes a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, or a resistive sensor.

[0185] In this embodiment, the second sensor is an optical sensor for detecting optical properties, and the optical sensor optionally includes a visible light sensor, an ultraviolet (UV) sensor, or an infrared (IR) sensor.

[0186] In the embodiment, the controller is also configured to control the operation of the aerosol dispenser according to a non-automatic start mode in which the controller's function of initiating aerosol generation in response to detection of the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors is disabled.

[0187] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic start mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode.

[0188] In the embodiment, the controller is also configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device according to a non-automatic stop mode in which the controller's function of stopping aerosol generation in response to detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors is disabled.

[0189] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic stop mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode.

[0190] In this embodiment, the control interface is configured to perform maintenance operations in response to the occurrence of a predetermined maintenance trigger.

[0191] An aerosol supply system is provided, comprising an aerosol supply device according to a third embodiment and consumables including an aerosol generating material.

[0192] A system is provided comprising an aerosol supply device according to a third embodiment and further devices.

[0193] In this embodiment, a further device is a local computing device.

[0194] In this embodiment, a further device is a smartphone.

[0195] In this embodiment, a further device is an external power supply.

[0196] Furthermore, according to a third embodiment, a method for an aerosol supply device is provided, the aerosol supply device comprising: a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol generating material; a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors configured to detect the insertion of a consumable into the consumable chamber; and a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber, the method comprising: The steps include controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device with a controller, and the controller Automatic start mode is enabled in which the controller's function is activated to cause the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols in response to the detection of consumable insertion into the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, The aerosol supply device is configured to control its operation according to an automatic stop mode in which the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors. A set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes a first sensor which is also included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, and a second sensor which is not included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0197] Any of the features described with respect to the aerosol supply device of the third embodiment may be applied to the method of the third embodiment.

[0198] According to a fourth embodiment, an aerosol supply device is provided, the aerosol supply device comprising: a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol generating material; a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors configured to detect the insertion of a consumable into the consumable chamber; a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber; an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber; and a controller configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device, wherein the controller The aerosol supply device is controlled according to an automatic start mode in which the controller's function is enabled to initiate aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of consumable insertion into the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors. The aerosol supply device is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device according to an automatic stop mode in which the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in response to the detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors. A set of one or more consumable removal sensors includes a first sensor which is also included in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, and a third sensor which is not included in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors.

[0199] In this embodiment, the third sensor is a different type of sensor from the first sensor.

[0200] In this embodiment, the first sensor is a mechanical sensor.

[0201] In this embodiment, the first sensor is a non-mechanical sensor for detection without mechanical operation.

[0202] In this embodiment, the first sensor is an electrical sensor for detecting electrical characteristics, and the electrical sensor optionally includes a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, or a resistive sensor.

[0203] In this embodiment, the first sensor is an optical sensor for detecting optical properties, and the optical sensor optionally includes a visible light sensor, an ultraviolet (UV) sensor, or an infrared (IR) sensor.

[0204] In this embodiment, the third sensor is a mechanical sensor.

[0205] In this embodiment, the third sensor is a non-mechanical sensor for detection without mechanical operation.

[0206] In this embodiment, the third sensor is an electrical sensor for detecting electrical characteristics, and the electrical sensor optionally includes a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, or a resistive sensor.

[0207] In this embodiment, the third sensor is an optical sensor for detecting optical properties, and the optical sensor optionally includes a visible light sensor, an ultraviolet (UV) sensor, or an infrared (IR) sensor.

[0208] In the embodiment, the controller is also configured to control the operation of the aerosol dispenser according to a non-automatic start mode in which the controller's function of initiating aerosol generation in response to detection of the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors is disabled.

[0209] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic start mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode.

[0210] In the embodiment, the controller is also configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device according to a non-automatic stop mode in which the controller's function of stopping aerosol generation in response to detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors is disabled.

[0211] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic stop mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode.

[0212] In this embodiment, the control interface is configured to perform maintenance operations in response to the occurrence of a predetermined maintenance trigger.

[0213] An aerosol supply system is provided, comprising an aerosol supply device according to a fourth embodiment and consumables including an aerosol generating material.

[0214] A system is provided comprising an aerosol supply device according to a fourth embodiment and further devices.

[0215] In this embodiment, a further device is a local computing device.

[0216] In this embodiment, a further device is a smartphone.

[0217] In this embodiment, a further device is an external power supply.

[0218] Furthermore, according to a fourth embodiment, a method for an aerosol supply device is provided, the aerosol supply device comprising: a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol generating material; a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors configured to detect the insertion of a consumable into the consumable chamber; and a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber; the method is as follows: The steps include controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device with a controller, and the controller Automatic start mode is enabled in which the controller's function is activated to cause the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols in response to the detection of consumable insertion into the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, The aerosol supply device is configured to control its operation according to an automatic stop mode in which the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors. A set of one or more consumable removal sensors includes a first sensor which is also included in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, and a third sensor which is not included in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors.

[0219] Any of the features described with respect to the aerosol supply device of the fourth embodiment may be applied to the method of the fourth embodiment.

[0220] According to a fifth embodiment, an aerosol supply device is provided, the aerosol supply device comprising: a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol generating material; a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, each of which is configured to detect the insertion of a consumable into the consumable chamber; a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, each of which is configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber; an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber; and a controller configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device, wherein the controller The aerosol supply device is controlled according to an automatic start mode in which the controller's function is enabled to initiate aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of consumable insertion into the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors. The aerosol supply device is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device according to an automatic stop mode in which the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in response to the detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors. A set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes the same one or more sensors as a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0221] In the embodiment, one or more sensors include one or more non-mechanical sensors for detection without mechanical action.

[0222] In the embodiment, one or more non-mechanical sensors include electrical sensors for detecting electrical characteristics, and the electrical sensors optionally include capacitive sensors, inductive sensors, or resistive sensors.

[0223] In the embodiment, one or more non-mechanical sensors include an optical sensor for detecting optical properties, and the optical sensor optionally includes a visible light sensor, an ultraviolet (UV) sensor, or an infrared (IR) sensor.

[0224] In the embodiment, one or more sensors include mechanical sensors for detection involving mechanical action.

[0225] In this embodiment, one or more sensors include multiple sensors.

[0226] In this embodiment, the multiple sensors include sensors of different types.

[0227] In this embodiment, the multiple sensors include multiple sensors of the same type.

[0228] In the embodiment, the controller is also configured to control the operation of the aerosol dispenser according to a non-automatic start mode in which the controller's function of initiating aerosol generation in response to detection of the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors is disabled.

[0229] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic start mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode.

[0230] In the embodiment, the controller is also configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device according to a non-automatic stop mode in which the controller's function of stopping aerosol generation in response to detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors is disabled.

[0231] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic stop mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode.

[0232] In this embodiment, the control interface is configured to perform maintenance operations in response to the occurrence of a predetermined maintenance trigger.

[0233] An aerosol supply system is provided, comprising an aerosol supply device according to a fifth embodiment and consumables including an aerosol generating material.

[0234] A system is provided comprising an aerosol supply device according to a fifth embodiment and further devices.

[0235] In this embodiment, a further device is a local computing device.

[0236] In this embodiment, a further device is a smartphone.

[0237] In this embodiment, a further device is an external power supply.

[0238] Furthermore, according to a fifth embodiment, a method for an aerosol supply device is provided, the aerosol supply device comprising: a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol generating material; a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors configured to detect the insertion of a consumable into the consumable chamber; and a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber, the method comprising: The steps include controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device with a controller, and the controller Automatic start mode is enabled in which the controller's function is activated to cause the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols in response to the detection of consumable insertion into the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, The aerosol supply device is configured to control its operation according to an automatic stop mode in which the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber by each sensor in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors. A set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes the same one or more sensors as a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0239] Any of the features described with respect to the aerosol supply device of the fifth embodiment may be applied to the method of the fifth embodiment.

[0240] According to a sixth aspect, an aerosol supply device is provided, the aerosol supply device comprising: a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol generating material; an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material of the consumables received in the consumable chamber; a controller configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device; and a control interface configured to receive inputs, provide input data corresponding to the inputs to the controller, and provide outputs for the user, the controller being configured to perform maintenance operations in response to the occurrence of predetermined maintenance triggers.

[0241] In the embodiment, the aerosol generator includes a heating assembly for heating the aerosol-generating material of the consumables in the consumable chamber.

[0242] In the embodiment, the heating assembly includes a magnetic field generator configured to generate a fluctuating magnetic field that penetrates the heating elements of the consumables in the consumable chamber, thereby causing the heating elements to be heated by induction heating.

[0243] In the embodiment, the heating assembly includes a heating element for heating the aerosol-generating material of the consumables in the consumable chamber.

[0244] In this embodiment, the heating assembly is configured such that the heating element is heated by resistance heating.

[0245] In this embodiment, the heating element extends into the consumable chamber and is configured to be inserted into the consumable received in the consumable chamber.

[0246] In the embodiment, the heating element includes a blade or a pin.

[0247] In this embodiment, the heating element extends at least partially around the consumable chamber.

[0248] In this embodiment, the consumable chamber is a heating chamber, and the heating assembly is configured to heat the heating chamber at least partially, thereby heating the aerosol-generating material of the consumable within the heating chamber.

[0249] In this embodiment, the heating assembly does not have an electrical engagement interface for electrically connecting to the consumable by direct electrical contact with the corresponding electrical engagement interface of the consumable.

[0250] In the embodiment, the consumable chamber is generally for receiving cylindrical articles.

[0251] In this embodiment, the heating assembly is configured to heat the solid aerosol-generating material of the consumables in the consumable chamber.

[0252] In this embodiment, the predetermined maintenance trigger includes a predetermined usage amount of the aerosol supply device.

[0253] In this embodiment, the aerosol supply device includes a puff sensor configured to detect user inhalation in the aerosol supply system.

[0254] In this embodiment, the predetermined amount of use includes a predetermined number of suctions.

[0255] In this embodiment, the predetermined usage amount includes a predetermined cumulative suction time.

[0256] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to cause the aerosol generator to produce aerosols over a session, and each session includes multiple suctions.

[0257] In this embodiment, the predetermined usage amount includes a predetermined number of sessions.

[0258] In the embodiment, the predetermined usage amount includes a predetermined elapsed time from the first instance of (i) the aerosol generator generating an aerosol, (ii) the aerosol supply device being powered on, or (iii) the consumables being inserted into the consumable chamber.

[0259] In this embodiment, a predetermined maintenance trigger includes the occurrence of a predetermined threshold when a parameter relating to the performance of the aerosol supply device reaches a predetermined threshold.

[0260] In this embodiment, the parameters relating to the performance of the aerosol supply device include heating parameters relating to the performance of the heating assembly of the aerosol supply device.

[0261] In the embodiment, the heating parameters include (i) the power consumption for heating the heating assembly according to the consumable heating profile, (ii) the maximum temperature of the heating assembly, or (iii) the time required for the heating assembly to reach the target temperature.

[0262] In this embodiment, the parameters relating to the performance of the aerosol supply device include power parameters relating to the performance of the power supply of the aerosol supply device.

[0263] In the embodiment, the power parameters include (i) the time it takes for the power supply to reach full charge, (ii) the voltage supplied by the power supply, or (iii) the capacity of the power supply when fully charged.

[0264] In this embodiment, the aerosol supply device comprises one or more sets of consumable removal sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber.

[0265] In this embodiment, the controller is (i) An automatic start mode is enabled in which the controller function is configured to initiate aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, (ii) Non-automatic start mode in which the controller's function of initiating aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to detection of consumable insertion into the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors is disabled, It is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device accordingly.

[0266] In this embodiment, the aerosol supply device comprises one or more sets of consumable removal sensors, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber.

[0267] In this embodiment, the controller is (i) An automatic stop mode in which the controller's function is enabled to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, (ii) Non-automatic stop mode in which the controller's function of stopping aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors is disabled, It is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device accordingly.

[0268] In this embodiment, the maintenance operation includes switching the controller from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic start mode.

[0269] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device according to a non-automatic stop mode in which the controller's function of stopping aerosol generation in response to detection of removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors is disabled.

[0270] In this embodiment, the maintenance operation includes switching the controller from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device in an automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device in a non-automatic stop mode.

[0271] In this embodiment, in both automatic start mode and non-automatic start mode, the controller's function is enabled to cause the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols using consumable aerosol generating material in response to the control interface receiving a command to start aerosol generation.

[0272] In the embodiment, in both automatic start mode and non-automatic start mode, after detection of the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, the controller is enabled to start generating aerosols in the aerosol generator using the aerosol generating material of the consumables in response to the control interface receiving a command to start aerosol generation.

[0273] In the embodiment, in both automatic start mode and non-automatic start mode, the controller is enabled to start generating aerosols in the aerosol generator using the aerosol-generating material of the consumables in response to the control interface receiving a command to start aerosol generation before the removal of consumables from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0274] In the embodiment, the aerosol generator includes a heating assembly configured to heat the aerosol-generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber.

[0275] In the embodiment, the controller is configured to cause the heating assembly to heat according to one of a set of one or more consumable heating profiles, thereby initiating aerosol generation in the aerosol generator, each of the one or more consumable heating profiles is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber in order to generate an aerosol for suction.

[0276] In the embodiment, the maintenance operation includes causing a heating assembly to heat according to a cleaning heating profile configured to heat the consumable chamber to at least partially remove contaminants from the consumable chamber.

[0277] In this embodiment, each of the one or more consumable heating profiles has a maximum temperature, the cleaning heating profile has a maximum temperature, and the maximum temperature of the cleaning heating profile is higher than the maximum temperature of at least one of the one or more consumable heating profiles.

[0278] In the embodiment, each of the one or more consumable heating profiles has a duration, and the cleaning heating profile also has a duration, the duration of which is shorter than the duration of at least one of the one or more consumable heating profiles.

[0279] In an embodiment, the maintenance operation comprises causing the control interface to provide an output including a cleaning notification for a user.

[0280] In an embodiment, the control interface comprises one or more output components.

[0281] In an embodiment, the one or more output components include one or more of (i) a light, (ii) a speaker, (iii) a haptic component, and (iv) a display.

[0282] In an embodiment, the control interface comprises a communication circuit configured to transmit data to one or more further apparatuses.

[0283] In an embodiment, the communication circuit includes a wireless communication module.

[0284] In an embodiment, the wireless communication module includes a Bluetooth module.

[0285] In an embodiment, the wireless communication module includes a WiFi module.

[0286] In an embodiment, the wireless communication module includes a Near Field Communication (NFC) module.

[0287] In an embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply apparatus according to the automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply apparatus according to the non-automatic start mode in response to the control interface receiving an instruction to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode.

[0288] In this embodiment, the controller is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device according to the non-automatic stop mode in response to the control interface receiving a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode.

[0289] In this embodiment, a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes a first sensor which is also included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, and a second sensor which is not included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0290] In this embodiment, a set of one or more consumable removal sensors includes a first sensor which is also included in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, and a third sensor which is not included in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors.

[0291] In the embodiment, a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes the same one or more sensors as a set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

[0292] An aerosol supply system is provided, comprising an aerosol supply device according to a sixth embodiment and consumables including an aerosol generating material.

[0293] A system is provided comprising an aerosol supply device according to a sixth embodiment and further devices.

[0294] In this embodiment, a further device is a local computing device.

[0295] In this embodiment, a further device is a smartphone.

[0296] In this embodiment, a further device is an external power supply.

[0297] Furthermore, according to a sixth aspect, a method for an aerosol supply device is provided, the aerosol supply device comprising a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol generating material, and the method is The steps include controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device with a controller, A step in which the controller performs a maintenance operation in response to the occurrence of a predetermined maintenance trigger, Includes.

[0298] Computer program products are also provided that, when executed by a computer, contain instructions that cause the computer to perform one of the methods taught above.

[0299] Any of the features described with respect to the aerosol supply device of the sixth embodiment may be applied to the method of the sixth embodiment.

[0300] Any feature described in relation to the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth aspect may be applied to any other aspect if such application of the feature to other aspects is not clearly incompatible.

[0301] For example, any of the features described in relation to the first aspect may also apply to the second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth aspect. Any of the features described in relation to the second aspect may also apply to the first, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth aspect. Any of the features described in relation to the third aspect may also apply to the first, second, fourth, fifth, or sixth aspect. Any of the features described in relation to the fourth aspect may also apply to the first, second, third, fifth, or sixth aspect. Any of the features described in relation to the fifth aspect may also apply to the first, second, third, fourth, or sixth aspect. Any of the features described in relation to the sixth aspect may also apply to the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth aspect.

[0302] Here, various embodiments will be described, merely as examples, with reference to the attached drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0303] [Figure 1] Figure is a schematic representation of an aerosol delivery apparatus according to a particular embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure is a schematic representation of a system comprising an aerosol delivery apparatus, a consumable, an external power supply device, a local computing device, and a remote computing device according to a particular embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure is a flowchart representation of a method for an aerosol delivery apparatus according to a particular embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure is a flowchart representation of a method for an aerosol delivery apparatus according to a particular embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure is a flowchart representation of a method for an aerosol delivery apparatus according to a particular embodiment. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0304] "Delivery system" is intended to encompass a system that delivers at least one substance to a user, combustible aerosol delivery systems such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own cigarettes or for make-your-own cigarettes (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes or other smokable materials), and non-combustible aerosol delivery systems that release compounds from an aerosol-generating material without combusting the aerosol-generating material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems that generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, and including. Such systems may comprise an aerosol delivery apparatus and associated articles (sometimes referred to as consumables).

[0305] According to this disclosure, a “non-combustible” aerosol supply system is one in which the constituent aerosol-generating materials of the aerosol supply system (or its components) are not burned or incinerated in order to facilitate the delivery of at least one substance to the user.

[0306] In some examples, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol supply system, such as a non-combustible aerosol supply system equipped with an energy source.

[0307] In some cases, non-combustible aerosol supply systems are e-cigarettes, also known as vaping devices or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDs), but it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not essential.

[0308] In some cases, non-combustible aerosol supply systems are aerosol-generating material heating systems, also known as non-combustible heating systems. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

[0309] In some examples, a non-combustible aerosol supply system is a hybrid system that generates an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or more of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some examples, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0310] Typically, a non-combustible aerosol supply system may comprise a non-combustible aerosol supply device and an article for use with the non-combustible aerosol supply device or as a non-combustible aerosol supply device, the article also known as a consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol supply device.

[0311] In some instances, this disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosol-generating materials and configured for use with non-combustible aerosol supply devices. These consumables may be referred to as articles throughout this disclosure.

[0312] In some examples, a non-combustible aerosol supply system, such as a non-combustible aerosol supply device for a non-combustible aerosol supply system, may include an energy source and a controller. The energy source may be, for example, a power source or a heat source. In some examples, the heat source includes a carbon substrate that can be activated to distribute energy in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or heat-transferring material adjacent to the heat source.

[0313] In some examples, a non-combustible aerosol supply system may include a consumable receiving area, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0314] In some examples, consumables for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device may include aerosol generating material, aerosol generating material storage area, aerosol generating material transfer component, aerosol generator, aerosol generating area, housing, packaging material, filter, suction nozzle, and / or aerosol modifier.

[0315] Aerosol-generating materials are materials capable of generating aerosols when, for example, heated, irradiated, or activated by any other method. Aerosol-generating materials may be in the form of a solid, liquid, or semi-solid (such as a gel), and may or may not contain active substances and / or flavorings.

[0316] The aerosol-generating material may include one or more active substances and / or flavorings, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0317] The aerosol-generating material may be an extruded material, or it may be in the form of linear or strip-shaped pieces.

[0318] The aerosol-generating material may include a binder such as a gelling agent and an aerosol-forming agent. Optionally, a delivered substance and / or filler may also be present. Optionally, a solvent such as water may also be present, and one or more other components of the aerosol-generating material may or may not be soluble in the solvent. In some examples, the aerosol-generating material is substantially free of plant material. In particular, in some examples, the aerosol-generating material is substantially free of tobacco.

[0319] The aerosol-generating material may include an aerosol-generating film, or may be in the form of an aerosol-generating film. The aerosol-generating film may include a binder such as a gelling agent and an aerosol-forming agent. Optionally, a delivered substance and / or filler may also be present. The aerosol-generating film may not contain substantially any plant material. In particular, in some examples, the aerosol-generating material is substantially free of tobacco.

[0320] The aerosol-generating film may have a thickness of approximately 0.015 mm to approximately 1 mm. For example, the thickness may be in the range of approximately 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, or 0.15 mm to approximately 0.5 mm or 0.3 mm.

[0321] The aerosol-generating film may be continuous. For example, the film may contain a continuous sheet of material, or may be a continuous sheet of material. The sheet may be in the form of packaging material, may be assembled to form a bundled sheet, or may be shredded to form a shredded sheet. The shredded sheet may contain one or more linear or strip-shaped pieces of the aerosol-generating material.

[0322] The aerosol-generating film may be discontinuous. For example, the aerosol-generating film may include one or more distinct parts or regions of the aerosol-generating material, such as dots, stripes, or lines, which may be supported on a support. In such examples, the support may be planar or non-planar.

[0323] The aerosol-generating film may be formed by combining a binder such as a gelling agent with one or more other components such as a solvent such as water, an aerosol-forming agent, and one or more substances to be delivered to form a slurry, and then heating the slurry to volatilize at least a portion of the solvent to form the aerosol-generating film.

[0324] The slurry may be heated to remove at least about 60%, 70%, 80%, 85%, or 90% by weight of the solvent.

[0325] The aerosol-generating material may include, or may be, an amorphous solid. In some examples, the aerosol-generating material includes an aerosol-generating film which is an amorphous solid. The amorphous solid may be a monolithic solid. The amorphous solid may be substantially non-fibrous. In some examples, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. The amorphous solid is a solid material which may hold some fluid, such as a liquid, inside. In some examples, the amorphous solid may include, for example, about 50% by weight, 60% by weight, or 70% by weight of amorphous solid, or about 90% by weight, 95% by weight, or 100% by weight of amorphous solid.

[0326] The amorphous solid does not have to contain substantially any plant-based material. The amorphous solid does not have to contain substantially any tobacco.

[0327] The aerosol-forming material may contain one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some examples, the aerosol-forming material may contain one or more of the following: glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl sverate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyline, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0328] In heated products, the aerosol-forming material may be present in an amount exceeding 5% by weight, 6% by weight, 7% by weight, 8% by weight, 9% by weight, 10% by weight, 11% by weight, 12% by weight, 13% by weight, 14% by weight, or 15% by weight of the aerosol-generating material.

[0329] One or more other functional materials may include one or more of the following: pH adjusters, colorants, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and / or antioxidants.

[0330] The material may be present on or within a support in order to form a substrate. The support may be, for example, paper, cardboard, corrugated cardboard, reconstructed material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or metal alloy, or may include these. In some examples, the support includes a susceptor. In some examples, the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some alternative examples, the susceptor is on one side or both sides of the material.

[0331] Consumables are articles containing or consisting of aerosol-generating material, some or all of which are intended to be consumed during use by the user. Consumables may comprise one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating compartment, an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, packaging material, a mouthpiece, a filter and / or an aerosol modifier. Consumables may also comprise an aerosol generator, such as a heating assembly, which releases heat to generate aerosols in the aerosol-generating material during use. The heating assembly may comprise, for example, a flammable material, an electrically conductive material, or a susceptor. The aerosol-generating compartment and / or aerosol-generating material may comprise a cavity for receiving an aerosol generator, such as a blade or pin, of a non-combustible aerosol supply device.

[0332] The consumables may be in the form of a rod, and may include a downstream mouthpiece end and an upstream end.

[0333] Consumables are often named according to their length as follows: "Regular" (typically ranging from 68 to 75 mm, e.g., approximately 68 mm to 72 mm), "Short" or "Mini" (68 mm or less), "King Size" (typically ranging from 75 to 91 mm, e.g., approximately 79 mm to 88 mm), "Long" or "Super King" (typically ranging from 91 to 105 mm, e.g., approximately 94 mm to 101 mm), and "Ultra Long" (typically ranging from approximately 110 mm to 121 mm).

[0334] Typical outer dimensions of heating product consumables are "regular" (approximately 23-25mm), "wide" (over 25mm), "slim" (approximately 22-23mm), "demi-slim" (approximately 19-22mm), "super-slim" (approximately 16-19mm), and "micro-slim" (less than approximately 16mm).

[0335] Therefore, for example, a demi-slim size consumable would have a length of approximately 75 mm and a circumference of approximately 21 mm. For example, a king-size, super-slim type consumable would have a length of approximately 83 mm and a circumference of approximately 17 mm.

[0336] The article may include an aerosol-generating material and a downstream portion downstream of the aerosol-generating material, and each form may be manufactured to have downstream portions of different lengths.

[0337] The length of the downstream portion is typically about 30mm to 50mm. The chipping paper connects the downstream portion to the aerosol-generating material and is usually longer than the downstream portion, for example, 3 to 10mm longer. As a result, the chipping paper covers the downstream portion and overlaps with the aerosol-generating material, for example, in the form of a rod, connecting the downstream portion to the rod.

[0338] The consumables may include aerosol-generating materials encased in packaging material. The packaging material may be, for example, paper or paper-backed foil packaging material. The packaging material may be permeable, partially permeable, or impermeable to gas.

[0339] As is common in this art, the terms “vapor” and “aerosol,” as well as related terms such as “vaporize,” “volatilize,” and “aerosolize,” are generally used interchangeably. During use, suction in an aerosol supply system is generated when a user inhales aerosols produced from an aerosol-generating material. A sequence of suctions can be considered a “session.” A sequence may correspond to a characteristic pattern of suction. A sequence may correspond to a predetermined number or range of suctions performed by the user in the aerosol supply system. For example, a session may be defined as 10 suctions, or 8 to 12 suctions. Additionally or alternatively, a session may be defined by a predetermined time since the first suction in the aerosol supply system (e.g., the aerosol-generating material is heated to a target temperature over a predetermined time). For example, the predetermined time may be less than 4 minutes, less than 6 minutes, or less than 10 minutes. Thus, a session may be considered to have occurred when the total number of suctions reaches a predetermined number or range of suctions, and / or when the time elapsed since the first suction reaches a predetermined time. The predetermined values ​​for the number of suctions and the predetermined time are given purely as examples, and it should be understood that other numbers and times may be used as appropriate in other implementations.

[0340] Additionally or alternatively, in one embodiment, a session corresponds to a sequence of inhalations, and a sequence is separated from another session by a pause exceeding a threshold period. The threshold period may be selected for ease of understanding by the user (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, or 55 minutes, or more preferably a period in the range of 5 to 45 minutes, or more preferably a period in the range of 10 to 30 minutes, or even more preferably a period in the range of 15 to 20 minutes), or based on pharmacokinetic criteria such as the so-called half-life of nicotine in the body (about 2 hours), or physiological criteria such as the perceived decrease in brain stimulation by nicotine (e.g., about 15 to 25 minutes, on average about 18 to 20 minutes). Optionally, this half-life may be further individualized based on, for example, sex, physique (size, weight, etc.), ethnicity, etc. A lookup table of half-life values ​​and / or scaling values ​​for one or more physiological factors of the user may be used to refine the otherwise general half-life values. Thus, aspiration sessions may include characteristic patterns and / or be separated from other sessions by unused threshold periods.

[0341] Typically, an aerosol supply system may comprise an aerosol supply device (e.g., reusable parts) and consumables (e.g., disposable parts) for use with the aerosol supply device. Often, the consumables include aerosol-generating material, and the aerosol supply device comprises an energy source, a controller, a control interface, and memory (each of which will be discussed in more detail herein), which are at least partially housed in an outer housing that may be formed from any suitable material, such as plastic or metal. During use, the consumables may engage with the aerosol supply device. For example, at least a portion of the consumables may be received by the aerosol supply device, for example, in a consumable chamber of the aerosol supply device configured to receive at least a portion of the consumables. The aerosol supply device is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material of the consumables. When the aerosol-generating material of the consumables is depleted, the user can remove the consumables, discard them, and replace them with (new) consumables, for example, by disengaging the aerosol supply device and the consumables.

[0342] In such an aerosol supply system, consumables and aerosol supply devices can engage with each other. For example, consumables may be mechanically and / or electrically coupled to an aerosol supply device using an engagement interface of the aerosol supply device and a corresponding engagement interface of the consumable. The engagement interface of the aerosol supply device may include mechanical engagement means for mechanically coupling the consumable with, for example, a corresponding mechanical engagement means of the consumable. The engagement interface may also include an electrical engagement interface for electrically connecting the consumable with, for example, a corresponding electrical engagement interface of the consumable. The electrical engagement interface of the aerosol supply device may be configured to supply power to a consumable, for example, an aerosol generator of the consumable (as will be discussed in more detail herein).

[0343] The aerosol supply system includes a mouthpiece through which a user can inhale aerosols generated from an aerosol-generating material. The mouthpiece may include a material that feels comfortable against the user's lips, such as plastic or rubber. When the user inhales through the mouthpiece, air is drawn in through the aerosol supply system and combines with the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating material. The user can then inhale this combination of air and aerosol, and as a result, the aerosol material can be delivered to the user. The aerosol supply system may include one or more air inlets, which may be located away from the system's mouthpiece. When the user inhales through the mouthpiece, air is drawn in through one or more air inlets and passing through the location where the aerosol is generated. There may be a flow path connecting this location and an opening in the mouthpiece, so that the air drawn in through one or more air inlets, accompanied by the aerosol, travels along the flow path to the opening. The aerosol then exits the aerosol supply system through the mouthpiece, for example, through the opening of the mouthpiece, for inhalation by the user. The mouthpiece may be part of the consumables, part of the aerosol supply device, or a separate component that forms part of the aerosol supply system in addition to the aerosol supply device and consumables.

[0344] The aerosol supply system (e.g., the aerosol supply device) may be elongated and may extend along its longitudinal axis. The aerosol supply system (e.g., the aerosol supply device) has a proximal end that is closest to the user (e.g., the user's mouth) when the user is using it to inhale the aerosol produced by the aerosol supply system, and a distal end that is furthest from the user during use, i.e., the distal end opposite the proximal end.

[0345] The proximal end is sometimes also called the “mouthpiece end.” An aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) therefore defines a proximal direction that faces the user during use, for example, a proximal direction from the distal end to the proximal end along the longitudinal axis. Furthermore, an aerosol supply system similarly defines a distal direction that faces away from the user during use, for example, a distal direction from the proximal end to the distal end along the longitudinal axis. The terms “proximal” and “distal,” when applied to the features of an aerosol supply system (e.g., an aerosol supply device), refer to the relative arrangement of these features to each other in the proximal or distal direction along the longitudinal axis. Thus, the “proximal end” of a component of an aerosol supply system (e.g., an aerosol supply device) may be understood as the end of the component closest to the proximal end of the aerosol supply system, while the “distal end” of the component may be understood as the end of the component closest to the distal end of the aerosol supply system.

[0346] The structure of the aerosol supply system (and its aerosol supply device) may vary depending on the form of the aerosol-generating material from which the aerosol supply system is configured to generate aerosols. However, although various different forms of aerosol-generating materials and correspondingly different aerosol supply device structures are discussed below, the techniques discussed herein may be applicable to all forms of aerosol-generating materials.

[0347] An aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) comprises an aerosol generator configured to produce an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material, the aerosol being produced in the aerosol-generating region of the aerosol supply system. The aerosol generator is a device configured to produce an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material. In some examples, the aerosol generator comprises a heating assembly configured to expose the aerosol-generating material to thermal energy in order to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol.

[0348] In some examples, aerosol generators are configured to generate aerosols from aerosol-generating materials without heating. For example, when using non-heating techniques, aerosol generators may include vibrating vaporizers, surface acoustic wave vaporizers, pressurized vaporizers, electrostatic energy vaporizers, or ultrasonic vaporizers.

[0349] If the aerosol generator includes a heating assembly, the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) often includes a heating chamber, and the heating assembly is configured to heat the heating chamber, thereby heating the aerosol-generating material within the heating chamber. In such a configuration, the heating chamber may correspond to the aerosol-generating region. The heating chamber is configured to receive the aerosol-generating material. The heating chamber may be included in the consumables. The aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) may include a consumables chamber configured to receive at least a portion of the consumables. The heating chamber may correspond to the consumables chamber; however, in a configuration where the heating chamber is included in the consumables, for example, the heating chamber does not necessarily correspond to the consumables chamber, but rather to a region within the consumables that is received into the consumables chamber when connected to the aerosol supply device during use. The consumables may be configured to be partially or completely inserted into the aerosol supply device by being inserted into the consumables chamber through an opening in the outer housing of the aerosol supply device.

[0350] A heating assembly may include a heating element, and the heating assembly is configured to heat the heating element. The heating element is for heating an aerosol-generating material, for example, by being configured to heat a heating chamber. The heating element may be part of an aerosol supply device or a consumable, or it may be a separate component that is part of an aerosol supply system in addition to the aerosol supply device and consumable. Multiple corresponding heating elements may be used, and the heating assembly may be configured to heat multiple heating elements independently, for example, so that multiple heating elements are heated individually or in combination. The heating element may include a projection, such as a blade or pin, configured to expose the aerosol-generating material to thermal energy. The projection may be configured to be inserted into a consumable, for example, into the aerosol-generating material and / or into the aerosol-generating compartment of the consumable.

[0351] In some configurations, the heating assembly is configured to heat a heating element by resistance heating, where an electric current is passed through the heating element to produce heating as a result of the electrical resistance of the heating element. In some configurations, the heating assembly is configured to heat a heating element by induction heating, in which case the magnetic field generator of the heating assembly is configured to generate a fluctuating magnetic field that penetrates the heating element, causing the material within the heating element to heat. In this case, the heating element may be called a susceptor. The magnetic field generator may include a coil, such as a helical coil, which may surround at least a portion of the heating chamber.

[0352] A susceptor is a material that can be heated by the penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be a conductive material, and therefore, the penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field into a conductive material causes inductive heating of the heating material. The heating material may be a magnetic material, and therefore, the penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field into the heating material causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both conductive and magnetic, and therefore, the susceptor can be heated by both heating mechanisms. In this specification, a device configured to generate a fluctuating magnetic field is referred to as a magnetic field generator. The device or consumables may include a susceptor. For example, the aerosol generating compartment of a consumable may include an aerosol generating material and a susceptor.

[0353] In configurations where the aerosol-generating material is a liquid, the aerosol can be stored in a reservoir included in the aerosol supply system. In configurations where the reservoir storing the aerosol-generating material is part of a consumable, the consumable may also include a heating element, which may be heated using resistance heating or induction heating. In such configurations where the consumable includes a reservoir storing the aerosol-generating material, the consumable may be called a cartridge.

[0354] The reservoir may take the form of a tank, in which aerosol-generating material may be stored such that the liquid moves and flows freely within the boundaries of the tank. In configurations where the reservoir is part of the consumables, the reservoir may be sealed after manufacturing so that it can be discarded after the aerosol-generating material has been consumed; otherwise, the reservoir may have an inlet port through which new aerosol-generating material can be added. In such configurations, a heating element may be part of the consumables, and the heating element may be located outside the reservoir tank to generate aerosols by vaporizing the aerosol-generating material by heating. A transfer mechanism, which may comprise a wick or other porous element, may be provided to deliver the aerosol-generating material from the reservoir to the heating element. The transfer mechanism may have one or more parts located inside the reservoir, or otherwise be in fluid communication with the aerosol-generating material in the reservoir, thereby absorbing the aerosol-generating material and transferring it to other parts of the transfer mechanism adjacent to or in contact with the heating element, for example, by wicking or capillary action. This aerosol-generating material is then heated and vaporized, and replaced by fresh aerosol-generating material from the reservoir for transfer to the heating element via a wick transfer mechanism. The transfer mechanism may be considered as a conduit between the reservoir and the heating element, transferring the aerosol-generating material from the reservoir to the heating element.

[0355] In some embodiments, a non-combustible aerosol supply system, for example, a non-combustible aerosol supply device for a non-combustible aerosol supply system, may include an energy source. The energy source may include, for example, a power source or a heat source. In some embodiments, the heat source includes a carbon substrate that can be activated to distribute energy in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or heat transfer material adjacent to the heat source. In some embodiments, the energy source includes a battery, such as a rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium batteries (such as lithium-ion batteries), nickel batteries (such as nickel-cadmium batteries), and alkaline batteries. The energy source is connected to an aerosol generator and configured to supply energy to the aerosol generator, and as a result, the aerosol generator is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material using the energy supplied by the energy source.

[0356] In some embodiments, an aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) includes a controller configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply system. It is understood that the functionality of the controller may 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 / circuit configurations / chips / chipsets configured to provide the desired functionality. The controller may include a microcontroller (MCU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a central processing unit (CPU), and / or a microprocessor. The controller may also be considered a processing circuit. The operation of the controller is generally controlled, at least partially, by a software program running on the controller. Generally, the aerosol supply device of an aerosol supply system includes a controller, but the aerosol supply device does not always need to include a controller, and in some configurations, a consumable may include the controller.

[0357] The controller may be configured to control the operation of the aerosol generator, for example, the heating assembly of the aerosol generator. While many configurations are discussed in which the controller controls the operation of the heating assembly of the aerosol generator, these configurations may more generally be applicable to aerosol generators that have or do not have a heating assembly. The controller is connected to an energy source and an aerosol generator and is configured to control the supply of energy from the energy source to the aerosol generator. Thus, the controller may be configured to control the heating of the aerosol-generating material by the heating assembly.

[0358] The controller may be configured to heat the aerosol-generating material according to a heating profile, for example, by causing a heating assembly to heat the aerosol-generating material according to the heating profile. The heating profile refers to the temperature fluctuations (of the material) over time. For example, the fluctuating temperature of a heating assembly (e.g., its heating elements) measured over the duration of a session may be called the heating profile of that heating assembly.

[0359] The aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) may also include memory. The memory may include volatile memory such as random access memory (RAM) or flash memory, and / or non-volatile memory such as read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable read-only memory (EEROM), or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). In embodiments, this memory may include controller memory, which is part of the controller and may be integrated into the controller. The memory may also include external memory, which is connected to and outside the controller. The external memory may be removable from the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) and may include an SD card or microSD card. Software programs for execution by the controller may be stored in the memory.

[0360] An aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) may also include a control interface for receiving inputs and / or providing outputs. For example, the control interface may be configured to receive inputs and provide input data corresponding to the received inputs to a controller. The control interface may also be configured to receive output data from a controller and provide outputs corresponding to the output data received from the controller.

[0361] The control interface may include a user interface comprising one or more input components for receiving input from the user and one or more output components for providing output to the user. One or more input components are configured to receive input from the user and provide corresponding input data to the controller. One or more input components may be configured to receive input from the user in the form of physical operation by the user. One or more input components may include buttons (such as rolling buttons), switches, dials, microphones, cameras, accelerometers, touchscreens, or any multiple or combination thereof. One or more input components may be assigned functions such as switching the aerosol supply device on and off, and selecting the operating mode of the aerosol supply system (as will be discussed in more detail herein). One or more output components are configured to receive output data from the controller and provide corresponding output to the user. One or more output components may include lights such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), speakers, tactile components, displays such as screens, or any multiple or combination thereof. The controller may be configured to have one or more output components provide outputs that indicate the characteristics of the aerosol supply system, such as the characteristics of the aerosol-generating material, or the remaining energy of the energy source.

[0362] The control interface may include one or more sensors for detecting one or more characteristics of the aerosol supply system (e.g., the aerosol supply device), and one or more sensors may be configured to provide the controller with input data including sensor data relating to the detected one or more characteristics. One or more sensors may include a puff sensor configured to detect user inhalation in the aerosol supply system. One or more sensors may include one or more temperature sensors configured to detect the temperature of the aerosol supply system, e.g., the temperature of a heating assembly, heating elements, consumables, aerosol-generating material, and the environment surrounding the aerosol supply system. One or more sensors may include one or more consumable detection sensors configured to detect the insertion and / or removal of consumables accepted by the aerosol supply device, e.g., consumables accepted at least partially by the aerosol supply device. One or more sensors may include one or more consumable identification sensors configured to detect the characteristics of a consumable, e.g., the characteristics of the aerosol-generating material of the consumable. One or more sensors may include one or more biosensors configured to detect biometric characteristics of the user, e.g., fingerprints, heart rate, respiratory characteristics.

[0363] The control interface may include a communication circuit configured to connect to and / or communicate data with one or more further devices. The communication circuit communicating data with one or more further devices may include transmitting data to one or more further devices (e.g., transferring data from the aerosol supply device to one or more further devices), receiving data from one or more further devices (e.g., transferring data from one or more further devices to the aerosol supply device), or both transmitting and receiving data to one or more further devices. The term “transmitting” with respect to data may be understood as the outgoing of data from a device, while the term “transferring” may be understood as the outgoing of data from a device and the reception of data by another device. For example, the communication circuit may establish a data connection with one or more further devices and, for example, use the data connection to communicate data with one or more further devices. The data connection may be non-permanent or otherwise temporary, meaning that the data connection may be established for the duration necessary to perform a particular function, but may be disconnected when not needed. In this context, further devices to the aerosol supply device may be another aerosol supply device, consumables, or (as further described herein) an external power supply or computing device. In some embodiments, the communication circuit is integrated into the controller, while in other embodiments, the communication circuit is implemented separately (e.g., comprising a separate application-specific integrated circuit, circuit configuration, chip, and / or chipset).

[0364] The communication circuit may be configured to receive input containing data from a further device and to provide (e.g., transmit) output containing data to the further device. The communication circuit may also be configured to provide the controller with input data corresponding to the input containing data received from the further device, and to provide (e.g., transmit) output containing data corresponding to the output data provided by the controller to the further device. Thus, the controller may receive (via the communication circuit) data transmitted by the further device to the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device), and the controller may transmit (via the communication circuit) data from the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) to the further device. The data received from the further device may include instructions for the controller of the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) to perform one or more control operations. The data provided (e.g., transmitted) to the further device may include instructions for the further device to perform one or more control operations. The reference to a device transmitting data to another device may be understood as the controller of that device causing its communication circuit to transmit data to be received by the control circuit of the other device, and the corresponding input data to the control circuit of the other device then being received from the control circuit of the other device by the controller of the other device.

[0365] The communication circuit may include a wireless communication module configured to establish a wireless data connection with one or more further devices and / or to communicate data with one or more further devices using the wireless data connection. For example, the wireless communication module may include a Bluetooth module (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy module), a ZigBee module, a WiFi module (e.g., a WiFi Direct module), a 2G module, a 3G module, a 4G module, a 5G module, an LTE module, a Near Field Communication (NFC) module, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) module, an optical communication module configured to communicate data using optical signals, an audio communication module configured to communicate data using audio signals, or other wireless communication modules. As a result, the wireless data connection may, correspondingly, be a Bluetooth connection (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy connection), a ZigBee connection, a WiFi connection (e.g., a WiFi Direct connection), a 2G connection, a 3G connection, a 4G connection, a 5G connection, an LTE connection, an NFC connection, an RFID connection, an optical data connection, an audio data connection, or other wireless data connection. More generally, it is understood that, in principle, any wireless protocol can be used for the wireless data connection.

[0366] The communication circuit may further or alternatively include a wired communication module configured to establish a wired data connection with one or more further devices and / or to communicate data with one or more further devices using the wired data connection. For example, the wired communication module may include a wired interface such as a USB interface (e.g., USB-A interface, USB-B interface, mini-USB interface, micro-USB interface, USB-C interface, or USB-3 interface), a Thunderbolt interface, or other wired data interface. Consequently, the wired data connection may, correspondingly, be a USB connection (e.g., USB-A connection, USB-B connection, mini-USB connection, micro-USB connection, USB-C connection, or USB-3 connection), a Thunderbolt connection, or other wired data connection. More generally, it is understood that the wired module may include any wired interface using a wired protocol that enables the transfer of data, for example, according to a packet data transfer protocol, and may include a pin or contact pad mechanism configured to engage with cooperating pins or contact pads on further devices that can be connected to an aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device).

[0367] The controller may be configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply system in response to input data received from the control interface. This input data may include input data provided from one or more input components of the user interface, input data provided from one or more sensors including sensor data, and input data provided from a communication circuit corresponding to data received from further devices. In response to an event such as the receipt of input data (for example, in response to an event), the controller may be configured to perform control actions such as starting the functions of the components of the aerosol supply system (for example, starting heating in a heating assembly, providing output to the user in one or more output components, or providing output to further devices in a communication circuit), changing parameters related to the functions of the components of the aerosol supply system, or enabling or disabling the functions of the components of the aerosol supply system.

[0368] The controller may also be configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) according to a selected mode (or a selection of modes). Each mode is associated with a predetermined rule relating to the function of one or more components of the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device). For example, operating parameters and / or logic may vary between modes. These components may include, but are not limited to, memory, control interfaces, aerosol generators, and energy sources. In some modes, a particular function of one or more components may be enabled so that the controller can cause the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) to perform the function when input data containing instructions for performing the function is received by the controller, for example. However, in some modes, a particular function of one or more components may be disabled so that the controller does not cause the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) to perform the function when input data containing instructions for performing the function is received by the controller, for example.

[0369] The aerosol supply device may have a charging interface for receiving power from an external power source. For example, the charging interface may be for receiving power from an external power source that includes a charging cable. As part of a system comprising an aerosol supply system, an external power supply device may also be provided, configured to connect to the aerosol supply device, for example, its charging interface, and to supply power to the aerosol supply device. The external power supply device may have a power source that includes a battery, such as a rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium batteries (such as lithium-ion batteries), nickel batteries (such as nickel-cadmium batteries), and alkaline batteries. The external power supply device may be configured to provide power to charge the power supply of the aerosol supply device. The external power supply device may be a “charging case” having a recess configured to receive at least a portion of the aerosol supply device, and the external power supply device is configured to connect to the charging interface when the aerosol supply device is received in the recess.

[0370] The external power supply unit may comprise either or both a controller and / or memory. The controller and / or memory of the external power supply unit may utilize any of the features discussed above for controllers and / or memory in relation to aerosol supply systems. The controller of the external power supply unit may be configured to control the supply of power to the aerosol supply unit. The external power supply unit may also comprise a control interface for receiving inputs and / or providing outputs, and the control interface may utilize any of the features of control interfaces discussed above for aerosol supply systems. For example, the control interface may comprise a communication circuit configured to connect to one or more further devices and to enable the establishment of data connections with one or more further devices. In this context, the further devices to the external power supply unit may be an aerosol supply unit, consumables, another external power supply unit, or (as further described herein) a computing device.

[0371] The charging interface of the aerosol supply device may also be configured to communicate data with an external power source when connected. In such a configuration, the charging interface corresponds to a wired communication module (i.e., the communication circuit of the external power supply device) configured to communicate data using a wired data connection. The charging interface may include a wired interface such as a USB interface (e.g., USB-A interface, USB-B interface, mini-USB interface, micro-USB interface, USB-C interface, or USB-3 interface), a Thunderbolt interface, or other wired interface.

[0372] A system comprising an aerosol supply system may also comprise one or more computing devices configured to connect to the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) and to communicate with the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) using a data connection (e.g., wired or wireless). The one or more computing devices may comprise local computing devices, which may be controlled or owned by the user, and which may comprise a smartphone, tablet, personal computer (PC), wearable device (e.g., smartwatch), replenishment device for replenishing aerosol-generating material to the aerosol supply device or consumables, or connection hub. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more computing devices may comprise remote computing devices, such as a server, which may not be controlled or owned by the user.

[0373] The computing device may comprise either or both a controller and / or memory. The controller and / or memory of the computing device may utilize any of the features discussed above for controllers and / or memory in relation to aerosol supply systems. The computing device may also comprise a control interface for receiving inputs (e.g., from a user) and / or providing outputs (e.g., to a user), and the control interface may utilize any of the features of control interfaces discussed above for aerosol supply systems. The control interface may comprise a communication circuit configured to connect to and communicate data with further devices. In this context, further devices to the computing device may be an aerosol supply device, consumables, an external power supply, or another computing device.

[0374] An aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) may establish direct communication with a remote computing device using one of the radio protocols described above, for example, by connecting to a communication node (such as a telecommunications "base station") that provides connectivity to the remote computing device. Alternatively or additionally, an aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device) may establish communication with a remote computing device via a local computing device, for example, by using a wired or wireless communication protocol to communicate with the local computing device, which then communicates with the remote communication device. The local computing device may also communicate indirectly with the remote computing device via a relay device (which may be a further computing device) to perform an aspect of the functions of the local computing device itself, or on behalf of the aerosol supply system (e.g., as a relay or collaborative processing unit).

[0375] Computing devices may also transmit data to each other directly or indirectly via either the wired or wireless communication protocols described above. Thus, in embodiments, a given first and second device (e.g., any of the aerosol supply device, consumables, external power supply device, and computing device) may generally be either connected or disconnected from each other. The disconnected state may also be called the idle state, in which case the given first device may not be detectable by the other second device (i.e., the first device is not transmitting any signals that would make its presence and / or identification information determinable), or it may be available to establish a data connection with the second device (i.e., the first device may be using an advertising signal to announce its presence and / or identification information). In the connected state, the first and second devices are configured so that data can be transferred from the first device to the second device (e.g., “uplink” transmission) and / or from the second device to the first device (e.g., “downlink” transmission). Therefore, the establishment of a data connection between the first and second devices may be considered to include the establishment of any state in which the two devices can exchange data, regardless of the direction of data transfer. Non-limiting examples of connection states include the establishment of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection state in accordance with the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, or a connection state in accordance with the Bluetooth (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)) standard.

[0376] If the first and second devices are configured to communicate wirelessly, the transition from an unconnected state to a connected state will generally follow these steps: In the initial query step, the first device (e.g., an aerosol supply device or consumables, however this may apply to any of the devices described above) establishes the presence of the second device (e.g., a computing device, however this may apply to any of the devices described above) by receiving a beacon signal or other identification signal from the second device. In the authentication step, the first and second devices exchange messages to establish information about the data transfer protocol used to exchange data (e.g., including encoding and encryption parameters used when exchanging data). In the data transfer step, the first and second devices transfer data via a wireless interface established in accordance with the agreed-upon data transfer protocol. This data transmission may be bidirectional or unidirectional. The data communication process for wired communication may be largely similar, the difference being that data is transmitted via a wired interface rather than a wireless interface.

[0377] A system comprising any aerosol supply system, as further described herein, and any combination of an external power supply and a computing device may be used to support the functions of the aerosol supply system. These functions may be referred to as “connection” functions in that they relate to the transmission of data between the aerosol supply system and other connected devices (e.g., one or more computing devices). Such configurations may be considered suitable for enhancing several aspects of the operation of the aerosol supply system. For example, an aerosol supply system that is capable of receiving data from further devices may be capable of receiving software updates or updated parameters (e.g., relating to aerosol generation by the aerosol generator) from the computing device. Determining appropriate parameters may involve considerable processing heat, and processing heat can be performed more efficiently on a computing device with higher processing power than that typically provided to aerosol supply systems where low energy consumption (for extended battery life) and lower complexity (for cost reduction) are generally considered preferable.

[0378] Computing devices (such as smartphones) may also be used by the user to provide input to the control interface of the aerosol supply system, which may be particularly preferable when there is an incentive to keep the input or output components on the aerosol supply system to a minimum, for example, to reduce complexity and cost. Accordingly, an application running on the computing device ("app") may support substantially offloaded or relayed functions for the aerosol supply system having a direct or indirect (e.g., relayed) data connection with the computing device, in accordance with the methods described above. Accordingly, the aerosol supply system may transmit data (e.g., data based on sensor data received by the controller of the aerosol supply system regarding the use of the aerosol supply system) to the computing device via its communication circuit, and the computing device may provide information about the aerosol supply system to the user via the app. Alternatively or additionally, the user may select a control operation via the app, and data regarding the control operation may be transmitted to the aerosol supply system by the computing device, whereupon the controller of the aerosol supply system performs the control operation.

[0379] This specification describes various methods for operating an aerosol supply system. These methods may be described in the context of controlling the aerosol supply system by a controller of the aerosol supply system (e.g., its aerosol supply device), but it is recognized that these methods may be performed by any controller of a broader system comprising any combination of one or more aerosol supply devices, one or more consumables, one or more external power supplies, and one or more computing devices, or by any combination of these controllers. In particular, each of these controllers may be capable of communicating with some or any of the other controllers in a system comprising any of the aerosol supply devices, consumables, external power supplies, and computing devices, and data such as instructions for performing one or more control operations may be communicated between any of these, either directly or indirectly. Thus, methods for operating an aerosol supply system may be performed by a “distributed” aerosol supply system comprising any combination of the aerosol supply devices, consumables, external power supplies, and computing devices discussed above, for example, by any one or more controllers of these devices. Therefore, while certain method steps may be described in the context of a controller of a particular device, such control operations may, if feasible, be performed by another controller among these controllers in an alternative configuration, and it is assumed that various method steps may be performed by various corresponding different controllers.

[0380] Here, various embodiments will be described in more detail.

[0381] Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the aerosol supply system 1 according to a specific embodiment.

[0382] The aerosol supply system 1 comprises an aerosol supply device 100 and consumables 150 including aerosol generating material 170. The aerosol supply device 100 comprises an outer housing 105, a memory 110, a controller 120 configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device 100, a control interface 130 for receiving input to the aerosol supply device 100 and providing output from the aerosol supply device 100, an aerosol generator comprising a heating assembly 160 with a magnetic field generator configured to generate a fluctuating magnetic field, and a power supply 140 configured to supply power for the operation of the aerosol supply device 100.

[0383] The outer housing 105 may at least partially house other components of the aerosol supply device 100, namely the controller 120, control interface 130, magnetic field generator, and power supply 140. The aerosol supply device 100 is a handheld electronic aerosol supply device, meaning that the outer housing 105 housing the other components is sized and configured to be held in the user's hand. In other words, the aerosol supply device 100 is portable.

[0384] The consumable 150 includes an aerosol-generating material 170 in the form of a solid or gel, but other forms are also conceivable, as discussed above. The consumable 150 is generally in the form of a cylindrical rod and is received by the consumable chamber 115 of the aerosol supply device 100 (i.e., it may be inserted into and removed from the consumable chamber 115 by the user), in which case the consumable chamber 115 is also considered a heating chamber, although configurations in which this is not the case are conceivable, such as the configuration discussed above in which the heating chamber is located inside the consumable 150.

[0385] The heating assembly 160 is configured to heat a consumable 150, for example, the aerosol-generating material 170 of consumable 150, in order to generate an aerosol for suction, i.e., for user inhalation. In other words, the heating assembly 160 is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material 170 (which may be solid) of consumable 150. The heating assembly does not need to have an electrical engagement interface for electrically connecting with consumable 150 by direct electrical contact with the corresponding electrical engagement interface of consumable 150, and therefore the heating assembly may heat the aerosol-generating material 170 of consumable 150 without forming a direct (i.e., contact-based) electrical connection with consumable 150. The consumable 150 in this embodiment includes a heating element 165, and the heating assembly 160 is configured to heat the heating element 165. The heating element 165 has a susceptor material that is susceptible to heating by penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field generated by a magnetic field generator. The magnetic field generator is configured to generate a magnetic field that penetrates the consumable chamber 115 and the heating element 165 of the consumable 150, causing the heating element 165 to be heated, and consequently the aerosol generating material 170 to be heated, thereby heating the consumable 150, for example, the aerosol generating material 170 of the consumable 150.

[0386] However, as discussed above, other forms of heating assemblies 160 are conceivable in which the consumable 150 does not include a heating element 165. These may involve any of the forms of heating assemblies described above in which the heating element 165 is part of the aerosol supply device 100. For example, the heating assembly 160 may include a heating element, i.e., a heating element that is part of the aerosol supply device 100, and the heating assembly 160 is configured such that the heating element 165 is heated by resistive heating, and current is passed through the heating element 165 such that heating occurs as a result of the electrical resistance of the heating element. Furthermore, the heating assembly 160 may include a magnetic field generator of the type corresponding to that depicted in Figure 1, which generates a magnetic field that penetrates the heating element 165 of the aerosol supply device 100, causing the heating element 165 to be heated.

[0387] In a configuration where the heating element 165 is part of the aerosol supply device 100, the heating element 165 may be positioned in close proximity to (e.g., in contact with) the consumable 150 when the consumable 150 is received into the consumable chamber 115. For example, the heating element 165 may extend at least partially around the consumable chamber 115. Additionally or alternatively, the heating element 165 may extend into the consumable chamber 115 and may be configured to be inserted into, for example, the consumable 150 inserted into the consumable chamber 115, and may include, for example, blades or pins. In a configuration where the heating element 165 is part of the aerosol supply device 100, the heating assembly can be considered to be configured to at least partially heat the consumable chamber 115, which is the heating chamber, as a result of heating the aerosol-generating material 170 of the consumable 150 in the heating chamber.

[0388] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the consumable 150 is equipped with a mouthpiece 190, through which the user can inhale the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating material 170. The aerosol supply device 100 and the consumable 150 do not require their respective engagement interfaces (e.g., the electrical engagement interfaces discussed above) configured to allow the aerosol supply device 100 and the consumable 150 to be electrically connected to each other. This is because the heating of the aerosol-generating material 170 does not rely on an electrical connection between the aerosol supply device 100 and the consumable 150.

[0389] The control interface 130 of the aerosol supply device 100 may include one or more input components for receiving input from a user. One or more input components are configured to receive input from a user and provide corresponding input data to the controller 120, so that during use, a user can provide input to one or more input components, and the input includes, for example, a command for the aerosol supply device 100 (e.g., the controller 120 of the aerosol supply device 100) to perform a specific control operation. These one or more inputs may be configured to receive input from a user in the form of physical operation by the user, for example, the user physically touches one or more input components in order to operate one or more input components to provide input.

[0390] These one or more input components may include one or more buttons, which are configured to receive input including one or more presses of one or more buttons by a user. Additionally or alternatively, one or more input components may include a switch, which is convertible between a first configuration in which the switch is in a first longitudinal position and a second configuration in which the switch is in a second longitudinal position, and is configured to receive input including one or more (at least partial) movements of the switch (e.g., along the longitudinal axis of the switch) between the first and second longitudinal positions by a user. Additionally or alternatively, one or more input components may include a dial, which is configured to be convertible between a first configuration in which the dial is in a first rotational position and a second configuration in which the dial is in a second rotational position, and is configured to receive input including one or more (at least partial) rotations of the dial (e.g., around the axis of rotation of the dial) between the first and second rotational positions. One or more input components may additionally or alternatively include a touchscreen, which is configured to receive input including one or more touches of the touchscreen by a user.

[0391] The aerosol supply device 100 may include a cover (not shown in Figure 1). This cover is configured to be convertible between a closed configuration in which the consumable chamber 115 is covered by the cover (for example, completely covered by the cover so that the consumable chamber 115 cannot be accessed by the user) and an open configuration in which the consumable chamber 115 is not substantially obstructed by the cover (for example, so that the consumable 150 can be inserted into the consumable chamber 115 by the user). The cover may be configured to be convertible between the closed and open configurations by manual operation by the user (i.e., the user directly or indirectly causes the cover to move between the closed and open configurations). Additionally or alternatively, the cover may be configured to be convertible between the closed and open configurations by electric operation controlled by the controller 120.

[0392] In one embodiment, the cover comprises a sliding cover, which is convertible between a closed and an open configuration by the movement of the sliding cover along the longitudinal axis of the cover's motion. In another embodiment, the cover comprises a rocking cover, which is convertible between a closed and an open configuration by the rotation of the rocking cover about its axis of rotation. In a further embodiment, the cover comprises an iris cover, which is convertible between a closed and an open configuration by the coordinated movement of a ring of a movable part to adjust the size of an opening defined within a ring of a movable part. In the open configuration, the opening defined within the ring is wide enough for the consumable 150 to be inserted into the consumable chamber 115 through the opening in the iris cover, while in the closed configuration, the opening defined within the ring is not wide enough for the consumable 150 to be inserted into the consumable chamber 115 through the opening in the iris cover. In each of these examples, the cover may be configured to be convertible between a closed and an open configuration by manual operation by a user or by electric operation controlled by a controller 120. In each of these examples, the cover may be configured to be convertible between a closed and an open configuration by manual operation by the user, so the cover may correspond to one of one or more input components configured to receive input from the user in the form of physical operation by the user. Thus, the cover may be configured to receive inputs that include one or more (at least partial) conversions of the cover between an open and a closed configuration.

[0393] The consumable chamber 115 may have a longitudinal axis, and the consumable chamber 115 extends along the longitudinal axis. The consumable 150 may be inserted into the consumable chamber 115 by the user inserting the consumable 150 along the longitudinal axis of the consumable chamber 115. For example, the consumable 150, which is generally cylindrical as discussed above, may be elongated and extend along the longitudinal axis of the consumable 150. Therefore, the consumable 150 may be inserted into the consumable chamber 115 by substantially aligning the longitudinal axis of the consumable 150 with the longitudinal axis of the consumable chamber 115 and inserting the consumable 150 along the longitudinal axis of the consumable chamber 115.

[0394] The consumable chamber 115 may include a lateral side wall and an end wall, the end wall being located at the end of the consumable chamber 115 (e.g., the distal end) opposite the opening of the consumable chamber 115 (i.e., the opening through which the consumable 150 is inserted when it is inserted into the consumable chamber 115). The lateral side wall of the consumable chamber 115 may extend around the longitudinal axis of the consumable chamber 115 and may extend from the opening (e.g., the proximal end of the consumable chamber 115 and the proximal end of the aerosol supply device 100) to the end wall of the consumable chamber 115. The consumable 150 may come into contact with the end wall (and lateral side wall) of the consumable chamber 115 when it is received into the consumable chamber 115.

[0395] The aerosol supply device 100 also includes a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135, each of which is configured to detect the insertion of a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115. Each of the one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 may be configured to detect characteristics relating to the aerosol supply device 100, and in particular to the consumable chamber 115 of the aerosol supply device 100. When a user inserts a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115, each of the one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 provides input data to the controller 120, including sensor data relating to its characteristics, and the controller 120 is configured to determine, based on this sensor data, when the consumable 150 has been inserted into the consumable chamber 115.

[0396] For example, the memory 110 may store for each consumable insertion sensor 135 the respective insertion criteria associated with the insertion of the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115. The controller 120 can determine whether the sensor data from each consumable insertion sensor 135 satisfies the respective insertion criteria for the consumable insertion sensor 135, and if the sensor data from the consumable insertion sensor 135 satisfies the respective insertion criteria for the consumable insertion sensor 135, the controller 120 decides to detect the insertion of the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by the consumable insertion sensor 135. The controller 120 may also decide to detect the insertion of the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by one or more sets of consumable insertion sensors 135 if the controller 120 determines that at least one, a majority, or each sensor in one or more sets of consumable insertion sensors 135 has detected the insertion of the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115.

[0397] The sensors of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 (for example, each sensor in one or more consumable insertion sensors 135, or any sensor) may be positioned laterally adjacent to the consumable chamber 115, for example, so as to overlap the consumable chamber 115 longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol supply device 100. Alternatively, the sensors of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 may be positioned below (longitudinally) the consumable chamber 115 (for example, below the end wall of the consumable chamber 115, as shown in Figure 1), so that the sensors are positioned distal to the consumable chamber 115. In a configuration in which one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 comprises multiple consumable insertion sensors 135, each sensor of the multiple consumable insertion sensors 135 may be positioned at a different location.

[0398] A set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 may include one or more non-mechanical sensors, which are intended for detection without mechanical action and may be configured to detect the insertion of consumables 150 into the consumable chamber 115 without mechanical action. For example, these one or more non-mechanical sensors may be configured to detect the insertion of consumables 150 into the consumable chamber 115 without requiring the movement of any moving parts. Each of these one or more non-mechanical sensors may be positioned so that the non-mechanical sensor is not exposed inside the consumable chamber 115. Furthermore, these one or more non-mechanical sensors may be configured to detect the insertion of consumables 150 into the consumable chamber 115 without requiring physical contact with the consumables 150 (even if physical contact with the consumables 150 is unavoidable or may occur). The reduction in moving parts may allow for a longer lifespan for the one or more non-mechanical sensors.

[0399] One or more non-mechanical sensors may include one or more optical sensors, for example, for detecting the optical properties of the consumable chamber 115 (including the contents of the consumable chamber 115). These one or more optical sensors are configured to detect the optical properties of the consumable chamber 115 and to provide input data, including sensor data relating to the optical properties, to the controller 120. One or more optical sensors may be configured to detect optical properties of any frequency, and may include, for example, a visible light sensor configured to detect visible light, an ultraviolet sensor configured to detect ultraviolet ("UV") radiation, and an infrared sensor configured to detect infrared ("IR") radiation.

[0400] When the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115, the optical properties detected by the optical sensor may change. For example, if the optical sensor is positioned laterally adjacent to the consumable chamber 115, the optical sensor may first detect optical properties (e.g., visible light, UV radiation, IR radiation) related to the inner surface of the lateral side wall of the consumable chamber 115, and then, as the consumable 150 passes the position of the optical sensor, the optical sensor may detect optical properties related to the outer surface of the consumable 150. Depending on the outer surface of the consumable 150 (e.g., as a result of the surface material, shape, or pattern formation), a specific optical property (or a change in a specific optical property) may be detected by the optical sensor, and the optical sensor may provide sensor data regarding this specific optical property (or change in this specific optical property) to the controller 120. This sensor data then falls within the insertion criteria for the optical sensor, and as a result, the controller 120 can determine that the optical sensor has detected the insertion of the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115. A similar configuration is also conceivable in which the optical sensor may be positioned below the consumable chamber 115.

[0401] One or more non-mechanical sensors may include one or more electrical sensors, which are, for example, for detecting the electrical characteristics of the consumable chamber 115. These one or more electrical sensors are configured to detect the electrical characteristics of the consumable chamber 115 and to provide input data, including sensor data relating to the electrical characteristics, to the controller 120. One or more electrical sensors may be configured to detect any electrical characteristic, and may include, for example, a capacitive sensor configured to detect capacitance, a resistive sensor configured to detect resistance, and an inductive sensor configured to detect inductance.

[0402] When the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115, the electrical properties detected by the electrical sensor may change. For example, if the electrical sensor is positioned laterally adjacent to the consumable chamber 115, the electrical sensor may first detect electrical properties (e.g., resistance, capacitance, inductance) related to the consumable chamber 115 being empty (i.e., mainly containing air), and then, as the consumable 150 passes the position of the electrical sensor, the electrical sensor may detect electrical properties related to the structure of the consumable 150. Depending on the structure of the consumable 150 (e.g., as a result of the electrical interaction of the material contents of the consumable), certain electrical properties (or changes in certain electrical properties) may be detected by the electrical sensor, and the electrical sensor may provide sensor data regarding this particular electrical property (or change in this particular electrical property) to the controller 120. This sensor data then falls within the insertion criteria for the electrical sensor, and as a result, the controller 120 can determine that the electrical sensor has detected the insertion of the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115. A similar configuration is also conceivable in which the electrical sensor may be positioned below the consumable chamber 115.

[0403] One or more consumable insertion sensors 135 may additionally or alternatively include one or more mechanical sensors, which are for detection with mechanical action and may be configured to detect the insertion of consumables 150 into the consumable chamber 115 with mechanical action by the moving parts of the mechanical sensors. For example, each of these one or more mechanical sensors may have a moving part, which is configured to move (for example, as a result of physical contact with the consumables 150) as a result of the insertion of consumables 150 into the consumable chamber 115, and is thereby configured to substantially detect mechanical properties relating to the consumable chamber 115. These mechanical properties configured to be detected by the mechanical sensors may be, for example, distance or angle of motion, amount of force, or amount of pressure. Mechanical sensors may have lower processing power and power requirements because they may not require considerable constant monitoring or power consumption to operate.

[0404] When the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115, the mechanical properties detected by the mechanical sensor may change. For example, if the mechanical sensor is positioned below the consumable chamber 115, the mechanical sensor may first detect mechanical properties related to the absence of solid objects in the consumable chamber 115. Once the consumable 150 is inserted so as to contact the end wall (i.e., so as to be considered accepted into the consumable chamber 115), the mechanical sensor may detect mechanical properties related to the physical shape and / or weight of the consumable 150. Depending on the shape and / or weight of the consumable 150, certain mechanical properties (or changes in certain mechanical properties) may be detected by the mechanical sensor (for example, as a result of the distal end of the consumable 150 physically contacting the mechanical sensor and applying pressure to a moving part, or through the insertion motion moving the moving part over a distance or angle), and the mechanical sensor may provide sensor data regarding this particular mechanical property to the controller 120. Next, this sensor data falls within the insertion criteria for the mechanical sensor, and as a result, the controller 120 can determine that the mechanical sensor has detected the insertion of the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115. A similar configuration is also conceivable in which the mechanical sensor may be positioned laterally adjacent to the consumable chamber 115.

[0405] In a configuration where one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 comprise multiple consumable insertion sensors 135, the multiple consumable insertion sensors 135 may comprise different types of sensors. For example, the multiple consumable insertion sensors 135 may comprise mechanical sensors and non-mechanical sensors (e.g., optical sensors or electrical sensors). The multiple consumable insertion sensors 135 may comprise optical sensors (e.g., visible light sensors, UV sensors, IR sensors) and electrical sensors (e.g., resistive sensors, capacitive sensors, inductive sensors). Using combinations of different types of sensors can improve reliability because interference affecting one type of sensor may not affect other types of sensors.

[0406] The aerosol supply device 100 also includes a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136, each of which is configured to detect the removal of a consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115. Each of the one or more consumable removal sensors 136 may be configured to detect characteristics relating to the aerosol supply device, and in particular the consumable chamber 115 of the aerosol supply device 100. When a user removes a consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115, each of the one or more consumable removal sensors 136 provides input data to the controller 120, including sensor data relating to its characteristics, and the controller 120 is configured to determine, based on this sensor data, when the consumable 120 has been removed from the consumable chamber 115.

[0407] One or more consumable removal sensors 136 may operate in a similar manner to the one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 discussed above. For example, the memory 110 may store for each consumable removal sensor 136 the respective removal criteria associated with the removal of the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115. The controller 120 can determine whether the sensor data from each consumable removal sensor 136 satisfies the respective removal criteria for the consumable removal sensor 135, and if the sensor data from the consumable removal sensor 135 satisfies the respective removal criteria for the consumable removal sensor 136, the controller 120 determines that the consumable removal sensor 136 has detected the removal of the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115. The controller 120 may decide to detect the removal of the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 by at least one, a majority, or each of the set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136.

[0408] The sensors of one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 136 (for example, each sensor in one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 136, or any sensor) may be positioned laterally adjacent to the consumable chamber 115, for example, to overlap the consumable chamber 115 longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol supply device 100. Alternatively, the sensors of one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 136 may be positioned below (longitudinally) the consumable chamber 115 (for example, below the end wall of the consumable chamber 115, as shown in Figure 1), resulting in the sensors being positioned distal to the consumable chamber 115. In a configuration in which one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 136 comprises multiple consumable removal sensors 136, each sensor of the multiple consumable removal sensors 136 may be positioned at a different location.

[0409] A set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136 may comprise any of the types of sensors discussed above with respect to a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135. For example, a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136 may comprise one or more non-mechanical sensors, which are intended for detection without mechanical action and may be configured to detect the removal of consumables 150 from the consumable chamber 115 without mechanical action. For example, these one or more non-mechanical sensors may be configured to detect the removal of consumables 150 from the consumable chamber 115 without requiring the movement of any moving parts. Each of these one or more non-mechanical sensors may be positioned so that the non-mechanical sensor is not exposed inside the consumable chamber 115. Furthermore, these one or more non-mechanical sensors may be configured to detect the removal of consumables 150 from the consumable chamber without requiring physical contact with the consumables 150 (even if physical contact with the consumables 150 is unavoidable or may occur). The reduction in moving parts may allow for a longer lifespan for the one or more mechanical sensors.

[0410] One or more non-mechanical sensors may include one or more optical sensors, for example, for detecting the optical properties of the consumable chamber 115 (including the contents of the consumable chamber). These one or more optical sensors are configured to detect the optical properties of the consumable chamber 115 and to provide input data, including sensor data relating to the optical properties, to the controller 120. One or more optical sensors may be configured to detect optical properties of any frequency, and may include, for example, a visible light sensor configured to detect visible light, an ultraviolet sensor configured to detect ultraviolet ("UV") radiation, and an infrared sensor configured to detect infrared ("IR") radiation.

[0411] When the consumable 150 is removed from the consumable chamber 115, the optical properties detected by the optical sensor may change. For example, if the optical sensor is positioned laterally adjacent to the consumable chamber 115, the optical sensor may first detect optical properties (e.g., visible light, UV radiation, IR radiation) related to the inner surface of the lateral side wall of the consumable chamber 115, and then, when the consumable 150 is removed beyond the position of the optical sensor, the optical sensor may detect optical properties related to the inner surface of the lateral side wall of the consumable chamber 115. Depending on the outer surface of the consumable 150 (e.g., as a result of the surface material or morphology), a specific optical property (or a change in a specific optical property) may be detected by the optical sensor, and the optical sensor may provide sensor data regarding this specific optical property (or a change in this specific optical property) to the controller. This sensor data then falls within the removal criteria for the optical sensor, and as a result, the controller 120 can determine that the optical sensor has detected the removal of the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115. A similar configuration is also conceivable in which the optical sensor may be positioned below the consumable chamber 115.

[0412] One or more non-mechanical sensors may include one or more electrical sensors, which are, for example, for detecting the electrical characteristics of the consumable chamber 115. These one or more electrical sensors are configured to detect the electrical characteristics of the consumable chamber 115 and to provide input data, including sensor data relating to the electrical characteristics, to the controller 120. One or more electrical sensors may be configured to detect any electrical characteristic, and may include, for example, a capacitive sensor configured to detect capacitance, a resistive sensor configured to detect resistance, and an inductive sensor configured to detect inductance.

[0413] When the consumable 150 is removed from the consumable chamber 115, the electrical properties detected by the electrical sensor may change. For example, if the electrical sensor is positioned laterally adjacent to the consumable chamber 115, the electrical sensor may first detect electrical properties related to the structure of the consumable 150 (e.g., resistance, capacitance, inductance), and when the consumable 150 is removed beyond the position of the electrical sensor, the electrical sensor may detect electrical properties related to the consumable chamber 115 being empty (i.e., mainly containing air). Depending on the structure of the consumable 150 (e.g., as a result of the electrical interaction of the material contents of the consumable), certain electrical properties (or changes in certain electrical properties) may be detected by the electrical sensor, and the electrical sensor may provide sensor data regarding these specific electrical properties (or changes in these specific electrical properties) to the controller 120. This sensor data then falls within the removal criteria for the electrical sensor, and as a result, the controller 120 can determine that the electrical sensor has detected the removal of the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115. A similar configuration is also conceivable in which the electrical sensor may be positioned below the consumable chamber 115.

[0414] One or more consumable removal sensors 136 may additionally or alternatively include one or more mechanical sensors, which are for detection with mechanical action and may be configured to detect the removal of consumables 150 from the consumable chamber 115 with mechanical action by the moving parts of the mechanical sensors. For example, each of these one or more mechanical sensors may have a moving part, which is configured to move (e.g., as a result of physical contact with the consumables 150, e.g., the removal of this physical contact) upon the removal of the consumables 150 from the consumable chamber 115, and is thereby configured to substantially detect mechanical properties relating to the consumable chamber 115. These mechanical properties configured to be detected by the mechanical sensors may be, for example, distance or angle of motion, amount of force, or amount of pressure. Mechanical sensors may have lower processing power and power requirements because they may not require considerable constant monitoring or power consumption to operate.

[0415] When the consumable 150 is removed from the consumable chamber 115, the mechanical properties detected by the mechanical sensor may change. For example, if the mechanical sensor is positioned below the consumable chamber 115, the mechanical sensor may first detect mechanical properties related to the physical shape and / or weight of the consumable 150, and when the consumable 150 is removed so that it no longer contacts the end wall, the mechanical sensor may detect mechanical properties related to the absence of a solid object in the consumable chamber 115. Depending on the shape and / or weight of the consumable 150, certain mechanical properties (or changes in certain mechanical properties) may be detected by the mechanical sensor (for example, as a result of the distal end of the consumable 150 no longer being in physical contact with the mechanical sensor and no longer applying pressure to the moving part, or through the removal motion moving the moving part over a distance or angle), and the mechanical sensor may provide sensor data regarding this particular mechanical property to the controller 120. Next, this sensor data falls within the removal criteria for the mechanical sensor, and as a result, the controller 120 can determine that the mechanical sensor has detected the removal of the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115. A similar configuration is also conceivable in which the mechanical sensor may be positioned adjacent to the consumable chamber 115 at a later stage.

[0416] In a configuration where one or more consumable removal sensors 136 comprise multiple consumable removal sensors 136, the multiple consumable removal sensors 136 may comprise different types of sensors. For example, the multiple consumable removal sensors 136 may comprise mechanical sensors and non-mechanical sensors (e.g., optical sensors or electrical sensors). The multiple consumable removal sensors 136 may comprise optical sensors (e.g., visible light sensors, UV sensors, IR sensors) and electrical sensors (e.g., resistive sensors, capacitive sensors, inductive sensors). Using combinations of different types of sensors can improve reliability because interference affecting one type of sensor may not affect other types of sensors.

[0417] Each of the types of sensors discussed above, including mechanical and non-mechanical sensors (e.g., optical and electrical sensors), may consist solely of a consumable insertion sensor 135, solely of a consumable removal sensor 136, or both. The fact that a sensor is both a consumable insertion sensor 135 and a consumable removal sensor 136 may be achieved, for example, by storing both the insertion and removal criteria for that sensor in memory 110, so that when sensor data received from the sensor satisfies the respective insertion criteria for that sensor, the controller 120 determines to detect the insertion of the consumable 150 (i.e., insertion into the consumable chamber 115), and when sensor data received from the sensor satisfies the respective removal criteria for that sensor, the controller 120 determines to detect the removal of the consumable 150 (i.e., removal from the consumable chamber 115).

[0418] Therefore, a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 may include sensors (e.g., referred to as the "first sensor") that are also included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136. Furthermore, a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 may include sensors (e.g., referred to as the "second sensor") that are not included in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136. Similarly, a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136 may include sensors (e.g., referred to as the "third sensor") that are not included in a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135.

[0419] The controller 120 may be configured to generate a specific control action, for example, in response to the detection of the insertion of a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by one or more consumable insertion sensors 135. In other words, the controller 120 may be configured to generate a specific control action, for example, in response to the detection of the insertion of a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by one or more consumable insertion sensors 135. (As discussed above, the controller 120 may decide to detect the insertion of a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 if the controller 120 determines that at least one, a majority, or each of the sensors in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 has detected the insertion of a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115.)

[0420] The controller 120 may, alternatively or additionally, be configured to generate a specific control action based on, for example, the detection of the removal of a consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 by one or more consumable removal sensors 135, or in response to such detection. In other words, the controller 120 may be configured to generate a specific control action based on, for example, the detection of the removal of a consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 by one or more consumable removal sensors 135, or in response to such detection. (As discussed above, if the controller 120 determines that the removal of a consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 has been detected by at least one, a majority, or each of the sensors in one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 136, the controller 120 may determine that the removal of a consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 has been detected by one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 136.)

[0421] Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a system comprising an aerosol supply system 2 with an aerosol supply device 200 and consumables 250, an external power supply 260, local computing devices 271, 272, and 273, and a remote computing device 280. The aerosol supply device 200 and consumables 250 are the aerosol supply device 100 and consumables 150 discussed above. Furthermore, the aerosol supply system 2 is the aerosol supply system 1 discussed above. Therefore, any feature discussed in relation to Figure 2 is applicable to Figure 1, and vice versa.

[0422] The aerosol supply device 200 includes a control interface, as discussed above with respect to Figure 1. The control interface may include a communication circuit configured to receive inputs containing data from one or more further devices, as will be discussed in more detail below. More broadly, as discussed above, the communication circuit may be configured to communicate data with one or more further devices, i.e., to transmit data to one or more further devices and to receive inputs containing data from one or more further devices. Furthermore, the control interface may be configured to connect to one or more further devices, i.e., to establish data connections with these further devices, which may be non-permanent or otherwise temporary.

[0423] The communication circuit may include either a wired or wireless communication module as discussed above. For example, the communication circuit may include a wireless communication module that includes a Bluetooth module, a WiFi module, or a Near Field Communication (NFC) module.

[0424] In this configuration, the remote computing device 280 is a server located on the cloud 290. Each of the local computing devices 271, 272, and 271 is connected to each other and to each further device. Various data connections 20 between each of these devices are depicted, showing how data can be transmitted between any given first and second devices.

[0425] During use, once these data connections 20 are established (using either a wired or wireless protocol), data (including, for example, instructions) may be transmitted from a first device, such as the aerosol supply device 200 (or its communication circuit), to a second device, such as the remote computing device 280, either directly via a direct data connection between the two devices (if such a direct data connection exists) or indirectly via another device or a number of other devices.

[0426] In the case of the aerosol supply device 200 and the remote computing device 280, data such as usage data collected by the aerosol supply device can be transmitted to the remote computing device 280 by transmitting the data to the external power supply device 260 via a wired data connection. The external power supply device then transmits the data to the first local computing device 271, i.e., the smartphone 271, via a wireless data connection. The wireless data connection between the smartphone 271 and the external power supply device 260 may be any wireless connection discussed above, such as a Bluetooth connection, established using the Bluetooth module of the smartphone 271 and the Bluetooth module of the external power supply device 260.

[0427] Next, the smartphone 271 transmits data to the remote computing device 280 via a wireless data connection. The wireless data connection between the smartphone 271 and the remote computing device 280 may be a wireless connection suitable for long-distance data transmission, such as a 3G, 4G, or 5G wireless connection, which is established using the 3G, 4G, or 5G module of the local computing device and connected to a corresponding communication node (such as a telecommunications "base station") that provides connectivity to the remote computing device 280.

[0428] The user may also use the network of this data connection 20 to have a controller of the aerosol supply device 200 perform control operations on the aerosol supply device 200. The user can select a control operation using an application (e.g., local software or web application) on a second local computing device 272, such as a smartphone or personal computer, and the personal computer 272 then transmits data containing instructions for performing the control operation to a remote computing device 280 via a wired data connection. The remote computing device 280 then transmits data containing these instructions to the smartphone 271.

[0429] Next, the smartphone 271 transmits data containing this command to the external power supply unit 260, which then transmits data containing this command to the aerosol supply unit 200 (its communication circuit) via a wired data connection between the aerosol supply unit 200 and the external power supply unit 260. The data containing this command is received by the controller of the aerosol supply unit 200, which causes the aerosol supply unit 200 to perform the control operation instructed by the command.

[0430] The aerosol supply device 200 includes a charging interface configured to receive power from an external power supply 260, for example, to charge the power supply 140 shown in Figure 1. Additionally or alternatively, the received power may be supplied to the aerosol generator 160 to generate aerosols. The external power supply 260 may include a recess for receiving the aerosol supply device 200, so that when the aerosol supply device 200 is received into the recess of the external power supply 260, the charging interface is connected to the external power supply 260.

[0431] The charging interface is also configured to receive data-containing input from the external power supply 260, for example, when the aerosol supply device 200 is connected to the external power supply 260 (and when the charging interface is connected to the external power supply 260, for example, when the aerosol supply device 200 is received in a recess of the external power supply 260 so that the charging interface is connected to the external power supply 260). In such a configuration, where the charging interface of the aerosol supply device 200 is configured to receive data-containing input from the external power supply 260, the charging interface corresponds to the wired communication module of the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 200. It should be noted that, additionally or alternatively, the external power supply 260 may transmit data-containing input to any other wired or wireless communication module of the communication circuit.

[0432] The external power supply unit 260 may also be equipped with a cover, which is configured to be convertible between a closed configuration in which the consumable chamber 115 of the aerosol supply unit 200 (i.e., when the aerosol supply unit 200 is received in the recess of the external power supply unit 260) is covered by the cover of the external power supply unit 260 (e.g., completely covered by the cover so that the consumable chamber 115 cannot be accessed by the user) and an open configuration in which the consumable chamber 115 is not substantially obstructed by the cover of the external power supply unit 260 (e.g., so that consumables 150 can be inserted into the consumable chamber 115 by the user). This cover of the external power supply may have any of the features of the cover of the aerosol supply unit 100 described above. Furthermore, the aerosol supply device 200 (e.g., a communication circuit) may receive an input containing data regarding the configuration of the cover of the external power supply device 260 (e.g., whether the cover of the external power supply device 260 is in a closed or open configuration), and the input may be received by any wired or wireless communication module of the aerosol supply device 200, including a charging interface.

[0433] The control of the aerosol supply device 100 shown in Figure 1 by the controller 120 will be discussed in detail here. As discussed above, the controller 120 may be configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to several different modes. When the operation is controlled according to a particular mode, the controller 120 (or, more generally, the aerosol supply device 100) may be referred to as being "in" that mode.

[0434] In this embodiment, the controller 120 is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to an "automatic start" mode, in which the controller 120 is enabled to start aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to detection of insertion of consumables 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 (for example, generation of aerosol from the aerosol-generating material 170 of the consumables 150 received into the consumable chamber 115). In other words, while in automatic start mode, the controller 120 starts aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to detection of insertion of consumables 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135.

[0435] To initiate aerosol generation in the aerosol generator, the controller 120 is configured to cause the heating assembly 160 of the aerosol generator to heat according to one of a set of consumable heating profiles. Each consumable heating profile in the set of one or more consumable heating profiles is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material 170 of the consumable 150 received in the consumable chamber 115 in order to generate an aerosol for user inhalation. As a result, the controller 120 causes the aerosol generator to begin aerosol generation by initiating heating by the heating assembly 160 according to the consumable heating profile.

[0436] As discussed above, these heating profiles, such as one or more consumable heating profiles, refer to temperature fluctuations over time. When the heating assembly 160 causes heating of a heating element (e.g., heating element 165), the controller 120 causes the heating assembly 160 to heat according to one of the consumable heating profiles in a set of one or more consumable heating profiles, by ensuring that the heating element heats to a temperature that follows the temperature fluctuations over time of the consumable heating profile. However, it should be noted that other methods for initiating aerosol generation that do not involve an aerosol generator with a heating assembly may be used.

[0437] By using this automatic start mode, the user may initiate aerosol generation (e.g., an aerosol generation session) by inserting the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115, without necessarily requiring any further input from the user to, for example, one or more input components or communication circuits of the control interface 130. Furthermore, the user is not necessarily required to perform suction immediately after the start of aerosol generation by the aerosol generator in automatic start mode; instead, the aerosol may be generated within the boundaries of the aerosol supply system 1, ready for user suction as desired in the near future.

[0438] The controller 120 is also configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to a non-automatic start mode, in which the function of the controller 120 that causes the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols (for example, generating aerosols from the aerosol-generating material 170 of the consumable 150 received in the consumable chamber 115) in response to the detection of the insertion of a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 is disabled. In other words, while in non-automatic start mode, the controller 120 does not cause the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols in response to the detection of the insertion of a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135.

[0439] In non-automatic start mode, one or more sensors in the set of consumable insertion sensors 135 may be inactive (e.g., not powered). As a result, these sensors may not provide sensor data to the controller 120 even when the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115. Alternatively, in non-automatic start mode, the controller 120 may receive sensor data from one or more sensors in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135, and may not initiate aerosol generation in the aerosol generator based on this sensor data, even if the sensor data from one or more of the sensors in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 meets the respective insertion criteria for those one or more sensors.

[0440] The controller 120 may be configured to control the aerosol supply device 100 according to an automatic start mode when the aerosol supply device 100 is powered on. This may allow the user to power on the aerosol supply device 100 and then insert the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 to start aerosol generation in a streamlined manner with minimal complexity. Alternatively, the controller 120 may be configured to control the aerosol supply device 100 according to a non-automatic start mode when the aerosol supply device 100 is powered on. This may prevent accidental initiation of aerosol generation by a user who intends to insert the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 without realizing that inserting the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 may start aerosol generation.

[0441] The automatic start mode and the non-automatic start mode are mutually exclusive; therefore, the controller 120 cannot simultaneously control the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to both the automatic start mode and the non-automatic start mode. However, the controller 120 can switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic start mode, and can switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic start mode to the automatic start mode. This will be discussed in more detail.

[0442] In both automatic and non-automatic start modes, the controller 120 is enabled to cause the aerosol generator to start generating an aerosol (e.g., an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material 170 of consumable 150) in response to a command to start aerosol generation being received by a control interface (e.g., one or more input components or a communication circuit). This command to start aerosol generation may be received by one or more input components discussed above, such as one or more buttons, dials, switches, touchscreens, and the cover of the aerosol supply device 100, and may include any of the respective inputs discussed above that can be received by these components. For example, the command may include one or more presses of one or more buttons, where one or more presses include a press longer than a threshold period, or a sequence of presses of one or more buttons. The command may include a conversion of the cover of the aerosol supply device to an open configuration (e.g., a conversion from a closed configuration). Furthermore, the command may be received by a control circuit, such as one of the wired or wireless communication modules of the aerosol supply device 100 discussed above, including a charging interface.

[0443] Regardless of the method used to receive the command to start aerosol generation, the controller 120 starts aerosol generation in response to the control interface 130 receiving this command, in both automatic and non-automatic start modes. The controller 120 may also start aerosol generation in this manner only while the consumable 150 is accepted into the consumable chamber 115 of the aerosol supply device 100. For example, the controller 120 may, after detection of the insertion of the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by one or more consumable insertion sensors 135, cause the aerosol generator to start generating an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material 170 of the consumable 150 in response to the control interface 130 receiving the command to start aerosol generation. Furthermore, the controller may, additionally or alternatively, cause the aerosol generator to begin generating an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material 170 of the consumable 150 in response to the control interface 130 receiving a command to begin aerosol generation before the removal of the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 by one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 135. Thus, in both automatic and non-automatic start modes, the function of the controller 120 causing the aerosol generator to begin generating an aerosol after the insertion of the consumable 150 and before the removal of the consumable 150 is enabled. Alternatively, the function of the controller 120 causing the aerosol generator to begin generating an aerosol in response to the control interface 130 receiving a command to begin aerosol generation (i.e., regardless of the detection of insertion or removal of the consumable 150) is enabled.

[0444] Furthermore, in both automatic and non-automatic start modes, the controller 120 is enabled to cause the aerosol generator to stop generating aerosols (e.g., from the aerosol-generating material 170 of consumable 150) in response to the control interface (e.g., one or more input components or communication circuits) receiving a command to stop aerosol generation. This command to stop aerosol generation may be received by any of the methods discussed above for receiving a command to start aerosol generation. For example, this command to stop aerosol generation may be received by any of the one or more input components discussed above, such as one or more buttons, dials, switches, touchscreens, and the cover of the aerosol supply device 100, and may include any of the respective inputs discussed above that can be received by these components. For example, the command may include one or more presses of one or more buttons, where one or more presses include a press longer than a threshold period, or a sequence of presses of one or more buttons. The command may include a conversion of the cover of the aerosol supply device to an open configuration (e.g., a conversion from a closed configuration). Furthermore, the commands may be received by a control circuit, such as either a wired or wireless communication module of the aerosol supply device 100 discussed above, including a charging interface.

[0445] Regardless of the method used to receive the command to stop aerosol generation, the controller 120 stops aerosol generation in response to the control interface 130 receiving this command, in both automatic and non-automatic start modes (for example, after aerosol generation has started and before aerosol generation ends, for example, because the end of the consumable heating profile has been reached). To cause the aerosol generator to stop aerosol generation, the controller may be configured to cause the heating assembly 160 of the aerosol generator to stop heating according to the (ongoing) consumable heating profile. For example, this may involve immediately or gradually stopping the power supply to the heating assembly 160.

[0446] In both automatic and non-automatic start modes, the controller 120's function to select a consumable heating profile is enabled in response to the control interface 130 receiving a command to select a consumable heating profile from one or more consumable heating profiles (for example, before the heating assembly 160 heats the aerosol generating material 170 and before the insertion of the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 is detected by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135). This command to select a consumable heating profile may be received by one or more input components discussed above, such as one or more buttons, dials, switches, touchscreens, and covers of the aerosol supply device 100, and may include any of the respective inputs discussed above that may be received by these components. For example, the command may include one or more presses of one or more buttons, where one or more presses include a press longer than a threshold period, or a sequence of presses of one or more buttons. The command may include one or more rotations of a dial, and additionally or alternatively, one or more movements of a switch.

[0447] Therefore, the user can select a desired consumable heating profile, and as a result, in automatic start mode, when the controller 120 starts generating aerosols in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of insertion of consumables 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by one or more consumable insertion sensors 135, the controller 120 causes the heating assembly 160 to heat the aerosol generating material 170 according to the selected consumable heating profile. In other words, in automatic start mode, the function of the controller 120 to start generating aerosols in the aerosol generator is enabled by causing the heating assembly 160 to heat according to the selected consumable heating profile in response to the detection of insertion of consumables 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by one or more consumable insertion sensors 135. In addition, in both automatic start mode and non-automatic start mode, the function of the controller 120 to start generating aerosols in the aerosol generator is enabled by causing the heating assembly 160 to heat according to the selected consumable heating profile in response to the control interface 130 receiving a command to start generating aerosols.

[0448] In both automatic and non-automatic start modes, the controller 120 is enabled to cause the heating assembly 160 to heat the consumable chamber 115 according to the cleaning heating profile in response to, for example, a control interface (e.g., one or more input components or communication circuits) receiving a command to execute a cleaning heating profile. The cleaning heating profile (as a type of heating profile along one or more consumable heating profiles) refers to a temperature fluctuation over time, and the cleaning heating profile is configured to heat the consumable chamber 115 to at least partially remove contaminants from the consumable chamber 115, which may accumulate with use as a result of condensation forming on the inner surfaces of the lateral side walls and end walls of the consumable chamber 115, and this condensation drying to produce a residue. When the heating assembly 160 causes heating of a heating element (e.g., a heating element of the aerosol supply device 100), the controller 120 causes the heating assembly 160 to heat according to the cleaning heating profile by causing the heating element to heat to a temperature that follows the temperature fluctuation over time of the cleaning heating profile.

[0449] The controller 120 may cause the heating assembly 160 to heat the consumable chamber 115 according to a cleaning and heating profile only while the consumable 150 is not accepted into the consumable chamber 115. Thus, the controller 120 may cause the heating assembly 160 to heat the consumable chamber 115 according to a cleaning and heating profile in response to the control interface receiving a command to execute the cleaning and heating profile after detection of the removal of the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 by one or more consumable removal sensors 136. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 120 may cause the heating assembly 160 to heat the consumable chamber 115 according to a cleaning and heating profile in response to the control interface receiving a command to execute the cleaning and heating profile before detection of the insertion of the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 by one or more consumable insertion sensors 135.

[0450] The command to execute the wash-heat profile may be received by one or more input components discussed above, such as one or more buttons, dials, switches, touchscreens, and the cover of the aerosol supply device 100, and may include any of the respective inputs discussed above that may be received by these components. For example, the command may include one or more presses of one or more buttons, where one or more presses include a press longer than a threshold period, or a sequence of presses of one or more buttons. Furthermore, the command may be received by a control circuit, such as either a wired or wireless communication module of the aerosol supply device 100 discussed above, including a charging interface.

[0451] Each of the one or more consumable heating profiles has a maximum temperature, and the cleaning heating profile also has a maximum temperature. However, the maximum temperature of the cleaning heating profile may be higher than the maximum temperatures of at least one of the one or more consumable heating profiles, for example, all of the consumable heating profiles combined. This may be effective and comfortable for the user, as the temperature for generating aerosols from the aerosol-generating material 170 of consumable 150 may not be sufficient to remove contaminants from the consumable chamber 115. Furthermore, each of the one or more consumable heating profiles has a duration, and the cleaning heating profile also has a duration, and the duration of the cleaning heating profile may be shorter than the duration of at least one of the one or more consumable heating profiles. A user session (i.e., including multiple inhalations of aerosols generated using consumable 150) may last longer than one minute, and the duration of the session may be determined by the duration of the consumable heating profile used. However, such a long duration may not be necessary to reach the temperature required for contaminant removal.

[0452] The control interface 130 also, in embodiments, includes one or more output components for providing output to the user. For example, the one or more output components may include one or more lights (e.g., one or more light-emitting diodes, i.e., "LEDs") for providing visual output, a display (e.g., a screen such as the touchscreen described above, which is also an input component) for providing visual output, a speaker for providing audio output, and a tactile component for providing tactile output. These outputs may be provided by these output components and may be perceived by the user (e.g., directly), for example, by being seen, heard, and felt. The controller 120 may cause one or more output components to provide an output indicating the characteristics of the aerosol supply system 1 (e.g., aerosol supply device 100 or consumables 150), so in other words, the output includes an indication of parameters of the aerosol supply system 1, which may be perceived and understood by the user.

[0453] In both automatic and non-automatic start modes, the controller 120 is configured to cause one or more output components to provide one or more specific outputs (i.e., the same one or more outputs). Therefore, these specific outputs may be provided to the user during use, regardless of whether the controller 120 is in automatic or non-automatic start mode. The controller 120 may be configured to cause one or more output components to provide specific outputs of these one or more specific outputs in response to the control interface 130 receiving a command from the user to provide specific outputs. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 120 may be configured to cause one or more output components to provide specific outputs of one or more specific outputs in response to an event, for example, an event relating to the aerosol supply system 1 that may not be caused by user interaction.

[0454] These one or more specific outputs may include an indication of one or more parameters of the aerosol supply device 100, such as the memory 110, controller 120, control interface 130, power supply 140, aerosol generator (e.g., heating assembly 160), or consumables 150. For example, the parameters may be the charge level of the power supply 140, or the charge state of the power supply 140 (e.g., whether the power supply is properly charged, incorrectly charged, or not charged). The parameters may also be parameters of the consumables 150, such as the amount of aerosol generating material 170 of consumables 150, the type of consumables 150 (e.g., the type of aerosol generating material 170 of consumables 150), or the suitability of consumables 150 (e.g., whether the aerosol supply device 100 can use consumables 150 to cause aerosol generation). The parameters may also be parameters of the heating assembly 160, such as the selected consumable heating profile, or the progress of a consumable heating profile (e.g., which is in progress). Each of these one or more specific outputs may be provided by any of the output components discussed above.

[0455] In this embodiment, the controller 120 is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to an "automatic stop" mode, in which the controller 120 is enabled to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator (for example, generation of aerosol from the aerosol-generating material 170 of the consumable 150 received in the consumable chamber 115) in response to detection of removal of consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 135. In other words, while in automatic stop mode, the controller 120 stops aerosol generation in the aerosol generator in response to detection of removal of consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 135.

[0456] To stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator, the controller may be configured to stop heating in accordance with the (ongoing) consumable heating profile in the heating assembly 160 of the aerosol generator. For example, this may involve immediately or gradually cutting off the power supply to the heating assembly 160. By using this automatic stop mode, the user can terminate aerosol generation (e.g., an aerosol generation session) by removing the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115, either intentionally or unintentionally, without necessarily requiring the user to provide further input to, for example, one or more input components or communication circuits of the control interface 130. This can avoid unnecessary power consumption when the consumable 150 is removed.

[0457] The controller 120 is also configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to a "non-automatic stop" mode, in which the controller's function of stopping aerosol generation (for example, generation of aerosol from the aerosol-generating material 170 of the consumable 150 received into the consumable chamber 115) in response to detection of removal of consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136 is disabled. In other words, while in non-automatic stop mode, the controller 120 does not stop aerosol generation in response to detection of removal of consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136.

[0458] In non-automatic stop mode, one or more sensors in the set of consumable removal sensors 136 may be inactive (e.g., not receiving power). As a result, these sensors may not provide sensor data to the controller 120 even when the consumable 150 is removed from the consumable chamber 136. Alternatively, in non-automatic stop mode, the controller 120 may receive sensor data from one or more sensors in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136, and may not cause the aerosol generator to stop aerosol generation based on this sensor data, even if the sensor data from one or more sensors in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136 meets the respective removal criteria for these one or more sensors.

[0459] The controller 120 may be configured to control the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic stop mode when the aerosol supply device 100 is powered on. Alternatively, the controller 120 may be configured to control the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic stop mode when the aerosol supply device 100 is powered on. The automatic stop mode and the non-automatic stop mode are mutually exclusive, and therefore the controller 120 cannot simultaneously control the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to both the automatic stop mode and the non-automatic stop mode. However, the controller 120 can switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic stop mode, and vice versa. This will be discussed in more detail.

[0460] The automatic stop mode is not exclusive to the automatic start mode and the non-automatic start mode. In other words, these modes are compatible. Therefore, the controller 120 may control the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic stop mode and the automatic start mode or the non-automatic start mode. Similarly, the non-automatic stop mode is not exclusive to the automatic start mode and the non-automatic start mode. In other words, these modes are compatible. Therefore, the controller 120 may control the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic stop mode and the automatic start mode or the non-automatic start mode. In both the automatic stop mode and the non-automatic stop mode, any of the functions discussed as being enabled in both the automatic start mode and the non-automatic start mode may be enabled. For example, in both the automatic stop mode and the non-automatic stop mode, the function of the controller 120 that causes the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols in response to the control interface 130 (e.g., one or more input components or communication circuits) receiving a command to start generating aerosols is enabled. Furthermore, in both automatic and non-automatic stop modes, the controller 120 is enabled to cause the aerosol generator to stop generating aerosols in response to the control interface 130 (e.g., one or more input components or communication circuits) receiving a command to stop aerosol generation. Furthermore, in both automatic and non-automatic stop modes, the controller 120 is enabled to cause the heating assembly 160 to heat the consumable chamber 115 (e.g., in response to the control interface receiving a command to execute a cleaning heating profile). Additionally or alternatively, in both automatic and non-automatic stop modes, the controller 120 is enabled to cause one or more output components to provide one or more specific outputs.

[0461] Here, we discuss a method for the controller 120 to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic start mode.

[0462] The controller 120 may be configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic start mode in response to the control interface 130 receiving a command to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode. This command may be received by one or more input components of the control interface 130 described above, in which case the command includes one or more inputs received by one or more input components. Alternatively or additionally, the command may be received by a communication circuit of the control interface 130, for example by one of the wired or wireless communication modules described above, in which case the command includes inputs (e.g., data) received by the communication circuit (e.g., from one or more further devices).

[0463] Switching to non-automatic start mode may be preferable. This is because it allows the user to place objects such as cleaning tools into the consumable chamber 115 without the detection of objects by one or more consumable insertion sensors 135, which in automatic start mode could lead to the aerosol generator starting (i.e., attempting to start) aerosol generation. In configurations where the aerosol generator includes a heating assembly 160, this switching can avoid inadvertent heating of the inserted objects.

[0464] We discuss some non-restrictive examples of cases where a command to switch from auto-start mode to non-auto-start mode is received by one or more input components. One or more input components may be configured to receive input (e.g., user input) in the form of a physical operation by the user, and as a result, the command may include one or more inputs received by one or more input components in the form of a physical operation by the user (physical operation of one or more input components).

[0465] One or more input components may include one or more buttons, in which case a command may include one or more presses of one or more buttons by the user. For example, one or more presses of one or more buttons may include presses longer than a threshold duration such as 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 1.5 seconds, or 2 seconds. One or more presses may optionally or additionally include a sequence of presses, for example, multiple presses such as two, three, four, or five presses within a predetermined time such as 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 1.5 seconds, or 2 seconds. The sequence of presses may optionally or additionally include multiple presses such as two, three, four, or five presses, each within a threshold interval such as 0.1 seconds, 0.2 seconds, 0.3 seconds, or 0.4 seconds from each other. By using presses in this way, the required hardware complexity and processing power may be relatively low.

[0466] One or more input components may include a touchscreen, in which case a command may include one or more touches of the touchscreen, for example, by the user (or their finger). One or more touches of the touchscreen may include touches longer than a threshold time, such as 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 1.5 seconds, or 2 seconds. One or more touches may alternatively or additionally include a sequence of presses, for example, multiple touches such as two, three, four, or five touches within a predetermined time, such as 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 1.5 seconds, or 2 seconds. The sequence of presses may alternatively or additionally include multiple touches, such as two, three, four, or five touches, each within a threshold interval of 0.1 seconds, 0.2 seconds, 0.3 seconds, or 0.4 seconds. One or more touches may include a gesture such as a swipe, in which case the point of contact between the user (e.g., the user's finger) and the touchscreen moves across the touchscreen. The swipe may be a horizontal swipe, i.e., a swipe substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol supply device 100, or a vertical swipe, i.e., a swipe substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the aerosol supply device 100. By using a command that involves one or more touches of the touchscreen, the touchscreen may provide the user with a visual output in response to the command being received, including, for example, an indication of switching from an automatic start mode to a non-automatic start mode, so that the user can easily confirm that the desired switch has been successful.

[0467] One or more input components may include input components that are convertible between a first configuration and a second configuration, in which case the instruction may include one or more (at least partial) conversions of the input components between the first configuration and the second configuration, for example, converting the input component to a specific configuration (e.g., the first configuration or the second configuration) and then converting the input component to a subsequent configuration (e.g., the second configuration or the first configuration). For example, the input component may be a switch, which is convertible between a first configuration, which is a first longitudinal position, and a second configuration, which is a second longitudinal position, in which case the instruction may include one or more (at least partial) movements of the switch between the first and second longitudinal positions. Furthermore, the input component may be a dial, which is convertible between a first configuration, which is a first rotational position, and a second configuration, which is a second rotational position, in which case the instruction may include one or more (at least partial) rotations of the dial between the first and second rotational positions.

[0468] The aerosol supply device 100 may include a cover as described above (e.g., a sliding cover, a swinging cover, or an iris cover), the cover being convertible (by manual operation by the user) between a first configuration being closed and a second configuration being open, in which case the command may include one or more (at least partial) conversions of the cover between the closed and open configurations. For example, the command may include conversion of the cover to the closed configuration.

[0469] One or more input components may comprise a first input component (e.g., any of the input components described above) and a second input component (e.g., any of the input components described above), for example, the first and second input components being different (type) input components. In such a case, a command to switch between auto-start mode and non-auto-start mode may include a first input (e.g., any of the inputs described above) received by the first input component and a second input (e.g., any of the inputs described above) received by the second input component. The second input may be provided after the first input with a maximum intervention time such as 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 1.5 seconds, or 2 seconds. In an exemplary example, the command may include multiple presses of a button followed by touches on a touchscreen within the maximum intervention time thereafter. Other sequential combinations of the inputs described above are possible. Alternatively, the second input may be provided simultaneously with the first input. In an exemplary example, the command may include a touch on the touchscreen for a duration of one second, and a button press while the touchscreen is being touched. Other simultaneous combinations of the above inputs are possible.

[0470] If one or more input components include a first input component and a second input component, the second input component may include an input component that can be converted between the first and second configurations. The command may include an input (e.g., any of the inputs described above) that is received by the first input component while the second input component is in a particular configuration (e.g., the first or second configuration). For example, the command may include an input that is received by the first input component (e.g., one or more buttons or a touchscreen) while the second input component (e.g., a dial, switch, or cover) is in a particular configuration. The particular configuration may be, for example, an open cover configuration, which may allow the user to open the cover (e.g., by physically causing the cover to be driven into the open configuration) and then provide an input to the first input component while the cover is in this particular configuration. As a result, the controller 120 switches from an automatic start mode to a non-automatic start mode in response to one or more input components receiving this command, and the user may insert an object, such as a cleaning tool, into the consumable chamber 115. Alternatively, the specific configuration may be either a closed configuration or a dial or switch configuration.

[0471] The command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode may, additionally or alternatively, be received by the communication circuit of the control interface 130. In other words, the command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode may include inputs received by the communication circuit from further devices using, for example, one of the methods described with respect to Figure 2. For example, the command may be received by a wireless communication module of the communication circuit, such as a Bluetooth module, a WiFi module, or an NFC module, any of which is suitable for communicating with a local computing device such as a smartphone or personal computer. Therefore, the local computing device may generate the command and send it to the communication circuit, for example, using a Bluetooth connection, a WiFi connection, or an NFC connection. The local computing device may generate the command, which may be generated by local software or a web application (for example, running on the local computing device) of the local computing device. For example, a user of a local computing device and local software or a web application on the local computing device may use the user interface of the local software or web application to cause the local computing device to generate commands and send those commands to a communication circuit, which in turn allows the (wired or wireless) communication module of the communication circuit to receive the commands.

[0472] In one approach, a remote computing device, such as a server on the cloud, which may be used by a user, may generate an instruction (e.g., an input containing an instruction) and transmit this instruction to a communication circuit, such as a wireless or wired communication module of the communication circuit. This instruction may be transmitted indirectly to the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100, for example, by transmitting the instruction to a local computing device, which then transmits the instruction to the communication circuit. Alternatively, the instruction may be transmitted directly to the communication circuit by a communication node that provides connectivity to the remote computing device and transmits the instruction to a 3G, 4G, or 5G module of the communication circuit using a 3G, 4G, or 5G wireless connection.

[0473] The instruction to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode may include an input received from the external power supply 260 by the communication circuit. For example, as discussed above, the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100 may include a charging interface, which is configured to receive power from the external power supply 260, and is configured to receive an input containing data from the external power supply 260, for example, when the aerosol supply device 100 is received in a recess of the external power supply 260. Therefore, the instruction may include an input received from the external power supply 260 by the charging interface. Furthermore, the external power supply 260 may be capable of sending the input containing data to any other wired or wireless communication module of the communication circuit, and therefore, the instruction may include an input received from the external power supply 260 by the wired or wireless communication module of the communication circuit.

[0474] As discussed above, the external power supply unit 260 may include a cover configured to be convertible between a closed configuration in which the consumable chamber 115 of the aerosol supply unit 100 (i.e., received in a recess of the external power supply unit 260) is covered by the cover of the external power supply unit 260 and an open configuration in which the consumable chamber 115 is not substantially obstructed by the cover of the external power supply unit 260. This cover may be implemented using any of the types of covers discussed above, and therefore may be a sliding cover, a rocking cover, or an iris cover.

[0475] The external power supply 260 may include a control interface comprising one or more input components, for example, one or more input components discussed above. These one or more input components may include the cover of the external power supply 260. The one or more input components of the external power supply 260 may additionally or alternatively include one or more buttons or touchscreens. Thus, the external power supply 260 may be used by a user, who may provide one or more input components of the external power supply 260 with a command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode using one or more of the methods discussed above with respect to providing commands to one or more input components of the aerosol supply device 100.

[0476] The external power supply 260 may be configured to send a command to the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100 to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode in response to one or more input components of the external power supply 260 receiving this command, and as a result, this command includes input received by the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100 (from the external power supply 260). In other words, the command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode, which is received by the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100, may be received from the external power supply 260 (i.e., sent by the external power supply 260 to the aerosol supply device 100) based on the user providing a command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode to one or more input components of the external power supply 260.

[0477] As an exemplary example, the external power supply 260 may include a first input component, such as one or more buttons, and a second input component, which is the cover of the external power supply 260. An example has been discussed above in which one or more input components of the aerosol supply device 100 receive a command to switch from an automatic start mode to a non-automatic start mode, the command including an input received by the first input component while the second input is in a particular configuration. It is therefore assumed that the same technique may be used for the external power supply 260. Thus, a user may provide a first input (e.g., one or more presses of one or more buttons) to the first input component of the external power supply 260 while the cover of the external power supply 260 is in a particular configuration. Based on receiving this command from the user, the external power supply 260 then sends a command to the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100 to switch from an automatic start mode to a non-automatic start mode. Therefore, the instruction includes inputs received from the external power supply 260, based on inputs received by one or more input components of the external power supply 260.

[0478] The instruction provided by the user to the external power supply 260 to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode (this instruction causes the external power supply 260 to provide the aerosol supply device 100 with an input that is an instruction to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode) may be the same as (i.e., include the same input) the instruction provided by the user to one or more input components of the aerosol supply device 100 to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode, in order to provide some degree of user-friendliness. Alternatively, for example, if the external power supply 260 has different input components than the aerosol supply device 100, these instructions may be different (i.e., include different inputs).

[0479] Other methods are also conceivable, such as the command received by the aerosol supply device 100 to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode, which includes an input received from the external power supply device 260 based on an input received by the communication circuit of the external power supply device 260, and for example, this input is received by the communication circuit of the external power supply device 260 from another further device (e.g., a local computing device such as a smartphone).

[0480] A command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode may, in addition to the above, include inputs received from further devices, i.e., inputs using one of the methods described above, and one or more inputs received by one or more input components of the aerosol supply device 100, i.e., one or more inputs using one of the methods described above. For example, the user may first have the further device provide the aerosol supply device 100 with inputs received by the aerosol supply device 100's communication circuit, and then provide inputs to one or more input components to complete the command. Alternatively, the order may be reversed.

[0481] Regardless of how the control interface 130 receives the command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode, the controller 120 may be configured to cause one or more output components to provide an output that indicates the switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode in response to the controller 120 switching from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to non-automatic start mode. For example, the output may include an audio output provided by a speaker, a tactile output provided by a tactile component, or a visual output provided by one or more lights or displays.

[0482] The controller 120 is also configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic start mode in response to the control interface 130 receiving a command to switch from the non-automatic start mode to the automatic start mode. Therefore, the user may first provide a command to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode, and in response, the controller 120 switches to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic start mode. The user may then insert an object such as a cleaning tool into the consumable chamber 115 while the aerosol supply device 100 is in the non-automatic start mode, for example, to clean the consumable chamber, and once the object is removed, the user may provide a command to switch from the non-automatic start mode to the automatic start mode, and in response, the controller 120 switches to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic start mode. Next, the user can insert the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115, and in response to the detection of the insertion of this consumable 150 by the consumable insertion sensor 135, the controller 120 then causes the aerosol generator to start generating an aerosol from the aerosol generating material 170 of the consumable 150.

[0483] This instruction to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode may be received by the control interface 130 using one of the methods described for receiving an instruction to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode. In other words, an instruction to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode may include any of the inputs described as being included in an instruction to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode. For example, an instruction to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode may include one or more inputs received by one or more input components of the aerosol supply device 100 (e.g., one or more buttons, switches, dials, touchscreens), and may include a first input received by a first input component and a second input received by a second input component (e.g., sequentially or simultaneously), or may include an input received by the first input component while the second input component is in a particular configuration (e.g., the second component being a cover is in an open configuration). Furthermore, a command to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode may include an input received by the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100, for example, an input received by the wired or wireless communication module of the control interface 130. Additionally, the controller 120 may use one or more output components to provide an output indicating the switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode, using one of the outputs described above for indicating the switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode (e.g., an audio output provided by a speaker, a tactile output provided by a tactile component, or a visual output provided by one or more lights or displays). Each of these methods has been described in detail above with respect to a command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode and may be equally applicable to a command to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode.

[0484] The command to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode may be the same as the command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode, which may provide convenience for the user to switch between these two modes. Alternatively, the command to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode may be different from the command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode, even if the same one or more input components or (wired or wireless) communication modules are used to receive both commands. For example, one or more buttons may receive both commands, however the command to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode may involve a different number of presses than the command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode. As a further example, the command to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode may involve converting an input component (such as a cover) to a specific configuration (such as a closed configuration), and then converting the input component to a subsequent configuration (such as an open configuration), while the command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode may, in some cases, be different and may include input received by a wired or wireless communication module of a communication circuit. Furthermore, it is conceivable that a command to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode may be received by one or more different input components or different (wired or wireless) communication modules than a command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode.

[0485] For example, one or more sensors in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136 may also be configured to detect the removal of an object (but not a consumable 150) from the consumable chamber 115. As discussed above, each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136 may be configured to detect characteristics relating to the consumable chamber 115 of the aerosol supply device, in particular the aerosol supply device 100. When a user removes an object from the consumable chamber 115, each of these sensors (i.e., each of the one or more sensors in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136 configured to detect the removal of an object) provides input data to the controller 120, which includes sensor data relating to the characteristics, and the controller 120 is configured to determine, based on this sensor data, when the object has been removed from the consumable chamber 115.

[0486] Memory 110 may store for each of these sensors the respective object removal criterion associated with the removal of an object from the consumable chamber 115. The controller 120 can determine whether the sensor data from each of these sensors satisfies the respective object removal criterion for that sensor, and if the sensor data from one of these sensors satisfies the respective object removal criterion for that sensor, the controller 120 determines that the sensor has detected the removal of an object from the consumable chamber 115. If the controller 120 determines that the removal of an object from the consumable chamber 115 has been detected by at least one, a majority, or each of the sensors in a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136 configured to detect the removal of an object, the controller 120 may determine that the set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136 has detected the removal of an object from the consumable chamber 115.

[0487] In addition to the method discussed above for the controller 120 to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 in non-automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 in automatic start mode (i.e., by the control interface 130 receiving a command to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode), further methods based on the detection of object removal are also conceivable. The controller 120 may be configured, as discussed above, to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 in non-automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 in automatic start mode in response to the detection of object (or consumable) removal from the consumable chamber 115 by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136. In certain embodiments, a time delay may be used so that the controller 120 is configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 in non-automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 in automatic start mode in response to detection of removal of an object (or consumable) from the consumable chamber by a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 135, and thereafter after at least a predetermined time delay.

[0488] Here, a method for the aerosol supply device 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 3, which shows a flowchart representation of this method according to a specific embodiment.

[0489] In step S1.1, the controller 120 controls the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic start mode. In step S1.2, the control interface 130 receives a command to switch from the automatic start mode to the non-automatic start mode, which is received from the user, for example, by one or more input components or communication circuits. In step S1.3, in response to the control interface 130 receiving the command, the controller 120 switches to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic start mode. In step S1.4, the user inserts an object, such as a cleaning tool, into the consumables chamber 115 to clean the cleaning chamber 115. In step S1.5, the user then removes the object from the consumables chamber 115 once cleaning is complete. In step S1.6, one or more consumables removal sensors 136 detect the removal of the object from the consumables chamber 115. In step S1.7, in response to the detection of object removal by one or more consumable removal sensors 136, the controller 120 switches to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic start mode.

[0490] Here, we discuss a method for the controller 120 to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic stop mode.

[0491] The controller 120 may be configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic stop mode in response to the control interface 130 receiving a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode. This command may also be received by one or more input components of the control interface 130, in which case the command includes one or more inputs received by one or more input components of the aerosol supply device 100 using one or more of the methods described above for receiving a command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode. Alternatively or additionally, the command may also be received by a communication circuit of the control interface 130, in which case the command includes inputs (e.g., data) received by the communication circuit (e.g., from one or more further devices) using one or more of the methods described above for receiving a command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode by the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100.

[0492] Switching to non-automatic stop mode may be preferable. This is because, after time has passed and prolonged use, the accumulation of contaminants in the consumable chamber 115 may begin to impair the ability of one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 136 to accurately detect the removal of consumables 150 from the consumable chamber 115. As a result, one or more sensors in the set of consumable removal sensors 136 may provide the controller 120 with incorrect sensor data that meets the removal criteria for those sensors, causing the controller 120 to incorrectly determine that the set of consumable removal sensors 136 has detected the removal of consumables 150 from the consumable chamber 115. This could lead to the controller 120 incorrectly stopping aerosol generation in the aerosol generator even when consumables 150 have not been removed in automatic stop mode.

[0493] We discuss some non-restrictive examples of cases where a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode is received by one or more input components. One or more input components may be configured to receive input (e.g., user input) in the form of a physical operation by the user, and as a result, the command may include one or more inputs received by one or more input components in the form of a physical operation by the user (physical operation of one or more input components).

[0494] One or more input components may include one or more buttons, in which case the command may include one or more presses of one or more buttons by the user. For example, one or more presses of one or more buttons may include presses longer than a threshold duration such as 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 1.5 seconds, or 2 seconds. One or more presses may optionally or additionally include a sequence of presses, for example, multiple presses such as two, three, four, or five presses within a predetermined time such as 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 1.5 seconds, or 2 seconds. The sequence of presses may optionally or additionally include multiple presses such as two, three, four, or five presses, each within a threshold interval such as 0.1 seconds, 0.2 seconds, 0.3 seconds, or 0.4 seconds from each other. By using presses in this way, the required hardware complexity and processing power may be relatively low.

[0495] One or more input components may include a touchscreen, in which case a command may include one or more touches of the touchscreen, for example, by the user (or their finger). One or more touches of the touchscreen may include touches that are longer than a threshold duration, such as 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 1.5 seconds, or 2 seconds. One or more touches may alternatively or additionally include a sequence of presses, for example, multiple touches such as two, three, four, or five touches within a predetermined time, such as 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 1.5 seconds, or 2 seconds. The sequence of touches may alternatively or additionally include multiple touches, such as two, three, four, or five touches, each within a threshold interval of 0.1 seconds, 0.2 seconds, 0.3 seconds, or 0.4 seconds from each other. One or more touches may include a gesture such as a swipe, in which case the point of contact between the user (e.g., the user's finger) and the touchscreen moves across the touchscreen. The swipe may be a horizontal swipe, i.e., a swipe substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol supply device 100, or a vertical swipe, i.e., a swipe substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the aerosol supply device 100. By using a command that involves one or more touches of the touchscreen, the touchscreen may provide the user with a visual output in response to the command being received, including, for example, an indication of switching from an automatic start mode to a non-automatic start mode, so that the user can easily confirm that the desired switch has been successful.

[0496] One or more input components may include input components that are convertible between a first configuration and a second configuration, in which case the instruction may include one or more (at least partial) conversions of the input components between the first configuration and the second configuration, for example, converting the input component to a specific configuration (e.g., the first configuration or the second configuration) and then converting the input component to a subsequent configuration (e.g., the second configuration or the first configuration). For example, the input component may be a switch, which is convertible between a first configuration, which is a first longitudinal position, and a second configuration, which is a second longitudinal position, in which case the instruction may include one or more (at least partial) movements of the switch between the first and second longitudinal positions. Furthermore, the input component may be a dial, which is convertible between a first configuration, which is a first rotational position, and a second configuration, which is a second rotational position, in which case the instruction may include one or more (at least partial) rotations of the dial between the first and second rotational positions.

[0497] The aerosol supply device 100 may include a cover as described above (e.g., a sliding cover, a swinging cover, or an iris cover), the cover being convertible (by manual operation by the user) between a first configuration being closed and a second configuration being open, in which case the command may include one or more (at least partial) conversions of the cover between the closed and open configurations. For example, the command may include conversion of the cover to the closed configuration.

[0498] One or more input components may comprise a first input component (e.g., any of the input components described above) and a second input component (e.g., any of the input components described above), for example, the first and second input components being different (type) input components. In such a case, a command to switch between automatic stop mode and non-automatic stop mode may include a first input (e.g., any of the inputs described above) received by the first input component and a second input (e.g., any of the inputs described above) received by the second input component. The second input may be provided after the first input with a maximum intervention time such as 0.5 seconds, 1 second, 1.5 seconds, or 2 seconds. In an exemplary example, the command may include multiple presses of a button followed by touches on a touchscreen within the maximum intervention time thereafter. Other sequential combinations of the inputs described above are possible. Alternatively, the second input may be provided simultaneously with the first input. In an exemplary example, the command may include a touch on the touchscreen for a duration of one second, and a button press while the touchscreen is being touched. Other simultaneous combinations of the above inputs are possible.

[0499] If one or more input components include a first input component and a second input component, the second input component may include an input component that is convertible between the first and second configurations. The instruction may include inputs (e.g., any of the inputs described above) that are received by the first input component while the second input component is in a particular configuration (e.g., the first or second configuration). For example, the instruction may include inputs that are received by the first input component (e.g., one or more buttons or a touchscreen) while the second input component (e.g., a dial, switch, or cover) is in a particular configuration. The particular configuration may be, for example, an open cover configuration, which may allow the user to open the cover (e.g., by physically causing the cover to be driven into the open configuration) and then provide an instruction by providing an input to the first input component while the cover is in this particular configuration. As a result, the controller 120 switches from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode in response to one or more input components receiving this command, and the user can insert consumables 150 and cause the aerosol generator to start aerosol generation without the possibility of aerosol generation being erroneously stopped in the case of a significant accumulation of contaminants in the consumable chamber 115 (in response to detection of insertion by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135, or by providing a command to the control interface 130 to start aerosol generation). Alternatively, the particular configuration may be either a closed configuration or a dial or switch configuration.

[0500] Commands to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode may, additionally or alternatively, be received by the communication circuit of the control interface 130. In other words, commands to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode may include inputs received by the communication circuit from further devices using, for example, one of the methods described with respect to Figure 2. For example, the command may be received by a wireless communication module of the communication circuit, such as a Bluetooth module, a WiFi module, or an NFC module, any of which is suitable for communicating with a local computing device such as a smartphone or personal computer. Therefore, the local computing device may generate the command and send it to the communication circuit using, for example, a Bluetooth connection, a WiFi connection, or an NFC connection. The local computing device may generate the command, which may be generated by local software or a web application (for example, running on the local computing device) of the local computing device. For example, a user of a local computing device and local software or a web application on the local computing device may use the user interface of the local software or web application to cause the local computing device to generate commands and send those commands to a communication circuit, which in turn allows the (wired or wireless) communication module of the communication circuit to receive the commands.

[0501] In one approach, a remote computing device, such as a server on the cloud, which may be used by a user, may generate an instruction (e.g., an input containing an instruction) and transmit this instruction to a communication circuit, such as a wireless or wired communication module of the communication circuit. This instruction may be transmitted indirectly to the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100, for example, by transmitting the instruction to a local computing device, which then transmits the instruction to the communication circuit. Alternatively, the instruction may be transmitted directly to the communication circuit by a communication node that provides connectivity to the remote computing device and transmits the instruction to a 3G, 4G, or 5G module of the communication circuit using a 3G, 4G, or 5G wireless connection.

[0502] The command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode may include an input received from the external power supply 260 by the communication circuit. For example, as discussed above, the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100 may include a charging interface, which is configured to receive power from the external power supply 260, and is configured to receive an input containing data from the external power supply 260, for example, when the aerosol supply device 100 is received in a recess of the external power supply 260. Therefore, the command may include an input received from the external power supply 260 by the charging interface. Furthermore, the external power supply 260 may be capable of sending the input containing data to any other wired or wireless communication module of the communication circuit, and therefore, the command may include an input received from the external power supply 260 by a wired or wireless communication module of the communication circuit.

[0503] As discussed above, the external power supply 260 may include a control interface comprising one or more input components such as a cover, one or more buttons, or a touchscreen. The external power supply 260 may also be used by a user, who may provide one or more input components of the external power supply 260 with a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode, using one of the methods discussed above with respect to providing a command to one or more input components of the aerosol supply device 100.

[0504] The external power supply 260 may be configured to send a command to the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100 to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode in response to one or more input components of the external power supply 260 receiving this command, and as a result this command includes input received by the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100 (from the external power supply 260). In other words, the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode, which is received by the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100, may also be received by the external power supply 260 (i.e., sent by the external power supply 260 to the aerosol supply device 100) based on the user providing a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode to one or more input components of the external power supply 260.

[0505] As an exemplary example, the external power supply 260 may include a first input component, such as one or more buttons, and a second input component, which is the cover of the external power supply 260. An example has been discussed above in which one or more input components of the aerosol supply device 100 receive a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode, the command including an input received by the first input component while the second input is in a particular configuration. It is therefore assumed that the same technique may be used for the external power supply 260. Thus, a user may provide a first input (e.g., one or more presses of one or more buttons) to the first input component of the external power supply 260 while the cover of the external power supply 260 is in a particular configuration. Based on receiving this command from the user, the external power supply 260 then sends a command to the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100 to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode. Therefore, the instruction includes inputs received from the external power supply 260, based on inputs received by one or more input components of the external power supply 260.

[0506] The command provided by the user to the external power supply 260 to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode (this command causes the external power supply 260 to provide the aerosol supply device 100 with an input that is a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode) may be the same as (i.e., include the same input) the command provided by the user to one or more input components of the aerosol supply device 100 to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode, in order to provide some degree of user-friendliness. Alternatively, for example, if the external power supply 260 has different input components than the aerosol supply device 100, these commands may be different (i.e., include different inputs).

[0507] Other methods are also conceivable, such as the command received by the aerosol supply device 100 to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode, which includes an input received from the external power supply device 260 based on an input received by the communication circuit of the external power supply device 260, and for example, this input is received by the communication circuit of the external power supply device 260 from another further device (e.g., a local computing device such as a smartphone).

[0508] A command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode may, in addition to the above, include inputs received from further devices, i.e., inputs using any of the methods described above, and one or more inputs received by one or more input components of the aerosol supply device 100, i.e., one or more inputs using any of the methods described above. For example, the user may first have the further device provide the aerosol supply device 100 with inputs received by the aerosol supply device 100's communication circuit, and then provide inputs to one or more input components to complete the command. Alternatively, the order may be reversed.

[0509] Regardless of how the control interface 130 receives the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode, the controller 120 may be configured to cause one or more output components to provide an output that indicates the switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode in response to the controller 120 switching from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to non-automatic stop mode. For example, the output may include an audio output provided by a speaker, a tactile output provided by a tactile component, or a visual output provided by one or more lights or displays.

[0510] The controller 120 is also configured to switch from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic stop mode in response to the control interface 130 receiving a command to switch from the non-automatic stop mode to the automatic stop mode. Thus, the user may first provide a command to switch from the automatic stop mode to the non-automatic stop mode (for example, when the user is aware that contaminants in the consumable chamber 115 may interfere with the detection of one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 136), and in response, the controller 120 switches to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic stop mode. The user can then insert the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 and cause the aerosol generator to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material 170, after which the user can remove the consumable 150 and subsequently clean the consumable chamber 115 to remove the contaminants. Next, the user may provide a command to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode, in which case the controller 120 switches to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic stop mode.

[0511] This command to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode may be received by the control interface 130 using one of the methods described for receiving a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode. In other words, a command to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode may include any of the inputs described as being included in a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode. For example, a command to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode may include one or more inputs received by one or more input components of the aerosol supply device 100 (e.g., one or more buttons, switches, dials, touchscreens), and may include a first input received by a first input component and a second input received by a second input component (e.g., sequentially or simultaneously), or may include an input received by the first input component while the second input component is in a particular configuration (e.g., the second component being a cover is in an open configuration). Furthermore, a command to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode may include an input received by the communication circuit of the aerosol supply device 100, for example, an input received by the wired or wireless communication module of the control interface 130. Additionally, the controller 120 may use one or more output components to provide an output indicating the switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode, using one of the outputs described above for indicating the switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode (e.g., an audio output provided by a speaker, a tactile output provided by a tactile component, or a visual output provided by one or more lights or displays). Each of these methods has been described in detail above with respect to a command to switch from automatic start mode to non-automatic start mode and may be equally applicable to a command to switch from non-automatic start mode to automatic start mode.

[0512] The command to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode may be the same as the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode, which may provide convenience for the user to switch between these two modes. Alternatively, the command to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode may be different from the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode, even if the same one or more input components or (wired or wireless) communication modules are used to receive both commands. For example, one or more buttons may receive both commands, however the command to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode may involve a different number of presses than the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode. As a further example, the command to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode may involve converting an input component (such as a cover) to a specific configuration (such as a closed configuration), and then converting the input component to a subsequent configuration (such as an open configuration), while the command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode may, in some cases, be different and may include, for example, an input received by a wired or wireless communication module of a communication circuit. Furthermore, it is conceivable that a command to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode may be received by one or more input components or a different (wired or wireless) communication module than a command to switch from automatic stop mode to non-automatic stop mode.

[0513] Here, a method for the aerosol supply device 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 4, which shows a flowchart representation of this method according to a specific embodiment.

[0514] In step S2.1, the controller 120 controls the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic stop mode. In step S2.2, the control interface 130 receives a command to switch from the automatic stop mode to the non-automatic stop mode, which is received from the user, for example, by one or more input components or communication circuits. In step S2.3, in response to the control interface 130 receiving the command, the controller 120 switches to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic stop mode. In step S2.4, the user may insert the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 and optionally subsequently provide the control interface 130 with a command to start aerosol generation. In step S2.5, the user removes the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115, for example, after a session including multiple suctions. The user may then optionally subsequently clean the consumable chamber 115. In step S2.6, the user then provides a command to the control interface 130 to switch from non-automatic stop mode to automatic stop mode. In step S2.7, in response to receiving this command, the controller 120 switches from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the non-automatic stop mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to the automatic stop mode.

[0515] Here, we discuss methods for detecting the insertion of consumables 150 into the consumables chamber 115 and the removal of consumables 150 from the consumables chamber 115.

[0516] As discussed above, the aerosol supply device 100 comprises a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 and a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 136. These sensors may include mechanical sensors and non-mechanical sensors (e.g., optical sensors and electrical sensors). Each of these sensors may consist only of a consumable insertion sensor 135, only of a consumable removal sensor 136, or both of the consumable insertion sensor 135 and the consumable removal sensor 136.

[0517] The fact that a sensor is both a consumable insertion sensor 135 and a consumable removal sensor 136 may be achieved, for example, by storing both the insertion criteria and the removal criteria for that sensor in the memory 110, and as a result, when the sensor data received from the sensor satisfies the respective insertion criteria for that sensor, the controller 120 decides to detect the insertion of the consumable 150 (i.e., insertion into the consumable chamber 115), and when the sensor data received from the sensor satisfies the respective removal criteria for that sensor, the controller 120 decides to detect the removal of the consumable 150 (i.e., removal from the consumable chamber 115).

[0518] Therefore, the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 may also include a sensor called the "first sensor," which is also included in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136. This first sensor then detects characteristics of the consumable chamber 115 and provides input data, including sensor data relating to those characteristics, to the controller 120. The controller 120 can then determine whether the sensor data from the first sensor satisfies the respective insertion criteria for the first sensor, and whether the sensor data from the first sensor satisfies the respective removal criteria for the first sensor.

[0519] The first sensor may be a mechanical sensor for detection involving mechanical action, and may be configured to both detect the insertion of a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 and the removal of the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115, with mechanical action by the movable part of the mechanical sensor. The movable part may be configured to move as a result of the insertion and removal of the consumable 150 (for example, as a result of physical contact with the consumable 150), thereby being configured to substantially detect mechanical properties relating to the consumable chamber 115. These mechanical properties may be, for example, the distance or angle of motion, the amount of force, or the amount of pressure. The mechanical sensor can detect mechanical properties (or changes in mechanical properties) when the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115, and can detect mechanical properties (or changes in mechanical properties) when the consumable 150 is removed from the consumable chamber 115, and can provide sensor data relating to these mechanical properties (or changes in mechanical properties) to the controller 120.

[0520] By using a first sensor, which is a mechanical sensor, it is possible to support the confirmation of consumable insertion and removal without high processing load and power consumption, using a sensor that is always activated during both insertion and removal.

[0521] The first sensor may be a non-mechanical sensor, such as an optical sensor for detecting the optical properties (e.g., visible light, UV radiation, IR radiation) of the consumable chamber 115. The optical sensor can detect the optical properties (or changes in optical properties) when the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115, and can detect the optical properties (or changes in optical properties) when the consumable 150 is removed from the consumable chamber 115, and can provide sensor data regarding these optical properties (or changes in optical properties) to the controller 120.

[0522] By using a first sensor, which is an optical sensor, insertion and removal may be detected by a sensor that does not need to be particularly close to the consumable chamber 115, and is therefore less susceptible to any heating that occurs in (and emanates from) the consumable chamber 115. When using UV and IR radiation, insertion and removal may be detected without requiring visible light which may interfere with the user.

[0523] The first sensor may be a non-mechanical sensor, such as an electrical sensor for detecting the electrical properties (e.g., resistance, capacitance, inductance) of the consumable chamber 115. The electrical sensor can detect the electrical properties (or changes in electrical properties) when the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115, and can detect the electrical properties (or changes in electrical properties) when the consumable 150 is removed from the consumable chamber 115, and can provide sensor data regarding these electrical properties (or changes in electrical properties) to the controller 120.

[0524] By using the first sensor, which is an electrical sensor, it is possible to detect electrical characteristics that may change in a manner that does not require significant power consumption, and which may change significantly when the consumable 150 is inserted and removed. When capacitance and inductance are used, insertion and removal detection may be performed without requiring contact with the consumable 150.

[0525] Although a single first sensor is described above, configurations providing multiple first sensors are also conceivable, and these multiple first sensors may include any of the first sensors discussed above. These multiple first sensors may include first sensors of the same type or different types.

[0526] Other sensors may be provided in addition to, or as a substitute for, the first sensor. A set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 may not include a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136, and may include sensors of a different type from the first sensor, and may be referred to as a "second sensor." Thus, this second sensor may be used to detect the insertion of a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115, but not to detect the removal of the consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115. This may be achieved by storing the insertion criteria for the second sensor in memory 110, but not the removal criteria for the second sensor in memory 110. Alternatively, memory 110 may store both the insertion and removal criteria for the second sensor, and the controller 120 may be configured to determine whether the sensor data from the second sensor satisfies the respective insertion criteria for the second sensor, but not whether the sensor data from the second sensor satisfies the respective removal criteria for the second sensor.

[0527] The second sensor may be any of the sensor types discussed above with respect to a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135. For example, the second sensor may be a mechanical sensor for detection with mechanical action, and the mechanical sensor is configured to detect the insertion of a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 with mechanical action by a movable part of the mechanical sensor. This movable part may be configured to move as a result of the insertion of the consumable 150 (for example, as a result of physical contact with the consumable 150), and thereby may be configured to substantially detect mechanical properties relating to the consumable chamber 115. These mechanical properties may be, for example, the distance or angle of motion, the amount of force, or the amount of pressure. The mechanical sensor can detect the mechanical properties (or changes in mechanical properties) when the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115 and can provide sensor data relating to these mechanical properties (or changes in mechanical properties) to the controller 120.

[0528] By using a second sensor, which is a mechanical sensor, false detection of removal related to the changing physical properties of the consumable 150 due to the aerosol-generating process can be avoided. For example, exposure to heat and the release of aerosols from the aerosol-generating material 170 may change the stiffness of the consumable 150, which means that the moving parts of the mechanical sensor may move (for example, if the moving parts are biased) and result in changes in mechanical properties such as the amount of pressure detected by the second sensor.

[0529] The second sensor may be a non-mechanical sensor, such as an optical sensor for detecting the optical properties (e.g., visible light, UV radiation, IR radiation) of the consumable chamber 115. The optical sensor can detect the optical properties (or changes in optical properties) when the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115 and can provide sensor data regarding these optical properties (or changes in optical properties) to the controller 120.

[0530] By using a second sensor, which is an optical sensor, the insertion criteria for this sensor can be configured such that only consumables 150 having a specific outer surface (e.g., as a result of the surface material, shape, or pattern formation) result in the detection of insertion of the consumable 150 when the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115. This ensures that, based on the outer surface of the consumable 150, only specific consumables (e.g., genuine or compatible consumables with the aerosol supply device 100) result in the initiation of aerosol generation by the aerosol generator when they are inserted (i.e., when the aerosol supply device 100 is in automatic start mode).

[0531] The second sensor may be a non-mechanical sensor, such as an electrical sensor for detecting the electrical properties (e.g., resistance, capacitance, inductance) of the consumable chamber 115. The electrical sensor can detect the electrical properties (or changes in electrical properties) when the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115, and can provide sensor data regarding these electrical properties (or changes in electrical properties) to the controller 120.

[0532] By using a second sensor, which is an electrical sensor, the insertion criteria for this sensor can be configured so that only consumables 150 having a specific internal structure (for example, due to specific electrical interactions of the material contents of consumable 150 such as the aerosol generating material 170 and the heating element 165) result in the detection of insertion of consumable 150 when the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115. This also ensures that, based on the internal structure of the consumable 150, only specific consumables (for example, genuine or compatible consumables with the aerosol supply device 100) result in the initiation of aerosol generation by the aerosol generator when they are inserted (i.e., when the aerosol supply device 100 is in automatic start mode).

[0533] Although a single second sensor is described above, configurations providing multiple second sensors are also conceivable, and these multiple second sensors may include any of the second sensors discussed above. These multiple second sensors may include second sensors of the same type or different types.

[0534] Other sensors may be provided in addition to the first sensor, or as a substitute for the first sensor (and in addition to the second sensor, or as a substitute for the second sensor). A set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136 may not include a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135, and may include a sensor called a "third sensor," which may be of a different type from the first sensor and a different type from the second sensor. Thus, this third sensor may be used to detect the removal of a consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115, but not to detect the insertion of a consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115. This may be achieved by storing the removal criteria for the third sensor in memory 150, but not the insertion criteria for the third sensor in memory 110. Alternatively, the memory 110 may store both insertion and removal criteria for the third sensor, and the controller 120 may be configured to determine whether the sensor data from the third sensor satisfies the respective removal criteria for the third sensor, but not whether the sensor data from the third sensor satisfies the respective insertion criteria for the third sensor.

[0535] The third sensor may be any of the sensor types discussed above with respect to a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136. For example, the third sensor may be a mechanical sensor for detection with mechanical action, and the mechanical sensor is configured to detect the removal of a consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115 with mechanical action by a movable part of the mechanical sensor. This movable part may be configured to move as a result of the removal of the consumable 150 (for example, as a result of physical contact with the consumable 150), and thereby may be configured to substantially detect mechanical properties relating to the consumable chamber 115. These mechanical properties may be, for example, distance or angle of motion, amount of force, or amount of pressure. The mechanical sensor can detect the mechanical properties (or changes in mechanical properties) when the consumable 150 is removed from the consumable chamber 115 and can provide sensor data relating to these mechanical properties (or changes in mechanical properties) to the controller 120.

[0536] By using a third sensor, which is a mechanical sensor, the removal of the consumable 150 may be detected regardless of whether the material generated as a result of aerosol generation in the consumable chamber 135 interferes with the optical or electrical properties of the chamber.

[0537] The third sensor may be a non-mechanical sensor, such as an optical sensor for detecting the optical properties (e.g., visible light, UV radiation, IR radiation) of the consumable chamber 115. The optical sensor can detect the optical properties (or changes in optical properties) when the consumable 150 is removed from the consumable chamber 115 and can provide sensor data regarding these optical properties (or changes in optical properties) to the controller 120.

[0538] By using a third sensor, which is an optical sensor, the removal of consumables can be determined in a manner that is less affected by the heat generated in the consumable chamber 115 during the aerosol generation process. This is because the optical sensor can be located in the aerosol supply device 100, away from the consumable chamber 115.

[0539] The third sensor may be a non-mechanical sensor, such as an electrical sensor for detecting the electrical characteristics (e.g., resistance, capacitance, inductance) of the consumable chamber 115. The electrical sensor can detect the electrical characteristics (or changes in electrical characteristics) when the consumable 150 is removed from the consumable chamber 115 and can provide sensor data regarding these electrical characteristics (or changes in electrical characteristics) to the controller 120.

[0540] By using a third sensor, which is an electrical sensor, non-contact detection of the removal of consumable 150 may be made possible, which does not rely on visibility within the consumable chamber, as visibility may be affected throughout the aerosol generation process.

[0541] Although a single third sensor is described above, configurations are also conceivable in which multiple third sensors are provided, which may include any of the third sensors discussed above. The multiple third sensors may include third sensors of the same type or different types.

[0542] A configuration is also conceivable in which one or more sets of consumable insertion sensors 135 include the same one or more sensors as one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 136. In such a configuration, each sensor of the one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 is also a sensor of the one or more consumable removal sensors 136, and correspondingly, each sensor of the one or more consumable removal sensors 136 is also a sensor of the one or more consumable insertion sensors 135. As a result, each sensor is both a consumable insertion sensor 135 and a consumable removal sensor 136.

[0543] These one or more sensors (one or more sensors from a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135 and one or more sensors from a set of one or more consumable removal sensors 136) may include any of the first sensors described above. For example, one or more sensors may include any combination of mechanical sensors and non-mechanical sensors such as optical sensors and electrical sensors.

[0544] By using each sensor as both a consumable insertion sensor 135 and a consumable removal sensor 136, the controller 120 can be provided with sensor data from multiple different types of sensors both when the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115 and when the consumable 150 is removed from the consumable chamber 115. Therefore, if incorrect sensor data is received from one of the sensors regarding the insertion or removal of the consumable 150, there can always be sensor data provided by other sensors that can prevent the incorrect start or stop of aerosol generation, as not all sensors will provide sensor data that satisfies their respective insertion or removal criteria for each sensor.

[0545] Here, for example, maintenance operations are required after long-term use of the aerosol supply device 100, so we will discuss methods for performing maintenance operations (e.g., automatically) using the aerosol supply device 100.

[0546] The controller 120 of the aerosol supply device 100 may be configured to perform maintenance operations in response to the occurrence of a predetermined maintenance trigger. This predetermined maintenance trigger may be implemented in various different ways and is intended to ensure that the maintenance operation occurs at a point in time when prolonged use of the aerosol supply device 100 justifies taking specific measures, in order to ensure that the continued operation of the aerosol supply device 100 is sufficiently effective for the user.

[0547] A predetermined maintenance trigger may include a predetermined amount of aerosol supply device 100 used. The controller 120 may track various aspects of the user's use of the aerosol supply device 100 over time and is configured to determine when a particular aspect of the use of the aerosol supply device 100 has reached a predetermined amount, and in response to determining that an aspect of the use of the aerosol supply device 100 has reached a predetermined amount, the controller 120 is configured to perform a maintenance operation in response.

[0548] Specific aspects of use may also relate to user inhalation, and consequently, the predetermined usage is the predetermined usage relating to user inhalation. The aerosol supply device 100 may include a puff sensor configured to detect user inhalation in the aerosol supply system 1, for example, on consumables 150 received by the aerosol supply device 100. The puff sensor is configured to provide input data to the controller 120, including sensor data relating to user inhalation. The quantity of inhalation (e.g., number of times) may be tracked by the controller 100, and the predetermined usage may include a predetermined number of inhalations. Thus, when the quantity of inhalations performed by the user reaches a predetermined number of inhalations, the controller 120 is configured to perform a maintenance operation. The duration of inhalation may also be tracked by the controller 100, and the predetermined usage may include a predetermined cumulative inhalation time. Thus, when the cumulative time of inhalations performed by the user reaches a predetermined cumulative inhalation time, the controller 120 is configured to respond by performing a maintenance operation. Each suction performed by the user may lead to the accumulation of condensates or contaminants in the consumable chamber 120; therefore, this method can provide a reasonable indicator of when maintenance is required.

[0549] Specific aspects of usage may also relate to sessions performed by the user, and consequently, the predetermined usage is the predetermined usage for sessions performed by the user. A session may correspond to a suction sequence, as discussed above. A session may include inserting the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115, generating an aerosol from the consumable 150 by the aerosol generator (e.g., until the aerosol-generating material 170 of the consumable 150 is depleted), and removing the (depleted) consumable 150 from the consumable chamber 115. Furthermore, a session may include (complete) heating of the aerosol-generating material 170 of the consumable 150 according to the consumable heating profile. The controller 120 is configured to track the number of sessions, and the predetermined usage may include a predetermined number of sessions. Thus, when the number of sessions performed by the user reaches a predetermined number of sessions, the controller 120 is configured to respond by performing a maintenance operation. Each usage session may involve the insertion of consumables 150 and heating by the heating assembly 160, which may cause wear on the aerosol supply device 100, and therefore this can also provide a useful indicator of when maintenance is required.

[0550] The specific aspect of use may also be the duration of use of the aerosol supply device 100, for example, the length of time since the first instance of use of the aerosol supply device 100 by the user, and consequently, the predetermined usage is the predetermined length of time since the first instance of use. For example, the first instance of use of the aerosol supply device 100 may be the first instance in which the aerosol generator of the aerosol supply device 100 produces an aerosol. Furthermore, the first instance of use of the aerosol supply device 100 may be the first instance in which the aerosol supply device 100 is powered on. Alternatively, the first instance of use of the aerosol supply device 100 may be the first instance in which the consumable 150 is inserted into the consumable chamber 115 (for example, the first instance in which the insertion of the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115 is detected by a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors 135). The controller 120 is configured to track the length of time since this first instance of use, and when this length of time since this first instance of use reaches a predetermined length of time, the controller 120 is configured to respond and perform a maintenance operation. Various components of the aerosol supply device 100 may deteriorate over time, and some of these deteriorations depend more on the duration of use than on the intensity of user use. Therefore, this method may allow such age-related deterioration to be addressed through maintenance operations.

[0551] A predetermined maintenance trigger may include the performance parameters of the aerosol supply device 100 reaching a predetermined threshold. The controller 120 may track the performance parameters of the aerosol supply device 100, and when the performance parameters of the aerosol supply device 100 reach a predetermined threshold (for each parameter), the controller 120 is configured to respond and perform a maintenance operation. Using this method, a maintenance operation may be triggered even if, for example, a performance parameter affected by accidental damage to the aerosol supply device 100 occurs early in the user's use of the aerosol supply device 100.

[0552] The performance parameters of the aerosol supply device 100 may include heating parameters relating to the performance of the heating assembly 160 of the aerosol supply device 100. The heating parameters may include the power consumption of the heating assembly 160 for heating according to the consumable heating profile, in other words, the total power consumption required for the heating assembly 160 to perform the consumable heating profile. Furthermore, the heating parameters may include the maximum temperature of the heating assembly. Additionally or alternatively, the heating parameters may include the time it takes for the heating assembly to reach a target temperature. The controller 120 can track these heating parameters, and when the heating parameters reach a predetermined threshold, the controller 120 is configured to respond by performing a maintenance operation. Over time and with use, the heating assembly 160 may become less efficient at generating heat as a result of aging, which may mean that more power is consumed, the maximum temperature decreases, or the heating responsiveness decreases. As a result, a maintenance operation may be justified.

[0553] The performance parameters of the aerosol supply device 100 may include power parameters relating to the performance of the power supply 140 of the aerosol supply device 100. The power parameters may include the time it takes for the power supply 140 to reach full charge (e.g., when receiving power from an external power supply 140). Furthermore, the power parameters may include the voltage supplied by the power supply 140 (e.g., to the aerosol generator, or more specifically to the heating assembly 160). Additionally or alternatively, the power parameters may include the capacity of the power supply 140 when fully charged (e.g., energy in milliampere-hours). The controller 120 can track these power parameters, and when the power parameters reach a predetermined threshold, the controller 120 is configured to respond by performing a maintenance operation. After several discharge and recharge cycles, the power supply 140 may degrade in its ability to supply power to other components of the aerosol supply device 100, and if this occurs, a maintenance operation may be performed.

[0554] In one embodiment, the maintenance operation may include the controller 120 switching from controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to an automatic start mode to controlling the operation of the aerosol supply device 100 according to a non-automatic start mode. This can reduce the number of times the controller 120 starts aerosol generation when the user inserts the consumable 150 into the consumable chamber 115, even though the user may not intend to immediately start a session using the consumable 140. This can therefore help avoid additional wear and power consumption associated with inadvertent starts of aerosol generation that are not needed by the user and which the user may intend to stop.

[0555] In another embodiment, the maintenance operation may additionally or alternatively include the controller 120 switching the control of the aerosol supply device 100 from an automatic stop mode to a non-automatic stop mode. As discussed above, in the non-automatic stop mode, one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 136 may be inactive, and thus the power demand associated with one or more sets of consumable removal sensors 136 remaining active while the consumables 150 are being received in the consumable chamber 115 can be avoided.

[0556] In further embodiments, the maintenance operation may additionally or alternatively include causing the controller 120 to heat the heating assembly 160 according to a cleaning heating profile. As discussed above, the cleaning heating profile (as a type of heating profile along one or more consumable heating profiles) refers to a temperature variation over time, and the cleaning heating profile is configured to heat the consumable chamber 115 to at least partially remove contaminants from the consumable chamber 115, which may accumulate with use as a result of condensation forming on the inner surfaces of the lateral side walls and end walls of the consumable chamber 115, and this condensation drying to produce a residue. The cleaning heating profile may also have a maximum heating temperature higher than the maximum temperature of at least one of the consumable heating profiles, and thus may cause the removal of contaminants that are not removed during normal use by a user generating aerosols from the aerosol-generating material 170 of the consumable 150.

[0557] In another embodiment, the maintenance operation may additionally or alternatively include the controller 120 causing the control interface 130 to provide an output including a cleaning notification for the user. For example, the maintenance operation may include the controller 120 causing one or more output components of the aerosol supply device 100 to provide an output including a cleaning notification for the user, for example, an output indicating that the consumable chamber 115 needs to be cleaned. The output including the cleaning notification may be provided by any of the one or more output components described above. For example, the output may include an audio output provided by a speaker, a tactile output provided by a tactile component, or a visual output provided by one or more lights or displays. Correspondingly, the maintenance operation may additionally or alternatively include the controller 120 causing a communication circuit to transmit the output including the cleaning notification to a further device, such as the user's local computing device, using, for example, one of the wired or wireless communication modules discussed above (e.g., a Bluetooth module, a WiFi module, or an NFC module).

[0558] Here, a method for the aerosol supply device 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 5, which shows a flowchart representation of this method according to a specific embodiment.

[0559] In step S3.1, the controller 120 determines when a maintenance trigger occurs. This maintenance trigger may be any of the maintenance triggers discussed above, for example, a predetermined amount of usage of the aerosol supply device 100 (for example, a predetermined amount of usage related to user aspiration, a predetermined amount of usage related to a session performed by the user, or a predetermined amount of time from the first instance of use). The maintenance trigger may also occur when a parameter relating to the performance of the aerosol supply device 100 (for example, a heating parameter or a power parameter) reaches a predetermined threshold. In step S3.2, the controller performs a maintenance operation in response to the occurrence of the maintenance trigger. This maintenance operation may be any of the maintenance operations discussed above, for example, switching from an automatic start mode to a non-automatic start mode, switching from an automatic stop mode to a non-automatic stop mode, heating according to a cleaning heating profile, or providing an output including a cleaning notification for the user.

[0560] 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 to the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or limitations to 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 present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or essentially consist of, other disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. In addition, this disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

[0561] The following numbered clauses provide additional disclosures relating to the concepts described herein.

[0562] 1. An aerosol...

Claims

1. Aerosol supply device, A consumables chamber for receiving consumables containing aerosol-generating materials, A set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, wherein each sensor in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors is configured to detect the insertion of a consumable into the consumable chamber, A set of one or more consumable removal sensors, wherein each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors is configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber, An aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from a consumable aerosol generating material received in the aforementioned consumable chamber, The aerosol supply device comprises a controller configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device, wherein the controller The operation of the aerosol supply device is controlled according to an automatic start mode in which the function of the controller that causes the aerosol generator to start generating aerosols in response to the detection of the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber by each sensor of the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors is enabled, and The aerosol supply device is configured to control the operation of the aerosol supply device according to an automatic stop mode in which the controller's function to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator is enabled in response to the detection of removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber by each sensor of the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors. An aerosol supply device comprising one or more consumable insertion sensors, one or more first sensors which are also included in the one or more consumable removal sensors, and one or more second sensors which are not included in the one or more consumable removal sensors.

2. The aerosol supply device according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the one or more second sensors is of a different type from one or more of the one or more first sensors.

3. The aerosol supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more first sensors include one or more electrical sensors for detecting electrical characteristics.

4. The aerosol supply device according to claim 3, wherein the one or more first sensors include capacitive sensors.

5. The aerosol supply device according to claim 3, wherein the one or more first sensors include inductive sensors.

6. The aerosol supply device according to claim 3, wherein the one or more first sensors include resistive sensors.

7. The aerosol supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more first sensors include one or more optical sensors for detecting optical properties.

8. The aerosol supply device according to claim 7, wherein the one or more first sensors include a visible light sensor.

9. The aerosol supply device according to claim 7, wherein the one or more first sensors include a UV sensor.

10. The aerosol supply device according to claim 7, wherein the one or more first sensors include an IR sensor.

11. The aerosol supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more second sensors include one or more electrical sensors for detecting electrical characteristics.

12. The aerosol supply device according to claim 11, wherein the one or more second sensors include capacitive sensors.

13. The aerosol supply device according to claim 11, wherein the one or more second sensors include inductive sensors.

14. The aerosol supply device according to claim 11, wherein the one or more second sensors include a resistive sensor.

15. The aerosol supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more second sensors include one or more optical sensors for detecting optical properties.

16. The aerosol supply device according to claim 15, wherein the one or more second sensors include a plurality of optical sensors for detecting optical properties.

17. The aerosol supply device according to claim 15, wherein the one or more second sensors include a visible light sensor.

18. The aerosol supply device according to claim 15, wherein the one or more second sensors include a UV sensor.

19. The aerosol supply device according to claim 15, wherein the one or more second sensors include an IR sensor.

20. The aerosol supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the sensor data from each sensor in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors satisfies the respective insertion criteria for the sensor, and if the sensor data from each sensor in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors satisfies the respective insertion criteria, the controller determines that each sensor in the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors has detected the insertion of a consumable into the consumable chamber.

21. The aerosol supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the sensor data from each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors satisfies the respective removal criteria for the sensor, and if the sensor data from each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors satisfies the respective removal criteria, the controller determines that each sensor in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors has detected the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber.

22. The aerosol supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aerosol generator comprises a heating assembly, and the heating assembly is configured to heat the aerosol generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber.

23. The aerosol supply device according to claim 22, wherein the controller is configured to cause the heating assembly to heat according to one of a set of one or more consumable heating profiles, thereby causing the aerosol generator to begin generating an aerosol, each of the one or more consumable heating profiles is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material of the consumable received in the consumable chamber in order to generate an aerosol for suction.

24. The aerosol supply device according to claim 23, wherein the set of one or more consumable heating profiles includes a plurality of consumable heating profiles.

25. A method for an aerosol supply device, the aerosol supply device comprising: a consumable chamber for receiving consumables containing an aerosol generating material; a set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, each of which is configured to detect the insertion of a consumable into the consumable chamber; and a set of one or more consumable removal sensors, each of which is configured to detect the removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber, wherein the method is A step in which the controller controls the operation of the aerosol supply device, the controller An automatic start mode is enabled in which the controller's function is activated to start generating aerosols in the aerosol generator in response to the detection of the insertion of consumables into the consumable chamber by each sensor of the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, An automatic stop mode is enabled in which the controller's function to stop aerosol generation in the aerosol generator is activated in response to the detection of removal of a consumable from the consumable chamber by each sensor of the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors, The operation of the aerosol supply device is controlled according to the following steps, including: A method wherein the set of one or more consumable insertion sensors includes a first sensor which is also included in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors, and a second sensor which is not included in the set of one or more consumable removal sensors.

26. A computer program product that includes instructions, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to perform the method described in claim 25.

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