Granted Patent B2

US 12,721,377 · App. 17/479,939 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventors: Kate Ferrie (Liverpool, GB); Ross Shenton (Liverpool, GB); Mohammed Benyezzar (Liverpool, GB); Chris Lord (Liverpool, GB)

Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Limited

A24F40/57A24F40/53A24F40/60

Abstract

Claims (31)

1 . A smoking substitute device for heating a consumable according to a consumable cycle, the smoking substitute device comprising:

a measurement means for measuring a usage of the smoking substitute device by a user during the consumable cycle, wherein the measurement means comprises a puff sensor configured to detect a puff state indicating whether a puff is occurring;

a heater for heating the consumable during the consumable cycle; and

a controller configured to determine an exhaustion level of the consumable during the consumable cycle based on the usage, and wherein the controller is further configured to control an aspect of operation of the smoking substitute device during the consumable cycle based on the exhaustion level,

wherein the aspect of operation of the smoking substitute device comprises modifying a duration of the consumable cycle by controlling a power supply to the heater based on the exhaustion level such that the controller shortens the duration of the consumable cycle if the determined exhaustion level is above a predefined maximum exhaustion threshold, thereby preventing continued heating of the consumable when the consumable is in an exhausted state.

2 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the usage of the smoking substitute device is based on a detection of at least one puff by the puff sensor.

3 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein calculation of the exhaustion level is based on an operating temperature of the heater of the smoking substitute device during the consumable cycle.

4 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the exhaustion level is based on a power level supplied to the heater of the smoking substitute device during the consumable cycle.

5 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the smoking substitute device includes an environmental temperature measurement means configured to measure an environmental temperature of the smoking substitute device.

6 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 5 , wherein the determination of the exhaustion level is based on an environmental temperature measurement.

7 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the exhaustion level is based on a user-selectable operating mode of the smoking substitute device during the consumable cycle.

8 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to extend the duration of the consumable cycle by a predetermined extension period if the exhaustion level is below a predefined minimum exhaustion threshold.

9 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the aspect of operation of the smoking substitute device includes controlling an operating temperature of the heater of the smoking substitute device during the consumable cycle based on the exhaustion level.

10 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , comprising a user output means for providing user feedback to the user, wherein the controller is configured to control the user output means to indicate to the user the control of the aspect of the operation of the smoking substitute device.

11 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 10 , wherein the user output means includes one or more lights or a haptic feedback component.

12 . A smoking substitute device for heating a consumable according to a consumable cycle, the smoking substitute device comprising:

a sensor configured to measure a usage of the smoking substitute device by a user during the consumable cycle, wherein the sensor comprises a puff sensor configured to detect a puff state indicating whether a puff is occurring;

a heater for heating the consumable during the consumable cycle; and

a controller configured to determine an exhaustion level of the consumable during the consumable cycle based on the usage, and wherein the controller is further configured to control an aspect of operation of the smoking substitute device during the consumable cycle based on the exhaustion level,

wherein the aspect of operation of the smoking substitute device comprises modifying a duration of the consumable cycle by controlling a power supply to the heater based on the exhaustion level such that the controller extends the duration of the consumable cycle if the determined exhaustion level is below a predefined minimum exhaustion threshold, thereby ensuring that the consumable is fully consumed.

13 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the smoking substitute device is a heat not burn device.

14 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 7 , wherein the operating mode corresponds to a power level supplied to the heater.

15 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:

increase the duration of the consumable cycle if the exhaustion level is less than a predetermined threshold level; or

decrease the duration of the consumable cycle if the exhaustion level is greater than the predetermined threshold level;

wherein the predetermined threshold level is based on an expected exhaustion level at for a time in the consumable cycle at which the exhaustion level is determined.

16 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:

extend the duration of the consumable cycle if the exhaustion level is below a predefined minimum exhaustion threshold; and

shorten a duration of the consumable cycle if the exhaustion level is above a predefined maximum exhaustion threshold;

wherein the minimum exhaustion level and the maximum exhaustion level define a desired exhaustion range for a time in the consumable cycle at which the exhaustion level is determined.

17 . A smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the exhaustion level and to adjust the duration of the consumable cycle based on the exhaustion level multiple times during the consumable cycle.

Assignments (4)

Priority Claims (23)

Continuity (21)

References Cited (280)