AEROSOL-GENERATING PRODUCT WITH A PHOTOLUMINESCENT MARKER

Claims

1. An aerosol generating article comprising: aerosol-forming substrate; and a marker comprising a photoluminescent material having an emission half-life of from 50 microseconds to 1000 microseconds following photoexcitation of the photoluminescent material.

2. An aerosol generating article according to claim 1, characterized in that the photoluminescent material has an emission half-life of 100 microseconds to 800 microseconds.

3. An aerosol generating article according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the photoluminescent material has an emission half-life of 100 microseconds to 500 microseconds.

4. An aerosol generating article according to paragraphs 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the photoluminescent material has an emission half-life of from 100 microseconds to 300 microseconds.

5. An aerosol-generating article according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the photoluminescent material has an emission half-life of from 120 microseconds to 250 microseconds.

6. An aerosol-generating article according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the photoluminescent material has an emission half-life of from 160 microseconds to 200 microseconds.

7. An aerosol-generating article according to any of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that the photoluminescent material is designed to be excited by infrared radiation in the wavelength range from 700 nanometers to 1050 nanometers.

8. An aerosol-generating article according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the photoluminescent material exhibits photoluminescence in the wavelength range from 700 nanometers to 1100 nanometers.

9. An aerosol generating article according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the photoluminescent material exhibits photoluminescence in the wavelength range from 950 nanometers to 1050 nanometers.

10. An aerosol-generating article according to any of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that the marker is provided on the outer surface of the aerosol-generating article.

11. An aerosol-generating article according to claim 10, characterized in that the marker is provided in the form of a continuous strip surrounding a portion of the outer surface.

12. An aerosol-generating article according to any of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that it further comprises a wrapper, wherein the marker is provided on the surface of the wrapper.

13. An aerosol-generating article according to paragraph 12, characterized in that the marker is provided on the inner surface of the wrapper.

14. An aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosol-generating substrate is provided as an aerosol-generating substrate segment, and wherein the aerosol-generating article further comprises at least one additional segment located downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate segment.

15. An aerosol-generating article according to paragraph 14, characterized in that at least one additional segment contains: at least one hollow tube located downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate segment; and at least one filter segment located further downstream of the at least one hollow tube.

16. An aerosol-generating article according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aerosol-forming substrate contains tobacco.

17. An aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aerosol-generating article comprises at least one susceptor element in thermal contact with a segment of an aerosol-forming substrate.

18. An aerosol generating system comprising: an aerosol-generating article according to any of the preceding claims; and an aerosol generating device comprising: a cavity for accommodating at least a portion of the aerosol generating article; a radiation source configured to irradiate the marker when the aerosol generating article is placed within the cavity; and a photodetector configured to detect radiation emitted by the photoluminescent material when the aerosol generating article is placed within the cavity.

19. An aerosol generating system according to claim 18, characterized in that the radiation source comprises a light-emitting diode.

20. An aerosol generating system according to claim 19, characterized in that the light-emitting diode is configured to emit infrared radiation in the wavelength range from 700 nanometers to 1100 nanometers.

21. An aerosol generating system according to paragraphs 18, 19 or 20, characterized in that the photodetector comprises a photodiode.

22. An aerosol generating system according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that the aerosol generating device further comprises: power supply; and a controller configured to supply power from a power supply to a light-emitting diode during a first period of time to irradiate the marker with radiation from the light-emitting diode when the aerosol-generating article is placed within the cavity.

23. The aerosol generating system of claim 22, wherein the first period of time is from 200 microseconds to 1.5 milliseconds.

24. An aerosol generating system according to claim 21 in combination with claim 22 or 23, characterized in that the controller is further configured to: supplying power from the power supply to the photodiode during the second period of time after the first period of time; blocking the power supply from the power supply to the light-emitting diode for a second period of time; receiving a signal from the photodiode during the second period of time; determining the emission half-life of the photoluminescent material of the marker based on the signal received from the photodiode during the second period of time; and control of the subsequent operation of the aerosol generating device based on a specified emission half-life.

25. The aerosol generating system of claim 24, wherein the second time period is from 200 microseconds to 1.5 milliseconds.

26. An aerosol generating system according to claim 21 in combination with claim 22 or 23, characterized in that the controller is further configured to: supplying power from the power supply to the photodiode during the second period of time after the first period of time; blocking the power supply from the power supply to the light-emitting diode for a second period of time; receiving a signal from the photodiode during a second period of time, wherein the signal indicates the intensity of photoluminescence by the marker; determining the time required for the photoluminescence intensity to decrease by a specified value during a second period of time; and control of subsequent operation of the aerosol generating device based on a specified time.

27. An aerosol generating system according to any one of paragraphs 18-25, characterized in that the aerosol generating device additionally contains at least one heating element.

28. The aerosol generating system according to claim 27 in combination with claim 24 or 25, characterized in that the controller is configured to compare the determined emission half-life with a table of correspondence of emission half-life periods corresponding to markers of aerosol generating articles configured for use with the aerosol generating device, and wherein controlling the subsequent operation of the aerosol generating device based on the determined emission half-life period includes: blocking the supply of power from the power supply to at least one heating element if the determined emission half-life is not consistent with an aerosol-generating article adapted for use with an aerosol-generating device; and supplying power from the power supply to at least one heating element if the determined emission half-life corresponds to an aerosol-generating article adapted for use with an aerosol-generating device.

29. The aerosol generating system according to claim 26 in combination with claim 27, characterized in that the controller is configured to compare a certain time with a table of correspondence of time periods corresponding to markers of aerosol generating articles configured for use with the aerosol generating device, and wherein controlling the subsequent operation of the aerosol generating device based on the certain time includes: blocking the supply of power from the power supply to at least one heating element if the determined time is not consistent with the aerosol generating article configured for use with the aerosol generating device; and supplying power from the power supply to at least one heating element, if the specified time corresponds to an aerosol-generating article adapted for use with an aerosol-generating device.

30. An aerosol generating system according to paragraphs 27, 28 or 29, characterized in that at least one heating element comprises an induction coil.

31. An aerosol generating device comprising: a cavity for accommodating at least a portion of the aerosol generating article containing a marker; a radiation source configured to irradiate a marker of an aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is placed inside the cavity, wherein the radiation source comprises a light-emitting diode; a photodetector configured to detect radiation emitted by a marker of an aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is placed within the cavity, wherein the photodetector comprises a photodiode; power supply; and a controller configured to supply power from a power supply to a light-emitting diode during a first period of time to irradiate the marker with radiation from the light-emitting diode when the aerosol-generating article is placed within the cavity, wherein the controller is additionally configured with the ability to: supplying power from the power supply to the photodiode during the second period of time after the first period of time; blocking the power supply from the power supply to the light-emitting diode for a second period of time; receiving a signal from the photodiode during the second period of time; determining the emission half-life of the photoluminescent material of the marker based on the signal received from the photodiode during the second period of time; and control of the subsequent operation of the aerosol generating device based on a specified emission half-life.

32. An aerosol generating device according to claim 31, characterized in that the light-emitting diode is designed to emit infrared radiation in a wavelength range from 700 nanometers to 1100 nanometers.

33. An aerosol generating device according to claim 31 or 32, characterized in that the first period of time is from 220 microseconds to 1.5 milliseconds.

34. An aerosol generating device according to any one of paragraphs 31-33, characterized in that the second period of time is from 220 microseconds to 1.5 milliseconds.

35. An aerosol generating device according to any one of paragraphs 31-34, characterized in that it additionally contains at least one heating element.

36. The aerosol generating device according to claim 35, wherein the controller is configured to compare the determined half-life with a table of correspondence of half-life periods corresponding to markers of aerosol generating articles adapted for use with the aerosol generating device, and wherein controlling the subsequent operation of the aerosol generating device based on the determined half-life comprises: blocking the supply of power from the power supply to at least one heating element if the determined emission half-life is not consistent with an aerosol-generating article adapted for use with an aerosol-generating device; and supplying power from the power supply to at least one heating element if the determined emission half-life corresponds to an aerosol-generating article adapted for use with an aerosol-generating device.

37. An aerosol generating device according to claim 35 or 36, characterized in that at least one heating element comprises an induction coil.