Apparatus and method for low-latency oral recognition

Abstract

1. A body cavity authentication system for verifying at least one characteristic of a user using at least one acoustic signal, comprising: an orifice element including at least a signal opening and a reflection opening; an acoustic wave generator (AWG); an acoustic wave sensor (AWS); at least one output waveguide; at least one input waveguide; a processor; a memory; and a power source, wherein the AWG generates the at least one acoustic signal; the AWS receives at least one reflection of the acoustic signal; the output waveguide is for receiving the reflection of the acoustic signal; the memory is configured to store body cavity authentication data representing the characteristic; and the processor is configured to analyze the reflection, compare the analyzed reflection with the retrievable body cavity authentication data, and generate an indication of whether the analyzed reflection matches the retrievable body cavity authentication data above a predetermined threshold.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to an oral authentication apparatus and method, and generally relates in particular to methods, apparatuses and systems that operate and function based on oral authentication.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Many electronic devices that operate by being placed in a body cavity of a human user, such as the oral cavity, nasal cavity, or tympanic cavity, exist on the market. Such devices may be devices that a user exhales into (i.e., blows air out of the lungs), such as medical respiratory devices (e.g., CPAP machines, BIPAP machines, respirators with exhalation valves, breathalyzers, etc.), devices that a user inhales through (i.e., breathes either air or a substance in the form of gas or aerosol), such as inhalers, electronic cigarettes, vaporizers, etc., or simply devices that a user places in a body cavity, such as an oral thermometer or an ear thermometer. In summary, such devices can be referred to as electronic devices for use within the human body cavity.

[0003] Unauthorized use of some of these electronic devices intended for use within the human body cavity does not pose a real or significant risk of abuse (such as in the case of unauthorized use of a thermometer), but some of these electronic devices, once purchased, can be easily abused (for example, underage individuals using an electronic cigarette belonging to an adult, and individuals using an inhaler to inhale prescription drugs prescribed for another individual). Accordingly, there is a need to provide an additional level of security and authorization to prevent abuse of such devices, such as access to controlled substances by underage or unauthorized users.

[0004] Identification and verification systems are generally known in the art for electronic devices, using methods such as login names and passwords, or individual, unique biometric identifiers (such as fingerprint scans, facial recognition, iris / retinal recognition, and even voice patterns). However, each of these identification and verification systems is vulnerable to bypassing, with or without the original user's knowledge. For example, login names and passwords can be hacked, or distinctive biometric identifiers, such as photographs (for visual functions) or recordings (for voice patterns), can be duplicated. Therefore, there is a need for identification and verification systems for electronic devices used in human body cavities that cannot be easily duplicated or bypassed.

[0005] In the art, there are known devices that use oral authentication to identify and verify individuals as authorized users of aerosol generating systems such as e-cigarettes. European Patent Application No. EP 3 342 442 A1~JT International SA, “AEROSOL GENERATING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF AN AEROSOL GENERATING SYSTEM,” is directed to a system including an evaporator and electronic circuits for starting and stopping the evaporator. The system also includes a signal emitter and a signal receiver, as well as an authentication control unit. The signal emitter emits an electroacoustic signal into the user's oral cavity, and the signal receiver receives a reflected electroacoustic response signal from the oral cavity. The profile of the received reflected response signal is compared to a predetermined response signal profile stored in the system. According to this document, the result of the comparison can be used by the authentication controller to activate or deactivate the evaporator, and thus authorized use of the system can be controlled using a distinctive biometric identifier that is difficult to reproduce.

[0006] The system described in European Patent Application Publication No. 3 342 442 A1 does not provide an identification and verification system for use with electronic devices for use in human body cavities that can identify and verify specific authorized users compared to unauthorized users. Authorized users may be classified as a general user group (such as adults over 18 years of age), but the system described above cannot authorize specific users. Furthermore, the identification and verification process should preferably have sufficiently low latency so as not to affect the user experience of electronic devices for use in human body cavities. [Overview of the project]

[0007] The object of the disclosed technology is to provide novel methods and systems for identification and verification using acoustic signals, useful for electronic devices for use in human body cavities or human orifices. According to the disclosed technology, a body cavity authentication system is provided for verifying at least one feature of a user using at least one acoustic signal. The body cavity authentication system includes an orifice element, an acoustic wave generator, an acoustic wave sensor, at least one output acoustic waveguide, at least one input acoustic waveguide, a processor, memory, and a power supply. The orifice element includes at least an acoustic signal opening and a reflection signal opening. The output acoustic waveguide is coupled between the acoustic wave generator and the acoustic signal opening, and the input acoustic waveguide is coupled between the acoustic wave sensor and the reflection signal opening. The processor is coupled with the acoustic wave generator and the acoustic wave sensor, and the power supply is coupled with the acoustic wave generator, the acoustic wave sensor, and the processor. The acoustic wave generator is for generating an acoustic signal, and the acoustic wave sensor is for receiving at least one reflection of the acoustic signal. The output acoustic waveguide is for transmitting acoustic signals to the user, and the input acoustic waveguide is for receiving reflections of acoustic signals. The processor is for processing the reflections of acoustic signals, and the memory is configured to store authentication data of body cavities that represent features searchable by the processor. The processor is configured to analyze the reflections and compare the analyzed reflections with the searchable authentication data of body cavities stored in memory, and to generate an indication of whether the analyzed reflections match the searchable authentication data of body cavities that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0008] According to one aspect of the disclosed technology, an inhalation system for supplying a substance to a user is provided. The inhalation system includes an inhalation device and interchangeable parts detachable from the inhalation device. The inhalation device includes an acoustic wave generator, an acoustic wave sensor, an acoustic seal, a processor, memory, and a power supply. The processor is coupled to the acoustic wave generator and the acoustic wave sensor, and the power supply is coupled to the acoustic wave generator, the acoustic wave sensor, and the processor. The acoustic wave generator is for generating at least one acoustic signal, and the acoustic wave sensor is for receiving at least one reflection of the acoustic signal. The processor is for processing the reflection of the acoustic signal, and the memory is configured to store body cavity authentication data representing a user retrieved by the processor. The interchangeable parts include an inhalation element, a container, at least one cavity, at least one output acoustic waveguide, and at least one input acoustic waveguide. The inhalation element includes at least an inhalation opening, an acoustic signal opening, and a reflection signal opening. The container is coupled to the inhalation element, and the cavity is located between the container and the inhalation opening. The output acoustic waveguide is configured to connect between the acoustic generator and the acoustic signal opening, and the input acoustic waveguide is configured to connect between the acoustic wave sensor and the reflected signal opening. An acoustic seal is coupled to the output and input acoustic waveguides when the replaceable parts are installed in the inhalation device. The container is for storing material, the cavity is for supplying material, the output acoustic waveguide is for transmitting acoustic signals to the user, and the input acoustic waveguide is configured to receive reflected acoustic signals. The acoustic seal is for acoustically sealing the acoustic wave generator and acoustic wave sensor in the output and input acoustic waveguides, respectively. The processor is configured to analyze the reflections, compare the analyzed reflections with searchable body cavity authentication data stored in memory, and generate an instruction indicating whether the analyzed reflections match searchable body cavity authentication data that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0009] According to one aspect of the disclosed technology, a replaceable component containing a substance is provided, configured to be detachably attached to an inhalation device. The replaceable component includes an inhalation element, a container, at least one cavity, at least one output acoustic waveguide, and at least one input acoustic waveguide. The inhalation element includes at least an inhalation opening, an acoustic signal opening, and a reflected signal opening. The container is connected to the inhalation element, and the cavity is positioned between the container and the inhalation opening. The output acoustic waveguide is configured to connect between an acoustic wave generator and the acoustic signal opening in the inhalation device, and the input acoustic waveguide is configured to connect between an acoustic wave sensor and the reflected signal opening in the inhalation device. The container is for storing the substance, and the cavity is for supplying the substance to the user. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] The disclosed technology can be more fully understood and recognized from the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings. [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an inhalation system configured and operating according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. [Figure 2A] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram of various configurations of the suction system of Figure 1, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 2B] Figure 2B is a schematic diagram of various configurations of the suction system of Figure 1, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 2C] Figure 2C is a schematic diagram of various configurations of the suction system of Figure 1, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 3A] Figure 3A is an orthogonal and cross-sectional view of a first exemplary intake system constructed and operating according to several embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 3B] Figure 3B is an orthogonal and cross-sectional view of a first exemplary intake system constructed and operating according to several embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 4A]Figure 4A is an additional orthogonal and cross-sectional view of the first exemplary intake system of Figures 3A-3B, configured and operating according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. [Figure 4B] Figure 4B is an additional orthogonal and cross-sectional view of the first exemplary intake system of Figures 3A-3B, configured and operating according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an orthogonal cross-sectional view of the interchangeable components of the first exemplary intake system of Figures 3A-3B, configured and operating according to the disclosed embodiment of the technology. [Figure 6A] Figure 6A is a perspective view of the first exemplary suction system of Figures 3A-3B, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 6B] Figure 6B is a perspective view of the first exemplary suction system of Figures 3A-3B, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 7A] Figure 7A is an additional perspective view of the first exemplary suction system of Figures 3A-3B, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 7B] Figure 7B is an additional perspective view of the first exemplary suction system of Figures 3A-3B, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 7C] Figure 7C is an additional perspective view of the first exemplary suction system of Figures 3A-3B, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 7D] Figure 7D is an additional perspective view of the first exemplary suction system of Figures 3A-3B, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 8A] Figure 8A is a further perspective view of the first exemplary suction system of Figures 3A-3B, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 8B] Figure 8B is a further perspective view of the first exemplary suction system of Figures 3A-3B, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 8C]Figure 8C is a further perspective view of the first exemplary inhalation system of Figures 3A to 3B, which is configured and operates in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 8D] Figure 8D is a further perspective view of the first exemplary inhalation system of Figures 3A to 3B, which is configured and operates in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is an exploded view of the first exemplary inhalation system of Figures 3A to 3B, which is configured and operates in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the first example and the second example inhalation systems, which are constructed and operate in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a method for identification verification that operates in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed technology. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a method for age verification that operates in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed technology. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0011] The disclosed technology provides novel identification and verification methods and systems useful for electronic devices for use in human body cavities or human orifices. One embodiment of the disclosed technology enables such an electronic device to perform either or both of user identification verification (hereinafter abbreviated as ID (identification verification)) and age verification (hereinafter abbreviated as AV (age verification)) with low latency, such that it does not affect, or has minimal effect on, the user's experience of such an electronic device. According to one embodiment of the disclosed technology, acoustic waves in the frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 9 kHz (hereinafter abbreviated as KHz) are used to establish unique features of a human body cavities for a given individual (as in the case of ID) and / or to establish unique features that form the features of a human body cavities for a group of individuals based on age (as in the case of AV). The signature can then be used by such an electronic device to authenticate a user and enable or disable the functions of the electronic device. According to one embodiment of the disclosed technology, acoustic waves in the frequency range of less than 1.5 KHz can be used in particular. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the disclosed technology, specifically, acoustic waves in a frequency range exceeding 9 kHz can be used.

[0012] The disclosed technology can be used with any electronic device for use in a human body cavity or orifice, whether it be the oral cavity (i.e., mouth), nasal cavity (i.e., nose), or tympanic cavity (i.e., ear), and may include exhalation devices (i.e., devices that function by exhalation), inhalation devices (i.e., devices that function by inhalation), and devices that do not require either inhalation or exhalation (e.g., devices placed in the tympanic cavity, and devices that are simply placed in the mouth or nose). For example, the disclosed technology may be used with medical exhalation devices such as electronic wind instruments, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bilevel positive airway pressure (BIPAP or BPAP) devices, as well as ventilators with exhalation valves and exhalation detectors (examples of exhalation devices), e-cigarettes (hereinafter abbreviated as e-cigarettes), evaporators, vaping devices, dry herb vaporizers and inhalers (examples of inhalation devices), and oral and tympanic thermometers (examples of devices that do not require inhalation or exhalation).

[0013] In one embodiment, the electronic device functions to authenticate an individual through a human body cavity and control the operation of associated devices. The associated device can communicate with the electronic device that performs authentication via wired and / or wireless communication. Therefore, the disclosed technology can be used for the purpose of authenticating a user based on the signature of the user's body cavity. In this embodiment, the device of the disclosed technology can be used solely to authenticate a user, and the authentication is linked to control access to and / or operate a separate device that is in communication (either wired and / or wireless) with the device of the disclosed technology. As a first example, the device of the disclosed technology can be embodied as a probe capable of communicating with an electronic lock, and successful authentication of the user by the device provides a signal to open the electronic lock (for example, in the case of a door). Such embodiments can be used to gain access to restricted areas within a complex or building, and can even be used as a means for perimeter control. As a second example, the device of the disclosed technology may be embodied as a dongle for a computer, or may be embodied as a device that communicates with a dongle for a computer. Then, successful authentication of the user by the device can provide signals such as permitting access to a computer, permitting access to data, permitting access to a website, permitting access to a server, or permitting the performance of an action via a computer (for example, transferring funds from a bank account). In such embodiments, the device can communicate with the dongle via a wired connection or a wireless communication protocol such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). In embodiments of the disclosed technology used for general authentication, the disclosed technology can be used to authenticate a user for using any electronic device having communication capabilities. Accordingly, the disclosed technology may be embodied as a device such as a dongle that can provide an ID and / or AV as described herein to a controlled electronic device via wired and / or wireless communication.

[0014] A signature of a human body cavity (hereinafter referred to as a cavity signature) is established by transmitting at least one acoustic signal in one of the aforementioned frequency ranges of the disclosed technology into a human body cavity and receiving at least one reflection of the acoustic signal from the human body cavity. The user can then be authenticated by comparing the cavity sample of the received reflection with the user's stored cavity signature and thus performing an ID, using the subsequent transmission of the acoustic signal into the human body cavity and the received reflection of the acoustic signal (hereinafter referred to as a cavity sample). If the cavity signature is of an oral cavity, the signature may be referred to as an oral signature. The term “oral signature” is used substantially throughout this specification to describe embodiments of the disclosed technology in which an oral signature is used as part of the disclosed technology. However, such descriptions should not be construed as limitation and are merely provided as exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology that can be used for the purpose of authenticating and verifying any human body cavity as described above via a cavity signature. According to the disclosed technology, a unique feature for the coelom signatures of a given age group can be established using multiple coelom signatures of users within a specified age group. Thus, the subsequent transmission of an acoustic signal and the received reflection of the acoustic signal (i.e., a coelom sample) can then be used to authenticate an authorized user by comparing the stored features of the authorized user's coelom signature with the features of the received coelom sample. In addition, age-related features can be computed and determined for user signature age groups, and the coelom sample compared to the coelom signature can then be used to estimate the user's age group, thus performing AV. According to the disclosed technology, this is achieved by sampling coelom signatures of multiple users and using the samples with machine learning tools and algorithms to establish a unique feature for a given age group.The specified age groups may be more diverse, including permitted users (adults over a given age such as 18) and unauthorized users (individuals under a given age such as under 18), as well as child users (minors under 14), adolescent users (minors between the ages of 14-16, 14-18, 16-18, etc.), adult users over 18, and adult users over 21.

[0015] According to the disclosed technology, the ability to establish a body cavity signature, and to use it for authentication in the case of ID, and even more so for authentication in the case of AV, relates to the frequency range of the acoustic signal transmitted to a human body cavity, as well as the general quality and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the transmitted acoustic signal and the received reflection of the acoustic signal. The inventors have found that the quality of reflections of acoustic signals received from a human body cavity changes in a frequency-dependent manner, and that certain frequency ranges produce higher quality reflections of acoustic signals with higher SNRs, and therefore, more accurate features can be identified to establish a body cavity signature by the disclosed technology. The inventors have also found that, depending on the use of the disclosed technology, different frequency ranges may be preferred over others, as described below. Frequencies within the ultrasonic range, for example, above 20 kHz, substantially produce very low-quality reflected signals unless the elements of the electronic device transmitting the ultrasonic signal are physically touching the walls of a human body cavity. Even in such cases, such ultrasonic signals are energetically inefficient compared to acoustic signals. Accordingly, the inventors have found that the use of ultrasound to generate oral signatures functions with substantial effectiveness only when such a device is positioned inside the oral cavity and / or flush with the oral cavity and in contact with the surface of the oral cavity. According to the disclosed art, an acoustic signal within the audible range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz is transmitted to a human body cavity to establish a body cavity signature, and then a body cavity sample is generated to perform ID and / or AV without requiring the electronic device to be in physical contact with any surface of the human body cavity, whether internal or external.Therefore, in one embodiment, the transmission of an acoustic signal is performed without direct contact between the opening of the waveguide of the device and any part of the human body cavity (for example, the device is placed in the mouth and held in place by the lips and / or teeth, but avoids direct contact with the tongue and / or waves). The inventors have further found that, even within the audible frequency range, in one embodiment, the frequency range between 1.5 kHz and 9 kHz provides acoustic signal reflections that offer the greatest amount of unique features among users when establishing a body cavity signature. This is particularly important when establishing an oral signature (i.e., an oral body cavity signature) because higher frequency bands above 9 kHz are significantly more sensitive to the location in the oral cavity from which the body cavity sample is taken, and to any movement within the oral cavity and / or changes in the shape of the oral cavity during the taking of the body cavity sample (e.g., due to breathing, tongue movement, jaw muscle movement, etc.). Accordingly, the disclosed technology can use any audible acoustic signal to establish a body cavity signature, but preferably, a range of 1.5 kHz to 9 kHz, or 1.5 kHz to 5 kHz, can be used as the transmitted acoustic signal. The 1.5-9 kHz range for the acoustic signal provides optimal performance and can yield results in the inhalation system 100. A shorter range of 1.5-5 kHz for the acoustic signal may be used if implementation constraints such as waveguides that do not support higher frequency bands or hardware limitations are required. The inventors have also found that by using acoustic signals with frequencies above 9 kHz (and up to 20 kHz), it is possible to provide very accurate information for identifying features of human body cavities that do not significantly alter their shape, such as the nasal cavity and tympanic cavity. Accordingly, in one embodiment of the disclosed technology, where a nasal cavity signature and / or tympanic cavity signature are used to establish a body cavity signature, the acoustic signals used for the body cavity signature and body cavity sample may be within a frequency range of 9 kHz to 20 kHz. The inventors have further discovered that acoustic signals below 1.5 kHz may not be very effective in terms of energy for establishing a body cavity signature.The reason for this is that, for example, high transmission power of the acoustic signal in that frequency range is required to establish a sufficiently high SNR over ambient noise such as the user's breathing. The transmission power required in such cases would make the transmitted acoustic signal audible to the user and possibly even to people very close by, thereby reducing the user experience of the device of the disclosed technology (for example, if the disclosed technology is embodied as an e-cigarette), in which case a larger sound generator (e.g., a speaker) would be required. However, in embodiments where the audibility of the transmitted acoustic signal and / or the size of the sound generator are not design constraints (for example, in the case of a medical breathing device), the acoustic signal may have a frequency range of 20 Hz to 9 kHz, and optionally even an acoustic signal in the frequency range of 20 Hz to 1.5 kHz may be used to improve the identifiability of the user's body cavity features. In one embodiment, it may be preferable to transmit at least an audible sound to the user. Optionally, this is done to suit the user's personal preferences or enjoyment. In one embodiment, the audible sound may be used to warn the user that a given total amount of a substance has been or is about to be supplied. This can ensure adherence to the desired regimen and / or reduce the possibility of unintentional overdose or overuse. Optionally, instructions are delivered to the user interface in such situations. The sound heard by the user may overlap and / or be distinguishable in frequency, composition, and / or time compared to the signal used to acquire the body cavity signature. In one embodiment, this sound is adjusted to the user's hearing ability and / or preference.

[0016] Another aspect of the quality of the transmitted acoustic signal and the reflection of the acoustic signal from the human body cavity relates to the path the acoustic signal travels from the sound generator that produces the sound, and the sensor detects the reflection of sound. According to the disclosed technology, a waveguide is used to couple an acoustic generator to a first opening in an electronic device in order to couple a sensor that is placed in the human body cavity to transmit the acoustic signal and to receive and detect the reflection of sound at a second opening in the electronic device, which is also placed in the human body cavity. Furthermore, the use of a waveguide increases the possibilities for the design and placement of the acoustic generator and sensor in the electronic device. Moreover, the inventors have found that by using an acoustically sealed waveguide for the acoustic generator and sensor as well as for both the first and second openings described above, the SNR is significantly increased, and therefore the quality of the transmitted acoustic signal is significantly increased, as well as the reflection of the acoustic signal, so that the unique features of the user's body cavity can be identified in both the ID and AV cases.

[0017] A further aspect of the disclosed technology relates to the volume of the transmitted acoustic signal. Since the electronic devices of the disclosed technology are placed inside human body cavities for use in the mouth, nose, or ears, the primary source of noise that may potentially interfere with the transmitted acoustic signal is internal noise related to the respiratory system. This may be ambient noise coming from the lungs when air is inhaled and / or exhaled, as well as noise generated by the throat (e.g., when a person coughs or clears their throat) or nose (e.g., when a person sneezes or sneezes). According to one embodiment of the disclosed technology, in order for a body cavity signature to be established, the intensity level of the transmitted acoustic signal is substantially higher than any repetitive noise source in the human body cavities, which is generally ambient noise generated when a person breathes. Therefore, it may be desirable to transmit a very low-intensity acoustic signal to authenticate a user, which is barely detectable by the user (e.g., the intensity level of the user's breathing while in a resting position, not during strenuous physical activity), but the intensity level of the transmitted signal should be sufficiently high to allow for a sufficiently high SNR to generate a coelom signature with identifiable features. Also, according to embodiments of the disclosed technology, the intensity level of the transmitted acoustic signal is lower than a threshold that provides an SNR that is too low to generate a coelom signature with identifiable features. The inventors have found that if the intensity level of the transmitted acoustic signal is too high, the intensity level of the reflected acoustic signal causes receiver compression (known as the ringing effect) in the sensor receiving the reflected acoustic signal, thereby causing a significant decrease in SNR and a significant decrease in the identifiability of the coelom features. Therefore, according to the disclosed technology, the intensity level of the transmitted acoustic signal must be high enough to achieve a sufficiently high SNR that outperforms the ambient noise of the user's breathing, while remaining below the intensity threshold at which receiver compression occurs (i.e., below or softer than the receiver compression threshold) when the sensor receives and detects the reflected acoustic signal.For example, in one embodiment of the disclosed technology designed as an e-cigarette, the intensity level of the transmitted acoustic signal is between 46 and 100 dB SPL (sound pressure level, decibels), or equivalently between 0.004 and 2 Newtons / m² (N / m²). 2 It can be between (abbreviated as ).

[0018] Referring here to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of an inhalation system configured and operating according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology, is generally denoted by reference numeral 100. The inhalation system 100 includes an inhalation device 102 and interchangeable parts 104. As schematically shown, interchangeable parts 104 can be coupled and attached to, as well as detached and removed from, the inhalation device 102, as indicated by a plurality of arrows 106. Details of coupling and uncoupling of interchangeable parts 104 and the inhalation device 102 are described below. The inhalation device 102 includes an acoustic wave generator 108, an acoustic wave sensor 110, a processor 112, and a power supply 114. The inhalation device 102 may also include a memory 116, an actuator 118, a sensor 120, and a user interface 122, each of which is an optional component and is indicated by a dotted line. The processor 112 is coupled to the acoustic wave generator 108, the acoustic wave sensor 110, and the power supply 114, and can optionally be coupled to the memory 116, the actuator 118, the sensor 120, and the user interface 122. The power supply 114 is coupled to the acoustic wave generator 108 and the acoustic wave sensor 110, and can also optionally be coupled to the memory 116 and the user interface 122.

[0019] The interchangeable component 104 includes an acoustic signal opening 126, a reflected signal opening 128, an inhalation opening 130, an output acoustic waveguide 132, an input acoustic waveguide 134, a supply tube 136, and a container 138. The acoustic signal opening 126, the reflected signal opening 128, and the inhalation opening 130 can together be considered as the inhalation element 124, defined by the dotted line 125. The inhalation element 124, also called a mouthpiece or orifice element, represents the part of the interchangeable component 104 that is inserted into the user's oral cavity when the inhalation system 100 is used and the substance contained in the container 138 is supplied to the user's oral cavity. Thus, an oral orifice element can refer to a mouthpiece inserted into the mouth, an earpiece inserted into the middle ear, or a nasal orifice inserted into one or both nostrils. As described below, an inhalation element as an orifice element represents the part of the interchangeable component that is inserted into the user's orifice or body cavity, such as the oral cavity, nasal cavity, and / or middle ear. The interchangeable component 104 may optionally include a heater 140. The output acoustic waveguide 132 is coupled to the acoustic signal opening 126, the input acoustic waveguide 134 is coupled to the reflected signal opening 128, and the supply tube 136 is coupled between the container 138 and the intake opening 130. The container 138 may optionally be coupled to the heater 140. When the interchangeable component 104 is attached to and physically coupled to the intake device 102, the power supply 114 may be coupled to the heater 140, the output acoustic waveguide 132 may be coupled to the acoustic wave generator 108, and the input acoustic waveguide 134 may be coupled to the acoustic wave sensor 110.

[0020] The illustrated inhalation device 102 is a reusable device, and the replaceable parts 104 are designed to be replaced after use (either single-use or short-term use). The replaceable parts 104 are sometimes referred to as cartridges, pods, capsules, disposable and single-use products, as well as short-term use products, similar terms used to describe them. Figure 1 shows the inhalation device 102 and replaceable parts 104 as separate elements, but other configurations of the elements are possible, as described below in Figures 2A-2C. The inhalation system 100 can be embodied as any known inhalation device, such as an e-cigarette, vaporizer, vaping device, dry herb vaporizer, and inhaler.

[0021] Inhalation systems are generally used to supply substances to a user as vapor (the gaseous phase of a substance below its critical point) and / or aerosol (a colloidal suspension of small liquid and / or solid particles in a gas). In this regard, the inhalation device 102 represents the reusable part of the system, and the replaceable part 104 represents a cartridge, capsule, or pod containing the substance (or its derivatives) to be supplied to the user by inhalation. As shown in Figure 1, the substance is contained in a container 138, from which it is supplied to the user via a supply tube 136 and through an inhalation opening 130. The substance may be, for example, nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, cannabinoids, liquids containing cannabinoids, pharmaceutical substances, opioids, sedatives, liquids containing opioids, liquids containing sedatives, liquids containing nicotine, and liquids containing pharmaceutical substances. The substance may also be an isolated substance, a purified substance, a synthetic substance, and a substance contained in a raw material. In one embodiment, multiple substances are supplied simultaneously and / or sequentially. The substance supplied to the user may be nothing more than a vapor or aerosol of an actual substance, such as salbutomar, if the substance is contained in a container as a liquid and supplied as an aerosol in an inhaler. The substance supplied to the user may also be a vapor or aerosol of a derivative of an actual substance, such as THC acid, which is contained in cannabis leaves but is chemically modified into THC when heated. The substance may be a mixture. In this regard, THC acid, or cannabis leaves having isolated or purified THC acid, may be the substance contained in the container, but the substance supplied to the user may be either THC (without THC acid) or a mixture of both (depending on the efficiency of decarboxylation). In one embodiment, multiple substances are contained in the substance and supplied to the user simultaneously and / or sequentially. Thus, according to the disclosed technology, the inhalation system 100 can supply the substance as an aerosol or vapor even if the substance contained in the container 138 is not a liquid, such as a plant or plant material such as tobacco or cannabis.

[0022] The acoustic wave generator 108 can be embodied as any type of generator capable of generating acoustic waves, which generally means audible acoustic waves in the range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Embodiments of the acoustic wave generator 108 may include speakers, sound sources, buzzers, and signal generators having modulators in a predetermined frequency range. The acoustic wave sensor 110 can be embodied as any type of sensor capable of sensing and detecting audible sound waves, such as microphones and receivers having modulators in a predetermined frequency range. Both the acoustic wave generator 108 and the acoustic wave sensor 110 should be sufficiently robust in structure to maintain the elasticity that the user experiences when inhaling during use of the inhalation system 100, under constant pressure subjected to the replaceable parts 104 and the inhalation device 102. The acoustic wave sensor 110 can be implemented as a ski slope type microphone that can help reduce receiver compression, for example, when the acoustic wave signal transmitted by the acoustic wave generator 108 has a low frequency (in the range of 20 Hz to 1.5 kHz), and when the microphone has a built-in mechanical filter for low frequency signals.

[0023] The processor 112 may include onboard memory (not shown). The processor 112 may include an internal or external acoustic codec unit (not shown). The acoustic codec unit enables the processor 112 to use and control analog and digital acoustic elements (such as an acoustic wave generator 108 and an acoustic wave sensor 110). As described above, the memory 116 is an optional component and may be included in the inhalation device 102 as a separate component (illustrated), as an integrated component within the processor 112, or as a virtual component in the cloud, cloud server, or other computer system (not shown). If the memory is a virtual component, the inhalation device 102 may include a wireless transceiver (not shown) to enable the processor 112 to communicate wirelessly with the memory. In general, as described below, oral signatures (for ID or AV purposes) need to be retrievalable from memory, regardless of whether the memory is inside the inhalation system 100 or outside the inhalation system 100 but still accessible.

[0024] The actuator 118 schematically represents any type of button, switch, slide wheel, joystick, or similar element that can be optionally used to actuate elements within the inhalation device 102. In an embodiment, the actuator 118 may be a button that, when pressed, activates the processor 112 to signal the acoustic wave generator 108 to generate an acoustic signal. The actuator 118 may also be a switch used to turn the power supply 114 on and off. In one embodiment, the actuator 118 can be controlled by the processor 112 to actuate elements involved in the dispensing of a substance contained in the container 138. For example, the actuator 118 may be a movable component that applies pressure to the container 138 to deliver the substance (as a liquid) in the container 138 to the user as an aerosol. The actuator 118 may also be a switch for allowing the power supply 114 to supply energy to the heater 140 for heating.

[0025] Sensor 120 may be any type of sensor that detects that the inhalation element 124 has been placed in the oral cavity and / or that the user is ready to use (or is already using) the inhalation device 102. For example, sensor 120 may be a pressure sensor that detects a change in air pressure in the supply tube 136, thereby indicating the initiation of the inhalation system 100 by the user. Such a pressure sensor may detect a change in airflow in the supply tube 136 beyond a predefined threshold. Sensor 120 may be positioned to detect inhalation via the same airway pathway (i.e., supply tube 136) used by the container 138, and to supply the substance to the user, for example, by being placed in the airway or by using the airway in another way. Sensor 120 may be a motion sensor, such as an accelerometer, that detects a change in the position of the inhalation device 102. Thus, a sudden change in position and a subsequent predetermined period of stillness (e.g., a period of stable movement) can be used by sensor 120 to determine that the inhalation system 100 is ready to be used by the user to inhale a substance. In one embodiment, a combination of several sensors is used, and therefore sensor 120 schematically represents such a combination of multiple sensors. User interface 122 can be any known user interface for communicating information, data, functions, and / or the state of the intake system 100 to the user. For example, user interface 122 can be any known surface capable of displaying information to the user, and can be embodied as a surface with or without touch sensitivity. Alternatively, user interface 122 can be embodied as various sounds and / or lights, and may optionally include a display device. In one embodiment of the disclosed technology, the user interface can use an acoustic wave generator 108 to transmit sound to the user and / or an acoustic wave sensor 110 and receive input from the user. In one embodiment of the disclosed technology, an actuator may be embodied as part of user interface 122, in which case user interface 122 is a touch-sensitive display.The power supply 114 may be a rechargeable power source such as a lithium-ion battery or a nickel-cadmium battery. The power supply 114 may also be embodied as a regular battery (i.e., non-rechargeable) or as a power supply coupled to a permanent power source (such as a wall outlet, or via a USB cable coupled to a device directly plugged into a wall outlet, such as a computer).

[0026] The elements in Figure 1 are not drawn to a specific scale and are shown schematicly to illustrate the combination and function of the elements of the intake system 100. The acoustic signal opening 126, the reflected signal opening 128, and the intake opening 130 are substantially holes in the intake element 124. The container 138 is shown as an element within the interchangeable part 104, although the container 138 can actually occupy a significant portion of the volume of the interchangeable part 104, and the supply pipe 136 may be a cylindrical empty space or cavity within the container 138 and is not an actual pipe added to the interchangeable part 104. The acoustic signal opening 126 and the reflected signal opening 128 may each be covered by a membrane (not shown) to prevent dirt, dust and debris (and even liquids) from entering the acoustic signal opening 126 and the reflected signal opening 128, respectively. The base end 133 of the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the base end 135 of the input acoustic waveguide 134 may be open and configured to be coupled to the acoustic wave generator 108 and the acoustic wave sensor 110, respectively, when the interchangeable component 104 is attached to the inhalation device 102. The output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134, similar to the supply tube 136, may be realized as empty spaces or cavities, or optionally in the shape of cylinders within the container 138, without requiring the addition of actual tubing to the interchangeable component 104. The base ends 133 and 135 can be acoustically sealed by the acoustic wave generator 108 and the acoustic wave sensor 110, respectively, when the interchangeable component 104 is attached to the inhalation device 102. The base ends 133 and 135 may be inserted into acoustic seals (not shown) within the acoustic wave generator 108 and the acoustic wave sensor 110. The acoustic seals may be airtight seals, respectively, when coupled to the intake device 102, to prevent air from entering the base ends 133 and 135. The acoustic seals can be made from any relatively elastic material that deforms under slight pressure and changes shape to fill the gap between the base ends 133 and 135, the acoustic wave generator 108, and the acoustic wave sensor 110, thereby preventing air from entering from the base ends 133 and 135 when attached to the intake device 102. The elastic material should be flexible and dense, such as silicone or rubber. Examples of acoustic seals are shown below, for example, in Figures 7A-7B and 9.The acoustic seal can also be a ring made of an elastic material, optionally silicone or rubber, placed around the inlet point (not shown) in the acoustic wave generator 108 and acoustic wave sensor 110, where the base ends 133 and 135 are inserted.

[0027] The heater 140 is an optional component and, in the case of the substance in the container 138, may only be present within the interchangeable part 104, which may be heated for supply to the user through the inhalation opening 130. If the substance in the container 138 is a liquid that is converted into an aerosol to be supplied to the user, the heater 140 is not included in the inhalation system 100. The heater 140 may be a heating element, a filament, a wire, or any other structure that releases heat when energy is applied to it. In embodiments in which the heater 140 is included, when the interchangeable part 104 is attached to the inhalation device 102, the heater 140 may be electrically coupled to the power supply 114 so that energy can be supplied from the power supply 114 to the heater 140, and the heater may then supply heat to the container 138 to heat the substance contained therein.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the disclosed technology, the inhalation system 100 generally functions as follows: A replaceable part 104 is inserted into and mounted on the inhalation device 102. The inhalation element 124 is then placed in the user's oral cavity. As described above, an embodiment of the actuator 118 may be used to indicate to the processor 112 that the user is ready to use the inhalation system 100, or an embodiment of the sensor 120 may be used to detect that the inhalation element 124 has been placed in the user's oral cavity. Optionally, the sensor 120 is used to indicate that inhalation has begun. Optionally, the transmission of an acoustic signal to the user's oral cavity is timed in accordance with the user's inhalation, and therefore the transmission is timed to begin at a specific point in time during one or more of the user's inhalations, for example, after an airflow velocity pattern has been detected by the sensor 120, or after a predetermined period has elapsed since the detection of the start of the user's inhalation. The processor 112 sends a command to an acoustic wave generator to generate an acoustic signal, which is shown graphically as an acoustic signal 142. This acoustic signal travels through the output acoustic waveguide 132 and exits the acoustic signal opening 126 into the user's oral cavity. Reflections from the acoustic signal 142 in the oral cavity are received through the reflection signal opening 128, which guides the reflected acoustic signal, illustrated as reflected signal 144, toward an acoustic wave sensor 110 that detects the characteristics of the reflected signal 144, such as its amplitude and frequency. The acoustic signal transmitted to the oral cavity and received as a reflection is called an oral sample, as described above. The acoustic signal 142 may be multiple signals, and the reflected signal 144 may be multiple reflected signals, as will be described in more detail below. The detected characteristics of the reflected signal 144 are passed from the acoustic wave sensor to the processor 112 for analysis.

[0029] In one embodiment, the processor 112 and / or memory 116 store a user's oral signature that substantially includes the characteristics of the reflected signal to the user's mouth. In one embodiment, the processor 112 and / or memory 116 store an oral signature that includes the characteristics of a group of users defined by an age limit or age group. These oral signatures and their corresponding characteristics are described in further detail below. The processor 112 compares the reflected signal 144 with the characteristics of the stored oral signature of the user or group. As described above, the oral signature or characteristics of the oral signature are retrievalable by the processor 112 for comparison with the reflected signal 144.

[0030] If the reflected signal 144 is sufficiently similar to a stored oral signature or features of an oral signature (e.g., above a given threshold), the processor 112 gives a command to supply the substance in the container 138 to the user via the supply tube 136. The processor 112 may optionally give commands to control other elements in the inhalation system 100, such as a valve (not shown) or actuator for guiding the substance in the container 138 to the user. For example, a command may be given to at least one of the container 138, actuator 118, heater 140, and power supply 114. As shown, the substance is supplied to the user's mouth via the supply tube 136 through the inhalation opening 130 as a vapor or aerosol, schematically shown as the supply substance 146.

[0031] The threshold for similarity may be a fixed value or it may be adjustable depending on the substance being supplied, for example. For example, in a device capable of supplying recreational substances (e.g., tobacco) and control substances (e.g., drugs such as sedatives), the setting for each substance may include a corresponding threshold. If the probability of a false negative is reduced (for example, for repeated use, as illustrated below), the threshold may be automatically adjusted to a higher value.

[0032] As described below, the reflected signal 144 (i.e., the oral sample) and the stored oral signature and / or signature features are considered sufficiently similar when the probability that the reflected signal 144 is the same as the oral signature exceeds a predefined threshold. If the reflected signals are found to be sufficiently similar, it can be said that the user has been authenticated. In one embodiment, the processor 112 provides an instruction that allows the substance in the container 138 to be supplied to the user upon authentication. In one embodiment, depending on the type of substance in the container 138, the instruction may cause the heater 140 to send a signal to heat the substance in the container 138, or to cause the actuator 118 to release the pressurized air in the container 138 to supply the substance as vapor or aerosol. If the reflected signals are not found to be sufficiently similar, the user is not authenticated. The processor 112 may then not provide an instruction, or the processor 112 may provide an instruction (e.g., via the user interface 122) that the user was not authenticated, and therefore no further signal is provided to supply the substance in the container 138 to the user. In one embodiment, in response to an indication that the user has not been authenticated, the processor 112 may block, deactivate, and / or limit the supply of substance from the inhalation system. It should also be noted that, in the case of AV, authentication of the user's sample may be used to verify the user's age or age group, and therefore authentication may also be used to block, deactivate, and / or limit the use of the inhalation system 100. For example, if a body cavity sample closely matches the stored oral signature characteristics of an unauthorized user (e.g., a minor attempting to use an embodiment of the disclosed technology as a vaping device), the user may be authenticated as an unauthorized user. In one embodiment of the disclosed technology, AV authentication requires two levels of authentication: one level where the body cavity sample closely matches the stored oral signature characteristics of an authorized user, and a second level where the body cavity sample dose closely matches the stored oral signature characteristics of an unauthorized user.

[0033] As described above, the disclosed technology provides a method and system for low-latency authentication of an electronic device for use in a human body cavity. A desirable aspect of low latency may be an improvement in the user experience when using the disclosed technology. For example, with respect to an inhalation system 100 embodied as an e-cigarette or vaping device, the entire process of authenticating the user and then supplying the substance in the container 138 to the user's mouth should generally be performed within a duration similar to that of the process of supplying the substance to the container in a conventional e-cigarette or vaping device. For example, the act of using an inhalation system such as an e-cigarette or vaping device may be referred to as inhalation, which can last from 1 to 3.5 seconds. Therefore, according to the disclosed technology, the entire process of authenticating the user and then supplying the substance in the container to the user should be completed within the duration of a single inhalation. According to the disclosed technology, the process for authenticating a user may take approximately 500 milliseconds (abbreviated as msec herein) and may be as short as 300 milliseconds, thereby not affecting the user experience of the inhalation system 100 compared to conventional e-cigarettes and vaping devices. Authentication can also be performed during use of the inhalation system 100, for example, at 350 msec, before the substance is released, supplied, and / or access to the substance is permitted. Authentication may be continued and / or repeated before the end of substance supply as a condition for continued use. The inhalation system 100 may prevent further use if a second oral sample in use is not authenticated and / or does not correlate sufficiently with the first or previously taken oral sample. The inhalation system 100 may prevent further use by comparing all previous oral samples taken during inhalation or by comparing a predetermined number of inhalations. In another example, a medical substance inhaler may require inhalation for 1 to 3 seconds or more for drug delivery.According to one embodiment of the disclosed technology in which drug delivery can be initiated only after successful user authentication, the entire authentication process should be sufficiently short, for example, not exceeding 350 or 400 msec, for application to frail patients, and should follow drug delivery in the same inhalation. In embodiments in which the substance to be delivered is a recreational substance or a commercially available drug that does not require special permission (such as a doctor's prescription), substance delivery can be initiated before authentication is completed, in which case authentication can at least partially overlap with substance delivery.

[0034] As described above, according to the disclosed technology, user authentication can be performed by one of two common types of authentication: ID (identification verification), in which an individual is identified by a body cavity signature stored in the inhaler 102, or optionally, AV (age verification), in which the characteristics of the body cavity signature of an authorized user are identified as belonging to the category of authorized users based on the age stored in the inhaler 102. In the context of AV, the characteristics of an authorized user are not characteristics of a specific individual, but rather characteristics useful for distinguishing between authorized and unauthorized users.

[0035] The properties of structures within human body cavities, such as the oral cavity, nasal cavity, and tympanic cavity, are generally considered unique and distinct biometric identifiers, even among identical twins, as are the diverse properties of retinal structures, facial features, and fingerprints. Taking the oral cavity as an example, the position and size of the teeth, the actual size of the oral cavity, the specific shape of the jaw, and other features of the oral cavity, partially defined by human genetics, provide a unique “signature” of the user’s oral cavity that can be classified using acoustic signals. The anatomical differences and / or other features listed above (identifiable using acoustic signals) are such that the acoustic signals transmitted to the user’s oral cavity reflect unique frequency responses that can be used to establish an oral signature. In addition, due to physiological differences between children, adolescents, and adults regarding physical size and tissue structure, features of the oral signature can be identified based on the user’s age (or age group), according to the disclosed technology and as described below. Thus, authorized user features, as well as unauthorized users based on their oral signature, can be identified and used, for example, to determine whether a user is a child, adolescent, or adult above a specified age.

[0036] A user's oral cavity model can be constructed using any type of signal, including electromagnetic signals, such as in the case of an MRI or PT scan. However, the disclosed technology provides a user's oral cavity model that uses acoustic signals to generate a time-frame oral cavity signature that is on the order of the time required to perform a single puff or inhalation in the inhalation system. In general, there are many constraints when generating a body cavity signature, and in the case of the inhalation system 100, in particular, the oral cavity signature exists within the aforementioned time constraint, which can last for several seconds, but can be as short as 350 msec, or even shorter in duration. The first constraint is the quality of the acoustic signal transmitted to the oral cavity. Acoustic signals with a low SNR may not yield enough identifiable features in the reflected signal to accurately authenticate the user. The second constraint is the intensity of the acoustic signal transmitted to the oral cavity. In one limit, ambient noise may be present in the oral cavity, and in the other limit, an excessively strong acoustic signal may reduce the user's experience of the disclosed technology, or in some cases, cause injury. A sufficiently strong acoustic signal may be heard by people other than the user and thus could affect the user's ability to use (and enjoy) the device in public. A third constraint is the variance of the frequency response of the acoustic signal. The transmitted acoustic signal can be such that the frequency response of the reflected signal has sufficient variance with respect to identifiable features to increase the probability that the frequency response of a given user's reflected signal is truly unique and personal, for example, in the case of ID. The variance constraint also applies to AV, where the frequency response of the reflected signal for a group of users, for example based on age, should be sufficiently different between age groups so that features can be identified to distinguish between different age groups (e.g., children, adolescents, and adults).

[0037] According to the disclosed technology, the authentication process within the aforementioned time constraints potentially provides enhanced protection and security features for inhalers and other devices usable with the disclosed technology. A sufficiently fast authentication process (e.g., several hundred milliseconds) can allow for repeated authentication of the user each time the user takes an inhalation, and thus prevent the user from bypassing, fraudulently performing, or manipulating the authentication process, even if intentionally attempted. Thus, the user takes an inhalation and then cannot allow the inhaler to pass through to either an unauthorized user (in the case of AV) or an unregistered user (in the case of ID), and these users can assume that once an authentication instance occurs (e.g., by entering a password or scanning a fingerprint), access to the inhaler is readily available. The disclosed technology provides continuous low-latency authentication to ensure that only registered and / or authorized users use the inhaler. Another potential benefit of a sufficiently fast authentication process by the disclosed technology is that it keeps the time between authentication and substance supply sufficiently short to prevent the user from quickly transferring the inhaler to another user, who is either unregistered or unauthorized, in order to authenticate themselves and then inhale the substance. In such cases, it should be noted that other methods may be used in accordance with the disclosed technology to prevent any deceptive or circumventing actions in the authentication process, such as using sensors, including sensor 120, to sense pauses in inhalation or to detect excessive movement of the inhalation system 100, thereby resetting the entire authentication process. Yet another potential advantage of the sufficiently fast authentication process by the disclosed technology is that any delay in material supply resulting from the authentication process is short enough not to be noticeable to the average user.

[0038] According to one embodiment of the disclosed technology, the characteristics and parameters relating to an acoustic signal that satisfies the above-mentioned criteria are as described herein. According to the disclosed technology, the acoustic wave generator 108 can generate an acoustic signal within the audible range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, but it has been found that acoustic signals in the range of 1.5 kHz to 9 kHz and acoustic signals in the range of 1.5 kHz to 5 kHz provide a more varied frequency response between different users and between different ages. As stated above, depending on the human body cavity in which the disclosed technology is used, the acoustic signal may have a range of 9 kHz to 20 kHz, 20 Hz to 1.5 kHz, or even further 20 Hz to 9 kHz.

[0039] Therefore, the acoustic signal transmitted by the acoustic wave generator 108 may be a sweep signal, such as a chirp signal, in which sound waves having different frequencies are transmitted within the transmission window. For example, the acoustic wave generator 108 can transmit a sweep signal having a continuous frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 9 kHz. The sweep signal does not need to cover the entire range mentioned above, but can have a range that is a subset of the aforementioned range, for example, 1.5 kHz to 5 kHz, 3 kHz to 6 kHz, or 4.5 kHz to 8.5 kHz. Alternatively, the sweep signal can have a discontinuous range of frequencies within a single signal, such as 1.5 kHz to 3 kHz and 5 kHz to 9 kHz. As described, the acoustic wave generator 108 can transmit multiple acoustic signals to obtain a sample of the frequency response of the user's oral cavity. The acoustic wave generator 108 can transmit multiple acoustic signals within a single transmission window. Alternatively, the acoustic wave generator 108 can transmit multiple acoustic signals within multiple transmission windows. Thus, sweep signals with different frequency ranges can be transmitted, such as a first sweep signal with a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 3 kHz, a second sweep signal with a frequency range of 5 kHz to 6 kHz, and a third sweep signal with a frequency range of 7.5 kHz to 8.5 kHz. The three sweep signals mentioned above can be transmitted within a single transmission window or sequentially across multiple transmission windows. Alternatively, sweep signals with different discontinuous ranges can also be transmitted, such as a first sweep signal with frequency ranges of 5 kHz to 6 kHz and 8 kHz to 9 kHz, and a second sweep signal with frequency ranges of 1.5 kHz to 3 kHz and 7 kHz to 9 kHz.

[0040] In addition, according to the disclosed technology, waveguides (such as the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134) are used between the acoustic wave generator 108, the acoustic signal aperture 126, the reflected signal aperture 128, and the acoustic wave sensor 110 to increase the SNR of the acoustic signal 142 so that it is transmitted to the user's oral cavity, and the SNR of the reflected signal 144 so that it is received by the acoustic wave sensor 110. The lengths of the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134, and the distance between them (in particular, the distance between the acoustic signal aperture 126 and the reflected signal aperture 128) can affect the SNR of the acoustic signal 142 and the reflected signal 144. When the inhalation system 100 is used by insertion into the user's oral cavity, the distance between the acoustic signal aperture 126 and the reflected signal aperture 128 is limited by the size of the user's mouth. However, as the distance between the acoustic signal aperture 126 and the reflected signal aperture 128 decreases, the probability of interference between the acoustic signal 142 and the reflected signal 144 in the user's oral cavity increases. This is because a larger portion of the acoustic signal 142 may enter the reflection signal opening 128, strike the inner surface of the user's oral cavity, and be reflected back towards the reflection signal opening 128. Furthermore, if the acoustic signal is significantly attenuated even at short distances, the lengths of the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 determine the general intensity (and therefore the associated volume) of the transmitted acoustic signal 142. As described above, according to the disclosed technology, the intensity of the acoustic signal 142 must be balanced between substantially higher than any ambient noise coming from the user's oral cavity, but if the intensity is too high, it will result in receiver compression of the reflected signal 144 in the acoustic wave sensor 110 when the reflected signal 144 is received. Each of the above constraints can directly affect the SNR of both the acoustic signal 142 and the reflected signal 144.

[0041] According to one embodiment of the disclosed technology, the acoustic signal aperture 126 and the reflected signal aperture 128 should have a minimum distance gap, as indicated by distance 148, in order to reduce the effects of interference between the acoustic signal 142 and the reflected signal 144 and the direct transmission of the acoustic signal 142 to the reflected signal aperture 128. Distance 148 defines the system sensitivity, where shorter distances between apertures reduce sensitivity. Therefore, the minimum distance gap is large enough to reduce the power of any direct transmission of the acoustic signal 142 through the acoustic signal aperture 126 to the reflected signal aperture 128. On the other hand, the length of distance 148 is limited according to the size of the body cavity. The minimum distance gap can range from 5 mm to 25 mm. The maximum distance gap can be between 1 cm and 3 cm. For example, distance 148 can be 12 mm. In general, the distance 148 can be made as large as possible within the above limitations, as the inventors have found that this increases the sensitivity of the acoustic wave sensor 110 and therefore increases its ability to distinguish more features from the reflected signal 144. Although the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 are graphically depicted as being the same shape and size as shown in Figure 1, the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 can be different in size, shape and length and do not need to be identical. Optionally, the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 are not aligned, for example, at their tips (i.e., the proximal end of the user's body cavity during use). Therefore, the output acoustic waveguide 132 may extend further into the user's mouth than the input acoustic waveguide 134. The output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 can have lengths ranging from 10 mm to 50 mm. Furthermore, the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 can have even shorter lengths, for example, 1-2 mm. The output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 can be made from metal, plastic, or silicone. Each material may have a different effect on the power efficiency of the transmitted and received acoustic signals, and therefore, depending on the use of the disclosed technology, the design selection may optionally include considerations of power consumption and user experience.The output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 may have a diameter that is constant along their length or that varies along their length. For example, the proximal ends 133 and 135 may have a smaller diameter than the terminal ends (unmarked) of the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 that couple to the acoustic signal opening 126 and the reflected signal opening 128, thereby giving the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 a tapered shape. Having the tip of the waveguide with a larger diameter increases the spread of the acoustic signal 142 in the oral cavity, while increasing the amount of reflected signal 144 entering the reflected signal opening 128. As an example, the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 may each have a length of 30 mm, with a diameter of 1.5 mm at their proximal ends and increasing to a diameter of 2.5 mm at their tip ends. The waveguides shown in Figure 1 are shown to be straight from their base to their tip, but waveguides of the disclosed technology may be curved or follow other shaped paths from their base to their tip. The length and shape of the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 may affect the size of the container 138. As described above and shown below, the container 138 may occupy a significant portion of the interchangeable component 104, and the container 138 contains the supplied material. Therefore, by minimizing the size of the waveguides, the size of the container 138, and consequently the amount of material that the container 138 can hold, can be maximized. It should be noted that the material from which the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 are fabricated may differ from the material from which the supply tube 136 is fabricated. The material used for the waveguides may be selected so as not to affect the acoustic signal as it travels through the waveguide (e.g., not to alter any characteristics of the acoustic signal). On the other hand, the supply pipe 136 may be made of a material that does not absorb and / or increase condensation on the walls of the supply pipe as it moves from the container 138 toward the suction opening 130 toward the user's mouth.As described above, the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 may have significantly different sizes and dimensions, and the size and dimensions of the waveguides may differ from those of the supply tube 136. For example, one or more waveguides may be narrower to allow for an increase in the volume of the container 138 without affecting the width of the mouthpiece and / or to allow for a reduction in the overall size of the interchangeable parts 104 and / or the inhalation element 124, while the supply tube 136 may be wider, for example, to reduce the waveguide surface / volume ratio, thereby reducing material condensation on the tube wall and / or allowing material to be drawn in more quickly through the inhalation opening 130.

[0042] Further considerations in the disclosed technology include the shapes of both the proximal and distal ends of the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134, the shape of the waveguide itself, and the shapes of the acoustic signal aperture 126 and the reflected signal aperture 128. The shapes of the proximal and distal ends of the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134, as well as the acoustic signal aperture 126 and the reflected signal aperture 128, may be circular, and the overall shape of the waveguide may be cylindrical (thus having a circular or oval cross-section), but according to the disclosed technology, other shapes are possible, for example, square or rectangular shapes for the proximal and distal ends of the waveguide, as well as D shapes for the acoustic signal aperture 126 and the reflected signal aperture 128. The shapes and sizes of the acoustic signal aperture 126 and the reflected signal aperture 128 can help guide the acoustic signal 142 toward the user's body cavity and receive and guide the reflection of the acoustic signal 142 as a reflected signal 144 toward the acoustic wave sensor 110, respectively. Furthermore, the shape and size of the acoustic signal aperture 126 and the reflection signal aperture 128 may be configured to allow the acoustic signal 142 to be transmitted within the frequency range in which it is used (e.g., 1.5 kHz to 9 kHz). The waveguide may also have different overall shapes, for example, having a triangular, pentagonal, or square cross-section. According to the disclosed technology, the sizes of the acoustic signal aperture 126 and the reflection signal aperture 128 are balanced so that sufficient acoustic energy is transmitted as the acoustic signal 142, but not too large when received as the reflection signal 144, and so as to prevent dirt, debris, dust, and even liquids from entering the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134. As described above, both the acoustic signal aperture 126 and the reflection signal aperture 128 may be covered with a film that allows acoustic waves to pass through but prevents foreign matter and particles from entering the waveguide. The film may be a type of foil and may be transparent. According to the disclosed technology, the base ends 133 and 135 are acoustically sealed by the acoustic wave generator 108 and the acoustic wave sensor 110, respectively. When the replaceable component 104 is inserted into and mounted in the suction device 102, there is generally no air gap (i.e., zero) between the acoustic wave generator, the acoustic wave sensor and their respective waveguides.If a gap exists, the insertion of the replaceable part 104 into the suction device 102 is such that the gap itself provides an acoustic seal, or the gap is not large enough to interfere with the acoustic seal.

[0043] As described above, the inhalation element 124, which is placed in or at least in part of the user's oral cavity (e.g., mouth), should be made of a material having sufficient surface hardness to provide adequate acoustic insulation when the user closes their mouth over the inhalation element 124. The material should also be sufficiently rigid and therefore should prevent any deformation of the output acoustic waveguide 132 and the input acoustic waveguide 134 when inserted into the user's oral cavity and grasped by the user's lips and / or teeth. Since different materials have different acoustic properties, the material selected for the inhalation element 124 and / or interchangeable part 104 should be selected to provide a good acoustic seal (i.e., sound attenuation) against sound traveling through the air. Some materials, such as silicone-based materials, may not provide such properties. Since the inhalation element 124 is placed inside a person's mouth, the material from which it is made should also be biocompatible, such as polyamides such as polypropylene, polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), nylon, and polyethylene. Generally, the replaceable part 104 may be made from the same material as the inhalation element 124, but any solid material such as solid plastic may be used. The common material of the replaceable part 104, or a part thereof, may also be biocompatible, since part or all of the replaceable part 104 may enter the user's mouth. The same applies to any surface of the replaceable part 104 that may come into contact with matter, and therefore should be biocompatible for safety and health reasons. In one embodiment, elastic materials such as silicon and rubber should not be used in either the inhalation element 124 or the replaceable part 104, because the soft texture of such materials may interfere with transmitted and reflected acoustic signals that are important for characterizing the oral signature or oral sample. Elastic materials may also not support the shape of the waveguide, especially in long-term use. Elastic materials may also deform over time, thus causing changes in the acoustic signals 142 and reflected signals 144. Nevertheless, some parts of either the inhalation element 124 or the replaceable part 104 may include such elastic materials.For example, silicone can cover rigid components, thereby providing a comfortable tactile sensation and / or assisting in acoustically sealing the user's mouth over the suction element 124, while the internal rigid components provide necessary protection against deformation. The material from which the interchangeable part 104 and the suction element 124 are fabricated should provide sufficient mechanical strength to contain material in the container 138 even under pressure when the user grips the suction element 124 with its teeth and / or lip. In one embodiment, at least one of the interchangeable part 104, the container 138, and the suction element 124, or any part thereof, may be fabricated from a transparent material, as a result the contents of the container 138 become visible, and for example, if the container 138 contains a fluid, the amount of remaining fluid can be measured.

[0044] One embodiment of the disclosed technology relates to an inhalation system, where it is reasonably assumed that a user inhaling a substance will want to maximize the inhalation of the substance and therefore best avoid any of the substance leaking into the air and entering the body, and thus, if the inhalation element 124 is made of the material described above, it may be assumed that the user will create an acoustic seal around the inhalation element 124 with their mouth. According to the disclosed technology, the size and shape of the inhalation element 124 may be configured and designed to enhance user comfort and the sensitivity of the inhalation device 102. For example, the inhalation element 124 may be rounded to resemble the general shape of the mouth, or oval, as opposed to being flat or square (although such shapes are also possible). Such shapes also enhance the sensitivity of the inhalation device 102 by improving the general acoustic seal that the inhalation element 124 makes when inserted into the mouth. The inhalation element 124 may include grooves, markings, indentations (not shown) for the user's lips, teeth, and / or tongue as placement markers for properly positioning the inhalation element 124 in the user's mouth. Such placement markers can reduce or prevent interference of the user's lips, tongue, and teeth with the acoustic signal openings 126 and reflective signal openings 128, which may affect the SNR of the acoustic signal 142 and reflected signal 144. Thus, generally, the inhalation element 124 may be in direct contact with the user's mouth (or another body cavity of the user), however, in one embodiment, the acoustic signal openings 126 and reflective signal openings 128 are not in direct contact with any surface of the user's body so that the transmitted and received acoustic signals are not affected or altered based on direct contact with the body.

[0045] As described above, constraints on the size and shape of the waveguide, as well as ambient noise in the user's mouth, affect the parameters of the acoustic signal 142, where it is desirable to achieve maximum SNR while avoiding any receiver compression in the acoustic wave sensor 110. The acoustic wave generator 108 may be capable of generating an acoustic signal with a maximum volume of approximately 90 decibels (abbreviated herein as dB) (approximately 20 dB SPL). As described above, acoustic waves attenuate significantly over distance, so the length of the waveguide determines whether the acoustic wave generator 108 of the actual volume transmits the acoustic signal 142 in a given implementation of the disclosed technology. The upper limit of the volume of the acoustic signal 142 can be below the intensity threshold, and as a result, when the reflected signal 144 is received by the acoustic wave sensor 110, receiver compression is not generated in the acoustic wave sensor. The lower limit of the volume of the acoustic signal 142 can well exceed the ambient noise in the user's oral cavity, which is generally the ambient noise of the user's own breathing. Furthermore, to improve the user experience, lower volume levels are preferable, and the volume of the acoustic signal 142 is inaudible to at least a person standing near the user, but optionally inaudible to the user themselves. To provide such inaudibility, the intensity (i.e., volume), duration, and frequency distribution of the acoustic signal 142 can be balanced in a given implementation of the inhalation system 100, based on the constraints enumerated above, according to the disclosed art. Hereinafter, some examples are given, but these are merely examples, and it should be noted that, based on the above description, those skilled in the art can determine other configurations of the parameters of the acoustic signal 142 based on the parameters of the embodiment of the inhalation system 100.

[0046] In the first example, the intake element 124 is relatively long and has a depth 149 of 50 mm, and the output acoustic waveguide 132 and input acoustic waveguide 134 each have a diameter of less than 1.5 mm (at the expense of the volume (size) of the container 138) and have relatively small circular cross-sections to reduce the waveguide volume (size), so the acoustic signal 142 and reflected signal 144 will experience high attenuation. Thus, the volume (intensity) of the acoustic wave generator 108 can be increased up to 90 dB for a 20 dB SPL. The acoustic wave generator 108 may also generate a swept signal such as the acoustic signal 142 having a longer duration (e.g., 80 msec compared to 50 msec) when the volume of the swept signal reaches the volume limit of 90 dB. Furthermore, the narrow cross-sectional shape of the waveguide causes significant attenuation in certain frequency bands in the swept signal, and thus the swept signal may exclude certain frequency bands. For example, the acoustic signal 142 may be a sweep signal having frequency ranges of 1.5 to 3 kHz and 5 to 9 kHz, but 3 to 5 kHz will be excluded from the sweep signal. By narrowing the frequency range of the acoustic signal 142, the sensitivity of the acoustic wave sensor 110 can be increased, allowing for increased amplification of the reflected signal 144.

[0047] In the second example, assuming that the intake element 124 is of relatively medium length, and that the output acoustic waveguide 132 and input acoustic waveguide 134 have a relatively circular cross-section with a depth of 30 mm and a diameter between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm, respectively (the shorter the length of the intake element, and therefore the shorter the length of the waveguide, the greater the increase in diameter while maintaining the same volume as in the first example), the acoustic signal 142 and reflected signal 144 will experience moderate attenuation. Thus, the volume of the acoustic wave generator 108 can be increased up to 80 dB for 20 dB SPL, and the acoustic wave generator 108 can generate a sweep signal as an acoustic signal 142 with an average duration of 50 msec. Larger diameters of the waveguides can be sufficient so that there is no significant attenuation in any particular frequency band in the sweep signal, and therefore the sweep signal can include all frequency bands according to the disclosed technique. For example, the acoustic signal 142 may be a sweep signal having a frequency range of 1.5 to 9 kHz.

[0048] In the third example, the intake element 124 is subjected to low attenuation by both the acoustic signal 142 and the reflected signal 144 across all frequency bands of their signals by output acoustic waveguides 132 and input acoustic waveguides 134, which are relatively short in length, have a depth 149 of 15 mm, and have relatively large circular cross-sections with diameters ranging from 2.5 mm to 4 mm, respectively. Thus, the volume of the acoustic wave generator 108 can be increased to 75 dB for 20 dB SPL, and the acoustic wave generator 108 can generate a sweep signal as an acoustic signal 142 with an average duration of 50 milliseconds in a continuous frequency range of 1.5 to 5 kHz.

[0049] The inhalation system 100 operates using an oral signature, thereby enabling the user to inhale the substance in the container 138 only when the user is properly identified, and the inhalation system 100, in particular the processor 112, requires either a registration phase before first use in the case of ID, or embedding in a trained screening algorithm in the case of AV. Generally, the registration process refers to an inhalation period in which relevant information about the individual is recorded. In the case of the disclosed technology, the registration process involves generating the user's oral signature, which can then be used in future use of the inhalation system 100 to authenticate that a given user is a registered user of the inhalation system 100. The registration process of the inhalation system 100 may involve the user placing the inhalation element 124 in the mouth continuously or intermittently for a registration period, such as one minute or several minutes, where multiple samples of acoustic signals 142 are transmitted by an acoustic wave sensor 110, then received and analyzed by the processor 112. The user may be instructed to position the inhalation element 124 in their mouth at various angles and depths during the registration process in order to build a robust oral signature. Such a registration process is similar to the voice registration process for telephone banking services or the facial recognition registration process for mobile phones. Multiple samples of the acoustic signal 142 may have the same characteristics (volume, frequency range, duration, etc.) or different characteristics. Because users have physiological differences, including the shape and characteristics of their oral cavity, the registration process may take longer or shorter for a particular individual, depending on the features that the processor 112 can extract from the reflection of the acoustic signal transmitted to the user's oral cavity. The registration process may also include transmitting acoustic signals in different frequency ranges, as the reflections in different users may be more beneficial in some cases and less beneficial in others. For example, for some users, more identifiable features in the reflected signal 144 may be in the frequency range of 1.5–5 kHz, while for other users, more identifiable features in the reflected signal 144 may be in the frequency range of 3–7 kHz. These ranges are merely examples.The registration process in one embodiment of the disclosed technology may even include taking several samples of acoustic signals in various frequency ranges to determine the most beneficial frequency range of a particular user's oral signature, and then registering the user's oral signature using the frequency range that is particularly beneficial to that user. It should be noted that the inhalation device 102 may perform initial calibration between the acoustic wave generator 108 and the acoustic wave sensor 110 using a reference wave. In one embodiment, the acoustic wave sensor 110 records ambient sound as a reference prior to the user authentication and / or registration process.

[0050] The user interface 122 can provide the user with instructions regarding the placement of the inhalation element 124 in the mouth, as well as the start and end of the registration process. This can be achieved, for example, through a series of lights, sounds, and / or images displayed on a display. According to one embodiment of the disclosed technology, once registered, the user's oral signature may be stored in the processor 112 or memory 116, and thus locally stored within the inhalation system 100. In embodiments, the user's oral signature may be stored in a virtual memory component such as a cloud storage system, and / or a centralized memory component such as a facility computer server. In one embodiment, the user's oral signature is stored both inside the inhalation system 100 and outside of memory components outside the inhalation system, such as a cloud storage system. In addition, the inhalation system 100 may store multiple oral signatures, meaning the oral signatures of multiple users. Thus, multiple registered users may be able to use a single inhalation system according to the disclosed technology (for example, an inhaler used by several members of a family or in a medical center). Optionally, users may be registered as restricted users. For example, a person with a medical inhaler registered in their oral signature may wish to register another individual (e.g., a child) as a restricted user, thereby reducing the probability of that other individual using the inhalation system due to a false positive result. It should also be noted that during the registration process, there is an inherent lag between acoustic signal samples to perform initial processing of reflected signals before the next transmission, thus saving memory space (especially if the memory resides within the system).

[0051] In the case of identification and verification, the user can first register with the inhalation system 100. Once registered, when the user wishes to use the inhalation system 100, an oral cavity sample is taken, stored in the inhalation system 100, and compared with the registered oral signature. As described above, this sample can be called an oral sample. The oral sample may include a small number of acoustic signals transmitted to their oral cavity and received as reflections in the acoustic wave sensor 110 within a predefined sampling window. The features of the oral sample can then be analyzed and compared with the stored oral signature, and if the features of the oral sample are sufficiently similar to the features of the oral signature, the user's oral sample is said to be authenticated. User registration and authentication of the inhalation system 100 can be performed using classifiers, machine learning algorithms, etc., such as gradient boosting algorithms, optical gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) algorithms, XGBoost algorithms, and neural network packages in R, or neural networks specifically designed in known implementation languages. A more detailed explanation of the user registration and authentication procedures using the disclosed technology is provided below in Figures 11 and 12.

[0052] According to the disclosed technology, an oral sample can be taken each time a user uses the inhalation system 100 and inhales to administer the substance in the container 138. Oral samples may be taken multiple times when the user first begins using the inhalation system 100 to establish that the user is indeed a registered user. In one embodiment, an oral sample may be taken once every 5 minutes and / or once per use, for example, once every 10 inhalations, at a predetermined interval. In one embodiment, an oral sample is taken with each inhalation by the user. In one embodiment, an oral sample is taken during substance delivery, provided that user authentication is completed before drug delivery. In one embodiment, an oral sample is taken during a period that at least partially overlaps with substance delivery, and user authentication is completed before drug delivery, thereby optionally signaling termination of delivery before completion and / or reporting misuse. Optionally, oral sample authentication is a requirement for both the initiation of substance delivery and continuous delivery of substance during a single inhalation. In one embodiment, authentication is performed two or more times during a single inhalation, for example, once before drug delivery is initiated and at least once during delivery. Subsequent authentication may use an oral sample taken specifically for the subsequent authentication and / or a combination of oral samples from one or more previous authentications.

[0053] The process of authenticating an oral sample and then supplying the substance in container 138 to the user (including potentially heating the substance) can be performed within a normative time that the user can inhale through the inhalation system 100. The user can quickly inhale through the inhalation system 100, for example, within several hundred milliseconds, or may require a longer inhalation and suction for several seconds. According to the disclosed technology, the process of authenticating the user's oral sample, heating the substance in container 138 (if necessary), and supplying the substance into container 138 as vapor or aerosol can be completed within 1 to 3.5 seconds or within 0.5 to 5 seconds. According to the disclosed technology, the process of authenticating the user's oral sample can be completed within 500 msec, or within 350 msec in one embodiment, which is generally a period that is not identifiable by a human. According to the disclosed technology, the oral sample may include multiple acoustic signals, for example, three sweep signals having a duration of 50 msec each, with a short interval (e.g., 20 msec) between each sweep signal. Each reflected signal 144 from the three sweep signals can therefore be received in the acoustic wave sensor 110 for approximately 200 milliseconds and then analyzed in the processor 112 for approximately 150 milliseconds. However, the sweep signals themselves can last anywhere between 10 and 200 msec, and the gaps can last anywhere between 5 and 100 msec. Thus, the oral sample can range from a duration of 10 milliseconds when a single 10-millisecond sweep signal is used to 500 milliseconds when 10 sweep signals are used, each having a duration of 20 milliseconds with nine intervals of 33.3 milliseconds between each sweep signal. The figures given above are examples, and other combinations of the number of sweep signals and the intervals having their respective durations are possible. According to the disclosed technology, the total duration of an oral sample including at least one sweep signal and possibly 0 or at least one interval between sweep signals should last between 10 and 500 msec. It should also be noted that the time required for the processor 112 to analyze the reflected signal 144 is related to the number of sweep signals and intervals in the intraoral sample.After the first sweep signal is received, the processor 112 can begin analyzing the oral sample in parallel with any additional sweep signals received in the single oral sample. Thus, the analysis of the oral sample can take anywhere from 10 milliseconds to approximately 300 milliseconds after the initial sweep signal is received by the processor 112.

[0054] In one embodiment, if an oral sample is authenticated, the processor 112 sends a signal to the heater 140 to heat the container 138, and thus provide the supply substance 146 to the user through the supply tube 136 and the inhalation opening 130. The heater 140 can be optionally kept at a threshold temperature in which the substance in the container 138 does not undergo any chemical change, so as to heat the heater 140 to a sufficiently high temperature to reduce the time required to supply the substance to the user through the inhalation opening 130. Thus, according to the disclosed technology, a low-latency authentication system and method are achieved. In one embodiment, the inhalation system may be active as a default state, and if an oral sample is not authenticated, the operation and / or functions of the inhalation system may be deactivated or blocked.

[0055] For age verification, registration of the user with the inhalation system 100 is not required. Instead, the inhalation system 100 is trained using a classifier, machine learning algorithms, etc., to identify the oral signature features of authorized users, and optionally, the oral signature features of unauthorized users. Authorized users may include adolescents aged 14 and / or 16 and older. Authorized users may also include adults aged 18 and older, as well as adults aged 21 and older, or users aged 25 and older. Unauthorized users may include minors under the age of 14. Other age classifications are also possible. The human body tends to undergo physiological changes with physical age, including changes in the size and number of teeth in the oral cavity, as well as the shape and size of the oral cavity itself, and oral tissue characteristics, with significant changes typical in the transition from childhood to adolescence and from adolescence to adulthood. Therefore, the inventors have found that a sufficiently large sample of oral signatures of individuals of different ages or age groups can be used to train a classifier or machine learning algorithm to identify features in oral samples and thus classify oral signatures according to age or age group. Once the training of the inhalation system 100 is complete, the features of authorized and unauthorized users are stored in the processor 112, memory 116, or cloud storage (not shown). The training of the inhalation system 100 may be performed in a factory or laboratory setting and then embedded in the processor 112 and / or memory 116. Optionally, this training may be updated by providing factory upgrades during the lifespan of the inhalation system 100. When a user wishes to use the inhalation system 100, an oral sample is taken, essentially as described above, and the features of the oral sample are compared with the stored features in the inhalation system 100. Next, the processor 112 can authenticate the oral sample as belonging to an age class or group according to the memorized characteristics of each age class determined by training. As shown in Figures 11 and 12 below, authentication is based on the probability of similarity between the characteristics of the oral sample and the characteristics memorized during training of the inhalation system 100.Therefore, authenticating an oral sample by age according to the disclosed technology is the probability of a true positive (F score), which can be defined as a percentage based on the number of oral samples taken to authenticate the user. In one embodiment, the probability can be defined based on the number of recent authentication events. According to the disclosed technology, an oral sample taken with one inhalation of the inhalation system 100 may result in a 90% probability of being true (F score), while an oral sample taken with three inhalations of the inhalation system 100 may result in a 95% probability of being true positive.

[0056] The probability of a true positive (F score) can increase because the characteristics of an oral sample can be compared to a stored oral signature or stored oral characteristics, and can also be correlated with previous oral samples over time to establish that the user is the same and is also an authorized / registered user. For example, the inhalation system 100 can allow the supply of the substance in container 138 over a course of several inhalations (e.g., if the inhalation system 100 is embodied as an e-cigarette), while a sufficient oral sample is received to establish robust authentication. If a 95% probability of a true positive is not achieved by the processor 112, the inhalation system 100 can cease functioning or operating for a predetermined period of time (similar to how a mobile phone locks down a failed password attempt). As another example, the inhalation system 100 may require some initial inhalations by the user to establish a sufficiently high probability for authentication (e.g., 95% true positive) before any supply of the substance in container 138 is made. Such embodiments may be useful when the substance is a medicinal substance (e.g., medicinal cannabis). In one embodiment, a first inhalation is provided, authentication is performed, and substance supply is authorized based on the oral sample collected in the first inhalation. In subsequent inhalations, authentication may be performed based on the oral sample collected in the subsequent inhalation, and / or the oral samples collected in both the subsequent inhalation and the first inhalation. Similarly, each inhalation may be authenticated based on the oral sample collected in the same inhalation, and / or the oral samples collected in the same inhalation, as well as one or more preceding inhalations.

[0057] The inhalation system 100 in Figure 1 is described and illustrated as including an acoustic wave generator and an acoustic wave sensor, meaning that the inhalation device generates acoustic waves necessary to register, then sample, and authenticate an oral signature. However, in one embodiment of the art of disclosure, the inhalation system does not include an acoustic wave generator and includes only an acoustic wave sensor or a plurality of acoustic wave sensors. In such an embodiment, noise from the user and / or incoherent noise from the device or system are used as a source of acoustic waves from which features can be extracted and identified in order to generate the features of the user's oral signature and / or the oral signature of an authorized user. The incoherent noise from the device may be the sound of the airflow through the supply pipe 136 or any other structure of the inhalation system 100. The incoherent noise may also be noise generated by components of the inhalation system 100, such as the sound of the heater 140 heating the material in the container 138 or the sound generated when the actuator 118 is operating. These sounds are transmitted as acoustic signals into the user's oral cavity, and the acoustic signals are reflected toward an acoustic wave sensor. The main difference between the acoustic signals generated by the acoustic wave generator 108 and the embodiments described herein is the controllability and predictability of the generated acoustic signals. Without control over incoherent noise, there is little possibility of unpredictability. Nevertheless, according to the disclosed art, incoherent noise can be used as an acoustic signal for generating oral signatures and oral samples. The noise may be ambient noise coming from the user's breathing and / or any other detectable white noise coming from the user and / or the apparatus or system of the disclosed art. The noise may also include sounds that the user can make, such as grants, coughs, and / or throat clearings. In such embodiments, multiple acoustic wave sensors may be required to increase the sensitivity with which the acoustic signals coming from the user are detected, so as to enable the extraction of identifiable features from the received acoustic signals.

[0058] According to one embodiment of the disclosed technology, the inhalation device 102 and / or interchangeable component 104 may include a depth sensor (not shown) for detecting the depth to which the user has inserted the interchangeable component 104 into the mouth. For example, a part of the device that is likely to come into contact with the lips or teeth may include one or more humidity sensors and / or pressure sensors (not shown). The sensors may be positioned along a path defined by a waveguide. Once inserted into the user's mouth, the sensors can detect the position of the lips and thereby estimate the depth of the interchangeable component 104 in the user's mouth. The depth to which the interchangeable component 104, in particular the inhalation element 124, is inserted into the user's mouth may affect the characteristics of the acoustic signal 142 and the reflected signal 144. The depth sensor may be used to warn the user that the inhalation element 124 has not been inserted deep enough into the mouth to obtain an accurate oral sample, or conversely, that it has been inserted too deep into the mouth. In addition, depth sensors may be used to correlate the characteristics of reflected signals 144 received from different depths of inhalation elements 124 in the user's mouth with registered oral signatures (or permitted oral signature characteristics) obtained from each specific depth of inhalation element 124 in the user's mouth.

[0059] The description in Figure 1 is generally referred to as the oral and oral signature, but it should be noted that the inhalation system 100 can also be used in the nasal cavity via a nasal signature. In embodiments of the disclosed technology for nasal use, the inhalation element 124 as an orifice element is designed such that the distance between the acoustic signal opening 126 and the reflective signal opening 128 is substantially similar to the distance between the user's nostril and the inhalation opening 130, and once the nasal signature is authenticated, it may be positioned close to either or both of the acoustic signal opening 126 and the reflective signal opening 128 for inhaling the substance in the container 138. The inhalation system 100 may also be designed to be used with a single nostril, with an inhalation element 124 having appropriate size, structure, and material so as to essentially seal the nostril when the inhalation element 124 is properly inserted therein. In one embodiment, the inhalation element 124 may be designed such that the acoustic signal opening 126 and the reflective signal opening 128 fit into one nostril and the inhalation opening fits into a second nostril. Other arrangements are also possible and can be appropriately designed by those skilled in the art.

[0060] The disclosed technology, as shown in Figure 1, describes an inhalation system in which a user inhales a supplied aerosol at the ambient temperature of the substance, or inhales the vapor of a supplied aerosol or heated substance. However, the disclosed technology is not limited to such systems and devices and can be embodied in other oral devices that do not require inhalation, such as thermometers, or otherwise configured as a dedicated authentication probe or dongle. In one embodiment, the disclosed technology may be applied to electronic systems and devices that are inserted into other human occlusions, such as the nasal cavity, oral cavity, or tympanic cavity, but do not necessarily require inhalation, known as non-inhalation systems and devices. Non-inhalation systems and devices embodied using the disclosed technology can be classified into two further categories: exhalation systems and devices, and systems and devices that do not require inhalation or exhalation.

[0061] The exhalation system and apparatus may include medical exhalation devices, nebulizers, ventilators with exhalation valves, and exhalation detectors, and even electronic musical instruments. In embodiments, the system of the disclosed technology may not include apparatus and interchangeable parts as shown in Figure 1, but may include apparatus incorporating some of the interchangeable parts described above, including an acoustic wave generator, acoustic wave sensor, processor, power supply, output and input acoustic waveguides, and acoustic signal apertures and reflection signal apertures. Such apparatus may also include memory or access to memory for storing oral signatures and / or oral signature features (either permitted or not permitted) of the user's age group. Thus, such embodiments may not include a supply tube, container, or heater, but may include a cavity or tube for blowing into and expelling air into the system, and optionally a component (e.g., a chamber or sensor) for collecting a sample of the exhaled air. Such a component may be a sample collector for collecting a sample of exhaled air for analysis by the apparatus. Such embodiments of the disclosed technology substantially function such that the inhalation system 100 functions to register and then authenticate a user based on the user's oral signature, but instead of the authentication then providing instructions to enable or prevent the supply of a substance to the user, the authentication may provide instructions to enable or prevent at least one function of the exhalation system or device, or a device paired with or coupled to the exhalation system. For example, in the case of an electronic wind instrument, user registration and authentication based on the oral signature enables or prevents a function on the instrument from operating. For example, if the user is not authenticated, the instrument may be turned off for a predetermined period of time or have only limited functionality. In the case of a breath detector, the breath detector may be associated with controlling the operation of a vehicle by being paired with, for example, a key fob of a vehicle authorized for use by the user.Registered users can use the key fob to enable or disable it when checking for shortness of breath, and therefore, in case of intoxication and / or if the person is not a registered user, they may be required to authenticate their oral signature using a breath detector to prevent someone from getting into the vehicle and driving. For example, if a user goes to a bar and becomes intoxicated, the user must authenticate their oral signature using a breath detector, which will also determine the amount of alcohol in the user's blood, and then enable or disable the key fob of the user's car. Thus, the user cannot give the breath detector to a friend who cannot enable the key fob, as the instruction to enable or disable the key fob is paired with the authentication of the breath detector to measure the amount of alcohol in the user's blood with that of a registered user.

[0062] Devices that do not require inhalation or exhalation but are nevertheless used in conjunction with a person's oral cavity may include oral thermometers and tympanothermal thermometers. Such systems and devices do not require the user to inhale or exhale in order to function, and operate simply by positioning the system or device within a person's space. In such embodiments, the system of the disclosed technology may not include devices and interchangeable parts as shown in Figure 1, and may include at least only a device (having a single device body) including an acoustic wave generator, acoustic wave sensor, processor, power supply, output and input acoustic wave waveguides, and acoustic signal apertures and reflected signal apertures. Thus, such embodiments may not include a supply tube, container, or heater, but may include a rod, member, or tip inserted into a body cavity. The rod, member, or tip may be a thermocouple (such as in the case of an oral thermometer) or a cavity for sending and receiving infrared radiation (such as in the case of a tympanothermometer). Such embodiments of the disclosed technology substantially function such that the inhalation system 100 registers and then authenticates a user based on a body cavity signature of the user's body cavities, but instead of the authentication then providing instructions that enable the substance to be supplied to the user, the authentication may provide information from the system or device to memory or a server (not shown). For example, in the case of a thermometer used in a hospital setting, the user's measured temperature (either oral or auditory) can be stored in memory or a server linked to the user's patient record. Thus, authentication of a non-suction / breath system or device can identify the user and then link any measurements made by the non-suction / breath system or device to the user's digital record.

[0063] Referring here to Figures 2A to 2C, these are schematic diagrams of various configurations of the inhalation system of Figure 1, collectively referred to as 180A, 180B, and 180C, and are configured and operate according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. The disclosed technology can be implemented in various configurations and is not limited to the configurations shown in Figure 1, and hereby refers to Figure 2A, which shows an embodiment of a single component of the disclosed technology. Inhalation system 180A includes a power supply 184, a processor 186, an acoustic wave generator (hereinafter abbreviated as AWG (acoustic wave generator)) 188, an acoustic wave sensor (hereinafter abbreviated as AWS (acoustic wave sensor)) 190, a container 192, an inhalation element 200 including an acoustic signal aperture 202, an inhalation aperture 204, and a reflected signal aperture 206, an output acoustic waveguide 208, an input acoustic waveguide 210, and a supply cavity (or tube) 212. The power supply 184 is coupled to the processor 186, AWG188, AWS190, and heater 194. The processor 186 is coupled to the AWG188, AWS190, and heater 194. The AWG188 is coupled to the acoustic signal opening 202 via the output acoustic waveguide 208, the AWS190 is coupled to the reflected signal opening 206 via the input acoustic waveguide 210, and the container 192 is coupled to the intake opening 204 via the supply cavity 212. The intake system 180A functions substantially the same as the intake system 100 (Figure 1), except that all components and elements are contained within a single device body 182. The system in Figure 2A may include additional components not shown for the sake of simplicity (such as actuators, memory, and user interfaces, as described above in Figure 1). The output acoustic waveguide 208 and the input acoustic waveguide 210 are acoustically sealed by the AWG188 and AWS190, respectively. Container 192 may include an opening 196 into which container 192 can be filled, refilled, or emptied. Container 192 is shown to contain a substance 198, which may be liquid or solid. When the substance 198 is used up by the user, the opening 196 can be opened and container 192 can be refilled with the same or a different substance.Optionally, container 192 cannot be refilled, and once empty, the intake system 180A can be discarded. Compared to intake system 100, intake system 180A does not need to have replaceable parts.

[0064] Next, we refer to Figure 2B, which shows embodiments of two components of the disclosed technology similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 1. The inhalation system 180B includes an inhalation device body 220 and interchangeable parts 222. The inhalation device body 220 includes a power supply 184', a processor 186', an AWG 188', an AWS 190', and an acoustic seal 224. The interchangeable parts 222 include an inhalation element 200' including a container 192', a heater 194', an acoustic signal opening 202', an inhalation opening 204', and a reflected signal opening 206', an output acoustic waveguide 208', an input acoustic waveguide 210', and a supply cavity (or tube) 212'. The interchangeable parts 222 are designed to be attached to or inserted into and removed from the inhalation device body 220, as described above in Figure 1.

[0065] The power supply 184' is coupled to the processor 186', AWG188', and AWS190'. When the interchangeable component 222 is installed in the inhalation device body 220, the power supply 184' is also coupled to the heater 194', as indicated by arrow 226B. The processor 186' is coupled to the AWG188' and AWS190', and optionally may be coupled to the heater 194' when the interchangeable component 222 is installed in the inhalation device body 220. The AWG188' and AWS190' are coupled to the acoustic seal 224. When the interchangeable component 222 is inserted and coupled to the inhalation device body 220, the output acoustic waveguide 208' is coupled to the AWG188' via the acoustic seal 224, and the input acoustic waveguide 210' is also coupled to the AWS190' via the acoustic seal 224, as indicated by multiple arrows 226A. Container 192' is connected to the suction opening 204' via a supply cavity 212'. Container 192' contains substance 198'. The suction system 180B functions substantially similarly to the suction system 100 (Figure 1) and may have a two-part design, with the suction device body 220 being more permanent and the replaceable parts 222 being disposable. The system in Figure 2B may include additional components not shown for the sake of simplifying the diagram (such as actuators, memory, and user interfaces, as described above in Figure 1).

[0066] The acoustic seal 224 acoustically seals AWG188' and AWG190' in their respective waveguides, preventing acoustic waves from entering or leaving either waveguide through the contact area when the interchangeable component 222 is coupled to the inhalation device body 220. Optionally, when the interchangeable component 222 is coupled to the inhalation device body 220, no air enters or leaves either waveguide through the contact area. The components and configurations of the elements in the inhalation system 180B are illustrative, and other variations of the two-part design are possible. For example, in one embodiment, the acoustic seal 224 is part of the interchangeable component 222 and not part of the inhalation device body 220. In one embodiment, the acoustic seal 224 may include multiple acoustic seals, e.g., each acoustic seal located and dedicated to each waveguide. In one embodiment, AWG188' and AWG190' may not be located in the inhalation device body 220, but may be located in the interchangeable component 222. In such embodiments, AWG188' and AWS190' are acoustically sealed in their respective waveguides, and a separate acoustic seal may not be required, as shown in Figure 2B. Optionally, the heater 194' may be located within the suction device body 220 as a permanent element. In one embodiment, the container 192' may be refillable, such as container 192 (Figure 2A) which includes an opening (not shown) for refilling the container. Such embodiments may be used when AWG188' and AWS190' are part of a replaceable component 222.

[0067] Referring here to Figure 2C, embodiments of three components of the disclosed technology are shown, similar to those further differing from the embodiments shown in Figure 2B. The inhalation system 180C includes an inhalation device body 240, an inhalation device headpiece 242, and interchangeable parts 244. The inhalation device body 240 includes a power supply 184'', a processor 186'', AWG 188'', AWS 190'', and an acoustic seal 224''. The inhalation device headpiece 242 includes an inhalation element 200'', which includes an acoustic signal opening 202'', an inhalation opening 204'', a reflected signal opening 206'', an output acoustic waveguide 208'', an input acoustic waveguide 210'', and a supply cavity (or tube) 212''. The interchangeable parts 244 include a container 192'' and a heater 194. The inhalation device body 240 and the inhalation device headpiece 242 are permanent elements designed to be coupled and attached, and also designed to be uncoupled and removed. The inhalation device headpiece 242 is designed to have an opening from which a replaceable part 244 can be attached to and removed from the inhalation device body 240 and the inhalation device headpiece 242, or inserted and removed from there.

[0068] The power supply 184'' is connected to the processor 186'', AWG188'', and AWS190''. When the interchangeable component 244 is installed in the inhalation device body 240, the power supply 184'' is also coupled to the heater 194'', as indicated by arrow 246B. The processor 186'' is coupled to AWG188'' and AWS190'' and can optionally be coupled to the heater 194'' when the interchangeable component 244 is installed in the inhalation device body 240. AWG188'' and AWS190'' are coupled to the acoustic seal 224''. When the inhalation device headpiece 242 is inserted and coupled to the inhalation device body 240, the output acoustic waveguide 208'' is coupled to AWG188'' via the acoustic seal 224'', and the input acoustic waveguide 210'' is also coupled to AWS190'' via the acoustic seal 224'', as indicated by multiple arrows 246A. When the inhalation device headpiece 242 is inserted and connected to the inhalation device body 240, the container 192'' is connected to the inhalation opening 204'' via the supply cavity 212'' as indicated by arrow 246C, and as described above, the heater 194'' may be connected to the power supply 184''. The container 192'' contains material 198. The inhalation system 180C functions substantially similarly to the inhalation system 100 (Figure 1), having a three-part design, the inhalation device body 240 and the inhalation device headpiece are more permanent, and the replaceable part 244 is disposable. The system in Figure 2C may include additional parts not shown for the sake of simplicity in the diagram (such as actuators, memory, and user interface, as described above in Figure 1).

[0069] The acoustic seal 224' acoustically seals AWG188'' and AWS190'' in their respective waveguides so that sound generally does not enter or exit either waveguide through its contact area when the inhalation device headpiece 242 is coupled to the inhalation device body 240. Optionally, air does not enter or exit either waveguide through its respective contact area. The components and configurations of elements within the inhalation system 180C are illustrative, and other modifications of the three-part design are possible. For example, in one embodiment, the acoustic seal 224' may be part of the replaceable part 244, the inhalation device headpiece 242, or both, and may not be part of the inhalation device body 240. In one embodiment, AWG188'' and AWS190'' may not be in the inhalation device body 220, but may be in the inhalation device headpiece 242. In such an embodiment, AWG188'' and AWS190'' may be acoustically sealed in their respective waveguides, and a separate acoustic seal may not be required, as shown in Figure 2C. In one embodiment, the heater 194'' may be located within the suction device body 240 as a permanent element. In one embodiment, the container 192'' may be refillable, such as container 192 (Figure 2A) which includes an opening (not shown) for refilling the container.

[0070] Herein, we generally refer to Figures 3A–10, which represent exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology designed using computer-aided design software with real-world constraints. In Figures 3A–10, various views of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology are shown from various viewpoints (orthogonal, viewpoint, section, and exploded). Thus, the components are labeled using the same reference number. The examples in Figures 3A–10 are presented solely to illustrate further examples of the disclosed technology and are not intended in any way to limit the disclosed technology. Other designs, configurations, and arrangements of the components of the disclosed technology schematically described above in Figures 1 and 2A–2C may also be applicable.

[0071] Hereinafter, we refer to Figures 3A–3B, orthogonal and cross-sectional views of the first exemplary inhalation system, 270A and 270B, which are collectively referred to as 270A and 270B, configured and operating according to several embodiments of the disclosed technology. The first exemplary inhalation system 270A is shown in three different figures, namely, a front orthogonal view 272A, a side orthogonal view 272B with cross-sectional mark AA, and a cross-sectional view 272C along cross-sectional mark AA. The front orthogonal view 272A shows the device body 274 and a pod 280 containing material (not shown), in a detached position. The pod 280 is substantially similar to the interchangeable part 104 (Figure 1). As shown, the pod 280 includes a mouthpiece 314 and a connector 312. The mouthpiece 314, or part of the mouthpiece 314, is inserted into the user's oral cavity when the first exemplary inhalation system 270A is used. As shown in Figure 3A, the device body 274 and the pod 280 are shown as separate components. Multiple wires 300 indicate how the connector 312 connects to and is inserted into the device body 274. The device body 274 may include an actuator 276 and an indicator 278. The actuator 276 is shown as a switch or button in Figure 3A. The indicator 278 may be a light indicator that can show various signals to the user (by flashing patterns, color changes, etc.).

[0072] Sectional view 272C shows the internal components of the first exemplary inhalation system 270A, which are not visible in orthogonal views 272A and 272B. As shown, the device body 274 includes a battery 282 similar to a power supply 114 (Figure 1), which may be substantially rechargeable. A charging port 284 allows the battery 282 to be coupled to the power supply, for example, for recharging. The device body 274 also includes a printed circuit board (PCB, as it is referred to herein) 286 electrically coupled to an actuator 276. The PCB 286 may include various electronic circuits and arrays that form a processor for controlling elements of the first exemplary inhalation system 270A, including an acoustic codec unit (not shown). The PCB 286 may include memory (not shown). Similarly, AWG 290 (e.g., speaker) and AWS 292 (e.g., microphone) are shown. The aforementioned acoustic codec unit is used to control AWG 290 and AWS 292. A pressure sensor 288 is positioned between AWG290 and AWS292. As shown in the figure, the pod 280 includes two waveguides 302, an airway 304 (substantially similar to the supply tube 136), a container 306, and a heating element 308. The container 306 may contain a substance as a liquid that can be heated via the heating element 308 and then inhaled as vapor and / or aerosol. The heating element 308 is positioned directly above the inlet of the airway 304, and as shown in the figure, the container 306 occupies a considerable portion of the mouthpiece 314. The connector 312 is designed to mate into a cavity 294 of the apparatus body 274. The connector 312 may include at least one indentation 310, where each at least one matching protrusion 296 in the cavity 294 can be coupled to secure the connector 312 in the cavity 294.

[0073] The pressure sensor 288 can act as a trigger indicating that the user is inhaling through the airway 304, due to changes in airflow within the airway 304 as detected by the pressure sensor 288. The tip of the cavity 294 includes an acoustic seal 298 that covers the ends of the AWG 290 and AWS 292. As shown in the figure, the pod 280 is designed so that the waveguide 302 is inserted into the AWG 290 and AWS 292, respectively, via the acoustic seal 298 when the connector 312 is positioned inside the cavity 294. The heating element 308 is electrically coupled to the PCB 286 when the connector 312 is positioned inside the cavity 294. As clearly seen in Figure 3B, the pressure sensor 388 is aligned with the airway 304, which is the same airway through which the user inhales the substance contained in the container 306.

[0074] The first exemplary inhalation system 270B is shown in three different figures, namely a front orthogonal view 272D, a side orthogonal view 272E with section mark AA, and a section view 272F along section mark AA. The front orthogonal view 272B shows the device body 274 and pod 280 in their mounted positions. When mounted, the mouthpiece 314 of the pod 280 is visible. When the first exemplary inhalation system 270B is in use, at least one recess 310 coincides with at least one protrusion 296, as specifically shown in section view 272F with the connector inserted into the cavity of the device body, to keep the pod 280 firmly attached to the device body 274. Also clearly shown are waveguides 302 coupled to AWG 290 and AWS 292, respectively, via acoustic seals 298. Also shown is a heating element positioned above a pressure sensor 288 that is directly aligned with the airway 304.

[0075] Referring here to Figures 4A–4B, these are further orthogonal and cross-sectional views of the first exemplary suction system of Figures 3A–3B, referred collectively as 330A and 330B, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. The first exemplary suction system 330A is shown in two different views: a side orthogonal view 332A with cross-sectional mark BB and a cross-sectional view 332B along cross-sectional mark BB. The side orthogonal view 332A shows the device body 274 and pod 280 in a separated position. As can be seen, the actuator 276 may be small in size compared to the device body 274. In addition, an indicator 278 may be located on one side of the device body 274. The cross-sectional view 332B shows a connector 312 that mates into the cavity 294. As can be seen, the container 306 may be designed to maximize its volume, and therefore the volume of material (e.g., as liquid) that can be contained in the pod 280. As shown, the container 306 extends into the connector 312. A first exemplary inhalation system 330B is shown in two different figures, a side orthogonal view 332C with a cross section mark BB and a cross section view 332D along the cross section mark BB. The side orthogonal view 332B shows the device body and pod in their mounting positions. It shows how the container 306 is housed in a portion of the cavity within the device body. It also shows how the tip 334 of the airway 304 is positioned directly above the heating element 308 when the device body and pod are in their mounting positions.

[0076] Referring here to Figure 5, which is a orthogonal section view of a replaceable component, referred to as 360 overall, of the first exemplary intake system in Figures 3A and 3B, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. The replaceable component 360 (substantially equivalent to pod 280 (Figure 3A)) is shown in three different figures, namely, a side orthogonal view 362A with a cross section mark AA, a first cross section view 362B along the cross section mark AA, and a second cross section view 362C along a similar cross section. The first cross section view 362B shows that the waveguide 302 includes base portions 368 and 370 and tip portions 364 and 366. As can be seen from the figure, the base portions 368 and 370 taper toward the tip portions 364 and 366, thus giving the waveguide 302 a diameter that varies along its length. The proximal ends 368 and 370 may include their respective membranes (not shown) to cover the opening into the waveguide 302 and thus prevent dust, debris, and other contaminants from entering. The terminal ends 364 and 366 include acoustic sealant surfaces 376 and 378, respectively, which couple the waveguide 302 to the AWG and AWS (not shown in Figure 5) via an acoustic seal. The airway 304 is shown with an outlet 372 through which the user can inhale. A heating element 308 is clearly shown, positioned perpendicular to the tip 334 of the airway 304. Also shown is that the container 306 occupies the majority of the volume of the replaceable part 360, with the tip 334 opening to the container 306. When the heating element 308 heats the container 306, the substance in the container 306 can enter the airway 304 as vapor through the tip 334 and move toward the user's mouth toward the outlet 372. The vapor can be cooled or condensed to some extent, and thus can become an aerosol before being inhaled by the user. Also shown is the inlet 374 through which air can enter the airway 304 when the user inhales. The line (not referenced) directly above the inlet 374 indicates that the electrical connection heating element 308 makes contact with the device body when the replaceable part 360 is inserted into the device body.As shown in the figure, the waveguide 302 and airway 304 may not be components added to the replaceable component 360, but simply cavities formed within the replaceable component 360. Section 362C of the second cross section shows the direct positioning of the heating element 308 along the inlet 374 as well as the tip 334 when the replaceable component is inserted into the apparatus body, and the aforementioned electrical connection of the heating element 308 to the PCB.

[0077] Referring here to Figures 6A and 6B, which are perspective views of the first exemplary inhalation system shown in Figures 3A and 3B, collectively referred to as 400A and 400B, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. Referring to Figure 6A, the first exemplary inhalation system 400A is shown in a perspective view, illustrating the concept of the volume of the components of the first exemplary inhalation system 400A. As can be seen from the figure, the battery 282 occupies a considerable volume of the device body. The connector 312 is shown again when inserted into the device body so as to be flush with the acoustic seal 298. Referring to Figure 6B, the first exemplary inhalation system 400B is shown in a perspective view illustrating the general external design of the first exemplary inhalation system 400B. The device body 274 is designed to include an actuator 276 so that the user's thumb is positioned when the first exemplary inhalation system 400B is held in the palm of the hand.

[0078] Referring here to Figures 7A–7D, these are additional perspective views of the first exemplary inhalation system shown in Figures 3A–3B, collectively referred to as 420A–420D, and are configured and operate according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. Referring to Figure 7A, the first exemplary inhalation system 420A is shown in a perspective view showing the top and one side of the system. As can be seen from the figure, the mouthpiece shows a waveguide 302 and airway 304 extending into an acoustic seal 298 from the proximal ends 368 and 370 (which are substantially openings). An outlet 372 through which the user can inhale leads to an airway 304 that extends substantially parallel to the waveguide 302 along the length of the mouthpiece. Referring to Figure 7B, the first exemplary inhalation system 420A is shown in a perspective view showing the top and one side of the system with the pod 280 detached from the device body. The 3D shapes of at least one recess 310 within the connector 312 and at least one protrusion 296 within the cavity 294 are clearly shown. Also clearly shown are several lines 300 showing how the pod 280 is inserted into the device body. Illustrated are the tips 364 and 366, which are substantially openings into the waveguide (not visible) and acoustic sealant surfaces 376 and 378 surrounding the tips 364 and 366, with which the acoustic seal 298 is coupled when the pod 280 is inserted into the device body. The inlet 374 is also visible between the tips 364 and 366. It is also visible that the PCB 286 may extend the length of the device body below the battery 282.

[0079] Referring to Figure 7C, the first exemplary inhalation system 420C is shown in a perspective view showing the top and one side of the system with the pod 280 removed from the device body 274. An indicator 278 is shown along with a charging port 284, along with several lines 300 indicating how the pod 280 is inserted into the device body 274. The first exemplary inhalation system 420C is shown to have a sleek design with bevels and curves. Other designs are possible, and the following embodiments are given in Figure 10. Referring to Figure 7D, the first exemplary inhalation system 420D is shown in a perspective view showing the rear and another side of the system with the pod inserted into the device body. As can be clearly seen, the PCB 286 extends along the length of the device body and allows for sufficient electronic components and circuitry to accommodate a processor capable of performing the functions described above with respect to the processor 112 (Figure 1). Also shown is a radio transceiver 422 housed on the rear side of the device body. The wireless transceiver 422 may be a Bluetooth® antenna, an infrared antenna, or any other antenna capable of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals over short distances for wireless communication.

[0080] Referring here to Figures 8A–8D, which are further perspective views of the first exemplary inhalation system of Figures 3A–3B, referred to 450A–450D overall, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. Referring to Figure 8A, the first exemplary inhalation system 450A is shown in a perspective view, showing the coupling of the pod 280 to the device body, in particular its insertion into the cavity 294. As can be seen from the figure, AWG 290 and AWS 292 fit and couple to the acoustic seal 298, which has an opening into which a pressure sensor 288 can be inserted. Also clearly shown in the figure are the complementary shapes of both at least one recess 310 and at least one protrusion 296. Referring to Figure 8B, the first exemplary inhalation system 450B is shown in a perspective view, showing further coupling of the pod 280 to the device body when it is inserted into the cavity 294. The tip 452 of the pressure sensor 288 is shown to penetrate and extend beyond the acoustic seal 298. Referring to Figure 8C, the first exemplary inhalation system 450C is shown in a perspective cross-sectional view showing the pod inserted into the device body. As can be seen, the tips of the waveguide 302 are coupled to the AWG 290 and AWS 292, respectively. Similarly, a heating element 308 positioned directly above the inlet 374 is shown. It is clearly shown that the tip 452 of the pressure sensor 288 extends through the acoustic seal 298 and is positioned adjacent to the inlet 374. Referring to Figure 8D, the first exemplary inhalation system 450D is shown in a perspective front orthogonal view showing the pod inserted into the device body. The acoustic sealant surfaces 376 and 378 clearly show the coupling between the waveguide 302 and the AWG and AWS. Alignment between the pressure sensor 288 and the airway 304 is also shown.

[0081] Referring here to Figure 9, which is an exploded view of the first exemplary suction system of Figures 3A–3B, generally referred to as reference no. 480, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. Figure 9 shows how the AWG290, AWS292, and pressure sensor 288 fit into the acoustic seal 298, as well as the PCB 286, extending the length of the device body 274 and the positioning of the battery 282.

[0082] Referring here to Figure 10, Figure 10 is a perspective view of first and second exemplary inhalation systems, generally referred to as reference no. 500, configured and operating according to embodiments of the disclosed technology. Figure 10 shows two exemplary design versions of the disclosed technology: a first exemplary inhalation system 502, analogous to the first exemplary inhalation system 420C (Figure 7C), and a second exemplary inhalation system 504. As shown, the first exemplary inhalation system 502 includes a device body 506 and a mouthpiece 510 having a plurality of openings 516 for transmitting and receiving acoustic signals and enabling the user to inhale a substance contained within the mouthpiece 510. The second exemplary inhalation system 504 similarly includes a device body 508 and a mouthpiece 512 having a plurality of openings 518 for transmitting and receiving acoustic signals and enabling the user to inhale a substance contained within the mouthpiece 512. As shown, the mouthpiece 512 is designed to have a transparent window 514 through which the substance can be seen. If the substance is a liquid, the transparent window 514 allows the user to see the liquid level. As described above, the disclosed technology may be designed to be handheld and therefore should have dimensions suitable for handheld use. For example, the first and second exemplary suction systems may have a base width in the range of 10 mm to 30 mm, as indicated by arrow 520, and a thickness in the range of 5 mm to 20 mm, as indicated by arrow 522. The height of the first and second exemplary suction systems may be 7 cm to 14 cm. The dimensions provided are merely examples, and other dimensions and sizes are possible.

[0083] Refer here to Figure 11, a schematic diagram of a method for identification verification operating according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. As described above in Figure 1, the disclosed technology authenticates a user's body cavity signature by transmitting an acoustic signal (body cavity sample) to the user's body cavity (e.g., oral cavity, nasal cavity, or tympanic cavity) and receiving a reflection of the acoustic signal. The frequency response and other parameters and features of the received reflected acoustic signal may be used to analyze the body cavity sample and compare it to the body cavity signature for similarity by testing a classifier such as a machine learning algorithm, a classifier model, and / or an analytical model. In the case of identification verification (ID) of the disclosed technology, the user's body cavity signature is initially registered, and once registered, it can be authenticated when the user later uses the system and apparatus of the disclosed technology. Registration may be performed at the point of sale and may include a procedure to receive multiple body cavity samples to be processed to form a body cavity signature. The registration procedure (not shown) may be performed at the point of sale when the buyer registers with the apparatus (e.g., after the seller has verified their age or other usage permission) and, optionally, with a database of registered users. Figure 11 assumes that the registration and generation of the user's cavity signatures have already been performed. The method in Figure 11 describes the procedure for performing ID after registration has already been completed. In step 550, the history record of the user's cavity signatures is retrieved. The retrieved history record may include multiple stored cavity samples of the transmitted cavity signals, as well as reflections of the cavity signals. These cavity samples retrieved from the alignment process can be called cavity signature signals. As an example, 48 cavity signature signals of the user's cavities can be retrieved from the registration process. This does not necessarily mean that 48 cavity signature signals were used to register the user with the device, as more cavity signature signals may have been used in the registration procedure. Therefore, in step 550, either all cavity signature signals used to register the device, or a subset of cavity signature signals, are retrieved from the history record of the user's cavity signatures.Procedure 550 can be performed once, and the body cavity sample taken from the body cavity signature is then used for one or more authentication sequences, which may be separated in time and / or location from Procedure 550. For example, Procedure 550 may be performed at the point of sale when the buyer registers the device, and may be required to be used one or more times (e.g., in demo mode) to ensure successful registration.

[0084] In step 552, at least one body cavity sample is received from the user. The body cavity sample represents acoustic waves transmitted to and reflected from the user's body cavity. The body cavity sample can consist of multiple acoustic signals that substantially sample the user's body cavity. The body cavity sample may include, for example, three separate transmitted and received acoustic signals.

[0085] According to the method in Figure 11, the user's body cavity samples are authenticated based on a historical record of the user's body cavity signature. In step 554, at least one feature array is generated according to the respective pairings between each of the multiple body cavity signature signals extracted in step 550 and each body cavity sample extracted from the user in step 552. Thus, if the acquired historical record of the user's body cavity signature contains 48 body cavity signature signals and three body cavity samples are taken during sampling of the user's body cavities to authenticate the user's body cavity signature, then a 144 (3x48) feature array is generated in step 554 based on the pairings between each body cavity signature signal from step 550 and each user body cavity sample from step 552. In step 556, the classifier model of the user signal is tested. The classifier model can be based on a gradient boosting algorithm such as a Light Gradient Boosted Machine (LightGBM), XG Boost or the R neural network package, or any other specially designed neural network in any known implementation language. Other classifier models can be used, as well as the analysis model. The user signal classifier model is tested to recognize features of the coelom signature based on the reflection of acoustic signals from the user's coelom (i.e., coelom sample) and is used in procedure 560 to validate the user's coelom signature using the coelom sample. Because acoustic signals can reflect differently in the same user, and due to the specific positioning of the acoustic signal opening from where the acoustic signal is transmitted to the user's coelom, as well as any voluntary or involuntary movements that may occur in the user's coelom when the acoustic signal is transmitted to the user's coelom, the signal classifier model is tested to determine identical features in the user's coelom signature based on slight possible variations in the features of the reflected acoustic signal. In procedure 558, the session signal classifier model is tested.Similar to procedure 556, the classifier model can be based on gradient boosting algorithms such as LightGBM, XG Boost, neural network packages in R, any specifically designed neural network in any known implementation language, and other classifier models, as well as analytical models. The classifier model for session signals differs from the classifier model for user signals in that it is tested to determine the features of the user's coelom signature, which means extracting features from the coelom sample and therefore used to authenticate the user's coelom sample in procedure 562.

[0086] In step 560, for each feature array generated in step 554, a first probability is determined using the user signal classifier model from step 556 that each pairing between a cavity signature signal and a user cavity sample is from the same user. A better user signal classifier model would be tested in step 556 (e.g., by increasing the number of cavity feature signals and user cavity samples) to obtain a higher determined first probability. In step 560, the user cavity signature is verified based on the historical record of the user cavity signature, along with the cavity sample transmitted to and reflected from the user cavity. In step 562, a second probability is determined using the session signal classifier model from step 558. The second probability is the determined probability that each user cavity sample from step 552 and each cavity signature signal from step 550 in the historical record are actually from the same person. Therefore, procedure 562 is used to authenticate the user's body cavity sample from procedure 552.

[0087] In step 564, the determined second probability is compared to a predetermined threshold. If the second probability exceeds the predetermined threshold, the user's body cavity sample may be authenticated and a true instruction may be generated. If the second probability does not exceed the predetermined threshold, the user's body cavity signal may not be authenticated and a false instruction may be generated. In an alternative to step 564, once the second probability is determined, only a single instruction may be provided. For example, an instruction may be provided only if the second probability exceeds a predetermined threshold, or only if the second probability is less than a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold may be, for example, 90% for a single user body cavity sample and 95% for three user body cavity samples. Other predetermined thresholds are also possible and are a design choice. Optionally, different thresholds may be used in the same device to control different functions of the same device. For example, a first predetermined threshold for the use of recreational substances and a second predetermined threshold for the use of controlled substances (as a device for the delivery of substances by inhalation in embodiments of the art of this disclosure).

[0088] As shown in the method in Figure 11, steps 556 and 558 may be performed in a factory setting before any other steps in this method are performed. Testing of a classifier model including any determined parameters and / or features may be stored locally in the system or device memory of the system and apparatus of the disclosed technology, or remotely in cloud storage that the system or apparatus can access and retrieve. As stated above, the determined parameters and / or features are retrievable by the system and apparatus of the disclosed technology, whether locally on the apparatus or remotely from another location. Note that the method in Figure 11 can be used to authenticate an embodiment of the system or apparatus of the disclosed technology with a particular user.

[0089] The method in Figure 11 allows a user to validate their coelomic signature using the apparatus or system of the disclosed technology. As described above, machine learning algorithms embedded (or at least removable) within the coelomic or system of the disclosed technology may then be used to authenticate a user based on their registered coelomic signatures for repeated use of the system or coelomic. As described in procedure 550, for initial use, the method requires that a historical record of those coelomic signatures be retrieved, which may include 48 samples of those coelomic signatures, or fewer coelomic signature samples (e.g., 10) or more coelomic signature samples.

[0090] Herein, we refer to Figure 12, a schematic diagram of a method for age determination operating according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. In step 590, an age classifier model is tested. As previously stated, the classifier may be a boosting gradient algorithm, a classifier model, or an analytical model. The age classifier model was tested to identify features in reflected acoustic signals of different age users. The test can be performed a priori in a laboratory environment that provides reflections of acoustic signals from the oral cavity, nasal cavity, and / or tympanic cavity using the system and apparatus of the disclosed technology, with different age users such as children, adolescents, and / or adults. As the number of samples input to the age classifier model increases, the accuracy of determining age (or age group) specific coelom signature features increases. In one embodiment of the disclosed technology, step 590 allows the number of users of the disclosed technology to continue increasing, as in the method of Figure 11, and their coelom signatures to be registered in a central database. Additional information about each registered user, such as their age, the characteristics of the body cavity signature of users of a particular age, or the identification and determination of age groups, can be obtained, and the age classifier model can be continuously improved in terms of accuracy. In step 592, as in step 552 (Figure 11), a body cavity sample from at least one user is received.

[0091] In step 594, for each received user cavity sample, the probability that the user belongs to a given age group is determined using the age classifier model in step 590. The probability is determined by comparing and analyzing the features of the received user cavity sample with the features in the age classifier model. As described above, the age classifier model may include features that define different age groups, such as unapproved users under 14 years of age (children), approved adolescent users aged 14-16 and / or 16-18 years (adults), and approved adult users aged 18 and / or 21 and over (adults). An alternative to step 594 is to use the age classifier model in step 590 to determine the probability that the received user cavity sample represents a specific age (or age group) of the user, or represents a predefined minimum and / or maximum age of the user. In general, the probability determined is the probability that the cavity sample is a true member of the class. Thus, the probability that the cavity sample is not a true member of the class can be determined by subtracting it from 100%. The age classifier model in procedure 590 generally returns binary results for the percent probability that a coelomic sample is within a given age group, and therefore for the percent probability that the coelomic sample is not within a given age group. It should also be noted that different pre-trained classifiers on the same coelomic sample may yield different results. Thus, an age classifier model that determines the probability X that a coelomic sample is within the children's age group yields a probability Y (X+Y=100%) that the coelomic sample is not within the children's age group, while an age classifier model that determines the probability Z that a coelomic sample is within the adults' age group yields a different result, thereby for the probability A that the coelomic sample is not within the adults' age group (Z+A=100%, where Z is not necessarily equal to Y, and Z is not necessarily equal to X).

[0092] In step 596, if the probability determined in step 594 exceeds a predetermined threshold, and the user is therefore authenticated as an authorized user, a true instruction may be generated. However, if the determined probability does not exceed the predetermined threshold, a false instruction may be generated, the user is not authenticated as an authorized user, and the system or apparatus of the disclosed technology may not operate, may shut down, or may have limited functionality. In an alternative to step 596, once the probability is determined, only a single instruction may be provided. For example, an instruction may be provided only if the probability exceeds a predetermined threshold, or only if the probability is below a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold may be, for example, 90% for a single user body cavity sample and 95% for three user body cavity samples. Other predetermined thresholds are also possible and are a design choice.

[0093] As shown in Figure 11, the features of the age classifier model may be stored locally in the memory of the system or device, or remotely on cloud storage, in which case the system or device of the disclosed technology requires wireless connectivity to the cloud storage in order to function properly. As stated above, according to the disclosed technology, the features of the age classifier model are retrievable, whether locally or remotely.

[0094] As described above, in either the case of ID or AV, the registered body cavity signature of a user, or the characteristics of the body cavity signatures of authorized and / or unauthorized users, may be stored locally and / or remotely on the device or system of the disclosed technology. In the case of AV, it is not necessary to use the unique characteristics of the body cavity signature of authorized users. The age classifier model is tested to determine the characteristics of the body cavity signature of authorized users that are unique compared to the characteristics of the body cavity signature of unauthorized users. Thus, in the case of AV, the characteristics of unauthorized users can be used to authenticate a user. Also, as described above, the determined characteristics of the age classifier model in procedure 590 may be updated as the user database of the system and device of the disclosed technology grows. The updated characteristics for the age classifier model may be provided wirelessly to the system or device of the disclosed technology.

[0095] In one embodiment, it will be understood that both ID and AV are enabled. For example, a user within a permitted age group may use the device even if they are not registered, in addition to registered users. In one embodiment, anyone within a permitted age group is permitted unless they are registered as a restricted user. In one embodiment, AV approval may be used as a first step for ID registration. One advantage of such an embodiment may be that ID testing may be performed on the device or system while AV testing requires data acquisition from multiple users after the device has been assigned to a user.

[0096] Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed technology is not limited to what is specifically shown and described above. Rather, the scope of the disclosed technology is defined solely by the following claims.

Claims

1. A body cavity authentication system for verifying at least one feature of a user using at least one acoustic signal, An orifice element having at least an acoustic signal aperture and a reflection signal aperture, An acoustic wave generator for generating the aforementioned at least one acoustic signal, An acoustic wave sensor for receiving at least one reflection of the at least one acoustic signal, At least two waveguides, A coupling between the acoustic wave generator and the acoustic signal opening, comprising at least one output acoustic waveguide for transmitting the at least one acoustic signal to the user, The system comprises, separately from the at least one output acoustic waveguide, at least one input acoustic waveguide coupled between the acoustic wave sensor and the reflection signal aperture, for receiving the at least one reflection of the at least one acoustic signal, A processor coupled between the acoustic wave generator and the acoustic wave sensor for processing the at least one reflection of the acoustic signal, A memory having at least one of the above characteristics and configured to store authentication data of a body cavity searchable by the processor, The acoustic wave generator, the acoustic wave sensor, and the power supply coupled to the processor, Equipped with, The processor is configured to analyze the at least one reflection, compare the analyzed at least one reflection with the searchable body cavity authentication data stored in the memory, and generate an instruction to determine whether the analyzed at least one reflection matches the searchable body cavity authentication data that exceeds a predetermined threshold. system.

2. An inhalation system for supplying a substance to a user, Inhalation device and A replaceable part that can be attached to and detached from the aforementioned suction device, Equipped with, The aforementioned inhalation device is An acoustic wave generator for generating at least one acoustic signal, An acoustic wave sensor for receiving at least one reflection of the at least one acoustic signal, Acoustic seal and, A processor coupled between the acoustic wave generator and the acoustic wave sensor for processing the at least one reflection of the acoustic signal, A memory that indicates the user and is configured to store authentication data of a body cavity that can be searched by the processor, The acoustic wave generator, the acoustic wave sensor, and the power supply coupled to the processor, It has, The aforementioned replaceable parts are An intake element having at least an intake opening, an acoustic signal opening and a reflection signal opening, A container for storing the substance is coupled to the aforementioned intake element, Located between the container and the suction opening, and comprising at least one cavity for supplying the substance, A connection is made between the acoustic wave generator and the acoustic signal opening, and at least one output acoustic waveguide is configured for transmitting the at least one acoustic signal to the user, Apart from the at least one output acoustic waveguide, configured to connect the acoustic wave sensor and the reflection signal opening, and comprising at least one input acoustic waveguide for receiving the at least one reflection of the at least one acoustic signal, It has, The acoustic seal is coupled to the at least one output acoustic waveguide and the at least one input acoustic waveguide in order to acoustically seal the acoustic wave generator and the acoustic wave sensor, respectively, in the at least one output acoustic waveguide and the at least one input acoustic waveguide when the replaceable component is attached to the suction device. The processor is configured to analyze the at least one reflection, compare the analyzed at least one reflection with searchable body cavity authentication data stored in the memory, and generate an instruction to determine whether the analyzed at least one reflection matches the searchable body cavity authentication data that exceeds a predetermined threshold. system.

3. The acoustic signal opening is configured to guide the at least one acoustic signal generated by the acoustic wave generator. The reflection signal aperture is configured to direct the at least one reflection of the at least one acoustic signal toward the acoustic wave sensor. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The inhalation device further comprises a controller coupled to the processor for controlling the supply of the substance according to the instructions. The system according to claim 2.

5. The processor, the acoustic wave generator, the acoustic wave sensor, and the power supply are further connected to a printed circuit board (PCB), The PCB includes the memory, The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

6. The memory is selected from a list consisting of the system's internal memory, the system's external memory located on a server, and the system's external memory located on a cloud storage system. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

7. The processor has an audio codec unit, The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

8. If the instruction indicates that the at least one reflected analyzed matches the authentication data of the searchable body cavity that exceeds the predetermined threshold, the system further comprises a heater for heating the substance. The system according to claim 2.

9. The heater is located in the suction device. The system according to claim 8.

10. The heater is located in the replaceable part. The system according to claim 8.

11. The acoustic signal opening is configured to direct the at least one acoustic signal towards the user's body cavity. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

12. The body cavity is selected from a list consisting of the oral cavity, nasal cavity, and tympanic cavity. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

13. The at least one acoustic signal is louder than the ambient noise inside the user's mouth and quieter than the receiver compression threshold of the at least one reflection received by the acoustic wave sensor. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

14. The ambient noise within the user's oral cavity is the intensity of the user's breathing level. The system according to claim 13.

15. The substance is supplied as at least one of vapor and aerosol. The substance is supplied through at least one of the mouth and the nose. The system according to claim 2.

16. The inhalation system is selected from a list consisting of an e-cigarette, an evaporator, a vaping device, a dry herb vaporizer, and an inhaler. The system according to claim 2.

17. The substance is selected from a list comprising nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, cannabinoids, liquids containing cannabinoids, pharmaceutical substances, opioids, sedatives, liquids containing opioids, liquids containing sedatives, liquids containing nicotine, and liquids containing pharmaceutical substances. The system according to claim 2.

18. The acoustic wave generator is selected from a list comprising a speaker, a sound source, a buzzer, and a signal generator having a modulator of a predetermined frequency range. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

19. The at least one acoustic signal has a frequency within at least one range selected from the list consisting of 1.5 kHz to 9 kHz, 20 kHz to 1.5 kHz, 9 kHz to 20 kHz, 1.5 kHz to 5 kHz, and 1.5 kHz to 20 kHz. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

20. The at least one acoustic signal is a sweep signal. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

21. The sweep signal has a frequency range between 1.5 kHz and 9 kHz. The system according to claim 20.

22. The sweep signal has a duration of at least 10 milliseconds. The system according to claim 20.

23. The acoustic wave sensor is selected from a list consisting of a microphone and a receiver having a modulator in a predetermined frequency range. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

24. The sampling of the at least one reflection and the transmission of the at least one acoustic signal occur within a predetermined sampling window. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

25. The sampling of the at least one reflection and the transmission of the at least one acoustic signal occur within a predetermined sampling window having a duration associated with the user's at least one inhalation. The system according to claim 2.

26. The predetermined sampling window for the user's at least one inhalation is between 300 and 500 milliseconds. The system according to claim 25.

27. The predetermined sampling window for the user's at least one inhalation is at least 20 milliseconds. The system according to claim 25.

28. The predetermined sampling window is measured from the start of inhalation by the user. The system according to claim 25.

29. The acoustic signal aperture and the reflection signal aperture are separated by a minimum distance interval. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

30. The minimum distance interval is within the range of 5 millimeters to 25 millimeters. The system according to claim 29.

31. The authentication data for the body cavity is the body cavity signature of at least one specific user. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

32. The body cavity authentication data is a body cavity signature that includes at least one characteristic of an authorized user, a restricted user, and a minor user. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

33. The authentication data of the body cavity includes at least one characteristic of an authorized user that is unique to users who have exceeded the age limit. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

34. The aforementioned age limit is selected from a list consisting of 14, 16, 18, 21, and 25 years old. The system according to claim 33.

35. The aforementioned at least one characteristic of the authorized user is determined using a classifier. The system according to claim 33.

36. The classifier is selected from a list consisting of gradient boosting algorithms, light gradient boosting machines (LightGBM), XG Boost, R neural network packages, and specially designed neural networks in known implementation languages. The system according to claim 35.

37. The memory is coupled to the processor, and the body cavity authentication data is stored in the memory. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

38. If the analyzed at least one reflection matches the authentication data of the body cavity that exceeds the predetermined threshold, the processor provides a signal to the power supply and supplies the substance to the user. The system according to claim 2.

39. The predetermined threshold is the probability of at least 90% true positives from three samplings of the at least one reflection and the transmission of the at least one acoustic signal to the user. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

40. The predetermined threshold is the probability of at least 95% true positive of one sampling of the at least one reflection and the transmission of the at least one acoustic signal to the user. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

41. The system is embodied as at least one of a dongle for a computer, a device that communicates with the dongle for the computer, and an authentication probe. The system according to claim 1.

42. The orifice element further includes an airway opening, The system further comprises a sample collector coupled to the orifice element, and at least one cavity located between the container and the airway opening. The system according to claim 1.

43. The aforementioned airway opening is for expelling air into the sample collector. The system according to claim 42.

44. The system is selected from a list comprising a breath detector, an electronic wind instrument, a medical exhalation device, and a ventilator having an exhalation valve. The system according to claim 42.

45. A replaceable part containing a substance and configured to be detachable from an inhalation device, An intake element having at least an intake opening, an acoustic signal opening and a reflection signal opening, A container for storing the substance is coupled to the aforementioned intake element, Located between the container and the suction opening, and comprising at least one cavity for supplying the substance, At least one output acoustic waveguide configured to connect the acoustic wave generator and the acoustic signal opening of the inhalation device, A separate input acoustic waveguide from the aforementioned at least one output acoustic waveguide, configured to connect the acoustic wave sensor of the inhalation device and the reflected signal opening, Equipped with, Replacement parts.

46. The container further comprises a heater coupled to the container, The heater, when the replaceable part is attached to the suction device, supplies heat to the container to heat the substance. The replaceable part according to claim 45.

47. The system further comprises an acoustic seal coupled to the at least one output acoustic waveguide and the at least one input acoustic waveguide, The acoustic seal acoustically seals the acoustic wave generator and the acoustic wave sensor, respectively, with the at least one output acoustic waveguide and the at least one input acoustic waveguide, when the replaceable component is attached to the suction device. The replaceable part according to claim 45.

48. The at least one output acoustic waveguide and the at least one input acoustic waveguide have at least one of the sizes and shapes for transmitting acoustic signals in the frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 9 kHz. The replaceable part according to claim 45.

49. The acoustic signal aperture and the reflected signal aperture are separated by the minimum distance between them, within a range of 5 millimeters to 25 millimeters. The replaceable part according to claim 45.

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