Aerosol Controller Using Heater Data for Material Level Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of non-combustible aerosol provision devices, such as e-cigarettes and tobacco heating devices, lack effective monitoring of aerosol-generating material usage, leading to uncertainty about remaining quantities and efficient consumption.
Innovation Solution
A controller system that determines the operating state of the device, using detectors to assess user interaction and operational parameters, and adjusts depletion rates accordingly to estimate the remaining aerosol-generating material, displaying this information to the user through an indicator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the system continuously monitors and updates aerosol-generating material levels, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional detectors and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the heater assembly's own operational data (temperature, duration, cycles) to self-determine material depletion without requiring separate detectors. The controller processes information already being collected for heating control to derive material level information, making the system self-monitoring rather than requiring additional dedicated monitoring components.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater assembly serves dual functions: it heats the aerosol-generating material for aerosol generation and simultaneously provides operational data for material level monitoring. The controller performs multiple functions including heating control, material level estimation, and user interface management using a single integrated system rather than separate dedicated components.
2Reliability
If the system applies depletion rates based on actual usage patterns, then reliability of material level estimation is improved, but loss of time increases due to continuous monitoring and calculation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes depletion rates and usage patterns based on heater assembly characteristics and material properties before actual use. These pre-calculated parameters are stored in the controller and applied during operation, avoiding the need for real-time complex calculations while maintaining estimation accuracy based on actual usage patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
A detailed listing of all claims that are, or were, in the present application, irrespective of whether the claim(s) remain(s) under examination in the application is presented below. The claims are presented in ascending order and each includes one status identifier. Those claims not cancelled or withdrawn but amended by the current amendment utilize the following notations for amendment: 1. deleted matter is shown by strikethrough for six or more characters and double brackets for five or fewer characters; and 2. added matter is shown by underlining.