Power Control

Abstract

A non-combustion aerosol delivery system is provided that includes an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol, a power source for providing power to the aerosol generator, and a transmitter / receiver element configured to communicatively couple the non-combustion aerosol delivery system to a user device. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system is operable in a standard mode and a power saving mode. When the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is in the power saving mode, the power source is configured to provide less power to one or more power consuming components of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system than when the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is in the standard mode. The transmitter / receiver element is configured to receive an instruction from the user device, the instruction configured to cause the non-combustion aerosol delivery system to enter a low power mode.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (Field and Background)

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of power control, particularly but not exclusively to power control in aerosol delivery systems.

[0002]

[0002] A "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is an aerosol delivery system in which the aerosol-generating constituent material (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system is not or is not combusted to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0003]

[0003] The non-combustible aerosol delivery system may be an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or an electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

[0004]

[0004] The non-combustion aerosol delivery system may be an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system, an example of which is a tobacco heating system.

[0005]

[0005] The non-combustion aerosol delivery system may be a hybrid system for generating 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 solid, liquid, or gel form and may or may not contain nicotine. The hybrid system may comprise 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.

[0006] Typically, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include a non-combustion aerosol delivery device and a consumable for use with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

[0007]

[0007] A non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as a non-combustion aerosol delivery device of a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, an electrical power source or a heat generating power source. The heat generating power source includes a carbon substrate that is energized to deliver power in the form of heat to an aerosol generating material or a heat transfer material in proximity to the heat generating power source.

[0008] The non-combustible aerosol delivery system may include an area for receiving a consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0009]

[0009] Consumables for use with non-combustible aerosol delivery devices may include an aerosol generating material, an aerosol generating material storage region, an aerosol generating material transport component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating region, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0010]

[0010] Known techniques are described in International Publication No. WO 2015 / 155612 (A2), International Publication No. WO 2020 / 260885 (A1), International Publication No. WO 2012 / 109371 (A2), U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 049151 (A1), and International Publication No. WO 2014 / 163664 (A1). Summary of the Invention

[0011] (overview)

[0011] According to a first aspect, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system can be provided, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol, a power source for providing power to the aerosol generator, and a transmitter / receiver element configured to communicatively couple the non-combustion aerosol delivery system to a user device, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system being operable in a standard mode and a power saving mode, the power source being configured to provide less power to one or more power consuming components of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system when the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is in the power saving mode than when the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is in the standard mode, and the transmitter / receiver element being configured to receive an instruction from the user device, the instruction being configured to cause the non-combustion aerosol delivery system to enter a low power mode. Thus, the present approach can provide a non-combustion aerosol delivery system that is controlled to a low power operating mode upon receiving an instruction from the user device.

[0012] According to another aspect, a user device configured to be communicatively coupled to a non-combustible aerosol delivery system can be provided, the user device comprising an output device configured to provide user interface information to a user, an input device configured to receive input from a user that activates a power saving mode of the communicatively coupled non-combustible aerosol delivery system, and a receiver-transmitter element configured to transmit instructions to the communicatively coupled non-combustible aerosol delivery system to adopt a power saving mode, the instructions causing a power source of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to provide less power to one or more power consuming components of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system than when the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is in a standard mode. Thus, the present approach can provide a user device that is used to control the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to a low power operating mode.

[0013]

[0013] According to a further aspect, a system can be provided that includes a non-combustible aerosol delivery system and a user device communicatively coupled to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system being operable in a standard mode and a power saving mode, the power source being configured to provide less power to one or more power consuming components of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system when the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is in the power saving mode than when the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is in the standard mode, and the user device being configured to transmit an instruction to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to adopt the power saving mode. Thus, the present approach can provide a user device that interacts with the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to control the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to a low power operating mode upon receiving an instruction from the user device.

[0014]

[0014] According to another aspect, a computer-readable medium can be provided that, when executed by a processing circuit of a computing device configured to be communicatively coupled to a non-combustible aerosol delivery system, causes the computing device to receive input from a user to activate a power saving mode of the communicatively coupled non-combustible aerosol delivery system, and to transmit instructions to the communicatively coupled non-combustible aerosol delivery system to employ the power saving mode, the instructions causing a power source of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to supply less power to one or more power consuming components of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system than when the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is in a standard mode. Thus, the present approach can provide a user device that is programmed to control the non-combustible aerosol delivery system into a low power operating mode. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015]

[0015] Embodiments and examples of the present technique will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1]

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example non-combustion aerosol delivery system. [Diagram 2]

[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example user device. [Diagram 3]

[0018] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for selecting a low power mode setting for a non-combustible aerosol delivery system. [Figure 4]

[0019] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a user interface for selecting a low power mode setting for a non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

[0016]

[0020] While the techniques described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments are shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the scope is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] [Detailed Description]

[0021] Non-combustion aerosol delivery systems typically include a heater to provide thermal energy to the aerosol-forming material, resulting in the release of one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-forming material to form an aerosol.

[0018]

[0022] By varying the power provided to the heater of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system, the characteristics of the aerosol generated by the non-combustion aerosol delivery system can be controlled. For example, for a given aerosol generation actuation, by providing more power to the heater, a larger volume of aerosol can be generated by the non-combustion aerosol delivery system than if less power is provided. The volume of aerosol generated by operating the aerosol generation is sometimes referred to as a cloud, and thus it may be said that the heater power can be varied to vary the size of the cloud.

[0019]

[0023] The techniques described herein provide a way for a user to have a non-combustion aerosol delivery system employ a low power mode. In the low power mode, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system can be caused to generate aerosol with low heater power and / or short generation time. Other functions of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system can also or alternatively be caused to employ low power consumption operation. Thus, a user can take proactive action to prolong the life of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system's power source and / or reservoir of aerosolizable material.

[0020]

[0024] By providing a mechanism for controlling the setting of the power level of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system in this manner, the present technique provides a high level of control over the conservation of non-renewable resources of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system. This may be useful, for example, to compensate for a perceived or potential shortage of such non-renewable resources between the operation of a low power mode and the time at which those resources can be replenished. For example, the rate at which the power supply (e.g., battery) and supply of aerosolizable material of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is depleted may be related to the power supplied to the heater, so control of the heater power setting may also be used to affect (e.g., slow down) the rate at which the battery / material supply is depleted.

[0021]

[0025] It will be appreciated that the approach includes transmitting data to and from the non-combustion aerosol delivery system, as well as processing stored and / or received data for the non-combustion aerosol delivery system. The approach also requires that a user device be able to communicate with the non-combustion aerosol delivery system. Such a user device may be capable of communicating with other services or systems. Accordingly, to illustrate suitable devices for providing such functionality, an exemplary non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 and an exemplary user device 40 are shown with reference to Figures 1 and 2, respectively.

[0022]

[0026] An example of a non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1. As shown, the aerosol delivery device 10 is a device that includes elements associated with aerosol generation, such as an aerosol medium container or cartridge 12 (in the case of an END device, the aerosol medium container or cartridge 12 contains nicotine or a nicotine-containing formulation), an aerosol generation chamber 14, and an outlet 16 through which the generated aerosol can be released. A battery 18 may be provided to power a heat generator element (such as a heater 20, which may take the form of a heater coil) within (or functionally adjacent to) the aerosol generation chamber 14. The battery 18 may also provide power to a processor / controller 22, which may serve for use of the device, such as activating the device to generate aerosol in response to an activation trigger, as well as for communication and functional control. The processor / controller 22 may have access to a memory 24, which may be used to store operating instructions for the processor / controller 22. Memory 24 may also be used to store data indicative of operating conditions and / or states of non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 and / or one or more components thereof. Memory 24 may be internal to processor / controller 22 or may be provided as an additional, separate physical element.

[0023]

[0027] To perform data and / or messaging transmission and reception, the processor / controller 22 includes a transmitter / receiver element 26. The transmitter / receiver element 26 enables the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 to communicate with connected devices using connection technologies such as personal area network protocols. Exemplary personal area network protocols include Bluetooth™, Bluetooth Low Energy™ (BLE), Zigbee™, wireless USB, and Near-Field Communication (NFC). Exemplary personal area network protocols also include protocols utilizing optical communication and data-over-sound, such as Infrared Data Association (IrDA). Other wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi™ technology, can be used if the non-combustible aerosol delivery system has suitable capabilities. In other examples, the transmitter / receiver element 26 may be configured to provide a wired communication channel between a physical port of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 and a connected device. Such a wired communication channel may utilize a physical connection technology such as USB™, serial port, FireWire™, or other point-to-point wired connectivity. The remainder of this discussion will use BLE examples and BLE terminology, but it will be recognized that corresponding or equivalent functionality of other personal area network technologies may be substituted. Thus, in this example, transmitter / receiver element 26 is a BLE interface element that includes or is connected to a wireless antenna for wireless communication. In other examples, such as those shown above, it may be an interface element for an alternative wireless technology and / or wired connection interface.

[0024]

[0028] Any communication established with a connected device may not be permanent or may be temporary, in the sense that the channel may be established for the time required to perform a particular function, but may be disconnected when not needed. For this reason, such connected devices are referred to herein as user devices, in the sense that the devices are likely to be utilized and / or controlled by a user of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 and the connected device. Examples of such user devices (which may also be referred to as remote devices, in the sense that the devices are remote from the non-combustible aerosol delivery system, or relay devices, in the sense that the devices relay between the non-combustible aerosol delivery system and the unlocking / age verification service) are described below with reference to FIG. 2.

[0025]

[0029] Returning to the discussion of FIG. 1 , the processor / controller 22 may, in one example, be an STM32 microcontroller such as that provided by STMicroelectronics and based on the ARM™ Cortex™-M processor. In other examples, alternative microcontrollers or processors may be used that may be based on the ARM™ and Atom™ architectures, or other low-power processor technologies. Alternatively or additionally, the transmitter / receiver element 26 may, in one example, include an nRF BLE chip to cooperate with the processor / controller to provide BLE connectivity to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system. In other examples, other communication interface chips or modules may be used to provide connectivity services.

[0026]

[0030] As shown, the processor / controller 22 may be connected to, for example, the aerosol medium container or cartridge 12, the aerosol generation chamber 14, and the battery 18. The connections may be to interface connections or outputs from some of the components and / or to sensors located on or within some of the components. These connections allow the processor to access properties of the respective components. For example, the battery connection may be used to control the operation of a non-combustible aerosol delivery system for aerosol generation.

[0027]

[0031] In some examples, the processor / controller 22 may be configured to control the voltage level provided from the battery to the heater 20, thereby controlling the consumption of power from the battery and / or thereby controlling the amount of aerosol generated by the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 during a given aerosol generating operation. The processor / controller 22 may additionally or alternatively be configured to control the amount of time that voltage is provided from the battery to the heater 20 during a given aerosol generating operation, thereby controlling the consumption of power from the battery and / or thereby controlling the amount of aerosol generated by the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 during an aerosol generating operation.

[0028]

[0032] The non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 may also include an output element 30, which may include one or more of a display, an audio output, and a tactile output. In some examples, the output element 28 may include one or more light sources that may be selectively controlled to indicate a status, mode, or other information regarding the operation of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. In some examples, the one or more light sources are provided by one or more LEDs, which may be monochromatic or multi-colored LEDs.

[0029]

[0033] In some examples, the processor / controller 22 may be configured to control the voltage supplied from the battery to the output elements 28. Thus, the level of illumination of light-emitting output elements (such as displays or light sources) and / or the level of output of audio output elements and / or the level of vibration / movement of haptic output elements may be controlled to provide high levels of output and control output, thereby conserving battery power by controlling to lower output levels.

[0030]

[0034] In some examples, the processor / controller 22 may be configured to control the voltage supplied to the processor / controller 22 from the battery. Thus, the processor / controller may be switchable between different power consumption modes, each corresponding to a different computation speed, a different set of available processor / controller features, and / or different executable instructions. Thus, in some examples, the processor / controller 22 may be controllable into a low power mode in which only the aerosol generation functionality (and optionally the lock / unlock functionality) is available.

[0031]

[0035] More generally, from the above, it can be seen that various components of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 require power from a battery (power source) in order to operate. At least some such power-consuming components can be operated in a low-power mode by controlling the delivery of power to the components or by commanding the components to adopt a low-power state.

[0032]

[0036] Further functionality of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system with respect to employing low power and / or power saving modes / states is described with reference to examples of the present techniques below.

[0033]

[0037] An example of a user device 40 is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2. The user device may be a device such as a mobile phone (cell phone) or tablet of a user (and / or owner) of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10. As shown, the user device 40 includes a receiver-transmitter element 42 for communicating with the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10. The receiver-transmitter element 42 is thus configured to use the same connectivity, protocols, etc. as the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 with which it interacts in any given embodiment. Thus, in this example, the receiver-transmitter element 42 is a BLE interface element including or connected to a wireless antenna for wireless communication. In other examples, such as the example above, it may be an interface element for alternative wireless technologies and / or wired connection interfaces.

[0034]

[0038] The receiver-transmitter element 42 is connected to a processor or controller 44 that can receive and process data or messaging from the non-combustible aerosol delivery system. The processor or controller 44 has access to a memory 46 that can be used to store program information and / or data. The user device 40 may include an additional data transmission interface 48. This interface may provide one or more interface functions, for example, to a wired connection, such as a wired local area network, and / or a wireless connection, such as a wireless local area network and / or a cellular data service. This interface may be used, for example, to send and receive messaging to and from various other devices, computer systems, and / or computer services, as required by any particular implementation. This interface may also be used for, or instead of, communication regarding other functions of the user device 40 unrelated to the operation or interaction of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

[0035]

[0039] The user device 40 also includes user interface elements including output devices 50 (which may include one or more of a display, audio output, and tactile output) and input devices 52 (which may include one or more of buttons, keys, touch-sensitive display elements, or a mouse / trackpad).

[0036]

[0040] The user device 40 may be pre-programmed or configured to provide functionality in accordance with the techniques discussed below. Additionally or alternatively, the user device may store (e.g., in memory 46) software, such as an app, that causes the processor or controller 44 to have those functions when the software is executed. Thus, the user device may be a multi-purpose device that has the described functionality when the app is executed.

[0037]

[0041] Software for programming a user device for the techniques described herein may also be embodied or encoded in a computer-readable medium, such as a computer-readable storage medium containing instructions. The instructions embedded or encoded in the computer-readable medium may cause a programmable processor or other processor to perform the method, for example, when the instructions are executed. Computer-readable media may include non-transitory computer-readable storage media as well as transitory communication media, such as carrier signals and transmission media. Computer-readable storage media may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), programmable read only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, hard disk, CD-ROM, floppy disk, cassette, magnetic medium, optical medium, or other computer-readable storage medium. The term "computer-readable storage medium" refers to a physical storage medium. A transitory communication medium may occur between components of a single computing system (e.g., an internal link or bus between a memory and a processor) or between separate computing systems (e.g., a network or other connections between computing devices) and may include a transmission signal or carrier wave, etc.

[0038]

[0042] Such software may be loaded directly onto the user device 40 from a computer readable medium, or may be loaded onto the user device by connecting the user device to another computing device (such as a desktop or laptop computer) and using software on the other computing device to control the loading of the software onto the user device.

[0039]

[0043] Thus, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system and a user device have been described that can interact to provide a user of the user device with several additional functions for the non-combustion aerosol delivery system. Examples of such functions will now be described.

[0040]

[0044] 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for selecting a low power mode setting for the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. Shown within the dashed lines are the steps performed in this example, although these steps may not be performed in all examples of this approach.

[0041]

[0045] 3, in step S31, the user device 40 receives information regarding the current power consumption state of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. In this example, this is received from the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10, but in other examples, the user may indicate the mode, or the user device may store a value indicating the current mode.

[0042]

[0046] In this example, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is operable in multiple power consumption modes corresponding to different profiles of power consumption. In this example, these different power consumption modes affect the selectable heater power settings. The possible power consumption states include a power saving mode in which the available heater power settings that the user can select are limited to a "low" heater power setting. That is, when the power saving mode is activated, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is configured to limit access to heater power settings that are available in power consumption states other than the power saving mode. In this manner, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 can ensure that the heater power setting of the device is not set higher than a certain value. Thus, the power delivered to the heater can be throttled, thereby conserving power and extending the battery life of the device. Additionally, limiting the heater power in this manner can also slow the depletion of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10's supply of aerosolizable material, thereby allowing the supply to last longer.

[0043]

[0047] In some examples, the power saving mode may also, or alternatively, limit the delivery of operating power to other components of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10, such as any output elements 30 and / or the processor / controller 22.

[0044]

[0048] Another example of a power consumption mode that may be implemented by the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 in combination with the user device 40 is a standard mode. When operating in standard mode, higher heater power settings may be available to give the user maximum control over the heater power and therefore the characteristics of the aerosol generated.

[0045]

[0049] Next, in step S33, the user device 40 receives an input indicating to activate a power saving mode in the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. In this example, this user input is received via

[0046]

[0050] In this example, a user can select to have the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 enter a particular power consumption mode by providing a suitable control input at the user device 40. In this example, the user device receives user input at an input element 52 of the user device 40 (which may include one or more of a button, a key, a touch-sensitive display element, or a mouse / trackpad, as described above). To facilitate such input, exemplary user interface screens that may be presented to the user on an output device 50 of the user device 40 are described below with reference to FIG. 4. The user can voluntarily activate the power saving mode whenever they like and / or can use information related to the remaining power and / or aerosolizable material resources of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 to determine when to activate the power saving mode.

[0047]

[0051] The user input can take several possible forms. In this example, the user selects an input option corresponding to the activation of a power saving mode. In another example, the user input may include a value corresponding to a heater power setting. In such a case, the user device 40 may provide an input field in which the user can input a desired value for the heater power setting (e.g., a wattage of power or a percentage of maximum power), where the value or percentage corresponds to a minimum or near-minimum operating power of the heater. Additionally or alternatively, the user input may include the selection of a position on a slider, where the position corresponds to a value for the heater power setting, where the position or percentage corresponds to a minimum or near-minimum operating power of the heater. By allowing the user to directly select the value of the applied power, the user is given a high level of control over the operation of the device, which may facilitate adjustment of the device to achieve desired characteristics for the generated aerosol. For example, in some implementations, the power save mode limits the heater power to the lowest possible operating power setting, or alternatively allows the heater power to be selected in a low range (e.g., a continuous range of possible values ​​including the lowest possible operating power setting, e.g., spanning 10% or 20% of the total possible power value range). In addition, the user device 40 may limit the user's selection to values ​​(range available) that vary, e.g., by fixed increments. In one example, the user device 40 limits the user's selection in the standard mode to values ​​corresponding to heater power between 2.0W and 6.5W in 0.1W increments, and then further limits the user's selection in the power save mode to either 2.0W (the lowest possible setting), or a range starting from 2W and extending to, e.g., 3.5W.

[0048]

[0052] Further, in some examples, the user input options include selecting a heater power setting from a number of preset heater power settings. The preset power settings may be preset by the user himself and stored in the user device 40, or may be common preset settings set by, for example, the manufacturer of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. This approach allows for coarse adjustment of the heater power settings and simplifies the user's selection of the heater power setting. In this example, when the power save mode is enabled, the preset selection is not available. In other examples, when the power save mode is enabled, only the lowest power preset is selectable, and / or when the lowest power preset is selected, this is also treated as selecting the power save mode.

[0049]

[0053] Thus, in power save mode, the possible power settings may be a subset of the heater settings that may be available in normal mode.

[0050]

[0054] As discussed above, the power save mode may control one or more additional or alternative power consumption elements different than heater power. These may include heater operation time (puff time), output element power, and / or controller / processor power. Thus, where selection of the low power mode may be provided by an input option in addition to or in lieu of the low power mode selection input option, further or alternative input options corresponding to these other power consumption elements of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system may also be provided.

[0051]

[0055] If the current power consumption state of the device 10 is communicated in step S31, the user may be limited to selecting heater power settings available for the current power consumption state. The one or more available heater power settings may be selected based on the purpose of the power consumption state. For example, in a power saving mode, the available heater power settings may be limited to heater power settings that are relatively lower than heater power settings available when not operating in a power saving mode.

[0052]

[0056] 3, in step S35, the user device 40 is configured to transmit an instruction to adopt a low power mode to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. This transmission is performed by the receiver-transmitter element 42 of the user device 40 and received by the transmitter / receiver element 26 of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. In this example, the transmission is via BLE, although it will be appreciated that any suitable communication technology may be used, such as the techniques discussed above.

[0053]

[0057] In this example, to transmit the instruction to adopt the low power mode, the user device 40 is configured to write values ​​representing the specific power consumption limit(s) that apply to the relevant non-combustible aerosol delivery system components according to the Bluetooth profile specification governing BLE communications between the user device 40 and the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. Thus, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 does not need to interpret the instruction or select any values ​​for the power saving mode. Rather, these specific values ​​to be used are provided directly to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 for use until changed by a later instruction (e.g., a user decision to exit the power saving mode, in the event of a charge or reset).

[0054]

[0058] In particular, in an example power save mode involving controlling heater power, the user device 40 is configured to write a value in the form of an unsigned integer to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. The unsigned integer can take on a particular range of values ​​corresponding to lower and upper heater power values ​​that the device 10 can accommodate. To determine the power to be provided to the heater from the value written to the device 10, the device 10 divides the value by 10. Thus, to send an instruction that the heater power should be set to 2.0 W, the user device 40 writes a value of 20 to the device 10 via the BLE interface. The particular heater power required in the power save mode is thus written directly using this technique.

[0055]

[0059] In examples where the power saving mode includes controlling the power of other power consuming components or elements of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10, similar techniques can be used to write power saving mode puff time values, power saving mode output element power levels, and / or processor / controller power level / mode values ​​to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10.

[0056]

[0060] It will be appreciated that these examples are merely illustrative of how the required power save mode power settings can be transmitted to a user device and that other communication modes and encoding schemes for the heater power settings may also be used.

[0057]

[0061] In another example, rather than writing specific power saving mode control values ​​to the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10, the user device 40 may instead send a less specific instruction to the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 to activate the power saving mode. In such an approach, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 then interprets the instruction to adopt the power saving mode according to local parameters. This may include the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 already storing power values ​​for the power consumption variables of the associated power consuming components of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10. Alternatively, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 may include a power saving mode program in which the processor / controller 22 can determine which power consuming element(s) require a specific power control setting and establish appropriate values ​​for that setting.

[0058]

[0062] Once the power save mode power setting is set in the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system then operates according to the indicated power setting. Thus, for the heater power setting, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 allows power to be supplied to the heater (e.g., heater coil 20) from a power source (such as battery 18 or a heat generating power source). By adjusting the power supplied to the heater in this manner, the temperature to which the aerosolizable material is heated can be adjusted, and thus the characteristics of the aerosol generated by the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 can be adjusted. In this manner, the size / intensity of the aerosol cloud generated by the device can be controlled to maximize the life of the power source and / or aerosolizable material resources.

[0059]

[0063] Similarly, or instead of, examples of other power consuming components that are controlled to low power operation in the power save mode, non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 similarly controls the power available to such elements using the indicated settings as written to non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 in step S35. For example, a low power setting for an output element may limit the brightness at which an LED indicator light is illuminated to a low power option, or may not activate the LED indicator light at all.

[0060]

[0064] By controlling the power supplied to the heater, as opposed to an approach in which a user specifies a target temperature for the heater, manufacturing of the device 10 and control of the heater can be simplified. Because the power supplied by the power source (e.g., battery 18) can be controlled using power circuitry that is relatively easy to manufacture and control, the process of manufacturing the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 and controlling the heater power settings can be made more efficient than approaches that attempt to control the temperature of the heater. Such temperature-based approaches would likely require a temperature sensing element (such as a thermistor) and feedback control, and / or very thorough calibration.

[0061]

[0065] An example of a user interface screen that may be provided to a user by output device 50 of user device 40 to prompt and / or receive such input is shown in FIG.

[0062]

[0066] As shown, user interface screen 60 includes several power mode indicators 62 that can be selected to adopt a particular power mode (which may correspond to a power consumption state). In this example, indicator 62a for mode 1 corresponds to a normal mode in which all power levels are available, and indicator 62b for mode 2 corresponds to a power save mode that may operate as discussed above. Thus, in this example, the power save mode is activated by selecting mode 2 via indicator 62b.

[0063]

[0067] The user interface screen 60 also includes several current indicators 64 that are selectable to employ a particular power level preset. In this example, indicator 64a for preset A corresponds to a low power level, indicator 64b for preset B corresponds to a medium power level, and indicator 64c for preset C corresponds to a high power level. In this example, when mode 1 (normal mode) is selected, all of these preset modes are selectable, but when mode 2 (low power mode) is selected, only low power preset A or low power preset A and medium power preset B are selectable.

[0064]

[0068] User interface screen 60 also includes a power selection slider 66 that includes a power selection control element 68 that is selectable to vary the power by moving along slider 66. In this example, when Mode 1 (normal mode) is selected, the full range of slider 66 is selectable using power selection control element 68, and when Mode 2 (low power mode) is selected, only the lowest power setting, or a limited range near the low power end, is selectable using power selection control element 68.

[0065]

[0069] In other examples, alternative user interface approaches may be used. Larger or smaller range indicators and / or selectors may be provided and / or user interface elements may be split across multiple user interface screens. In some examples, either a preset indicator or a slider may be provided, but not both. In some examples, there may only be an option to select between normal (standard) and power saving modes, and thus no option for presets or power sliders.

[0066]

[0070] Thus, an efficient and effective technique has been described for a user of a user device 40 coupled to the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 to control the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 into a power saving mode, thereby enabling the user to effectively extend the life of the power source and / or the storage capacity of aerosolizable material of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10.

[0067]

[0071] In this application, the term "configured to" is used to mean that an element of an apparatus has a configuration that can perform a specified operation. In this context, "configuration" refers to an arrangement or manner of interconnection of hardware or software. For example, an apparatus may have dedicated hardware that provides the specified operation, or a processor or other processing device may be programmed to perform the function. "Configured to" does not imply that an element of an apparatus needs to be modified in any way in order to provide the specified operation.

[0068]

[0072] The various embodiments described herein are presented only to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided as merely representative examples of the embodiments, and are not exhaustive or exclusive of all embodiments. The advantages, embodiments, examples, features, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention as defined by the claims, or the equivalents of the claims, and it will be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. The various embodiments of the invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of any suitable combination of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. In addition, the present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol; a power source for providing power to the aerosol generator; a transmitter / receiver element configured to communicatively couple the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to a user device; A non-combustible aerosol delivery system comprising: the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is operable in a standard mode and a power saving mode, and when the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is in the power saving mode, the power source is configured to supply less power to one or more power consuming components of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system than when the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is in the standard mode; the transmitter / receiver element is configured to receive instructions from the user device, the instructions configured to cause the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to enter the power saving mode; the one or more power consuming components of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system comprise the aerosol generator; When in the power saving mode, the power source is configured to provide minimal operating power to the aerosol generator. Non-flammable aerosol delivery system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions include one or more instructions for operating according to previously stored power save mode instructions by the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions include one or more instructions that write specific power ranges for the one or more power consuming components to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the particular power range is a particular power value.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generator comprises a heater, and the power supply is configured to supply less power to the aerosol generator by reducing a power supply voltage to the heater.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein when in the power saving mode, the power source is configured to supply power to the aerosol generator within a contiguous subset of the entire operating power setting range of the aerosol generator, the subset including a minimum operating power setting.

7. The system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the one or more power consuming components include one or more indicator lights of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein when in the power saving mode, the power supply is configured to provide a reduced operating power level to the one or more indicator lights.

9. The system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the one or more power consuming components include a processor of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

10. A user device configured to be communicatively coupled to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system, comprising: an output device configured to provide user interface information to a user; an input device configured to receive input from a user that activates a power saving mode of a communicatively coupled non-combustible aerosol delivery system; a receiver-transmitter element configured to transmit instructions to the communicatively coupled non-combustible aerosol delivery system to adopt the power saving mode, the instructions causing a power source of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to supply less power to one or more power consuming components of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system than when the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is in a standard mode; Equipped with the instructions include instructions for providing a low power level from the power source to an aerosol generator of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system; the instructions include instructions for providing a minimum operating power to the aerosol generator. User device.

11. At least one of the following: the instructions are configured to cause the communicatively coupled non-combustible aerosol delivery system to adopt a power save mode setting previously stored in the non-combustible aerosol delivery system; the instructions writing specific power ranges for the one or more power consuming components to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system; the particular power range being a particular power value; the instructions include instructions for providing a low power level from the power source to a heater of the aerosol generator; the instructions include instructions for providing power to the aerosol generator within a contiguous subset of a full range of operating power settings for the aerosol generator, the subset including a minimum operating power setting; the instructions include instructions for providing a low power level from the power source to one or more indicator lights of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system; the instructions include instructions for providing a low operating power level to the one or more indicator lights; and / or The user device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions include instructions for supplying a low power level from the power source to a processor of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

12. A non-combustible aerosol delivery system having a power source; a user device communicatively coupled to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system; A system comprising: the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is operable in a standard mode and a power saving mode, and when the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is in the power saving mode, the power source is configured to supply less power to one or more power consuming components of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system than when the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is in the standard mode; the user device is configured to send a command to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to employ the power saving mode; the one or more power consuming components of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system comprise an aerosol generator; When in the power saving mode, the power source is configured to provide minimal operating power to the aerosol generator. system.

13. At least one of the following: the instructions include one or more instructions for operating in accordance with previously stored power save mode instructions by the non-combustible aerosol delivery system; the instructions include one or more instructions to write specific power ranges for the one or more power consuming components to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system; the particular power range being a particular power value; the aerosol generator comprises a heater, and the power supply is configured to provide less power to the aerosol generator by reducing a power supply voltage to the heater; when in the power saving mode, the power source is configured to supply power to the aerosol generator within a contiguous subset of a full range of operating power settings of the aerosol generator, the subset including a minimum operating power setting; the one or more power consuming components include one or more indicator lights of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system; the power source is configured to provide a reduced operating power level to the one or more indicator lights when in the power saving mode; and / or The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more power consuming components include a processor of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

14. When executed by a processing circuit of a computing device configured to be communicatively coupled to a non-combustible aerosol delivery system, the computing device is receiving input from a user to activate a power saving mode of a communicatively coupled non-combustible aerosol delivery system; transmitting instructions to the communicatively coupled non-combustible aerosol delivery system to employ the power saving mode, the instructions causing a power source of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to supply less power to one or more power consuming components of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system than when the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is in a standard mode; including an instruction to the instructions include instructions for providing a low power level from the power source to an aerosol generator of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system; the instructions include instructions for providing a minimum operating power to the aerosol generator. Computer-readable medium.

15. At least one of the following: the instructions are configured to cause the communicatively coupled non-combustible aerosol delivery system to adopt a power save mode setting previously stored in the non-combustible aerosol delivery system; the instructions writing specific power ranges for the one or more power consuming components to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system; the particular power range being a particular power value; the instructions include instructions for providing a low power level from the power source to a heater of the aerosol generator; the instructions include instructions for providing power to the aerosol generator within a contiguous subset of a full range of operating power settings for the aerosol generator, the subset including a minimum operating power setting; the instructions include instructions for providing a low power level from the power source to one or more indicator lights of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system; the instructions include instructions for providing a low operating power level to the one or more indicator lights; and / or 15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions include instructions for providing a low power level from the power source to a processor of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

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