ELECTRICALLY HEATED SMOKING SYSTEM

• US 20090320863A1
• Filed: 04/17/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stahle, Fredrik, Manca, Laurent, Fernando, Felix, Cordey, Jean-Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 8,402,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/194
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/20 Devices using solid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/60 Devices with integrated user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/65 Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 47/00 Smokers' requisites not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An electrically heated smoking system for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate. includes at least one heating element for heating the substrate to form an aerosol, a power supply for supplying power to the heating element, electrical hardware connected to the power supply and the heating element, and an interface for establishing a communications link with a host. The communications link may be a USB link and the host may be a personal computer.

Claims

1. An electrically heated smoking system for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate, the system comprising:

a substrate;

at least one heating element for heating the substrate to form an aerosol;

a power supply connected to the at least one heating element and operable to supply power thereto;

electrical hardware connected to the power supply and the at least one heating element; and

an interface connected with the electrical hardware and operable to establish a communications link with a remote host.

2. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate is a solid substrate.

3. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate is a liquid substrate.

4. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a power cell contained in the electrically heated smoking system.

5. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises circuitry chargeable by an external charging portion.

6. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, wherein the power supply includes an interface for connection to an external power source.

7. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, wherein the communications link is capable of providing electrical power from the host to the electrically heated smoking system.

8. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, wherein the communications link is a wireless communications link.

9. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, wherein the communications link is a wired communications link.

10. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 9, wherein the communications link is a Universal Serial Bus link.

11. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, wherein the host is Internet-enabled.

12. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, wherein the electrical hardware is programmable by software.

13. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, wherein the electrical hardware includes a sensor to detect air flow indicative of a user taking a puff.

14. The electrically heated smoking system according to claim 1, further comprising a puff indicator for indicating when the at least one heating element is activated.

15. The electrically heated smoking system of claim 1 further including a housing for receiving the aerosol-forming substrate and designed to be grasped by a user, the housing comprising a shell and a replaceable mouthpiece.