Charging Accessory Device for an Aerosol Delivery Device and Related System, Method, Apparatus, and Computer Program Product for Providing Interactive Services for Aerosol Delivery Devices

• US 20150224268A1
• Filed: 02/07/2014
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Henry, Raymond C., Galloway, Michael Ryan, Ampolini, Frederic Philippe
• Application Number:
  US14/175,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20150224268A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 40/65 Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/90 Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/123 with incorporated reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to charging accessory device for the aerosol delivery device and related systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing interactive services for aerosol delivery devices. For example, a method may include a computing device establishing communication with a charging accessory device for an aerosol delivery device; receiving usage data for the aerosol delivery device provided by the charging accessory device; generating social data based on the usage data; and sending the social data to a social networking service including a community of aerosol delivery device users.

Claims

1. A system for providing interactive services for aerosol delivery devices, the system comprising:

at least a portion of an aerosol delivery device, comprising;

a control component configured to maintain usage data for the aerosol delivery device; and

a battery;

a computing device configured to access a network and communicate with a social networking service comprising a community of aerosol delivery device users; and

a charging accessory device, comprising;

a housing defining a receptacle configured to receive the at least a portion of the aerosol delivery device;

a power storage device; and

a communication interface configured to enable communication between the charging accessory device and the computing device;

wherein the charging accessory device is configured to;

supply power from the power storage device to the battery to charge the battery; and

communicate with the control component to access the usage data; and

wherein the computing device is further configured to;

receive the usage data from the charging accessory device;

generate social data based at least in part on the usage data; and

send the social data to the social networking service.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to send the social data to the social networking service at least in part by causing a social media update comprising the social data to be published to an account associated with a user of the aerosol delivery device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the usage data comprises a type of aerosol precursor composition used in the aerosol delivery device; and

the social media update indicates that the user smoked the type of aerosol precursor composition.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the usage data comprises one or more of a number of cartridges used in the aerosol delivery device over a period of time, a number of puffs taken by the user over the period of time, a total cumulative puff time over the period of time, a number of smoking sessions for which the aerosol delivery device was used over the period of time, or a duration of one or more smoking sessions; and

the social media update indicates at least one of the one or more of the number of cartridges used in the aerosol delivery device over the period of time, the number of puffs taken by the user over the period of time, the total cumulative puff time over the period of time, the number of smoking sessions for which the aerosol delivery device was used over the period of time, or the duration of one or more smoking sessions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine a location of the computing device; and

generate the social data to include an indication of the location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to present an electronic coupon selected based at least in part on one or more of the usage data or the social data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

provide a location of a user of the aerosol delivery device to the social networking service;

receive an indication from the social networking service of one or more aerosol delivery device users located within a defined distance of the location of a user of the aerosol delivery device; and

display an indication of at least one of the one or more aerosol delivery device users with associated location information for each of the at least one of the one or more aerosol delivery device users.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

receive, from the social networking service, an indication of an aerosol delivery device user having an aerosol delivery device usage pattern correlating to the social data; and

present the aerosol delivery device user having the aerosol delivery device usage pattern correlating to the social data as a suggested contact on the social networking service.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the computing device is further configured to send a software update for the aerosol delivery device to the charging accessory device; and

the charging accessory device is configured to use the software update to update a software configuration of the aerosol delivery device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

receive an indication of a selected configuration setting update for the aerosol delivery device; and

generate the software update to include the selected configuration setting update.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the housing further defines a second receptacle configured to receive a cartridge;

the charging accessory device is further configured to determine a level of aerosol precursor composition remaining in the cartridge and to provide an indication of the level of aerosol precursor composition remaining in the cartridge to the computing device; and

the computing device is further configured to display the level of aerosol precursor composition remaining in the cartridge.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a mobile computing device.

13. A charging accessory device, comprising:

a housing defining a receptacle configured to receive at least a portion of an aerosol delivery device comprising a battery;

a power storage device;

a charging interface configured to establish an electrical connection with the battery and supply electrical power from the power storage device to the battery to charge the battery;

an aerosol delivery device interface configured to enable communication between the charging accessory device and a control component of the aerosol delivery device;

a communication interface; and

processing circuitry configured to control the charging accessory device to at least;

access usage data for the aerosol delivery device via the aerosol delivery device interface;

cause, via the communication interface, social data generated based at least in part on the usage data to be provided to a social networking service comprising a community of aerosol delivery device users.

14. The charging accessory device of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the charging accessory device to cause the social data to be provided to the social networking service at least in part by causing the charging accessory device to provide the usage data to a computing device configured to interface with the social networking service.

15. The charging accessory device of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the charging accessory device to cause the social data to be provided to the social networking service at least in part by causing the charging accessory device to send the social data to the social networking service via a network.

16. The charging accessory device of claim 13, wherein the usage data comprises one or more of a type of aerosol precursor composition used in the aerosol delivery device, a number of cartridges used in the aerosol delivery device over a period of time, a number of puffs taken by a user of the aerosol delivery device over the period of time, a total cumulative puff time over the period of time, a number of smoking sessions for which the aerosol delivery device was used over the period of time, or a duration of one or more smoking sessions.

17. The charging accessory device of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the charging accessory device to update a software configuration of the aerosol delivery device.

18. The charging accessory device of claim 13, further comprising:

an external power interface configured to receive power to recharge the power storage device when coupled with an external power source.

19. A method for providing interactive services for aerosol delivery devices, the method comprising a computing device:

establishing communication with a charging accessory device for an aerosol delivery device;

receiving usage data for the aerosol delivery device provided by the charging accessory device;

generating social data based at least in part on the usage data; and

sending the social data to a social networking service comprising a community of aerosol delivery device users.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein sending the social data to the social networking service comprises causing a social media update comprising the social data to be published to an account associated with a user of the aerosol delivery device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the usage data comprises a type of aerosol precursor composition used in the aerosol delivery device; and

the social media update indicates that the user smoked the type of aerosol precursor composition.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the usage data comprises one or more of a number of cartridges used in the aerosol delivery device over a period of time, a number of puffs taken by the user over the period of time, a total cumulative puff time over the period of time, a number of smoking sessions for which the aerosol delivery device was used over the period of time, or a duration of one or more smoking sessions; and

the social media update indicates at least one of the one or more of the number of cartridges used in the aerosol delivery device over the period of time, the number of puffs taken by the user over the period of time, the total cumulative puff time over the period of time, the number of smoking sessions for which the aerosol delivery device was used over the period of time, or the duration of one or more smoking sessions.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising the computing device:

determining a location of the computing device; and

generating the social data to include an indication of the location.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising the computing device:

receiving an electronic coupon from the social networking service, the electronic coupon being selected based at least in part on the social data; and

presenting the electronic coupon to a user of the computing device.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising the computing device:

providing a location of a user of the aerosol delivery device to the social networking service;

receiving an indication from the social networking service of one or more aerosol delivery device users located within a defined distance of the location of a user of the aerosol delivery device; and

displaying an indication of at least one of the one or more aerosol delivery device users with associated location information for each of the at least one of the one or more aerosol delivery device users.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising the computing device:

receiving, from the social networking service, an indication of an aerosol delivery device user having an aerosol delivery device usage pattern correlating to the social data; and

presenting the aerosol delivery device user having the aerosol delivery device usage pattern correlating to the social data as a suggested contact on the social networking service.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the computing device is a mobile computing device.