# US 11,896,058 B2 · Aerosol-generating system with air quality sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,896,058 B2 - Document ID: US11896058B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/256,392 - Filed: 2019-07-09 - Published: 2021-05-20 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-10 - Assignees: Philip Morris Products S.A. - Applicants: Philip Morris Products S.A. - Inventors: Michel Bessant; Filip Tack - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896058B2 ## CPC - A24F 40/51: Arrangement of sensors - A24F 40/20: Devices using solid inhalable precursors - A24F 40/40: Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts - A24F 40/57: Temperature control - A24F 40/60: Devices with integrated user interfaces - A24F 40/65: Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means - A24F 40/95: structurally associated with cases - G01N 33/0027: {concerning the detector} - H02J 7/731: {specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence)} - F24F 2110/50: Air quality properties - F24F 2110/62: Tobacco smoke - Y02B 30/70: Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating - A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06) - 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) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract An aerosol-generating system, and aerosol-generating device, and a charging case for an aerosol-generating device are provided. The system includes an aerosol-generating device; an ambient air quality sensor; and a controller. The device includes a housing having a chamber to receive an aerosol-forming substrate; and a heating assembly to heat the substrate when the substrate is received in the chamber. The ambient air quality sensor is arranged to sense a property of the ambient air in the vicinity of the system and the controller is connected to the ambient air quality sensor and is configured to receive ambient air quality readings from the ambient air quality sensor and to output an ambient air quality signal based on one or more of the readings of the ambient air quality sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aerosol-generating system, comprising: an aerosol-generating device comprising: a housing having a chamber configured to receive an aerosol-forming substrate, the chamber being arranged at a proximal end of the aerosol-generating device, a heating assembly configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate when the aerosol-forming substrate is received in the chamber, an ambient air quality sensor arranged to sense a property of ambient air in a vicinity of the aerosol-generating system, the ambient air quality sensor being configured to sense one or more of: carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, dioxygen, pressure, and nicotine, and the ambient air quality sensor being further arranged at a distal end of the device, opposite the proximal end, and a controller connected to the ambient air quality sensor, configured to receive ambient air quality readings from the ambient air quality sensor and to output an ambient air quality signal based on one or more of the ambient air quality readings of the ambient air quality sensor, wherein the ambient air quality sensor is substantially isolated from the chamber of the aerosol-generating device, wherein the ambient air quality sensor is further arranged within the housing, and wherein the housing further comprises a first opening configured to enable ambient air to enter the housing to reach the ambient air quality sensor, and a second opening configured to enable ambient air to exit the housing, an airflow pathway being formed through the housing from the first opening, over the ambient air quality sensor, to the second opening. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged on or in the housing of the aerosol-generating device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein: the aerosol-generating device further comprises a power supply and power supply control circuitry configured to control a supply of power from the power supply to the assembly, and the power supply control circuitry is configured to receive the ambient air quality signal from the controller and control the supply of power from the power supply to the heating assembly based on the ambient air quality signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The aerosol-generating system according to claim 3, wherein the power supply control circuitry is further configured to compare the ambient air quality signal from the ambient air quality sensor to a predetermined ambient air quality condition and to prevent the supply of power from the power supply to the heating assembly when the ambient air quality signal is outside of the predetermined ambient air quality condition. ### Claim 5 An aerosol-generating system, comprising: an aerosol-generating device comprising: a housing having a chamber configured to receive an aerosol-forming substrate, a heating assembly configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate when the aerosol-forming substrate is received in the chamber, and a power supply housed in the housing; and a charging unit comprising: power transfer circuitry configured to transfer power to the power supply of the aerosol-generating device; an ambient air quality sensor arranged to sense a property of ambient air in a vicinity of the aerosol-generating system, the ambient air quality sensor being configured to sense one or more of: carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, dioxygen, pressure, and nicotine, and a controller connected to the ambient air quality sensor, configured to receive ambient air quality readings from the ambient air quality sensor and to output an ambient air quality signal based on one or more of the ambient air quality readings of the ambient air quality sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The aerosol-generating system according to claim 5, wherein the ambient air quality sensor and the controller are arranged on or in the charging unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The aerosol-generating system according to claim 5, wherein: the charging unit is a charging case having a chamber configured to receive the aerosol-generating device and the power supply housed in the housing, and the power transfer circuitry is configured to transfer power from the power supply of the charging case to the power supply of the aerosol-generating device when the aerosol-generating device is received in the chamber of the charging case. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The aerosol-generating system according to claim 7, wherein the ambient air quality sensor is arranged in the housing of the charging case, and wherein the housing of the charging case comprises at least one opening configured to enable ambient air to enter the housing and to reach the ambient air quality sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The aerosol-generating system according to claim 5, wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises a first ambient air quality sensor and the charging unit further comprises a second ambient air quality sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein the ambient air quality sensor comprises at least one of: an electrochemical sensor, a chemical resistive sensor, a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) sensor, a catalytic sensor, a gas spectrometer, and a nicotine sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-generating system further comprises a display connected or connectable to the controller and being configured to receive the ambient air quality signal from the controller and to display ambient air quality information based on the ambient air quality signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-generating system further comprises a wireless transceiver configured to transmit the ambient air quality signal. ### Claim 13 An aerosol-generating device, comprising: a housing having a chamber configured to receive an aerosol-forming substrate, the chamber being arranged at a proximal end of the aerosol-generating device; and a heating assembly configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate when the aerosol-forming substrate is received in the chamber; an ambient air quality sensor arranged to sense a property of ambient air in a vicinity of the device, the ambient air quality sensor being configured to sense one or more of: carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, dioxygen, pressure, and nicotine, and the ambient air quality sensor being further arranged at a distal end of the device, opposite the proximal end; and a controller connected to the ambient air quality sensor, configured to receive ambient air quality readings from the ambient air quality sensor and to output an ambient air quality signal based on one or more of the readings of the ambient air quality sensor, wherein the ambient air quality sensor is substantially isolated from the chamber of the aerosol-generating device, wherein the ambient air quality sensor is further arranged within the housing, and wherein the housing further comprises a first opening configured to enable ambient air to enter the housing to reach the ambient air quality sensor, and a second opening configured to enable ambient air to exit the housing, an airflow pathway being formed through the housing from the first opening, over the ambient air quality sensor, to the second opening. ### Claim 14 A charging case for an aerosol-generating system, the charging case comprising: a housing comprising a chamber configured to receive an aerosol-generating device; power transfer circuitry configured to transfer power to a power supply of an aerosol-generating device when the aerosol-generating device is received in the chamber; an ambient air quality sensor arranged to sense a property of ambient air in a vicinity of the charging case, the ambient air quality sensor being configured to sense one or more of: carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, dioxygen, pressure, and nicotine; and a controller connected to the ambient air quality sensor, configured to receive ambient air quality readings from the ambient air quality sensor and to output an ambient air quality signal based on one or more of the readings of the ambient air quality sensor.