IP Library Granted Patent US 11,576,436
Granted Patent B2
US 11,576,436 · App. 16/619,670 · Granted Feb 14, 2023

Electronic aerosol provision system

Inventors: Patrick Moloney (London, GB); Helmut Buchberger (London, GB)
Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Limited
A24F40/50A24F40/10A24F40/60
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,576,436
App. No.
16/619,670
Granted
Feb 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic vapor provision system includes a vaporizer for vaporizing liquid for inhalation by a user of the electronic vapor provision system; a power supply for supplying power to the vaporizer to vaporize the liquid in response to a user activation of the device; and a control unit configured to estimate a user's expected activation duration and cause power to be supplied to the vaporizer for a period of time shorter than a user's activation duration.

Claims (34)

1. An electronic vapor provision system comprising:

a vaporizer for vaporizing liquid for inhalation by a user of the electronic vapor provision system;

a power supply for supplying power to the vaporizer to vaporize the liquid in response to a user activation of the electronic vapor provision system; and

a control unit configured to:

estimate a user's expected activation duration, and

cause power to be supplied to the vaporizer for a period of time shorter than the user's estimated expected activation duration by between 0.05 seconds and 0.5 seconds; and

resume causing power to be supplied to the vaporizer for a second period of time, if the user activates the electronic vapor provision system for a duration exceeding the user's expected activation duration, the second period of time ending when the user ceases activation of the electronic vapor provision system.

2. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , wherein user activation of the electronic vapor provision system is by one selected from the group consisting of:

inhalation through the electronic vapor provision system;

pressing a button; and

interaction with a touch sensor.

3. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , wherein the period of time is shorter than the user's estimated expected activation duration by 0.3 seconds.

4. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises a CPU.

5. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit employs machine learning software to learn the user's expected activation duration.

6. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit learns the user's expected activation duration by:

measuring the activation duration for a predetermined number of preceding activations of a given user, and

calculating the user's average activation duration based on the measuring.

7. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 6 , wherein the user's average activation duration is calculated using one selected from the group consisting of:

up to the last 100 activations; and

up to the last 10 activations.

8. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit provides power at a lower level for the second period of time.

9. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit provides pulses of power for the second period of time.

10. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to cause power to be supplied to the vaporizer at a lower power level for a second period of time immediately after the first period of time ends, the second period of time ending when the user ceases activation of the electronic vapor provision system.

11. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to cause power to be supplied to the vaporizer in pulses for a second period of time immediately after the first period of time ends, the second period of time ending when the user ceases activation of the electronic vapor provision system.

12. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor for detecting airflow through the electronic vapor provision system as a result of the inhalation by the user, wherein the sensor provides for user activation of the electronic vapor provision system.

13. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , further comprising a manual activation device, wherein the manual activation device provides for user activation of the electronic vapor provision system, the manual activation device comprising one selected from the group consisting of:

a button; and

a touch sensor.

14. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , wherein the vaporizer is a heater which is supplied with power from the power supply to heat and thereby vaporize the liquid for inhalation by the user.

15. The electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises nicotine.

16. A method of operating the electronic vapor provision system of claim 1 , the method comprising;

causing the control unit to estimate the user's expected activation duration;

causing the control unit to supply power to the vaporizer for a period of time shorter than the user's estimated expected activation duration by between 0.05 seconds and 0.5 seconds; and

causing the control unit to resume causing power to be supplied to the vaporizer for a second period of time, in response to the user activating the electronic vapor provision system for a duration exceeding the user's expected activation duration, the second period of time ending when the user ceases activation of the electronic vapor provision system.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2023
From: NICOVENTURES HOLDINGS LIMITED
To: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 062341/0852 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2022
From: BUCHBERGER, HELMUT
To: NICOVENTURES HOLDINGS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 061193/0135 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2022
From: MOLONEY, PATRICK; BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED
To: NICOVENTURES HOLDINGS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 061193/0276 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2021
From: NICOVENTURES HOLDINGS LIMITED
To: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 055422/0520 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2021
From: NICOVENTURES HOLDINGS LIMITED
To: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 055424/0056 →