Aerosol Provision System Inventory Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of non-combustible aerosol provision systems, such as electronic cigarettes and heat-not-burn devices, face challenges in managing their supply of aerosolisable material, leading to potential depletion and inability to use the device until the supply is replenished.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for tracking the inventory of aerosolisable material, allowing users to receive inputs on changes in their supply, updating stored indications, and taking pre-emptive actions to avoid running out, such as ordering more material or switching to a conserving mode, using a user device connected to the aerosol provision system via Bluetooth or other protocols.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If users manually track their aerosolisable material supply, then they can avoid depletion, but the system complexity increases and user convenience decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupply management reliabilityVSAvoidinventory tracking complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically tracks aerosolisable material inventory by detecting puff events and calculating consumption based on pre-stored device parameters, eliminating the need for manual user tracking while maintaining accurate supply monitoring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback to the user through notifications when inventory reaches threshold levels, enabling automatic replenishment actions without requiring continuous manual monitoring or complex user intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If users continuously monitor and manage their inventory, then depletion is prevented, but time and effort are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous supply availabilityVSAvoidtime for inventory management

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system autonomously monitors inventory levels by detecting puff events and calculating remaining material based on stored consumption data, freeing users from manual inventory checking while ensuring continuous supply awareness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system triggers pre-emptive notifications before inventory depletes, allowing users to replenish material in advance and maintain continuous availability without last-minute rushes or manual monitoring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the system tracks detailed usage characteristics, then prediction accuracy improves, but data processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinventory prediction precisionVSAvoiddata processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from tracked puff events and consumption patterns to continuously refine inventory predictions, improving accuracy through iterative learning while processing data through efficient algorithms that analyze only relevant usage characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20240277073A1An aerosol provision system

Publication Date: 2024.08.22 NICOVENTURES TRADING LTD

AI summary

A method of tracking an inventory of aerosolisable material for a non-combustible aerosol provision system involves receiving an input indicative of a change in a user's inventory of aerosolisable material and updating a stored indication of the inventory of aerosolisable material based on the input indicative of the change.