Sensor apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11953354-B2
Application number	US-202318189346-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2023
Priority date	Dec 29, 2017
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A sensor apparatus may include a channel structure configured to couple with an external element and a fluid conduit, such that the channel structure may receive a fluid, at least partially drawn through the external element from an ambient environment, and direct the fluid through the fluid conduit. A sensor may generate sensor data indicating a flow rate of the fluid through the fluid conduit based on monitoring a variation in a pressure at a location in hydrodynamic contact with the fluid conduit and in relation to an ambient pressure of the ambient environment. The sensor apparatus may enable generation of improved topography information associated with flows of fluid drawn from the external element based on measuring a local pressure at the location in hydrodynamic contact with the fluid conduit and determining the ambient pressure based on monitoring the local pressure over time.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A computing device, comprising: a communication interface configured to receive a sensor data stream from a sensor apparatus via a wireless network communication link, the sensor data stream indicating a flow rate of a vapor out of an e-vaping device that is coupled to the sensor apparatus, the sensor data stream generated based on variation in a measured value of a local pressure, measured by a single, individual sensor device of the sensor apparatus at a single location in a conduit of the sensor apparatus over time; a memory storing a program of instructions; and a processor configured to execute the program of instructions to process the sensor data stream to generate topography information associated with at least one of the sensor apparatus and the e-vaping device.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data stream provides a real-time indication of a value of the local pressure measured by the single, individual sensor device.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to determine a volume and/or mass of an instance of fluid drawn from the e-vaping device and through the sensor apparatus based on monitoring the variation in the measured value of the local pressure, measured by the single, individual sensor device at the single location in the conduit of the sensor apparatus, over a particular period of time.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the topography information includes information indicating one or more historical patterns associated with fluid draws recorded by one or more sensor apparatuses.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the topography information includes information indicating, for a particular adult vaper, e-vaping device, and/or sensor apparatus, a pattern of fluid draws associated therewith, each fluid draw of the pattern of fluid draws corresponding to an instance of vapor flowing out of the e-vaping device and through the sensor apparatus.

6. The computing device of claim 5 , wherein the pattern of fluid draws indicates at least one of
a frequency of fluid draws over a period of time,
a variation in flow rate associated with fluid draws over a period of time,
an amount of drawn fluid associated with fluid draws over a period of time,
an amount of vapor associated with fluid draws over a period of time,
one or more times of day and/or days of a week associated with fluid draws,
one or more geographic locations associated with fluid draws,
relative distance with a cumulative quantity of fluid draws over a period of time, or
a cumulative magnitude of fluid drawn over a period of time.

7. The computing device of claim 5 , wherein the pattern of fluid draws is expressed as a probability distribution of fluid draws over time.

8. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the program of instructions to communicate the topography information to an external device.

9. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate and display a graphical display via a display interface of the computing device based on the topography information, wherein the graphical display includes a graphical representation of the topography information.

10. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the graphical display includes a graphical representation of a pattern indicating a normalized probability distribution of an amount of fluid drawn through the sensor apparatus during a fluid draw, for a plurality of fluid draws recorded in a plurality of corresponding draw records.

11. The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the graphical display includes a graphical representation of at least one of
a median value of the normalized probability distribution,
a variance of the normalized probability distribution, or
a standard deviation of the normalized probability distribution.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Kane David B
• Pithawalla Yezdi B
• Janardhan Srinivasan
• Kobal Gerd

Classifications

• G01F1/42 Primary

  Orifices or nozzles · CPC title

• A24C5/3406

  Controlling cigarette combustion · CPC title

• A24F40/485

  Valves; Apertures · CPC title

• A24F40/51

  Arrangement of sensors · CPC title

• A24F40/65

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