# US 10,440,992 B2 · Motion sensing for an aerosol delivery device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,440,992 B2 - Document ID: US10440992B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/961,421 - Filed: 2015-12-07 - Published: 2017-06-08 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-07 - Assignees: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc. - Applicants: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company - Inventors: Rajesh Sur; Stephen B. Sears - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10440992B2 ## CPC - A24F 40/51: Arrangement of sensors - A24F 40/65: Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means - A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes - G01P 15/08: with conversion into electric or magnetic values - G01P 15/14: by making use of gyroscopes (gyroscopes per se G01C19/00) - G08B 21/18: Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) - A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors - A61M 2205/35: Communication - A61M 2205/82: Internal energy supply devices - 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)} - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS ## Abstract An aerosol delivery device includes at least one housing; and contained within the at least one housing, a control component and motion sensor. The control component may control operation of the aerosol delivery device based on a detected flow of air through at least a portion of the at least one housing. The motion sensor may detect a defined motion of the aerosol delivery device that indicates a vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device or a user thereof, with the motion sensor being configured to convert the defined motion to an electrical signal. The control component or motion sensor may recognize the vulnerability and an operation associated with the vulnerability based on the electrical signal, and the control component may control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device to perform the operation, which may thereby be performed in response to detection of the vulnerability. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aerosol delivery device comprising: at least one housing; and contained within the at least one housing, a heating element configured to activate and vaporize components of an aerosol precursor composition; a control component configured to direct power to the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, in response to a detected flow of air through at least a portion of the at least one housing; and a motion sensor configured to detect defined motions of the aerosol delivery device that indicate vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device or a user thereof, the defined motions including vibration, shock and freefall, the motion sensor being configured to detect and convert a defined motion of the defined motions to an electrical signal, wherein the control component or motion sensor is configured to recognize the vulnerability and whether the vulnerability is of the aerosol delivery device or the user based on the electrical signal, and the control component is configured to cause the aerosol delivery device to perform a first operation when the vulnerability is of the aerosol delivery device, and a second operation when the vulnerability is of the user, which is thereby performed in response to detection of the vulnerability. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer, and the motion sensor being configured to detect vibration includes the accelerometer being configured to detect a periodic acceleration of at least a threshold amount. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of Claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer, and the motion sensor being configured to detect shock includes the accelerometer being configured to detect at least a threshold amount of acceleration for less than a threshold period of time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer, and the motion sensor being configured to detect freefall includes the accelerometer being configured to detect less than a threshold amount of acceleration for at least a threshold period of time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 further comprising a power source configured to supply power to the aerosol delivery device, wherein the motion sensor being configured to detect the defined motion includes being configured to detect the defined motion that indicates a vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device, and wherein the control component being configured to cause the aerosol delivery device to perform the first operation includes being configured to shut off the power source, which is thereby shut off in response to detection of the vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 further comprising a communication interface coupled to the control component and configured to enable wireless communication, wherein the motion sensor being configured to detect the defined motion includes being configured to detect the defined motion that indicates a vulnerability of the user of the aerosol delivery device, and wherein the control component being configured to cause the aerosol delivery device to perform the second operation includes being configured to generate and wirelessly communicate an alert message through the communication interface, which is thereby wirelessly communicated in response to detection of the vulnerability of the user of the aerosol delivery device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The aerosol delivery device of claim 6 further comprising a position sensor configured to determine a geographic position of the aerosol delivery device and thereby the user, wherein the motion sensor being configured to generate the alert message includes being configured to generate the alert message including the geographic position from the position sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The aerosol delivery device of claim 6, wherein the control component being configured wirelessly communicate the alert message includes being configured to wirelessly communicate the alert message to an emergency dispatch center to prompt the emergency dispatch center to send a responder to a location of the user. ### Claim 9 A method of operating an aerosol delivery device including at least one housing, a heating element configured to activate and vaporize components of an aerosol precursor composition, and a control component and motion sensor contained therein, the method comprising: controlling directing by the control component, power to the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, in response to a detected flow of air through at least a portion of the at least one housing; detecting by the motion sensor, defined motions of the aerosol delivery device that indicate vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device or a user thereof, the defined motions including vibration, shock and freefall, the motion sensor being configured to detect and convert a defined motion of the defined motions to an electrical signal; recognizing by the control component or motion sensor, the vulnerability and whether the vulnerability is of the aerosol delivery device or the user based on the electrical signal; and causing by the control component, the aerosol delivery device to perform a first operation when the vulnerability is of the aerosol delivery device, and a second operation when the vulnerability is of the user, which is thereby performed in response to detection of the vulnerability. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer, and detecting vibration includes the accelerometer detecting a periodic acceleration of at least a threshold amount. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer, and detecting shock includes the accelerometer detecting at least a threshold amount of acceleration for less than a threshold period of time. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer, and detecting freefall includes the accelerometer detecting less than a threshold amount of acceleration for at least a threshold period of time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the aerosol delivery device further includes a power source configured to supply power to the aerosol delivery device, wherein detecting the defined motion includes detecting the defined motion that indicates a vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device, and wherein causing the aerosol delivery device to perform the first operation includes shutting off the power source, which is thereby shut off in response to detection of the vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the aerosol delivery device further includes a communication interface coupled to the control component and configured to enable wireless communication, wherein detecting the defined motion includes detecting the defined motion that indicates a vulnerability of the user of the aerosol delivery device, and wherein causing the aerosol delivery device to perform the second operation includes generating and wirelessly communicating an alert message through the communication interface, which is thereby wirelessly communicated in response to detection of the vulnerability of the user of the aerosol delivery device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the aerosol delivery device further includes a position sensor configured to determine a geographic position of the aerosol delivery device and thereby the user, and wherein generating the alert message includes generating the alert message including the geographic position from the position sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein wirelessly communicating the alert message includes wirelessly communicating the alert message to an emergency dispatch center to prompt the emergency dispatch center to send a responder to a location of the user.