Aerosol Provision Device Encryption for Usage Data Reporting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aerosol provision systems lack secure and efficient mechanisms for encrypting and transmitting usage data to authorized computing systems, making them vulnerable to unauthorized access and data breaches.

Innovation Solution

An aerosol provision device equipped with a controller that encrypts usage data using a cryptographic key and sends the encrypted data report to a further device, ensuring only authorized systems can decrypt it with a corresponding key, utilizing various encryption algorithms like RSA, AES, and ECC.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If usage data is transmitted without encryption, then data accessibility and processing efficiency are improved, but data security and protection against unauthorized access deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidencryption mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by encrypting usage data before transmission to the further device. The controller encrypts the usage data using a cryptographic key stored in memory, ensuring that data is protected prior to leaving the aerosol provision device. This proactive encryption approach resolves the contradiction by establishing security measures in advance, preventing unauthorized access while maintaining a manageable implementation through integration into the existing data transmission workflow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary element - a cryptographic key - that mediates between the usage data and the further device. The key acts as a security barrier, allowing authorized systems to decrypt and access the data while blocking unauthorized access. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by adding security without requiring complex encryption algorithms or multiple layers of protection, simply through the use of a securely managed cryptographic key.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If encryption is implemented using standard algorithms, then data protection is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata protectionVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by selecting specific cryptographic key sizes (at least 32 bits, preferably 64 bits or 128 bits) that balance security requirements with processing efficiency. By optimizing the key size parameter, the system achieves adequate data protection without using excessively large keys that would significantly increase processing time. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between strong encryption and fast processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs disposable cryptographic keys that are generated, used for encryption, and then discarded or rotated. This approach allows the use of strong encryption algorithms without the need for complex key management systems, as each key is used once or for a limited period. The disposable nature of the keys reduces the computational overhead of key management while maintaining strong security, resolving the contradiction between data protection and processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentEP4622313A1Aerosol provision system
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 NICOVENTURES TRADING LTD
  • EP4622313A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4622313A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4622313A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An aerosol provision device comprising: a controller configured to control operation of the aerosol provision device; a control interface configured to receive inputs and provide input data to the controller corresponding to the input, wherein further the control interface comprises communication circuitry configured to send data to one or more further devices; and a memory for storing a collection of use data comprising a plurality of entries, the plurality of entries comprising one or more types of entries of use data, wherein the controller is configured to: generate a data report comprising one or more entries of the collection of use data; encrypt the data report using a first cryptographic key of the aerosol provision device to generate an encrypted data report; and cause the communication circuitry to send the encrypted data report to a further device.