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US-12622469-B2 - Method for operating an electronic vapor generation device

US12622469B2US 12622469 B2US12622469 B2US 12622469B2US-12622469-B2

Abstract

A device and operational method for generating a consumable vapor includes: a holder and a detachable consumable cartridge. A controller is integrated with the holder to control the vapor generation device. The consumable cartridge includes a consumable product and a heater that heats the product to generate the vapor. An electric interface between the holder and the consumable cartridge transfers electric energy from the holder to the heater. A cartridge controller is integrated with the consumable cartridge. Once the consumable cartridge is attached to the holder, information is communicated via the electric interface between the cartridge controller and the holder controller for operation of the device.

Inventors

  • Marko Medic
  • Michael Goch

Assignees

  • XEOTECH GMBH

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20200731
Priority Date
20190801

Claims (18)

  1. 1 . A method for operating an electronic vapor generation device for generation of consumable vapor, wherein the electronic vapor generation device includes: a holder; an exchangeable consumable cartridge that attaches and detaches from the holder, the exchangeable consumable cartridge including a consumable product and a heater that heats the consumable product to generate the consumable vapor; a holder controller integrated with the holder and configured to control the electronic vapor generation device; a cartridge controller integrated with the exchangeable consumable cartridge; and an electric interface between the holder and the exchangeable consumable cartridge that transfers electric energy from the holder to the exchangeable consumer cartridge for supplying the heater with electric energy, the electric interface including a cartridge side with one or more first contacts electrically connected to the cartridge controller, the electric interface including a holder side with one or more corresponding second contacts electrically connected to the holder controller, the first and second contacts forming at least one contact pair electrically connected to each other when the exchangeable consumer cartridge is attached to the holder; the method comprising: communicating information via one or more of the at least one contact pair of the electric interface between the cartridge controller and the holder controller; and supplying energy for the heater via the one or more of the at least one contact pair of the electric interface used for communicating the information, wherein the heater is controlled based on the information provided by the cartridge controller and communicated via the electric interface, and wherein the exchangeable consumable cartridge includes a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the heater and the consumable product and a viscosity sensor configured to sense a viscosity of the consumable product; and wherein the information communicated includes the temperature and the viscosity.
  2. 2 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising supplying the energy for the heater via the one or more of the at least one contact pair of the electric interface as DC voltage.
  3. 3 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising communicating the information between the cartridge controller and the holder controller as a signal sequence switched onto a supply voltage of the heater supplied by at least one of the first or second contacts of one of the one or more of the at least one contact pair.
  4. 4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein upon attachment of the exchangeable consumer cartridge to the holder or upon activation of the holder, the cartridge controller is energized to provide energy for communicating the information between the cartridge controller and the holder controller.
  5. 5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the information communicated from the cartridge controller to the holder controller comprises one or a combination of: an identification code, a date of production, the temperature, the viscosity, or additional information stored in the cartridge controller.
  6. 6 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing an authentication routine wherein the information communicated from the cartridge controller to the holder controller via the electric interface is verified and only upon a successful authentication routine is energy supplied by the holder to the heater for a vaping session.
  7. 7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein a signal sequence for authentication of the exchangeable consumer cartridge to the holder is different for at least five consecutive authentications routines.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the signal sequence for each of the at least five consecutive authentication routines includes at least one of: a respective time of energy supply to the cartridge controller; or a respective random number.
  9. 9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the information communicated from the cartridge controller to the holder controller is at least partly encrypted.
  10. 10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the encryption has at least a first step of encryption and a second step of encryption after the first step of encryption, wherein prior to the first step of encryption, additional data stored in the cartridge controller is added to the information to be encrypted.
  11. 11 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the encryption has at least a first step of encryption and a second step of encryption after the first step of encryption, wherein between the first and second steps of encryption, additional data stored in the cartridge controller is added to the information to be encrypted.
  12. 12 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein prior to the encryption, additional data stored in the cartridge controller is added to the information to be encrypted.
  13. 13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the additional data includes at least one of: a time of energy supply to the cartridge controller; or a random number.
  14. 14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the holder controller includes a holder database containing a plurality of decryption keys, the method comprising: using the decryption keys to decrypt the information communicated via the electric interface via the holder controller using a first decryption key attempt to decrypt the information, and if the decryption not successful using the first decryption key, the holder controller uses successive other decryption keys from the holder database to attempt to decrypt the information until successful decryption of the information is achieved.
  15. 15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the holder controller sends information to the cartridge controller for determining an amount of puffs taken from the exchangeable consumer cartridge.
  16. 16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the holder controller controls the heating of the heater by controlling the energy transferred or voltage supplied to the exchangeable consumer cartridge.
  17. 17 . A consumable cartridge that is attachable to a holder of an electronic vapor generation device, comprising: a chamber that stores a consumable product; a heater configured to heat the consumable product to generate a consumable vapor; a cartridge side component having one or more first contacts configured to contact one or more corresponding second contacts of a holder side component of an electric interface between the holder and the consumable cartridge, the first and second contacts forming at least one contact pair electrically connected to each other when the consumable cartridge is attached to the holder, the heater being electrically connected to the one or more first contacts, electric energy being transferable from the holder to the heater via one or more of the at least one contact pair of the electric interface; and a cartridge controller connected to the cartridge side component, the cartridge controller being electrically connected in parallel with the heater to the one or more first contacts, the cartridge controller being in communication with a holder controller via the electric interface when the consumable cartridge is attached to the holder, the cartridge controller being configured to communicate information as a signal sequence switched onto a supply voltage of the heater, the information being communicated between the cartridge controller and the holder controller via the one or more of the at least one contact pair of the electric interface used for transferring electric energy from the holder to the heater, the one or more second contacts being electrically connected to the holder controller, wherein the heater is controlled based on the information provided by the cartridge controller and communicated via the electric interface, wherein the consumable cartridge includes a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the heater and the consumable product and a viscosity sensor configured to sense a viscosity of the consumable product; and wherein the information communicated includes the temperature and the viscosity.
  18. 18 . An electronic vapor generation device for generation of consumable vapor, comprising: a holder; an exchangeable consumable cartridge that attaches and detaches from the holder, the exchangeable consumable cartridge including a consumable product and a heater that heats the consumable product to generate the consumable vapor; a holder controller integrated with the holder and configured to control the electronic vapor generation device; a cartridge controller integrated with the exchangeable consumable cartridge; and an electric interface between the holder and the exchangeable consumable cartridge, the electric interface including a cartridge side with one or more first contacts and a holder side with one or more corresponding second contacts, the one or more first contacts being electrically connected to the cartridge controller, the one or more corresponding second contacts being electrically connected to the holder controller, the first and second contacts forming at least one contact pair electrically connected to each other when the exchangeable consumable cartridge is attached to the holder, electric energy being transferred from the holder to the exchangeable consumable cartridge via one or more of the at least one contact pair of the electric interface for supplying the heater with electric energy; wherein upon attachment of the exchangeable consumable cartridge to the holder, information for operation of the electronic vapor generation device is communicated between the cartridge controller and the holder controller via the one or more of the at least one contact pair of the electric interface used for transferring electric energy from the holder to the exchangeable consumable cartridge, wherein the heater is controlled based on the information provided by the cartridge controller and communicated via the electric interface, and wherein the exchangeable consumable cartridge includes a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the heater and the consumable product and a viscosity sensor configured to sense a viscosity of the consumable product; and wherein the information communicated includes the temperature and the viscosity.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to the method for operating an electronic generation device for generation of consumable vapor, to a consumable cartridge of an electronic vapor generation device according, to a holder of an electronic vapor generation device. BACKGROUND Electronic vapor generation devices (such as liquid vaporizers) for users to inhale consumable vapor are well known in the art. Liquid vaporizers usually comprise a consumable in the form of a liquid, which is vaporized with a heater. Usually the liquid is placed in a chamber of the electronic vapor generation device which also comprises a heater for vaporizing it. The heater is often designed as a heating coil. A wick is provided, which transports the liquid from a chamber to the coil, where it is vaporized. In those cases in which the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the holder, the cartridge usually comprises the chamber with the consumable and the heater. The energy for the heater is supplied from the holder to the heater via an electric interface. In order to enhance the vaping experience of a user, the liquids and the heating of the liquids for vaporizing are optimized to each other. Also, an abuse of the device for substances with counterfeit cartridges should be prevented. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an objective of the invention to improve the known methods for operating an electronic vapor generation device, such that a safe and satisfying consumption of consumable vapor is ensured. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. The above noted objects are solved by the method for operating an electronic vapor generation device according to the features of the invention set forth herein. By providing a consumable cartridge that comprises a cartridge controller which is connected to an electric interface, a communication between the cartridge controller and the holder controller can be achieved in a very cost-efficient manner. Further, a better vaping experience for the user can be ensured, for example, by enabling authentication of the cartridge and/or by enhancing the control of the heater through the communication between the cartridge controller and the holder controller. In detail, it is proposed that the consumable cartridge comprises a cartridge controller that is connected to the electric interface and wherein information is communicated via the electric interface between the cartridge controller and the holder controller. The effect of providing a consumable cartridge with a cartridge controller and of using the electric interface as a communication channel is to be able to provide a communication between the cartridge and the holder controller in a very cost-efficient manner. The electric interface can be used for energy supply and communication. In particular, it is possible to perform authentication of the consumable cartridge and/or the user prior to vaping. Additionally, information for controlling the heater can be provided from the cartridge to the holder controller to enhance the control of the heater. In a particular embodiment, the electric interface comprises a cartridge side with at least one contact and a holder side with at least one corresponding contact, which are electrically connected to each other when the cartridge is attached to the holder and which form a contact pair. Over at least one contact pair, energy for the heater is supplied and the respective information is communicated at least partly. This double use of at least one contact of the electric interface makes the interface very simple and the production of said cartridges cost-efficient. Generally, this double use of the electric interface between the holder and the cartridge not only allows to enhance the vaping experience by enabling the communication between the cartridge controller and the holder controller and by enabling authentication of the cartridge, it also provides this functionality at low cost. It is to be understood that in addition to this contact pair, normally, at least another contact pair is foreseen, which for example may provide an electrical reference potential such as a ground potential. Preferably, two contact pairs are provided and the energy for the heater supplied as well as the information is communicated at least partly over both contact pairs. So to say, two contact pairs are used for supplying the heater with energy and also for the communication between the holder controller and the cartridge controller. Further, preferably, the energy for the heater is supplied via the electric interface as DC voltage, preferably with a rechargeable battery arranged in the holder. By this, the electronic vapor generation device can be designed as a handheld device in a very simple manner. The above noted information is preferably communicated