Method and vapour generating device for indicating a direction to an area of interest
A vapour generating device includes a vapour generating means configured to generate aerosol; a receiver configured to receive a positioning signal; a processor configured to determine a direction from a determined position of the vapour generating device to an area of interest; and an indicator configured to indicate to a user of the vapour generating device the direction to the area of interest. The vapour generating device enables a user to be guided to an area of interest such as a designated vaping area or a retail establishment selling vaping supplies.
1 . A vapour generating device comprising:
a vapour generating means configured to generate aerosol;
a receiver configured to receive a positioning signal;
a processor configured to:
determine, based on the positioning signal, a position of the vapour generating device;
determine a navigational instruction from the determined position of the vapour generating device to an area of interest; and
an indicator module configured to provide the navigational instruction, wherein the navigational instruction includes a directional indication,
wherein the vapour generating device is an e-cigarette.
2 . The vapour generating device of claim 1 , wherein the receiver is a GNSS receiver configured to receive a GNSS signal to determine a GNSS coordinate of the vapour generating device.
3 . The vapour generating device of claim 1 , wherein the directional indication is a visual indicator.
4 . The vapour generating device of claim 1 , wherein the indicator module has a region for indicating a forward direction, a region for indicating a backwards direction, a region for indicating a left direction, and a region for indicating a right direction.
5 . The vapour generating device of claim 1 , wherein the indicator module comprises a plurality of LED strips each having an end configured to indicate a specific direction.
6 . The vapour generating device of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of LED strips are arranged to form a cross shape.
7 . The vapour generating device of claim 1 , wherein the indicator module is arranged in a circular shape.
8 . The vapour generating device of claim 1 , further comprising a receiving unit configured to receive location information of the area of interest.
9 . The vapour generating device of claim 8 , wherein the receiving unit is a Bluetooth module.
10 . The vapour generating device of claim 8 , wherein the location information of the area of interest comprises a map of a geographical area, the map comprising locations of a plurality of areas of interest within the geographical area.
11 . The vapour generating device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine which of the plurality of areas of interest is closest to the vapour generating device and determine a direction to a closest of the plurality of areas of interest, such that the indicator module indicates the direction to the closest of the plurality of areas of interest.
12 . The vapour generating device of claim 1 , wherein the area of interest is a designated vaping area or a retail establishment.
13 . A method performed on a vapour generating device of indicating a direction to an area of interest, wherein the vapour generating device is an e-cigarette, the method comprising:
receiving, by a receiver, a positioning signal;
determining, by one or more processors, based on the positioning signal, a position of the vapour generating device;
determining, by one or more processors, a direction from the determined position of the vapour generating device to an area of interest; and
providing, by the one or more processors via an indicator module of the vapour generating device, the navigational instructions, wherein the navigational instructions includes a directional indication.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising repeating the steps of receiving, determining and providing, such that the directional indication is updated as the vapour generating device navigates towards the area of interest.