Microprocessor for providing advanced functionality to electronic vapor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11399571-B2
Application number	US-201615353994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2016
Priority date	Nov 17, 2015
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

Provided are systems, methods and electronic vapor device controllers that can comprise a processor configured to handle data commands relating to the control, usage and functionality of an electronic vapor (eVapor) device, specifically eCigarette and vaping systems and devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic vapor device comprising:
a device processor operable for controlling the electronic vapor device;
at least one container configured to store a vaporizable material;
a vaporizing component operatively connected to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the vaporizing component is in fluid communication with the at least one container for receiving a selected amount of vaporizable material therefrom, wherein the vaporizing component is operable to vaporize the vaporizable material received therein;
at least one vapor outlet coupled to the vaporizing component and configured to receive at least a portion of vapor generated by the vaporizing component, wherein the at least one vapor outlet is operable to expel the received vapor from the electronic vapor device;
a flow sensing component operatively connected to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the flow sensing component is operable to detect a plurality of user inhalation data associated with a negative pressure applied to the at least one vapor outlet by an associated user;
at least one fuel sensing component operatively connected to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the at least one fuel sensing component is configured to detect a plurality of fuel status data associated with a vaporizable material stored in the at least one container;
a power source operatively connected to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the power source is operatively coupled to the vaporizing component and operable to generate a supply of power for operation of at least the vaporizing component;
wherein the device processor is further operable to,
receive at least a portion of the detected user inhalation status data from the flow sensing component,
receive at least a portion of the detected fuel status data from the at least one fuel sensing component,
determine, based on at least a portion of the detected fuel status data and detected fuel inhalation data, at least one fuel remaining condition of vaporizable material stored in the at least one container and generate a plurality of fuel remaining data therefrom; and a coulometer operatively connected to said device processor and controlled in part by said device processor, wherein the coulometer is operatively coupled to said power source and operable to determine an aggregate amount of energy expended by said power source to generate aggregate energy data therefrom.

2. The electronic vapor device of claim 1 , wherein the flow sensing component is operable to detect a plurality of user inhalation data associated with at least one of: a negative pressure applied to the at least one vapor outlet, a length of time that a negative pressure has been applied to the at least one vapor outlet, an amount of negative pressure that has been applied to the at least one vapor outlet, a rate at which generated vapor is being expelled from the at least one vapor outlet, and combinations thereof.

3. The electronic vapor device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fuel sensing component is a capacitive sensor configured to measure a capacitance of the at least one container.

4. The electronic vapor device of claim 1 , further comprising a counter operatively connected to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the counter is configured to register each incidence of the associated user applying negative pressure to the at least one vapor outlet for inhalation of vapor thereby.

5. The electronic vapor device of claim 4 , wherein the counter is configured to decrement each time an inhalation is registered.

6. The electronic vapor device of claim 5 , wherein the device processor is operable to receive inhalation data from the counter for each registered inhalation and to determine, based on the inhalation data, an aggregate number of inhalations from the electronic vapor device.

7. The electronic vapor device of claim 6 , wherein the device processor is operable to determine a vaporization ending condition when the aggregate number of inhalations reaches a predetermined value.

8. The electronic vapor device of claim 7 , wherein in response to the determined vaporization ending condition, the device processor is operable to generate at least one control signal to cease operation of the vaporizing component.

9. The electronic vapor device of claim 1 , wherein the device processor is operable to receive the aggregate energy data from the coulometer and to determine a vaporization ending condition when the aggregate amount of energy expended by the power source reaches a predetermined value.

10. The electronic vapor device of claim 9 , wherein in response to the determined vaporization ending condition, the device processor is operable to generate at least one control signal to cease operation of the vaporizing component.

11. The electronic vapor device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic vapor device is selected from the group of electronic vapor devices consisting of: an electronic cigarette, an electronic cigar, an electronic vapor device integrated with an electronic communication device, a robotic vapor device, and a micro-size electronic vapor device.

12. A method for vaporizing at least one vaporizable material by an electronic vapor device, wherein the electronic vapor device comprises (a) a device processor for controlling the electronic vapor device, (b) at least one container configured to store a vaporizable material, (c) a vaporizing component operable to vaporize a plurality of vaporizable materials received therein, (d) at least one vapor outlet operable for receiving at least a portion of vapor generated by the vaporizing component and expelling the received vapor from the electronic vapor device, (e) a flow sensing component operable to detect a plurality of user inhalation data associated with a negative pressure applied to the at least one vapor outlet by an associated user, (f) at least one fuel sensing component operable to detect a plurality of fuel status data associated with the vaporizable material stored in the at least one container, (g) a power source operatively coupled to the vaporizing component and operable to generate a supply of power for operation of at least the vaporizing component, and (h) a coulometer, the method comprising:
receiving, by the device processor, at least one command to activate the electronic vapor device;
receiving, by the vaporizing component, a selected amount of the at least one vaporizable material from the at least one container,
vaporizing at least a portion of the at least one vaporizable material received within the vaporizing component and expelling the generated vapor via the at least one vapor outlet;
detecting, by the flow sensing component, a plurality of user inhalation data associated with a negative pressure applied to the at least one vapor outlet by the associated user;
detecting, by the at least one fuel sensing component, a plurality of fuel status data associated with the vaporizable material stored in the at least one container;
determining, by the device processor, based on at least a portion of the plurality of detected user inhalation data and fuel status data, at least one fuel remaining condition of vaporizable material stored in the at least one container and generating a plurality of fuel remaining data therefrom; and
determining, by said coulometer, an aggregate amount of energy expended by said power source and generating aggregate energy data therefrom.

13. The method of claim 12

Assignees

• Lunatech Llc

Inventors

• Cameron John

Classifications

• A24F40/53 Primary

  Monitoring, e.g. fault detection · CPC title

• A24F40/65

  Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means · CPC title

• A24F40/10

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/51

  Arrangement of sensors · CPC title