Wireless charging indication method for aerosol provision system, aerosol provision system

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application disclose a wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system and an aerosol provision system. Wherein the aerosol provision system is configured to receive electrical energy by wireless means, and the wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system comprises: obtaining a receiving voltage of the aerosol provision system during the period of receiving of electrical energy; determining a deviation between the receiving voltage and a preset standard voltage, and controlling the system to emit an indication of the charging deviation.

Description

[0001] WIRELESS CHARGING INDICATION METHOD FOR AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEM ,

[0002] AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEM

[0003] Technical Field

[0004] The present application relates to the field of aerosol provision, and particularly relates to a wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system and an aerosol provision system.

[0005] Background

[0006] In the e-cigarette industry, aerosol provision systems are configured to generate aerosols from aerosol generating matrices (for example, matrices containing tobacco or tobacco leaves) for users to inhale. At present, most aerosol provision systems with wireless charging function use short-range magnetic field coupling charging, which generally requires the coil centers of the transmitter and receiver of the aerosol provision system to be aligned to achieve the best effect. However, due to limitations in appearance or ID, the coil of the aerosol provision system may not be located at the center of the aerosol provision system, and users may not be able to find the standard center position during use, resulting in incorrect placement and inability to charge, or low charging efficiency leading to system heating and extended charging time.

[0007] Summary

[0008] In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided a wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system and an aerosol provision system. Such a system may assist with aligning the center positions of the coils of the transmitter and receiver of the aerosol provision system during the charging of the aerosol provision system.

[0009] According to an aspect, there is provided a wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system, and the aerosol provision system is configured to receive electrical energy by wireless means, and the method comprises: obtaining a receiving voltage of the aerosol provision system during the receiving of electrical energy; determining a deviation between the receiving voltage and a preset standard voltage, and controlling the system to emit an indication of the charging deviation.

[0010] In embodiments of the or any of the wireless charging indication methods described above, the indication of the charging deviation may be output through at least one of: emitting a display indication through a display component; emitting a vibration indication through a vibration component; emitting a sound indication through a sound component; emitting a light indication through a light-emitting component.

[0011] Based on the determination that there is a deviation between the receiving voltage of the aerosol provision system during the receiving of electrical energy and the preset standard voltage, the corresponding indication may be emitted through one or more of the display component, vibration component, sound component, and light-emitting component to prompt the user that there is a deviation between the charging position of the aerosol provision system and the center positions of the coils of its transmitter and receiver, and the user can find the correct alignment position according to the prompt.

[0012] In embodiments of the or any of the wireless charging indication methods described above, the method may comprise: determining the voltage difference between the receiving voltage and the preset standard voltage; determining the degree of charging deviation of the system based on the voltage difference; and controlling the system to output a corresponding charging deviation indication based on the degree of charging deviation.

[0013] Based on the determination of the deviation between the receiving voltage of the aerosol provision system and the preset standard voltage, the voltage difference between them may be further determined, by analyzing the magnitude of the voltage difference, the degree of deviation between the center position of the coil of the receiver of the aerosol provision system and the center position of the electric energy transmitter is determined, that is, the degree of deviation between the aerosol provision system and the standard charging position is determined, thus emitting a corresponding deviation indication based on the degree of charging deviation, to help enable the user to find the optimal charging position more conveniently and quickly.

[0014] In embodiments of the or any of the wireless charging indication methods described above, the controlling of the system to output a corresponding charging deviation indication based on the degree of charging deviation may comprise: determining relative position information about the system and a standard charging position based on the degree of charging deviation; and controlling a display component to display the relative position information for indicating the charging deviation.

[0015] The degree of deviation between the center position of the coil of the receiver based on the aerosol provision system and the center position of the electric energy transmitter may be analyzed and calculated for the corresponding specific position information, namely the value of the specific distance, and this value may be displayed on the display component to help the user find the optimal charging position, namely the standard charging position.

[0016] In embodiments of the or any of the wireless charging indication methods described above, the controlling the system to output a corresponding charging deviation indication based on the degree of charging deviation may comprise: controlling a vibration component to emit a vibration indication with corresponding frequency and / or intensity based on the degree of charging deviation. In embodiments of the or any of the wireless charging indication methods described above, the greater the degree of charging deviation, the higher may be the vibration frequency and / or intensity of the vibration component.

[0017] The degree of deviation between the center position of the coil of the receiver based on the aerosol provision system and the center position of the electric energy transmitter may be indicated by corresponding vibration emitted by the vibration component of the aerosol provision system, so that the user can feel the degree of deviation from the standard charging position through the frequency and / or intensity of the vibration, thereby helping the user find the optimal charging position.

[0018] In embodiments of the or any of the wireless charging indication methods described above, the controlling of the system to output a corresponding charging deviation indication based on the degree of charging deviation may comprise: controlling a sound component to emit a corresponding sound indication based on the degree of charging deviation.

[0019] The degree of deviation between the center position of the coil of the receiver based on the aerosol provision system and the center position of the electric energy transmitter may be indicated by corresponding sound emitted by the sound component of the aerosol provision system, such as broadcasting the degree of deviation, to help the user find the optimal charging position.

[0020] In embodiments of the or any of the wireless charging indication methods described above, the controlling of the system to output a corresponding charging deviation indication based on the degree of charging deviation may comprise: controlling a light-emitting component to emit a corresponding light indication based on the degree of charging deviation.

[0021] The degree of deviation between the center position of the coil of the receiver based on the aerosol provision system and the center position of the electric energy transmitter may be indicated by corresponding light emitted by the light-emitting component of the aerosol provision system, to prompt the user that there is still a corresponding deviation, to help the user find the optimal charging position.

[0022] In embodiments of the or any of the wireless charging indication methods described above, the controlling of a light-emitting component to emit a corresponding light indication based on the degree of charging deviation may comprise: associating the degree of charging deviation with a blinking frequency; controlling the light-emitting component to emit a light indication at the associated blinking frequency for different degrees of charging deviation. In embodiments of the or any of the wireless charging indication methods described above, the greater the degree of charging deviation, the higher may be the blinking frequency of the light-emitting component.

[0023] Based on that the greater the degree of charging deviation, the higher the blinking frequency of the light-emitting component, the user may identify the deviation between the current position and the standard charging position through the blinking frequency, and may make corresponding adjustments until the standard charging position, namely the optimal charging position is found.

[0024] In embodiments of the or any of the wireless charging indication methods described above, the method may comprise: controlling the light-emitting component to emit a corresponding light indication in at least one of the following ways: the light-emitting component blinks at different frequencies; the light-emitting component emits light of different colors; a different number of the light-emitting components are lit up; the light-emitting component is lit up in different sequences; the light-emitting component emits light of different brightness.

[0025] Based on the different light emitting manners of the light-emitting component, the degree of charging deviation may be represented to guide the user to find the standard charging position.

[0026] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided an wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system, wherein the aerosol provision system is configured to wirelessly receive electrical energy, the method comprising: obtaining a receiving voltage during the aerosol provision system receiving electrical energy; determining a charging deviation between the receiving voltage and a preset standard voltage; and controlling the system to emit an indication of the determined charging deviation.

[0027] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided an aerosol provision system, comprising: a main body comprising a power source; a receiver module configured to wirelessly receive electrical energy from an external charging device, and to output the electrical energy to the power source; and a controller configured to, during the aerosol provision system receiving electrical energy, obtain a receiving voltage; determine a charging deviation between the receiving voltage and a preset standard voltage; and control the system to emit an indication of the determined charging deviation.

[0028] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided an aerosol provision system, which comprises: a main body with a power source; a receiver module, configured to receive electrical energy from an external charging device by wireless means, and output the electrical energy to the power source; and a controller, configured to execute the wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system mentioned in any one of the items described above.

[0029] In embodiments of the or any of the systems described above, the system may comprise a detection module, wherein the detection module is configured to detect the receiving voltage of the aerosol provision system.

[0030] Based on the receiving voltage detected by the detection module, the controller may obtain this receiving voltage, to execute the wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system as described in any one of the items described above.

[0031] In embodiments of the or any of the systems described above, the system may comprise an indication module, wherein the indication module is configured to output a charging deviation indication according to a control command from the controller.

[0032] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a wireless charging system for an aerosol provision system, which comprises: an aerosol provision system as described in any one of the items described above; a wireless charging transmitter terminal, configured to output electrical energy to the aerosol provision system by wireless means.

[0033] In accordance with another aspect, the there is provided an electronic device, which comprises a memory, one or more processors, and one or more applications, wherein the one or more applications are stored in the memory, the one or more applications are configured to, when invoked by the one or more processors, enable the one or more processors to execute the method as described in any one of the items described above.

[0034] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a computer readable storage medium, which stores multiple program codes, wherein the program codes are adapted to be loaded and run by a processor to execute the method as described in any one of the items described above.

[0035] The above one or more aspects and embodiments may have at least one or more beneficial effects as follows: during the receiving of electrical energy of the aerosol provision system by wireless means, the receiving voltage is determined whether there is a deviation between it and the preset standard voltage, if there is a deviation, the aerosol provision system is controlled to output a corresponding charging deviation indication feedback to guide the user to find the optimal charging position, that is, to help the user align the centers of the coils of the receiver and transmitter of the aerosol provision system, so that the aerosol provision system can achieve the best wireless charging effect, thereby helping to ensure that the charging efficiency and time of the aerosol provision system are not affected by position deviation factors.

[0036] Additional aspects and advantages will be partly given in the following description, will become apparent from the following description.

[0037] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0038] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the disclosed content 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. Moreover, similar numbers in the figures are used to represent similar components, among which:

[0039] Figure 1 is a schematic flow chart of the main steps of a wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system;

[0040] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the internal principle and structure of an aerosol provision system; and

[0041] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the principle and structure of a wireless charging system for an aerosol provision system.

[0042] Detailed Description

[0043] The following describes some embodiments 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 and are not intended to limit the scope of protection.

[0044] 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. 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol provision system.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises caffeine, melatonin or vitamin B12.

[0061] 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.

[0062] 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.

[0063] 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,

[0064] Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata c.v. and Mentha suaveolens.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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, marjoram, 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.

[0068] 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.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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.

[0071] 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.

[0072] 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.

[0073] The one or more other functional materials may comprise one or more of pH regulators, colouring agents, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and / or antioxidants.

[0074] 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.

[0075] 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.

[0076] 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. 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.

[0077] 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.

[0078] 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 I device and electronic aerosol delivery system I 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.

[0079] 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 systems / devices.

[0080] 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.

[0081] Due to various shapes and other factors of aerosol provision systems, the center of the coil of the receiver used for wireless charging inside the aerosol provision system may not necessarily be at the center of the housing, making it difficult to visually determine whether this coil center is aligned with the center of the coil of the transmitter used for charging, and if it cannot be aligned, it will result in low charging efficiency and extended charging time, and even inability to charge, and long-term low efficiency charging may affect the service life of the power source of the aerosol power supply system. The present application puts forward a wireless charging indication method to help the user achieve the best charging effect by aligning the coil centers of the receiver and transmitter of the aerosol provision system during wireless charging.

[0082] Referring to Figure 1 , Figure 1 is a schematic flow chart of the main steps of a wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system 10. As shown in Figure 1 , a wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system 10 is applied to an aerosol provision system 10 with wireless charging function. The aerosol provision system 10 receives electrical energy by wireless means.

[0083] Receiving electrical energy by wireless means relates to wirelessly receiving electrical energy.

[0084] The wireless charging indication method comprises the following steps S101 - S102:

[0085] Step S101 : obtaining a receiving voltage of the aerosol provision system 10 during the receiving of electrical energy.

[0086] In embodiments, the receiving voltage of the wireless receiver 12 of the aerosol provision system 10, namely the voltage received by the power receiving end when establishing the power reception, may be obtained by means of signal acquisition such as a voltage acquisition circuit, and this voltage is used as the basis for subsequent indication of the position of the receiver 12.

[0087] The wireless receiver 12 may act as a receiver module.

[0088] Step S102: determining a deviation between the receiving voltage and a preset standard voltage, controlling the system 10 to emit an indication of the charging deviation.

[0089] In embodiments, when the wireless charging transmitter terminal 40 (refer to Figure 3) outputs a voltage signal, the better the alignment between the transmitter terminal 40 and the receiver terminal 12, that is, the better the coupling, the higher the voltage that the receiver terminal 12 can receive, and vice versa. The receiving voltage on the receiver terminal 12 may be used as the indication standard for the position of the receiver terminal 12, namely the indication standard for the best charging position (standard charging position) that matches the transmitter terminal 40 and the receiver terminal 12. The receiving voltage at the preset best charging position is the standard voltage, which can be obtained through testing. I If there is a deviation between the receiving voltage and the preset standard voltage, this indicates that the receiver 12 of the aerosol provision system 10 is not at the optimal charging position, and the aerosol provision system 10 can be controlled to output an indication of the charging deviation to the user to help the user find the best charging position, assisting to improve the charging efficiency.

[0090] In embodiments, if it is determined that there is a deviation between the receiving voltage and the preset standard voltage, that is, the receiver 12 and transmitter 40 of the aerosol provision system 10 are not matched to the optimal charging position, one or more of a display component, a vibration component, a sound component, and a light-emitting component of the aerosol provision system 10 can be used to provide a corresponding indication to help the user find the optimal charging position. For example, the display component directly displays that it is not in the optimal charging position, prompting the user to move the aerosol provision system 10 until the optimal charging position is found. For another example, when the optimal charging position is not found, the vibration component continues to vibrate until the aerosol provision system 10 is at the optimal charging position.

[0091] In embodiments, it is determined that there is a deviation between the receiving voltage and the preset standard voltage, that is, the receiver 12 and transmitter 40 of the aerosol provision system 10 are not matched to the optimal charging position. The degree of charging deviation can be calculated based on the voltage difference between the receiving voltage and the preset standard voltage. The aerosol provision system 10 can be controlled to provide a corresponding charging deviation indication according to the degree of charging deviation, that is, the degree of charging deviation is combined with the deviation indication to make it more convenient for the user to find the optimal charging position.

[0092] In embodiments, the specific relative position information about the aerosol provision system 10 and the optimal charging position is calculated based on the degree of charging deviation. For example, the distance value "1 cm away from the optimal charging position" is directly displayed on the display component of the system 10 to show the relative position information, and continuously follow the change according to the position of the aerosol provision system 10, to display the updated position information, for example, "0.3 cm away from the optimal charging position" makes it easier for the user to find the optimal charging position.

[0093] In embodiments, the vibration component of the aerosol provision system 10 is controlled to output a corresponding vibration frequency and / or intensity according to the degree of charging deviation. For example, when the degree of deviation is large, the vibration component gives a strong vibration sensation, namely a large vibration intensity, and the closer it is to the optimal charging position, the weaker the vibration sensation, so that the user can adjust the charging position according to the vibration sensation, or when the deviation degree is large, the vibration frequency is faster, so that the user can adjust the charging position according to the vibration frequency, or the vibration frequency and intensity may be combined to prompt the user of the charging position.

[0094] In embodiments, the sound component is controlled to provide a corresponding sound indication according to the degree of charging deviation, or play different prompt sounds or a prompt sound at different volumes or a prompt sound with different playback lengths according to the degree of deviation. For example, loudspeakers or buzzers, etc. are used to prompt the user to adjust the charging position of the aerosol provision system 10 through the length or level of sound of "beep".

[0095] In embodiments, the light-emitting component is controlled to provide a corresponding light indication according to the degree of charging deviation. For example, the degree of charging deviation is associated with the blinking frequency. For different degrees of charging deviation, the light-emitting component is controlled to emit the light indication at the associated blinking frequency, for example, the greater the degree of charging deviation, the higher the blinking frequency of the light-emitting component, and according to the user's adjustment of the system 10 position, the blinking frequency changes continuously until it no longer blinks, and the user can easily find the optimal charging position according to this prompt. The degree of charging deviation may be associated with the color and brightness of the light-emitting component. The system 10 may give a red light prompt when the degree of charging deviation is large, and the system 10 may give a green light prompt when the degree of charging deviation is small, until the yellow light indicating the optimal charging position appears, or when the degree of charging deviation is large, the light is dark, and when the user finds and aligns the optimal charging position, the light is bright and full; the degree of charging deviation may also be associated with the lighting manner of multiple light-emitting components. For example, when three light-emitting components emit light simultaneously, the degree of charging deviation is relatively large, and according to the degree of deviation, different numbers of light-emitting components will be lit up, and until the optimal charging position is reached, only one light-emitting component will be lit up, or, the degree of charging deviation may be associated with the sequence in which the light-emitting components are lit up, with different sequences representing different degrees of deviation, guiding the user to find the optimal charging position.

[0096] In embodiments, after determining that there is a deviation between the receiving voltage and the preset standard voltage, the charging module of the aerosol provision system 10 may be controlled to temporarily suspend charging the power source, and the system 10 is controlled to output an indication of the charging deviation until the receiving voltage is consistent with the preset standard voltage, that is, after the aerosol provision system 10 is in the optimal charging position, it can start charging to the power source.

[0097] Based on the above steps S101 - S102, in embodiments, during the receiving of electrical energy of the aerosol provision system 10 by wireless means, it is determined whether there is a deviation between the receiving voltage and the preset standard voltage, if there is a deviation, the aerosol provision system 10 is controlled to output a corresponding charging deviation indication feedback to guide the user to find the optimal charging position, that is, to help the user align the centers of the coils of the receiver 12 and transmitter 40 of the aerosol provision system 10, to help ensure that the aerosol provision system 10 can achieve the best wireless charging effect, thereby ensuring that the charging efficiency and time of the aerosol provision system 10 are not affected by position deviation factors.

[0098] It should be pointed out that although the above embodiments describe the respective steps in a specific order, those skilled in the art can understand that in order to achieve the effects of the present application, different steps do not necessarily have to be executed in this order, they can be executed simultaneously (in parallel) or in other orders, and these changes are within the scope of protection.

[0099] An aerosol provision system 10 is provided, which comprises: a main body with a power source; a receiver module 12, configured to receive electrical energy from an external charging device by wireless means, and output the electrical energy to the power source; a controller 14, configured to execute the above-mentioned wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system 10.

[0100] In embodiments, the aerosol provision system 10 further comprises a detection module for detecting the receiving voltage of the aerosol provision system 10, namely the voltage at which the receiver module 12 receives electrical energy, the controller 14 obtains the receiving voltage of the aerosol provision system 10 through the detection module, and the detection module may be arranged in the receiver module 12 to directly measure the voltage.

[0101] In embodiments, the aerosol provision system 10 further comprises an indication module 16 for outputting a charging deviation indication according to the control instruction of the controller 14, and the indication module 16 comprises one or more of a display component, a vibration component, a sound component, and a light-emitting component.

[0102] Based on the above implementation, as shown in Figure 2, this figure is an internal circuit schematic of an aerosol provision system 10. The detection module is built into the receiver module 12. When the aerosol provision system 10 receives electrical energy from an external charging device by wireless means, the detection module measures the receiving voltage and transmits it to the controller 14 as the indication voltage Vrec, the controller 14 reads the receiving voltage and compares it with the preset standard voltage. When there is a voltage difference between the receiving voltage and the preset standard voltage, the indication module 16 (such as LED, LCD, loudspeaker, tactile sensors, buzzer, etc.) is used to indicate the corresponding deviation and guide the user to find the optimal charging position. The specific process and principle of the wireless charging indication method are described in steps S101 - S102 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0103] Further, there is provided a wireless charging system 5 for an aerosol provision system 10, which comprises: an aerosol provision system 10 as described above; a wireless charging transmitter terminal 40, configured to output electrical energy to the aerosol provision system 10 by wireless means.

[0104] In embodiments, as shown in Figure 3, when the receiver module 12 of the aerosol provision system 10 is placed on the surface of the wireless charging transmitter terminal 40, the receiver module 12 measures the receiving voltage and records it in the internal register. The controller 14 reads the receiving voltage. When there is a deviation between the receiving voltage and the preset standard voltage, the controller 14 analyzes the receiving voltage or its deviation value from the standard voltage, and then uses different indication methods such as LED 24, LCD 20, loudspeakers, tactile sensors 22, and buzzers 18 to provide feedback to the user on whether the current charging position is the optimal charging position. That is, whether the charging coils L1 and L2 in the wireless charging transmitter terminal 40 and receiver module 12 are aligned in center, the specific process and principle of the wireless charging indication method are described in steps S101 - S102 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0105] Figures 2 and 3 only show partial structural diagrams of the aerosol provision system 10 and its wireless charging system 5, and are not intended to convey specific positions and fixed structural patterns of various components. For example, in the indication module 16, the connected components include but are not limited to LED 24, LCD 20, loudspeakers, tactile sensors 22, buzzers 18, etc., and it should also be understood that the aerosol provision system 10 may comprise other components not shown in Figures 2 and 3, such as heating elements and power source. In some implementations, the indication module 16 may also be referred to as an indication control module.

[0106] Further, an electronic device is provided, which comprises a memory, one or more processors, and one or more applications, wherein the one or more applications are stored in the memory, and the one or more applications are configured to, when invoked by the one or more processors, enable the one or more processors to execute the method mentioned in any one of the above.

[0107] The electronic device in embodiments comprises a memory and a processor. The memory may be configured to store a program for executing the wireless charging indication method in the above method embodiment, and the processor may be configured to execute the program in the memory. The program includes but not limited to the program for executing the wireless charging indication method in the above method embodiment. For ease of explanation, only the parts related to the embodiments are shown, for specific technical details not disclosed, please refer to the section of the method embodiment.

[0108] In embodiments, the electronic device may be a control device comprising various electronic components. In some possible embodiments, the electronic device may comprise a plurality of storage devices and a plurality of processors. The program for executing the wireless charging indication method in the above method embodiment may be divided into multiple sub programs, each of which may be loaded and run by the processor to perform different steps of the wireless charging indication method in the above method embodiment. Specifically, each sub program may be stored separately in different memories, and each processor may be configured to execute one or more programs in the memory to collectively implement the wireless charging indication method in the above method embodiment, that is, each processor executes different steps of the wireless charging indication method in the above method embodiment to collectively implement the wireless charging indication method in the above method embodiment.

[0109] The technical principles, technical problems solved, and technical effects of the above electronic device and the embodiment for executing the method shown in Figure 1 are similar, so those skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, the specific working process and related description of the electronic device can refer to the content described in the embodiment of the wireless charging indication method, which will not be repeated here.

[0110] Those skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the process in the method for implementing the above embodiments may also be completed by instructing relevant hardware through a computer program, the computer program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it may implement the steps of the above method embodiment. Wherein, the computer program comprises a computer program code, and the computer program code may be in the form of source code, object code, executable file, or some intermediate forms, etc. The computer-readable storage medium may comprise any entity or device, medium, USB flash drive, portable hard disk, magnetic disk, optical disk, computer memory, read-only memory, random access memory, electric carrier signal, telecommunication signal, and software distribution medium that can carry the computer program code. It should be noted that the content contained in the computer-readable storage medium may be appropriately added or removed according to the requirements of legislation and patent practice within the jurisdiction, for example, in some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, the computer-readable storage medium does not include electric carrier signals and telecommunications signals. Further, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium. In embodiments of the computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium may be configured to store the program for executing the wireless charging indication method in the above method embodiment, this program may be loaded and run by a processor to implement the above-mentioned wireless charging indication method. For ease of explanation, only the parts related to the embodiments are shown, for specific technical details not disclosed, please refer to the section of the method embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium may be a storage device comprising various electronic devices, and optionally, in embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium is a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium.

[0111] It should be understood that since the settings of each module are only intended to illustrate the functional modules of the device of the present application, the physical devices corresponding to these modules may be the processor itself, or a part of the software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware in the processor. Therefore, the number of modules in the figures is only illustrative. Those skilled in the art can understand that respective modules in the device may be adaptively split or merged. Such splitting or merging of specific modules will not cause the technical solution to deviate from the principles of the present application, therefore, the technical solution after splitting or merging will fall within the scope of protection.

[0112] It should be understood that each part may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware or combinations thereof. In the above implementations, multiple steps or methods may be implemented with software or firmware stored in memory and executed by an appropriate instruction execution system. For example, if it is implemented by hardware, as in another implementation, it can be implemented by any one of the following technologies known in the art or combinations thereof: discrete logic circuits with logic gate circuits for implementing logic functions for data signal, special integrated circuits with appropriate combined logic gate circuits, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0113] 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 application. 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.

[0114] 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 the present application, the term "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0115] In the present application, 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 application based on the circumstances.

[0116] Although the embodiments have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are exemplary and should not be considered as limiting. Those skilled in the art within the scope can make variations, modifications, replacements, and variations to the above-described embodiments.

Claims

Claims1. A wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system, wherein the aerosol provision system is configured to wirelessly receive electrical energy, the method comprising: obtaining a receiving voltage during the aerosol provision system receiving electrical energy; determining a charging deviation between the receiving voltage and a preset standard voltage; and controlling the system to emit an indication of the determined charging deviation.

2. The wireless charging indication method according to claim 1 , wherein the indication of the charging deviation is output through at least one of: emitting a display indication through a display component; emitting a vibration indication through a vibration component; emitting a sound indication through a sound component; and emitting a light indication through a light-emitting component.

3. The wireless charging indication method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method comprises: determining the voltage difference between the receiving voltage and the preset standard voltage; based on the voltage deviation, determining the degree of charging deviation of the system; based on the degree of charging deviation, controlling the system to output a corresponding charging deviation indication.

4. The wireless charging indication method according to claim 3, wherein based on the degree of charging deviation, the controlling of the system to output a corresponding charging deviation indication comprises: based on the degree of charging deviation, determining relative position information about the system and a standard charging position; controlling a display component to display the relative position information for indicating thecharging deviation.

5. The wireless charging indication method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein based on the degree of charging deviation, the controlling of the system to output a corresponding charging deviation indication comprises: based on the degree of charging deviation, controlling a vibration component to emit a vibration indication with at least one of a corresponding frequency and intensity.

6. The wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system according any one of to claims 3 to 5, wherein based on the degree of charging deviation, the controlling of the system to output a corresponding charging deviation indication comprises: based on the degree of charging deviation, controlling a sound component to emit a corresponding sound indication.

7. The wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein based on the degree of charging deviation, the controlling of the system to output a corresponding charging deviation indication comprises: based on the degree of charging deviation, controlling a light-emitting component to emit a corresponding light indication.

8. The wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 7, wherein based on the degree of charging deviation, the controlling of a light-emitting component to emit a corresponding light indication comprises: associating the degree of charging deviation with a blinking frequency; for different degrees of charging deviation, controlling the light-emitting component to emit a light indication at the associated blinking frequency.

9. The wireless charging indication method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the method further comprises: controlling the light-emitting component to emit a corresponding light indication by at least one of: the light-emitting component blinking at different frequencies;the light-emitting component emitting light of different colors; a different number of the light-emitting components being illuminated; the light-emitting component being illuminated in different sequences; and the light-emitting component emitting light of different brightness.

10. An aerosol provision system, comprising: a main body comprising a power source; a receiver module configured to wirelessly receive electrical energy from an external charging device, and to output the electrical energy to the power source; and a controller configured to: during the aerosol provision system receiving electrical energy, obtain a receiving voltage; determine a charging deviation between the receiving voltage and a preset standard voltage; and control the system to emit an indication of the determined charging deviation.

11. The aerosol provision system according to claim 10, wherein the system comprises a detection module configured to detect the receiving voltage of the aerosol provision system.

12. The aerosol provision system according to claim 10 or 11 , wherein the system comprises an indication module configured to emit an indication of the charging deviation according to a control command from the controller.

13. A wireless charging system for an aerosol provision system, the wireless charging system comprising: the aerosol provision system as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12; a wireless charging transmitter terminal configured to wirelessly output electrical energy to the aerosol provision system.

14. An electronic device comprising a memory, one or more processors, and one or moreapplications, wherein the one or more applications are stored in the memory, the one or more applications are configured such that, when invoked by the one or more processors, the one or more processors execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

15. A computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable storage medium stores multiple program codes, wherein the program codes are adapted to be loaded and run by a processor to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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