REAL TIME VARIABLE PROGRAMMABLE ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE SYSTEM

• US 20140123990A1
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ludovicus Josephine Felicien Timmermans
• Original Assignee: Ludovicus Josephine Felicien Timmermans
• Inventors: Timmermans, Ludovicus Josephine Felicien
• Granted Patent: US 9,675,114 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 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/60 Devices with integrated user interfaces

Abstract

A real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette device has a main body, a controller, a memory, a visual indicator, a multidirectional joystick for operating and programming the electronic cigarette, a visual indicator for real-time status feedback, and a USB connector for computer connectivity. Programming the device includes the ability to create vaping profiles. The programmable function enables a user to set the voltage output and power output level applied to the atomizer when energized.

Claims

1. A real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette system (100), comprising an electronic cigarette (110), the electronic cigarette comprising:

a main body (112) having a first end (114) and a second end (116), the first end (114) comprising an atomizer connector (118) adapted to engage a mouthpiece (120), and the second end being adapted to receive a cap (122) with spring (124);

a power source (126) adapted to fit inside the main body;

an electronic control unit (128);

a housing (130) for storing the electronic control unit (128) and for electrically coupling the power source (126) and a universal atomizer connector (118), the housing adapted to fit inside the main body (112);

the electronic control unit (128) comprising;

a multidirectional joystick (132) adapted to operate and program the electronic cigarette (110),

a visual indicator (134) adapted to provide a light signal,

a USB connector (136) exposed from the main body (112) and adapted to provide computer connectivity,

a controller (138) adapted to process input data from the joystick (132), and

a memory (140) adapted to keep at least one vaping profile (156);

a mouthpiece (120) adapted to provide a path for a gaseous product, the mouthpiece (120) further comprising an atomizer (144) and a tank (146), the atomizer (144) is adapted to act as an electrical heating element, and the tank (146) being adapted to store an evaporable liquid solution;

wherein the USB connector (136) is adapted to receive information from a computer application (162); and

wherein the joystick (132) is adapted to be directed in a plurality of directions for directing a user interface.

2. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 1, wherein visual indicator (134) is a the tri-color RGB LED adapted to provide real-time status feedback from the electronic cigarette (110);

wherein the tri-color RGB LED is adapted to combine the three colors red, green and blue to produce colors other than red, green and blue; and

wherein the tri-color LED has a transparent plastic piece used to reflect a light emitted outside the main body (112).

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the visual indicator (134) is an RGB LED, and wherein it illuminates a default color and illuminates colors in a pattern to identify a status of the electronic cigarette (110).

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the tri-color RGB LED is adapted to display a brightness that reflects the strength of energy applied to the atomizer (144).

5. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 1, wherein the electronic cigarette (110) is programmable and adapted to create arbitrary waveforms (168) and save them to at least one vaping profile (156).

6. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 5, wherein the electronic cigarette (110) is adapted to enable the user to set a voltage (152) and power (154) to be applied to the atomizer (144).

7. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 5, wherein a desired voltage (152) setting and a desired power (154) setting are stored in the at least one vaping profile (156).

8. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 5, wherein at least one vaping profile (156) can be saved to the memory (140).

9. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 5, wherein at least one of the vaping profiles (156) can be reprogrammed.

10. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 5, wherein the controller (138) is selected from the group consisting of proportional-integral-derivative controller, fuzzy logic, sliding controller, and state feedback.

11. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 5, wherein the arbitrary waveforms (168) are oscillations and combinations of different levels of voltage (152) and power (154) in a span of time.

12. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 11, wherein the voltage (152) is in the range of about 0 to 8V, and the power (154) is in the range of about 0 to 25 W.

13. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 11, wherein each vaping profile (156) is limited by a duration of operation.

14. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 13, wherein each vaping profile (156) is limited by 12 seconds of operation, after which the electronic cigarette (110) will automatically stop, and wherein the vaping profile (156) is defined by (120) points and every point represents 100 ms.

15. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 5, wherein the electronic cigarette (110) is adapted to be programmed by a method selected from the group consisting of stand-alone programming on the electronic cigarette (110) and programming through the computer application (162).

16. The real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) of claim 15, wherein standalone programming comprises programming by the joystick (132);

wherein standalone programming may be achieved by a manner selected from the group consisting of a) increasing or decreasing voltage (152) and power (154) by steps, the steps being 0.1V per step and 0.3 W per step, and b) increasing or decreasing continuously until a maximum voltage (152) and power 154 is reached or a minimum voltage (152) and power (154) is reached; and

wherein the minimum voltage is 0V and the maximum voltage is 8V and the minimum power is 0 W and the maximum power is 25 W.

17. A method for delivering an evaporable substance comprising:

providing a real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110), the electronic cigarette (110) comprising;

a main body (112) having a first end (114), the first end (114) having a universal atomizer connector (118) and a second end 116 having a cap (122), the cap (122) having a spring (124) attached thereto, an opening for a power source (126) being located on the second end (116);

a housing (130) for housing the electronic control unit (128) and for electrically coupling the power source (126) and universal atomizer connector (118), the housing (130) adapted to fit inside the main body (112);

a USB connector (136) on a side of the main body (112), the USB connected adapted for communication with a computer application (162);

a joystick (132) located on a side of the main body (112) and aligned with a visual indicator (134);

a mouthpiece (120) detachably affixed to the first end (114) of the main body (112), the mouthpiece (120) defining a channel therein and being open at one end and further comprising an atomizer (144) and a tank (146);

a visual indicator (134) adapted to provide real time status feedback; and

a joystick (132) configured to activate at least one vaping profile (156), the vaping profile (156) representing information to be communicated to the atomizer (144) directing the atomizer (144) to produce heat and information to be communicated to the visual indicator (134) to illuminate;

whereby heated air is directed into proximity with an evaporable substance located in a tank (146); and

whereby at least a portion of the evaporable substance boils and produces a vapor, the vapor exiting the main body (112) by way of the mouthpiece (120).

18. The method of claim 17, wherein vaping profile comprises an arbitrary waveform (168) that defines a vaping energy applied to the atomizer (144);

wherein the vaping profile has a maximum duration of 12 seconds, the 12 seconds being defined by (120) points at 100 ms per point;

wherein the vaping profiles can be defined in terms of voltage (152) or of power (154);

wherein the definable voltage (152) range is 0V to 8V and the definable power (154) range is 0 to 25 W; and

wherein the arbitrary waveform (168) defines an option for a user to define whether an amplitude of the vaping profile (156) will be defined in terms of voltage (152) or in terms of power (154).

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a user can define any desired waveform (168) within the definable voltage (152) and power (154) ranges using a computer application (162).

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the vaping profile (156) defines a color of a light shown from the visual indicator (134) while the visual indicator (134) is activated;

and

wherein the vaping profile has a maximum duration of 12 seconds, the 12 seconds being defined by (120) points at 100 ms per point, wherein each point is defined by a color, and wherein the electronic cigarette (110) is adapted to allow a user to define a color for each point using the computer application (162).

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the vaping profile 156 defines a plurality of vaping modes (164), (166);

wherein the vaping modes (164), (166) are standard vaping mode (164) and a real time vaping mode (166); and

wherein the real time variable voltage programmable electronic cigarette (110) is configured to a selected vaping mode (164),(166) by way of a computer application (162) or by way of a sequence of movements applied through the joystick (132).

22. The method of claim 21, wherein vaping profile (156) is in standard mode (164) when the joystick (132) is pushed center, up or down and wherein the vaping profile is in real time vaping mode (166) when the joystick (132) is pushed up down or center while the electronic cigarette (110) is in standard vaping mode (164).