# US 2018/0020735 A1 · Heater management

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- Number: US 2018/0020735 A1
- Document ID: US20180020735A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/658,713
- Filed: 2017-07-25
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25
- Assignees: Altria Client Services LLC
- Applicants: Altria Client Services LLC
- Inventors: Stephane BILAT; Guillaume COLOTTE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180020735A1

## CPC

- H05B 1/0277: {Electric radiators}
- A24F 40/50: Control or monitoring
- A24F 40/53: Monitoring, e.g. fault detection
- A24F 40/57: Temperature control
- H05B 3/44: heating conductor arranged within rods or tubes of insulating material
- A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
- A24F 40/20: Devices using solid inhalable precursors
- 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

An electrically operated aerosol-generating system may be configured to detect adverse conditions (e.g., a dry heater). The system may comprise an electric heater comprising at least one heating element for heating an aerosol-forming substrate, a power supply, and electric circuitry connected to the electric heater and to the power supply and comprising a memory. The electric circuitry may be configured to measure an initial electrical resistance (R1) of the electric heater; measure a subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater after the measurement of the initial electrical resistance; determine the difference (ΔR) between the initial electrical resistance and the subsequent electrical resistance; determine that an adverse condition is present if the difference is greater than a maximum threshold value (ΔRmax) or less than a minimum threshold value (ΔRmin) stored in the memory; and control a power to the electric heater and/or provide an indication if the adverse condition is present.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrically operated aerosol-generating system comprising:
an electric heater including at least one heating element configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate;
a power supply; and
electric circuitry electrically connected to the electric heater and to the power supply, the electric circuitry including a memory, the electric circuitry configured to
measure an initial electrical resistance of the electric heater,
measure a subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater after measuring the initial electrical resistance,
determine a difference between the initial electrical resistance and the subsequent electrical resistance,
determine a presence of an adverse condition based on the difference and a threshold value stored in the memory, and
perform at least one of controlling a power to the electric heater and providing an indication if the adverse condition is present.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electrically operated aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a puff detector configured to detect a puff,
wherein the puff detector is electrically connected to the electric circuitry, the electric circuitry is configured to supply the power from the power supply to the at least one heating element when the puff is detected by the puff detector, and the electric circuitry is configured to perform the determination of the presence of the adverse condition during the puff.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electrically operated aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a device; and
a removable cartridge,
wherein the power supply and the electric circuitry are in the device, the electric heater is in the removable cartridge, and the removable cartridge is configured to hold the aerosol-forming substrate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The electrically operated aerosol-generating system according to claim 3, further comprising:
a puff detector configured to detect a puff,
wherein the puff detector is electrically connected to the electric circuitry, the electric circuitry is configured to supply the power from the power supply to the at least one heating element when the puff is detected by the puff detector, and the electric circuitry is configured to perform the determination of the presence of the adverse condition during the puff.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The electrically operated aerosol-generating system according to claim 3, wherein the electric circuitry is further configured to
determine an existence of an electrical connection between the electric circuitry and the electric heater; and
perform the measurement of the initial electrical resistance of the electric heater within a time period after the electrical connection between the electric heater and the electric circuitry is determined.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electrically operated aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a removable cartridge including the electric heater and configured to hold the aerosol-forming substrate; and
a device configured to removably receive the removable cartridge, the device including a puff detector, the power supply, and the electric circuitry, the puff detector configured to detect a puff, the electric circuitry electrically connected to the puff detector, to the power supply, and to the electric heater, the electric circuitry including a memory and configured to
perform the measurement of the initial electrical resistance of the electric heater before the puff is detected by the puff detector,
supply the power from the power supply to the at least one heating element when the puff is detected by the puff detector,
perform the measurement of the subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater within a time period after the supply of the power from the power supply to the electric heater is initiated,
perform the determination of the difference between the subsequent electrical resistance and the initial electrical resistance,
perform the determination of the presence of the adverse condition based on the difference and the threshold value, and
limit the supply of the power to the electric heater during the puff or stop the supply of the power to the electric heater for a remainder of the puff if the adverse condition is present.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The electrically operated aerosol-generating system according to claim 6, wherein the electric circuitry is further configured to
determine an existence of an electrical connection between the electric circuitry and the electric heater; and
perform the measurement of the initial electrical resistance of the electric heater within a time period after the electrical connection between the electric heater and the electric circuitry is determined.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The electrically operated aerosol-generating system according to claim 6, wherein the electric circuitry is further configured to
store determinations of the adverse condition in the memory;
determine a number of the determinations of the adverse condition that are consecutive; and
disable the removable cartridge based on the number of the determinations of the adverse condition that are consecutive and the threshold value.

### Claim 9

A heater assembly comprising:
an electric heater including at least one heating element; and
electric circuitry electrically connected to the electric heater, the electric circuitry including a memory, the electric circuitry configured to
measure an initial electrical resistance of the electric heater,
measure a subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater after measuring the initial electrical resistance,
determine a difference between the initial electrical resistance and the subsequent electrical resistance,
determine a presence of an adverse condition based on the difference and a threshold value stored in the memory, and
perform at least one of controlling a power to the electric heater and providing an indication if the adverse condition is present.

### Claim 10

An electrically operated aerosol-generating device for an electrically operated aerosol-generating system, comprising:
a power supply; and
electric circuitry electrically connected to the power supply and comprising a memory, the electric circuitry configured to
electrically connect to an electric heater,
measure an initial electrical resistance of the electric heater,
measure a subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater after measuring the initial electrical resistance,
determine a difference between the initial electrical resistance and the subsequent electrical resistance,
determine a presence of an adverse condition based on the difference and a threshold value stored in the memory, and
perform at least one of controlling a power to the electric heater and providing an indication if the adverse condition is present.

### Claim 11

Electric circuitry configured to electrically connect to an electric heater and to a power supply of an electrically operated aerosol-generating system, the electric circuitry comprising:
a memory; and
a microprocessor configured to
measure an initial electrical resistance of the electric heater,
measure a subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater after measuring the initial electrical resistance,
determine a difference between the initial electrical resistance and the subsequent electrical resistance,
determine a presence of an adverse condition based on the difference and a threshold value stored in the memory, and
perform at least one of controlling a power to the electric heater and providing an indication if the adverse condition is present.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The electric circuitry according to claim 11, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to
store determinations of the adverse condition in the memory,
determine a number of the determinations of the adverse condition that are consecutive, and
disable a removable cartridge including the electric heater based on the number of the determinations of the adverse condition that are consecutive and the threshold value.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The electric circuitry according to claim 11, wherein the electric circuitry is configured to further electrically connect to a puff detector, the puff detector is configured to detect a puff, and the microprocessor is further configured to
determine an existence of an electrical connection between the electric circuitry and the electric heater,
perform the measurement of the initial electrical resistance of the electric heater within a time period after the electrical connection between the electric circuitry and the electric heater is determined,
supply the power from the power supply to the electric heater when the puff is detected by the puff detector,
perform the measurement of the subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater within a time period after the supply of the power from the power supply to the electric heater is initiated,
perform the determination of the difference between the subsequent electrical resistance and the initial electrical resistance,
perform the determination of the presence of the adverse condition based on the difference and the threshold value, and
limit the supply of the power to the electric heater during the puff or stop the supply of the power to the electric heater for a remainder of the puff if the adverse condition is present.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The electric circuitry according to claim 13, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to
store determinations of the adverse condition in the memory,
determine a number of the determinations of the adverse condition that are consecutive, and
disable a removable cartridge including the electric heater based on the number of the determinations of the adverse condition that are consecutive and the threshold value.

### Claim 15

A method of controlling an electrically operated aerosol-generating system that includes an electric heater and a power supply, the method comprising:
supplying a power to the electric heater from the power supply, the electric heater including at least one heating element configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate,
measuring an initial electrical resistance of the electric heater;
measuring a subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater after the measuring of the initial electrical resistance;
determining a difference between the initial electrical resistance and the subsequent electrical resistance;
determining a presence of an adverse condition based on the difference and a threshold value; and
performing at least one of controlling the power to the electric heater and providing an indication if the adverse condition is present.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15, wherein the electrically operated aerosol-generating system further includes a removable cartridge and a device configured to receive the removable cartridge, the removable cartridge includes the electric heater and is configured to hold the aerosol-forming substrate, the device includes the power supply, electric circuitry, and a puff detector configured to detect a puff, and the method further comprises:
performing the measuring of the initial electrical resistance of the electric heater before the puff is detected by the puff detector;
performing the supplying of the power from the power supply to the at least one heating element when the puff is detected by the puff detector;
performing the measuring of the subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater within a time period after the supplying of the power from the power supply to the electric heater is initiated;
performing the determining of the difference between the subsequent electrical resistance and the initial electrical resistance;
performing the determining of the presence of the adverse condition based on the difference and the threshold value; and
limiting the power to the electric heater during the puff or stopping the power to the electric heater for a remainder of the puff if the adverse condition is present.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method according to claim 16, further comprising:
determining an existence of an electrical connection between the electric circuitry and the electric heater; and
performing the measuring of the initial electrical resistance of the electric heater within a time period after the electrical connection between the electric circuitry and the electric heater is determined.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code that, when executed by a microprocessor, causes the microprocessor to perform the method of claim 15.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code that, when executed by a microprocessor, causes the microprocessor to perform the method of claim 16.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code that, when executed by a microprocessor, causes the microprocessor to perform the method of claim 17.