Near field communication for a tobacco-based article or package therefor

• US 9,864,947 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2016
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Sur, Rajesh, Hunt, Eric T., Sears, Stephen B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Claude J
• Application Number:
  US15/352,199
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 235492
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 15/01 specially adapted for simulated smoking devices or cigarettes therefor battery charging means structurally associated with the case A24F40/95
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/40 Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
• 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: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07756 the connection being non-galvanic, e.g. capacitive
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07788 the antenna being of the capacitive type
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

An apparatus embodied as a tobacco-based article including a consumable material that is tobacco, or that is made, derived from or incorporates tobacco, or as a package for one or more of the tobacco-based article or the consumable material, includes a housing and near field communication (NFC) tag. The housing is structured to retain the tobacco-based article or the consumable material. The NFC tag is configured to store or generate information related to the article or the material. The NFC tag is coupleable with a NFC reader to enable wireless transfer of the information to a computing device to enable authentication of the apparatus, or display or storage of the information, at the computing device or a service platform in communication with the computing device.

Claims

1. An apparatus embodied as a tobacco-based article including a consumable material that is tobacco, or that is made, derived from or incorporates tobacco, or as a package for one or more of the tobacco-based article or the consumable material, the apparatus comprising:

a housing structured to retain the tobacco-based article or the consumable material; and

on or within the housing,

a near field communication (NFC) tag configured to wirelessly communicate with a computing device equipped with a NFC reader, the NFC tag comprising;

an antenna; and

an integrated circuit (IC) configured to store or generate information including at least a geographic location of an intended distributer or retailer of the apparatus,

wherein the antenna is coupleable with a corresponding antenna of the NFC reader to enable wireless transfer of the information to the computing device to enable display or storage of the geographic location, the display or storage being at the computing device or a service platform in communication with the computing device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 embodied as an aerosol delivery device, a control body or a cartridge for the aerosol delivery device, or a package for one or more of the aerosol delivery device, the control body or the cartridge, wherein the consumable material is an aerosol precursor composition comprising nicotine.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 embodied as a package for one or more of the tobacco-based article in which the tobacco-based article is embodied as a cigarette, cigar, pipe or smokeless tobacco product.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the IC being configured to store or generate the information includes being configured to store or generate the information further including an authentication indicia that enables authentication of the apparatus, and the antenna is coupleable with the corresponding antenna of the NFC reader to enable wireless transfer of the information to the computing device to enable authentication of the apparatus based on the authentication indicia.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the IC being configured to store or generate the information includes being configured to store or generate the information further including a manufacture date of the apparatus, and the antenna is coupleable with the corresponding antenna of the NFC reader to enable wireless transfer of the information to the computing device to enable display or storage of the manufacture date.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the IC being configured to store or generate the information includes being configured to store or generate the information further including content regarding the apparatus or the consumable material, or a web address to a web resource with the content, and the antenna is coupleable with the corresponding antenna of the NFC reader to enable wireless transfer of the information to the computing device to enable display or storage of the content.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the content includes a description of the apparatus or the consumable material, or a coupon redeemable for a discount or rebate for the apparatus or another product.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the content includes a list of retailers that are authorized to sell the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the content includes a suggested food or drink accompaniment for the consumable material.

10. A cartridge coupled or coupleable with a control body that is equipped with a control component, the control body being coupled or coupleable with the cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge comprising:

at least one housing enclosing a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition;

a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; and

a near field communication (NFC) tag configured to wirelessly communicate with a computing device equipped with a NFC reader, the NFC tag comprising;

an antenna; and

an integrated circuit (IC) being configured to store or generate information including at least a geographic location of an intended distributer or retailer of the cartridge,

wherein the antenna is coupleable with a corresponding antenna of the NFC reader to enable wireless transfer of the information to the computing device to enable display or storage of the geographic location, the display or storage being at the computing device or a service platform in communication with the computing device.

11. The cartridge of claim 10, wherein the aerosol precursor composition comprises nicotine.

12. The cartridge of claim 10, wherein the IC being configured to store or generate the information includes being configured to store or generate the information further including an authentication indicia that enables authentication of the cartridge, and the antenna is coupleable with the corresponding antenna of the NFC reader to enable wireless transfer of the information to the computing device to enable authentication of the cartridge based on the authentication indicia.

13. The cartridge of claim 10, wherein the IC being configured to store or generate the information includes being configured to store or generate the information further including a manufacture date of the cartridge, and the antenna is coupleable with the corresponding antenna of the NFC reader to enable wireless transfer of the information to the computing device to enable display or storage of the manufacture date.

14. The cartridge of claim 10, wherein the IC being configured to store or generate the information includes being configured to store or generate the information further including content regarding the apparatus or the consumable material, or a web address to a web resource with the content, and the antenna is coupleable with the corresponding antenna of the NFC reader to enable wireless transfer of the information to the computing device to enable display or storage of the content.

15. The cartridge of claim 14, wherein the content includes a description of the cartridge or the aerosol precursor composition, or a coupon redeemable for a discount or rebate for the cartridge or another product.

16. The cartridge of claim 14, wherein the content includes a list of retailers that are authorized to sell the cartridge.

17. The cartridge of claim 14, wherein the content includes a suggested food or drink accompaniment for the aerosol precursor composition.

18. A cartridge coupled or coupleable with a control body that is equipped with a control component, the control body being coupled or coupleable with the cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge comprising:

at least one housing enclosing a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition;

a heating element controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; and

a near field communication (NFC) tag configured to wirelessly communicate with a computing device equipped with a NFC reader, the NFC tag comprising;

an antenna; and

an integrated circuit (IC) being configured to store or generate information including at least an authentication indicia that enables authentication of the cartridge,

wherein the antenna is coupleable with a corresponding antenna of the NFC reader to enable wireless transfer of the information to the computing device to enable authentication of the cartridge at the computing device, and

wherein the computing device is embodied as the control body with which the cartridge is coupled or coupleable to form the aerosol delivery device, and the wireless transfer of the information is to enable authentication of the cartridge and thereby authorization of the cartridge for use with the control body.

19. The cartridge of claim 18 further comprising:

a base attached to the housing and adapted to engage a coupler of the control body to couple the cartridge with the control body to form the aerosol delivery device.