A non-combustion heating aerosol generator including means for authenticating aerosol-generating articles by means of internal irradiation

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating system (100, 1), an aerosol-generating device (100), and an aerosol-generating article (1). The device (100) includes an optical light source extending within a cavity (112). The aerosol-generating device (100) includes an optical reader system configured to illuminate an authentication portion (1c) of the aerosol-generating article (1) from within the consumable segment to read at least one indicia (10, 10', 12, 12'). The aerosol-generating device (100) includes a control unit configured to authenticate the article in response to reading the indicia (10). The aerosol-generating article (1) includes a consumable segment (1b) containing a quantity of aerosol-generating material (11) and a mouthpiece segment (1a) attached to a first end of the consumable segment. At least one indicia (10, 10', 12, 12') is disposed on at least an authentication portion (1c) of the aerosol-generating article (1), the authentication portion (1c) being at least partially transparent to light having a wavelength between 200 nm and 10 μm, such that the indicia (10, 10', 12, 12') are readable by an optical reader system when illuminated with light from within the consumable portion (1b).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of aerosol generating articles and devices, and in particular to non-combustion heating articles and devices.

Background Art

[0002] Electronic cigarettes and vaporizers have become popular in recent years. There are mainly two types: a liquid vaporizer that generates inhalable vapor or aerosol by heating a liquid vaporization substrate such as e-liquid or gel, and a non-combustion heating device that generates aerosol by heating an aerosol generating consumable article containing tobacco inserted into the device. The non-combustion heating system is intended to provide the original tobacco aroma and taste rather than the aerosol from scented liquids. These operating principles involve heating materials such as tobacco leaves containing an aerosol forming substance (e.g., glycerin or propylene glycol), and this aerosol forming substance vaporizes during heating to create a vapor that extracts nicotine and aroma components from the tobacco material. This substance is heated to 200 - 400 °C, which is lower than the normal combustion temperature of conventional cigarettes. The non-combustion heating device is typically a handheld device including an internal chamber, which is configured to receive a consumable article such as a tobacco rod consumable and heating means for internally and / or externally heating the consumable article when the consumable article is inserted into the chamber to generate an inhalable aerosol. The heating means is powered by a rechargeable battery disposed in the device, and both the heating means and the battery are electronically controlled by an electronic control mechanism including sensors, circuits, and often an IC and / or a microprocessor.

[0003] To ensure the compatibility of a given aerosol-generating article with a given non-combustion heating device and / or the authenticity of the aerosol-generating article, it has been previously proposed to provide an indicium containing information about the article on its outer surface, which indicium is read after insertion into a non-combustion heating device having appropriately designed reading means, or can be read through external reading, such as using a separate reader like a hand-held terminal or a smartphone. In some cases, the indicium may also include information about parameters to be set in the non-combustion heating device for proper consumption of the article, such as, for example, an ideal temperature range or a heating profile according to time.

[0004] Existing optically-readable indicia mainly rely on conventional codes such as 2D or 3D type barcodes. Other types of indicia include information codes accommodated in an array of individual elements having a size of less than 100 μm or even less than 1 μm, and for that reason it is very difficult to observe the details with the human eye without assistance. The individual elements can be formed of microstructures such as, for example, ink, holes, embossing, cavities or diffraction structures.

[0005] All optically-readable indicia rely on the use of a light source suitable for providing a light beam directed at least at a part of the indicium. The interaction of the light beam with the indicium results in at least one secondary light beam which can be a reflected light beam and / or a diffracted light beam emitted by at least a part of the indicium.

[0006] Existing non-combustion heating devices are compact devices in which it is difficult to internally arrange optical components, especially detectors and light sources. When inserting an aerosol-generating consumable article into an aerosol-generating device, there is not much space available for arranging an irradiation light source in addition to other optical components of the optical reader.

[0007] In addition, indicia readable by irradiation with a simple light source such as an LED tend to be easily counterfeited.

[0008] For example, the aerosol generating device described in International Publication No. WO 2018 / 050701 A1 includes a light source disposed around the cavity of the device for receiving articles and on the support. The light source of International Publication No. WO 2018 / 050701 A1 is adapted to irradiate light from the periphery, and thus from outside the article, onto the packaging material of the article to excite the luminescent material incorporated in the packaging material of the article. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0009] For this reason, there is a need to find other irradiation solutions that are adapted to the limited available space within the device and at the same time make it more difficult to counterfeit the optical effects of the markings applied to the aerosol generating articles, making them difficult to identify and counterfeit. More specifically, there is a need to make it impossible to easily identify individual aerosol generating articles outside the aerosol generating device designed for use with such articles. MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM

[0010] The inventors of the present invention have found a solution to the above-discussed problem of providing an aerosol generating device in which an optical light source extends within the cavity of such a device.

[0011] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to an aerosol generating device comprising a power supply unit and a cavity disposed in an outer body portion. The cavity has an access opening in the outer body portion and is configured to receive an aerosol generating article at least when the consumable segment of the aerosol generating article is inserted therein. The aerosol generating device further comprises an optical light source extending from an end of the cavity opposite the opening within the cavity, whereby when an aerosol generating article is inserted into the cavity, the light source penetrates the consumable portion of the article. The aerosol generating device further comprises an optical reader system.

[0012] By using a light source that extends into the cavity of the aerosol generating device such that the light source penetrates into the consumable part when an aerosol generating article is inserted into the cavity, it is possible to provide an imprint on the article without the need to place the light source outside the aerosol generating article, resulting in a high degree of flexibility in the design of such an imprint. Furthermore, it is difficult to recognize and counterfeit such an imprint.

[0013] In one embodiment, the light source includes an optical waveguide. Using an optical waveguide enables the light source to be placed remotely from the aerosol generating article, thereby providing design flexibility in that, on the one hand, electrical components are not introduced into the consumable product and, on the other hand, the electrical components of the light source are arranged outside the available space of the aerosol generating device, particularly outside the cavity.

[0014] In one embodiment, the light source includes an illumination tip that is one of a diffuser, a V-shaped illumination tip, a spherical illumination tip, a metal reflector tip, a conical tip. Different shapes of the illumination tip result in different characteristics of the illumination light beam that can illuminate an imprint disposed on the outer surface of the aerosol generating product. The illumination light beam provided by the tip can be a focused light beam, a diffused light beam, a diverging light beam, or a light beam composed of a plurality of light beams of different shapes.

[0015] In one embodiment, the illumination tip includes an electrically addressable light source, preferably an LED light source. Placing a light source such as an LED directly inside the aerosol generating article enables an easily implementable mechanism to be provided because no additional optical components other than the electrically addressable light source are required.

[0016] In one embodiment, the light source includes a condenser optical waveguide. Using a condenser optical waveguide in proximity to the light source enables information about the aerosol generating substance located in proximity to the light source, for example in proximity to the illumination tip, to be collected.

[0017] In a second aspect, the present invention relates to an aerosol generating article comprising a consumable segment containing a certain amount of aerosol generating material, preferably disposed within a wrapper. A mouthpiece segment may be attached to a first end of the consumable segment. When the aerosol generating article includes a mouthpiece segment, both the consumable segment and the mouthpiece segment may extend along a common longitudinal axis, although not necessarily so. The aerosol generating article includes at least one mark disposed in a portion that is at least a part of the article and that at least partially transmits light having a wavelength between 200 nm and 25 μm.

[0018] In one embodiment, the portion of the article including the mark includes at least two distinct transmission bands, each of the transmission bands centered at a wavelength between 200 nm (UV) and 25 μm (infrared).

[0019] In one embodiment, the mark extends over at least 25%, preferably at least 50%, of the outer circumference of the portion. A mark that extends along a significant portion of the outer circumference of the article provides a solution that makes the sensing of the mark by an optical reader mechanism less or not at all dependent on the particular orientation of the article within the aerosol generating device.

[0020] In one embodiment, the mark includes at least one code constituted by a structure disposed inside or on the wrapper.

[0021] In an advantageous embodiment, the code includes an aperture in the wrapper. Using an aperture as an element of the code also improves the intensity of the detected light and / or the contrast of the image of the code provided by the optical reader system.

[0022] In one embodiment, the code includes mesas disposed inside or on the packaging material. In a variant, the mesas are made of an optically opaque material, preferably metal or ink. Depositing mesas such as dots can provide a solution that is easy to implement in the production process.

[0023] In one embodiment, the mark includes an array of a plurality of optical structures, at least two of which have different transmission characteristics. Using two or more optical structures in the mark can make the mark more complex, and the more complex reading of the mark makes it more difficult to counterfeit the code.

[0024] In one embodiment, the array of optical structures has different transmission characteristics Multiple strip structures is. Having different transmission characteristics Strip structure Placing the optical code along is well-suited for an online production process.

[0025] In one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of Strip structure has a sine wave shape and / or at least one of the plurality of Strip structure includes an array of linear strips. By providing a predetermined shape of Strip structure including the optical code, it is possible to make the reading more complex, thereby making it more difficult to counterfeit the code.

[0026] In a third aspect, the present invention further relates to an aerosol generation system including an aerosol generator and an aerosol generating article as described above.

[0027] In one embodiment of the aerosol generation system, the irradiation tip of the light source extends into the aerosol generating article and is arranged to match the level of its authentication part in the longitudinal direction when the article is inserted into the cavity up to the end of the cavity.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings with respect to specific embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The drawings to be described are only schematic and non-limiting. In the drawings, the sizes of some elements may be exaggerated for illustrative purposes and may not be drawn to scale.

[0030] FIG. 11 represents an aerosol generator 100 for an aerosol generation system according to the present invention. This aerosol generator 100 includes an outer body portion 110 in which a power supply portion and a cavity 112 are disposed. The cavity 112 that defines the Z-axis of insertion of the aerosol generating article 1 as described above has an opening 112a accessible from the outer body portion 110. The aerosol generator 100 further includes an optical light source 2 extending into the cavity 112 from its end 112b on the opposite side of the opening 112a, whereby, upon its insertion into the cavity 112, the light source 2 penetrates the consumable portion 1b of the aerosol generating article 1.

[0031] In the modification illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the light source 2 may be disposed at the center with respect to the symmetry axis of the aerosol generating article 1 to be inserted, or may be disposed off-center.

[0032] In the present invention, the light source 2 is defined as an optical system that is part of the aerosol generator 100 and is arranged to provide at least one light beam from inside the aerosol generating consumable article 1 inserted into the aerosol generator 100.

[0033] As is apparent from FIG. 11, the aerosol generator 100 is disposed in the outer body portion 110 and further includes an optical reader system configured to read at least one mark 10, 10' during irradiation from inside the aerosol generating article, preferably from inside the consumable segment 1b of the aerosol generating article 1. The aerosol generator 100 further includes a control unit (not shown in the drawings) configured to control and command the irradiation from at least the light source 2 and the optical reader system to authenticate the article in response to the reading of the mark 10.

[0034] The light source 2 of the aerosol generator 1 preferably includes a substantially rigid and sharp optical waveguide that provides the irradiation light beam I1 inside the aerosol generating substance 11. The optical waveguide can be configured to provide at least two light beams I1, I2 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5. For that purpose, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and the modifications of FIGS. 6 to 10, the irradiation tip 2' of the optical waveguide may have various shapes that provide various light emission actions. In such embodiments, the irradiation tip 2' can be one of a diffuser, a V-shaped irradiation tip, a spherical irradiation tip, a metal reflector tip, and a conical tip. Alternatively, the two irradiation light beams I1, I2 may be emitted by two irradiation heads of a bifurcated waveguide 2 as shown in FIG. 3, or by two separate waveguides 2a, 2b inserted into the consumable segment 1b of the aerosol generating article as represented in FIG. 4.

[0035] In the modification illustrated in FIG. 5, the light source 2 can be configured to provide two different light beams I1, I2 from inside the aerosol generating article 1 that irradiate two different marks 10, 10' each of which provides a different emission light spectrum (I1-λ, I2-λ) to a detector (not shown).

[0036] FIG. 6 illustrates a tip 2' including two wedges formed in a shape that projects the lateral light beams I1, I2 in a predetermined direction during operation. The optical waveguide 2 is preferably a multimode optical waveguide that can have an annular cross-section or a square or rectangular or any other X-Y cross-section defined perpendicular to the Z-axis.

[0037] FIG. 7 illustrates a spherical tip 2' that provides the light beams I1, I2 in various directions and provides irradiation in all directions surrounding the tip 2' during operation.

[0038] FIG. 8 illustrates a tip portion 2' including an end portion 26 formed in a conical shape and an optical output coupling element or structure 24. The end portion formed in a conical shape may have only a mechanical function, for example, for introducing the optical element 20 into the compact aerosol substance 11 with less force.

[0039] FIG. 9 illustrates a modified example of the tip portion 2' in which a wedge-shaped reflector is disposed at the end portion thereof.

[0040] FIG. 10 illustrates a modified example of the optical waveguide 2 having two light guiding portions 21 and 23, where each of the portions 21 and 23 guides the light beams I inA , I inB . Such a modified example can be used, for example, to provide two or more different light beams, such as two different polarized beams or light beams having different spectral distributions, at the tip portion 2'. The tip portion 2' can be formed in a shape that provides at least four different light beams I1 to I4 inside the aerosol-generating article. In the modified example, the optical waveguide 2 can include a lateral output coupling structure defined as an output coupler. In an embodiment, a plurality of output couplers can be disposed on at least one side of the irradiation waveguide 20.

[0041] In one embodiment, the irradiation tip portion 2' is an electrically addressable light source, preferably an LED light source.

[0042] The aerosol generating device 100 may further include an optical magnification reader system including an optical projection system adapted to project light provided by a mark 10 illuminated from inside the aerosol generating article 1 by the light source 2. The projected light I1' can be focused, for example, onto a virtual image plane 40 by a concave mirror 120. FIG. 11 illustrates a dot pattern projected onto the virtual image plane 40. The magnification factor provided by the magnification reader system may exceed 2 times, preferably exceed 10 times. In a variant, the optical reader may be an image size reduction system that provides a projected image smaller than the mark 10. Preferably, the optical reader includes a detector 30 that contacts or is disposed in proximity to the marks 10, 10', or is remotely disposed therefrom as shown in FIG. 11. In the example of the implementation of FIG. 11, the light source 200, preferably an LED, is disposed at the input coupling surface of the optical fiber 2. The LED light source can be a pulsed LED. In a variant where the intensity I1 of the light emitted from the aerosol article is very low, lock-in detection means connecting the light source 200 and the detector 30 can be provided in the aerosol generating device 100. In a variant, although not shown, the aerosol generating article 1 may include two different marks 10, 10', and each mark 10, 10' may possibly be associated with a different second optical magnification system.

[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 12 showing a variant of the configuration of FIG. 11, the mark 10 can include a plurality of codes, here at least three different codes 11, 13, 15, which are inserted into the cavity 112 of the aerosol generating device 100 and are illuminated from inside the aerosol generating article 1 when the irradiation light source 2 penetrates the end segment 1c of the consumable segment 1b of the aerosol generating article 1. The irradiation of each code 11, 13, 15 is a light beam I inserted into the aerosol generating article 1 inIt can be provided by one of three different output coupling portions 210, 220, 230 of the optical waveguide 2 that guides. The light beam I1 emits from the segment 1c of the article 1 through its outer surface, the mark 10 acts on the mirror 120 that focuses the reflected light, and probably passes through the optical filters F1, F2, F3 and converges on the virtual image plane 40. The converged light beam I1' forms images 41 to 43 composed of the codes 11, 13, 15 of the mark 10 in the image plane 40 located on the detection surface of the detector 30. The shape and intensity of the images 41 to 43 are detected, for example, by an array of detectors, or the images are projected by a detector (imager) 30 that may include image analysis means. In the example of FIG. 11, each code 11, 13, 15 of the mark 10 is configured to provide three different images 41 to 43 having different narrow-band or wide-band spectral components illustrated by the wavelength symbols λ1, λ2, λ3.

[0044] FIG. 13 shows a schematic diagram of an advantageous variant of the aerosol generation system according to the present invention. In the figure, the irradiation system of the aerosol generation device 100 includes a light source 2 arranged to be inserted into the opening 1d at the free end of the aerosol generation consumable segment 1b of the article 1 designed for this system. Therefore, the irradiation light source 2 can be inserted into the article without contacting the article 1. The light source 2 in the embodiment of FIG. 13 is located at a position Z = Z3 that is at the center of the mark 10 positioned between Z = Z2 and Z = Z4 which is the position of the tip of the aerosol generating article 1.

[0045] FIG. 14 shows a further embodiment of an aerosol generating device 100 including an irradiation light source 2 inserted into an aerosol generating article 1, whereby the light emitting portion is located outside the aerosol generating substance 11 of the article 1. The embodiment of FIG. 14 can be useful when a segment 1b containing the aerosol generating substance 11 does not transmit the incident light beam I1. In that case, the tip 2' of the light emitter can be advanced into an area of the article 1 having permeability for at least a partial radiation light beam I1. For example, in the example of FIG. 14, the light emitting chip 2' is advanced through an optically opaque aerosol generating substance and illuminates a mark 10 arranged in a buffer or filter part 1d that at least partially transmits light, from below. The buffer or filter part 1d that at least partially transmits light may be constituted by, for example, at least a paper sheet.

[0046] In a modification of the embodiment, the aerosol generating system may be configured such that the irradiation tip 2' of the light source 2 extends into the aerosol generating article 1 and, when the article is inserted into the cavity 112 up to the end 112b of the cavity 112, is arranged to match the level of its authentication part 10 in the longitudinal direction. In the modification illustrated in FIG. 14, the irradiation tip 2' faces at least a part of the mark 10, whereby at least one transverse cross-section intersects the mark 10 and the tip 2'.

[0047] In another modification, the light beam emitted by the tip 2' is emitted at a radiation angle α different from 90° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cavity, so that the transverse cross-section does not intersect the mark 10, similar to the tip 2'. In the modification, the central axis of the radiation light beam can have an angle α of 10° to 89°, preferably 30° to 70°, and even more preferably 45° to 60°. By reducing the radiation angle, it becomes possible to irradiate a mark 10 at a distance b which is the longitudinal distance b = a / tan(α) defined in the direction of the cavity axis from the irradiation tip 2' from inside the article 1, where a is the radial distance of the tip 2' to the surface of the packaging material, and this radial distance a is defined as being orthogonal to the cavity axis.

[0048] In another modification, the light source 2 can have an arbitrary curved shape, and at least its tip 2' can illuminate the outer surface of the article 1 from inside the article 1 at an arbitrary angle of -90° to +90° with respect to the normal to the longitudinal axis of the cavity 112.

[0049] In one embodiment, the light source 2 may be configured to retract and re-insert at least twice inside the article 1 in order to provide illumination of the mark at least twice during the operation of the device, thereby making it possible to improve the reliability of the irradiation and detection of the mark 10.

[0050] FIG. 15 shows a further embodiment and includes an irradiation system 2 partially inserted into the aerosol-generating article 1, whereby two opposing marks 10-12 and 14 are illuminated by light beams I1, I2. FIG. 15 also illustrates a modification of the two marks 10, 12, which are arranged close to opposite sides of the packaging material and provide a radiation light beam I1' that includes an overlap of the optical information 1000, 1200 provided by the light beams for the respective marks. The image plane 40 illustrated in FIG. 15 depicts an example of an overlap of two different patterns from the two adjacent marks 10, 12.

[0051] FIG. 16 shows an embodiment of an aerosol-generating device 100 that includes an irradiation system 2 inserted into the aerosol-generating article 1 and light detection systems 300, 30 partially inserted into the aerosol-generating substance 11 of the article 1 and close to the radiation part of the irradiation system 2. The embodiment of FIG. 16 may be useful when the aerosol-generating substance does not transmit the irradiation light beam I1 very well. By inserting the lateral condenser 300 with a displacement length d in the vicinity of the light radiation tip 2', information regarding the optical characteristics of the aerosol-generating substance 11 can be collected. In one modification, although not shown, the light radiation element 2 may include a condenser element, which may be the same as another optical waveguide and is configured to collect the backward scattered light that provides information regarding the optical characteristics of the aerosol-generating substance in the vicinity of the aerosol-generating substance adjacent to the light radiation chip 2' in the vicinity of the light chip 2'.

[0052] In an advantageous embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17, the aerosol generating device 100 includes means for triggering the light source 2 embedded in the aerosol generating article 1 without the need for mechanical or electrical connection to its light source. FIG. 17 depicts an example where an external light source 200 provides light I to a substance that scatters light or converts incident light into emitted light having a different wavelength. in FIG. 18 depicts a variant of the embodiment of FIG. 17 in which the aerosol generating substance includes a plurality of light re-radiating components or compounds 21-28.

[0053] FIG. 19 shows another advantageous embodiment of an optical waveguide 2 configured to be introduced into the aerosol generating article 1. The optical waveguide 2 includes an optical radiation waveguide 2a for guiding the light beam I in and includes an optical radiation tip 2'. A second waveguide 2b is arranged with respect to the optical waveguide 2 to collect and direct the backscattered light I1' and output the light beam I to a detector system located outside the aerosol generating article 1. out to provide.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device (100), comprising a power supply unit and a cavity (112) disposed in an outer main body (110), wherein the cavity (112) has an opening (112a) accessible in the outer main body, and is configured to receive an aerosol generating article (1) including at least one mark. The aerosol generating device (100) An optical light source arranged to illuminate at least a part of the aerosol generating article (1) inserted into the cavity through the opening (112a), and an optical reader system arranged to read the at least one mark by detecting light emitted from the aerosol generating article after irradiation by the light source. The light source extends within the cavity (112) from an end portion opposite to the opening (112a), and penetrates at least a part of the aerosol generating article (1) when inserted into the cavity (112), and illuminates at least a part of the aerosol generating article (1) from inside the aerosol generating article (1). The aerosol generating device (100).

2. The aerosol generating device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the light source (2) includes an optical waveguide.

3. The aerosol generating device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the light source (2) includes an irradiation tip portion (2') which is one of a diffuser, a V-shaped irradiation chip, a spherical irradiation chip, a metal reflector chip, and a conical chip.

4. The aerosol generating device (100) according to claim 3, wherein the irradiation tip portion (2') includes an electrically addressable light source.

5. The aerosol generating device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the light source (2) includes a light collecting waveguide (2b).

6. An aerosol-generating article (1) comprising a consumable segment (1b) containing a certain amount of aerosol-generating material (11), and a mouthpiece segment (1a) attached to a first end of said consumable segment, at least one mark (10, 10', 12, 12') is disposed within said aerosol-generating article (1) or at least in an authentication portion (1c), at least a part of said authentication portion (1c) at least partially transmits light having a certain wavelength between 200 nm and 25 μm, whereby said mark (10, 10', 12, 12') is readable by an optical reader system when irradiated with light from inside said aerosol-generating article (1), Aerosol-generating article (1). **Claim 7** The aerosol-generating article according to claim 6, wherein said authentication portion (1c) comprises at least two distinct transmission bands, each of said transmission bands centered on a certain wavelength between 200 nm and 25 μm. **Claim 8** The aerosol-generating article according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said mark (10, 10', 12, 12') extends over at least 25% of the outer periphery of said authentication portion (1c). **Claim 9** The aerosol-generating article according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein said mark (10, 10', 12, 12') comprises at least one code constituted by a structure disposed inside or on a packaging material. **Claim 10** The aerosol-generating article according to claim 9, wherein said code comprises an aperture in said packaging material. **Claim 11** The aerosol-generating article according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said code comprises a mesa in said packaging material. **Claim 12** The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein said mesa is made of an optically opaque material. **Claim 13** The at least one mark (10, 10', 12, 12') includes an array of a plurality of optical structures, and at least two of the structures have different transmission characteristics, the aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 6 to 12.

14. The array of the plurality of optical structures includes a plurality of strip structures, at least one of the plurality of strip structures has a sine waveform, and / or at least one of the plurality of strip structures includes an array of linear strips, the aerosol generating article according to claim 13.

15. An aerosol generating system including the aerosol generating device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and the aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 6 to 14.

16. The irradiation tip (2') of the light source (2) extends within the aerosol generating article (1), and is arranged to match the level of the authentication part in the longitudinal direction when the aerosol generating article is inserted into the cavity up to the end (112b) of the cavity (112), the aerosol generating system according to claim 15.

17. The electrically addressable light source is an LED light source, the aerosol generating device (100) according to claim 4.

18. The at least one mark extends over at least 50% of the outer periphery of the authentication part, the aerosol generating article according to claim 8.

19. The optically opaque material is a metal or an ink, the aerosol generating article according to claim 12.

20. At least two of the plurality of optical structures of the array of the plurality of optical structures have strip structures with different transmission characteristics, the aerosol generating article according to claim 13.

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