ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE WITH COMMUNICATION ENHANCEMENTS

• US 20130284192A1
• Filed: 04/25/2013
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nu Mark Innovations, Ltd. (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nu Mark Innovations, Ltd. (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Peleg, Eyal, Levy, Dorron
• Application Number:
  US13/870,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20130284192A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/329
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 13/02 Cigar or cigarette holders mouthpieces A24F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/53 Monitoring, e.g. fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/65 Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1396 specially adapted for monitoring users' activity

Abstract

An electronic cigarette (“e-Cig”) may include a controller for providing various operations within an e-Cig. Enhancements for the controller may provide for improved operations and control for the e-Cig. In one embodiment, there may be a communications capability that may allow for the e-Cig to communicate with a consumer device. The consumer may then control smoke properties, monitor operations, adjust settings, and/or receive product notifications or offers through the consumer device'"'"'s communication with the e-Cig. The communications may enable connections to various websites on the Internet for usage tracking or social networking.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette comprising:

a controller configured to monitor or control operations of the electronic cigarette; and

a communications interface coupled with the controller and configured to allow communication with a computing device.

2. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 further comprising:

an atomizer for generating a vapor; and

a liquid container for providing a liquid that is used for flavoring the vapor.

3. The electronic cigarette of claim 2 further comprising:

a heating element that heats the liquid as part of a vaporization process where the vapor is generated by the atomizer.

4. The electronic cigarette of claim 3 wherein the operations that are monitored or controlled comprise the generation of the vapor, the heat of the liquid, and/or an amount of the liquid.

5. The electronic cigarette of claim 2 wherein a portion of the electronic including the liquid container includes an identifier code that can be identified with the computing device.

6. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 wherein the computing device comprises a portable telephone that communicates with the electronic cigarette.

7. The electronic cigarette of claim 6 wherein the communication between the electronic cigarette and the portable telephone is a direction communication.

8. The electronic cigarette of claim 7 wherein the electronic cigarette is further configured to communicate through a wide area network.

9. The electronic cigarette of claim 8 wherein the wide area network is the Internet.

10. The electronic cigarette of claim 8 wherein a social network of contacts are communicated through the wide area network.

11. The electronic cigarette of claim 10 wherein the operations that are monitored are communicated between contacts within the social network.

12. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 wherein the communications interface comprises a communications chip that is configured to communicate with the computing device.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor for communicating from an electronic cigarette, the storage medium comprising instructions operative for:

monitoring a usage pattern of the electronic cigarette; and

communicating with one or more external devices regarding the usage pattern.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the one or more external devices communicate with a social network.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the communication with the social network comprises communication over the Internet.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the communication comprises sharing of the usage pattern.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the sharing comprises a notification through the external devices of a location where the electronic cigarette is being used.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the usage pattern comprises a frequency, amount, liquid type, and/or time of usage.

19. A communications system comprising:

an electronic cigarette comprising a communications interface for communicating with a computing device, wherein the computing device is coupled with a network;

a server coupled with the network and configured to provide access to information from a plurality of users of electronic cigarettes.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

a database coupled with the server that stores the information from a plurality of users of electronic cigarettes.