Method and apparatus for controlling the supply of energy to a heating load in a smoking article
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for controlling delivery of energy from a power supply to a heating load in a smoking article, comprising:
- puff sensor means for sensing when a smoker draws a puff from the smoking article;
switching means for coupling the heating load to the power supply;
energy measurement means, coupled to the heating load, for measuring an amount of energy delivered to the heating load;
control means, coupled to said puff sensor means, said switching means and said energy measurement means, for enabling said switching means to connect the heating load to the power supply when said puff sensor means senses a puff and for disabling said switching means to disconnect the heating load from the power supply when a predetermined amount of energy as measured by said energy measurement means has been delivered to the heating load; and
oscillator means, coupled to said control means, for generating interrupt signals at a predetermined rate;
wherein said control means comprises a microcontroller comprising;
means for maintaining said microcontroller in a stop mode;
means for entering a run mode upon receipt of an interrupt from said oscillator means; and
means for returning to said stop mode after entering said run mode when said puff sensor means has not sensed a puff.
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Abstract
A method and an apparatus for controlling energy flow into a heating load array of a smoking article are provided. In response to a pressure drop in the mouthpiece of the smoking article, a selected load in the heating load array is switchably connected to a power supply. Energy delivered to the load is measured and the load is disconnected when a predetermined amount of energy has been delivered.
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Citations
68 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling delivery of energy from a power supply to a heating load in a smoking article, comprising:
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puff sensor means for sensing when a smoker draws a puff from the smoking article; switching means for coupling the heating load to the power supply; energy measurement means, coupled to the heating load, for measuring an amount of energy delivered to the heating load; control means, coupled to said puff sensor means, said switching means and said energy measurement means, for enabling said switching means to connect the heating load to the power supply when said puff sensor means senses a puff and for disabling said switching means to disconnect the heating load from the power supply when a predetermined amount of energy as measured by said energy measurement means has been delivered to the heating load; and oscillator means, coupled to said control means, for generating interrupt signals at a predetermined rate; wherein said control means comprises a microcontroller comprising; means for maintaining said microcontroller in a stop mode; means for entering a run mode upon receipt of an interrupt from said oscillator means; and means for returning to said stop mode after entering said run mode when said puff sensor means has not sensed a puff. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 23)
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- 9. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said microcontroller comprises means, responsive to said load sensor means, for enabling said microcontroller to enter a dormant mode when the heating load is not coupled to the power supply.
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16. An apparatus for controlling delivery of energy from a power supply to a plurality of heating loads in a smoking article, comprising:
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puff sensor means for sensing when a smoker draws a puff from the smoking article; switching means for selectively coupling at least one of the plurality of heating loads to the power supply; energy measurement means, coupled to the power supply, for measuring an amount of energy delivered to the at least one heating load; control means, coupled to said puff sensor means, said switching means and said energy measurement means, for enabling said switching means to connect the at least one heating load to the power supply when said puff sensor means senses a puff and for disabling said switching means to disconnect the at least one heating load from the power supply when a predetermined amount of energy as measured by said energy measurement means has been delivered to the at least one heating load; and oscillator means, coupled to said control means, for generating interrupt signals at a predetermined rate; wherein said control means comprises a microcontroller, wherein said microcontroller comprises; means for maintaining said microcontroller in a stop mode; means for entering a run mode upon receipt of an interrupt from said oscillator means; and means for returning to said stop mode after entering said run mode when said puff sensor means has not sensed a puff. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for controlling energy flow in a smoking article, comprising:
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sensing the presence of a heating load in said smoking article; sensing when a puff is drawn on said smoking article; delivering a predetermined amount of energy to said heating load in response to a sensed puff; said delivery step further comprising; maintaining said delivery step in a stop mode; generating interrupt signals at a predetermined rate; initiating a run mode upon receipt of a generated interrupt signal; returning to the stop mode when no heating load is sensed; and delivering the predetermined amount of power from a battery when a heating load and a puff are sensed. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. An apparatus for controlling delivery of energy from a power supply to a heating load in a smoking article, comprising:
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puff sensor means for sensing when a smoker draws a puff from the smoking article; switching means for coupling the heating load to the power supply; energy measurement means, coupled to the heating lead, for measuring an amount of energy delivered to the heating load; control means, coupled to said puff sensor means, said switching means and said energy measurement means, for enabling said switching means to connect the heating load to the power supply when said puff sensor means senses a puff and for disabling said switching means to disconnect the heating load from the power supply when a predetermined amount of energy as measured by said energy measurement means has been delivered to the heating load; oscillator means, coupled to said control means, for generating interrupt signals at a predetermined rate;
whereinsaid control means comprises a microcontroller; and load sensor means coupled to said microcontroller and the heating load, for sensing when the heating load is coupled to the power supply. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. An apparatus for controlling delivery of energy from a power supply to a plurality of heating loads in a smoking article, comprising:
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puff sensor means for sensing when a smoker draws a puff from the smoking article; switching means for selectively coupling at least one of the plurality of heating loads to the power supply; energy measurement means, coupled to the power supply, for measuring an amount of energy delivered to the at least one heating load; control means, coupled to said puff sensor means, said switching means and said energy measurement means, for enabling said switching means to connect the at least one heating load to the power supply when said puff sensor means senses a puff and for disabling said switching means to disconnect the at least one heating load from the power supply when a predetermined amount of energy as measured by said energy measurement means has been delivered to the at least one heating load; oscillator means, coupled to said control means, for generating interrupt signals at a predetermined rate;
whereinsaid control means comprises a microcontroller; and load sensor means, coupled to said microcontroller and the plurality of heating loads, for sensing when the plurality of heating loads are coupled to the power supply. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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Specification