Aerosol Device Data Exchange via Connectionless Channels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing non-combustible aerosol provision systems face challenges in efficiently and energy-effectively sharing operational data between devices without the need for a connected smartphone or establishing a connection-based channel, particularly in providing users with information about nearby devices or beacons.

Innovation Solution

A non-combustible aerosol provision system utilizing a connectionless data channel, such as Bluetooth Low Energy, to transmit and receive operational data between devices, allowing users to access information like aerosol levels, battery status, and error codes directly on the device, and to detect nearby devices or beacons, using advertising packets and response packets to indicate proximity and operational states.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If connection-based data channels (Bluetooth pairing/bonding) are used to transfer operational data between devices, then data transfer reliability is improved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase due to the need for establishing and maintaining connections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer reliabilityVSAvoidconnection management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the connection establishment step from the data transfer process by using connectionless advertising channels. Devices can publish and subscribe to operational data topics without needing to establish a formal connection, thereby simplifying the system while maintaining data transfer reliability through the pub-sub mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a message broker as an intermediary that facilitates data transfer between devices. The broker receives published operational data and distributes it to subscribed devices, enabling reliable data exchange without direct device-to-device connections, thus reducing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If connection-based data channels are used for data transfer, then data transfer completeness is improved, but energy consumption increases due to continuous connection maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer completenessVSAvoiddevice energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of maintaining continuous connections, the system uses periodic publishing of operational data by devices and periodic subscription checking by the message broker. This periodic action ensures data completeness while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous connection maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

Devices automatically publish their operational data to the message broker without needing to actively maintain connections with subscribers. The broker automatically distributes data to all subscribed devices, enabling self-service data exchange that minimizes energy expenditure while ensuring complete data transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If direct device-to-device communication is implemented, then user access to operational data is improved, but system complexity increases due to peer-to-peer connection management

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser access to operational dataVSAvoidpeer-to-peer connection management

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The message broker serves as an intermediary that simplifies user access to operational data. Users can subscribe to topics of interest through the broker, which automatically retrieves and delivers relevant data from multiple devices. This eliminates the need for users to manage complex peer-to-peer connections while maintaining ease of access to operational information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250089811A1Communication between multiple separate non-combustible aerosol provision systems

Publication Date: 2025.03.20 NICOVENTURES TRADING LTD

AI summary

A non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise: a data system configured to 5 store operational data relating to an operational state of the non-combustible aerosol provision system and to store received operational data relating to an operational state of another non-combustible aerosol provision system; a wireless communication system configured to receive, from another non-combustible aerosol provision system using a connectionless data channel, operational data relating to an operational state of the another non-combustible aerosol 10 provision system; a user interface system configured to communicate by a user interface element of the non-combustible aerosol provision system, an indication representative of the received operational data relating to an operational state of the another non-combustible aerosol provision system.