IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,633,204
Granted Patent B2
US 12,633,204 · App. 18/250,015 · Granted May 19, 2026

Computer, system and method

Inventors: My-Linh Tran (London, GB); Robert Kersey (London, GB); Stephen Potter (London, GB)
Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Limited
G08B21/182G06Q10/06375A24F40/10A24F40/53A24F40/65H04W84/12
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,633,204
App. No.
18/250,015
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer is configured to receive, from a refilling device for an article of an aerosol provision system associated with the computer via a remote data store using a wireless communications protocol, an indication of a number of times the article of the aerosol provision system has been refilled with aerosol generating material. The computer is then configured to provide the indication to a user of the computer.

Claims (41)

1 . A computer comprising programmable circuitry configured to:

receive, from a refilling device for an article of an aerosol provision system associated with the computer via a remote data store using a wireless communications protocol, an indication of a number of times the article of the aerosol provision system has been refilled with aerosol generating material; and

provide the indication to a user of the computer;

receive, from the refilling device via the remote data store using the wireless communications protocol, article data, wherein the article data comprises data indicative of an amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article; and

provide a notification to the user of the computer based on the data indicative of the amount of the aerosol-generating material stored in the article; wherein the notification provides an indication of a number of times the aerosol-generating material is transferred to the article before the article expires.

2 . The computer of claim 1 , wherein the indication is a value of a counter indicative of the number of times the article has been refilled.

3 . The computer of claim 1 , wherein the indication indicates that the article is expired.

4 . The computer of claim 3 , further configured to provide a notification to the user of the computer based on the indication that the article is expired.

5 . The computer of claim 1 , further configured to determine one or more benefits of refilling the article based on the indication of the number of times the article of the aerosol provision system has been refilled with the aerosol generating material.

6 . The computer of claim 5 , wherein one of the one or more benefits comprises a cost benefit.

7 . The computer of claim 5 , wherein one of the one or more benefits comprises a material saving.

8 . The computer of claim 5 , further configured to receive benefit data from a remote source, and wherein determining one or more benefits is further based on the received benefit data.

9 . The computer of claim 5 , further configured to provide a notification to the user of the computer based on the one or more benefits.

10 . The computer of claim 1 , further configured to:

receive, from the refilling device via the remote data store using the wireless communications protocol, data indicative of whether the article is authentic.

11 . The computer of claim 10 , further configured to provide a notification to the user of the computer based on the data indicative of whether the article is authentic.

12 . The computer of claim 1 , further configured to:

receive, from an aerosol provision device of the aerosol provision system, device data.

13 . The computer of claim 12 , wherein the device data is received from the aerosol provision device using a different wireless communication protocol than the wireless communication protocol used to receive, from the refilling device via the remote data store, the indication of the number of times the article of the aerosol provision system has been refilled with the aerosol generating material.

14 . The computer of claim 13 , wherein the wireless communication protocol used to receive the device data is BLUETOOTH.

15 . The computer of claim 12 , further configured to provide a notification to the user of the computer based on the device data.

16 . The computer of claim 1 , further configured to:

receive, from the refilling device via the remote data store using the wireless communications protocol, device data.

17 . The computer of claim 1 , further configured to:

receive, from the refilling device via the remote data store using the wireless communications protocol, reservoir data, wherein the reservoir data comprises data indicative of an amount of the aerosol-generating material stored in a reservoir coupled to the refilling device.

18 . The computer of claim 17 , further configured to provide a notification to the user of the computer based on the data indicative of the amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the reservoir.

19 . The computer of claim 1 , wherein the computer is a mobile device.

20 . The computer of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communications protocol is Wi-Fi.

21 . A system comprising:

the computer of claim 1 ; and

the refilling device configured to transmit the indication to the computer via a remote data store using a wireless communications protocol.

22 . A method comprising:

receiving, from a refilling device for an article of an aerosol provision system via a remote data store using a wireless communications protocol, an indication of a number of times the article of the aerosol provision system has been refilled with aerosol generating material; and

providing the indication to a user;

receiving, from the refilling device via the remote data store using the wireless communications protocol, article data, wherein the article data comprises data indicative of an amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article; and

providing a notification to the user of a computer based on the data indicative of the amount of the aerosol-generating material stored in the article; wherein the notification provides an indication of a number of times the aerosol-generating material is transferred to the article before the article expires.

23 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving, from a refilling device for an article of an aerosol provision system via a remote data store using a wireless communications protocol, an indication of a number of times the article of the aerosol provision system has been refilled with aerosol generating material; and

providing the indication to a user;

receiving, from the refilling device via the remote data store using the wireless communications protocol, article data, wherein the article data comprises data indicative of an amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article; and

providing a notification to the user of a computer based on the data indicative of the amount of the aerosol-generating material stored in the article; wherein the notification provides an indication of a number of times the aerosol-generating material is transferred to the article before the article expires.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2025
From: TRAN, MY-LINH; BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED
To: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 072805/0172 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2025
From: KERSEY, ROBERT; PHAZE ONE MOBILE LIMITED
To: BRITISH-AMERICAN TOBACCO (HOLDINGS) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 072805/0200 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2025
From: POTTER, STEPHEN
To: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 072805/0276 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2025
From: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (HOLDINGS) LIMITED
To: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 072805/0409 →
Priority Claims (1)
GB 2016764 · Oct 22, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230394949A1 · Dec 7, 2023
References Cited (20)
US 10081531B2 · Murison · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10285449B2 · Murison · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10759554B2 · Sebastian · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 11213061B2 · Tseng · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20150245654A1 · Memari · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150245656A1 · Memari · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160150824A1 · Memari et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170233114A1 · Christensen · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180060873A1 · Chu · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190158938A1 · Bowen · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200000143A1 · Anderson · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200237014A1 · Lee · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210337878A1 · Gretton · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210401061A1 · Davis · 2021 [cited by examiner]
WO 2020074929A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2020165131A1 · 2020 [cited by examiner]
WO 2021019080A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO-2020165131-A1 English Translation of Specification (Year: 2025). [cited by examiner]
International Search Report and Written Opinion received for PCT Patent Application No. PCT/GB2021/052658, mailed on Jan. 24, 2022, 14 pages. [cited by applicant]
Search Report received for Great Britain Patent Application No. 2016764.9, mailed on Apr. 6, 2021, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]