# US 11,432,591 B2 · Electronic vaping device having pressure sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,432,591 B2 - Document ID: US11432591B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/881,270 - Filed: 2020-05-22 - Published: 2020-09-10 - Granted: 2022-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-25 - Assignees: Altria Client Services LLC - Applicants: Altria Client Services LLC - Inventors: Geoffrey Brandon Jordan; Phillip Diana; Sean Sundberg; David Bennett; Christopher S. Tucker; Barry S. Smith; Edmond J. Cadieux; Douglas A. Burton; Paul Butler; Jarrett Keen; Patrick Cobler; Kai Cao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11432591B2 ## CPC - A24F 40/53: Monitoring, e.g. fault detection - A24F 40/50: Control or monitoring - A24F 40/51: Arrangement of sensors - A24F 40/60: Devices with integrated user interfaces - A24F 40/90: Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof - G01L 19/0092: {Pressure sensor associated with other sensors, e.g. for measuring acceleration or temperature (G01L9/025, G01L9/045, G01L9/065, G01L9/085, G01L9/105, G01L9/125, G01L19/02, G01L19/04 take precedence; measuring two or more variable G01D21/02; temperature sensors with pressure compensation G01K1/26)} - G01N 7/00: Analysing materials by measuring the pressure or volume of a gas or vapour - G01R 31/66: Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints (testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55) - G05B 15/02: electric - H02J 7/70: characterised by the mechanical construction - H05B 1/0244: {Heating of fluids (H05B1/0247 takes precedence)} - A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors - H02J 7/47: Arrangements for checking compatibility or authentication between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source - A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06) - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - 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) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract At least one example embodiment discloses a section of an electronic-vaping device including a pressure sensor configured to measure a current ambient pressure, the pressure sensor further configured to output the current ambient pressure measurement in accordance with a read request frequency, and a controller configured to determine a mode of operation of the electronic-vaping device, control the read request frequency based on the determined mode of operation, and detect a threshold pressure change based on the current ambient pressure and a baseline pressure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A controller of an electronic vaping (e-vaping) device, comprising: control circuitry configured to cause the e-vaping device to, generate a control signal for controlling detection of whether a cartridge section is being connected to and being disconnected from a power supply section, receive a detection signal based on the control signal, detect attachment events based on the detection signal, the attachment events indicating whether the cartridge section is being attached to or being detached from the power supply section, store the detected attachment events in a table, and enter a sleep mode if a first time period elapses after one of the detected attachment events and stay in a same operation mode if the first time period has not elapsed, wherein the sleep mode is at least one of a mode in which the control circuitry disables a pressure sensor of the e-vaping device, a mode in which the control circuitry reduces a frequency of read requests for the pressure sensor while continuing to check for attachment events, or a mode in which the control circuitry terminates a read request for the pressure sensor, wherein the pressure sensor is a microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor, and wherein the control circuitry includes a cartridge detection circuit including a first resistor having a first end connected to an input terminal and a second end connected to a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) switch which has a gate connected to a control terminal, a second resistor having a first end connected to the MOSFET switch and a second end connected to a ground terminal and to a base of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) switch which has an emitter connected to a detection terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the sleep mode is the mode in which the control circuitry disables the pressure sensor of the e-vaping device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the e-vaping device to count a number of the detected attachment events corresponding to the cartridge section being attached to the power supply and being detached from the power supply. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The controller of claim 3, wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the e-vaping device to select an operation mode from among a plurality of operation modes based on the counted number of the detected attachment events, and operate the e-vaping device according to the selected operation mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The controller of claim 4, wherein the plurality of operation modes include a plurality of modes based on profiles associated with different operating preferences. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The controller of claim 3, wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the device to, store the detected attachment events during a second time period, and count the number of the detected attachment events occurring during the second time period. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the e-vaping device to store the detected attachment events in a storage medium for subsequent data collection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the sleep mode is the mode in which the control circuitry reduces the frequency of read requests for the pressure sensor while continuing to check for attachment events. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the sleep mode is the mode in which the control circuitry terminates a read request for the pressure sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the cartridge detection circuit is configured to cause the controller to, receive an input voltage from an anode of a connecting portion of the power supply section, the connecting portion detachably connecting the power supply section to the cartridge section, divide the input voltage to generate an output voltage, and generate the detection signal based on the output voltage. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The controller of claim 10, wherein the cartridge detection circuit includes, the input terminal configured to receive the input voltage from the connecting portion of the power supply section; a voltage divider configured to divide the input voltage to generate the output voltage; and the detection terminal configured to output the detection signal based on the output voltage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor does not compare a differential between an ambient pressure and a non-ambient pressure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to detect a threshold pressure change based on a current ambient pressure and a baseline pressure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The controller of claim 13, wherein the baseline pressure is a rolling average of previous measurements of ambient pressure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The controller of claim 14, wherein the baseline pressure is determined based on a guard band. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the MEMS sensor is configured to be upstream from a power supply of e-vaping device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the MEMS sensor is configured to be connected to a cathode of a power supply of the e-vaping device by a wire that extends a length of the power supply. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one light emitting diode, the at least one light emitting diode on a same end of the e-vaping device as the MEMS sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the MEMS sensor and the cartridge detection circuit are on a same printed circuit board.