DIGITAL MARKETING APPLICATIONS FOR ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE USERS

• US 20130319439A1
• Filed: 07/24/2013
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Peleg, Eyal, Levy, Dorron, Gorelick, Joseph G., Juster, Bernard G., Levitz, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 11,517,042 B2
• 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 40/00 Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
• 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 40/53 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 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

An electronic cigarette (“e-Cig”) may include functionality for targeted marketing. The marketing may be through communications with a computing device, such as a smartphone. For example, a smartphone application may be used for monitoring e-Cig usage and collecting data regarding the user and the usage. That data may result in targeted marketing. In another example, location information may also be used for targeted advertisements from a retailer.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette comprising:

a controller configured to monitor usage of the electronic cigarette; and

a communications interface coupled with the controller and configured to provide targeted marketing communications to a computing device.

2. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 further comprising a cartomizer that includes:

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 usage that is monitored comprises the generation of the vapor, the heat of the liquid, and/or an amount of the liquid.

5. The electronic cigarette of claim 4 wherein the targeted marketing communications are triggered when the amount of the liquid is running low.

6. The electronic cigarette of claim 2 wherein the targeted marketing communications comprises an offer based on the liquid container added or removed from the electronic cigarette.

7. The electronic cigarette of claim 6 wherein the offer comprises an upsell based on liquid or a cross-sell for a related liquid container.

8. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 wherein the computing device comprises a cellular telephone or tablet that communicates with the electronic cigarette.

9. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 wherein the targeted marketing communications comprise coupons.

10. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 wherein a location is determined by the electronic cigarette or the computing device that identifies nearby retailers, further wherein the targeted marketing communications comprise offers for the nearby retailers.

11. The electronic cigarette of claim 10 wherein the electronic cigarette stores a retail location where the electronic cigarette originated and the targeted marketing is for the retail location.

12. 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

providing marketing with one or more external devices based on the usage pattern.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the usage pattern comprises a frequency, amount, liquid type, and/or time of usage.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the marketing is provided when the amount of the liquid is running low.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the marketing comprises offers or coupons that are provided based on the usage pattern.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12 further comprising:

storing retail information with a cartomizer of the electronic cigarette.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the marketing is based on the stored retail information.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the retail information comprises a retailer at which the cartomizer was sold.