ELECTRONIC SMOKING ARTICLE AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

• US 20140096782A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Ampolini, Frederic Philippe, East, Allen Michael, Galloway, Michael Ryan, Ingham, Scott, Kimsey, Glen, Anderson, Keith William, Henry, Raymond C. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,854,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/328
• 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 40/60 Devices with integrated user interfaces

Abstract

Electronic smoking articles, and methods are provided. An exemplary article comprises a control body portion having a first control component therein. A cartridge body portion is removably engaged with the control body portion. The cartridge body portion includes a consumable arrangement having an aerosol precursor composition, a heating element, and a second control component. The consumable arrangement is configured to communicate with the first control component upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions. The first control component is configured to send a challenge to the second control component, and to receive a response to the challenge therefrom. The first control component is further configured to authorize the consumable arrangement for use with the control body portion, if the response corresponds to the challenge.

Claims

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

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, the first control component being configured to send a challenge to the second control component, and the second control component being configured to send a response to the challenge to the first control component, the first control component being further configured to authorize the consumable arrangement for use with the control body portion, if the response corresponds to the challenge.

2. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the response comprises an authentication indicia, and the first control component being configured to evaluate the authentication indicia to determine whether the consumable arrangement is authorized for use with the control body portion and, if the consumable arrangement is authorized, to allow current flow from an electrical power source operably engaged with the control body portion to the at least one heating element.

3. A smoking article according to claim 2, wherein the first control component is configured to evaluate the authentication indicia to determine whether the consumable arrangement is authorized for use with the control body portion and, if the consumable arrangement is unauthorized, to disallow current flow from the electrical power source to the at least one heating element.

4. A smoking article according to claim 2, wherein the first control component is configured to be responsive to a lack of a response from the second control component to disallow current flow from the electrical power source to the at least one heating element.

5. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the first control component is configured to evaluate the authentication indicia to determine whether the consumable arrangement is authorized for use with the control body portion and, if the consumable arrangement is unauthorized, to actuate an indicia of the unauthorized consumable arrangement via the control body portion.

6. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the first control component is configured to send a key code with the challenge to the second control component, the second control component being configured to evaluate the key code to determine an authentication indicia corresponding to the challenge and to send the response comprising the authentication indicia to the first control component.

7. A smoking article according to claim 6, wherein the first control component includes a plurality of challenges, and wherein the first control component includes a randomizing component configured to randomly select one of the plurality of challenges sent to the second control component.

8. A smoking article according to claim 6, wherein the first control component includes a plurality of challenges, and wherein the first control component is configured to send one of the plurality of challenges to the second control component based on a predetermined sequence.

9. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge body portion includes a memory device in communication with the second control component.

10. A smoking article according to claim 9, wherein the second control component is configured to determine a remaining amount of the aerosol precursor composition and to store the determined remaining amount in the memory device.

11. A smoking article according to claim 10, wherein, if the consumable arrangement is authorized, the first control component is configured to receive the determined remaining amount of the aerosol precursor composition and to determine whether the determined remaining amount is below a threshold level, the first control component being further configured to actuate a low remaining amount indicia if the determined remaining amount is below the threshold level.

12. A method of forming a smoking article, comprising:

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 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 upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions;

sending a challenge from the first control component to the second control component;

sending a response to the challenge from the second control component to the first control component; and

authorizing the consumable arrangement with the first control component, for use with the control body portion, if the response corresponds to the challenge.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising evaluating the authentication indicia with the first control component to determine whether the consumable arrangement is authorized for use with the control body portion and, if the consumable arrangement is authorized, allowing current flow from an electrical power source operably engaged with the control body portion to the at least one heating element.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein evaluating the authentication indicia with the first control component, further comprises evaluating the authentication indicia with the first control component to determine whether the consumable arrangement is authorized for use with the control body portion and, if the consumable arrangement is unauthorized, disallowing current flow from the electrical power source to the at least one heating element.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein evaluating the authentication indicia with the first control component, further comprises responding with the first control component, to a lack of a response from the second control component, to disallow current flow from the electrical power source to the at least one heating element.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein evaluating the authentication indicia with the first control component, further comprises evaluating the authentication indicia with the first control component to determine whether the consumable arrangement is authorized for use with the control body portion and, if the consumable arrangement is unauthorized, actuating an indicia of the unauthorized consumable arrangement via the control body portion.

17. A method according to claim 12, further comprising sending a key code with the challenge from the first control component to the second control component, evaluating the key code with the second control component to determine an authentication indicia corresponding to the challenge, and sending the response comprising the authentication indicia from the second control component to the first control component.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the first control component includes a plurality of challenges, and wherein the method further comprises randomly selecting one of the plurality of challenges sent to the second control component with a randomizing component of the first control component.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the first control component includes a plurality of challenges, and wherein the method further comprises send one of the plurality of challenges from the first control component to the second control component based on a predetermined sequence.

20. A method according to claim 12, wherein the cartridge body portion includes a memory device in communication with the second control component, and the method further comprises determining a remaining amount of the aerosol precursor composition with the second control component and to storing the determined remaining amount in the memory device.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein, if the consumable arrangement is authorized, receiving the determined remaining amount of the aerosol precursor composition with the first control component, determining whether the determined remaining amount is below a threshold level, and actuating a low remaining amount indicia if the determined remaining amount is below the threshold level.