Aerosol Device Puffing Session End Notification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of aerosol-generating devices without combustion struggle to determine the start and end of puffing sessions, leading to unclear consumption insights and potential overuse, as they lack the traditional visual, olfactory, and somatosensory cues present in combustion-style cigarettes.

Innovation Solution

An aerosol-generating device with a controller and puffing session indicator that monitors puffing sessions based on time or number of puffs, providing notifications through vibrations or device shutdown to indicate the end of a session, allowing users to set personalized thresholds and receive insights into their consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If aerosol-generating devices are used without combustion, then harmful factors from combustion are reduced, but users lose clear start and stop experiences that indicate puffing session boundaries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustion harmful factorsVSAvoidpuffing session boundary information

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary notification system (visual, audible, or haptic signals) that mediates between the aerosol-generating device and the user to convey puffing session boundary information. This intermediary communicates session start and end points, compensating for the loss of traditional combustion cues without requiring combustion itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The device implements feedback mechanisms that monitor puffing sessions and provide real-time information to users about session duration and boundaries. The system detects puffing patterns and delivers feedback notifications to indicate when sessions are approaching limits or have ended, restoring the informational feedback loop that was present with traditional cigarettes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of information

If users rely on traditional sensory cues, then clear start and stop experiences are obtained, but consumption monitoring and control are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensory cue informationVSAvoidconsumption measurement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical/sensory cue-based monitoring with electronic sensing and digital measurement systems. Sensors detect puffing events, duration, and intensity, converting physical actions into quantifiable data that can be precisely measured, tracked, and analyzed, far exceeding the precision of human sensory perception.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

An intermediary data processing and notification system bridges the gap between raw sensor data and user understanding. This intermediary translates precise measurement data into actionable insights and notifications, helping users comprehend their consumption patterns with greater accuracy than traditional sensory cues alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If no puffing session notifications are provided, then device operation is simple, but users lack consumption insights and may overuse the device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification system complexityVSAvoidconsumption information

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The notification system implements structured feedback loops that provide users with consumption information at meaningful intervals. The system monitors usage and delivers notifications when sessions end or when consumption reaches predefined thresholds, creating a feedback mechanism that promotes responsible usage without requiring complex continuous intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Rather than providing constant continuous notifications, the system uses partial action by notifying users at specific key moments (session end, threshold reached). This selective notification approach provides sufficient consumption information to prevent overuse while maintaining relative simplicity and avoiding excessive user alerting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables users to develop a ritual around puffing sessions, providing clear start and stop experiences, helping them manage consumption by offering timely notifications and promoting responsible usage.

Implementation Method 1

monitoring a puffing session of a user using the aerosol-generating device, determining an end of the puffing session based the monitoring

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTime measurement:

Implementation Method 2

providing notifications through vibrations or device shutdown to indicate the end of a session

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Data Source

PatentUS20230404165A1Puffing session end notification

Publication Date: 2023.12.21 PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS SA

AI summary

Aerosol-generating device (102) including a puffing session indicator (127) and a controller (128) operably coupled to the puffing session indicator, the controller configured to monitor a puffing session of a user, determine an end of the puffing session based the monitoring, and provide a puffing session end notification to the user indicative of the end of the puffing session in response to determination of the end of the puffing session.