CA-3094964-C - AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEM HAVING DATA STORAGE UNIT

Abstract

Described is an aerosol provision system for generating aerosol for user inhalation, wherein the system comprises: an aerosol generating article comprising an aerosolisable material, the aerosolisable material being a solid or a gel; and a control unit having a receptacle configured to receive the aerosol generating article, wherein the control unit is configured, in use, to generate aerosol from the aerosolisable material. The aerosol generating article includes a data storage unit configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating article. The control unit is configured to receive the identifier from the data storage unit and, based on the received identifier, cause the control unit to perform an action.

Inventors

• Patrick Moloney
• Anton KORUS
• Justin Han Yang CHAN

Assignees

• Nicoventures Trading Limited

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20190327

Priority Date

20180329

Claims (20)

1. 24 CLAIMS 1. An aerosol provision system for generating aerosol for user inhalation, the system comprising: an aerosol generating article comprising an aerosolisable material, the aerosolisable material being a solid or a gel; wherein the aerosol generating article comprises a substrate and the aerosolisable material is provided adjacent the substrate, wherein the substrate includes at least one of: paper, card, and a metal foil; and a control unit having a receptacle configured to receive the aerosol generating article, wherein the control unit is configured, in use, to generate aerosol from the aerosolisable material, wherein the aerosol generating article includes a data storage unit configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating article, and wherein the control unit is configured to receive the identifier from the data storage unit and, based on the received identifier, cause the control unit to perform an action, wherein the aerosol generating article further comprises a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is coupled to the data storage unit and is configured to wirelessly transmit the identifier, and wherein the control unit further comprises a receiver configured to wirelessly receive the identifier transmitted from the transmitter, and wherein the data storage unit and the transmitter are integrally provided on a base substrate material to form an integrated unit, wherein the integrated unit has an areal extent of 6.25 mm2 or less, and wherein the aerosol generating article includes a plurality of the integrated units.
2. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data storage unit is configured to digitally store the identifier.
3. 3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the data storage unit is programmable such that the identifier is programmed into the data storage unit.
4. 4. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the identifier at least one of: identifies the type of aerosolisable material of the aerosol generating article, identifies the origin of the aerosol generating article, and uniquely identifies the aerosol generating article.
5. 5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the type corresponds to at least one of a flavour of the aerosolisable material and a concentration of an active substance present in the aerosolisable material.
6. 6. The system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the control unit is configured to operate according to a pre-defined set of operation modes, and wherein the control unit is configured to select one of the operation modes on the basis of the received identifier.
7. 7. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit is configured to prevent aerosol generation in the event that no identifier is received or in the event that a received identifier is not recognised as an authorised identifier.
8. 8. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control unit further includes an indicator, wherein the indicator is configured to indicate to a user that the control unit has not obtained the identifier.
9. 9. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control unit is configured to heat a portion of the aerosol generating article to produce an aerosol from the aerosolisable material, and wherein the data storage unit is located adjacent the portion of the aerosol generating article that is to be heated.
10. 10. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the data storage unit is embedded in at least a part of a component forming the aerosol generating article.
11. 11. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the data storage unit is applied to a surface of at least a part of a component forming the aerosol generating article.
12. 12. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the aerosol generating article comprises a plurality of the data storage units, each data storage unit comprising an identifier.
13. 13. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the substrate surrounds the aerosolisable material. 26
14. 14. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the data storage unit is integrally provided in, or positioned on, the substrate.
15. 15. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the aerosol generating article is configured to transmit the identifier when the aerosol generating article is engaged with the control unit.
16. 16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the transmitter of the aerosol generating article is a transceiver, the transceiver configured to receive a wireless signal from the control unit and, in response to said signal, transmit the identifier.
17. 17. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the integrated unit has an areal extent of 1 mm2 or less.
18. 18. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the integrated unit has an areal extent of 0.1 mm2 or less.
19. 19. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the aerosolisable material is selected from one or more of the following group: tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, and gel.
20. 20. An aerosol provision device for generating aerosol for user inhalation from an aerosol generating article comprising an aerosolisable material, the aerosolisable material being a solid or a gel and the aerosol generating article including a readable data storage unit configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating article, wherein the aerosol generating article comprises a substrate and the aerosolisable material is provided adjacent the substrate, wherein the substrate includes at least one of: paper, card, and a metal foil, and wherein the aerosol provision device comprises: a control unit having a receptacle configured to receive the aerosol generating article, wherein the control unit is configured, in use, to generate aerosol from the aerosolisable material, wherein the control unit is configured to perform an action based on an identifier received from the data storage unit of the aerosol generating article, wherein the aerosol generating article further comprises a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is coupled to the data storage unit and is configured to wirelessly transmit the 27 identifier, and wherein the control unit further comprises a receiver configured to wirelessly receive the identifier transmitted from the transmitter, and wherein the data storage unit and the transmitter are integrally provided on a base substrate material to form an integrated unit, wherein the integrated unit has an areal extent of 6.25 mm2 or less, and wherein the aerosol generating article includes a plurality of the integrated units.

Description

AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEM HAVING DATA STORAGE UNIT Field The present disclosure relates to electronic aerosol provision systems such as nicotine delivery systems. 5 Background Electronic aerosol provision systems such as heating products are configured to release one or more compounds by heating, but not burning, a substrate material to generate an aerosol for user inhalation. Generally, the heating products are configured to heat a portion of tobacco or a tobacco derived product (e.g., reconstituted tobacco) to generate the aerosol. 10 The substrate material is usually formed into a rod which is typically surrounded by a paper layer and includes a mouthpiece end, which is an end that the user inhales on (i.e., puts in their mouth) during use. These rods are broadly similar in appearance to combustible cigarettes. The rods are inserted into the aerosol provision device and electrical power is subsequently supplied to the heating element, from a power source such as a battery, to 15 aerosolise portions of the solid substrate in the vicinity of the heating element. Such devices are usually provided with one or more air inlet holes located away from where the user inhales on the system. When a user inhales/ sucks on the mouthpiece end of the rods, air is drawn in through the inlet holes, through the rod and past the substrate source. There is a flow path connecting between the aerosol source and an opening in the mouthpiece so that 20 air drawn past the aerosol source continues along the flow path to the mouthpiece opening, carrying some of the aerosol from the aerosol source with it. The aerosol-carrying air exits the aerosol provision system through the mouthpiece for inhalation by the user. Such rods are formed of low cost components and are generally designed to be thrown away after use (i.e., after the aerosolisable material has been aerosolised). Because the 25 rods are generally reasonably inexpensive to manufacture, any rod of the correct size can be used with the aerosol provision device. However, this has led to counterfeit rods being manufactured in order to be used with the aerosol provision device. These counterfeit rods may not adhere to the strict manufacturing or distributing regulations normally imposed on genuine rods, which can lead to poor quality rods being sold to consumers and used with 30 aerosol provision devices. Various approaches are described which seek to help address some of these issues. Summary According to a first aspect of certain embodiments there is provided an aerosol provision system for generating aerosol for user inhalation, the system comprising: an aerosol 1 Date Reyue/Date Received 2022-03-24 generating article comprising an aerosolisable material, the aerosolisable material being a solid or a gel; and a control unit having a receptacle configured to receive the aerosol generating article, wherein the control unit is configured, in use, to generate aerosol from the aerosolisable material, wherein the aerosol generating article includes a data storage unit 5 configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating article, and wherein the control unit is configured to receive the identifier from the data storage unit and, based on the received identifier, cause the control unit to perform an action. According to a second aspect of certain embodiments there is provided an aerosol provision device for generating aerosol for user inhalation from an aerosol generating article 10 comprising an aerosolisable material, the aerosolisable material being a solid or a gel and the aerosol generating article including a readable data storage unit configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol generating article, and wherein the aerosol provision device comprises; a control unit having a receptacle configured to receive the aerosol generating article, wherein the control unit is configured, in use, to generate aerosol from the 15 aerosolisable material, wherein the control unit is configured to perform an action based on an identifier received from the data storage unit of the aerosol generating article. According to a third aspect of certain embodiments there is provided an aerosol generating article comprising: an aerosolisable material, the aerosolisable material being a solid or a gel; and a readable data storage unit configured to store an identifier identifying the aerosol 20 generating article. According to a fourth aspect of certain embodiments there is provided a method of identifying an aerosol generating article for use with an aerosol provision device for generating aerosol for user inhalation, the method comprising: receiving, from the readable data storage unit of an aerosol generating article comprising a solid or gel aerosolisable 25 material, an identifier identifying the aerosol generating article; and causing the control unit to perform an action based on the received identifier. According to a fifth aspect of certain embodiments there is pr