Improved youth access prevention for aerosol-generating devices

An aerosol-generating device, comprising:

• control circuitry comprising a controller configured to operate the aerosol-generating device in either one of a locked state, in which generation of aerosol by the aerosol-generating device is prohibited, and an unlocked state, in which generation of aerosol by the aerosol-generating device is allowed;
• and
• a light sensor operably coupled to the controller,
• wherein the light sensor is configured to receive a series of light signals,
• wherein the series of light signals is provided as a video, and
• wherein the controller is further configured to transition the aerosol-generating device from the locked state into the unlocked state based on the series of light signals.

A companion device configured to charge an aerosol-generating device with electrical energy, comprising:

• control circuitry comprising a controller;
• a light sensor;
• and
• a communications arrangement,
• wherein the light sensor is configured to receive a series of light signals,
• wherein the series of light signals is provided as a video, and
• wherein the controller is further configured to provide an unlocking instruction to the aerosol-generating device via the communications arrangement.

A computing device configured to provide an unlocking instruction to one of an aerosol-generating device and a companion device configured to charge an aerosol-generating device with electrical energy, comprising:

• a light emitter;
• and
• a data connection to a server device,
• wherein the computing device is further configured to receive unlocking data from the server device,
• wherein the computing device is further configured to provide the unlocking instruction by emitting the unlocking data as a series of light signals via the light emitter, and
• wherein the series of light signals is provided as a video.