Brand-Aware Heating Profile Selection for Aerosol Generators

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aerosol-generating devices, such as electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco devices, lack the ability to dynamically adjust heating profiles based on user preferences, flavor, and situational factors, leading to inconsistent user experience.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a computer device that stores profiles associated with brand information and user-specific extraction conditions, allowing for the selection of a suitable heating profile based on brand, flavor, user preference, and situational data, including inhalation tendency, location, and personal attributes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed heating profile is used for all users and situations, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the adaptability and user experience quality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability of heating profileVSAvoidcomplexity of profile selection system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically selects appropriate heating profiles based on user input data (inhalation tendency, location, personal attributes) without requiring manual profile selection. The computer device performs automated matching between user characteristics and stored profiles, allowing the system to serve itself in profile selection rather than requiring user intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple heating profiles are pre-stored in the system with associated extraction conditions defined in advance. User data is collected and stored beforehand, enabling the system to quickly retrieve and apply the most suitable profile when needed, rather than calculating or selecting profiles in real-time during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple heating profiles are stored with various extraction conditions, then the adaptability and user experience are improved, but the device complexity and data management burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecustomization of heating profileVSAvoidcomplexity of data storage and retrieval
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating profile data is segmented into distinct components: profile definitions (heating parameters), extraction conditions (user characteristics such as inhalation tendency, location, personal attributes), and associations between them. This segmentation allows the system to store and retrieve only the relevant profile for each user situation, managing complexity through structured data organization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If heating profile is not adjusted according to user preference and situation, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the quality of aerosol delivery and user satisfaction deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequality of aerosol deliveryVSAvoidcomplexity of profile adjustment mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system collects user feedback data (inhalation tendency, location information, personal attributes) and uses this feedback to automatically select and adjust heating profiles. The extracted profile is applied to the heating process, creating a feedback loop where user characteristics inform profile selection, which in turn affects aerosol delivery quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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

Enhances user experience by providing a tailored heating profile that aligns with individual preferences and situations, resulting in a higher quality aerosol delivery.

Implementation Method 1

a heating unit for heating the aerosol source to thereby generate the aerosol

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

generating an aerosol by atomizing an aerosol source with a heater

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAtomization:

Data Source

PatentEP4631376A1Method, device and program for providing heating profile
Publication Date: 2025.10.15 JAPAN TOBACCO INC
  • EP4631376A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4631376A1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4631376A1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Provided is a method for recommending an appropriate heating profile depending on user's preference and situation. The method is executed by a computer device, wherein the computer device is equipped with: a profile storage unit that stores a plurality of profiles for controlling a heating process in an aerosol generator, which generates an aerosol, in association with brand information, the brand information including the brand of an aerosol source to be subjected to the heating process in the aerosol generator and information indicating the flavor of the brand; and an extraction condition information storage unit that stores extraction condition information, the extraction condition information being information depending on the user of the aerosol generator and for extracting at least one profile from the plurality of profiles. The aforesaid profile storage unit further stores the plurality of profiles in association with the extraction condition information. The aforesaid method includes a step for extracting at least one profile applicable to the aerosol generator from the plurality of profiles on the basis of the brand information and the extraction condition information that is stored by the extraction condition information storage unit.