# US 12,016,086 B2 · Control circuit for a vapor provision system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,016,086 B2 - Document ID: US12016086B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/194,763 - Filed: 2023-04-03 - Published: 2023-07-27 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-25 - Assignees: Nicoventures Trading Limited - Applicants: Nicoventures Trading Limited - Inventors: Martin Conrad Mullin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12016086B2 ## CPC - H05B 1/0244: {Heating of fluids (H05B1/0247 takes precedence)} - A24F 40/53: Monitoring, e.g. fault detection - H05B 1/0297: {Heating of fluids for non specified applications} - A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors - H05B 2203/035: Electrical circuits used in resistive heating apparatus - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06) ## Abstract A control circuit for a vapor provision system includes comprises a first controller with capability to control a first set of components in the vapor provision system; a second controller with capability to control a second set of components in the vapor provision system, at least one component in the second set being also in the first set; and a communication link between the first controller and the second controller by which at least one controller can monitor operation of the other controller; wherein one or both controllers is operable to, via the communication link, detect a fault with the capability of the other controller to control the at least one component and, in response, assume control of the at least one component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control circuit for a vapor provision system, comprising: a first controller with capability to control a first set of components in the vapor provision system; a second controller with capability to control a second set of components in the vapor provision system, at least one component in the second set of components being also in the first set of components; and a communication link between the first controller and the second controller by which at least one controller can monitor operation of the other controller; wherein one or both controllers are operable to, via the communication link, detect a fault with the capability of the other controller to control the at least one component and, in response, assume control of the at least one component, wherein a master switch is accessible to both controllers, such that one or both controllers is further configured to, in response to detecting said fault, cut power supply to all components of the first and second sets of components using the master switch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control circuit of claim 1, wherein the at least one component comprises an electrical heating element, and the capability to control the at least one component comprises controlling provision of electrical power from a battery to the heating element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The control circuit of claim 2, wherein the fault comprises an inability of the other controller to discontinue provision of electrical power to the heating element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The control circuit of claim 2, wherein the operability of one or both controllers to assume control of the at least one component comprises stopping the provision of electrical power to the heating element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control circuit of claim 1, wherein one or both controllers is further configured to, in response to detecting a fault with the other controller, place the vapor provision system in an inoperable state. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control circuit of claim 1, wherein the first set of components and the second set of components are the same, and one or both controllers is further operable to, in response to detecting a fault with the other controller, assume control of all components in the first set and the second set. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control circuit of claim 1, wherein monitoring operation of the other controller comprises sending polling queries to that controller via the communication link, and detecting a fault comprises noting an absence of a reply to a polling query or noting a reply to a polling query that reports a fault. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The control circuit of claim 1, wherein detecting a fault comprises noting a fault reporting message received via the communications link. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A vapor provision system comprising the control circuit of claim 1. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A control section for a vapor provision system, the control section housing the control circuit of claim 1 and a battery, the control section configured to be separably connectable with a cartomizer section, the cartomizer section and the control section together forming the vapor provision system. ### Claim 11 A method of controlling a component in a vapor provision system, comprising: controlling the component using a first controller; monitoring operation of the first controller using a second controller for the purpose of detecting faults in the operation of the first controller via a communication link between the first controller and the second controller; and in response to detection by the second controller of a fault in the operation of the first controller, transferring control of the component to the second controller, wherein a master switch is accessible to both controllers, such that the second controller is further configured to, in response to detecting said fault, cut power supply to the component using the master switch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, in which the detected fault is any fault in operation of the first controller. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, in which the detected fault is a fault in an ability of the first controller to control the component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising, in response to detection of the fault, the second controller placing the vapor provision system in an inoperable state. ### Claim 15 An electronic vapor provision system or part therefore comprising: an electrical heating element; a battery; a first microcontroller with capability to control delivery of electrical power to the heating element from the battery; a second microcontroller with capability to control delivery of electrical power to the heating element from the battery; and a communications path between the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller; wherein one or both microcontrollers is configured to use the communications path to detect a fault in the capability of the other microcontroller to control the delivery of electrical power to the heating element from the battery, and in response to detecting a fault, assume control of the delivery of electrical power to the heating element from the battery, wherein a master switch is accessible to both microcontrollers, such that one or both microcontrollers is further configured to, in response to detecting said fault, cut power supply using the master switch.