Power controller and method of operating an electrical smoking system

A method of controlling the application of power cycles in an electrical smoking system so that the smoking system provides consistent delivery, said smoking system including a source of electrical power, a plurality of heater elements and a controller for controllably communicating at least one of said heater elements with said electrical power source during a power cycle, said method comprising the steps of:

• configuring a power cycle in accordance with a desired thermo-histogram, said configuring step including the steps of dividing said power cycle into at least first and second differentiated phases and establishing a respective time period for each phase and establishing a respective total energy for each phase;
• establishing a predetermined range of voltages correlating to a discharge cycle of a power source, said predetermined range including an upper voltage level and a lower voltage level;
• repetitively executing said configured power cycle upon demand by:
• referencing a voltage of said power source;
• and
• adjusting a respective duty cycle in each of said phases responsively to said referencing step such that the established, respective total energy of each phase is achieved during said execution step, whereby repetition of said desired thermo-histogram is achieved along said discharge cycle of said power source.

An electrical cigarette lighter comprising:

• a source of electrical power having a predetermined range of voltages correlating to a discharge cycle of said power source, said predetermined range including an upper voltage level and a lower voltage level;
• a plurality of heater elements adapted to receive a cigarette;
• and
• a controller for controllably communicating at least one of said heater elements with said electrical power source responsively to a puff on said cigarette;
• said controller configured to deliver electrical energy to said at least one heater in accordance with a predetermined power cycle including at least first and second differentiated phases, a preselected time period for each phase and a preselected energy level for each phase;
• said controller including means for repetitively executing said configured power cycle, said means for repetitively executing said configured power cycle comprising:
• means for referencing voltage of said power source;
• and
• means for adjusting a respective duty cycle in each of said phases responsively to an output of said voltage referencing means such that the preselected energy level of each phase is achieved within said preselected time period of each phase during execution of said power cycle, whereby repetition of said predetermined power cycle is achieved along said discharge cycle of said power source.

An electrical lighter operative with a cigarette, said electrical lighter comprising:

• a source of electrical power;
• a plurality of heater elements adapted to receive a cigarette;
• and
• a cigarette detector adapted to provide said controller a first signal indicative of a cigarette being inserted into said lighter;
• a puff sensor adapted to provide said controller a second signal indicative of a smoker drawing upon an inserted cigarette;
• a controller configured to execute a puff-actuated power cycle of controllably communicating at least one of said heater elements with said electrical power source responsively to said second signal from said puff sensor;
• said controller being further configured to execute a preheating power cycle upon said controller receiving said first signal from said cigarette detector, said preheating cycle comprising the steps of communicating electrical power to at least some of said heater elements in succession to deliver sufficient energy to thermally pre-treat a portion of the inserted cigarette.