Aerosol Delivery Control Board Self-Diagnostics for Rapid Fault Screening
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for an improved methodology to verify that components of aerosol delivery devices, such as electronic cigarettes, are not faulty prior to distribution to consumers, as existing methods are inefficient and can lead to faulty devices entering the market.
Innovation Solution
A control board for aerosol delivery devices is configured to perform an onboard diagnostic test in response to a test initiation signal, providing diagnostic information to a test apparatus to determine if the control board is faulty, thereby enabling rapid testing and reducing the incidence of faulty devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional external testing methods are used to test control board operation, then testing can be performed, but the testing process is slow and reduces manufacturing throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The control board performs self-diagnostics by executing onboard diagnostic tests autonomously in response to a test initiation signal. The control board's processor executes diagnostic routines, controls test components, and generates diagnostic information without requiring external testing equipment to manually test each component, thereby enabling rapid testing and increasing manufacturing throughput
2Reliability
If traditional external testing methods are used, then component operation can be tested, but faulty devices may still enter the market due to insufficient testing speed
Solution Approach 1:
The control board autonomously executes comprehensive diagnostic tests on its own components including the processor, memory, display, input interface, and output interface. This self-testing capability ensures thorough fault detection while maintaining rapid testing speed, preventing faulty devices from entering the market without compromising manufacturing throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The control board generates diagnostic information based on test results and provides this information to external systems. The diagnostic information includes status indicators for each tested component, enabling rapid identification of faulty devices while maintaining high manufacturing throughput through automated feedback mechanisms
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a system and related methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for testing components of an aerosol delivery device. For example, a system for testing a control board for an aerosol delivery device may include a control board for an aerosol delivery device and a test apparatus. The test apparatus may provide a test initiation signal to the control board. The control board may execute an onboard diagnostic test to test operation of the control board in response to the test initiation signal. The control board may provide diagnostic information generated based on execution of the onboard diagnostic test to the test apparatus. The test apparatus may determine, based on the diagnostic information, whether the control board is faulty.