Granted Patent B2

US 12,200,821 · App. 17/202,579 · Granted Jan 14, 2025

Inventor: Tony Reevell (London, GB)

Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC

H05B1/0227A24F40/40H05B1/0244H05B3/04H05B3/44A24F40/10A24F40/53H05B2203/014H05B2203/021H05B2203/022

Abstract

Claims (38)

1. A method of making an aerosol-generating system, comprising:

electrically connecting a first line and a second line to a first terminal and a second terminal, the first line and the second line being in parallel;

configuring an aerosol-generator and a first barrier element within the first line; and

configuring an identifying element and a second barrier element within the second line,

the first barrier element and the second barrier element each having an asymmetric electrical conductance,

the configuring of the aerosol-generator and the first barrier element and the configuring of the identifying element and the second barrier element configures such that a first electrical current applied through the first terminal and second terminal in a first direction allows the first electrical current to pass through the identifying element without activating the aerosol-generator, and a second electrical current applied through the first terminal and second terminal in a second direction allows the second electrical current to activate the aerosol-generator without the second electrical current passing through the identifying element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuring of the aerosol-generator and the first barrier element, and the configuring of the identifying element and the second barrier element, configures such that the first electrical current allows a resistance of the identifying element to be detected.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying element includes an electrical fuse.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying element includes at least one of a resistor, a capacitor or an inductor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying element includes a sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying element includes a memory.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-generator is a resistive heater.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-generator is in a cartridge, the cartridge including a liquid storage portion containing liquid that is aerosolized by the aerosol-generator if the aerosol-generating system is in active use.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are annular and coaxial with each other.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first barrier element and the second barrier element includes one of a semiconductor diode or a transistor.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first barrier element includes a light emitting diode.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

configuring the aerosol-generating system with control circuitry, the control circuitry being operatively connected to the first terminal, the second terminal, and a power source.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein

the configuring of the aerosol-generator and the first barrier element, and the configuring of the identifying element and the second barrier element, configures such that resistance information for the identifying element is detected, and

the configuring of the aerosol-generating system further configures the control circuitry to identify a type of an aerosol-generating element of the aerosol-generating system based on the resistance information, the aerosol-generator being in the aerosol-generating element.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein

the identifying element includes an electrical fuse, and

the configuring of the aerosol-generating system further configures the control circuitry to adjust a magnitude of the first electrical current that passes through the electrical fuse to ensure that an aerosol-generating element of the aerosol-generating system is not overused, the aerosol-generator being in the aerosol-generating element.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein

the configuring of the aerosol-generator and the first barrier element, and the configuring of the identifying element and the second barrier element, configures such that resistance information for the identifying element is detected, the identifying element including at least one of a resistor, a capacitor or an inductor, and

the configuring of the aerosol-generating system further configures the control circuitry to identify a type of an aerosol-generating element of the aerosol-generating system based on the resistance information, the aerosol-generator being in the aerosol-generating element.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

configuring the aerosol-generating system with control circuitry, the control circuitry being operatively connected to the first terminal, the second terminal, and a power source,

the power source and the control circuitry being in a main unit of the aerosol-generating system, and the aerosol-generator being in an aerosol-generating element of the aerosol-generating system.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein

the identifying element includes a memory, the memory being operatively connected to the control circuitry, and

the configuring of the aerosol-generating system further configures the control circuitry to access usage data in the memory to determine usage information for the aerosol-generating element.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein

the identifying element includes a sensor, the sensor being configured to measure liquid level information for the aerosol-generating element, and

the configuring of the aerosol-generating system further configures the control circuitry to adjust an operation of the aerosol-generating system based on the liquid level information.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the aerosol-generating element is a cartridge.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the main unit is selectively connectable to the aerosol-generating element.

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (50)