Method of using an aerosol provision system and aerosol provision system

Abstract

There is provided a method of using an aerosol provision system and an aerosol provision system. The aerosol provision system has a trial mode, a verification mode and a normal usage mode; and the method comprises: when detecting a first triggering event, initiating the trial mode for a user to puff, detecting a time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior during the trial mode, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition; and when detecting a second triggering event, initiating the verification mode for verifying, and starting the normal usage mode for the user to puff after successful verification. The system is in a disabled puffing state during the verification mode. A trial mode is added to the aerosol provision system in this application. In the trial mode, users can perform trial puffs without the need for verification as in the normal usage mode, so as to evaluate the flavor, smoke volume, etc. of the aerosol provision system based on the trial puffs. The trial mode has a time limit, reducing the possibility of using the trial mode to conduct the normal usage mode in a disguised form.

Description

[0001] METHOD OF USING AN AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEM AND AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEM

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of aerosol provision technology, and particularly to a method of using an aerosol provision system and an aerosol provision system.

[0004] Technical Background

[0005] An aerosol provision system refers to a system that internally contains aerosolgenerating materials and heats the aerosol-generating materials to produce an aerosol for users to puff. Electronic cigarettes are a typical application of aerosol provision systems.

[0006] The laws in some countries stipulate that teenagers (e.g., those under 18 years old) are not allowed to use electronic cigarettes. If a user wants to puff after purchasing an electronic cigarette, he / she must go through a verification procedure such as age verification. This verification procedure requires adult users to disclose their private information such as age and identity, and the verification process is usually quite complicated. Different electronic cigarettes may have different flavors and different amounts of smoke. With current electronic cigarettes, it is very likely that after going through the above-mentioned complicated verification procedure and disclosing private information such as age and identity, users may find that they don't like the electronic cigarette. This brings a poor experience to users.

[0007] Of course, it's not just about age verification. Currently, some aerosol provision systems also have other verification procedures. They also have the problem that users have to go through a complicated and potentially privacy-leaking verification process before evaluating whether they like the aerosol provision system.

[0008] Therefore, there is an urgent need to propose a new aerosol provision system or a method of using the aerosol provision system to solve one or more of the above problems.

[0009] Summary

[0010] In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided a method of using an aerosol provision system and a new aerosol provision system, so that users can evaluate electronic cigarettes without disclosing privacy or going through complex verification, thereby improving the user experience.

[0011] In accordance with a first aspect, there is provided a method of using an aerosol provision system. The aerosol provision system has a trial mode, a verification mode and a normal usage mode. The method comprises: when detecting a first triggering event, initiating the trial mode for a user to puff, detecting a time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior during the trial mode, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition; when detecting a second triggering event, initiating the verification mode for verifying and starting the normal usage mode for the user to puff after successful verification. The system is in a disabled puffing state during the verification mode.

[0012] This application adds a trial mode to the aerosol provision system. In the trial mode, users can perform trial puffs without the need for verification as in the normal usage mode, so as to evaluate the flavor, smoke volume, etc. of the aerosol provision system based on the trial puffs. The trial mode has a time limit for use, so it can reduce the possibility of using the trial mode to avoid verification and conduct the normal usage mode in a disguised form.

[0013] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition may comprise: when the time parameter reaches or exceeds a preset time threshold, ending the trial mode.

[0014] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, detecting a time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition may comprise: controlling a timer or a counter to record the time parameter in a cumulative manner; and ending the trial mode when the accumulated time parameter reaches the preset time threshold.

[0015] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, detecting a time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior and ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition may comprise: controlling a timer with the preset time threshold as the starting point for countdown, counting down the time parameter and determining a remaining time parameter; and ending the trial mode when the remaining time parameter reaches zero.

[0016] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, detecting a time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior and ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition may comprise: recording a time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior, and periodically synchronizing the time parameter to a flash memory for storage; and after the system is powered down and restarted, retrieving the time parameter stored in the flash memory before the power failure and incorporating it with the time parameter detected after the power restarts, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition.

[0017] By storing the time parameter in the flash memory, the loss of time caused by power failure is avoided, and the accuracy of time parameter detection in the trial mode is improved.

[0018] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, the time parameter comprises at least two different types and ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition may comprise ending the trial mode when either type of the time parameter meets the preset condition. In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, ending the trial mode when either type of the time parameter meets the preset condition may comprise determining in sequence whether the time parameter of the corresponding type meets the preset condition according to a preset sequence, repeating this process in a loop, ending the trial mode until it is determined that the time parameter of the corresponding type meets the preset condition.

[0019] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, the time parameter may comprise at least one of the following: cumulative operating time of the system; cumulative heating time of a heater of the system; cumulative puffing time of a user; cumulative puffing count of a user.

[0020] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition comprises: determining whether the cumulative operating time of the system and / or the cumulative heating time of the heater meet / meets a preset condition, and ending the trial mode when the preset condition is met; and if not, continuing to determine whether the cumulative puffing time and / or the cumulative puffing count meet / meets a preset condition, and ending the trial mode when the preset condition is met.

[0021] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, the time parameter comprises the cumulative puffing time and / or the cumulative puffing count and detecting the time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior may comprise: detecting each inhalation and cessation of the user; determining each puffing based on the inhalation and the cessation; and counting all puffs of the user in the trial mode to determine the cumulative puffing time and / or the cumulative puffing count.

[0022] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, the method may comprise: if the time interval between the inhalation and the cessation is lower than a preset duration, determining the puffing as an invalid puffing.

[0023] By determining the invalid puffing, the influence of the invalid puffing on the determination of the end of the trial mode is avoided.

[0024] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, the method may comprise: determining whether the trial mode ends; if it ends, stopping the detection of the time parameter.

[0025] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, the first triggering event is a trial request initiated by a user and / or the end of a shipping mode; and / or the second triggering event is a normal usage request initiated by a user and / or the end of the trial mode. In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, the first triggering event comprises the trial request, and the second triggering event comprises the normal usage request. The method may further comprise: if receiving a first operation from the user, and when determining that the first operation occurs, while the trial mode is not initiated or not ended and the normal usage mode is not initiated, then generating the trial request based on the first operation; if receiving a second operation from the user, generating the normal usage request based on the second operation.

[0026] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, the first triggering event comprises the trial request, and the second triggering event comprises the normal usage request. The method may further comprise: receiving a third operation from the user; when determining that the third operation occurs, while the trial mode is not initiated or not ended and the normal usage mode is not initiated, then generating the trial request based on the third operation; when determining that the third operation occurs, while the trial mode has already ended, then generating the normal usage request based on the third operation.

[0027] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, the third operation may be the user's puffing.

[0028] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, the verification mode may be an age verification mode.

[0029] In embodiments of the or any of the above method of using an aerosol provision system, the effective time of the trial mode may be shorter than the corresponding effective time of the normal usage mode.

[0030] The effective time of the trial mode being shorter than that of the normal usage mode can reduce the possibility of using the trial mode to avoid verification and conduct the normal usage mode in a disguised form.

[0031] In accordance with a second aspect, there is provided an aerosol provision system. The aerosol provision system has a trial mode, a verification mode and a normal usage mode.

[0032] The system comprises: a controller, configured to execute the method of using an aerosol provision system described in the above first aspect; a time parameter detecting unit, configured to detect the time parameter under the control of the controller; and a verification information input unit, configured to receive input verification information and transmit it to the controller for verification.

[0033] In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision system, the controller may be further configured to determine the end of the trial mode when the time parameter reaches or exceeds a preset time threshold.

[0034] In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision system, the time parameter detecting unit may comprise a timer or a counter that is configured to record the time parameter in a cumulative manner under the control of the controller. Wherein the controller is configured to determine the end of the trial mode when the accumulated time parameter reaches or exceeds a preset time threshold.

[0035] In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision system, the time parameter detecting unit may comprise a timer that is configured to count down the time parameter and determine a remaining time parameter under the control of the controller, with the preset time threshold as the starting point for countdown. Wherein the controller is configured to determine the end of the trial mode when the remaining time parameter reaches zero.

[0036] In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision system, the time parameter comprises a cumulative puffing time and / or a cumulative puffing count and the system further comprises a puffing detecting unit, configured to detect each inhalation and its cessation of the user; the controller, configured to determine each puffing based on the inhalation and the cessation; and the time parameter detecting unit, configured to count all puffs of the user in the trial mode under the control of the controller to determine the cumulative puffing time and I or the cumulative puffing count.

[0037] In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision system, the system further comprises a flash memory, configured to store the time parameter sent by the time parameter detecting unit; and the controller, configured to, after the system is powered down and restarted, retrieve the time parameter stored in the flash memory before the power failure, and incorporate it with the time parameter detected after the power restarts, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition.

[0038] In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision system, the system may comprise a heater, configured to heat an article in the system to generate an aerosol; and the controller, further configured to control the heater to be in a non-operating state during the verification mode.

[0039] In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision system, the first triggering event is a trial request initiated by a user, and the second triggering event is a normal usage request initiated by a user. The system may further comprise a user request receiving unit configured to receive the user's trial request and the normal usage request.

[0040] In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision system, the user request receiving unit is an electronic touch element and / or a physical button and / or an airflow sensor.

[0041] In a third aspect, there is provided a computer device, which includes a memory and a processor. A computer program that can run on the processor is stored on the memory. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the above-mentioned method of using an aerosol provision system is implemented. In a fourth aspect, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium. A computer program is stored in the computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed, the above-mentioned method of using an aerosol provision system is implemented.

[0042] One or more of the above technical solutions of this application have at least one or more of the following beneficial effects: this application adds a trial mode to the aerosol provision system. In the trial mode, users can perform trial puffs without the need for verification as in the normal usage mode, so as to evaluate the flavor, smoke volume, etc. of the aerosol provision system based on the trial puffs. The trial mode has a time limit for use, so it can reduce the possibility of using the trial mode to avoid verification and conduct the normal usage mode in a disguised form.

[0043] Additional aspects and advantages of the application will be partially described in the following description, some will become apparent from the following description, and others will be learned through the practice of the application.

[0044] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0045] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the disclosure of the present application will become more understandable. Those skilled in the art can easily understand that these drawings are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Moreover, similar numbers in the figures are used to represent similar components, wherein:

[0046] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the main functional components of the aerosol provision system in this application;

[0047] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the method of using the aerosol provision system in this application;

[0048] Figure 3 shows an example of starting the next mode in sequence based on the set modes in this application; and

[0049] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of the computer device provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0050] Detailed Description

[0051] The following describes some embodiments of the present application 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 application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0052] 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 aerosolgenerating 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol provision system.

[0058] 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.

[0059] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an aerosolgenerating material heating system, also known as a heat-not-burn system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system. 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.

[0060] Typically, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise a noncombustible aerosol provision device and a consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision device.

[0061] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosolgenerating material and configured to be used with non-combustible aerosol provision devices. These consumables are sometimes referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.

[0062] 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.

[0063] 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.

[0064] 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 aerosolmodifying agent.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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 aerosolformer materials, and / or one or more other functional materials. 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.

[0067] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises caffeine, melatonin or vitamin B12.

[0068] 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.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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.

[0071] 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.

[0072] 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.

[0073] 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.

[0074] 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. 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.

[0075] 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.

[0076] 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.

[0077] 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.

[0078] The one or more other functional materials may comprise one or more of pH regulators, colouring agents, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and / or antioxidants.

[0079] 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.

[0080] 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.

[0081] 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.

[0082] 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 aerosolmodifying 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.

[0083] 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 aerosolgenerating 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.

[0084] 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. 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.

[0085] 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.

[0086] As described in the background art, based on laws, regulations or industry requirements, verification procedures such as age verification are set in the aerosol provision system. Users need to pass the verification before they can puff. This may lead to problems such as users finding that they don't like the aerosol provision system after verification and not wanting to purchase it. As a result, users may conduct a meaningless verification. Therefore, this application creatively proposes to add a trial mode to the aerosol provision system, in which users can puff without special verification, so that users can evaluate the flavor, smoke volume, etc. of the aerosol provision system based on the trial mode. Moreover, the trial mode has a time limit for use, which can reduce the possibility of using the trial mode to avoid verification and conduct the normal usage mode in a disguised form.

[0087] Embodiment 1

[0088] Embodiment 1 of this application provides an aerosol provision system. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the main functional components of the aerosol provision system. Figure 1 mainly relates to electrical connections and functions. It is neither intended to indicate the physical dimensions of different components nor the details of the physical arrangement of components within the system, and components irrelevant to the understanding of the solution of this application are omitted. It should be understood that the aerosol provision system 100 shown in Figure 1 is only given as an example, and other variants can also be adopted.

[0089] As shown in Figure 1 , the aerosol provision system 100 comprises a housing 10 and an article 20 (such as a cigarette or e-liquid) at least partially located within the housing 10. The article 20 comprises aerosol-generating materials that can be atomized to produce an aerosol.

[0090] The aerosol provision system 100 comprises a heater 30 for generating heat when energized to heat and atomize the article 20.

[0091] In addition, the aerosol provision system 100 comprises a power supply 40, such as a rechargeable battery, disposed within the housing 10.

[0092] The aerosol provision system 100 further comprises a controller 50, which is connected to the heater 30 and the power supply 40 and is configured to control the power supply 40 to supply power to the heater 30.

[0093] The aerosol provision system 100 has a trial mode, a verification mode and a normal usage mode. The controller 50 is also configured to provide a verification mode for users to verify based on the corresponding triggering event, and start the normal usage mode for users to puff after the verification is passed. The controller 50 is also configured to start the trial mode for users to puff without going through the above-mentioned verification mode based on the corresponding triggering event, and monitor the time parameters related to puffing in the trial mode to determine whether to end the trial mode according to the time parameters.

[0094] In some embodiments, the aerosol provision system 100 may further comprise a time parameter detecting unit 60 connected to or integrated with the controller 50, which is configured to detect the time parameters related to puffing so that the controller can determine whether to end the trial mode based on this.

[0095] In some embodiments, the aerosol provision system 100 may further comprise a flash memory 70 connected to the controller 50 and the time parameter detecting unit 60. The flash memory 70 is used to receive and save the time parameters sent by the time parameter detecting unit 60. The time parameters saved in the time parameter detecting unit 60 will be erased after the system is powered down. In contrast, the time parameters saved in the flash memory 70 will not be erased after the system is powered down. After the system is powered down and restarted, the controller 50 can obtain the time parameters before the power failure from the flash memory 70 and incorporate them into the time parameters after the power-on restart to determine whether to end the trial mode accordingly. Since the flash memory 70 is not affected by power failure, the accuracy of the system's detection of time parameters is improved.

[0096] In some embodiments, the aerosol provision system 100 may further comprise a verification information input unit 80, which is configured to receive the verification information input by the user and transmit it to the controller for verification. The verification information input unit 80 may be used to implement the input of verification information in the verification mode in Embodiment 2.

[0097] In some embodiments of this application, the aerosol provision system 100 may further comprise a puffing detecting unit 90 for detecting whether the user has made a puff. The puffing detecting unit 90 may be a sensor. The sensor may be configured as an air-flow sensor to detect the air-flow change in the system to detect puffing; it may also be configured as a temperature sensor to detect the actual temperature of the heater 30. The air-flow change detected by the sensor or the actual temperature of the heater 30 detected by the sensor is transmitted to the controller 50 to assist the controller 50 in determining whether the user has made a puff. Taking the temperature sensor as an example, in the embodiment of this application, the temperature sensor may be configured as a dedicated temperature sensor. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the temperature sensor is configured to detect the resistance value of the heater 30 to finally determine the temperature according to the resistance value.

[0098] Embodiment 2

[0099] As described above, the aerosol provision system has a trial mode, a verification mode and a normal usage mode. The verification mode does not refer to all verifications, but specifically refers to the verification carried out for entering the normal usage mode. This verification mode may specifically be age verification. The system is in a puffing-disabled state during the verification mode. The trial mode is a concept opposite to the normal usage mode. In the trial mode, users can puff within a relatively short effective time without going through the verification mode. It should be noted that some verifications can also be set for entering the trial mode, but such verifications are different from the above-mentioned verification specifically carried out for entering the normal usage mode.

[0100] The aerosol provision system is limited by factors such as the content of the internal aerosol-generating materials, the lifespan of the heating element, and the lifespan of the power supply, and has a limited effective time. This effective time can be determined by testing the same type of aerosol provision system. The purpose of the trial mode is to provide users with trial puffs for making preference evaluations, and should not consume too much of the effective time of the system. Therefore, the effective time of the trial mode is set to be lower than the effective time of the aerosol provision system, and at the same time, lower than the effective time of the normal usage mode. Preferably, the effective time of the trial mode is set to be much lower than the effective time of the aerosol provision system, and at the same time, much lower than the effective time of the normal usage mode. In this way, it is possible to avoid using the trial mode to conduct the normal usage mode in a disguised form.

[0101] Embodiment 2 provides a method of using an aerosol provision system with the above- mentioned modes. The aerosol provision system can particularly be the aerosol provision system described in Embodiment 1 and Figure 1. Figure 2 is a flowchart of the method of using the aerosol provision system. This method is applied to the controller of the aerosol provision system. As shown in Figure 2, the method comprises:

[0102] 521. monitoring the triggering event.

[0103] 522. starting the trial mode for the user to puff when the first triggering event is detected; during the trial mode, monitoring the time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior, and ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets the preset condition.

[0104] By monitoring the time parameter, the time for the user to use the trial mode can be evaluated. In some embodiments, the time parameter may be a time parameter related to the system, such as the cumulative operating time of the system, that is, the duration from the system being powered on to being powered off, and / or the cumulative heating time of the heater of the system, that is, the time when the system is powered on and in the heating working state. In some embodiments, the time parameter may be monitored by the time parameter detecting unit in Embodiment 1.

[0105] Considering that the system being powered on or heated does not necessarily mean that the user is puffing, in other embodiments, the time parameter comprises the user's cumulative puffing time, that is, the sum of the cumulative time of multiple puffs. The above time parameters may directly reflect the length of time. In the alternative embodiments, the time parameter may also comprise parameters that indirectly reflect the length of time, such as the user's cumulative puffing count. The duration of each puff of the user is within a certain time range, so the puffing count can also reflect the user's cumulative puffing time from the side.

[0106] In some embodiments, the time parameter may be one or more of the above time parameters.

[0107] In one of the embodiments, the time parameter comprises at least two different types, and ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets the preset condition comprises: ending the trial mode when either type of the time parameter meets the preset condition. In the above embodiment, ending the trial mode when either type of the time parameter meets the preset condition comprises: determining in sequence whether the time parameter of the corresponding type meets the preset condition according to the preset sequence, repeating this process in a loop, and ending the trial mode until it is determined that the time parameter of the corresponding type meets the preset condition.

[0108] In one embodiment, the sequence may be that the cumulative operating time of the system and / or the cumulative heating time of the system heater take precedence, followed by the cumulative puffing time and the cumulative puffing count. That is, first determine whether the cumulative operating time of the system and / or the cumulative heating time of the system heater meet the preset condition, and end the trial mode when it is reached; if not, continue to determine whether the cumulative puffing time meets the preset condition and / or whether the cumulative puffing count meets the preset condition, and end the trial mode when it is reached.

[0109] In an alternative embodiment, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets the preset condition comprises: when there are multiple types of time parameters, ending the trial mode when all types of time parameters meet the preset condition.

[0110] In embodiments, when the time parameter comprises the cumulative puffing time and / or the cumulative puffing count, the time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior is detected through the following steps: detecting each inhalation and cessation of the user; determining each puffing based on the inhalation and the cessation; and counting all puffs of the user in the trial mode to determine the cumulative puffing time and / or the cumulative puffing count.

[0111] A normal puffing will last for a certain period of time. In order to avoid misidentifying some non-puffing as puffing, in the preferred embodiment of this application, the method further includes: if the time interval between the inhalation and the cessation is lower than the preset duration, determine it as an invalid puffing. By monitoring the invalid puffing, the influence of the invalid puffing on the determination of the end of the trial mode is avoided, and the accuracy of the monitoring of the trial mode is improved.

[0112] This application does not specifically limit the detection method of the inhalation and cessation of each puffing. All the methods that can realize the puffing monitoring are within the protection scope of this application. In some embodiments, an air-flow sensor may be used to monitor the air flow rate of the system to determine whether the user is puffing; or the decrease in the amount of aerosol caused by the user's puffing can be utilized, and an air-flow sensor may be used to detect the change in the amount of aerosol to determine whether the user has puffed; or the temperature drop caused by the user's puffing may be utilized, and a temperature sensor may be used to monitor the temperature change of the system to determine whether the user has puffed; or the temperature drop caused by the user's puffing and the power change caused by the temperature drop may be utilized, and by monitoring the power change of the system, it can be determined whether the user has puffed. It should be noted that the detection of the inhalation and cessation of each puffing may be carried out by the puffing detecting unit in Embodiment 1.

[0113] In embodiments, that the time parameter meets the preset condition can specifically comprise that the time parameter reaches or exceeds the preset time threshold. For example, if the cumulative operating time of the system reaches or exceeds the preset cumulative operating time threshold of the system, the cumulative heating time of the system heater meets the condition that the time parameter reaches or exceeds the preset cumulative heating time threshold of the system heater, and the user's cumulative puffing time reaches or exceeds the preset cumulative puffing time threshold, then the trial mode is ended.

[0114] In the above embodiments, detecting the time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior and ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets the preset condition comprise: controlling a timer or a counter to record the time parameter in a cumulative manner; and ending the trial mode when the accumulated time parameter reaches the preset time threshold.

[0115] In an alternative embodiment, detecting the time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior and ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets the preset condition comprise: controlling a timer with the preset time threshold as the starting point for countdown, counting down the time parameter and determine the remaining time parameter; and ending the trial mode when the remaining time parameter reaches zero.

[0116] The above-mentioned timer and counter are two specific implementation forms of the time parameter detecting unit mentioned in Embodiment 1. In another embodiment of this application, when the time parameter is the user's cumulative puffing count, the time parameter detecting unit can be a counter, and the counter can adopt two similar methods as above for counting.

[0117] Considering that the user may start the trial mode during multiple power-on periods, the time parameter needs to be comprehensively calculated. In order to avoid the loss of the time parameter caused by the system being powered off, in embodiments, the controller records the time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior, and periodically synchronizes the time parameter to the flash memory for storage; after the system is powered down and restarted, the time parameter stored in the flash memory before the power failure is retrieved and incorporated into the time parameter detected after the power restarts, and the trial mode is ended when the time parameter meets the preset condition. In this embodiment, by storing the time parameter in the flash memory, the loss of the time parameter caused by the power failure is avoided, and the accuracy of the time parameter detection in the trial mode is improved. The following takes the cumulative operating time of the system as the time parameter as an example to provide a specific way of recording the time parameter.

[0118] A timer is set in the system to record the passage of time. A variable named timeoutjeft is set in the timer, and this variable is initialized to the preset cumulative operating time threshold of the system. For example, timeout_left:= 8 hours, which means there are still 8 hours left. When the system is powered on, the timer will be triggered, and the timeoutjeft variable will start counting down from the initialized value. When the system is powered on and in the trial mode, the timer is updated every fixed time, such as every 1 second. timeoutjeft:= timeoutjeft-1. Until timeoutjeft = 0, it means the end of the trial mode.

[0119] In order to avoid the data loss of the timeoutjeft variable caused by the system shutdown, the value of the timeoutjeft variable will be periodically sent to the flash memory for storage. In this way, even if the system is shut down, the latest timeoutjeft value will still be retained in the flash memory. When the system is powered on again, the timeoutjeft value is obtained from the flash memory, and when in the trial mode, the countdown continues with this value. This ensures the continuity and accuracy of the time parameter monitoring.

[0120] When the time parameter is the cumulative heating time of the heater, the timing method of the timer is roughly the same as that of the cumulative operating time of the above- mentioned system. The difference is that the countdown of timeoutjeft only occurs when the heater is heating.

[0121] When the time parameter is the user's cumulative puffing time, the timing method of the timer is roughly the same as that of the cumulative operating time of the above-mentioned system. The difference is that the countdown of timeoutjeft only occurs when the user is puffing.

[0122] In embodiments, the above-mentioned timer is specifically a hardware module based on the MCU crystal oscillator.

[0123] In embodiments, the trial mode does not set a limit on the number of times, but only sets a limit on the time parameter. For example, if the threshold of the cumulative puffing time of the trial mode is set to 1 minute, even if the user has powered off and restarted multiple times in the middle, it will not affect the determination of whether the trial mode ends. Only when the cumulative puffing time of the trial mode under multiple power-on situations reaches 1 minute, the trial mode will end.

[0124] In an alternative embodiment, the trial mode not only sets a limit on the time parameter but also sets a limit on the number of times. The time parameter can be the total time parameter of all trial modes, or it can be the time parameter corresponding to each trial mode. The limit on the number of times can be set to only allow the trial mode to be started once. That is, after it is started, even if the time parameter does not meet the preset condition, the trial mode cannot be started again. In real life, the same aerosol system may need to be tried multiple times. For example, if the first user does not like it and does not purchase it after the trial, it still needs to be provided for other users to try. Therefore, in the embodiment of this application, the trial mode can be started multiple times.

[0125] In the case that the trial mode can be started multiple times, in order to prevent consumer users from abusing the trial mode, in the embodiment of this application, permission restrictions can be set for the trial mode. In one way, the seller has the permission to turn on the trial mode and decides whether to open the trial mode to consumer users according to the need. Moreover, the seller also has the permission to set the time parameter threshold in the trial mode to change the time parameter threshold as needed. In an alternative way, consumer users have the starting permission. But the same consumer user only has the starting permission for a set number of times (usually 1 time). For example, the consumer user conducts permission verification through facial features. When the controller determines that the facial features are input for the first time, it starts the trial mode, otherwise it does not start. In this way, each consumer user has 1 starting permission.

[0126] In an optional embodiment, the method further comprises determining whether the trial mode ends.;stopping monitoring the time parameter if it ends.

[0127] S23. when the second triggering event is detected, starting the verification mode for verification, and starting the normal usage mode for the user to puff after the verification is successful; wherein the system is in a state of disabled puffing during the verification mode.

[0128] In some embodiments, the mode sequence is preset, and the end of the previous mode is used as the triggering event for starting the next mode. Among them, the first triggering event can be set as the end of the shipping mode, and the second triggering event can be set as the end of the trial mode. As shown in Figure 3, it is an example of a specific mode sequence setting. The aerosol provision system has a shipping mode, a trial mode, a verification mode, and a normal usage mode set in sequence according to the starting order. If it is determined that the shipping mode ends, the trial mode is started; if it is determined that the trial mode ends, the verification mode is started, and after the verification is successful, the normal usage mode is started.

[0129] The above-mentioned shipping mode, also known as the transportation mode or storage mode, is a power-saving mode often set for the aerosol provision system during the transportation period after leaving the factory. In this mode, the power supply to the heater is usually cut off, and the system is in an energy-saving state with the lowest power consumption, so that the system can maintain its power during transportation.

[0130] In another part of the embodiments, the first triggering event is a trial request actively triggered by the user; the second triggering event is a normal usage request actively triggered by the user. Different from the above embodiments, the activation of the mode depends on the user's active operation. If a trial request is received, the trial mode is started; if a normal usage request is received, the verification mode is started.

[0131] In some embodiments, "starting" a certain mode also comprises allowing the start of a certain mode.

[0132] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned trial request and normal usage request may be generated based on different user operations.

[0133] If a first operation of the user is received, when it is determined that the first operation occurs, and the trial mode has not been started or has not ended, and the normal usage mode has not been started, then the trial request is generated according to the first operation. If a second operation of the user is received, the normal usage request is generated according to the second operation. In the actual scenario, consumer users may have purchased the same aerosol provision system multiple times and do not need to conduct a trial, but hope to directly enter the normal usage mode. This embodiment can obviously meet such a need.

[0134] The above-mentioned first operation and second operation can be input by triggering different switches, different gestures, etc. In view of the fact that an air-flow sensor is generally set in the aerosol provision system to monitor puffing, in the preferred embodiment of this application, different puffs (different puffing times, different puffing intensities, different continuous puffing counts) can be used as the first operation and the second operation.

[0135] In another implementation, the above-mentioned trial request and normal usage request may also be generated based on the same user operation: receiving a third operation of the user. When it is determined that the third operation occurs, and the trial mode has not been started or has not ended, and the normal usage mode has not been started, then the trial request is generated according to the third operation. When it is determined that the third operation occurs, and the trial mode has already ended, then the normal usage request is generated according to the third operation.

[0136] The above-mentioned third operation may be input by triggering a switch, inputting a gesture, etc. In view of the fact that an air-flow sensor is generally set in the aerosol provision system to monitor puffing, in the preferred embodiment of this application, puffing can be used as the third operation.

[0137] A trial mode is added to the aerosol provision system. In the trial mode, users can perform trial puffs without the need for verification as in the normal usage mode, so as to evaluate the flavor, smoke volume, etc. of the aerosol provision system based on the trial puffs. The trial mode has a time limit for use, so it can reduce the possibility of using the trial mode to avoid verification and conduct the normal usage mode in a disguised form.

[0138] When the system starts the verification mode, an input interface or window can be provided for the user to input verification information. The verification mode can specifically be an age verification mode, and the verification information is verification information that can verify the age, including but not limited to ID card information, facial information, driver's license information, etc. In some embodiments of this application, the verification information can be input through the verification information input unit in Embodiment 1 above and sent to the controller for verification.

[0139] Embodiment 3

[0140] Corresponding to Embodiments 1 and 2 above, there is also provided a computer device, which comprises a processor and a memory. A computer program that can run on the processor is stored in the memory. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the method of using the aerosol provision system provided in any of the above embodiments is executed.

[0141] Wherein, Figure 4 exemplarily shows a computer device 1500, which may specifically comprise a processor 1510, a video display adapter 1511 , a disk drive 1512, an input / output interface 1513, a network interface 1514, and a memory 1520. The above-mentioned processor 1510, video display adapter 1511 , disk drive 1512, input / output interface 1513, network interface 1514, and the memory 1520 can be communicatively connected through a communication bus 1530.

[0142] Wherein, the processor 1510 may be implemented by means of a general-purpose CPU (Central Processing Unit), a microprocessor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits, etc., and is used to execute relevant programs to implement the technical solution provided by this application.

[0143] The memory 1520 may be implemented in the forms of ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), a static storage device, a dynamic storage device, etc. The memory 1520 can store an operating system 1521 for controlling the operation of the electronic device, and a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) for controlling the low-level operations of the electronic device. In addition, it can also store a web browser 1523, a data storage management system 1524, a device identification information processing system 1525, and so on. The above-mentioned device identification information processing system 1525 can be the application program that specifically implements the operations of the foregoing steps in the embodiments of this application. In short, when implementing the technical solution provided by this application through software or firmware, the relevant program codes are stored in the memory 1520 and called and executed by the processor 1510.

[0144] The input / output interface 1513 is used to connect the input / output module to achieve information input and output. The input / output module can be configured as a component in the device (not shown in the figure), or can be externally connected to the device to provide corresponding functions. The input devices may include a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, a microphone, various sensors, etc., and the output devices may include a display, a speaker, a vibrator, an indicator light, etc. The network interface 1514 is used to connect a communication module (not shown in the figure) to achieve communication interaction between this device and other devices. The communication module can communicate through a wired method (such as USB, network cable, etc.) or a wireless method (such as a mobile network, WIFI, Bluetooth, etc.).

[0145] The bus comprises a path for transmitting information among various components of the device (such as the processor 1510, video display adapter 1511 , disk drive 1512, input / output interface 1513, network interface 1514, and the memory 1520).

[0146] In addition, the electronic device can also obtain the information of specific claiming conditions from the database of claiming condition information of virtual resource objects for condition judgment, and so on.

[0147] It should be noted that the above device only shows the processor 1510, video display adapter 1511 , disk drive 1512, input / output interface 1513, network interface 1514, memory 1520, bus, etc. However, in the specific implementation process, the device may also include other components necessary for normal operation. In addition, those skilled in the art can understand that the above device may also only include the components necessary for implementing the solution of this application, and there is no need to include all the components shown in the figure.

[0148] Embodiment 4

[0149] Corresponding to Embodiments 1 to 3 above, there is also provided a computer- readable storage medium. In this embodiment, the content that is the same as or similar to that in Embodiments 1 to 3 above can refer to the above introduction, and will not be repeated hereinafter.

[0150] The computer-readable storage medium has a computer program stored thereon. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the method of using the aerosol provision system as described above is implemented.

[0151] In some implementation manners, in the embodiment of this application, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it can also implement the steps corresponding to the method described in Embodiment 2. For details, reference can be made to the detailed description in Embodiment 2, which will not be repeated here.

[0152] It should be understood that each part of the present application 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..

[0153] 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.

[0154] 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.

[0155] 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.

[0156] Although the embodiments of the application 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 application. Those skilled in the art within the scope of the application can make variations, modifications, replacements, and variations to the abovedescribed embodiments.

Claims

Claims1. A method of using an aerosol provision system, wherein the aerosol provision system has a trial mode, a verification mode and a normal usage mode; the method comprising: when detecting a first triggering event, initiating the trial mode for a user to puff, detecting a time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior during the trial mode, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition; when detecting a second triggering event, initiating the verification mode for verifying, and starting the normal usage mode for the user to puff after successful verification; the system is in a disabled puffing state during the verification mode.

2. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to claim 1 , wherein ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition comprises: when the time parameter reaches or exceeds a preset time threshold, ending the trial mode.

3. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to claim 2, wherein detecting a time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition comprises: controlling a timer or a counter to record the time parameter in a cumulative manner; ending the trial mode when the accumulated time parameter reaches the preset time threshold.

4. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to claim 2, wherein detecting a time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior and ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition comprises: controlling a timer with the preset time threshold as the starting point for countdown, counting down the time parameter and determining a remaining time parameter; ending the trial mode when the remaining time parameter reaches zero.

5. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to any preceding claim, wherein detecting a time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior and ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition comprises: recording a time parameter related to the user's puffing behavior, and periodically synchronizing the time parameter to a flash memory for storage; after the system is powered down and restarted, retrieving the time parameter stored in the flash memory before the power failure and incorporating it with the time parameter detected after the power restarts, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition.

6. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to any preceding claim, wherein the time parameter comprises at least two different types and ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition comprises: ending the trial mode when either type of the time parameter meets the preset condition.

7. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to claim 6, wherein ending the trial mode when either type of the time parameter meets the preset condition comprises: determining in sequence whether the time parameter of the corresponding type meets the preset condition according to a preset sequence, repeating this process in a loop, ending the trial mode until it is determined that the time parameter of the corresponding type meets the preset condition.

8. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to any preceding claim, wherein the time parameter comprises at least one of the following: cumulative operating time of the system; cumulative heating time of a heater of the system; cumulative puffing time of a user; cumulative puffing count of a user.

9. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to claim 8, wherein ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition comprises: determining whether the cumulative operating time of the system and / or the cumulative heating time of the heater meet / meets a preset condition, and ending the trial mode when the preset condition is met; if not, continuing to determine whether the cumulative puffing time and / or the cumulative puffing count meet / meets a preset condition, and ending the trial mode when the preset condition is met.

10. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to any preceding claim, wherein: the first triggering event is a trial request initiated by a user and / or the end of a shipping mode; and / or the second triggering event is a normal usage request initiated by a user and / or the end of trial mode.

11. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to claim 10, wherein the first triggering event comprises the trial request, the second triggering event comprises the normal usage request, the method further comprises:if receiving a first operation from the user, and when determining that the first operation occurs, while the trial mode is not initiated or not ended and the normal usage mode is not initiated, then generating the trial request based on the first operation; if receiving a second operation from the user, generating the normal usage request based on the second operation.

12. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to claim 10, wherein the first triggering event comprises the trial request, the second triggering event comprises the normal usage request, the method further comprises: receiving a third operation from the user; when determining that the third operation occurs, while the trial mode is not initiated or not ended and the normal usage mode is not initiated, then generating the trial request based on the third operation; when determining that the third operation occurs, while the trial mode has already ended, then generating the normal usage request based on the third operation.

13. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to any preceding claim, wherein the verification mode is an age verification mode.

14. The method of using an aerosol provision system according to any preceding claim, wherein the effective time of the trial mode is shorter than the corresponding effective time of the normal usage mode.

15. An aerosol provision system having a trial mode, a verification mode and a normal usage mode; the system comprising: a controller, configured to execute the method of any of claims 1-14; a time parameter detecting unit, configured to detect the time parameter under the control of the controller; a verification information input unit, configured to receive input verification information and transmit to the controller for verification.

16. The aerosol provision system according to claim 15, wherein the time parameter detecting unit comprises: a timer or a counter, configured to record the time parameter in a cumulative manner under the control of the controller; the controller, configured to determine the end of the trial mode when the accumulated time parameter reaches or exceeds a preset time threshold.

17. The aerosol provision system according to claim 15, wherein the time parameter detecting unit comprises: a timer, configured to count down the time parameter and determine a remaining time parameter under the control of the controller, with the preset time threshold as the starting point for countdown;the controller, configured to determine the end of the trial mode when the remaining time parameter reaches zero.

18. The aerosol provision system according to claim 15, wherein the time parameter comprises a cumulative puffing time and / or a cumulative puffing count, and the system further comprises: a puffing detecting unit, configured to detect each inhalation and its cessation of the user; the controller, configured to determine each puffing based on the inhalation and the cessation; the time parameter detecting unit, configured to count all puffs of the user in the trial mode under the control of the controller to determine the cumulative puffing time and / or the cumulative puffing count.

19. The aerosol provision system according to claim 15, wherein the system further comprises: a flash memory, configured to store the time parameter sent by the time parameter detecting unit; the controller, configured to, after the system is powered down and restarted, retrieve the time parameter stored in the flash memory before the power failure, and incorporate it with the time parameter detected after the power restarts, ending the trial mode when the time parameter meets a preset condition.

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