# US 10,306,923 B2 · Apparatus and method for controlling electric vaporizer

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- Number: US 10,306,923 B2
- Document ID: US10306923B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/911,851
- Filed: 2014-08-14
- Published: 2016-07-07
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2013-08-14
- Assignees: Pixan OY
- Applicants: Pixan Oy
- Inventors: Mika Kananen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10306923B2

## CPC

- A24B 15/16: of tobacco substitutes
- A24F 40/50: Control or monitoring
- A61M 11/042: {electrical}
- A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
- H05B 1/0244: {Heating of fluids (H05B1/0247 takes precedence)}
- H05B 3/16: the conductor being mounted on an insulating base
- A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
- A61M 2205/3368: Temperature
- A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
- A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated
- H05B 2203/021: Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids
- H05B 2203/022: Heaters specially adapted for heating gaseous material
- A24B: MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
- A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

The present invention introduces a method for controlling the power of an electric vaporizer, i.e. an electronic cigarette. In the method, the resistance of the heating unit of the vaporizer is measured. The system includes a controller and a memory, and the latter comprises a table where values of resistances and their corresponding default voltage or power values are stored. Additionally, minimum and maximum limit values of the voltages or powers may be stored. Based on the measured resistance, a suitable power or voltage value is determined. The power source is set to feed the heating element according to the selection. The user may however set the voltage or power input smaller or larger through the input means, comprising button(s) and a screen; despite the resistance value, but set limit values are not allowed to be exceeded.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A controller of an electronic vaporizer, wherein the controller is configured to:
store a table comprising resistance values and a corresponding power value for each resistance value;
measure a resistance of a heating element of a heating unit of the electronic vaporizer;
determine a power value for the measured resistance on the basis of the stored table, wherein a power value change in the stored table is disproportional to a corresponding change of the measured resistance; and
control a power source to feed the heating element of the heating unit with the determined power value,
wherein the determined power value fed to the heating unit is further adjustable by a user to be below a given maximum power and above a given minimum non-zero power from the stored table for the measured resistance value, where the determined power value is between the given maximum power and the given minimum non-zero power.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the resistance of the heating element at given time intervals and adjust a power fed to the heating element if the resistance changes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to prevent the feeding of the heating unit with a power if the measured resistance is outside of a given range.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to detect an input of a user and measure the resistance of the heating element after the detection.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to measure a power fed to the heating-element, compare the measured power to the determined power, and control the power source on the basis of the comparison.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the power source to decrease or increase a power fed to the heating unit on the basis of an input from a user.

### Claim 7

An electronic vaporizer comprising a controller which is configured to:
store a table comprising resistance values and a corresponding power value for each resistance value;
measure a resistance of a heating element of a heating unit of the electronic vaporizer;
determine a power value for the measured resistance on the basis of the stored table, wherein a power value change in the stored table is disproportional to a corresponding change of the measured resistance; and
control a power source to feed the heating element of the heating unit with the determined power value,
wherein the determined power value fed to the heating unit is further adjustable by a user to be below a given maximum power and above a given minimum non-zero power from the stored table for the measured resistance value, where the determined power value is between the given maximum power and the given minimum non-zero power.

### Claim 8

A method for controlling an electronic vaporizer using a controller, the method comprises:
storing a table comprising resistance values and a corresponding power value for each resistance value;
measuring a resistance of a heating element of a heating unit of the electronic vaporizer;
determining a power value for the measured resistance on the basis of the stored table, wherein a power value change in the stored table is disproportional to a corresponding change of the measured resistance; and
controlling a power source to feed the heating element of the heating unit with the determined power value,
wherein the determined power value fed to the heating unit is further adjustable by a user to be below a given maximum power and above a given minimum non-zero power from the stored table for the measured resistance value, where the determined power value is between the given maximum power and the given minimum non-zero power.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining the resistance of the heating element at given time intervals and adjusting a power fed to the heating element if the resistance changes.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising: preventing the feeding of the heating unit with a power if the measured resistance is outside a given range.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising: detecting an input of a user and measuring the resistance of the heating element after the detection.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising: measuring a power fed to the heating element, comparing the measured power to the determined power, and controlling the power source on the basis of the comparison.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The controller of claim 1, wherein the heating unit is replaceable with a further heating unit comprising a further heating element having a further resistance which is different than the resistance of the heating element wherein the controller is operable using the further heating unit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The electronic vaporizer of claim 7, wherein the heating unit is replaceable with a further heating unit comprising a further heating element having a further resistance which is different than the resistance of the heating element, wherein the controller is operable using the further heating unit.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the heating unit is replaceable with a further heating unit comprising a further heating element having a further resistance which is different than the resistance of the heating element, wherein the controller is operable using the further heating unit.