System, method and device for age authenticated vaping
View Patent ↗A personal vaping device (“PVD”) for age authenticated vaping is configured to read the thumbprint of an active user of the vaping device and, essentially simultaneously, perform a bioimpedance analysis (“BIA”) to measure a bioimpedance signature of the active user. The combination of the user's thumbprint with the bioimpedance signature defines a unique identity data combination for the user that can be compared to stored identity data combinations of authorized users. If the identity data combination of the active user matches, within a statistical confidence level, a stored identity data combination of an authorized user, the vaping device “unlocks” its heating chamber such that power is supplied to the coil/heating element for vaporizing e-juice.
1 . A method for age authenticated vaping with a vaping device that lacks any pressure sensor, airflow sensor, or acoustic sensor located in an airflow path and configured to detect a user's draw, comprising:
reading a thumbprint and measuring a bioimpedance signature for a given activation event, wherein the thumbprint and bioimpedance signature are together uniquely associated with an authorized user of a vaping device that lacks any pressure sensor, airflow sensor, or acoustic sensor located in an airflow path and configured to detect a user's draw;
based on the thumbprint and bioimpedance signature readings, unlocking the vaping device such that power is supplied to a heating element operable to vaporize a liquid;
wherein the vaping device comprises a first bioimpedance sensor associated with a mouthpiece of the vaping device, a thumbprint reader, and a second bioimpedance sensor associated with a body portion of the vaping device, such that, when an active user positions a lip on the first bioimpedance sensor and physically contacts the second bioimpedance sensor with a portion of a hand holding the vaping device, a bioimpedance circuit is completed between the first and second bioimpedance sensors; and
wherein the vaping device remains unlocked so long as the active user is an authorized user and the bioimpedance circuit remains completed.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the active user of the vaping device is an authorized user of the vaping device by comparing the thumbprint and bioimpedance signature of the active user with stored thumbprint and bioimpedance signature combinations associated with authorized users of the vaping device.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising calculating that, within a statistical confidence interval, the thumbprint and/or bioimpedance signature of the active user is equivalent to one of the stored thumbprint and/or bioimpedance signatures.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
updating the stored thumbprint and/or bioimpedance signature.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing visual feedback to the active user of the vaping device that the thumbprint has either been successfully or unsuccessfully read.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the bioimpedance signature comprises applying a plurality of AC excitation signals at different frequencies between the first and second bioimpedance sensors and measuring corresponding impedance values to form a multi-frequency impedance profile.
7 . A vaping device for age authenticated vaping that lacks any pressure sensor, airflow sensor, or acoustic sensor located in an airflow path and configured to detect a user's draw, comprising:
a heating coil operable to vaporize a liquid;
a reader operable to read a thumbprint;
a bioimpedance analysis subsystem comprising a first bioimpedance sensor associated with a mouthpiece of the vaping device and a second bioimpedance sensor associated with a body portion of the vaping device, the subsystem operable to measure a bioimpedance signature when an active user of the vaping device completes a bioimpedance circuit by positioning a lip on the first bioimpedance sensor and physically contacting the second bioimpedance sensor with a portion of a hand holding the vaping device; and
an authenticator engine configured to determine whether a thumbprint and a bioimpedance signature of an active user of the vaping device are associated with an authorized user of the vaping device;
wherein the reader reads the active user's thumbprint together with the bioimpedance analysis subsystem measuring the bioimpedance signature;
wherein, if the authenticator engine determines that a thumbprint and bioimpedance signature for an active user of the vaping device is statistically equivalent to a thumbprint and bioimpedance signature associated with an authorized user of the vaping device, the vaping device is unlocked such that power is supplied to the heating element;
wherein the vaping device remains unlocked so long as the bioimpedance circuit remains completed.
8 . The vaping device of claim 7 , wherein the authenticator engine is further configured to update a thumbprint and/or bioimpedance signature stored in association with an authorized user.
9 . The vaping device of claim 7 , further comprising a display component for providing visual feedback to an active user of the vaping device that a thumbprint has either been successfully or unsuccessfully read.
10 . The vaping device of claim 7 , wherein the bioimpedance analysis subsystem further comprises at least one additional bioimpedance sensor disposed on the vaping device such that, in addition to the bioimpedance circuit between the first and second bioimpedance sensors, a plurality of bioimpedance conduction paths can selectively be formed between different portions of an active user's body, and wherein the authenticator engine is further configured to utilize bioimpedance measurements from the plurality of bioimpedance conduction paths to increase a confidence level that the active user is an authorized user.
11 . A vaping device for age authenticated vaping that lacks any pressure sensor, airflow sensor, or acoustic sensor located in an airflow path and configured to detect a user's draw, comprising:
means for reading a thumbprint and measuring a bioimpedance signature during a given activation event;
based on a thumbprint and a bioimpedance signature, means for determining whether an active user of the vaping device is an authorized user of the vaping device; and
means for unlocking the vaping device such that power is supplied to a heating element operable to vaporize a liquid;
wherein the vaping device comprises a first bioimpedance sensor associated with a mouthpiece of the vaping device, a thumbprint reader, and a second bioimpedance sensor associated with a body portion of the vaping device, such that, when an active user positions a lip on the first bioimpedance sensor and physically contacts the second bioimpedance sensor with a portion of a hand holding the vaping device, a bioimpedance circuit is completed between the first and second bioimpedance sensors; and
wherein the vaping device remains unlocked so long as the bioimpedance circuit remains completed.
12 . The vaping device of claim 11 , wherein the means for determining that the active user of the vaping device is an authorized user of the vaping device further comprises means for comparing the thumbprint and bioimpedance signature of the active user with stored thumbprint and bioimpedance signature combinations associated with authorized users of the vaping device.
13 . The vaping device of claim 12 , further comprising means for calculating that, within a statistical confidence interval, the thumbprint and/or bioimpedance signature of the active user is equivalent to one of the stored thumbprint and/or bioimpedance signatures.
14 . The vaping device of claim 11 , further comprising:
means for updating the stored thumbprint and/or bioimpedance signature.
15 . The vaping device of claim 11 , further comprising means for providing visual feedback to the active user of the vaping device that the thumbprint has either been successfully or unsuccessfully read.
16 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory tangible medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for age authenticated vaping in a personal vaping device that comprises no pressure sensor or airflow sensor for detecting a user's draw, said method comprising:
simultaneously reading a thumbprint and measuring a bioimpedance signature, wherein the thumbprint and bioimpedance signature are together uniquely associated with an authorized user of a vaping device that comprises no pressure sensor or airflow sensor for detecting a user's draw;
based on the thumbprint and bioimpedance signature readings, unlocking the vaping device such that power is supplied to a coil operable to vaporize e-juice;
wherein the vaping device comprises a first bioimpedance sensor associated with a mouthpiece of the vaping device, a thumbprint reader, and a second bioimpedance sensor associated with a body portion of the vaping device, such that, when an active user positions a lip on the first bioimpedance sensor and physically contacts the second bioimpedance sensor with a portion of a hand holding the vaping device, a bioimpedance circuit is completed between the first and second bioimpedance sensors; and
wherein the vaping device remains unlocked so long as the active user is an authorized user and the bioimpedance circuit remains completed.
17 . The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein determining that the active user of the vaping device is an authorized user of the vaping device comprises comparing the thumbprint and bioimpedance signature of the active user with stored thumbprint and bioimpedance signature combinations associated with authorized users of the vaping device.
18 . The computer program product of claim 17 , further comprising calculating that, within a statistical confidence interval, the thumbprint and/or bioimpedance signature of the active user is equivalent to one of the stored thumbprint and/or bioimpedance signatures.
19 . The computer program product of claim 16 , further comprising:
updating the stored thumbprint and/or bioimpedance signature.
20 . The computer program product of claim 16 , further comprising providing a signal to the active user of the vaping device that the thumbprint has either been successfully or unsuccessfully read.