RU2849585C2 - Means of user authentication for a device for generating aerosol and method for performing user authentication using the means of authenticationaerosol generation device user authentication means - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: tobacco industry.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to the tobacco industry, in particular to systems that simulate the process of smoking tobacco. A device for authenticating a user of an aerosol generator comprises an emitter capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation at at least two different frequencies. One of the frequencies is within the infrared spectrum and one of the frequencies is within the visible light spectrum. The detector is designed to receive electromagnetic radiation at least in the spectrum of two different frequencies emitted by the emitter. The controller is designed to recognise the face of the device user for user authentication based on the output signal of the detector. To implement the method of user authentication using a device user authentication means for generating aerosol, the user authentication process is initiated by recognising the face of the device user by emitting electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies using the emitter. One of the frequencies is within the infrared spectrum and one of the frequencies is within the visible light spectrum. Electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies is received by a detector and compared by a detector output signal controller with user data from a user database for user authentication.

EFFECT: enabling user authentication in both well-lit spaces and low-light conditions.

15 cl, 7 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating device. The present invention also relates to a method for performing user authentication in the aerosol-generating device.

Aerosol-generating devices for generating an inhalable vapor are known (see, for example, US 2020337382 A1, A24F 47/00, October 29, 2020). Such devices are configured to heat an aerosol-generating substrate to a temperature at which one or more components of the aerosol-generating substrate evaporate without burning the aerosol-generating substrate. The aerosol-generating substrate may be formed as part of an aerosol-generating article. The aerosol-generating article may be in the form of a rod for inserting the aerosol-generating article into a cavity, such as a heating chamber, of the aerosol-generating device. A heating element may be located in or around the heating chamber to heat the aerosol-generating substrate after the aerosol-generating article is inserted into the heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device.

It would be desirable to create an aerosol-generating device that provides user authentication. It would be desirable to create an aerosol-generating device with enhanced user authentication. It would be desirable to create an aerosol-generating device that provides the ability to verify the user's age. It would be desirable to create an aerosol-generating device that provides the ability to verify the user's age.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol-generating device is provided that may comprise an emitter. The emitter may be configured to emit electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies. One of the frequencies may be within the infrared spectrum. The aerosol-generating device may further comprise a detector. The detector may be configured to receive electromagnetic radiation in the spectrum of at least two different frequencies emitted by the emitter. The aerosol-generating device may further comprise a controller. The controller may be configured to recognize the face of the user of the aerosol-generating device to authenticate the user based on the detector's output signal.

The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating device comprising an emitter. The emitter is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies. One of these frequencies is within the infrared spectrum. The aerosol-generating device further comprises a detector. The detector is configured to receive electromagnetic radiation in the spectrum of at least two different frequencies emitted by the emitter. The aerosol-generating device further comprises a controller. The controller is configured to recognize the face of the user of the aerosol-generating device to authenticate the user based on the detector's output signal.

User authentication improves device security. For example, a user under a certain age may not be able to accidentally use the device. Additionally, if a device is lost, unauthorized use can be prevented.

Emitting electromagnetic radiation of at least two different wavelengths can improve user authentication. For example, varying ambient lighting conditions can cause problems if only visible light is used for user authentication. By using electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum, user authentication can be improved in low-light conditions.

The controller may be configured to further verify the age of the user of the aerosol generating device based on the output signal of the detector.

Age verification can improve the functionality of a device by preventing use of the device by a user under a certain age.

The emitter can be configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the visible light spectrum. This allows for highly accurate age verification both at night and during the day. Electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum may be optimal in low-light conditions, such as at night. Electromagnetic radiation in the visible light spectrum may be optimal in high-light conditions, such as during the day.

By configuring the emitter to emit electromagnetic radiation in the visible light spectrum, the emitter can provide a user interface function. The user interface function can, for example, provide the ability to communicate status to the user. This function can be achieved by changing the visible light, such as blinking, changing brightness, or changing color. This can be used to visually notify the user of the user's authentication status.

The emitter may contain a light-emitting diode. The emitter may contain an organic light-emitting diode. The emitter may contain a laser.

The emitter may be integrated into the housing of the aerosol-generating device. The emitter may be located behind a transparent portion of the housing. The emitter may be hermetically sealed behind the transparent portion of the housing. The transparent portion of the housing may be located at the near end of the housing. This arrangement protects the emitter from external influences.

The transparent part can act as a scattering element for the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter.

The emitter can be molded using a polymer compound to embed the emitter into the housing of the aerosol-generating device. This polymer compound can be transparent to act as a transparent portion of the housing.

The emitter can be positioned so that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter is reflected by the housing of the aerosol-generating device in the near direction. This positioning allows the electromagnetic radiation from the emitter to spread more evenly or be concentrated within a specified range.

An LED can be used to emit electromagnetic radiation toward the user's face. The user's face can be illuminated by the LED's electromagnetic radiation. This illumination can be used to enable a detector to capture facial image data. The detector can then output information containing the user's facial image data.

The emitter may contain at least two LEDs.

Two LEDs can provide the ability to emit electromagnetic radiation of two different wavelengths.

The emitter may comprise at least one light-emitting diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the visible light spectrum.

This electromagnetic radiation may be optimally suited to enable user authentication in bright ambient light conditions, such as during daylight hours or in well-lit spaces.

The emitter may comprise at least one light-emitting diode for emitting electromagnetic radiation.

This electromagnetic radiation may be optimally suited to enable user authentication in low-light conditions, such as at night or in poorly lit spaces.

A combination of at least one LED capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum and at least one LED capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum may enable the device to authenticate a user in any lighting conditions. In particular, improved user authentication may be possible in daylight conditions as well as in low-light conditions.

The emitter may comprise at least one light-emitting diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 700 nm to 1400 nm, preferably from 800 nm to 1200 nm, more preferably from 820 nm to 890 nm, most preferably 850 nm.

This infrared spectrum, bordering the visible spectrum, may be particularly suitable for improving user authentication in typical low-light conditions.

The emitter may comprise at least two light-emitting diodes, namely a first light-emitting diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum, and a second light-emitting diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum.

The emitter may contain an LED ring.

The LED ring is designed to uniformly emit electromagnetic radiation. Alternatively, or additionally, a diffusing element may be placed in front of the emitter. A uniform distribution of the emitted electromagnetic radiation may be beneficial for uniform illumination of the user's face. Uniform illumination of the user's face can improve the quality of image data received by the detector and, in turn, can improve the quality of user authentication performed by the controller.

The emitter can be installed at the near end of the device.

User authentication can be accomplished by the user pointing the near end of the device toward their face. The emitter can then illuminate the user's face, as described herein.

The emitter can be located around the near opening of the device.

The ambient configuration can be achieved by configuring the emitter as a ring-shaped emitter. As an example, as described herein, the emitter can be implemented as an LED ring.

The opening at the near end may be configured as an opening in a device cavity, capable of accommodating an aerosol-generating article, as described in more detail below. The surrounding configuration may allow user authentication regardless of whether the aerosol-generating article is located within the device cavity. In both cases, the emitter will be capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation in a direction proximal to the device.

The emitter may be configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the near direction.

The user's face may be in proximity to the device during the user authentication process.

The detector can be made in the form of a camera.

The camera may be configured to detect at least two different wavelengths emitted by the emitter. For example, a user's face illuminated by the emitter may reflect the emitter's electromagnetic radiation back to the camera, such that the camera is configured to receive image data of the user's face.

The camera may be a CCD camera or may contain a CMOS sensor.

The detector may be located at the near end of the device.

The detector may be located at the same end of the device as the emitter. The detector may be located near the emitter. The detector may be located adjacent to the emitter. The detector may be adjacent to the emitter. If the aerosol-generating device comprises a cavity and a corresponding opening, as described herein, the detector may be located on the annular emitter, preferably at a peripheral and proximal point of the annular emitter.

The detector may have a focal length of 10 cm to 30 cm, preferably 15 cm to 25 cm, more preferably 18 cm to 22 cm.

This focal length can be selected to obtain improved facial image data. This focal length can be optimized, in particular, to improve the user's facial age verification process. The user's facial age verification process can be improved by ensuring a specific focal length, as this can ensure accurate facial measurements.

The age verification process may use information about the user's face, such as facial aspect ratio information. Facial aspect ratio information may contain the size or proportion of the user's face compared to specified facial information. The specified facial information may contain distributions of facial sizes for age groups such as adults, adolescents, and children.

The given face information may, in particular, comprise one or both of distributions of axial eye length and distributions of central region length of a human face for age groups such as adults, adolescents, and children.

One or both of the axial length of the eye and the length of the central region of the human face can be determined by the controller based on image data obtained by the detector. The accuracy of this determination can be improved when the user's image data is acquired at the focal length described herein.

Given distributions of axial eye length may contain values from 21 millimeters to 24 millimeters for adults, 19 millimeters to 20 millimeters for adolescents, and 16 millimeters to 18 millimeters for children.

If the axial length of the user's eye is determined by the controller to be less than 18 millimeters, preferably less than 20 millimeters, the controller may prevent the aerosol generating device from operating.

Disabling an aerosol-generating device may be understood to mean that no aerosol will be generated. Other functions of the aerosol-generating device, such as user authentication and age verification, may still be active.

Given distributions of the central facial length of a person's face may include values from 3 millimeters to 7 millimeters for adults, from 2 millimeters to 5 millimeters for adolescents, and from 2 millimeters to 5 millimeters for children. A trainable detection algorithm may be provided for the age verification process. The detection algorithm may use data from a specified database. As with axial eye length distributions, operation of the aerosol-generating device may be prevented if a teenager or child is identified during the age verification process.

The controller of the aerosol generating device is configured to use the algorithm described in "Diagnostic Features for Human Categorization of Adult and Child Faces" (Faghel-Soubeyrand S, Kloess JA, Gosselin F, Charest I and Woodhams J (2021) Diagnostic Features for Human Categorization of Adult and Child Faces. Front. Psychol. 12:775338. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.775338) to analyze image data from the detector, in particular to analyze image data from the detector for the age verification process.

The controller may be configured to control the emitter to emit light of different colors in the visible spectrum to indicate to the user whether the user is within the correct focal length of the detector or not.

For example, the controller may be configured to control the emitter to emit light of a specific color when the user's face is at the correct focal length of the detector. Alternatively, or additionally, the emitter may emit a flashing light or other optical signal indicating the correct focal length between the detector and the user's face. The controller may determine the user's location at the correct focal length of the detector based on the detector's image data using any known means.

To determine whether the user's face is within the correct focal length of the detector, the aerosol-generating device may include a distance sensor. The distance sensor may incorporate an autofocus function. The distance sensor may incorporate a time-of-flight sensor. The distance sensor may be part of the detector. The detector may both measure the distance to the user's face and detect the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter. Alternatively, the detector may incorporate a fixed-focal-length lens or be implemented as a fixed-focal-length camera.

The controller may be configured to prevent the device from generating an aerosol when the facial recognition has been negative.

The controller may be configured to cause the device to generate an aerosol when the facial recognition has been positive.

The controller may contain a lookup table containing information about facial proportions, indicating the user's age. The controller may be configured to perform age verification by comparing the detector's output signal with the information in the lookup table.

The facial proportion information stored in the lookup table may also be referred to as predetermined facial information, as described herein. The detector output may also be referred to as detector image data, as described herein.

The device may additionally include a user authentication button. The user authentication button may be configured to initiate the user authentication process when pressed.

The authentication button may be located on the outer periphery of the aerosol generating device.

Pressing the authentication button may cause the emitter to emit electromagnetic radiation as described in this document.

For example, pressing the authentication button may cause the emitter to emit electromagnetic radiation of the first color in the visible spectrum. This notifies the user that authentication has been initiated. The user may then position their face near the detector within the correct focal length of the detector, as described herein. The correct positioning of the user's face near the detector and within the correct focal length of the detector may then be indicated by one or both of a second color in the visible spectrum, different from the first color, or a flashing light. During the authentication process, the emitter may provide additional visual guidance. For example, a third distinct color in the visible spectrum may be emitted by the emitter to indicate the ongoing user authentication. This may be useful for the user in indicating that the user's face should not be moved relative to the detector. A fourth distinct color in the visible spectrum may be emitted by the emitter after user authentication is complete. A fourth, distinct color can be provided using two different colors, depending on whether the user's authentication was successful, and the device can be used, or whether the user's authentication was unsuccessful, and the aerosol-generating device will be prevented from being used. All colors described in this document can be differentiated from one another so that the user can easily distinguish between the different stages of the authentication process. Alternatively, the emitter can be configured to provide other visual indicators, such as a flashing light, for the same purpose.

The device may contain a user database. The controller may be configured to compare the detector's output signal with user data from the user database to authenticate the user.

The user database may contain information about the user authorized to use the aerosol-generating device. The image data from the detector may be compared by the controller with the user information in the user database to verify whether the detected user is authorized to use the device.

In this document, the term "proximal" is used to describe the relative positions of components or parts of components of an aerosol generating device with respect to the direction in which a user draws through the aerosol generating device when using it.

An aerosol-generating device may include a mouthpiece end, through which, during use, the aerosol exits the aerosol-generating device and is delivered to the user. The mouthpiece end may also be referred to as the proximal end. During use, the user draws on the proximal, or mouthpiece, end of the aerosol-generating device to inhale the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating device. The aerosol-generating device includes a distal end, opposite the proximal, or mouthpiece, end. The proximal, or mouthpiece, end of the aerosol-generating device may also be referred to as the downstream end, and the distal end of the aerosol-generating device may also be referred to as the upstream end. Components or portions of components of an aerosol generating device may be described as upstream or downstream relative to one another based on their relative positions between the near end, the downstream end, or the mouthpiece end, and the distal end or upstream end of the aerosol generating device.

As used herein, the term "aerosol-generating device" refers to a device that interacts with an aerosol-generating substrate to generate an aerosol. The aerosol-generating substrate may be part of an aerosol-generating article, such as part of a smoking article. The aerosol-generating device may be a smoking device that interacts with the aerosol-generating substrate of the aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol that is directly inhaled into the user's lungs through the user's mouth. The aerosol-generating device may be a holder. The device may be an electrically heated smoking device. The aerosol-generating device may comprise a housing, electrical circuitry, a power supply, a heating chamber, and a heating element.

In this document, with reference to the present invention, the term "smoking" when referring to a device, article, system, substrate, or anything else does not refer to conventional smoking, in which the aerosol-forming substrate is completely or at least partially combusted. The aerosol-generating device according to the present invention is configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate to a temperature that is lower than the combustion temperature of the aerosol-forming substrate, but to a temperature or higher than that at which one or more volatile compounds of the aerosol-forming substrate are released to form an inhalable aerosol.

The aerosol-generating device may comprise an electrical circuit. The electrical circuit may comprise a microprocessor, which may be a programmable microprocessor. The microprocessor may be part of a controller. The electrical circuit may comprise additional electronic components. The electrical circuit may be configured to regulate the power supply to the heating element. Power may be supplied to the heating element continuously after activation of the aerosol-generating device, or may be supplied periodically, for example, from puff to puff. Power may be supplied to the heating element in the form of pulses of electrical current. The electrical circuit may be configured to monitor the electrical resistance of the heating element and, preferably, to control the power supply to the heating element depending on the electrical resistance of the heating element.

An aerosol-generating device may contain a power source, typically a battery, within the main portion of the aerosol-generating device. In one embodiment, the power source is a lithium-ion battery. Alternatively, the power source may be a nickel-metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, or a lithium-based battery, such as a lithium-cobalt, lithium-iron phosphate, lithium-titanate, or lithium-polymer battery. Alternatively, the power source may be a charge storage device of another form, such as a capacitor. The power source may require recharging and may have a capacity that allows for the storage of a sufficient amount of energy for one or more use sessions; for example, the power source may have sufficient capacity to continuously generate an aerosol for a period of approximately six minutes, or for a period of multiples of six minutes. In another example, the power source may have a capacity sufficient to provide a predetermined number of puffs or individual activations of the heating element.

The cavity of the aerosol-generating device may have an open end into which the aerosol-generating article is inserted. The open end may be the proximal end. The cavity may have a closed end opposite the open end. The closed end may constitute the base of the cavity. The closed end may be closed except for the provision of air openings located in the base. The base of the cavity may be flat. The base of the cavity may be circular. The base of the cavity may be located upstream of the cavity. The open end may be located downstream of the cavity. The cavity may have an elongated extension. The cavity may have a longitudinal central axis. The longitudinal direction may be a direction extending between the open and closed ends along the longitudinal central axis. The longitudinal central axis of the cavity may be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating device.

The cavity may be designed as a heating chamber. The cavity may be cylindrical. The cavity may be hollow. The cavity may be shaped to match the shape of the aerosol-generating article to be placed within the cavity. The cavity may have a circular cross-section. The cavity may have an elliptical or rectangular cross-section. The cavity may have an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article.

An airflow channel may extend through the cavity. Ambient air may be drawn into the aerosol-generating device, into the cavity, and toward the user through the airflow channel. A mouthpiece may be positioned downstream of the cavity, or the user may inhale directly from the aerosol-generating device. The airflow channel may extend through the mouthpiece.

In any aspect of the present disclosure, the heating element may comprise an electrically resistive material. Suitable electrically resistive materials include, but are not limited to, semiconductors such as doped ceramics, electrically "conductive" ceramics (such as, for example, molybdenum disilicide), carbon, graphite, metals, metal alloys, and composite materials made of a ceramic material and a metallic material. Such composite materials may comprise doped or undoped ceramics. Examples of suitable doped ceramics include doped silicon carbides. Examples of suitable metals include titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, gold, and silver. Examples of suitable metal alloys include stainless steel, alloys containing nickel, cobalt, chromium, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, gold, and iron, as well as nickel-, iron-, and cobalt-based superalloys, stainless steel, Timetal®, and iron-manganese-aluminum alloys. In composite materials, the electrically resistive material may optionally be embedded, encapsulated, or coated within the insulating material, or vice versa, depending on the energy transfer kinetics and the desired external physicochemical properties.

As described herein, in any aspect of the present invention, the heating element may be part of an aerosol-generating device. The aerosol-generating device may comprise an internal heating element or an external heating element, or both internal and external heating elements, wherein the words "internal" and "external" are used in relation to the aerosol-generating substrate. The internal heating element may have any suitable shape. For example, the internal heating element may have the shape of a heating plate. Alternatively, the internal heater may have the shape of a shell or substrate with various electrically conductive parts, or the shape of an electrically resistive metal tube. Alternatively, the internal heating element may be one or more heating needles or rods that extend through the center of the aerosol-generating substrate. Other alternatives include a heating wire or filament, such as a wire made of Ni-Cr (nickel-chromium), platinum, tungsten, or alloys, or a heating plate. If desired, the internal heating element can be applied internally or externally to a rigid support material. In one such embodiment, the electrically resistive heating element can be constructed using a metal characterized by a specific relationship between temperature and resistivity. In such an exemplary device, the metal can be formed into a track on a suitable insulating material, such as a ceramic, and then sandwiched between layers of another insulating material, such as glass. Heaters constructed in this manner can be used both to heat and to monitor the temperature of the heating elements during operation.

The external heating element may have any suitable shape. For example, the external heating element may be in the form of one or more sheets of flexible heating foil on a dielectric substrate, such as polyimide. The sheets of flexible heating foil may be shaped to match the perimeter of a cavity for receiving the substrate. Alternatively, the external heating element may be in the form of a metal grid or grids, a flexible printed circuit board, a molded interface device (MID), a ceramic heater, a flexible carbon fiber heater, or may be formed using a coating technology such as plasma vapor deposition on a substrate of a suitable shape. The external heating element may also be constructed using a metal characterized by a certain relationship between temperature and resistivity. In such an exemplary device, the metal may be formed in the form of a track between two layers of suitable insulating materials. An external heating element constructed in this manner may be used both to heat and to monitor the temperature of the external heating element during operation.

As an alternative to an electrically resistive heating element, the heating element can be implemented as an induction heating element. An induction heating element may comprise an induction coil and a susceptor. Generally, a susceptor is a material capable of generating heat when an alternating magnetic field passes through it while in the presence of the alternating magnetic field. If the susceptor is conductive, eddy currents are typically induced by the alternating magnetic field. If the susceptor is magnetic, another effect that contributes to heating is typically called hysteresis losses. Hysteresis losses arise primarily from the movement of magnetic domain blocks within the susceptor as their magnetic orientation aligns with the alternating magnetic induction field. Another effect contributing to hysteresis losses is the growth or contraction of magnetic domains within the susceptor. Typically, all of these changes in the current collector, occurring at the nanoscale or below, are referred to as "hysteresis losses," as they result in heat generation within the current collector. Therefore, if the current collector is both magnetic and conductive, hysteresis losses and the generation of eddy currents will contribute to heating the current collector. If the current collector is magnetic but not conductive, hysteresis losses will be the only means by which the current collector will heat up when exposed to an alternating magnetic field. According to the present invention, the current collector can be electrically conductive, magnetic, or both conductive and magnetic. An alternating magnetic field generated by one or more induction coils heats the current collector, which then transfers heat to the aerosol-forming substrate, resulting in aerosol formation. Heat transfer can occur primarily through conduction. This heat transfer is best if the current collector is in close thermal contact with the aerosol-forming substrate.

As used herein, the term "aerosol-generating article" refers to an article containing an aerosol-forming substrate that is configured to release volatile compounds capable of forming an aerosol. For example, an aerosol-generating article may be a smoking article that generates an aerosol that is directly inhaled into the user's lungs through the user's mouth. The aerosol-generating article may be disposable.

As used herein, the term "aerosol-forming substrate" refers to a substrate capable of releasing one or more volatile compounds that can form an aerosol. Such volatile compounds may be released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate. For convenience, the aerosol-forming substrate may be part of an aerosol-generating article or a smoking article.

The aerosol-forming substrate may be a solid aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate may contain both solid and liquid components. The aerosol-forming substrate may contain a tobacco-containing material containing volatile tobacco flavor compounds that are released from the substrate upon heating. The aerosol-forming substrate may contain a non-tobacco material. The aerosol-forming substrate may contain an aerosol-forming agent that promotes the formation of a dense and stable aerosol. Examples of suitable aerosol-forming agents include glycerin and propylene glycol.

The aerosol-generating substrate preferably comprises homogenized tobacco material, an aerosol-forming agent, and water. Providing homogenized tobacco material can improve aerosol generation, nicotine content, and the flavor profile of the aerosol generated by heating the aerosol-generating article. Specifically, the process of producing homogenized tobacco involves shredding the tobacco leaf, which ensures more efficient release of nicotine and flavoring agents upon heating.

The present invention also relates to a method for performing user authentication in an aerosol generating device as described herein. The method may include the following steps:

initiating a user authentication process upon recognition of the user's face by an aerosol generating device by emitting electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies using an emitter,

receiving electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies by a detector, and

comparing the detector output signal with the user data from the user database using the controller to authenticate the user.

The present invention also relates to a method for performing user authentication in an aerosol generating device as described herein. The method comprises the following steps:

initiating a user authentication process upon recognition of the user's face by an aerosol generating device by emitting electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies using an emitter,

receiving electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies by a detector, and

comparing the detector output signal with the user data from the user database using the controller to authenticate the user.

The method may further include an age verification process comprising comparing, using the controller, the output signal of the detector with information on the proportions of the face indicating the age of the user from a look-up table for estimating the age of the user.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of non-limiting examples. Any one or more features of these examples may be combined with any one or more features of another example, embodiment, or aspect described herein.

Example 1. An aerosol generating device comprising:

an emitter, wherein the emitter is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies, wherein one of the frequencies is within the infrared spectrum,

a detector, wherein the detector is configured to receive electromagnetic radiation in at least a spectrum of two different frequencies emitted by the emitter, and

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to recognize the face of the user of the aerosol generating device to authenticate the user based on the output signal of the detector.

Example 2. An aerosol generating device according to example 1, in which the controller is also configured to check the age of the user of the aerosol generating device based on the output signal of the detector.

Example 3. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the emitter comprises a light-emitting diode.

Example 4. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the emitter comprises at least two light-emitting diodes.

Example 5. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the emitter comprises at least one light-emitting diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum.

Example 6. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the emitter comprises at least one light-emitting diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum.

Example 7. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the emitter comprises at least one light-emitting diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 700 nm to 1000 nm, preferably from 820 nm to 890 nm, more preferably 850 nm.

Example 8. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the emitter comprises at least two light-emitting diodes, namely a first light-emitting diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum, and a second light-emitting diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum.

Example 9. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the emitter comprises a LED ring.

Example 10. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the emitter is located at the near end of the device.

Example 11. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the emitter is located around the proximal opening of the device.

Example 12. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the emitter is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the near direction.

Example 13. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the detector is in the form of a chamber.

Example 14. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the detector has a focal length of from 10 cm to 30 cm, preferably from 15 cm to 25 cm, more preferably from 18 cm to 22 cm.

Example 15. The aerosol generating device of the previous example, wherein the controller is configured to control the emitter to emit light of different colors in the visible spectrum to indicate to the user whether the user is within the correct focal length of the detector or not.

Example 16. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the controller is configured to prevent the device from generating the aerosol when the facial recognition is negative.

Example 17. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the controller is configured to ensure that the device generates the aerosol when the facial recognition is positive.

Example 18. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, wherein the controller comprises a look-up table containing information about facial proportions indicating the age of the user, and wherein the controller is configured to perform an age check by comparing the output signal of the detector with information from the look-up table.

Example 19. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, further comprising a user authentication button, wherein the user authentication button is configured to initiate the user authentication process when pressed.

Example 20. An aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, comprising a user database, wherein the controller is configured to compare the output signal of the detector with user data from the user database to authenticate the user.

Example 21. A method for performing user authentication in an aerosol generating device according to any of the previous examples, comprising the following steps:

initiating a user authentication process upon recognition of the user's face by an aerosol generating device by emitting electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies using an emitter,

receiving electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies by a detector, and

comparing the detector output signal with the user data from the user database using the controller to authenticate the user.

Example 22. The method of the previous example, further comprising an age verification process comprising comparing, using the controller, the output signal of the detector with information on the proportions of the face indicating the age of the user from a look-up table for estimating the age of the user.

Elements described with respect to one embodiment may be equally applied to other embodiments of the present invention.

The present invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows an aerosol generating device with an emitter and a detector;

Fig. 2A-2C show more detailed views of the emitter and detector; and

Fig. 3A-3C show the process of user authentication and age verification using an aerosol generating device.

Fig. 1 shows an aerosol generating device 10. The aerosol generating device 10 comprises a housing 12. The aerosol generating device 10 comprises a near end 14 and a far end 16. At the near end 14 of the aerosol generating device 10, an emitter 18 and a detector 20 are located. In addition, Fig. 1 shows a user authentication button 22.

Emitter 18 and detector 20 are part of the user authentication functionality of aerosol-generating device 10. Additionally, emitter 18 and detector 20 are part of the age verification functionality of aerosol-generating device 10. For this purpose, aerosol-generating device 10 further comprises a controller, which is located within housing 12 of aerosol-generating device 10 and is not shown in Fig. 1.

Emitter 18 is designed as a ring-shaped light-emitting diode. Emitter 18 is located around opening 24 of aerosol-generating device 10. Opening 24 allows placement of an aerosol-generating article within cavity 26 of aerosol-generating device 10. In other words, opening 24, located at proximal end 14 of aerosol-generating device 10, is an opening 24 of cavity 26 of aerosol-generating device 10 for placement of an aerosol-generating article containing an aerosol-forming substrate.

The aerosol generating device 10 shown in Fig. 1 is configured to perform a user verification function and an age verification function, as described below with reference to Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 2A-2C show a more detailed view of the near end 14 of the aerosol generating device 10.

Fig. 2A shows a top view of the near end 14 of the aerosol generating device 10. The emitter 18 is shown as a ring-shaped light-emitting diode surrounding the cavity 26 of the aerosol generating device 10. Protrusions 28 are provided in the center of the aerosol generating article when the aerosol generating article is inserted into the cavity 26. Gaps between the individual protrusions 28 further provide air flow.

Detector 20 is designed as a chamber. Detector 20 is located adjacent to opening 24 on emitter 18. Detector 20 is configured to receive electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths emitted by emitter 18.

The emitter 18 is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation of at least two different wavelengths. Fig. 2B shows a slightly different view of the near end 14 of the aerosol-generating device 10, and Fig. 2C shows the emitter 18 during operation, when it emits electromagnetic radiation.

To perform the user authentication function, the user presses the user authentication button 22. The user then aligns the emitter 18 and detector 20 at the near end 14 of the aerosol-generating device 10 so that the emitter 18 illuminates the user's face. At the same time, the detector 20 collects facial image data.

This process is shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 also shows that the distance between the detector 20 and the user's face, i.e., the focal length of the detector 20, must be within a certain range to ensure that the age verification function can operate.

To implement the user authentication function, the image data from the detector 20, containing information about the user's face, are processed by the controller of the aerosol generating device 10. The image data from the detector 20 is compared with the specified face information stored in a lookup table. The specified face information contains information about the user, namely, information about which user is authorized to use the aerosol generating device 10. If the controller determines a match between the image data from the detector 20 and the specified face information, the user authentication is positive. During the initial activation of the device, the user can enter the specified specified face information, for example, by acquiring multiple images of his or her face using the detector 20. This information can be used as base information 30 for the user authentication function.

For the age verification function, the focal length 32 of the detector 20 is used. The user's face must be within the optimal focal length 34 of the detector 20. In this case, the processor is configured to determine such information as the axial length of the user's eye and the length of the central region of the human face. This information can be reliably determined only if the user is within the optimal focal length 34 of the detector 20. This information can be compared with specified face information containing one or both of the distributions of the axial length of the eye and the distributions of the length of the central region of the human face. In this way, the controller can estimate the user's age. If the evaluation establishes that the user is an adult, the age verification is positive. If the evaluation establishes that the user is a teenager, and, in particular, if the user is a child, the age verification is negative.

If one or both of the user authentication and the age verification are negative, the controller does not allow the aerosol generating device 10 to generate an aerosol.

Fig. 3A shows a user whose face is located too far from the detector 20. Fig. 3B shows a user whose face is located at an optimal focal distance 34, which is from approximately 18 cm to 22 cm, from the detector 20. Fig. 2C shows a user whose face is located too close to the detector 20. At an optimal focal distance 34, the detector 20 is configured to, together with the controller, determine the basic proportions 30 of the user and, thus, estimate the age of the user.

The color of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by emitter 18 can be used to assist the user during user authentication and age verification. For example, if the user presses user authentication button 22, emitter 18 can emit a first color to signal that aerosol generating device 10 is ready to perform user authentication and age verification. The user can then position their face in front of detector 20. If the user has positioned their face within the optimal focal length 34 of detector 20, emitter 18 can emit a second color, different from the first color, to indicate to the user that user authentication and age verification can now begin. During the start of user authentication and age verification, emitter 18 can use an additional color to indicate to the user that the processes are currently being carried out. The end of user authentication and age verification can be indicated by emitter 18 using an additional color.

Emitter 18 is capable of emitting only electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum, as well as simultaneously emitting electromagnetic radiation in the visible and infrared spectrums. This means user authentication and age verification can be performed during daylight hours and in low-light conditions.

Claims (21)

1. A means for authenticating a user of an aerosol generating device, comprising: an emitter configured to emit electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies, wherein one of the frequencies is within the infrared spectrum and one of the frequencies is within the visible light spectrum; a detector configured to receive electromagnetic radiation in at least a spectrum of two different frequencies emitted by the emitter; and a controller configured to recognize the face of a user of the device to authenticate the user based on the output signal of the detector. 2. The means according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to check the age of the user of the device based on the output signal of the detector. 3. A means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the emitter comprises at least one light-emitting diode configured to emit electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 700 to 1000 nm, preferably from 820 to 890 nm, more preferably 850 nm. 4. The means according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the emitter comprises a light-emitting diode ring. 5. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the emitter is located around the proximal opening of the device. 6. The means according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the emitter is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in a proximal direction. 7. The means according to any of the preceding paragraphs, wherein the detector is in the form of a camera. 8. The means according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the detector has a focal length of from 10 to 30 cm, preferably from 15 to 25 cm, more preferably from 18 to 22 cm. 9. The means according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to control the emitter to emit light of different colors in the visible spectrum to indicate to the user whether the user is within the correct focal length of the detector or not. 10. The means according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is configured to prevent the device from generating an aerosol upon negative face recognition. 11. The means according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the controller comprises a look-up table with information about the proportions of the face indicating the age of the user, wherein the controller is configured to verify the age by comparing the output signal of the detector with the information from the look-up table. 12. The means according to any of the preceding paragraphs, further comprising a user authentication button configured to initiate the user authentication process when pressed. 13. The means according to any of the preceding paragraphs, comprising a user database, wherein the controller is configured to compare the output signal of the detector with user data from the user database to authenticate the user. 14. A method for performing user authentication using a user authentication means of an aerosol generating device according to any of the preceding paragraphs, comprising the following steps: initiating a user authentication process by recognizing the face of the user of the aerosol generating device by emitting electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies using an emitter, wherein one of the frequencies is within the infrared spectrum and one of the frequencies is within the visible light spectrum; receiving electromagnetic radiation of at least two different frequencies by a detector; and comparison by the controller of the detector output signal with the user data from the user database to authenticate the user. 15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising an age verification process comprising comparing, by means of the controller, the output signal of the detector with information on the proportions of the face indicating the age of the user from a look-up table for estimating the age of the user.