Heart Rate Monitoring in Aerosol Delivery Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aerosol delivery devices lack improved electronics for enhanced usability and functionality, particularly in providing sensations similar to traditional smoking without significant combustion.

Innovation Solution

Aerosol delivery devices utilizing electrical energy to heat aerosol precursors, incorporating components like a control body with a microprocessor, battery, and a heart rate monitor, along with biopotential electrodes to enhance user interaction and control operations based on heart rate measurements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional combustion smoking is used, then the smoking sensation is provided, but harmful combustion and pyrolysis products are delivered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveharmful combustion productsVSAvoidsmoking sensation
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical/chemical combustion system with an electrical heating system. The heating element uses electrical energy to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition, eliminating combustion and its harmful products while maintaining the aerosol delivery function that provides the smoking sensation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operational parameters from high-temperature combustion to controlled electrical heating at lower temperatures. This parameter change allows vaporization of the aerosol precursor without combustion, thereby eliminating harmful combustion products while preserving the desired aerosol generation for smoking sensation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If basic heating functionality is provided, then aerosol delivery is achieved, but usability and functionality are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveusabilityVSAvoidelectronics
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates multiple functions into the aerosol delivery device including heart rate monitoring, biometric authentication, and controlled aerosol delivery. The microprocessor controls the heating element based on user authentication and physiological data, creating a multi-functional device that enhances usability beyond simple aerosol generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates a heart rate monitor that provides physiological feedback about the user. The microprocessor uses this feedback information to control operation of functional elements, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to user physiological states and enhances usability through personalized delivery.

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

The devices provide improved usability and functionality by mimicking traditional smoking experiences while avoiding combustion, with features like heart rate monitoring and biometric authentication, enhancing user experience and safety.

Implementation Method 1

a heating element, and a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is configured to control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

a heart rate monitor including a plurality of biopotential electrodes affixed to the housing and configured to obtain biopotential measurements from a user

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBiopotential measurement: Electric Field

Data Source

PatentEP4084641B1A heart rate monitor for an aerosol delivery device
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS INC
  • EP4084641B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4084641B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4084641B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes at least one housing structured to retain an aerosol precursor composition. The device includes an atomizer, and a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is configured to control the atomizer to activate and produce an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition. And the device includes a heart rate monitor including a plurality of biopotential electrodes affixed to the housing and configured to obtain biopotential measurements from a user, and including signal conditioning circuitry configured to produce an electrocardiogram signal from the biopotential measurements. The microprocessor is coupled to the signal conditioning circuitry and further configured to control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the electrocardiogram signal or a heart rate of the user calculated therefrom.