Method of operating an aerosol generating device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of operating an aerosol generating device, the method comprising: determining a positional orientation of the device during use; monitoring usage of the device; and activating a first mode of operation when the device is determined to be in a first orientation, wherein the first mode provides a first indication to a user when usage of the device reaches a first threshold; and activating a second mode of operation when the device is determined to be in a second orientation, wherein no indication is provided to the user.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of operating an aerosol generating device for an improved user experience, and in particular to an aerosol generating device, such as an electronic cigarette, a heat-not-burn device, etc., that is capable of indicating aerosol intake to a user based on the position of the device. [Background technology]

[0002] Inhalers or aerosol generating devices, such as electronic cigarettes or vaping devices, are becoming increasingly popular. They generally heat or warm an aerosolizable substance to generate an aerosol for inhalation, as opposed to burning tobacco as in traditional tobacco products. The generated aerosol may contain flavors and / or stimulants (e.g., nicotine or other active ingredients). Sometimes users of such inhalers may wish to monitor the amount of flavor or stimulant taken during use.

[0003] Most aerosol generating devices incorporate some form of electronic control circuitry, typically including a simple computer processor, allowing the user to control the operation of the aerosol generating device. However, these devices may have very limited settings and may not provide much flexibility to the user. Even devices that allow the user to customize settings require some effort from the user and may not be intuitive.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a device that can be operated and controlled according to user preferences for aerosol monitoring without requiring a lot of effort. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating an aerosol generating device, the method comprising: determining a positional attitude of the device during use; monitoring usage of the device; activating a first mode of operation when the device is determined to be in a first attitude, wherein in the first mode, a first indication is provided to a user when usage of the device reaches a first threshold; and activating a second mode of operation when the device is determined to be in a second attitude, wherein in the second mode, no indication is provided to the user.

[0006] Advantageously, a user can choose to operate in two different modes by simply flipping the vaping device into different positions. While it is possible to monitor vaping usage in both modes, an indication is provided to the user when a usage threshold is reached when operating in the first mode. In this way, the user can have more control over their vaping habits.

[0007] Preferably, the first indicium is provided only when usage of the device in the first position reaches a first threshold.

[0008] Preferably, in the above method, if the device is determined to be in the second position for less than a preset period of time and is returned to the first position within the preset period of time, the first mode is maintained.

[0009] Preferably, the first mode is maintained if less than a preset number of puffs are used with the device while in the second position before the device is returned to the first position.

[0010] Preferably, in the above method, it is determined at least once during a predetermined period of use whether the device is in the first position, and if so, a second indicium is provided to the user at the end of the predetermined period of use.

[0011] Preferably, a second indication is provided to the user when usage of the device reaches a second threshold during a predetermined period of usage.

[0012] Preferably, in the method, the source of the aerosol is identified and the second threshold is automatically set based on the source of the aerosol.

[0013] Preferably, in the above method, input is received from a user to set the second threshold.

[0014] Preferably, in the above method, a second indication is provided to the user when usage of the device reaches a second threshold after a predetermined period of usage, regardless of the active mode of operation.

[0015] Preferably, in the above method, puffs are counted to determine usage of the device, and each puff is associated with a timestamp to allow analysis of usage over time.

[0016] Preferably, the method further includes receiving input from a user setting the number of puffs during a session as a first threshold for the first mode, and resetting the puff count to zero if the setting is changed by the user during the session.

[0017] Preferably, in the above method, the difference between the first and second positions is 180 degrees along a longitudinal axis of the device.

[0018] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a control circuit for use in an aerosol generating device, the control circuit being configured to operate the method described above.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aerosol generating device comprising: a body having an inlet and an outlet, with an air channel defined between the inlet and the outlet; an attitude sensor configured to detect a positional attitude of the device during use; and a controller configured to monitor usage of the device and activate a first mode of operation when the device is detected in a first attitude, in which in the first mode an indication is provided to a user when usage of the device reaches a first threshold, and activate a second mode of operation when the device is detected in a second attitude, in which in the second mode no indication is provided to the user.

[0020] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of the method set forth above.

[0021] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 shows an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of various components of the device of FIG. 1; [Diagram 3] 2 shows a flow diagram of a method of operating the apparatus of FIG. 1; [Figure 4] 2 shows a graph illustrating the control operation of the device of FIG. 1; [Diagram 5] 2 shows a graph illustrating the control operation of the device of FIG. 1; [Figure 6] 2 shows a user's vaping profile displayed on a personal computing device linked to the aerosol generating device of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Next, various aspects of the present invention will be described. Note that in the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are indicated by the same or similar reference numerals. Note that the drawings are schematic drawings, and the size ratios of each part are different from the actual ones. Therefore, the specific size and the like should be judged in consideration of the following description.

[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates a non-combustion aerosol generating device 100, which is a device for inhaling aerosol by heating or vaporizing without combustion. The device 100 has a rod shape with a body 101 extending from a non-mouthpiece end 102 to a mouthpiece end 103. An air channel or pathway is defined within the body 100 between the opposing ends 102, 103. The aerosol generating device 100 in this embodiment is an electronic cigarette or vaping device, hereinafter referred to as e-cig 100. The e-cig 100 functions by vaporizing or heating an aerosol source inserted within the e-cig 100 to release flavors and / or stimulants for inhalation by a user through the mouthpiece end 103. The construction and operation of such devices for generating aerosols are well known in the art, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention disclosed herein may be applicable to aerosol generating devices of any shape, constructed by any aerosol generating technique, including but not limited to the embodiments.

[0025] The e-cig 100 may include an activation switch 104 that may be configured to at least one of power the e-cig 100 on and off. The activation switch 104 may be a push button or a touch button located at any convenient location on the surface of the body 101 of the e-cig 100. Alternatively, the e-cig 100 does not rely on a switch button to activate power to the heater, but relies on a puff sensor to detect airflow and trigger the device to begin generating aerosol.

[0026] 2 is a block diagram illustrating various components or modules of the e-cig 100. In one embodiment, the e-cig 100 includes a consumable module 201a and a heating element 202 that vaporizes a consumable 201b received by the consumable module 201a to release an aerosol containing flavors and / or stimulants for inhalation by a user. In this embodiment, the consumable 201b is a substance containing nicotine. The presence of the consumable 201b in the consumable module 201a can be detected by a detector 201c. The consumable 201b may be in solid or liquid form and is heated by the heating element 202 to release an aerosol without combustion. More than one consumable may be received in the consumable module 201a if the consumable 201b is a liquid reservoir. The heating element 202 may be powered by a power source 203.

[0027] The power source 203 is, for example, a lithium ion battery. The power source 203 provides the power necessary for the operation of the e-cig 100. For example, the power source 203 provides power to all other components or modules included in the e-cig 100.

[0028] For the purposes of this description, the terms vapor and aerosol should be understood to be interchangeable. In some embodiments, the heating element is located within the aerosol-generating material, such as a capsule or cigarette, and is not a component of the aerosol-generating device itself, but can be connected to the aerosol-generating device.

[0029] In one embodiment, flavorings are present in the consumable 201b. The flavorings may include ethyl vanillin (vanilla), menthol, isoamyl acetate (banana oil), or the like. In another embodiment, the consumable 201b may include an additional flavor source (not shown) located beyond the consumable module 201a toward the mouthpiece end 103 to generate flavors that are inhaled by the user along with the aerosol generated from the consumable 201b. In yet another embodiment, the e-cig 100 includes more than one consumable, each containing a flavoring and / or a level of active ingredient (nicotine). In this case, each consumable may be heated independently to generate aerosol.

[0030] The e-cig 100 also includes a controller 204 configured to control various components within the e-cig. For example, the controller 204 may control a timing unit 205 (including a timer), a communication unit 206, a memory 207, a posture sensor 208, and a puff sensor 209 included in the e-cig 100. The timing unit 205 is configured to provide time information (e.g., time of day) and generate timestamps for puff data or event data that aid in analyzing a user's vaping preferences. The timing unit 205 is further configured to monitor the timing of each puff and the pauses between them and provide this information to the controller 204 to monitor and potentially limit the user's usage of the e-cig 100. For example, the timing unit 205 may determine when to indicate to the user that a puff threshold has been reached. It is noted that the functionality of the timing unit 205 may be integrated into the controller 204.

[0031] The communication unit 206 is configured to manage communications with any personal computing device, server, tracking device, or other e-cigs in the vicinity of the e-cig 100. The memory 207 is configured to store information such as vaping usage history and user settings and preferences.

[0032] The e-cig 100 may also include various sensors, such as an attitude sensor 208 and a puff sensor 209. The attitude sensor 208, such as a gyroscope, is configured to determine the positional attitude of the e-cig 100, for example, whether the e-cig 100 is held face up or face down during use. When the e-cig 100 is used face up (such that the activation button 104 and / or LEDs and / or logo face up), a first mode of operation is activated that provides an indication to the user that a puff threshold has been reached. This mode is also referred to as a session mode.

[0033] When the e-cig is used front-down (such that the activation button 104 and / or LEDs face down), a second mode of operation is activated in which no indication is provided to the user that the puff threshold has been reached. This mode is also referred to as free mode. In other words, the e-cig 100 is rotated or turned 180 degrees along its longitudinal axis to switch between session mode and free mode. In session mode, with the LEDs facing up, the user is shown the puff threshold with the LEDs easily visible to the user. In free mode, with the LEDs facing down, the user is not shown the puff threshold.

[0034] It should be noted that the e-cig 100 being face up or face down may also be defined with reference to any visual pattern, such as a logo or surface design, that acts as a reference for the user. An activation button and LED may not be necessary to provide such a reference. In any case, sensors on the device may not rely on these physical or visual elements.

[0035] The puff sensor 209 is configured to determine the number of puffs to inhale the aerosol. The puff sensor 209 may determine the time it takes for one puff to inhale the aerosol. The usage data recorded may include puff duration (i.e., the length of a puff), puff interval (i.e., the time between successive puffs), and fluid and / or nicotine consumption.

[0036] The e-cig 100 may also include a consumable recognition sensor (not shown) configured to identify the consumable 201b inserted into the e-cig 100. The recognition sensor may be included in the consumable module 201a or the detector 201c. The recognition sensor may use NFC, RFID, or any other known technology for recognizing the strength of the stimulant included in the consumable 201b from an NFC / RFID tag located on the consumable 201b.

[0037] The e-cig 100 may also include an input / output (I / O) or user interface 210 configured to provide indications to a user and accept input from the user. The I / O interface 210 preferably includes an indication device and an input device. The indication device may include a visible light emitter including one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), a screen display, or an acoustic emitter, or other suitable means of providing an indication to a user. A visible light emitter such as an LED may be located at the tip of the non-mouthpiece end 102 or on the side of the e-cig 100. Such an LED may indicate various lighting modes to provide to the user, within the scope of a puff state where aerosol is being inhaled, a non-puff state where aerosol is not being inhaled, a pre-heat state where the heater is heating, a ready to vape state where the heater is operating at a target temperature to generate aerosol, a depletion state where an LED bar indicates the depletion level of the aerosol source, and any other informational indication regarding the operational status of the e-cig. The input device may be one or more user operable buttons or a sensitive touch panel that responds to pressing, toggling, or touching.

[0038] All of the above mentioned elements send and / or receive commands and / or data via a communication bus 211 .

[0039] In one embodiment, the e-cig 100 is also configured to communicate with a personal computing device (not shown) owned by the user. The personal computing device may be a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. For simplicity, the personal computing device is hereinafter referred to as a smartphone. The e-cig 100 is preferably configured to wirelessly communicatively connect or pair with the smartphone using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other wireless communication standards. The smartphone preferably runs a mobile application (commonly referred to as an app) that allows the user to interact with the e-cig 100 through a user-friendly interface. The app may be hosted by the manufacturer of the e-cig 100 and may be compatible with different mobile platforms such as iOS™ and Android™.

[0040] 3 shows a flow diagram for a process 300 of operating the e-cig 100. Note that the steps in the process 300 do not necessarily have to be performed in the same order. Also, not all steps are shown, and some of the steps may be optional or omitted.

[0041] In step 301, the positional attitude of the device is determined when in use. In this example, when a user begins to use the e-cig 100, the attitude sensor 208 of the e-cig 100 determines whether the e-cig 100 is held in an upright position or a downright position. Optionally, the attitude sensor 208 may be activated when the user presses the activation switch 104. Additionally, there may be a motion sensor that detects movement of the e-cig 100 in addition to the activation of the activation switch 104. Signals from the attitude sensor 208, activation switch 104, and motion sensor may all be processed by the controller 204 to determine whether one of two modes of operation should be activated.

[0042] In step 302, the usage of the device is monitored. In this embodiment, once it is determined that the device is in use, regardless of the position, the controller 204 begins monitoring the usage of the e-cig 100 using the puff sensor 209 and the timing unit 205. The puff sensor 209 detects each puff inhaled by the user, and the timing unit 205 monitors the start and end of each puff as well as time stamping each puff. In session mode, the timing unit 205 starts and stops a timer between two consecutive puffs and monitors pauses in a puff session. This will be explained in more detail later with reference to Figures 4 and 5. In any case, in both session mode and free mode, the number of puffs inhaled by the user are counted and recorded to analyze the user's vaping pattern over time.

[0043] In step 303, it is determined whether the device is in a first position. In this embodiment, if the controller 204 determines from the signal received from the position session 208 that the e-cig 100 is being held facing up, the process moves to step 304, otherwise, it moves to step 307.

[0044] In step 304, a first mode of operation is activated. In this embodiment, upon determining that the e-cig 100 is held in an upright position, the controller 204 activates a session mode of operation. In the session mode, the timing unit 205 actively monitors the timing and counting of each puff and communicates with the controller 204 to take necessary action as required. In one embodiment, the user may set the number of puffs in a session in the session mode based on user preferences. For example, no puffs, 5 puffs, 10 puffs, 15 puffs, or 20 puffs in a session, and the user is notified when the set number of puffs in a session is reached. When "no puffs" is selected, no minimum number of puffs for the session is set. Additionally, the number of puffs and the amount of vape are reset to 0 when the user is in the middle of a session and new parameters or criteria are set.

[0045] In step 305, it is determined whether the usage has reached a first threshold. In this embodiment, in session mode, a timing unit continuously monitors the number of puffs taken by the user and compares the count with a predefined threshold (also referred to as the puff threshold). If the count reaches the puff threshold, the timing unit 205 informs the controller 204 and the process moves to step 306, otherwise the process returns to step 302 where the controller 204 continues to monitor the usage of the e-cig 100.

[0046] In step 306, an indication is provided to the user. In this embodiment, upon determining that the puff count has reached the puff threshold, the controller 204 activates one or more indicators on the I / O interface 210. For example, after reaching the 15th puff (e.g., 1 second after the end of inhalation), the upward facing LED on the I / O interface 210 emits a soft light and the e-cig 100 vibrates (e.g., two short vibrations) to provide both a visual and tactile indication to the user, reminding the user that continuous vaping continues. In addition, the user may also receive a notification on an application provided on a linked smartphone. If the user continues to vape after this, further indications may be provided to the user after reaching further thresholds or Nth puffs, i.e., the 30th puff, the 45th puff, etc.

[0047] On the other hand, in step 307, a second mode of operation is activated. In this embodiment, if the controller 204 determines that the e-cig 100 is being used while facing down, the controller 204 activates the free mode. In the free mode, the controller 204 continues to monitor the count and the change in the positional attitude of the e-cig 100, but does not control activation. Thus, as shown by step 308, no indication is provided to the user while operating in the free mode. However, if the session mode is activated even once during a predefined period (e.g., during a day), the e-cig 100 will enter the safety mode and provide an indication to the user if a safety threshold is reached within the predefined period, regardless of the currently active mode of operation. For example, if the user is currently vaping in the free mode and has reached 50 puffs for the day, and has vaped at least once in an active session mode during the day, the controller 204 will provide an indication to the user through the I / O interface 210 that the 50th puff has been reached.

[0048] In one embodiment, the safety threshold may be based on the concentration of the consumable 201b identified by the recognition sensor. For example, if the nicotine concentration of the consumable 201b is 12 mg / ml, the safety threshold may be automatically set to 50 puffs per day, and if the concentration is 18 mg / ml, the safety threshold is set to 40 puffs per day. In another embodiment, the safety threshold may be set based on user input.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a graph 400 illustrating the associated responses of the timing unit 205 and the puff sensor 209 in the e-cig 100. The response of the timing unit 205 is plotted on the X-axis and the response of the puff sensor 209 is plotted on the Y-axis. The puff sensor 209 detects the first puff 400-1 made by the user. As soon as the first puff 400-1 ends, i.e., at the trailing edge of the puff wave, the timing unit 205 starts a timer. The timing unit 205 continues to monitor the time and the timer is on until the next puff is detected. As soon as the next puff is detected, i.e., at the leading edge of the next puff wave, the timer is turned off. The timer is turned on again at the trailing edge of this puff wave.

[0050] In session mode, the controller 204 uses this information from the timing unit 205 to monitor the pause made by the user between puffs. If the pause period made between two consecutive puffs, determined by the timer being turned on and off, is within a preset period, the controller 204 continues to count consecutive puffs in the same session. When the number of puffs in the session reaches the puff threshold, the controller 204 triggers the I / O interface 210 to provide an indication to the user. On the other hand, when the pause period exceeds a preset period, for example, 7 minutes, the controller 204 restarts the counting of puffs in a new session. As shown in FIG. 4, after the third puff 400-3, the user makes a long pause and then makes the next puff 400-4. If this long pause is less than 7 minutes, the timing unit 205 counts it as the fourth puff in the same session. However, if the long pause is longer than seven minutes, the timing unit 205 resets the counter and counts, and puff 400-4 becomes the first puff in the new session. In this manner, unnecessary indications are not provided to the user when they are taking long pauses in between and therefore are not engaged in continuous vaping for one sustained period of time.

[0051] 5 shows a graph 500 illustrating the puff count correction method employed by the controller 204. The parameters of the graph 500 are the same as those of the graph 400. In this example, the controller 204 monitors for situations where the user mistakenly holds the e-cig 100 in a downward position (and thus operates in a free mode) when the user actually intended to continue holding the e-cig 100 in an upward position (and thus operate in a session mode). The controller 204 determines that the e-cig 100 was mistakenly held in a downward position if the user returns it to an upward position within a correction threshold. The controller 204 therefore continues to count puffs in a session mode and triggers an indicator when the puff count exceeds the puff threshold.

[0052] In a first scenario, consider a user holds the e-cig 100 in an upright position (activating the first / session mode) and takes 10 puffs in a session leading up to the tenth puff 500-10 shown in FIG. 5. Then, followed by a two minute rest period, the user mistakenly places the e-cig 100 down (activating the second / free mode) and takes the next two puffs. The user quickly realizes the mistake and returns the e-cig 100 to an upright position (within a correction threshold, e.g., 3 puffs) and takes three more puffs. In this scenario, the controller 204 determines that the two puffs taken in the downright position were accidental and therefore counts these two puffs in the session mode and the total number of puffs so taken is 15 (the puff threshold), and therefore provides an indication to the user after the fifteenth puff 500-15.

[0053] In the second scenario, other things being identical to the first scenario, the user takes five puffs with the e-cig 100 facing down (free mode) before turning the e-cig 100 back up. In this scenario, once the number of puffs exceeds the correction threshold, the controller 204 does not count these five puffs in the session mode. Thus, no indication is provided to the user even though the total number of puffs taken by the user is 15.

[0054] FIG. 6 shows a graphical representation of a user's vaping profile. In this embodiment, an app provided on a smartphone linked to the e-cig 100 generates the user's vaping profile 600. As can be seen, the vaping profile 600 shows the total number of puffs made by the user in the current puff session, and the total amount of vapor or aerosol inhaled by the user that day. In addition, there is information related to the vaping time and total number of sessions for that day, with an hourly breakdown shown by a line graph. The profile 600 may also show the remaining battery level of the e-cig 100, and may also show the number of remaining sessions or vaping time remaining with the current battery usage. It should be noted that the user's vaping history is monitored regardless of the operating mode. Thus, in both session and free modes, the user may be able to view the entire vaping profile on the app.

[0055] It should be understood that the above described devices and methods may be modified according to design choices and manufacturer preferences. For example, the operating mode may be changed based on other positional orientations of the device. Furthermore, timing controls and puff counting sequences may be altered. Additionally, various thresholds and pre-set values ​​may be hard-coded or configurable by the user.

[0056] The controller 204 may also adjust the aerosol delivery to increase or decrease the substance in the aerosol and / or add flavor to the aerosol depending on the user's preferences. The amount of substance in the aerosol can be modified (increased or decreased) in many ways. In one embodiment, the amount of aerosol emitted from the consumable 201b may be changed, thereby affecting the amount of substance inhaled by the user. In another embodiment, a multi-tank vaping device may be used that includes two or more liquid reservoirs, each containing a liquid with a different concentration of substance. By switching the supply to the reservoirs containing the different concentrations of liquid, it is possible to adjust the amount of substance intake while maintaining the same aerosol amount. In yet another embodiment, the substance delivery may be modified by controlling the heating operation in heated non-combustion and vapor-based devices (e.g., by controlling the energy supplied to the heater) or by controlling the pressurized liquid source in vapor-based devices.

[0057] The process steps described herein executed by the main control unit, i.e., the controller, may be stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium, or storage, associated with the main control unit. Computer readable media may include non-volatile media and volatile media. Volatile media may include, among others, semiconductor memory and dynamic memory. Non-volatile media may include, among others, optical disks and magnetic disks.

[0058] The foregoing description of illustrative embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the disclosed embodiments.

[0059] As used herein, the term "non-transitory computer-readable medium" is intended to represent any tangible computer-based device implemented in any method or technology for short-term and long-term storage of information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules and sub-modules, or other data in any device. Thus, the methods described herein may be encoded as executable instructions embodied in a tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium, including, but not limited to, storage devices and / or memory devices. Such instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform at least a portion of the methods described herein. Moreover, as used herein, the term "non-transitory computer-readable medium" includes all tangible computer-readable media, including, but not limited to, non-transitory computer storage devices, firmware, physical and virtual storage, removable and non-removable media, such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, including, but not limited to, volatile and non-volatile media, as well as any other digital source, such as a network or the Internet, as well as digital means yet to be developed, with the sole exception of being a transitory propagating signal.

[0060] As will be appreciated based on the foregoing specification, the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using computer programming or engineering techniques, including computer software, firmware, hardware, or any combination or subset thereof. Any such resulting program having computer readable code means may be embodied or provided in one or more computer readable mediums, thereby creating a computer program product, i.e., an article of manufacture, according to the contemplated embodiments of the present disclosure. An article of manufacture including computer code may be created and / or used by executing the code directly from one medium, by copying the code from one medium to another, or by transmitting the code over a network.

Claims

1. 1. A method of operating an aerosol generating device, comprising: determining a positional orientation of the device in use; monitoring usage of the device; and activating a first mode of operation when the device is determined to be in a first position, wherein in the first mode, providing a first indication to a user when the usage of the device reaches a first threshold; activating a second mode of operation when the device is determined to be in a second orientation, wherein in the second mode, no indication is provided to the user; and A method comprising:

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first indicia is provided only if the usage of the device in the first position reaches the first threshold.

3. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: maintaining the first mode if the device is determined to be in the second position for less than a preset period of time and is returned to the first position within the preset period of time.

4. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the first mode if the usage of the device when in the second position is less than a preset number of puffs before the device is returned to the first position.

5. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising determining whether the device is in the first position at least once during a predetermined period of use, and if so, providing a second indication to the user at the end of the predetermined period of use.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second indication is provided to the user when the usage of the device during the predetermined period of usage reaches a second threshold.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising identifying an aerosol source and automatically setting the second threshold based on the aerosol source.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising receiving input from the user to set the second threshold.

9. 9. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing the second indication to the user when the usage of the device reaches the second threshold after the predetermined period of usage, regardless of the active operational mode.

10. 10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising counting a number of puffs to determine the usage of the device, each puff being associated with a timestamp for analysing the usage over time.

11. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving input from the user setting a number of puffs during a session as the first threshold for the first mode, and resetting the puff count to zero if the setting is changed by the user during the session.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the difference between the first and second orientations is 180 degrees along a longitudinal axis of the device.

13. A control circuit for use in an aerosol generating device, said control circuit being configured to operate a method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. An aerosol generating device, comprising: a body having an inlet and an outlet, the body defining an air channel between the inlet and the outlet; an orientation sensor configured to detect a positional orientation of the device in use; A controller, monitoring the usage of said device; activating a first mode of operation when the device is detected in a first position, wherein in the first mode, an indication is provided to a user when the usage of the device reaches a first threshold; and activating a second mode of operation when the device is detected in a second orientation, wherein in the second mode, no indicators are provided to the user; A controller configured to: An aerosol generating device comprising:

15. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of the method of claims 1-12.

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