Battery indication method for aerosol provision system, and aerosol provision system
The battery indication method for aerosol provision systems addresses the need for timely battery level monitoring during multiple puffing sessions by providing session-based indications, enhancing user experience and session management.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/GB2024/053094
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-12-16
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-12
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-19
AI Technical Summary
Reusable aerosol provision systems require battery indication during multiple puffing sessions to ensure timely responses, as users need to monitor battery levels for each session.
A battery indication method that monitors puffing session status and provides battery level indications based on preset session states, such as the start and end of puffing sessions, using existing components like light-emitting components to avoid disrupting the user's experience.
Enables users to understand and respond to battery levels associated with each puffing session, enhancing user experience and preventing battery-related issues during multiple session use.
Smart Images

Figure GB2024053094_19062025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Battery indication method for aerosol provision system, and aerosol provision system
[0002] Technical Field
[0003] This invention is related to the field of aerosol provision, particularly relating to a battery indication method for an aerosol provision system and the aerosol provision system.
[0004] Technical Background
[0005] An aerosol provision system refers to a system that contains aerosol-generating material and produces aerosol by heating aerosol-generating material (like tobacco), rather than burning, for user puff. The system generally comprises an atomizer and a power source. The power source supplies electricity to the cartomizer, which heats up when powered to heat the aerosol-generating material within the system.
[0006] Currently, common aerosol provision systems are single-use articles. After activating a new system, users typically consume the internal aerosol-generating material and battery power in one use. In this scenario, there's no need for users to monitor the remaining battery power during use.
[0007] Single-use articles lead to resource waste. Thus, there is ongoing development of reusable aerosol provision systems. By accommodating aerosol-generating material sufficient for multiple puffing sessions and using a high-capacity power source, these systems can be used for multiple sessions.
[0008] When a system is reusable for multiple puffing sessions, it becomes necessary for users to understand the remaining battery power during these sessions for timely response.
[0009] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a solution for battery indication in aerosol provision systems that can be reused for multiple puffing sessions.
[0010] Content of Invention
[0011] The invention aims to solve at least one of the technical issues present in the prior art. Therefore, it discloses a battery indication method for an aerosol provision system and the aerosol provision system itself, to provide battery indications associated with puffing session states. This enables users to understand the battery level for each puffing session and make timely responses. The first aspect of the embodiment of this invention discloses a battery indication method for an aerosol provision system, the system can accommodate aerosol-generating material for at least two puffing sessions; the method comprises: monitoring the puffing session status of the system; controlling the output of an indication of the system's remaining battery level in response to detecting a preset puffing session status.
[0012] The system of this invention can be used for multiple puffing sessions, and it indicates battery levels based on the states of these sessions. Compared to existing technologies, it provides battery indications associated with puffing sessions, enabling users to understand and respond in a timely manner.
[0013] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the preset puffing session states comprises: the start of the puffing session, the end of the puffing session, and during the puffing session.
[0014] Providing battery indication based on the start of puffing sessions allows users to understand the battery level at the beginning of each session, facilitating anticipation and feedback regarding battery sufficiency.
[0015] Providing battery indication at the end of puffing sessions allows users to assess the battery level before the start of the next session, enabling them to anticipate and provide feedback on battery sufficiency. Additionally, providing battery indications at the end of sessions avoids interference with the user's puffing process.
[0016] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, controlling the output of an indication of the system's remaining battery level in response to detecting a preset puffing session status comprises: monitoring for a trigger event indicating the remaining battery level during the suction session when detecting that the puffing session status is during a puffing session; controlling the output of an indication of the system's remaining battery level in response to the trigger event during the puffing session.
[0017] During puffing sessions, to avoid affecting the user's experience, the battery level can be indicated upon detecting a triggering event related to the remaining battery, thereby providing timely information without disrupting the puffing process.
[0018] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the trigger event indicating the remaining battery level comprises: the system's remaining battery level falling below a battery threshold, or, a query request for the remaining battery level based on user-initiated actions.
[0019] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, a query request for the remaining battery level is generated when the user performs at least one of the following actions: the user's blowing; the user can trigger a battery level inquiry through an exhalation action distinct from puffing. the user's blowing strength reaching or exceeding a preset strength; the user can trigger a battery level inquiry through an exhalation action distinct from puffing, to avoid accidental triggering, the system can be set to activate only when the intensity of the exhalation reaches or exceeds a preset level. the change in the user's blowing strength matching a preset pattern; the user can trigger a battery level inquiry through an exhalation action distinct from puffing, to avoid accidental triggering, the system can be set to activate a request for battery level information only when the intensity of blowing matches a predefined change in blowing intensity. the user's consecutive puffing count reaching or exceeding a predetermined number; users can trigger a request for battery level information by engaging in a number of continuous puffing that exceed a predetermined count, which differs from regular puffing frequency. the user's puffing strength reaching or exceeding a preset strength; users can trigger a request for battery level information by puffing with a strength that reaches or exceeds a preset puffing intensity, which differs from regular puffing intensity. the user's puffing strength change matching a preset pattern; the user's puffing frequency reaching or exceeding a preset frequency; the user applying a preset operation on an interactive interface; the interface could be a mechanical switch like a button or key or an electronic screen, among other options. The system can respond to specific user interactions with this interface to provide battery level information.
[0020] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, monitoring the puffing session status of the system comprises: determining the start of the puffing session; monitoring puffing parameters related to puffing behavior of the system during the puffing session; determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters.
[0021] By monitoring puffing parameters during use, various states of the puffing session can be determined, laying the foundation for battery level indications. This approach also offers users a puffing experience similar to traditional cigarettes, aligning with their usage habits and enhancing their overall experience.
[0022] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the start of a puffing session is determined based on at least one of the following criteria: detection of the user's first puff after the system is activated. detection of the user's first puff after the end of the previous puffing session. the system being in sleep mode for a predetermined period of time. the system being in sleep mode for a predetermined period of time and detection of the user's first puff after the end of the previous puffing session.
[0023] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises: determining the puffing session to end when the monitored puffing parameters reach or exceed a preset puffing parameter threshold, or fall within a preset puffing parameter range; or, determining the puffing session to end when the change in the monitored puffing parameters reaches or exceeds a preset change threshold of puffing parameters, or falls within a preset change range of puffing parameters.
[0024] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the preset puffing parameter range, the preset change threshold of puffing parameters, or the preset change range of puffing parameters can be pre-configured in the system during manufacture. Alternatively, these parameters can be periodically or real-time acquired from an external device during usage. Additionally, after purchase, users have the option to select or modify these parameters. Consequently, this aspect allows users to choose or adjust the puffing parameter thresholds, ranges, change thresholds, or change ranges according to their individual preferences and circumstances.
[0025] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the aerosol provision system has at least two heating power levels, under different heating powers, the preset puffing parameter threshold, the preset puffing parameter range, the preset change threshold of puffing parameters, or the preset change range of puffing parameters are different. For instance, higher heating power results in a greater amount of aerosol-generation in the same time span. To produce a similar quantity of aerosol, less time is required at higher heating power settings. Therefore, it's feasible to set a lower threshold for the cumulative puffing time at higher heating powers compared to lower heating powers. This approach takes into account the efficiency and effectiveness of aerosol-generation relative to the heating power used.
[0026] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises: determining the current heating power and the corresponding preset puffing parameter threshold, range, change threshold, or change range for the current heating power; determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters and the corresponding preset threshold, range, change threshold, or change range for the current heating power.
[0027] In scenarios where multiple heating power levels exist and users are likely to switch between different power levels within a single puffing session, it becomes challenging to compare puffing parameters against a fixed threshold. To address this, the invention provides a method for converting puffing parameters based on heating power, allowing comparison of these parameters under a standard heating power level. Specifically, in one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the aerosol provision system has at least two heating power levels, one of which is the standard heating power, corresponding to the preset puffing parameter threshold, range, change threshold, or change range; determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises: determining the current heating power; converting the puffing parameters to standard puffing parameters under the standard heating power, based on the relationship between the current heating power and the standard heating power; determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the standard puffing parameters and the corresponding preset threshold, range, change threshold, or change range.
[0028] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the puffing parameters comprise at least one of the following: the cumulative working time of the system; the user's cumulative puffing time; the user's cumulative number of puffing; the cumulative amount of aerosol produced; the cumulative amount of article consumed.
[0029] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the puffing parameters comprise at least one of the following during a puffing session: the cumulative working time of the system within a puffing session; the user's cumulative puffing time within a puffing session; the user's cumulative number of puffing within a puffing session; the cumulative amount of aerosol produced within a puffing session; the cumulative amount of article consumed within a puffing session.
[0030] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises at least one of the following: the puffing session ends when the cumulative working time reaches or exceeds a preset threshold; the puffing session ends when the cumulative puffing time reaches or exceeds a preset threshold; the puffing session ends when the cumulative number of puffing reaches or exceeds a preset threshold; the puffing session ends when the cumulative amount of aerosol produced reaches or exceeds a preset threshold; the puffing session ends when the cumulative amount of article consumed reaches or exceeds a preset threshold.
[0031] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, within a puffing session, the preset threshold for cumulative puffing time is 20-40 seconds; and / or, the preset threshold for the cumulative number of puffing is 7-15; and / or, the preset threshold for cumulative working time is 3-5 minutes; and / or, the preset threshold for the cumulative amount of aerosol produced is 50-90mg; and / or, the preset threshold for the cumulative amount of article consumed is 0.08-0.15ml.
[0032] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, when the puffing parameters comprise multiple types of parameters, determining whether the puffing session has ended comprises: jointly determining whether the puffing session has ended based on at least two types of parameters.
[0033] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the method comprises: during the puffing session, upon detecting the cartridge of the system being pulled out from the device of the aerosol provision system, determining the end of the last puffing session.
[0034] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the method comprises: during the puffing session, upon detecting the cartridge of the system being pulled out from the device of the aerosol provision system, the monitored puffing parameters after replacing the cartridge are recorded as part of the last puffing session before the replacement, is used to determine whether the last puffing session has ended. The replacement of a cartridge is a quick action, and initiating a new session immediately due to a cartridge change may lead to an inaccurate assessment of short-duration puffing as a separate session. Therefore, it is advisable to consider the puffing parameters continuously, before and after the cartridge replacement, to make a more accurate judgment on puffing sessions.
[0035] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, at the end of the puffing session, the aerosol provision system is controlled to enter sleep mode. In sleep mode, the system cannot initiate heating, and the user is "forced" to stop puffing, which helps prevent health issues associated with prolonged puffing.
[0036] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the method comprises: outputting an indication of the end of the puffing session when the puffing session ends.
[0037] The indication of the end of a puffing session can be provided to the user through any perceivable type of indication. Specifically, in one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the remaining battery level of the system is indicated by at least one of the following: a vibration indication emitted by a vibration component; a sound indication emitted by a sound component; a light indication emitted by a light-emitting component.
[0038] Specifically, the system provides an indication of the end of a puffing session by continuously operating a light-emitting component for a certain duration to output at least one of the following indications: the light-emitting component blinks. the light-emitting component emits light of a preset color. a preset number of light-emitting components are illuminated. the light-emitting components are lit in a preset order. the light-emitting component emits light of a preset brightness.
[0039] In the present invention, when a puffing session is determined to have ended, the system may simply provide the user with the aforementioned indication of session termination but not shut down or enter a sleep mode, allowing the user to continue using the system. In this case, the system only provides an indication for user reference.
[0040] In another embodiment of the present invention, when a puffing session is determined to have ended, the system may provide the user with an indication of session termination and shut down or enter a sleep mode, thereby clearly signaling the end of the session and compelling the user to stop puffing.
[0041] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, an indication of the system's remaining battery level is output after a first preset time upon detecting the end of the puffing session.
[0042] The first preset time can be pre-configured during manufacturing and can also be selected or changed by the user after purchase. Therefore, one aspect of the invention allows users to choose the first preset time from several pre-configured options. For example, some users might prefer an indication of battery life after a longer interval than typical, and thus can choose a longer first preset time. Similarly, some users may wish for an indication of battery life after a shorter interval, and can therefore choose a shorter first preset time. In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the first preset time is 0-12 seconds, preferably 10 seconds.
[0043] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the remaining battery level of the system is indicated by at least one of the following: a vibration indication emitted by a vibration component; a sound indication emitted by a sound component; a light indication emitted by a light-emitting component.
[0044] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the light emission indication through the light-emitting element comprises indicating different battery levels through different flashing frequencies of the light-emitting element.
[0045] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, indicating different battery levels through different flashing frequencies of the light-emitting element comprises: determining the target battery level category for the remaining battery level; different flashing frequencies are associated with different battery level category; determining the target flashing frequency associated with the target battery level category; the system's light-emitting component indicates with the target flashing frequency.
[0046] To enable users to more quickly distinguish between levels, the flashing frequency levels can be set according to the sequence of battery levels. For example, the flashing frequency associated with a low battery level can be set lower than that associated with a high battery level.
[0047] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the number of the light-emitting component is one. On the basis of not increasing costs, multiple types of indications are implemented.
[0048] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the system's light-emitting component continues for a second preset time, indicating the system's remaining battery level by at least one of the following: different flashing for different battery levels; emitting light of different colors for different battery levels; lighting up a different number of light-emitting components for different battery levels; lighting up the light-emitting components in different sequences for different battery levels; emitting light of different brightness for different battery levels.
[0049] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the second preset duration is 8-12 seconds.
[0050] The second preset time can be pre-configured during manufacture and can also be selected or changed by the user after purchase. Therefore, in one aspect, it allows users to choose the second preset time from multiple pre-configured options. For example, some users may need more time than typical users to clearly understand the light indication, so they can choose a longer second preset time. Similarly, some users may understand the light indication faster than typical users or do not wish to spend too much time on light indications, so they can opt for a shorter second preset time.
[0051] Since users have different amounts of spare time under different puffing session states, such as at the end of a puffing session when the user has stopped puffing and thus has more spare time to check the battery indication. On the other hand, during the start of a puffing session and during the session, the user is actively puffing, leaving less time to check the battery indication. Therefore, in one embodiment of the above battery indication method, at least one light-emitting component of the device outputs the indication for different durations in response to detecting different preset puffing session states.
[0052] In response to detecting the end of a puffing session, the duration for which the light-emitting component outputs an indication is longer than the duration for which it outputs an indication in response to detecting the start of a puffing session or during the puffing session.
[0053] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the method further comprises: controlling the heater of the system to remain in a non-heating state or transition from a heating state to a non-heating state in response to detecting the preset puffing session status. To prevent users from being unable to accurately understand battery level indications while puffing, it is possible to set the system in a way that, in response to the preset puffing session status — when it is anticipated that a battery indication will be given — the heater of the system is maintained in a non-heating state or switched from a heating state to a non-heating state.
[0054] In one embodiment of the above battery indication method, the shape of the aerosol-generating material is defined based on the shape of the containment chamber housing it. This aerosol-generating material can be, for example, a liquid material, gel material, powdered material, granular material, bulk fibrous material, or bulk fluffy material.
[0055] The second aspect of the embodiment of this invention discloses an aerosol provision system, the system comprises: a housing for containing the article; a lighting element, located on or within the housing; a controller, configured to execute the battery indication method for an aerosol provision system as described in any one of the second aspect of the embodiment; and the article, which comprises the aerosol-generating material.
[0056] Based on the embodiments of the present invention, by monitoring the puffing session status, the system can indicate the remaining battery life based on the status of the puffing session. Compared to existing technologies, this provides users with battery indications for an aerosol system that can be used for multiple puffing sessions, allowing users to understand the battery level associated with each puffing session, thereby facilitating timely feedback.
[0057] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be partly given in the following description, will become apparent from the following description, or will be learned through the practice of the invention.
[0058] Description of Drawing
[0059] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the disclosed content of the present invention will become more understandable. It is easily understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Moreover, similar numbers in the figures are used to represent similar components, among which:
[0060] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the aerosol provision system in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0061] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a method in embodiment 1 of the present invention;
[0062] Figure 3 is a flowchart of a method in embodiment 2 of the present invention;
[0063] Figure 4 is a flowchart of one method in embodiment 2 of the present invention;
[0064] Figure 5 is a flowchart of one method in embodiment 2 of the present invention;
[0065] Figure 6 is a flowchart of one method in embodiment 2 of the present invention.
[0066] Description of Drawing Label:
[0067] Drawing label explanation:
[0068] 100: Aerosol Provision System; 101 : Containment Chamber; 102: Atomizer; 103: Power Source; 104: Controller; 105: Mouthpiece; 106: Light Emitting Component; 107: Housing.
[0069] Detailed description
[0070] The following describes some embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are only for explaining the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0071] As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to encompass systems that deliver at least one substance to a user in use, and includes: combustible aerosol provision systems, such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own or for make-your-own cigarettes (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes or other smokable material); non-combustible aerosol provision systems that release compounds from an aerosol-generating material without combusting the aerosol-generating material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials; and aerosol-free delivery systems that deliver the at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally or in another way without forming an aerosol, including but not limited to, lozenges, gums, patches, articles comprising inhalable powders, and oral products such as oral tobacco which includes snus or moist snuff, wherein the at least one substance may or may not comprise nicotine.
[0072] According to the present disclosure, a "combustible" aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is combusted or burned during use in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.
[0073] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a combustible aerosol provision system, such as a system selected from the group consisting of a cigarette, a cigarillo and a cigar.
[0074] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a component for use in a combustible aerosol provision system, such as a filter, a filter rod, a filter segment, a tobacco rod, a spill, an aerosol-modifying agent release component such as a capsule, a thread, or a bead, or a paper such as a plug wrap, a tipping paper or a cigarette paper.
[0075] According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustible" aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is not combusted or burned in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.
[0076] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol provision system.
[0077] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it is noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.
[0078] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a heat-not-burn system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.
[0079] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is a hybrid system to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or a plurality of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid or gel and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may comprise, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.
[0080] Typically, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise a non-combustible aerosol provision device and a consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision device.
[0081] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosol-generating material and configured to be used with non-combustible aerosol provision devices. These consumables are sometimes referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.
[0082] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a non-combustible aerosol provision device thereof, may comprise a power source and a controller. The power source may, for example, be an electric power source or an exothermic power source. In some embodiments, the exothermic power source comprises a carbon substrate which may be energised so as to distribute power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or to a heat transfer material in proximity to the exothermic power source.
[0083] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise an area for receiving the consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter and / or an aerosol-modifying agent.
[0084] In some embodiments, the consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision device may comprise aerosol-generating material, an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and / or an aerosol-modifying agent.
[0085] In some embodiments, the delivery system is an aerosol-free delivery system that delivers at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally or in another way without forming an aerosol, including but not limited to, lozenges, gums, patches, articles comprising inhalable powders, and oral products such as oral tobacco which includes snus or moist snuff, wherein the at least one substance may or may not comprise nicotine.
[0086] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered may be an aerosol-generating material or a material that is not intended to be aerosolised. As appropriate, either material may comprise one or more active constituents, one or more flavours, one or more aerosol-former materials, and / or one or more other functional materials.
[0087] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered comprises an active substance. The active substance as used herein may be a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substance may for example be selected from nutraceuticals, nootropics, psychoactives. The active substance may be naturally occurring or synthetically obtained. The active substance may comprise for example nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or constituents, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of tobacco, cannabis or another botanical.
[0088] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises caffeine, melatonin or vitamin B 12.
[0089] As noted herein, the active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more cannabinoids or terpenes.
[0090] As noted herein, the active substance may comprise or be derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof. As used herein, the term "botanical" includes any material derived from plants including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibres, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husk, shells or the like. Alternatively, the material may comprise an active compound naturally existing in a botanical, obtained synthetically. The material may be in the form of liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, shreds, strips, sheets, or the like.
[0091] Example botanicals are tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, licorice (liquorice), matcha, mate, orange skin, papaya, rose, sage, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed (anise), basil, bay leaves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, beefsteak plant, curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab or any combination thereof. The mint may be chosen from the following mint varieties: Mentha Arventis, Mentha c.v., Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrata c.v., Mentha piperita c.v, Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cardifolia, Memtha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata c.v. and Mentha suaveolens.
[0092] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is tobacco. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa and hemp.
[0093] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is selected from rooibos and fennel.
[0094] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered comprises a flavour. As used herein, the terms "flavour" and "flavourant" refer to materials which, where local regulations permit, may be used to create a desired taste, aroma or other somatosensorial sensation in a product for adult consumers. They may include naturally occurring flavour materials, botanicals, extracts of botanicals, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice (liquorice), hydrangea, eugenol, Japanese white bark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed (anise), cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, papaya, rhubarb, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, piment, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, a mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange skin, rose, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, beefsteak plant, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, maijoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavour enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath freshening agents. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, liquid such as an oil, solid such as a powder, or gas.
[0095] In some embodiments, the flavour comprises menthol, spearmint and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus fruits and / or redberry. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from cannabis.
[0096] In some embodiments, the flavour may comprise a sensate, which is intended to achieve a somatosensorial sensation which are usually chemically induced and perceived by the stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to or in place of aroma or taste nerves, and these may include agents providing heating, cooling, tingling, numbing effect. A suitable heat effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether and a suitable cooling agent may be, but not limited to eucolyptol, WS-3.
[0097] Aerosol-generating material is a material that is capable of generating aerosol, for example when heated, irradiated or energized in any other way. Aerosol-generating material may, for example, be in the form of a solid, liquid or gel which may or may not contain an active substance and / or flavourants. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise an " amorphous solid" , which may alternatively be referred to as a " monolithic solid" (i.e. non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dried gel. The amorphous solid is a solid material that may retain some fluid, such as liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may for example comprise from about 50wt%, 60wt% or 70wt% of amorphous solid, to about 90wt%, 95wt% or 100wt% of amorphous solid.
[0098] The aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more active substances and / or flavours, one or more aerosol-former materials, and optionally one or more other functional material.
[0099] The aerosol-former material may comprise one or more constituents capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-former material may comprise one or more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-Erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, a diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, a diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.
[0100] The one or more other functional materials may comprise one or more of pH regulators, colouring agents, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and / or antioxidants.
[0101] The material may be present on or in a support, to form a substrate. The support may, for example, be or comprise paper, card, paperboard, cardboard, reconstituted material, a plastics material, a ceramic material, a composite material, glass, a metal, or a metal alloy. In some embodiments, the support comprises a susceptor. In some embodiments, the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some alternative embodiments, the susceptor is on one or either side of the material.
[0102] A consumable is an article comprising or consisting of aerosol-generating material, part or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user. A consumable may comprise one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter and / or an aerosol-modifying agent. A consumable may also comprise an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that emits heat to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate aerosol in use. The heater may, for example, comprise combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.
[0103] A susceptor is a material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be an electrically-conductive material, so that penetration thereof with a varying magnetic field causes induction heating of the heating material. The heating material may be magnetic material, so that penetration thereof with a varying magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both electrically-conductive and magnetic, so that the susceptor is heatable by both heating mechanisms. The device that is configured to generate the varying magnetic field is referred to as a magnetic field generator, herein.
[0104] An aerosol-modifying agent is a substance, typically located downstream of the aerosol generation area, that is configured to modify the aerosol generated, for example by changing the taste, flavour, acidity or another characteristic of the aerosol. The aerosol-modifying agent may be provided in an aerosol-modifying agent release component, that is operable to selectively release the aerosol-modifying agent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, be an additive or a sorbent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, comprise one or more of a flavourant, a colourant, water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, be a solid, a liquid, or a gel. The aerosol-modifying agent may be in powder, thread or granule form. The aerosol-modifying agent may be free from filtration material.
[0105] An aerosol generator is an apparatus configured to cause aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to heat energy, so as to release one or more volatiles from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or electrostatic energy.
[0106] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems (which may also be referred to as vapour delivery systems) such as nebulisers or e-cigarettes. Throughout the following description the term "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may sometimes be used, but it will be appreciated this term may be used interchangeably with aerosol delivery system / device and electronic aerosol delivery system / device. Furthermore, and as is common in the technical field, the terms "aerosol" and "vapour", and related terms such as "vaporise", "volatilise" and "aerosolise", may generally be used interchangeably.
[0107] Aerosol delivery systems (e-cigarettes) often, though not always, comprise a modular assembly comprising a reusable device part and a replaceable (disposable / consumable) cartridge part. Often, the replaceable cartridge part will comprise the aerosol-generating material and the vaporiser (which may collectively be called a "cartomizer") and the reusable device part will comprise the power provision (e.g. rechargeable power source) and control circuitry. It will be appreciated these different parts may comprise further elements depending on functionality. For example, the reusable device part will often comprise a user interface for receiving user input and displaying operating status characteristics, and the replaceable cartridge device part in some cases comprises a temperature sensor for helping to control temperature. Cartridges are electrically and mechanically coupled to the control unit for use, for example using a screw thread, bayonet, or magnetic coupling with appropriately arranged electrical contacts. When the aerosol-generating material in a cartridge is exhausted, or the user wishes to switch to a different cartridge having a different aerosol-generating material, the cartridge may be removed from the reusable part and a replacement cartridge attached in its place. Systems and devices conforming to this type of two-part modular configuration may generally be referred to as two-part system s / devices.
[0108] It is common for electronic cigarettes to have a generally elongate shape. For the sake of providing a concrete example, certain embodiments of the disclosure will be taken to comprise this kind of generally elongate two-part system employing disposable cartridges. However, it will be appreciated that the underlying principles described herein may equally be adopted for different configurations, for example single-part systems or modular systems comprising more than two parts, refillable devices and single-use disposables, as well as other overall shapes, for example based on so-called box-mod high performance devices that typically have a boxier shape. More generally, it will be appreciated certain embodiments of the disclosure are based on aerosol delivery systems which are operationally configured to provide functionality in accordance with the principles described herein and the constructional aspects of systems configured to provide the functionality in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure is not of primary significance.
[0109] As described in the background art, the current aerosol provision system is designed for multiple puffing sessions. Therefore, this invention innovatively proposes monitoring the puffing session states of the system and combining these states with the remaining battery level indications. This approach provides battery level indications associated with each puffing session, facilitating timely feedback from users.
[0110] The following will provide a detailed introduction to the structure of the battery indication method for an aerosol provision system and the aerosol provision system itself, through specific embodiments.
[0111] Embodiment One
[0112] As shown in Figure 1, an exemplary structure of the aerosol provision system 100 is depicted. The aerosol provision system 100 comprises a containment chamber 101 for housing aerosol-generating material, an atomizer 102, a power source 103, a controller 104, and a mouthpiece 105. In use, the controller 104 controls the power source 103 to supply power to the atomizer 102. The atomizer 102, when powered, heats up to generate aerosol from the aerosol-generating material, which the user inhales through the mouthpiece 105.
[0113] To indicate the status of the system, such as heating or sleep mode, as shown in Figure 1, the system also comprises a light emitting component 106 to indicate the system's status. Of course, the system of the present invention can also use other components for status indication.
[0114] In the present invention, the containment chamber 101 of the aerosol provision system is designed to accommodate aerosol-generating material sufficient for multiple puffing sessions. Assuming that the containment chamber 101 of the aerosol provision system only accommodates aerosol-generating material sufficient for one puffing session, the user can understand the end of the puffing session based on the depletion of the aerosol-generating material, thus eliminating the need for additional monitoring to determine the end of the puffing session.
[0115] The aerosol-generating material in the present invention can take various forms. In one example, the aerosol-generating material can be a liquid, gel, powder, granule, bulk fibrous material such as tobacco, bulk fluffy material, etc. These materials have in common that they are easily flowable, shapeless, and need to be shaped by the containment chamber housing them. In another example, the aerosol-generating material can be a fixed-shape material, such as a processed tobacco stick, which can contain multiple times the length or active substance of a traditional cigarette, allowing the user to use it over multiple puffing sessions.
[0116] Figure 2 illustrates a battery indication method of the present invention, applied in the system's controller, comprising: monitoring the puffing session status of the system; controlling the output of an indication of the system's remaining battery level in response to detecting a preset puffing session status.
[0117] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the preset puffing session states comprises: the start of the puffing session, the end of the puffing session, and during the puffing session.
[0118] Providing battery indication based on the start of puffing sessions allows users to understand the battery level at the beginning of each session, facilitating anticipation and feedback regarding battery sufficiency.
[0119] Providing battery indication at the end of puffing sessions allows users to assess the battery level before the start of the next session, enabling them to anticipate and provide feedback on battery sufficiency. Additionally, providing battery indications at the end of sessions avoids interference with the user's puffing process.
[0120] Upon detecting a puffing session, directly indicating battery level may interfere with the user's puffing experience. Therefore, in an embodiment of the present invention, it is arranged to indicate the battery level only after detecting a remaining battery level triggering event during the puffing session. Specifically, this comprises: monitoring for a trigger event indicating the remaining battery level during the suction session when detecting that the puffing session status is during a puffing session; controlling the output of an indication of the system's remaining battery level in response to the trigger event during the puffing session.
[0121] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication, the trigger event indicating the remaining battery level is when the system's remaining battery falls below a threshold. In this scenario, battery indication is provided to the user, allowing them to respond to low battery levels. This threshold can be set as needed; in one example, the threshold is the amount of battery required for one puffing session.
[0122] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication, the trigger event indicating the remaining battery level is based on a user-initiated query request for the remaining battery level.
[0123] The user's active operation needs to be detectable by the system. In one embodiment, the user's active operation can be based on applying a preset operation to the interactive interface. The interface could be a mechanical switch like a button or key or an electronic screen, among other options. The system can respond to specific user interactions with this interface to provide battery level information. In another embodiment, the user's active operation is a puffing behavior that can be detected by the system. The puffing behavior that triggers the battery level query request needs to be different from the user's normal puffing behavior. For this purpose, in the embodiment of the present invention, a query request for the remaining battery level is generated when the user performs at least one of the following actions distinct from normal puffing: the user's blowing, whereby for example, the user can trigger a battery level inquiry through an exhalation action distinct from puffing; the user's blowing strength reaching or exceeding a preset strength, whereby for example, the user can trigger a battery level inquiry through an exhalation action distinct from puffing, to avoid accidental triggering, the system can be set to activate only when the intensity of the exhalation reaches or exceeds a preset level; the change in the user's blowing strength matching a preset pattern, whereby for example, the user can trigger a battery level inquiry through an exhalation action distinct from puffing, to avoid accidental triggering, the system can be set to activate a request for battery level information only when the intensity of blowing matches a predefined change in blowing intensity; the user's consecutive puffing count reaching or exceeding a predetermined number, whereby for example, users can trigger a request for battery level information by engaging in a number of continuous puffing that exceed a predetermined count, which differs from regular puffing frequency; the user's puffing strength reaching or exceeding a preset strength, whereby for example, users can trigger a request for battery level information by puffing with a strength that reaches or exceeds a preset puffing intensity, which differs from regular puffing intensity; the user's puffing strength change matching a preset pattern, whereby for example, the user can trigger a request for battery level indication through changes in puffing intensity that differ from normal puffing; the user's puffing frequency reaching or exceeding a preset frequency, whereby for example, the user can trigger a battery level query by puffing at a frequency different from normal puffing.
[0124] Currently, aerosol provision systems generally have sensors to detect user puffing. The aforementioned actions such as blowing, blowing intensity, puffing intensity, and puffing frequency can all be monitored using these existing sensors to save costs.
[0125] Indications about the remaining battery life can be provided in various ways. In an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the following methods is used to output the indication of the remaining battery life of the system: a vibration indication emitted by a vibration component; a sound indication emitted by a sound component; a light indication emitted by a light-emitting component.
[0126] The above-mentioned indications can be made using components inherent to the system or through external terminals that communicate with the system. Existing aerosol provision systems generally have light emitting components to indicate the operational status of the system. To save costs, the above indications in this invention can be made using these existing light emitting components.
[0127] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the light emission indication through the light-emitting element comprises indicating different battery levels through different flashing frequencies of the light-emitting element.
[0128] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, indicating different battery levels through different flashing frequencies of the light-emitting element comprises: determining the target battery level category for the remaining battery level; different flashing frequencies are associated with different battery level category; determining the target flashing frequency associated with the target battery level category; the system's light-emitting component indicates with the target flashing frequency.
[0129] To enable users to more quickly distinguish between levels, the flashing frequency levels can be set according to the sequence of battery levels. For example, the flashing frequency associated with a low battery level can be set lower than that associated with a high battery level.
[0130] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the number of the light-emitting component is one. On the basis of not increasing costs, multiple types of indications are implemented.
[0131] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the system's light-emitting component continues for a second preset time, indicating the system's remaining battery level by at least one of the following: different flashing for different battery levels; emitting light of different colors for different battery levels; lighting up a different number of light-emitting components for different battery levels; lighting up the light-emitting components in different sequences for different battery levels; emitting light of different brightness for different battery levels.
[0132] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the second preset duration is 8-12 seconds.
[0133] The second preset time can be pre-configured during manufacturing and can also be selected or changed by the user after purchase. Therefore, in one aspect, users are allowed to choose the second preset time from multiple pre-configured options. For example, some users may require a longer time than typical users to clearly understand the light indications, so they may choose a longer second preset time. Similarly, some users may understand the light indications faster than typical users, or may not wish to spend too much time on light indications, so they may choose a shorter second preset time.
[0134] During different puffing session states, the time available for users to view the battery level varies. For instance, at the end of a puffing session, when the user has stopped puffing, they have more spare time to view the battery indicator. However, at the start of a puffing session or during the session, the user is actively puffing, leaving less time to view the battery indicator. Therefore, in one implementation of the above battery indication method, in response to detecting different preset puffing session states, the duration of the indication outputted by at least one light-emitting component of the device varies accordingly.
[0135] Specifically, it can be set that the duration of the indication outputted by the light-emitting component in response to the detection of the end of a puffing session is longer than the duration of the indication outputted in response to the detection of the start of a puffing session or during the puffing session.
[0136] The above-mentioned light emitting component can be an existing component of the system. As the indication is based on different flashing frequencies, the number of light-emitting components can be limited to one for reducing costs.
[0137] When using this existing light-emitting component for the aforementioned indications, to distinguish from the original indication function of the light-emitting component and the indication function for the end of the puffing session, different indications in this invention can be differentiated through various means such as different flashing frequencies, different colors of light, different numbers of lights being illuminated, different sequences of lights being illuminated, and different brightness levels.
[0138] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, after a first preset time interval following the determination of the end of the puffing session, the indication of the remaining battery level is outputted.
[0139] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the first preset time is set between 0 to 12 seconds.
[0140] The first preset time can be pre-configured during manufacturing and can also be selected or changed by the user after purchase. Therefore, one aspect of the invention allows users to choose the first preset time from several pre-configured options. For example, some users might prefer an indication of battery life after a longer interval than typical, and thus can choose a longer first preset time. Similarly, some users may wish for an indication of battery life after a shorter interval, and can therefore choose a shorter first preset time.
[0141] Based on the embodiments of this invention, by monitoring the state of puffing sessions, the system can provide indications of the remaining battery level according to the state of each puffing session. Compared to existing technologies, it offers users a battery level indication for aerosol systems that can be used for multiple puffing sessions, allowing users to understand the battery level associated with each session, facilitating timely feedback.
[0142] Embodiment Two
[0143] The monitoring of puffing session status is a prerequisite for battery level indication, and the monitoring of this status can be based on various methods. Embodiment two of this invention will describe this in detail.
[0144] The preset puffing session states comprises: the start of the puffing session, the end of the puffing session, and during the puffing session.
[0145] Among them, there are various forms for determining the start of a puffing session. In one embodiment of this invention, it can be determined based on the user's first puff. For instance, the start of a puffing session can be determined based on the detection of the user's first puff after the system is activated. This also marks the beginning of the first puffing session after each activation of the system. After the system is activated and the first puffing session ends, the start of a new puffing session can be determined based on the detection of the user's first puff after the end of the previous puffing session.
[0146] In some embodiments, the system is placed in a sleep mode after determining the end of a puffing session. When the system remains in sleep mode for a preset duration, a new puffing session can be initiated.
[0147] Considering that users may not initiate puffing immediately after the sleep mode reaches the preset time, and may even not puff for a considerable duration, including this non-puffing time in the puffing parameters for session determination could lead to misjudgments about the end of a puffing session. Therefore, in one embodiment of this invention, the start of a puffing session is determined when the device has been in sleep mode for the preset duration and the user's first puff after the end of the previous puffing session is detected. This approach reduces the likelihood of misjudgment.
[0148] Regarding the monitoring of the end of a puffing session, one embodiment of this invention provides the method steps shown in Figure 3:
[0149] 531, determining the start of the puffing session; The determination of the start of a puffing session can be done using the aforementioned methods.
[0150] 532, monitoring puffing parameters related to puffing behavior of the system during the puffing session;
[0151] In traditional cigarettes, considering the health of users during smoking, a single cigarette stick is used to define one smoking session, with each stick containing a pre-determined amount of aerosol-generating material to produce a set number of puffing. Therefore, in this invention, puffing parameters that can characterize the user's aerosol inhalation amount are selected to determine the puffing session. These puffing parameters are related to the user's puffing behavior or the system's own state of operation.
[0152] Based on statistics of typical users, a cigarette is usually smoked within 4 minutes after being lit. Therefore, the cumulative operating time of the system during a puffing session, i.e., the cumulative heating time of the system, can be used as a puffing parameter to measure the aerosol inhalation amount and to determine the puffing session.
[0153] The system's operation does not necessarily mean the user is puffing. Compared to the system's cumulative operating time, direct user puffing more accurately reflect the user's aerosol inhalation amount. According to statistics of typical users, it usually takes 7-15 puffing, or a cumulative 20-40 seconds (pure puffing time), to finish a cigarette. Therefore, the user's cumulative puffing count or cumulative puffing time during a puffing session can be used as puffing parameters to measure the aerosol inhalation amount and to determine the puffing session.
[0154] Considering that different users have varying durations of each puff, leading to different inhalation amounts per puff, cumulative puffing time, compared to cumulative puffing count, can more accurately reflect the user's aerosol inhalation amount to some extent.
[0155] In the embodiment of this invention, the cumulative amount of aerosol produced or the cumulative consumption of the article during a puffing session can also be used as puffing parameters to measure the aerosol inhalation amount and to determine the puffing session.
[0156] In the embodiment of the invention, the system can monitor the puffing parameters using timers, sensors, and controllers.
[0157] In one example of the invention, the cumulative operating time of the system is determined as follows: the controller controls the timer to record the operating time of the system's heater during the puffing session. The cumulative operating time of the system is determined based on the working time of the heater. In this case, the time is recorded regardless of whether the user is puffing or not, as long as the heater is operating.
[0158] In another example of this invention, the user's cumulative number of puffing is determined as follows: the system's sensor is used to detect the user's inhalation through the system during the puffing session; the controller determines the start and end of the user's inhalation based on the sensor's detection; the controller counts each puff based on the start and end of the user's inhalation and calculates the user's cumulative number of puffing.
[0159] In another example of the invention, the user's cumulative puffing time is determined as follows: the system's sensor is used to detect the user's inhalation through the system during the puffing session; the controller determines the start and end of the user's inhalation based on the sensor's detection; the controller uses a timer to record the duration of each puff and calculates the user's cumulative puffing time. In this case, the time between two puffing is not recorded.
[0160] In another example of the invention, the cumulative amount of aerosol produced or the cumulative consumption of the article can be determined by measuring the airflow volume with sensors or measuring the remaining volume of the article with sensors.
[0161] The above-mentioned timers and sensors can utilize the system's existing timers and sensors, not adding any cost or increasing the system's size. Alternatively, external timers and sensors can be used. The invention does not specify a particular method for this.
[0162] S33, determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters.
[0163] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises: determining the puffing session to end when the monitored puffing parameters reach or exceed a preset puffing parameter threshold, or fall within a preset puffing parameter range.
[0164] For instance, if the user's cumulative number of puffing reaches or exceeds a preset puffing number threshold, it indicates that the user has puffed sufficiently, and at this point, the puffing session can be determined as ended.
[0165] However, not all data exceeding the threshold is accurate. Due to environmental factors or hardware issues of the system, there might be false detections of puffing parameters. For example, influenced by strong air currents, short-duration, high-frequency puffing could be detected, such as 50 puffing within a minute, which is clearly unrealistic. To filter out such false detections, this invention sets a range for puffing parameters. For example, the range for the number of puffing within 4 minutes could be set between 7 to 15 times. If the count exceeds this range, it is considered a false detection and cannot be used to determine the end of a puffing session.
[0166] Changes in puffing parameters can also represent the amount of aerosol inhaled. For example, the more significant the change in the consumption amount of the article, the greater the amount of puffing. Similarly, changes in the user's puffing intensity can indicate the amount of aerosol inhaled. As the article depletes over time, users need to inhale with greater intensity. Therefore, in another embodiment of this invention, determining whether a puffing session has ended based on the changes in puffing parameters comprises: determining the puffing session to end when the change in the monitored puffing parameters reaches or exceeds a preset change threshold of puffing parameters, or falls within a preset change range of puffing parameters.
[0167] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, the preset puffing parameter range, the preset change threshold of puffing parameters, or the preset change range of puffing parameters can be pre-configured in the system during manufacture. Alternatively, these parameters can be periodically or real-time acquired from an external device during usage. Additionally, after purchase, users have the option to select or modify these parameters. Consequently, this aspect allows users to choose or adjust the puffing parameter thresholds, ranges, change thresholds, or change ranges according to their individual preferences and circumstances. The preset puffing parameter thresholds or ranges, or the change thresholds or ranges of puffing parameters, are either pre-stored in the aerosol provision system, acquired by the system from an external device, or set in the system according to the user's choice.
[0168] In one embodiment of the above-mentioned battery indication method, determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises at least one of the following: the puffing session ends when the cumulative working time reaches or exceeds a preset threshold. In one example of the invention, during a puffing session, the preset threshold for cumulative working time is 3-5 minutes, preferably 4 minutes.
[0169] The puffing session ends when the cumulative puffing time reaches or exceeds a preset threshold. In one example of this invention, during a puffing session, the preset threshold for cumulative puffing time is 20-40 seconds, preferably 36 seconds.
[0170] The puffing session ends when the cumulative number of puffing reaches or exceeds a preset threshold. In one example of this invention, the preset threshold for the cumulative number of puffing during a puffing session is 7-15 puffing, with 12 puffing being preferred.
[0171] The puffing session ends when the cumulative amount of aerosol produced reaches or exceeds a preset threshold. In one example of this invention, the preset threshold for the cumulative aerosol generation amount during a puffing session is 50-90mg, with 85mg being preferred.
[0172] The puffing session ends when the cumulative amount of article consumed reaches or exceeds a preset threshold. In one example of this invention, the preset threshold for the cumulative consumption amount of the article during a puffing session is 0.08-0.15ml, with 0.1ml being preferred.
[0173] The thresholds for the above-mentioned puffing parameters can be specifically defined as thresholds reached within a time window. This time window can be set according to need, typically representing the maximum duration of a puffing session, and can be set to the same as the system's cumulative operating time threshold, such as 4 minutes.
[0174] As above mentioned, these thresholds can be derived from statistical analyses of typical users. Users can also choose or change them based on their personal usage habits. For instance, if a user habitually takes deeper puffing, consuming more per puff than a typical user, they might opt for a cumulative puffing count threshold lower than that of a typical user.
[0175] In one embodiment of the present invention, the puffing parameters comprise various types of parameters, and the determination of whether a puffing session has ended is based on any one type of puffing parameter meeting the preset conditions. For instance, if either the system's cumulative operating time or the user's cumulative puffing time reaches the corresponding threshold, the puffing session can be determined as ended.
[0176] Considering the potential inaccuracies of determining the end of a puffing session based on a single type of puffing parameter, such as the system's cumulative operating time reaching a set threshold while the user may not have puffed at all, relying solely on the system's cumulative operating time could lead to misjudgment. Therefore, in one example of the invention, when the puffing parameters comprise multiple types of parameters, the end of the puffing session is determined based on at least two types of parameters together.
[0177] For example, the puffing session is determined as ended when both the system's cumulative operating time and the user's cumulative puffing time reach their respective thresholds.
[0178] The present invention, by monitoring puffing parameters during use, can determine the end of a puffing session, thereby providing a basis for battery indication. Additionally, the determination of the end of a puffing session offers an experience similar to traditional cigarette smoking, aligning with user habits and enhancing user experience. Based on this, users can be aware of their puffing process and article consumption, facilitating timely feedback such as stopping puffing or replenishing the article.
[0179] Beyond the above-mentioned puffing parameters, statistics of puffing parameters over multiple sessions can also be gathered, enabling users to estimate aerosol consumption and remaining quantity, and providing timely feedback. Specifically, the puffing parameters comprise at least one of the following: the cumulative working time of the system; the user's cumulative puffing time; the user's cumulative number of puffing; the cumulative amount of aerosol produced; the cumulative amount of article consumed.
[0180] For example, when it is monitored that a user has puffed 50 times, and the article itself can provide 55 puffing, the user can timely replenish a new article based on this information.
[0181] Similarly, if during multiple puffing sessions, the system's cumulative operating time is recorded as 11 minutes, and the cumulative working time threshold of the system (usually the duration that the battery can last) is 13 minutes, the user can timely replace the battery based on this information.
[0182] Under different heating power settings, the instantaneous aerosol generation varies. Generally, higher heating power results in a higher rate of aerosol generation, offering more aerosol for the user. With higher heating power, users can achieve the same amount of inhalation with fewer puffing and shorter puffing time compared to lower heating power. Therefore, in one embodiment of the invention, when the system comprises at least two different heating power levels, the puffing parameter thresholds or puffing parameter ranges or preset change thresholds of puffing parameters or preset change ranges of puffing parameters corresponding to different heating powers are different. For instance, the cumulative puffing count threshold for high heating power should be set lower than that for low heating power.
[0183] When there are different heating power levels, and the puffing parameter thresholds or ranges or preset change thresholds or ranges of puffing parameters are different for different heating powers, determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises: determining the current heating power and the corresponding preset puffing parameter threshold, range, change threshold, or change range for the current heating power; determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters and the corresponding preset threshold, range, change threshold, or change range for the current heating power. The method of comparing heating power with corresponding thresholds is applicable when only one heating power setting is activated during a puffing session. However, in reality, users are likely to switch between different heating power settings during the same puffing session, making it challenging to choose a definitive puffing parameter threshold for comparison. Therefore, in one embodiment of this invention, when the aerosol provision system has at least two heating power settings, one of these is designated as the standard heating power. The standard heating power corresponds to the preset puffing parameter thresholds, ranges, change thresholds, or change ranges. Puffing parameters under other heating powers are then converted to those under the standard heating power for comparison. As shown in Figure 4, this conversion and comparison process comprises:
[0184] 541, determining the current heating power;
[0185] 542, converting the puffing parameters to standard puffing parameters under the standard heating power, based on the relationship between the current heating power and the standard heating power;
[0186] 543, determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the standard puffing parameters and the corresponding preset threshold, range, change threshold, or change range.
[0187] Based on the above method, all puffing parameters can be converted to those under the standard power setting. This allows for a cumulative comparison of all puffing parameters with a single threshold to determine if the puffing session has ended.
[0188] During a puffing session, the aerosol-generating material may be exhausted, at which point the user can choose to replace the cartridge to continue puffing.
[0189] The replacement of a cartridge is somewhat similar to lighting a new traditional cigarette to start a new puffing session. Therefore, in one embodiment of this invention, the method also comprises: during a puffing session, determining the end of the last puffing session before the cartridge is removed from the device of the aerosol provision system (such as a vape pen) when it is detected that the cartridge is removed. That is, the replacement of the cartridge is used as an event to trigger the end of a puffing session.
[0190] However, unlike traditional cigarettes where replacing a cigarette often means the previous one has been smoked completely, electronic cigarettes differ. Before replacing a cartridge, the user might have only taken a short puff, and the cartridge can be replaced quickly. If a new puffing session is started directly due to the cartridge replacement, it would incorrectly categorize the brief puff before the replacement as a full session, leading to a poor user experience. To avoid this, in one embodiment of the battery indication method for puffing sessions, the method further comprises: during a puffing session, when it is detected that the cartridge of the system is removed from the device of the aerosol provision system, the puffing parameters monitored after the cartridge replacement are recorded as part of the last puffing session before the replacement. This is done to accurately determine whether the last puffing session has ended, thus avoiding misjudging the short puff before the cartridge replacement as a complete puffing session.
[0191] To ensure that users clearly understand the end of a puffing session, an embodiment of the present invention involves outputting an indication at the end of the puffing session.
[0192] The indication of the end of a puffing session can be provided to the user through any perceivable type of indication. In one embodiment of this invention, the remaining battery level of the system is indicated by at least one of the following: a vibration indication emitted by a vibration component; a sound indication emitted by a sound component; a light indication emitted by a light-emitting component.
[0193] The above-mentioned indication can be implemented through the aerosol provision system's own installed components, or via external terminals communicating with the system. Existing aerosol provision systems generally are equipped with light emitting components to indicate the system's working status. To save costs, the invention can utilize these existing light emitting components for the above-mentioned indication.
[0194] In one embodiment of this invention, the system provides an indication of the end of a puffing session by continuously operating a light-emitting component for a certain duration to output at least one of the following indications: the light-emitting component blinks. the light-emitting component emits light of a preset color. a preset number of light-emitting components are illuminated. the light-emitting components are lit in a preset order. the light-emitting component emits light of a preset brightness.
[0195] In utilizing the existing light-emitting components for the above-mentioned indications, different indicators can be distinguished by employing various flashing frequencies, colors, numbers of illuminated lights, sequences of illumination, or brightness levels of the light emitting components.
[0196] As mentioned, there are multiple ways to indicate the end of a puffing session and the remaining battery level. Some of these methods are listed below:
[0197] In one embodiment, the system is equipped with a light emitting component that indicates the end of a puffing session through flashing.
[0198] In one embodiment, the system is equipped with light emitting components of multiple colors. Different colored light-emitting components are illuminated to indicate different remaining battery levels. For example, a first colored light indicates a first level of remaining battery, and a second colored light indicates a second level of remaining battery. The light emitting component flashes for a specific duration to indicate battery depletion, and flashes for another duration to indicate the end of a puffing session.
[0199] In one embodiment, the system comprises multiple light emitting components of the same color. Different remaining battery levels are indicated by illuminating different numbers of light emitting components. For instance, illuminating one light for the first level of remaining battery, two lights for the second level, and three lights for the third level. The light emitting components flash for a certain duration to indicate battery depletion and for another duration to indicate the end of a puffing session.
[0200] In one embodiment, the system incorporates a vibration element and multiple light emitting components of the same color. Different remaining battery levels are indicated by illuminating different numbers of light emitting components as described previously. Additionally, the vibrating component activates to indicate the end of a puffing session, such as vibrating twice continuously, each time for a specific duration.
[0201] In one embodiment, the system is equipped with a vibration element, touch element, and multiple light emitting components, which can be of the same color. The remaining battery level indication is triggered by the user operating the touch element (such as a physical or electronic button). Different remaining battery levels are indicated by illuminating different numbers of light emitting components, such as lighting up one light for the first level of remaining battery, two lights for the second level, and three lights for the third level. The light-emitting components flash for a certain duration to indicate battery depletion, and the vibration element vibrates to indicate the end of a puffing session, such as vibrating twice continuously, each time for a specific duration.
[0202] In one embodiment, the system is equipped with an electronic display screen. The remaining battery level is indicated by a numerical output on the display screen, and the end of a puffing session is indicated by the screen flashing.
[0203] In one example, the light emitting components continuously output an indication for a preset duration, allowing sufficient time for the user to receive the indication. This preset duration can be set to 8-12 seconds, preferably 10 seconds.
[0204] In this invention, when a puffing session ends, the system may only indicate the end of the session to the user without shutting down or entering sleep mode, allowing the user to continue using the system. In this case, the system only provides an indication for the user's reference.
[0205] In one embodiment of this invention, the user's puffing activity can be restricted after the end of a puffing session. As shown in Figure 5, the method comprises:
[0206] S51 : determining the start of the puffing session;
[0207] S52: monitoring the puffing parameters related to puffing behavior of the aerosol provision system during the puffing session;
[0208] S53: determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters;
[0209] S54: controlling the aerosol provision system to enter sleep mode upon the end of the puffing session.
[0210] In sleep mode, the system cannot initiate heating, and the user is "forced" to stop puffing, which helps prevent health issues associated with prolonged puffing. In another embodiment of this invention, when determining the end of a puffing session, an indication of the end can be provided to the user, and the system can be shut down or put into a sleep mode. This ensures that the user is made aware of the session's end and is compelled to stop puffing by the system. By using the above-mentioned methods, the time between the start of the puffing session and the end of the puffing session is considered as the duration of the puffing session.
[0211] Taking the preset puffing session state triggered by the end of the puffing session as an example, in this invention, after the end of the puffing session, it is possible to perform battery level indication, output an indication of the end of the puffing session, and control the system to enter sleep mode. As shown in Figure 6, the method specifically comprises:
[0212] 561, determining the start of the puffing session.
[0213] 562, monitoring puffing parameters related to puffing behavior of the aerosol supply system during the puffing session.
[0214] 563, based on the puffing parameters, determining whether the puffing session has ended.
[0215] 564, upon the end of the puffing session, outputting an indication of the end of the puffing session.
[0216] 565, after outputting the indication of the end of the puffing session, outputting an indication of the remaining battery level of the aerosol supply system.
[0217] 566, after outputting the indications, controlling the aerosol supply system to enter sleep mode.
[0218] It should be noted that the order of steps S64 and S65 can be interchangeable or carried out simultaneously.
[0219] In the above embodiments one to four, content that is the same or similar in each embodiment can be cross-referenced, and there is no need to redundantly describe it in each embodiment.
[0220] Embodiment Three
[0221] In accordance with the above method, the embodiment three of this invention also discloses an aerosol supply system. In this embodiment, content that is the same as or similar to that in the above-mentioned embodiment 1 and 2 can be referred to in the previous introduction, and will not be repeated here. As shown in Figure 1, the system comprises:
[0222] Housing 107, used to contain articles, where the articles comprise the aerosol-generating material.
[0223] Controller 104, configured to execute the aerosol session power indication method described in the above-mentioned embodiment 1 to 2 of this invention.
[0224] In the structure shown in Figure 1, the system 100 also comprises a containment chamber 101 for holding the aerosol-generating material, an atomizer 102, a power source 103, and a mouthpiece 105. During the use, the controller 104 controls the power source 103 to supply power to the atomizer 102, which heats up to vaporize the aerosol-generating material and produce aerosol, which the user inhales from the mouthpiece 105.
[0225] The aerosol-generating material in the present invention can take various forms. In one example, the aerosol-generating material can be in the form of liquid, gel, powder, particles, loose filamentous materials like tobacco strands, loose fibrous materials, and so on. These materials share the common characteristic of being easily flowable and not having a fixed shape, so they need to be contained within a containment chamber with a shape that holds them in place. In another example, the aerosol-generating material can be a material with a fixed shape, such as a processed tobacco rod, which may contain multiple times the length or effective substance content of a typical tobacco rod. It is intended for users to use over multiple aerosol sessions rather than within a single session.
[0226] In another embodiment of this invention, the system also comprises a timer and sensors for monitoring aerosol parameters. The system further comprises indication elements for outputting indications, such as the light emitting element 106 shown in Figure 1.
[0227] Based on the embodiments of this invention, by monitoring aerosol parameters related to the user's inhalation behavior, the user's inhalation process can be determined, allowing for the determination of whether the inhalation session has ended. This provides users with an inhalation session experience similar to traditional cigarettes, aligning with their usage habits and enhancing the user experience. This inhalation session experience can reduce unintentional prolonged inhalation by users and facilitate users in assessing aerosol consumption, enabling timely feedback.
[0228] It should be understood that various components of the present invention can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the aforementioned embodiments, many steps or methods can be implemented with software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented using hardware, as in another embodiment, any one of the following well-known techniques or their combinations in this field can be used: discrete logic circuits with logic gates for implementing logic functions with data signals, dedicated integrated circuits with appropriate combination logic gate circuits, Programmable Gate Arrays (PGA), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), etc.
[0229] In the description of this specification, the referential terminology "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" means that specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are comprised in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the indicative expression of the above-mentioned terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the described specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable way in any one or more embodiments or examples.
[0230] Moreover, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used merely for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the characteristics defined as "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly comprise at least one such characteristic. In the description of this invention, the term "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.
[0231] In this invention, unless explicitly defined and limited, terms such as "mounting," "connecting," "connection," "fixing," etc., should be understood broadly. For instance, the connection can be a fixed connection or a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediary medium, it can be the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless explicitly defined otherwise. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of these terms in the context of the invention based on the circumstances.
[0232] Although the embodiments of the invention have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are exemplary and should not be considered as limiting the invention. Those skilled in the art within the scope of the invention can make variations, modifications, replacements, and variations to the above-described embodiments.
Claims
CLAIMS1. A battery indication method for an aerosol provision system, wherein the system can accommodate aerosol-generating material for at least two puffing sessions; the method comprises: monitoring the puffing session status of the system; controlling the output of an indication of the system's remaining battery level in response to detecting a preset puffing session status.
2. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 1, wherein the preset puffing session states comprises: the start of the puffing session, the end of the puffing session, and during the puffing session.
3. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 2, wherein controlling the output of an indication of the system's remaining battery level in response to detecting a preset puffing session status comprises: monitoring for a trigger event indicating the remaining battery level during the puffing session when detecting that the puffing session status is during a puffing session; controlling the output of the indication of the system's remaining battery level in response to the trigger event during the puffing session.
4. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 3, wherein the trigger event indicating the remaining battery level comprises: the system's remaining battery level falling below a battery threshold, or, a query request for the remaining battery level based on user-initiated actions.
5. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 4, wherein a query request for the remaining battery level is generated when the user performs at least one of the following actions: the user's blowing; the user's blowing strength reaching or exceeding a preset strength; the user's blowing strength change matching a preset pattern; the user's consecutive puffing count reaching or exceeding a predetermined number;the user's puffing strength reaching or exceeding a preset strength; the user's puffing strength change matching a preset pattern; the user's puffing frequency reaching or exceeding a preset frequency; the user applying a preset operation on an interactive interface.
6. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 2, wherein monitoring the puffing session status of the system comprises: determining the start of the puffing session; monitoring puffing parameters related to puffing behavior of the system during the puffing session; determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters.
7. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 6, wherein determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises: determining the puffing session to end when the monitored puffing parameters reach or exceed a preset puffing parameter threshold, or fall within a preset puffing parameter range; or, determining the puffing session to end when the change in the monitored puffing parameters reaches or exceeds a preset change threshold of puffing parameters, or falls within a preset change range of puffing parameters.
8. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 7, wherein the preset puffing parameter threshold, the preset puffing parameter range, the preset change threshold of puffing parameters, or the preset change range of puffing parameters are pre-stored in the aerosol provision system, acquired by the system from an external device, or set in the system based on user selection.
9. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 7, wherein the aerosol provision system has at least two heating power levels, under different heating powers, the preset puffing parameter threshold, the preset puffing parameter range, the preset change threshold of puffing parameters, or the preset change range of puffing parameters are different.
10. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 9, whereindetermining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises: determining the current heating power and the corresponding preset puffing parameter threshold, range, change threshold, or change range for the current heating power; determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters and the corresponding preset threshold, range, change threshold, or change range for the current heating power.
11. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 7, wherein the aerosol provision system has at least two heating power levels, one of which is the standard heating power, corresponding to the preset puffing parameter threshold, range, change threshold, or change range; determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises: determining the current heating power; converting the puffing parameters to standard puffing parameters under the standard heating power, based on the relationship between the current heating power and the standard heating power; determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the standard puffing parameters and the corresponding preset threshold, range, change threshold, or change range.
12. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 6, wherein the puffing parameters comprise at least one of the following: the cumulative working time of the system; the user's cumulative puffing time; the user's cumulative number of puffing; the cumulative amount of aerosol produced; the cumulative amount of article consumed.
13. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 6, wherein the puffing parameters comprise at least one of the following during a puffing session: the cumulative working time of the system within a puffing session; the user's cumulative puffing time within a puffing session; the user's cumulative number of puffing within a puffing session;the cumulative amount of aerosol produced within a puffing session; the cumulative amount of article consumed within a puffing session.
14. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises at least one of the following: the puffing session ends when the cumulative working time reaches or exceeds a preset threshold; the puffing session ends when the cumulative puffing time reaches or exceeds a preset threshold; the puffing session ends when the cumulative number of puffing reaches or exceeds a preset threshold; the puffing session ends when the cumulative amount of aerosol produced reaches or exceeds a preset threshold; the puffing session ends when the cumulative amount of article consumed reaches or exceeds a preset threshold.
15. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 14, wherein within a puffing session, the preset threshold for cumulative puffing time is 20-40 seconds; and / or the preset threshold for the cumulative number of puffing is 7-15; and / or the preset threshold for cumulative working time is 3-5 minutes; and / or the preset threshold for the cumulative amount of aerosol produced is 50-90mg; and / or the preset threshold for the cumulative amount of article consumed is 0.08-0.15ml.
16. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claims 6-13, wherein when the puffing parameters comprise multiple types of parameters, determining whether the puffing session has ended based on the puffing parameters comprises: jointly determining whether the puffing session has ended based on at least two types of parameters.
17. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claims 6-13, wherein the method comprises: during the puffing session, upon detecting the cartridge of the system being pulled out from the device of the aerosol provision system, determining the end of the last puffing session.
18. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claims 6-13, wherein the method comprises: during the puffing session, upon detecting the cartridge of the system being pulled out from the device of the aerosol provision system, the monitored puffing parameters after replacing the cartridge are recorded as part of the last puffing session before the replacement, is used to determine whether the last puffing session has ended.
19. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claims 6-13, wherein the method comprises: outputting an indication of the end of the puffing session when the puffing session ends.
20. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 19, wherein the indication of the system's remaining battery level is output after a first preset time upon detecting the end of the puffing session.
21. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 20, wherein the first preset time is 0-12 seconds.
22. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 1, wherein the remaining battery level of the system is indicated by at least one of the following: a vibration indication emitted by a vibration component; a sound indication emitted by a sound component; a light indication emitted by a light-emitting component.
23. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 22, wherein the light indication emitted by the light-emitting component comprises: determining the target battery level category for the remaining battery level; different flashing frequencies are associated with different battery level category; determining the target flashing frequency associated with the target battery level category; the system's light-emitting component indicates with the target flashing frequency.
24. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 23, wherein the number of the light-emitting component is one.
25. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 22, wherein the system's light-emitting component continues for a second preset time, indicating the system'sremaining battery level by at least one of the following: different flashing for different battery levels; emitting light of different colors for different battery levels; lighting up a different number of light-emitting components for different battery levels; lighting up the light-emitting components in different sequences for different battery levels; emitting light of different brightness for different battery levels.
26. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 25, wherein the second preset duration is 8-12 seconds.
27. The battery indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: controlling the heater of the system to remain in a non-heating state or transition from a heating state to a non-heating state in response to detecting the preset puffing session status.
28. An aerosol provision system, wherein the system comprises: a housing for containing the article; a lighting element, located on or within the housing; a controller, configured to execute the battery indication method for an aerosol provision system as described in any one of claims 1-27; and the article, which comprises the aerosol-generating material.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Low temperature electronic vaporization device and methods
CA2845090A1
Pod components, dispensing bodies, and electronic cigarette devices including them
CN107750129B
Controller for suction apparatus
WO2022269701A1