Electronic smoking article and associated method
First Claim
1. A smoking article, comprising:
- a control body portion having a control body engagement end, the control body portion having a first control component therein, and including an electrical power source configured to be controlled by the first control component; and
a cartridge body portion including a cartridge body engagement end configured to removably engage the control body engagement end, the cartridge body portion further including a consumable arrangement comprising at least an aerosol precursor composition and at least one heating element operably engaged therewith, and a second control component, the consumable arrangement being configured to be in communication with the first control component upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions, and the second control component being configured to communicate with at least one of the first control component or the electrical power source upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions, wherein the second control component is configured to automatically provide an authentication indicia to the first control component upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions, and the first control component being configured to evaluate the authentication indicia to determine whether the cartridge body portion is authorized for use with the control body portion, and in at least one instance authorize the cartridge body portion for use with the control body portion,wherein the cartridge body portion includes a memory device in communication with the second control component, the memory device storing a unique identifying indicia associated with the cartridge body portion and associated with a different identifying indicia for the control body portion, the unique identifying indicia being receivable by the first control component from the memory device, the different identifying indicia being associated with a specified user, and the unique identifying indicia being convertible to a reward to the specified user using the control body portion and the cartridge body portion,wherein the authentication indicia indicates a manufacturer of the cartridge body portion, and the first control component being configured to evaluate the authentication indicia includes being configured to determine whether the manufacturer is the same as or authorized by a manufacturer of the control body portion, and the cartridge body portion is thereby authorized for use with the control body portion.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Smoking articles, and methods for forming such smoking articles, such as an electronic smoking article, are provided. An exemplary smoking article comprises a control body portion having a control body engagement end, and having a first control component therein. A cartridge body portion includes a cartridge body engagement end configured to removably engage the control body engagement end of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion further includes a consumable arrangement comprising at least an aerosol precursor composition and at least one heating element operably engaged therewith, and a second control component. At least the consumable arrangement is configured to be in communication with the first control component upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A smoking article, comprising:
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a control body portion having a control body engagement end, the control body portion having a first control component therein, and including an electrical power source configured to be controlled by the first control component; and a cartridge body portion including a cartridge body engagement end configured to removably engage the control body engagement end, the cartridge body portion further including a consumable arrangement comprising at least an aerosol precursor composition and at least one heating element operably engaged therewith, and a second control component, the consumable arrangement being configured to be in communication with the first control component upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions, and the second control component being configured to communicate with at least one of the first control component or the electrical power source upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions, wherein the second control component is configured to automatically provide an authentication indicia to the first control component upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions, and the first control component being configured to evaluate the authentication indicia to determine whether the cartridge body portion is authorized for use with the control body portion, and in at least one instance authorize the cartridge body portion for use with the control body portion, wherein the cartridge body portion includes a memory device in communication with the second control component, the memory device storing a unique identifying indicia associated with the cartridge body portion and associated with a different identifying indicia for the control body portion, the unique identifying indicia being receivable by the first control component from the memory device, the different identifying indicia being associated with a specified user, and the unique identifying indicia being convertible to a reward to the specified user using the control body portion and the cartridge body portion, wherein the authentication indicia indicates a manufacturer of the cartridge body portion, and the first control component being configured to evaluate the authentication indicia includes being configured to determine whether the manufacturer is the same as or authorized by a manufacturer of the control body portion, and the cartridge body portion is thereby authorized for use with the control body portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of forming a smoking article, comprising:
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removably engaging a control body engagement end of a control body portion with a cartridge body engagement end of a cartridge body portion, wherein the control body portion includes a first control component therein and an electrical power source configured to be controlled by the first control component, and the cartridge body portion includes a consumable arrangement comprising at least an aerosol precursor composition and at least one heating element operably engaged therewith, and a second control component, so as to establish communication between the consumable arrangement and the first control component, and so as to establish communication between the second control component and at least one of the first control component or the electrical power source, upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions; and automatically providing an authentication indicia from the second control component to the first control component upon engagement between the cartridge body and the control portions, and evaluating the authentication indicia with the first control component to determine whether the cartridge body portion is authorized for use with the control body portion, and in at least one instance authorize the cartridge body portion for use with the control body portion, wherein the cartridge body portion includes a memory device in communication with the second control component, the memory device storing a unique identifying indicia associated with the cartridge body portion and associated with a different identifying indicia for the control body portion, the unique identifying indicia being receivable by the first control component from the memory device, the different identifying indicia being associated with a specified user, and the unique identifying indicia being convertible to a reward to the specified user using the control body portion and the cartridge body portion, wherein the authentication indicia indicates a manufacturer of the cartridge body portion, and evaluating the authentication indicia includes determining whether the manufacturer is the same as or authorized by a manufacturer of the control body portion, and the cartridge body portion is thereby authorized for use with the control body portion. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification