Consumable for Aerosol Generation Device Comprising Information Code and Aerosol Generation Device Detecting it

Abstract

A consumable for an aerosol generation device including a tobacco material configured to generate an aerosol includes an information code for storing information about the consumable, and an aerosol generation device for detecting the code. More specifically, a consumable for use in an aerosol generation device, includes an aerosol-generating substrate and a wrapper, wherein a pattern representing an information code for storing information about the consumable is disposed on the wrapper along the direction which corresponds to the insertion or removal direction of the consumable into or from the aerosol generation device.

Claims

1. A consumable for use in an aerosol generation device, comprising an aerosol-generating substrate and a wrapper, wherein a pattern representing an information code for storing information about the consumable is disposed on the wrapper along a direction which corresponds to an insertion or a removal direction of the consumable into or from the aerosol generation device.

2. The consumable according to claim 1, having a substantially cylindrical shape.

3. The consumable according to claim 1, wherein the consumable has an elongated shape and the insertion or removal direction of the consumable into or from the aerosol generation device is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the consumable.

4. The consumable according to claim 3, wherein the pattern is arranged on the wrapper in a manner that the pattern is readable in the direction which corresponds to the insertion or removal direction of the consumable into or from the aerosol generation device.

5. The consumable according to claim 1, wherein the pattern is readable on at least two longitude regions in the longitude regions in the longitudinal direction which are spaced from each other by at least 10°in the circumferential direction.

6. The consumable according to claim 1, wherein the pattern is repeated in a circumferential direction of the consumable and/or in a longitudinal direction of the consumable.

7. The consumable according to claim 5, wherein the pattern is repeated on different longitudinal positions and on different circumferential positions.

8. The consumable according to claim 1, wherein the pattern includes an image, dots, lines, a barcode, or any combination thereof.

9. The consumable according to claim 1, wherein one or more reference units are arranged in or with the pattern on the wrapper so as to allow a detector comprised by the aerosol generation device to correctly detect the pattern.

10. The consumable according to claim 8, wherein the reference unit are circumferentially repeated on the consumable.

11. The consumable according to claim 1, wherein the pattern is repeated, and the repeated patterns extend in the longitudinal direction of the consumable over a longitudinal dimension which represents at least 20% of the total longitudinal dimension of the consumable.

12. A method of using a consumable according to claim 1, comprising detecting, by a detector of the aerosol generation device, the pattern on the wrapper comprised by the consumable.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the pattern is detected by the detector upon insertion and/or removal of the consumable and during relative movement between the consumable and the detector.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the pattern is read in the direction which corresponds to the insertion and/or removal direction of the consumable into or from the aerosol generation device.

15. An aerosol generation device for use with a consumable according to claims 1, comprising a heating chamber for receiving at least parts of the consumable therein and a detector, wherein the detector is configured to perform a method comprising detecting, by the detector of the aerosol generation device, the pattern on the wrapper comprised by the consumable.

16. The aerosol generation device according to claim 15, wherein the detector is provided within or above the heating chamber.

17. The aerosol generation device according to claim 16, wherein the detector is provided outside the heating chamber.

18. The aerosol generation device according to claim 16, wherein the detector is provided between the heating chamber and an opening of a housing through which the consumable is configured to be inserted into the heating chamber.

19. An aerosol generation system comprising a consumable according to claims 1, and an aerosol generation device comprising a heating chamber for receiving at least parts of the consumable therein and a detector, wherein the detector is configured to perform a method comprising detecting, by the detector of the aerosol generation device, the pattern on the wrapper comprised by the consumable, wherein the system is configured in a way such that the pattern comprised by the consumable is detected by the method.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1: shows a cross-section of the aerosol generation device and the consumable according to one embodiment of the invention during the insertion of the consumable;

[0042] FIG. 2: shows a flow chart of a method of detecting a pattern on the consumable according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0043] FIG. 3a: shows a schematic drawing of one embodiment of a consumable for aerosol generation according to the invention;

[0044] FIG. 3b: shows a schematic drawing of another embodiment of a consumable for aerosol generation and an aerosol generation device according to the invention;

[0045] FIG. 4a: shows a schematic drawing of yet another embodiment of the consumable for the aerosol generation according to the invention;

[0046] FIG. 4b: shows a schematic drawing of still another embodiment of the consumable for the aerosol generation according to the invention;

[0047] FIGS. 5a to 5c: show schematic drawings of the consumable with different types of repeating patterns, according to three embodiments of the consumable for the aerosol generation according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0048] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described hereinafter and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0049] The present invention provides a consumable 1 on which a readable code pattern 101 is arranged which is dynamically readable upon the insertion and/or removal of the consumable 1 in an aerosol generation device 2, e.g. through light intensity or frequency measurement made during a relative movement between the consumable and the detector. When the user inserts the consumable 1 through the insertion opening of the device 2 in the insertion or removal direction 3 of the consumable 1, to place the aerosol portion of the consumable in the heating chamber, the device 2 automatically detects the code and can authenticate and/or identify the consumable as authorized and/or set up the parameters for suitable aerosolization by the device 2 according to the type of consumable inserted therein.

[0050] FIG. 1 shows an aerosol generation device 2 receiving a consumable 1 while the consumable 1 is being inserted into the aerosol generation device 2 in an insertion direction 3. The insertion direction 3 of the consumable 1 into the aerosol generation device 2 is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the consumable 1, which has an elongated shape.

[0051] As used herein, the term “aerosol generation device”, “E-cigarette” or “electronic cigarette” may include an electronic cigarette configured to deliver an aerosol to a user, including an aerosol for smoking. The illustrated embodiments of the aerosol generation system in this invention are schematic, and it is also possible to combine some of the parts to single units, such as battery unit, which will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

[0052] According to this embodiment, the aerosol generation device 2 comprises a housing, a heating chamber 24 for heating the consumable 1 when operating, and possibly a ring element or collar 25 connecting an opening of the aerosol generation device 2, through which the consumable is inserted into or removed from the heating chamber, and the heating chamber 24.

[0053] A detector 21 is provided within or above, namely outside, the heating chamber 24. In preferred embodiments, the detector 21 is provided substantially at the opening of the aerosol generation device 2. The detector 21, preferably a photodetector, such as one or several photodiodes or a camera (CCD), is provided in the device 2 e.g. within 15 mm, preferably within 10 mm, more preferably within 8 mm, even more preferably within 6 mm, and most preferably within 4 mm from the opening of the housing of the aerosol generation device 2 through which the consumable is inserted into or removed from the heating chamber. In FIG. 1, the detector is arranged above the heating chamber 24 and in the ring element 25, which is 4 mm from the opening. In other words, the detector is provided between the heating chamber and an opening of a housing through which the consumable can be inserted into the heating chamber. The detector is configured to detect the pattern 101 arranged on the wrapper of the consumable in a manner that the pattern 101 is readable in the direction which corresponds to the insertion or removal direction 3 of the consumable 1 into or from the aerosol generation device 2.

[0054] A light source 23, preferably one or a plurality of LEDs, is configured in a predetermined angle, namely such that the light is emitted substantially perpendicular (or slightly inclined) to the direction of insertion 3, so as to illuminate the pattern 101 such that light is reflected by the pattern 101 to the detector 21. The light source 23 is provided within or above the heating chamber 24. As shown in FIG. 1, the light source 23 is located in the proximity of the detector 21. The aerosol generation device 2 further comprises a cover 22, covering the heating chamber 24 when not in use, and opening to expose the opening for inserting the consumable 1. In some embodiments, the light source may be provided above the opening such as on the cover 22.

[0055] In an alternative embodiment, the optical detector 21 may be positioned remotely from the heating chamber 24 (e.g. below it) and the reflected optical signal can be transmitted, e.g. by a light guide and/or mirror(s) (not shown).

[0056] A variation of the light intensity or frequency can be detected by the detector 21. The emitted light is reflected off from the surface of the consumable 1 and returned to the detector 21. The light source 23 may be separated from the detector 21 as shown in

[0057] FIG. 1. The light source 23 can simply emit light which reflects from the pattern 101. The light source 23 can emit ambient light, UV, infrared or directed light. For example, the light source 23 can be a light-emitting diode or laser diode emitting infrared light and more particularly light with a wavelength of e.g. 350-850 nm. The detector 21 can perform image recognition using a camera or image scanner, e.g. a barcode scanner. Typically, the detector 21 comprises one or several photodiodes adapted to convert a received light beam into a current or voltage signal. The detector 21 may also comprise processing means including a printed circuit board embedding a processor, sensor signal amplifier, signal filters and circuitry for coupling the processing means to the light source 23, the photodiode or the like, and to the control unit of the aerosol generating device 2. The output signals may be computed or generated by measuring overtime the intensity of the reflected beam. The output signal may be computed or generated by determining the variation over the time of the intensity or the frequency of the reflected light beam.

[0058] In other embodiments, in which multiple patterns are encoded with different information about the consumable, once the pattern 101 about the authentication of the consumable is determined, the detector 21 may start to detect another pattern 101 containing a setting information, e.g. the temperature profile for this consumable, positioned in a different position on the consumable, which, for example, is printed next to the authentication pattern in the insertion direction of the consumable into the heating chamber, such that the reading of different information can be implemented constantly during the insertion. The position arrangements for the different patterns can be like in any one or a combination of the above-mentioned embodiments of this invention.

[0059] The pattern 101 may be repeated at least two, preferably at least three, more preferably at least four, even more preferably at least five, and most preferably at least six times on the consumable 1. The cover 22 may be manually moved between two stable positions, namely an open position in which the opening is uncovered, and insertion of the consumable is possible and a closed position in which the opening is obturated. The optical detector 21 can be activated before the consumable is inserted into the heating chamber of the device 2, e.g. by a consumable detection arrangement. The consumable detector 21 can be an IR sensor, a mechanical sensor, an ultrasonic detection sensor, and the like. The optical detector may be activated when the cover is moved to the open position. For this, the position of the cover may be sensed by a suitable sensor such as: an IR sensor, a mechanical sensor, an ultrasonic detection sensor, a magnetic sensor (e.g. Hall). The activation of the optical detector may be performed when both the open position of the cover has been sensed and the consumable is detected by a consumable detector.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a method of using the consumable 1. To consume the consumable, the user opens the cover 22, which triggers and initiates 1001 the detection of the optical detector and inserts the consumable 1 into the aerosol generation device 2 along the insertion direction 3. During insertion of the consumable 1, the optical detector 21 continuously detects 1002 the pattern 101 on the consumable 1. Preferably detection starts with detecting a start reference unit of the pattern 101 for indicating the position and the start of the pattern 101, and/or ends with detecting an end reference unit. The detector checks 1003 if the pattern 101 is detected and the information contained in the pattern 101 is recognized. If the detector 21 of the device 2 fails to detect and/or read out the information from the pattern 101, the optical detector may try to continue detecting 1005 by reading a repeated pattern 101, when a predetermined condition is not met. If the predetermined condition is met, or if the pattern 101 is detected and the information contained in the pattern 101 is recognized, namely detected and/or read out, the process of detection is stopped 1006. In some embodiments, the predetermined condition is a timer period, or a number of fails of reading out the information from the pattern 101. In other embodiments, the predetermined condition is that one or more reference units 102 103 indicating the start or the position of the pattern 101 are correctly detected.

[0061] Regarding the reference unit, in some embodiments, the reference unit, which indicates, for example, the presence and the position of the pattern to an optical reading device of the pattern, may include a picture, dots, lines or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the reference unit may include two or more lines which form at least a part of a border of the code unit. In yet other embodiments, the reference unit is at least partially superimposed by the pattern.

[0062] In yet another embodiment, the predetermined condition is that a sensor configured in the aerosol device 2 is fully inserted and positioned correctly. More specifically, while inserting a consumable 1 as shown in FIG. 3a, once the consumable 1 is inserted up to the bottom of the heating chamber 24 and the hollow 104, which is configured as a cylindrical platform smaller than the diameter of the consumable on a tip side of the consumable, contacts a tact sensor configured at the bottom and in the direction where the detector 21 is arranged, the detector stops detecting 1006 the pattern 101. In other words, if this platform is replaced or equipped with a tact sensor or a touch sensor configured in the heating chamber, the full insertion of the consumable 1 can be detected. In the step of detecting and recognizing 1003 the pattern 101, once the detector 21 reads out the information from the pattern 101, the pattern 101 is checked against a registered signature in a memory of the aerosol generating device 2, and the device 2 starts to authenticate the consumable 1.

[0063] In still another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3b, the consumable 1 has a shape, preferably an elongated shape, of a sim-card or a flat card. The consumable 1 may contain a pressed tobacco substance with two layers of wrap papers. A slot formed by, for example, rollers or a press is configured along the insertion direction on a surface of the consumable 1. The slot 104 corresponds to a foolproof notch configured at one side of the insertion opening of the device, so that the consumable can be correctly inserted with a side where the code pattern is provided directed to the detector. The code patterns are printed on the paper and along the reference unit 104 which is the slot 104. The slot or groove has the additional benefit of decreasing a surface area in contact with a heating chamber to provide faster heating and a higher release of aerosol. It also provides airflow between the heating chamber and the aerosol releasing substrate to facilitate air coming in and convection heating. In this embodiment, the code pattern can be on both sides of the consumable 1, because with this arrangement, the directional or side insertion is less of a concern. A touch sensor may also be provided at the notch part of the device to sense the insertion of the protrusion of the consumable 1 serving as a reference unit.

[0064] FIG. 4a is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a consumable 1 for an aerosol generation device 2 according to the invention. The consumable 1 has a substantially cylindrical shape and comprises a tobacco substrate (not shown) and a tobacco wrapper. The tobacco substrate may include a tobacco material in various forms such as shredded tobacco and granulated tobacco, and/or the tobacco material may include tobacco leaf and/or reconstituted tobacco, such as in the form of sheets, strands, strips or foam. A pattern 101 in the form of a barcode representing an information code for authentication of for storing information about the consumable is provided on a surface of the consumable. The pattern 101 is disposed on the wrapper along the direction which corresponds to the insertion or removal direction of the consumable into or from the aerosol generation device 2. The pattern 101 can be printed on any visible side of a wrapper of the consumable. The internal side of the wrapper may be visible to the detector upon certain light intensity conditions. The pattern 101 may code information about the consumable, such as the type thereof, or about the setting of the aerosol generation device 2 for use with the consumable 1. As possible device setting information, the temperature of the heating chamber, the number of puffs, the puffing time, the airflow conditions, user interface modes, etc., can be set up by the code information, either directly or by way of lookup table(s).

[0065] The pattern 101 is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the consumable 1, so that the pattern 101 can be read by a detector 21 of the aerosol generation device 2 in the longitudinal direction of the consumable 1. In this embodiment, the pattern 101 is a barcode. Other types of patterns 101, such as QR codes, or dot codes e.g. matrixial or polar, can be provided on the surface of the consumable along the insertion direction 3, so that the pattern 101 can be read by the detector 21 of the aerosol generation device 2 while the consumable 1 is inserted.

[0066] Two reference units 102, 103, which indicate the start and the end of the pattern 101, are arranged at two ends of the pattern 101. The pattern 101 is oriented from the substrate end to the mouthpiece end of the consumable. The start unit 102 is located at an end which is closer to the substrate of the consumable, and the end unit 103 is located at an end which is closer to the mouthpiece of the consumable, so that the optical sensor reads the pattern 101 of the aerosol generation device in the longitudinal direction (or axial direction A) from the substrate end to the mouthpiece end. For example, the code pattern encompasses more than one fifth, preferably more than one fourth preferably more than one third of the total length even more preferably more than half the length of the consumable. In another embodiment, the pattern 101 and the reference units 102 103 are oriented the other way around. The start and end reference units 102 103 can indicate the position and the orientation of the pattern 101. In some embodiments, only the start reference unit 102 or the end reference unit 103 is provided in the pattern 101. However, it is preferable that both reference units 102 103 are provided in the pattern 101, since the reliability of the detection of the pattern 101 is improved.

[0067] FIG. 4b shows an embodiment based on the embodiment of FIG. 4a. However, unlike the embodiment of FIG. 4a, the bars or the lines of the barcode, which are distributed in the longitudinal direction of the consumable, extend along the circumferential direction (C) such that the bars or the lines are at least longer or larger than the longitude regions or lines which can be captured by the detector 21 of the aerosol generation device 2 at one time. With this configuration, more information can be read by the detector, and the pattern can be printed more easily since it can take a larger scale. Preferably, they extend around the entire surface along the circumferential direction so that the pattern 101 can be detected without the need to orient the pattern 101 towards the detector 21. In other words, the pattern 101 is readable on at least two, preferably at least three, more preferably at least four, even more preferably at least five, and most preferably at least six longitude regions or lines in the longitudinal direction which are spaced from each other by at least 10°, preferably at least 20°, more preferably at least 30°, and most preferably at least 60° in the circumferential direction. The longitude region or line is the region or line area on the consumable 1 that is covered by the detector 21 during detecting. Hence, the pattern 101 can be detected from different prospects of the consumable 1 and with just one detector 21. Further, the pattern 101 may repeat on the consumable 1 in an insertion direction 3. The pattern, preferably the repeated patterns, may extend in the longitudinal direction of the consumable, which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the consumable, over a longitudinal dimension, or length of the longitudinal direction, which represents at least 10% of the total longitudinal dimension, or length in the of the consumable, preferably at least 20% of the total longitudinal dimension of the consumable and more preferably at least 30% , most preferably at least 40% of the total longitudinal dimension of the consumable.

[0068] As an alternative to the embodiment of FIG. 4b, the pattern 101 may be repeated around the circumferential direction of the consumable 1. As shown in FIG. 5a, the pattern may be a dot matrix or other similar high-density pattern. More specifically, the longitudinally oriented pattern 101 with its reference units is repeated along the circumferential direction of the consumable, so that the pattern 101 can be detected during the insertion of the consumable 1 without the need to orient the pattern 101 towards the detector 21. The pattern 101 can be repeated every 30° segment of the central angle of the cross section of the consumable shown as La in FIG. 5a, preferably every 25° segment, more preferable, every 20° segment, even more preferable, every 15° segment, and most preferable, every 10° segment. In this manner, that the success of the detection of the pattern 101 is guaranteed.

[0069] The pattern 101 with its reference units can also be repeated in other manners. In FIG. 5b, the pattern 101 is repeated in a stepped manner. More specifically, the pattern 101 is repeated at the same time in different longitudinal direction positions and in different circumferential direction positions, i.e. the repeated pattern 101 is repeated in a helix or spiral manner. Preferably, the pattern 101 is repeated circumferentially every 30° segment, preferably every 20° segment, and more preferably every 10° segment.

[0070] The pattern 101 can also be repeated as shown in FIG. 5c, on different longitudinal positions and on different circumferential positions. More specifically, the pattern 101 is repeated and covers substantially a full area of the surface of the consumable in both the longitudinal direction and the circumferential direction.

[0071] Alternatively, in the embodiment according to FIGS. 3a and 3b, the reference unit is a slot 104 on a surface of the consumable 1 along an insertion direction, or a hollow 104, more preferably a trapezoidal hollow, at the substrate end of the consumable 1. In this manner, the user can insert the consumable in the right direction through insertion and rotation and be guided to insert the consumable so as to orient the pattern 101 straight to the detector 21 of the aerosol generation device 2.