Aerosol Generator Override Circuitry for Error-Triggered Power Cutoff

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aerosol provision systems, such as electronic cigarettes and tobacco-heating products, may erroneously supply power to the aerosol generator despite the presence of predefined error conditions due to processing errors or faults in the microcontroller, potentially leading to unsafe operation.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating error detection circuitry to determine predefined error conditions and override circuitry to prevent power supply to the aerosol generator, ensuring safe operation by interrupting power control signaling or sending reset/shutdown signals when error conditions are detected.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If error detection circuitry and override circuitry are added to prevent erroneous power supply, then safety and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The error detection circuitry continuously monitors for error conditions before they can cause unsafe operation. The override circuitry is pre-configured to automatically interrupt power supply when errors are detected, preventing harmful effects before they occur. This preliminary monitoring and preparation of safety mechanisms resolves the contradiction by establishing reliability through advance error detection and automatic protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The override circuitry acts as an intermediary between the error detection circuitry and the power supply system. It receives error signals from the detection circuitry and mediates by interrupting the power control signaling to the aerosol generator. This intermediary component provides a clear separation of functions while maintaining system reliability, addressing the contradiction between added safety and increased complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If override circuitry interrupts power control signaling to prevent erroneous power supply, then harmful effects are reduced, but loss of information increases due to interruption of control signals

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveharmful effectsVSAvoidloss of information
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The override circuitry applies preliminary anti-action by being pre-configured to interrupt power control signaling when error conditions are detected. This preemptive interruption prevents the aerosol generator from receiving erroneous power supply that could cause harmful effects. The system prioritizes preventing harmful effects over maintaining continuous control signal flow, resolving the contradiction in favor of safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP4591739A1Aerosol provision systems, devices and methods
Publication Date: 2025.07.30 NICOVENTURES TRADING LTD
  • EP4591739A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4591739A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4591739A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

An aerosol provision device comprising: a power controller for controlling when to supply power to an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-forming material; error detection circuitry for determining if a predefined error condition exists; and override circuitry operable to prevent the supply of power to the aerosol generator; wherein the power controller is configured to not supply power to the aerosol generator in response to error detection signalling from the error detection circuitry indicating the predefined error condition exists; and the override circuitry is configured to prevent the supply of power to the aerosol generator in response to error detection signalling from the error detection circuitry indicating the predefined error condition exists.