Inhalation device including substance usage controls

• US 8,714,150 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logic Technology Developement LLC (Japan Tobacco Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eli Alelov
• Inventors: Alelov, Eli
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGLAS, STEVEN O
• Application Number:
  US13/460,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20120227752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.12, 128/203.27, 128/202.21, 128/203.15, 128/203.17, 131/329, 131/330, 131/187, 131/273, 131/904
• US Class Current: 128/203.15
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/30 Devices using two or more structurally separated inhalable precursors, e.g. using two liquid precursors in two cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/51 Arrangement of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/60 Devices with integrated user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0003 with means for dispensing more than one drug
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0065 Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0066 with means for varying the dose size
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0083 Timers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 : by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 : battery-operated

Abstract

An apparatus including a first cartridge, a sensor, and a controller. The first cartridge can include a first release device configured to release a first substance into a housing. The controller can be configured to receive data from the sensor. The controller can determine an amount of first substance released by the first cartridge based on the data and estimate a remaining amount of first substance in the first cartridge based on the determined amount of first substance.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette comprising:

a first cartridge comprising a first release device configured to release a first substance into a housing, wherein the first cartridge fixably located completely within the housing;

a sensor;

a controller configured to;

receive data from the sensor;

determine an amount of the first substance released by the first cartridge based on the data; and

estimate a remaining amount of the first substance in the first cartridge based on the determined amount of the first substance; and

a display, wherein the controller is further configured to;

estimate at least one of;

a number of puffs remaining, a number of cigarette equivalents remaining, or a number of cigar equivalents remaining based on the estimated remaining amount of the first substance; and

wherein the display is configured to display an indication of at least one of the number of puffs remaining, the number of cigarette equivalents remaining, or the number of cigar equivalents remaining.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor comprises at least one of a flow sensor, a thermocouple, a pressure sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, or a light sensor;

the first release device comprises at least one of a heating element, a vibration generator, an ultrasonic transducer, a piezoelectric transducer, or an atomizer; and

the display comprises at least one of a row of light emitting diodes, an alphanumeric display, a seven-segment display, or a pixelated display.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to enable a user to inhale the first substance, and the first substance comprises a. liquid drug.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first release device is configured to vaporize or gasify the first substance associated with the first cartridge.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the first release device based on the determined amount of the first substance.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a second cartridge comprising a second release device configured to release a second substance into the housing, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine an amount of the second substance released by the second cartridge based on the data; and

control the second release device based on the determined amount of the second substance.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a timer;

and wherein to determine the amount of the first substance released by the first release device, the controller is further configured to determine an amount of time that the first release device releases the first substance.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein die sensor comprises a timer and at least one of an air flow switch or a pressure switch;

and wherein to determine the amount of the first substance released by the first release device, the controller is further configured to determine a duration of an activation of at least one of the air flow switch or the pressure switch.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a timer and at least one of a current sensor, a voltage sensor, or a flow sensor;

and wherein the data from the sensor comprises at least one of a current measurement of the first release device, a current measurement of a power supply, a voltage measurement of the first release device, a voltage measurement of the power supply, or an air speed measurement.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein to estimate the remaining amount of the first substance, the controller is further configured to:

set a first substance limit value,

add the determined amount of the first substance released by the first cartridge to an accumulated first substance value, and

compare the accumulated first substance value to the first substance limit value.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first cartridge is rigidly fixed within the housing such that the first cartridge and the housing are integral.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to allow an airflow to enter the housing through a housing entrance and leave the housing through a housing exit, and wherein the airflow does not flow through the first cartridge.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power source configured to provide electrical power to the first cartridge, the sensor, and the controller.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first release device is located within the first cartridge.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an airflow entrance hole with a first width and an airflow exit hole with a second width, wherein the first cartridge comprises a third width, and wherein the first width and the second width are smaller than the third width.

7. A method for providing electronic cigarette information comprising:

receiving data from a sensor;

determining an amount of a first substance released by a first cartridge based on the data, wherein the first cartridge comprises a first release device configured to release the first substance into a housing, and wherein the first cartridge is fixably located completely within the housing;

estimating a remaining amount of the first substance in the first cartridge based on the determined amount of the first substance; and

providing a display and a controller, wherein the controller is further configured to;

estimate at least one of;

a number of puffs remaining, a number of cigarette equivalents remaining, or a number of cigar equivalents remaining based on the estimated remaining amount of the first substance; and

wherein the display is configured to display an indication of at least one of the number of puffs remaining, the number of cigarette equivalents remaining, or the number of cigar equivalents remaining.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the sensor comprises at least one of a flow sensor, a thermocouple, a pressure sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, or a light sensor;

the first release device comprises at least one of a heating element, a vibration generator, an ultrasonic transducer, a piezoelectric transducer, or an atomizer; and

displaying an indication comprises controlling at least one of a row of light emitting diodes, an alphanumeric display, a seven-segment display, or a pixelated display.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising a second cartridge comprising a second release device configured to release a second substance into the housing, wherein the method further comprises:

controlling the first release device based on the determined amount of the first substance;

determining an amount of the second substance released by the second cartridge based on the data; and

controlling the second release device based on the determined amount of the second substance.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device in an electronic cigarette to perform operations in an electronic cigarette comprising:

receiving data from a sensor;

determining an amount of a first substance released by a first cartridge based on the data, wherein the first cartridge comprises a first release device configured to release the first substance into a housing, and wherein the first cartridge is fixable located completely within the housing;

estimating a remaining amount of the first substance in the first cartridge based on the determined amount of the first substance; and

estimating at least one of;

a number of puffs remaining, a number of cigarette equivalents remaining, or a number of cigar equivalents remaining based on the estimated remaining amount of the first substance; and

displaying an indication of at least one of the number of puffs remaining, the number of cigarette equivalents remaining, or the number of cigar equivalents remaining.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein:

the sensor comprises at least one of a flow sensor, a thermocouple, a pressure sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, or a light sensor;

the first release device comprises at least one of a heating element, a vibration generator, an ultrasonic transducer, a piezoelectric transducer, or an atomizer; and

displaying an indication comprises controlling at least one of a row of light emitting diodes, an alphanumeric display, a seven-segment display, or a pixelated display.