Aerosol Delivery System

Abstract

A method of locking a non-combustion aerosol delivery system is provided that includes receiving a user input representing a request to lock the non-combustion aerosol delivery system after a given period of time and allowing the non-combustion aerosol delivery system to be used to generate aerosol for the given period of time. The method further includes, in response to determining that the given period of time has elapsed, locking the non-combustion aerosol delivery system from using the non-combustion aerosol delivery system to generate aerosol.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (Field and Background)

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of non-combustible aerosol delivery systems. In particular, but not by way of limitation, this disclosure relates to locking and unlocking non-combustible aerosol delivery systems. [Background technology]

[0002]

[0002] A "non-combustible" aerosol delivery system is an aerosol delivery system in which the aerosol-generating components (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system are not combusted or burned 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-forming materials, one or more of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-forming materials may be, for example, in solid, liquid, or gel form and may or may not contain nicotine. The hybrid system may include a liquid or gel aerosol-forming material and a solid aerosol-forming material. The solid aerosol-forming material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

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

[0007]

[0007] A non-combustion aerosol delivery system, e.g., 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 can be 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 area, an aerosol generating material transport component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0010]

[0010] Known techniques are described in International Publication No. 2017 / 001817(A1), International Publication No. 2019 / 104223(A1), International Publication No. 2018 / 165758(A1), International Publication No. 2018 / 165758(A1), and US Patent Application Publication No. 2020 / 008481(A1). Summary of the Invention

[0011] (overview) According to a first aspect, a method for locking a non-combustion aerosol delivery system is provided, the method including the steps of receiving a user input representing a request to lock the non-combustion aerosol delivery system after a given period of time, allowing aerosol to be generated using the non-combustion aerosol delivery system for the given period of time, and, in response to determining that the given period of time has elapsed, locking the non-combustion aerosol delivery system to prevent aerosol from being generated using the non-combustion aerosol delivery system. Thus, an efficient and effective approach for managing resource consumption of a non-combustion aerosol delivery system is provided.

[0012] According to a second aspect, there is provided a non-combustion aerosol delivery system configured to receive user input representing a request to lock the non-combustion aerosol delivery system after a given period of time, permit aerosol generation using the non-combustion aerosol delivery system for the given period of time, and, in response to determining that the given period of time has elapsed, lock the non-combustion aerosol delivery system to prevent aerosol generation using the non-combustion aerosol delivery system. Thus, an efficient and effective technique is provided for assisting a user in controlling use of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system.

[0013]

[0013] According to a third aspect, there is provided a system for locking a non-combustible aerosol delivery system, the system comprising: a non-combustible aerosol delivery system; and a user device configured to communicate with the non-combustible aerosol delivery system and receive user input representing a request to lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a given period of time, wherein the user device is configured to allow aerosol to be generated using the non-combustible aerosol delivery system for the given period of time, and in response to determining that the given period has elapsed, the user device locks the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to prevent aerosol from being generated using the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

[0014]

[0014] According to a fourth aspect, a computer-readable medium is provided containing instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a non-combustible aerosol delivery system, cause the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to receive user input representing a request to lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a given period of time, allow aerosol to be generated using the non-combustible aerosol delivery system for the given period of time, and, in response to determining that the given period of time has elapsed, lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system so that aerosol cannot be generated using the non-combustible aerosol delivery system. [Brief explanation 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-combustible aerosol delivery system. [Figure 2]

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

[0018] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for locking a non-combustible aerosol delivery system according to a first example. [Figure 4]

[0019] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for locking a non-combustible aerosol delivery system according to a second example. [Figure 5]

[0020] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a user interface for controlling the lock of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

[0016]

[0021] 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; on the contrary, the scope of the present invention 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 INVENTION

[0017] [Detailed explanation]

[0022] In conventional cigarettes, the length of a smoking session is related to the combustion of the cigarette itself: after (typically) about three minutes of smoking, the cigarette burns out and the user extinguishes and discards the remainder of the cigarette. Thus, the physical properties of the cigarette impose an inherent time limit, and users face a dilemma if they want to continue smoking after this time limit: they must light another cigarette.

[0018]

[0023] However, in a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, the aerosolizable material (also referred to as aerosol-generating material and / or aerosol medium) that can be stored by the non-combustion aerosol delivery system can be sufficient for a few minutes of use or for several hours of use, thereby providing a high level of convenience to the user by allowing the user to operate the non-combustion aerosol delivery system for extended periods of time without having to replace cartridges or replenish the supply of aerosolizable material in the non-combustion aerosol delivery system.

[0019]

[0024] The present technique provides a way to lock out a non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a given period of time has elapsed, thus creating a conflicted user experience when continued aerosol generation is desired after a time-limited use session of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system has ended.

[0020]

[0025] Additionally, by locking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a given period of time, this feature (sometimes referred to as a lockout timer feature) can help control the amount of aerosolizable material used by the non-combustible aerosol delivery system and the amount of battery used. Thus, by utilizing the lockout timer feature, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system may be able to be used for a longer period of time than in an approach where this feature is not used, as the supply of aerosolizable material and battery levels deplete more slowly.

[0021]

[0026] Additionally, locking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a predetermined period of time in this manner can improve the security of the system. Because the non-combustible aerosol delivery system locks after the predetermined period of time has elapsed, anyone other than the system owner / user attempting to access the system can be aware that the system is inoperable when in the locked state or that it is operable for the remaining period before the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is locked. As a result, the lockout timer feature can reduce the likelihood that something provided by the owner will be used by another person acting maliciously or carelessly with the owner's device and / or act as a deterrent to potential thieves.

[0022]

[0027] Additionally, if a given period is set to end at a predetermined time (i.e., a specific time), further results can be achieved that provide control over use of aerosolizable material, control over battery use, and / or additional safety. For example, if a user knows that they will be in a location where aerosol generation is not permitted after a specific time, the user can set the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to be locked from that time so that it cannot be used by the user or others after that time. Similar considerations apply to a user who wants to set a time limit on aerosol generation, thus again creating a conflict if the user attempts to use the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after that time (i.e., after the period has passed).

[0023]

[0028] It will be appreciated that the present 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 present approach also requires that a user device be capable of communicating with the non-combustion aerosol delivery system. Such a user device may also 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 FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively.

[0024]

[0029] An example of a non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is shown schematically in FIG. 1. As shown, the aerosol delivery device 10 is a device that includes elements related to 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 coil 20) within the aerosol generation chamber 14 (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 device use, 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 has access to a memory 24, which may be used to store operating instructions for the processor / controller 22. The memory 24 may also be used to store data indicative of the operating conditions and / or operating states of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 and / or one or more of its components. The memory 24 may be internal to the processor / controller 22 or may be provided as an additional separate physical element.

[0025]

[0030] To transmit and receive data and / or messaging, the processor / controller 22 includes a transmitter / receiver element 26. The transmitter / receiver element 26 enables the non-combustion 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-combustion 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 on the non-combustion 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 in 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.

[0026]

[0031] Any communication established with a connected device may be non-permanent or temporary, in the sense that the channel may be established for the period of time necessary 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 utilized and / or controlled by a user of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 and the connected device. Examples of such user devices (also 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.

[0027]

[0032] Returning to the discussion of FIG. 1 , 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, which may be based on the ARM™ and Atom™ architectures, or other low-power processor technologies. Alternatively or additionally, transmitter / receiver element 26 may, in one example, include an nRF BLE chip for cooperating 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.

[0028]

[0033] 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. This connection 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 each component. For example, the battery connection may be used to control the operation of a non-combustible aerosol delivery system for aerosol generation.

[0029]

[0034] Further functionality of the processor / controller 22 and / or memory 24 is described below with reference to examples of the present approach.

[0030]

[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example user device 40. 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. As such, the receiver-transmitter element 42 is 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 that includes or is connected to a wireless antenna for wireless communication. In other examples, such as the example above, it may be an interface element for an alternative wireless technology and / or a wired connection interface.

[0031]

[0036] 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 also include an additional data transmission interface 48. This interface may provide one or more interface functions, for example, for a wired connection, such as a wired local area network, and / or a wireless connection, such as a wireless local area network and / or 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, or instead, be used for communication regarding other functions of the user device 40 unrelated to the operation or interaction of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

[0032]

[0037] 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).

[0033]

[0038] The user device 40 may be pre-programmed or configured to provide functionality according to the techniques discussed below. Additionally or alternatively, the user device may store software (e.g., in memory 46) such as an app that, when executed, causes the processor or controller 44 to have those functions. Thus, the user device may be a multi-purpose device that has the described functionality when the app is executed.

[0034]

[0039] 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 enable a programmable processor or other processor, for example, to perform the method 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 connection between computing devices), and may include a transmission signal or carrier wave, etc.

[0035]

[0040] 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.

[0036]

[0041] Thus, a non-combustible 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-combustible aerosol delivery system. Examples of such functions will now be described.

[0037]

[0042] 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for locking a non-combustible aerosol delivery system according to a first example. Shown within dashed lines are steps performed in this example, although these steps may not be performed in all examples. Additionally, it will be recognized that steps related to unlocking a non-combustible aerosol delivery system may not be performed or may be performed differently in other examples.

[0038]

[0043] As shown in step S31 of FIG. 3 , user input representing a request to lock non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is received. In this example, it is assumed that non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is already in an unlocked state (i.e., a state in which aerosol generation is possible). In the example of FIG. 3 , this input is received at user device 40, but in some examples, the user input is received at non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 itself (e.g., by pressing a button on the device or by initiating an airflow indicating the commencement of aerosol generation, which may be referred to as a puff). An example is discussed in more detail in connection with FIG. 4 . The user input may be received in any suitable manner, including via input device 52 (which may include one or more of a button, a key, a touch-sensitive display element, or a mouse / trackpad). As will become apparent from the discussion below, this input is considered to indicate a lock request in that the method initiates a process that ultimately locks the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after it has been available for use for a defined period of time.

[0039]

[0044] The user can input a given period of time that the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 will be operational before being locked and can confirm the selection by clicking the OK button. In such an example, the user specifies the amount of time before the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is locked in the user input. However, in some examples, the user input does not indicate the amount of time, and a default or preset amount of time (e.g., 3 minutes) is used as the given period of time.

[0040]

[0045] In response to receiving the user input in step S31, a timer is started in step S33. In the example shown in FIG. 3 , the timer is started in the user device 40, which includes a processor or controller 44 configured with the timer. The timer can also be started by providing instructions to the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10, which can include an amount of time for the timer to run. For example, the user device 40 can communicate with the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 via Bluetooth to write a value to the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 indicating the time for which the timer should be set. In response, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system 10 can start its own timer. In other embodiments, rather than the time period entered by the user setting a time interval for which aerosol generation is permitted, the time period can be a time (e.g., a time of day) for which aerosol generation is permitted. In such an embodiment, a timer is started and monitoring the duration of the timer includes comparing the current time to a set lock time, which may be performed multiple times until the set time is reached, or the comparison may be performed once to determine the remaining interval, which may then be checked in the manner set forth above.

[0041]

[0046] Regardless of how the timer was started, during the given period the timer is running, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 remains in an unlocked state until the timer expires. As used herein, the terms "locked" and "unlocked" refer to whether the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 can be used to generate aerosol. Thus, when in the locked state, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is restricted from generating aerosol. This can be achieved, for example, by preventing power from being applied to the heat generator element of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. Conversely, when in the unlocked state, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 can be used to generate aerosol under any other conditions (e.g., button press / user puff on the device). That is, when in the unlocked state, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is not necessarily generating aerosol, but rather is in a state in which the device allows aerosol generation.

[0042]

[0047] Thus, while the timer is running, it is possible to generate aerosol using non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10, as indicated by the "NO" output from step 37 in FIG.

[0043]

[0048] Once a given period of time has elapsed as detected by the timer, the method locks the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 to prevent the non-combustible aerosol delivery system from being used to generate aerosol, as indicated by a "YES" output from step S37 of FIG. 3.

[0044]

[0049] The process of locking non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 can take any of several suitable forms, in one example, user device 40 is configured to issue a lock request to non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 in response to the lapse of a given period of time (whether the lapse of the period corresponds to the lapse of a set time interval or the lapse of a duration until a set time). In another example, in which user device 40 instructs non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 upon receiving user input, a timer is implemented within non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 itself, and device 10 is configured to lock itself in response to detecting that the timer has lapsed (again, whether the lapse of the period of time corresponds to the lapse of a set time interval or the lapse of a duration until a set time).

[0045]

[0050] 3, in response to the given period of time having elapsed, user device 40 is configured to notify the user in step S39. The user notification may take the form of sending a push notification to user device 40. Such notification may include audible and / or tactile feedback, for example, to alert the user using output device 50. The user notification may additionally or alternatively include notification by non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. For example, non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 may be configured to illuminate and / or flash a light-emitting diode (LED) on device 10. Thus, the method may jump directly to step S43 after notifying the user in step S39.

[0046]

[0051] While this notification may be used only to inform the user that the timer has elapsed and that non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 will automatically lock, in this example the notification in step S39 is also used to request the user's confirmation that non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 will lock. Thus, this approach provides a prompt to the user regarding locking device 10 but does not prevent further aerosol generation if the user wishes to continue using the device.

[0047]

[0052] If the user does not confirm that the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is to be locked, the locking process is aborted and the device 10 remains unlocked. In some examples, another timer may be started (e.g., by providing a "NO" output from S41 to the input of S37), for example, to prompt the user again after the timer has elapsed again. In other examples, if there is no user confirmation at S41, the process may simply terminate and the non-combustible aerosol delivery system may remain unlocked. However, if user confirmation is received at step S41, the method proceeds ("YES" output from S41) and the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is locked.

[0048]

[0053] In this example, locking non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 includes issuing a lock request by user device 40 to non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 in step S43. The lock request is transmitted using receiver-transmitter element 42 of user device 40 and received by transmitter / receiver element 26 of non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. In this example, transmission of the lock request is via BLE, although it will be appreciated that any suitable communication technology may be used, such as the communication technologies described above.

[0049]

[0054] In response to the lock request, non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is configured to lock non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 in step S45 to prevent the non-combustible aerosol delivery system from being used to generate aerosol. In this manner, the present technology can implement a lockout timer function to automatically limit use of non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 to a given period of time. As discussed above, this can provide additional security to non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 by preventing persons other than the owner of device 10 who may maliciously or carelessly attempt to use device 10 from using non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10, or by limiting the amount of time the device 10 can be used before it is locked.

[0050]

[0055] This approach can also provide a better user experience by more closely mimicking the experience of smoking a cigarette, where the usage session is inherently time-limited due to the cigarette burning out. Additionally, by limiting the amount of time that the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 can be used, resources of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10, such as battery level and aerosolizable material, can be conserved, thereby allowing the device 10 to be used for a longer period of time before the cartridge needs to be refilled / replaced.

[0051]

[0056] Once the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is locked, as shown by step S45 of FIG. 3 , the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 can remain locked until unlocked by the user. In other words, once the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is locked, the method can remain dormant until such time as an unlock request is received. Accordingly, the user device 40 may be configured to receive an unlock request in step S47 (e.g., when the user wishes to begin another use session). At this point, the user device 40 can immediately issue an unlock request in step S49, causing the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 to be unlocked in step S51. However, in some examples, the user device 40, after receiving the unlock request in step S47 or as part of receiving the unlock request, requests authentication that the person unlocking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is authorized to unlock the device 10. Therefore, the user device 40 may require the user to perform an authentication process (e.g., by entering a PIN or password) before the user device 40 can proceed to unlock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10.

[0052]

[0057] 3 assumes that the process begins with the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 in an unlocked state. In other examples where the starting state of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is locked, the method may further include, prior to step S31, receiving an unlock request (similar to steps S47, S49, and S51), issuing the unlock request, and unlocking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system. In further examples where the starting state of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is locked, the user input in step S31 may be used as both an unlock request and a lock request, the method issuing the unlock request before or approximately simultaneously with starting the timer, and the non-combustible aerosol delivery system being unlocked in response to the user input. Any such unlock request may be subject to authorization, as described above with respect to step S47.

[0053]

[0058] Thus, a technique has been described that can time-limit the use of a non-combustible aerosol delivery system, which, as noted above, can extend the charge of a battery, extend the life of a reservoir of aerosolizable material, increase safety, and / or control / reduce the amount of aerosol inhaled by a user.

[0054]

[0059] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for locking a non-combustible aerosol delivery system according to a second example. In this example, it is assumed that the non-combustible aerosol delivery system begins the method in an unlocked state. In the example described with reference to FIG. 3, user input is received at the user device 40, a timer is implemented by the user device 40, and a lock request is sent to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 after a given period of time has elapsed. However, in the example of FIG. 4, the lockout timer function is implemented entirely locally in the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. This means that the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 does not need to communicate with the user device 40 to utilize the lockout timer function, allowing the user to utilize the lockout timer function even when the user device 40 is not present. Furthermore, this approach means that the timer can be started without interaction with the user device 40, which can provide additional convenience to the user.

[0055]

[0060] Many of the features / steps shown in Figure 4 correspond closely to similar features / steps described above in connection with Figure 3. For the sake of brevity, these features / steps will not be fully described below, but instead reference will be made to the description of the corresponding steps / features in Figure 3.

[0056]

[0061] Returning to FIG. 4 , step S61 shows non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 responding to detecting a puff on non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. In this example, the user's puff on non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 constitutes user input representing a request to lock non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. That is, by puffing on device 10, the user signals non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 that they wish to initiate a usage session and then lock non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. In this manner, non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 can automatically limit use of device 10 to a session of a predetermined duration (e.g., 3 minutes) or can limit use of device 10 to locking at a set time (e.g., a specific time of day) after the session has been initiated. As an alternative to using puff detection as the initiator of the method, in examples where the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 includes one or more input elements (such as a button or a touch-sensitive input), the method may be initiated by a specific button press (such as a specific button press, one or more button presses for a specific duration, and / or multiple button presses over a predetermined period of time / multiple button presses in succession).

[0057]

[0062] In response to detecting a puff of device 10, as indicated by step S61, non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 starts a timer in step S63. While the timer is running, non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 permits aerosol to be generated using non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. That is, while the timer is running, non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 remains in an unlocked state (e.g., does not transition from the unlocked state).

[0058]

[0063] After a given period of time has elapsed as detected by the timer (whether the lapse of the period of time corresponds to the lapse of a set time interval or the lapse of a duration up to a set time), the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is then configured to lock itself in step S69, thereby not generating aerosol using the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. Thus, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 can perform all of the steps of the method to lock itself without requiring intervention by the user device 40.

[0059]

[0064] The non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 can remain locked until unlocked by the user device 40, as described above with reference to FIG. 3. However, in this example, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 implements a back-off timer. Using the back-off timer, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 keeps the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 locked for a second period of time after the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is locked, as shown in step S71. Once this second period has elapsed, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is configured to unlock itself in step S73 so that the device 10 can again be used to generate aerosol. This second period of time can be a time interval or a set period of time (e.g., a time of day).

[0060]

[0065] At this point, non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 can return to a state equivalent to that which existed before the puff was detected in step S61. As a result, a puff on non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 after device 10 has been unlocked will again start the lockout timer.

[0061]

[0066] As mentioned above, the example shown in FIG. 4 assumes that the process begins with the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 in an unlocked state. In other examples where the starting state of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is locked, the method may further include an initial unlocking step. Such an initial unlocking step may be included in step S61, such that puff detection (or some other activation detection as discussed above) triggers the unlocking, or may be a separate step requiring alternative user input, such as use of an input element, to execute the unlocking command. In such examples, step S73 does not actually unlock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system, but instead allows the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to be unlocked in response to an unlocking request (which is not possible before the second period of time has elapsed).

[0062]

[0067] Thus, another manner in which use of a non-combustible aerosol delivery system for aerosol generation may be time-limited after an initiating event has been described. In this example, the initiating event is provided by puff detection or detection of some other suitable user input on the non-combustible aerosol delivery system. This time-limited manner for permitting aerosol generation can extend battery charge, extend the life of a reservoir of aerosolizable material, and / or control / reduce a user's aerosol inhalation. These results may be further accentuated by the use of a back-off timer.

[0063]

[0068] Although the approach of FIG. 4 uses a back-off timer, it is possible (as discussed above) to treat this feature as optional and thus terminate the process of FIG. 4 at step S69.

[0064]

[0069] 3 does not include a back-off timer, it will be appreciated that this approach may also use a back-off timer. In such an example, after step S43, a step of monitoring for a second time period, corresponding to the back-off timer, may be performed. Until the back-off timer expires (e.g., until the second time period has elapsed), the method may ignore or reject any received unlock requests.

[0065]

[0070] 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 user input is shown in FIG.

[0066]

[0071] As shown, user interface screen 80 includes a selection element 82 for enabling / disabling the lockout timer function. In this example, selection element 82 is depicted as a switch that is toggled by the user to enable or disable the lockout timer function and that displays the current setting. When the lockout timer function is disabled, the above-described technique of locking non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 after a given period of time cannot be used, but is used when the lockout timer function is enabled.

[0067]

[0072] Further control over the implementation of the lockout timer is provided via the timer duration field 84. The timer duration field 84 can be used to specify a given period of time that the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 will remain unlocked following a user input representing a request to lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10. Thus, the timer duration field 84 allows the user to control the length of time in a session before the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 is locked. As noted above, this may be set to a default value, or may be absent if there is a non-changeable default value. In embodiments where a timer is implemented as the time that the non-combustible aerosol delivery system remains unlocked, the timer duration field 84 can be used to set the time (e.g., time of day) that the lock occurs, rather than the interval after which the lock occurs.

[0068]

[0073] A user can also control, via control element 86, one or more actions to be taken when a given period of time has elapsed. As shown in FIG. 5, control element 86 includes three radio buttons 86a-86c. First radio button 86a corresponds to locking non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 in response to the expiration of a timer (which may include reaching a set time). Thus, if this option is selected, when the timer elapses, non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 will be locked and the user may not be notified or required to confirm.

[0069]

[0074] If second radio button 86b is selected, the user is notified when the timer expires. This notification may indicate to the user that a given period of time has elapsed and, in some cases, may also provide the user with an option to confirm that non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 should be locked. Third radio button 86c corresponds to both locking non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 and notifying the user when a given period of time has elapsed.

[0070]

[0075] 5, the user interface screen further includes a button 88 for starting a lockout timer. Thus, a user input representing a request to lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system 10 can include pressing this button 88 to indicate to the user device 40 that a timer is to be started. If the timer is set as a time to be reached rather than a time interval, pressing the button can initiate a check to see if the set time has been reached.

[0071]

[0076] Although not shown, additional user interface elements may be provided for selecting (or not selecting) the use of a back-off timer and for setting the duration of such a back-off timer.

[0072]

[0077] Thus, a technique has been described in which a non-combustible aerosol delivery system can be locked and unlocked using a timer to at least delay the locking process, thereby allowing a user to limit the length of a usage session of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system, thereby providing additional safety, an improved experience using the non-combustible aerosol delivery system, and a longer supply life of aerosolizable material and / or batteries.

[0073]

[0078] While elapsed time, which is a time interval, and elapsed time, which is a duration until a set time (e.g., a time point, which may also be referred to as absolute time and / or clock time), are described above as alternatives, in some embodiments, they can be used in combination. For example, a user can specify a first timer to be a time interval that limits the duration of a session, and then, if a backoff timer is used, this can set the time that must be reached before the non-combustible aerosol delivery system can be unlocked again, thus providing an embodiment in which the user can set their own opportunity for one aerosol generation session of a certain maximum length before a certain time point. More complex time interval patterns can also be specified, such as allowing unlimited use until a certain time point, then allowing a set number of time-limited aerosol generation sessions, and then not allowing further aerosol generation until another set time point. A wide variety of possible interactions of either or both timer types are thus contemplated to generate complex sets of time-based controls for use of the non-combustible aerosol delivery system for aerosol generation over time.

[0074]

[0079] In this application, the term "configured to" is used to mean that an element of a device has a configuration that allows it to perform a specified operation. In this context, "configuration" refers to an arrangement or manner of interconnection of hardware or software. For example, a device 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 the device element must undergo any modification in order to provide the specified operation.

[0075]

[0080] The various embodiments described herein are presented solely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided as merely representative examples of embodiments and are not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive of all embodiments. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or the equivalents thereof, and it will be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the present 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. Additionally, the present disclosure may include other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. 1. A method of locking a non-combustible aerosol delivery system, comprising: receiving a user input representing a request to lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a given period of time; allowing the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to generate aerosol for the given period of time; in response to determining that the given period of time has elapsed, locking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system so that the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is not used to generate aerosol; Including, The method, wherein the user input is received at the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

2. further comprising the step of notifying a user that the given period of time has elapsed; locking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system further occurs in response to receiving a confirmation from the user that the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is locked; Optionally, the step of locking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is further performed in response to receiving a confirmation from the user that the given period should be repeated before locking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the user input is received at a user device in communication with the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

4. notifying the non-combustible aerosol delivery system by the user device of the request to lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after the given period of time; 4. The method of claim 3, wherein locking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system occurs in response to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system determining that the given period of time has elapsed.

5. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of locking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system includes a step of issuing a lock request to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system by the user device in response to the user device determining that the given period has elapsed.

6. A method as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of receiving user input includes detecting a puff in the non-combustible aerosol delivery system by the user.

7. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising the step of keeping the non-combustible aerosol delivery system locked until an unlock request is received by a user device in communication with the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

8. unlocking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a second period of time has elapsed since the non-combustible aerosol delivery system was locked; 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein optionally, the second period comprises a period of time that elapses for a predetermined amount of time.

9. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the given period comprises a period of time ending at a predetermined time.

10. receiving a user input representing a request to lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a given period of time; permitting the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to generate aerosol for the given period of time; in response to determining that the given period of time has elapsed, locking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to prevent the non-combustible aerosol delivery system from being used to generate aerosol; 1. A device configured to: the user input is received at the non-combustible aerosol delivery system and transmitted to the device; device.

11. further configured to notify a user that the given period of time has elapsed; the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is further configured to lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system in response to receiving a confirmation from the user that the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is locked; 11. The device of claim 10, further configured to selectively lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system in response to receiving confirmation from the user that the given period should be repeated before locking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

12. further configured to unlock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a second period of time has elapsed after the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is locked; Optionally, the second period comprises a period of time that elapses at a predetermined time.

13. 12. The device of claim 10 or 11, wherein the device is a non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

14. 14. The device of claim 13, wherein the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is configured to receive the user input by detecting a puff on the non-combustible aerosol delivery system by the user.

15. The device of claim 10 or 11, wherein the device is a user device communicatively coupled to the non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

16. 16. The device of claim 15, wherein the user device is configured to receive the user input directly at the user device, the user input representing a request to lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a given period of time.

17. 16. The device of claim 15, wherein the user device is configured to receive the user input via the non-combustible aerosol delivery system representing a request to lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a given period of time.

18. 12. The device of claim 10 or 11, wherein the given period comprises a period of time ending at a predetermined time.

19. 1. A system for locking a non-combustible aerosol delivery system, comprising: the non-combustible aerosol delivery system; A user device according to claim 15; A system comprising:

20. A computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processing circuitry of a device, cause the device to: receiving a user input representing a request to lock the non-combustible aerosol delivery system after a given period of time; permitting the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to generate aerosol for the given period of time; in response to determining that the given period of time has elapsed, locking the non-combustible aerosol delivery system to prevent the non-combustible aerosol delivery system from being used to generate aerosol; Configure it to do A computer-readable medium, wherein the user input is received at the non-combustible aerosol delivery system and transmitted to the device.

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