# US 10,945,463 B2 · Electronic aerosol provision system with multiple modes based on sensed events > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,945,463 B2 - Document ID: US10945463B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/739,019 - Filed: 2016-06-10 - Published: 2018-07-05 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-01 - Assignees: Nicoventures Holdings Limited - Applicants: c/o Nicoventures Holdings Limited - Inventors: Colin Dickens; Rory Fraser - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945463B2 ## CPC - A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes - A24F 40/40: Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts - A24F 40/51: Arrangement of sensors - A61M 11/042: {electrical} - G05B 19/406: characterised by monitoring or safety (G05B19/19 takes precedence) - H05B 1/0297: {Heating of fluids for non specified applications} - A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors - A61M 2016/0015: {inhalation detectors} - A61M 2016/0027: {pressure meter} - A61M 2205/332: Force measuring means - A61M 2205/3334: Measuring or controlling the flow rate - A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance - A61M 2205/50: with microprocessors or computers - A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated - G05B 2219/37371: Flow - 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)} - A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Aerosol delivery devices disclosed herein seek to help address or reduce some of the issues associated with accidental/unintended activation of an aerosol delivery device. This is done in some example implementations by control circuitry controlling when an aerosol delivery device switches between different modes based on signaling received from a motion sensor and an airflow sensor. The control circuitry can determine from motion detection signals when there is a tapping event corresponding to the device being tapped by a user and to determine from airflow detection signals when there is an airflow event corresponding a flow of air in the device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aerosol delivery device comprising: control circuitry for controlling an operating mode of the device; a motion sensor arranged to detect motion of the device and to output corresponding motion detection signals to the control circuitry; and an airflow sensor arranged to detect a flow of air in the device and to output corresponding airflow detection signals to the control circuitry; wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine from the motion detection signals when there is a tapping event corresponding to the device being tapped by a user and to determine from the airflow detection signals when there is an airflow event corresponding a flow of air in the device, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the device to switch from a first operating mode to a second operating mode in response to the detection of a first predefined sequence of events comprising at least one tapping event and at least one airflow event. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first predefined sequence of events comprises at least one tapping event followed by at least one airflow event. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first predefined sequence of events comprises a plurality of tapping events. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first predefined sequence of events consists of two tapping events followed by one airflow event. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first predefined sequence of events comprises the at least one tapping event and the at least one airflow event occurring in association with a predefined period of time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The aerosol delivery device of claim 5, wherein the predefined period of time is within a range selected from the group consisting of: 1 second to 1.5 seconds; 1.5 seconds to 2 seconds; 2 seconds to 2.5 seconds; 2.5 seconds to 3 seconds; 3 seconds to 3.5 seconds; 3.5 second to 4 seconds; less than 5 seconds; and less than 10 seconds. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a heating element and wherein the switch from the first operating mode to the second operating mode comprises the control circuitry activating a supply of power to the heating element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine from the airflow detection signals when there is an airflow reduction event corresponding to a reduction in the flow of air in the device when the device is in the second operating mode and, in response thereto, to control the device to switch from the second operating mode to a third operating mode in which the control circuitry is configured to control the device to switch back to the second operating mode in response to the detection of an airflow event. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The aerosol delivery device of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine a tapping event has occurred when the motion detection signals indicate the device has undergone an acceleration that exceeds a threshold acceleration. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the airflow sensor comprises a pressure sensor configured to measure air pressure in an airflow path of the device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The aerosol delivery device of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine an airflow event has occurred when the airflow detection signals indicate there has been a change in pressure in the airflow path of the device that is more than a threshold pressure change or when the airflow detection signals indicate the pressure in the airflow path has crossed a threshold pressure level. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control the device to switch from the second operating mode to the first operating mode in response to detection of a second predefined sequence of events which is different from the first predefined sequence of events for switching the device from the first operating mode to the second operating mode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The aerosol delivery device of claim 13, wherein the second predefined sequence of events comprises at least one tapping event which is not followed by an airflow event within a defined period of time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control the device to switch from the second operating mode to the first operating mode in response to no airflow events being detected within a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The aerosol delivery device of claim 15, wherein the predetermined period of time is within a range selected from the group consisting of: 1 minute to 1.5 minutes; 1.5 minutes to 2 minutes; 2 minutes to 2.5 minutes; 2.5 minutes to 3 minutes; 3 minutes to 3.5 minutes; 3.5 minute to 4 minutes; 5 minutes to 10 minutes; and 10 minutes to 20 minutes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The aerosol delivery device of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the predetermined period of time in response to receiving configuration setting information. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a power supply, a heating element and a reservoir of source liquid, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control a supply of power from the power supply to the heating element to selectively generate an aerosol from source liquid in the vicinity of the heating element. ### Claim 19 A method of operating an aerosol delivery device to control an operating mode comprising: detecting, using a motion sensor arranged to detect motion of the device and to output corresponding motion detection signals to control circuitry and an airflow sensor arranged to detect a flow of air in the device and to output corresponding airflow detection signals to the control circuitry, when there is a predefined sequence of events comprising at least one tapping event and at least one airflow event; and in response to the detecting, switching the device from a first operating mode to a second operating mode. ### Claim 20 An aerosol delivery device comprising: control means for controlling an operating mode of the device; motion sensor means for detecting motion of the device and for outputting corresponding motion detection signals to the control means; and airflow sensor means for detecting a flow of air in the device and for outputting corresponding airflow detection signals to the control means; wherein the control means is configured to determine from the motion detection signals when there is a tapping event corresponding to the device being tapped by a user and to determine from the airflow detection signals when there is an airflow event corresponding a flow of air in the device, and wherein the control means is configured to control the device to switch from a first operating mode to a second operating mode in response to the detection of a predefined sequence of events comprising at least one tapping event and at least one airflow event. ### Claim 21 An aerosol delivery device comprising: a control element for controlling operation of the device; a motion sensor for detecting when a user taps the device and outputting a motion detection signal to the control element in response thereto; and an airflow sensor for detecting when a user inhales or blows through the device and outputting an airflow detection signal to the control element in response thereto, wherein the control element is configured to control an operating characteristic of the device in response to a predefined sequence of detection signals comprising at least one motion detection signal and at least one airflow detection signal being received by the control element.