FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device customisable according to user preferences. More specifically, it relates to an aerosol-generating device such as e- cigarettes, heat-not-burn devices, and the like which are capable of delivering an enhanced user experience.

BACKGROUND

Inhalers or aerosol-generating devices such as e-cigarettes or vaping devices are becoming increasingly popular. They generally heat or warm an aerosolisable substance to generate an aerosol for inhalation, as opposed to burning tobacco as in conventional tobacco products. The generated aerosol may contain a flavour and/or a stimulant (e.g., nicotine or other active component). Users of such inhalers may wish to control the amount of flavour or stimulant released based on their preferences or other factors.

Most aerosol generation devices incorporate some form of electronic control circuit, typically including a simple computer processor, allowing a user to control operation of the aerosol generation device. Some of the vaping devices also allow the device to be wirelessly connected to a computing device to exchange data related to functioning of certain components of the vaping device. However, these devices are often designed to provide standardized user experience, not catering to the needs of an individual, or rely on user’ manual adjustment to affect delivery of aerosol.

Therefore, there exists a need for a device that can adapt to its user and be customisable in accordance with the user’s preferences.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-implemented method of operating an aerosol-generating device, the method comprising the steps of retrieving an aerosol-delivery profile of a user stored on the aerosol-generating device or a personal computing device; obtaining a user schedule from a calendar application on a server or the personal computing device; customising the retrieved aerosol-delivery profile for the user at least based on the user schedule; and controlling an operation of the aerosol generating device based on the customised aerosol-delivery profile.

Advantageously, it is possible to create a customisable and user-specific vaping profile taking into account user’s vaping history, preferences, and schedule. The profile can be modified automatically based on appointments and tasks in the user’s calendar. Controlling the vaping device with such customised vaping profile enhances the user experience and provides the user with greater control on his or her vaping habits.

Preferably, the aerosol-delivery profile includes information related to an amount of substance to be delivered to the user in the aerosol. Accordingly, amount of substance such as nicotine delivered to the user can be regulated based on the user’s vaping profile.

Preferably, the aerosol-delivery profile comprises a workday profile and a non-workday profile. Accordingly, the user’s vaping profile can be customised based on different requirements on different days of the week.

Preferably, the method includes receiving an input from the user on the personal computing device to set a recurring event for each day during a week; and restricting the use of the aerosol-generating device during the recurring event. Accordingly, vaping can be restricted during certain times of the day, such as bedtime, for the benefit of the user.

Preferably, the method also includes establishing a communicative pairing between the aerosol-generating device and the personal computing device to allow the aerosol generating device to obtain the user schedule from the personal computing device, wherein the user schedule is obtained by the aerosol-generating device on a periodic basis. Accordingly, the user schedule can be easily fetched from the user’s personal computing device such as a smartphone automatically by the vaping device without needing much effort from the user. Preferably, the method also includes establishing a communicative pairing between the aerosol-generating device and the personal computing device to allow the aerosol generating device to receive a controlling command, wherein the controlling command is generated by the personal computing device based on the customised aerosol-delivery profile, and controlling the operation of the aerosol-generating device based on the received controlling command. Accordingly, the vaping device can be easily controlled by the user’s personal computing device such as a smartphone.

Preferably, the method also includes monitoring usage of the aerosol-generating device over time; and modifying the aerosol-delivery profile based on the usage. Accordingly, the vaping device can continually learn from the user’s habits and routine and modify the vaping profile accordingly.

Preferably, the method also includes exchanging the aerosol-delivery profile and/or the user schedule with other aerosol-generating devices or their respective other personal computing devices connected on a network. Accordingly, it is possible to connect with like- minded users of vaping devices and engage in a social network based on common preferences.

Preferably, the method also includes searching, in a predetermined area, for the other aerosol-generating devices or the respective personal computing devices having an aerosol-generating device control application, to identify candidate devices; and identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices to exchange aerosol-delivery profile and/or user schedule. Accordingly, it is possible to only search for other users in a limited area for convenience of arranging a meet-up.

Preferably, the method also includes comparing device ID of the candidate devices with previously stored device IDs; and identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices based on the comparison. Accordingly, it is possible to identify known users with trusted devices that the user has previously interacted with. Preferably, the method also includes sending a list of the candidate devices to a server storing user profiles and a configurable rule; and identifying, by the server, one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices based on user profiles associated with the candidate devices and the configurable rule. Accordingly, it is possible to find other users from profiles stored on a remote server and based on one or more user attributes, such as working for the same employer.

Preferably, the method also includes determining a time slot based on the exchanged user schedule; and displaying a message on the user computing device indicating one or more matching users, each associated with at least one of the trusted devices with a matching user profile, available at the determined time slot. Accordingly, it is possible to exchange messages and arrange meet-ups with trusted users that share same preferences as the user and available at the same time as the user.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer-implemented method of exchanging aerosol-delivery profiles, the method comprising the steps of searching, in a predetermined area, for other aerosol-generating devices or other personal computing devices having an aerosol-generating device control application, to identify candidate devices; identifying one or more of the candidate devices as trusted devices to exchange aerosol-delivery profile and/or user schedule; determining a time slot based on the exchanged user schedule; and displaying a message on the user computing device indicating one or more matching users, each associated with at least one of the trusted devices with a matching user profile, available at the determined time slot.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a data processing system for generating a customisable aerosol-delivery profile for a user, the system comprising means for carrying out methods as described above.

Accordingly to another aspect of the invention, there is provided non-transitory computer- readable storage medium storing instructions thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the methods as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are now described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows an aerosol generating device according to an aspect of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a system including the device of Fig. 1 and other entities in a connected network; Fig. 3A shows a block diagram of various components of the device of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3B shows a block diagram of various components of a personal computing device present in the system of Fig. 2; Figs. 4A-4B show flow diagrams of a method of operating the device of Fig. 1 ; and Figs. 5A-5C show graphs illustrating vaping history of a user of the device of Fig. 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Next, various aspects of the invention will be described. Note that the same or similar portions are denoted with the same or similar reference signs in the descriptions of the drawings below. Note that the drawings are schematic and a ratio of each size is different from a real one. Therefore, specific sizes and the like should be judged in consideration of the following descriptions.

Fig. 1 A shows a non-combustion-type aerosol generating device 100, which is a device for inhaling an aerosol by heating or vaporisation without combustion. The device 100 has a rod-like shape with a main body 101 extending from a non-mouthpiece end 102 to a mouthpiece end 103. An air channel or path is defined in the main body 100 between the opposite ends 102, 103. The aerosol-generating device 100 in the present example is an electronic cigarette or a vaping device, and is referred to as e-cig 100 hereinafter. The e- cig 100 works by vaporizing or heating an aerosol source inserted into the e-cig 100 to release a flavour and/or a stimulant for a user to inhale through the mouthpiece end 103. The construction and operation of such a device to generate aerosol is well-known in the art and it will be understood by a skilled person that the invention disclosed herein can be applicable to aerosol generation devices in any shapes, configured with any aerosol generating techniques, not limited to the example.

The e-cig 100 may include an activation switch 104 that may be configured to perform at least one of a turn-on and a turn-off of a power source of the e-cig 100. The activation switch 104 may be a push button or a touch button disposed at any convenient location on the surface of the main body 101 of the e-cig 100. Alternatively, the e-cig 100 does not rely on a switch button to activate power supply to heater, but rely on a puff sensor to detect air flow and trigger the device to start generating aerosol. Fig. 2 shows a system 200 comprising the e-cig 100 and other associated entities connected via a network 202. In the present example, the e-cig 100 is configured to communicate with a personal computing device 201 owned by a user. The personal computing device 201 may be a smartphone, tablet, or, a laptop. For the sake of simplicity, the personal computing device 201 is referred to as smartphone 201 hereinafter. Preferably, the e-cig 100 is configured to communicably connect or pair with the smartphone 201 wirelessly using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other wireless communication standards. The smartphone 201 preferably runs a mobile application (commonly referred to as App) that allows the user to interact with the e-cig 100 through a user-friendly interface. The App may be hosted by the manufacturer of the e-cig 100 and compatible with different mobile platforms such as iOS™ and Android™.

The e-cig 100 and/or the smartphone 201 may also be configured to connect to the network 202. The network 202 may be a public network such as the internet and enable the e-cig 100 and the smartphone 201 to connect to other entities in the system 200. It will be appreciated that the e-cig 100 and the App on the smartphone 201 preferably have built-in security protocols to prevent unauthorized access by any malicious entity connected via the network 202. The e-cig 100 is also configured to communicate with other similar aerosol generating devices such as e-cigs 203a, 203b, 203c (collectively referred to as e-cigs 203 hereinafter) which are also connected to the network 202. The e-cigs 203 are similar to the e-cig 100 and preferably have same components and functionalities as that of the e-cig 100. The e- cigs 203 may also be associated with their respective personal computing devices (not shown) similar to the smartphone 201. The interaction of the e-cigs 100 with other e-cigs

203 is described in detail later with reference to Fig. 4B.

The e-cigs 100, 203 and/or their respective smartphones may also be connected to a server 204 over the network 202. The server 204 is a central controller, preferably managed or authorized by the manufacturer of the e-cigs 100, 203, and is preferably configured to manage the e-cigs 100, 203 remotely. The server 204 may manage and monitor the operation of the e-cigs 100, 203 and also learn from habits of the users of these devices, running machine learning algorithms or artificial intelligence programs. The App on the smartphone 201 preferably engages with the server 204 to share the status of the e-cig 100 as well receive any updates and suggestions for the user from the server 204. The user may also be able to order refills and other flavours for the e-cig 100 from the server

204 using the App.

A user profile indicating preferences by a user can be stored on the server 204, the smartphone 201 , or the e-cig 100. These preferences may be calculated from usage data or selected by the user on the smartphone 201 or the e-cig 100. For example, the user profile may include personal data such as name, age, address etc. as well as puff records and/or event records or preferred usage time periods or time periods when usage is not allowed.

The system 200 may also comprise a tracking device 205 configured to communicate with the smartphone 201 and either directly or indirectly (via the smartphone) with the e-cig 100. The tracking device 205 is preferably a wearable device such as Apple™ watch or Fitbit™ fitness tracker. The tracking device 205 is capable of recording health data of the user such as heart rate, number of steps taken, distance travelled, stress level, sleeping pattern, etc. and send this data to the smartphone 201 and/or the e-cig 100.

It is to be understood that the system 200 is implemented using known communication techniques and standards. The system 200 may include several other entities that are not shown or described for the sake of brevity and would be well-known to the skilled person.

Fig. 3A is a block diagram showing various components or modules of the e-cig 100. In one example, the e-cig 100 comprises a consumables module 301 a and a heating element

302 that vaporizes a consumable item 301 b received by the consumables module 301 a to release aerosol containing the flavour and/or stimulant for the user to inhale. In the present example, the consumable item 301b is a substance containing nicotine. Presence of the consumable item 301 b in the consumables module 301a may be detected by a detector 301c. The consumable item 301 b may be in the form of solid or liquid and is heated by the heating element 302 to release the aerosol without combustion. In case the consumable item 301b is a liquid store, more than one consumable items can be received at the consumable module 301a. The heating element 302 may be powered by a power source 303.

The power source 303 is, for example, a lithium ion battery. The power source 303 supplies an electric power necessary for an action of the e-cig 100. For example, the power source

303 supplies the electric power to all other components or modules included in the e-cig 100.

For the purposes of the present description, it will be understood that the terms vapour and aerosol are interchangeable. In some examples, the heating element is arranged within a capsule or cigarette-like aerosol generating material and connectable to the aerosol generation device, rather than being a component of the aerosol generation device itself.

In one embodiment, a flavouring is present in the consumable item 301 b. The flavouring may include Ethylvanillin (vanilla), menthol, Isoamyl acetate (banana oil) or similar. In another embodiment, the consumable item 301 b may include an additional flavour source (not shown) provided on the side of the mouthpiece end 103 beyond the consumables module 301a the consumable item 301b, and generates a flavour to be inhaled by the user together with the aerosol generated from the consumable item 301 b. In yet another embodiment, the e-cig 100 comprises more than one consumable item each comprising a flavouring and/or a certain level of active component (nicotine). In this case, each consumable item can be independently heated to generate aerosol.

The e-cig 100 also includes a controller 304 that is configured to control various components in the e-cig. For example, the controller 304 may control a timing unit 305, a communications unit 306, a memory 307, and sensors 308 included in the e-cig 100. The timing unit 305 is configured to provide time information (e.g., time of the day) and generate timestamp for puff data or event data, which is helpful to analyse user’s vaping preference. The timing unit 305 is further configured to schedule aerosol-delivery profile (also referred to as vaping profile) customized for the user and provide this customized vaping profile to the controller 304 to monitor and restrict the user’s usage of the e-cig 100. For example, the timing unit 305 may activate either a weekday or a weekend vaping profile upon determining the day of the week, or activate a strong vaping profile (e.g., higher need of nicotine) or a soft vaping profile (e.g., lower need of nicotine) upon determining the time of the day. The timing unit 305 may also disable the device at a set time, such as at bedtime, each day or on some specific days as set by the user. Alternatively, the functions of the timing unit 305 can be consolidated into the controller 304, in which case the controller 304 receives time information from the timing unit 305 and activates a vaping profile or disable the device. The communications unit 306 is configured to manage communication with the smartphone 201 , the server 204, the tracking device 205, the network 202, as well as the other e-cigs 203. The memory 307 is configured to store different vaping profiles and information such as user settings and preferences. The e-cig 100 may also include various sensors 308 (e.g., puff sensor, biometric sensor, and etc.) to record usage data related to each inhalation or puff when user uses the e-cig 100. The recorded usage data can comprise puff duration (i.e. , length of a puff), a puff interval (i.e., the time between consecutive puffs), and a fluid and/or nicotine consumption amount. The usage data may also include user’s heartrate data and any suitable metrics for analysing the behaviour of the consumer as obtained from the tracking device 205. The timing unit 305 is configured to generate a timestamp for the usage data and the timestamp is to be stored together with the usage data for analysis and building a vaping profile customized for the user. In one example, the puff detector can determine the number of times of puff actions of inhaling the aerosol. The puff detector can also detect a time period required for one puff action of inhaling the aerosol. The e-cig 100 may also include an Input-Output (I/O) or user interface 309 configured to provide indications to the user and to receive inputs from the user. The I/O interface 309 preferably comprises an indication device and an input device. The indication device may comprise a visual light emitting element including one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), a screen display, or a sound emitter, or other appropriate means to provide indication to users. The visual light-emitting element such as an LED may be disposed at the tip of the non-mouthpiece end 102, or on a side surface of the e-cig 100. Such an LED may exhibit various light-emitting mode to provide to user within indication of a puff state where the aerosol is being inhaled, a non-puff state where the aerosol is not being inhaled, a pre-heating state when the heater is heating up, a ready-to vape state when the heater operates at target temperature to generate aerosol, a depletion state where LED bar shows depletion level of the aerosol source, and any other information related to the operation status of the e-cig. The input device can be one or more user operable buttons or sensible touch panel, responsible to depression, toggling, or touch. All the elements described above transmit and/or receive command and/or data via communication bus 310.

Fig. 3B is a block diagram of various components in the personal computing device or smartphone 201. The smartphone 201 comprises a processor 311 for controlling various operations of the smartphone, a memory 312 for storing system and user data, an operating system 313 such as Android™ or iOS™, and a power source 314 such as a Li- ion battery for powering the device. The smartphone 201 also comprises a communications unit 315 including modules such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, to connect to with the various entities present in the system 200. Furthermore, the smartphone 201 includes an I/O interface 316 for interacting with the user. The I/O interface 316 preferably comprises a touch screen capable of receiving an input from the user via touch action and displaying content to the user on the screen. However, it is to be understood that the I/O interface may instead comprise keys for receiving an input and a non-touch screen for displaying the content.

In addition, the smartphone 201 has an e-cig control App 317 running thereon, which is downloaded on the smartphone 201 by the user. The e-cig control App 317 preferably allows the user to set his vaping preferences on the e-cig 100. The e-cig control App 317 may also allow the user to see the vaping history and other useful stats. The smartphone 201 preferably also has a calendar App 318 (which may be included in in-built or downloadable from the App store) on which the user may record his or her daily schedule and appointments. The smartphone 201 may also have other Apps 319 which the user may use along with the e-cig control App 317 and the calendar App 318, such as Clock App, or App associated with Fitbit™ fitness tracker.

All the elements described above transmit and/or receive command and/or data via communication bus 320.

Fig. 4A shows a flow diagram for a process 400a of managing user vaping profile on the e-cig 100. It is to be noted that steps in the process 400a may not necessarily be performed in the same sequence. Also, some of the steps may be optional and can be omitted.

At step 401 , an aerosol generating retrieves user’s aerosol-delivery profile from the user history. In the present example, the e-cig 100 is configured to retrieve vaping profile for the user from the user history stored in the memory 307 or connect with the e-cig App 317 on the smartphone 201 to retrieve it from the memory 312 of the smartphone 201. The user vaping history may also include preferences set by the user in the past. The step of retrieving may be triggered by the user pressing the switch 104 or shaking the e-cig 100, or use of the e-cig App 317. At step 402, the day of the week is determined. In the present example, the controller 304 is configured to determine the day of the week with the aid of the timing unit 305. The user may set the date and time on the e-cig 100 on first use. Alternatively, the e-cig 100 may automatically determine the correct date and time by either directly connecting to the network 202 or via the smartphone 201.

At step 403, it is determined whether it is a workday. In the present example, the controller 304 compares the determined day of the week with a user’s schedule to see if it is a working day for the user. The user’s typical week schedule may be stored in the memory 307 of the e-cig 100 or the e-cig 100 may simply fetch the user’s schedule from either the calendar App 318 on the smartphone 201. If no user schedule is set then, by default, the controller 304 preferably sets Monday to Friday as workdays and Saturday to Sunday as non workdays. The user may change these settings anytime and/or the e-cig 100 may periodically check the user’s schedule on the calendar App 318 and update the settings accordingly. If the controller 304 determines the day to be a workday, it proceeds to step 404 or else proceeds to step 405.

At step 404, the aerosol-delivery profile is customised according on the work day schedule. In the present example, upon determining that it is a workday, the controller 304 customises the aerosol-delivery profile for the e-cig 100. In the workday aerosol-delivery profile, quantity, flavour, and timing of aerosol-release from the e-cig 100 is preferably set so as provide a different amount and type of aerosol to the user during different times of the day. It is well-known that right amount of nicotine taken during the day imparts mental alertness and may help in improving concentration and performance at work. However, in the evening, the same amount of nicotine may interfere with the sleep but a small amount may help in calming the user. The demand of nicotine totally depends on user’s personal life style and varies from time to time. Therefore, by setting the workday aerosol-delivery profile, the controller 304 ensures that the user is delivered the correct amount of nicotine to meet the user’s needs. The e-cig 100 may be a multi-tank device with different concentration of nicotine and flavours, which may be selectively activated. For example, in the morning, the controller 304 may activate the tank containing a light nicotine and fruity flavour, in the afternoon a strong nicotine and coffee flavour, and in the night a camomile flavour.

The controller 304 may also learn from the user’s vaping habits over time to adjust or modify the aerosol-delivery profile. For example, if the user vapes and takes longer or more frequent puffs during a particular time of the day, as determined by the puff sensor, the controller 304 preferably modifies the profile to deliver increased amount of nicotine during that time every day during the working week.

At step 405, the aerosol-delivery profile is customised according to the non-work day schedule. In the present example, upon determining that it is not a workday, the controller 304 customises the aerosol-delivery profile for the e-cig 100 based on non-work day schedule and preferences. In the non-workday aerosol-delivery profile, quantity, flavour, and timing of aerosol-release from the e-cig 100 is different from that in the workday profile. As explained above, the user may change these settings or the controller 304 may adapt the profile according to a change in the user’s schedule as fetched from the calendar App 318 on the smartphone 201 . For example, the user may be working at home or performing some task that requires increased alertness.

At step 406, the time of the day is determined. In the present example, using the timing unit 305, the controller 304 determines what time of the day it is. It will be appreciated that if the user is travelling and is in a different time zone to his or her home location, the timing unit 305 may automatically adjust to the new time zone either directly by connecting to the network 202 or via the smartphone 201 .

At step 407, it is determined if it is pre-set event time. In the present example, the user is able to set a bedtime for each day, preferably using the e-cig control App 318. The controller 304 determines if the current time equals or within certain hours of a pre-set bedtime (e.g., within 8 hours of pre-set bedtime). The bedtime time may be fetched from the memory 307 of the e-cig 100 or retrieved from the smartphone 201 . If it is determined that is it the bedtime of the user, the process proceeds to step 408 or else to step 409. It is to be understood that the pre-set event time can relate to any recurring event, including bedtime, set by the user for each day of the week or separately for workdays and non-work days. For example, it could be a time set for exercise or mediation, playing with kids, routine meeting at work, etc.

At step 408, the device is disabled. In the present example, upon determining that it is the bedtime of the user, the controller 304 preferably disables the e-cig 100 for use to restrict the user from vaping in the night. This may be done in a number of ways. In one embodiment, the controller 304 automatically disables or locks the e-cig 100 as soon as it determines that it is the bedtime. In another preferred embodiment, the controller 304 sends a warning message to the user for a pre-determined period (e.g. 15 to 30 seconds) before automatically disabling the device. This may be done by lighting up LEDs in certain manner or emitting a sound on the I/O interface 309, and/or by displaying a pop-up message on the e-cig App 317 on the smartphone 201. During this time, the user may choose to reject the auto-disable and continue using the e-cig 100. However, if no input is received from the user, the controller 304 automatically disables the e-cig 100. In yet another embodiment, the controller 304 sends a warning message to the user at bedtime but does not automatically disable the device. Instead, it relies on the user to manually lock or disable the device.

At step 409, the device is controlled according to the customised profile. In the present example, if it is determined not being the set restricted time (such as bedtime), either a work day or non-work day vaping profile is activated on the e-cig 100. The vaping predictions are made taking into account the time of the day and user’s schedule. The e- cig 100 may also be able to suggest flavours to the user for different time of the day, for example, suggesting mint flavour after lunch and coffee flavour in the afternoon. In addition, it is possible to plan smart charging in advance to prepare the e-cig 100 in good state to accommodate predicted vaping needs. For example, if under from the vaping profile, Tuesday is expected to be a high vaping day, the predicted user vaping profile can be shared with an associated charger to control charging to full, or suggesting the user to charge in advance e.g., during Monday evening. It is to be noted that the profile activation may be performed directly on the e-cig 100 or via the smartphone 201. The communicative pairing between the e-cig 100 and the smartphone 201 allows the e-cig 100 to receive a controlling command generated by the smartphone 201 based on a customised aerosol-delivery profile. The operation of the e-cig 100 is therefore controlled based on the received controlling command.

At step 410, it is determined if additional user data is available. In the present example, the e-cig 100 can also receive additional user data from the smartphone 201 and/or the tracking device 205. The tracking device 205, for example, can monitor user’s heart rate, steps taking the day, stress level, etc. and feed it into the e-cig 100 either directly or via the smartphone 201. Such user data may not always be available, e.g. when the user is not wearing the tracking device. It will be appreciated that such data may also be available from the sensors 308 on the e-cig 100. If no additional data is available, the e-cig 100 continues with the activated profile. However, when additional data is available, the process moves to step 411 .

At step 411 , the customised profile is modified in accordance with the additional user data. In the present example, depending on the user data obtained from the smartphone 201 , tracking device 205, or the sensors 308, the controller 304 preferably modifies the activated vaping profile of the user. For example, if based on the available data it is determined that the heart rate of the user is over the normal range, the vaping intensity and frequency may be reduced or the e-cig 100 may be disabled altogether to restrict the user from vaping. The user may also be informed of the modification in the vaping profile based on additional data via the I/O interface 309 and/or the e-cig App 317 on the smartphone 201 .

In the embodiment described above, the method 400a is performed by the e-cig 100. In an alternative embodiment, the method 400a can also be performed by the smartphone 201 . When the method is performed by the smartphone 201 , it gains access to all user data as recorded by the e-cig 100 and/or the tracking device 205. The smartphone 201 stores the user data in the memory 312. As the smartphone 201 is communicably connected to the e-cig 100, it can control various functions of the e-cig 100 such as activating vaping profiles, activating the heating element, disabling the device, etc. In yet another embodiment, some steps are performed by the e-cig 100 and some by the smartphone 201.

Fig. 4B shows a flow diagram of a method 400b of enabling the user of the aerosol generating device 100 to connect with users of other similar devices 203. It is to be understood that the method 400b may be performed together with the method 400a or separately.

At step 412, other devices in proximity of the user of the aerosol generating device are searched for. In the present example, the user of the e-cig 100 may wish to connect with other users using the e-cigs 203 in the system 200. In one embodiment, the e-cig 100 has a Bluetooth communicator included in the communications unit 306 to be able to search for other similar e-cigs 203 in close proximity of the e-cig 100. It is to be understood that only those e-cigs can be found which have activated their Bluetooth communicator. Alternatively, the e-cig 100 has a GPS sensor that can identify the other e-cigs 203 present in the vicinity of the e-cig 100 through a GPS tracking App. In another embodiment, the user uses the e-cig App 317 that engages with the Bluetooth module or the GPS sensor of the smartphone 201 to search for other similar e-cigs 203 via their respective personal computing devices running a control application similar to the e-cig control App 317. In an alternative embodiment, the e-cig 100 or the smartphone 201 uses the GPS sensor to identify the location of the user and upload the location information to the server 204 where all the e-cigs 100, 203 are grouped according to their respective location. The grouping information including a list of e-cigs in the proximity is notified to the e-cig 100 such that the e-cig 100 can identify the other e-cig 203 nearby. Alternatively, the grouping information is notified to the smartphone 201 paired with the e-cig 100 (belonging to the same user) such that smartphone 201 can identify the other e-cig 203 nearby or other smartphones paired, respectively, with the other e-cig 203. It is to be noted that for Bluetooth scanning, the area to be searched for is automatically set by the Bluetooth range. However, for GPS sensing, a user may define a predetermined area to search for, e.g., restricting the search for the other users in an area within 100 metres radius of the user. At step 413, it is determined if other devices are available. In the present example, the controller 304 or the e-cig App 317 analyses the results obtained in step 412 to determine if there are any other devices in the vicinity of the user of the e-cig 100. In other words, candidate devices are identified from the search results. If no other users are found, the process goes back to step 412 and keep looking for other devices, preferably at periodic intervals. However, if the candidate devices are found, the process moves to step 414.

At step 414, it is determined if the candidate devices are trusted devices. In the present example, the e-cig 100 may store the device IDs of other users’ devices that have previously connected with the e-cig 100 in the past in the memory 307. Alternatively, this may be stored in the memory 312 of the smartphone 201 via the e-cig App 317. The controller 304 compares the device ID of the available users to those stored in the memory to determine if they are trusted devices or not. Preferably, these trusted devices in the vicinity of the user are user’s friends, colleagues or co-workers sharing the workspace with the user. If the trusted devices are found, the process moves to step 416. However, for other users the process moves to step 415.

At step 415, additional information for the other candidate devices is requested. In the present example, the controller 304 of the e-cig 100 or the e-cig App 317 running on the smartphone 201 seeks additional information for the candidate devices which were not found in the memory and not yet regarded as trusted devices. The e-cig 100 or the smartphone 201 may send a request to the server 204 where comprehensive user profiles of all connected users of e-cigs 203 are stored. The comprehensive user profiles may include information such as user name, employer name, place of work, contacts, etc. In this way, the user can identify other users which are recognisable and verified. In another embodiment, the controller 304 may also seek additional information directly from the other users. The user may also be able find other candidate devices by sending a list of candidate devices to the server 204 along with a configurable rule. The configurable rule is a criteria or a filter based on one or more user attributes such as name of the employer, age, profession, etc. For example, the user may want to find only those users who work for the same employer as the user. In another example, the user may set the configurable rule combining the employer name with another attribute such as flavour preference. The controller 304 may also pose some security questions to ensure that the other users are not malicious entities.

At step 416, one or more of the candidate devices are added as new trusted devices based on mutual consent. In the present example, if the user is sure about these other candidate devices and the candidate devices provide their consent for connecting with the user of the e-cig 100, these devices are added as trusted devices. Device IDs of e-cigs and/or smartphones of these new trusted devices may then be stored in the memory 312. If for any reason, one or more of the other users are not verified or mutually consented, they are not connected to the e-cig 100.

At step 417, aerosol-delivery profile and/or user schedule of the user are exchanged with the users of the trusted devices. In the present example, the user is connected to the trusted devices such as one or more of the e-cigs 203 or their respective smartphones via the network 202. The vaping profiles of the user shared with the users of these trusted devices may include information about the user’s lunch break, free time, as well as his nicotine and flavour preferences. The profiles may be shared via the e-cig App 317 on the smartphone 201 with the respective devices of the other users which also have a connected App. In addition, vaping profiles of the users of the trusted devices are received. In the present example, the e-cig 100 or the smartphone 201 may also seek and receive the profiles of the users of the trusted devices. The profiles of these users may also contain their availability and vaping preferences.

At step 418, the users of the trusted devices with matching profiles to the user are identified. In the present example, the e-cig 100 via the controller 304 or the smartphone 201 preferably via the e-cig control App 317 compares the profiles received from the trusted device of one or more of the e-cigs 203 and see which are matching with the profile of the user for that day and at a particular time slot. For example, if the user is free at 4 PM and usually takes a vaping break at that time (as determined from the user’s schedule) and another user, say A, is also free at the same time, the controller 304 identifies A to be a good match. In other example, the user may have a set preference for a specific flavour in his or her profile and another user, say B, may also have the preference for the same flavour, so the controller 304 identifies B to be a good match as well. Upon determining one or more trusted devices with a matching profile, the smartphone 201 may display a message on the I/O interface 316 indicating one or more matching users (each associated with at least one of the trusted devices with a matching user profile) available at the determined time slot.

At step 419, messages are exchanged with the trusted devices. In the present invention, based on the matches identified by the e-cig 100 via the controller 304 or the smartphone 201 preferably via the e-cig control App 317, the communications unit 315 of the smartphone 201 may send messages to those matching users to plan a vaping break. For example, the smartphone 201 may send a message to A’s smartphone to meet up at that time. It may also suggest a preferred location, such as a nearby smoking shelter. The smartphone 201 may also message B to arrange a vaping break based on the shared preferences. To avoid exchanging too many messages and save device/network resources, the smartphone 201 may restrict exchanging messages only with the trusted devices and/or restrict it based on their proximity to the user.

In accordance with the description above, the invention enables profiling the user’s vaping needs and preferences according to his or her schedule and delivering aerosol to the user accordingly. Moreover, by sharing the user’s profile with other users, it is possible for the user to engage with like-minded people during vaping breaks.

Figs. 5A-5C show graphs 500a, 500b, 500c illustrating vaping history of the user for a typical week, a typical work day, and a typical non-work day respectively. In the graph, the height of the bars indicates the frequency of use of the e-cig 100 or the total amount of aerosol inhaled by the user on a particular day. In the present example, the user works from Monday to Friday, and only during the day time. The user vapes more on a work day and less on weekends as can be seen from the graph 500a. On a work day, the user may generally vape more around noon and in the afternoon, but relatively less in the morning as can be seen from the graph 500b. On a non-work day, the user may vape more in the evening and late night for social events, and less in the day time as can be seen from the graph 500c. The usage profile based on historical statistics is helpful to predict a user’s usage on a particular day. However, considering the user’s real life schedule, the user may not vape that much on Monday if he plans to take that day off. In case the user needs to stay up late and maintain alertness, the user may need to vape more. A customized and well-organized user profile is therefore advantageous.

For the benefit of the user, the e-cig 100 may automatically lower than the nicotine level when it exceeds a predefined threshold level. Also, the e-cig 100 may automatically turn off after a pre-set time in to restrict the user from vaping late in the night or while at work (except during breaks and lunch). Moreover, the e-cig 100 may also track the total amount of nicotine taken by the user during a day and may restrict further intake if it reaches a recommended level for the day. Preferably, such settings are hard-coded in the e-cig 100 to control the maximum amount of use. However, this is entirely optional and the e-cig 100 may allow changing these settings by the user. The controller 304 may also regulate aerosol delivery to increase or decrease the substance in the aerosol and/or add flavours to the aerosol depending on the user’s preference. The amount of substance in the aerosol can be modified (increased or decreased) in a number of ways. In one example, the amount of aerosol released from the consumable item 301 b may be changed, thereby affecting the quantity of substance to be inhaled by the user. In another example, a multi-tank vaping device may be used which includes two or more liquid reservoirs each containing a liquid with different concentration of substance. By switching supply to the reservoir containing a different concentration liquid, it is possible to regulate the substance intake while maintaining the same aerosol amount. In yet another example, substance delivery can be modified by controlling the heating operation (e.g., by controlling the energy supplied to a heater) in heat-not-burn and vapour-based devices, or controlling a pressurized liquid source in vapour-based devices.

The processing steps described herein carried out by the main control unit, or controller, may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, or storage, associated with the main control unit. A computer-readable medium can include non-volatile media and volatile media. Volatile media can include semiconductor memories and dynamic memories, amongst others. Non-volatile media can include optical disks and magnetic disks, amongst others.

The foregoing description of illustrative embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and of description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting with respect to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the disclosed embodiments.

As used herein, the term “non-transitory computer-readable media” is intended to be representative of any tangible computer-based device implemented in any method or technology for short-term and long-term storage of information, such as, computer- readable instructions, data structures, program modules and submodules, or other data in any device. Therefore, the methods described herein may be encoded as executable instructions embodied in a tangible, non-transitory, computer readable medium, including, without limitation, a storage device, and/or a memory device. Such instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform at least a portion of the methods described herein. Moreover, as used herein, the term “non-transitory computer-readable media” includes all tangible, computer-readable media, including, without limitation, non- transitory computer storage devices, including, without limitation, volatile and non-volatile media, and removable and non-removable media such as a firmware, physical and virtual storage, CD-ROMs, DVDs, and any other digital source such as a network or the Internet, as well as yet to be developed digital means, with the sole exception being a transitory, propagating signal. As will be appreciated based on the foregoing specification, the above-described embodiments of the disclosure may be implemented using computer programming or engineering techniques including computer software, firmware, hardware or any combination or subset thereof. Any such resulting program, having computer-readable code means, may be embodied or provided within one or more computer-readable media, thereby making a computer program product, i.e. , an article of manufacture, according to the discussed embodiments of the disclosure. The article of manufacture containing the computer code may be made and/or used by executing the code directly from one medium, by copying the code from one medium to another medium, or by transmitting the code over a network.