WO2025186566A1

WO2025186566A1 - Control method for aerosol provision systems and aerosol provision systems

Info

Publication number: WO2025186566A1
Application number: PCT/GB2025/050439
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yukun ZHOU; Phaik Ee OOI
Original assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Current assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Priority date: 2024-03-07
Filing date: 2025-03-05
Publication date: 2025-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 2026-09-07
Also published as: CN120604875A; WO2025186566A8

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application disclose a control method for an aerosol provision system and an aerosol provision system. The method comprises: determining the number of cartridges n used simultaneously in the aerosol provision systems and obtaining the preset heating power A and preset heating time T for the cartridges, where n is a positive integer, A and T are arbitrary positive numbers; based on the number of cartridges n and the preset heating power A, as well as the preset heating time T, determining the corresponding heating strategy; during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy. Through the solution of this application, the technical problem of how to control the release amount of nicotine while meeting the needs of users for diversified flavours and avoiding affecting the health of users can be solved.

Description

CONTROL METHOD FOR AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEMS AND AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEMS

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of aerosol supply technology, particularly to a control method for an aerosol provision system, an aerosol provision system, a computer device, and a storage medium.

Technical Background

Generally, an electronic cigarette provides only a single flavour. However, combinations of two or more flavours may offer consumers additional choices. As a result, there are now electronic cigarettes on the market that mix different flavours. This approach allows consumers greater flexibility; for example, they can choose to puff any single flavour or a combination of two or more flavours simultaneously.

Taking the example of providing two flavours in the same electronic cigarette, both flavours can be used independently. Alternatively, if a mixed flavour is desired, the two cartridges can be mechanically combined using magnetic pins or similar mechanisms. While such methods meet consumers’ demands for flavour diversity, they also introduce new issues. Specifically, when a user puffs from two cartridges simultaneously, the release of nicotine is effectively doubled, which may adversely impact the user’s health and fail to comply with relevant health regulations.

Therefore, there is an urgent need for a novel control method for an aerosol provision system to address one or more of the above issues.

Summary

The present application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the application provides a control method for an aerosol provision system, an aerosol provision system, a computer device, and a storage medium so as to solve the technical problem of how to control the release amount of nicotine while meeting the needs of users for diversified flavours and avoiding affecting the health of users.

In the first aspect, the application provides a control method for an aerosol provision system. The method comprises: determining the number of cartridges n used simultaneously in the aerosol provision system and obtaining the preset heating power A and preset heating time T for the cartridges, where n is a positive integer, A and T are arbitrary positive numbers; based on the number of cartridges n and the preset heating power A, as well as the preset heating time T, determining the corresponding heating strategy; and heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy during a single puff. Through the embodiments of this application, the release amount of nicotine can be controlled while meeting the needs of users for diversified flavours, thus reducing the impact on the health of users.

In one technical solution of the above aerosol provision system, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is 1 , the cartridge is heated for the preset heating time T using the preset heating power A.

It can be understood that if the preset heating power required for a cartridge to work normally is set as A and the preset heating time is T, then the total energy it needs is A * T, and the corresponding nicotine release amount is S. By adopting the control method for an aerosol provision system provided in this application, when the number of cartridges is 1, during a single puff, the total energy consumed by the cartridge is still A * T, so the nicotine release amount is still S. In this way, neither will the user's health be affected due to an increase in the nicotine release amount, nor will the user's taste experience be affected due to insufficient nicotine release amount.

In one technical solution of the above aerosol provision system, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, the preset heating power A is applied successively to heat each cartridge, ensuring that the total heating time for all cartridges is T.

In one technical solution of the above aerosol provision system, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, repeating m cycles, the preset heating power A is applied successively to heat each cartridge for the preset heating time T/ (m*n) within each cycle, where m is a positive integer.

In one technical solution of the above aerosol provision system, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, n times the preset heating power A is applied simultaneously to all cartridges, ensuring that the total heating time for all cartridges is T/n.

In one technical solution of the above aerosol provision system, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, repeating a cycle, n times the preset heating power A is applied simultaneously to all cartridges for the total heating time T/ (l*n) within each cycle, where I is a positive integer.

Similarly, when the number of cartridges n > 2, by adopting the control method for an aerosol provision system provided in this application, during a single puff, the total energy consumed by multiple cartridges is still A * T, so the nicotine release amount is still S. Neither will the user's health be affected due to an increase in the nicotine release amount, nor will the user's taste experience be affected due to insufficient nicotine release amount.

In one technical solution of the above aerosol provision system, determining the number of cartridges n used simultaneously in the aerosol provision system comprises: detecting the resistance value of the cartridge insertion point in the aerosol provision systems, determining the number of cartridges n simultaneously used in the aerosol provision system based on the resistance value.

Through the embodiments of this application, the number of cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system can be quickly determined by detecting the resistance value at the cartridge insertion point, which can improve the usage efficiency and convenience.

In one technical solution of the above aerosol provision system, obtaining the preset heating power A and preset heating time T for the cartridges comprises: determining the nicotine release amount of the aerosol provision system, and determining the preset heating power A and the preset heating time T for the cartridges based on the nicotine release amount.

It can be understood that if the release amount of nicotine is too low, it will affect the taste experience of users, while if the release amount of nicotine is too high, it will affect the health of users and fail to comply with relevant health regulations. Therefore, the release amount of nicotine in each cartridge should meet both of the above requirements simultaneously. Thus, the preset heating power A and the preset heating time T of the cartridge can be determined according to the current nicotine release amount of the aerosol provision system, so that during a single puff, the nicotine release amount of the cartridge meets the requirements.

In one technical solution of the above aerosol provision system, the flavours of each cartridge may be different or the same.

In one technical solution of the above aerosol provision system, the number of cartridges is 2.

In one technical solution of the above aerosol provision system, the aerosol provision system comprises an aerosol electronic cigarette.

In one technical solution of the above aerosol provision system, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: heating the cartridges by using the preset power provision device based on the heating strategy.

In the second aspect, the application provides an aerosol provision system, the system is configured to heat the cartridges based on any one of the methods described in the first aspect. In the third aspect, the application provides a computer device. The computer device comprises a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements any one of the control methods for aerosol provision system as described in the first aspect.

In the fourth aspect, the application provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed, it implements any one of the control methods for aerosol provision system as described in the first aspect.

One or more technical solutions of the present application have at least one or more of the following beneficial effects:

In the technical solutions of the present invention, firstly, the number n of cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system is determined, and the preset heating power A and the preset heating time T of the cartridges are obtained, where n is a positive integer, and A and T are arbitrary positive numbers. Secondly, the corresponding heating strategy is determined according to the number n of cartridges, the preset heating power A, and the preset heating time T. Finally, during a single puff, the cartridges are heated according to the heating strategy. Through the solution of this application, while meeting users' needs for diversified flavours of electronic cigarettes, the release amount of nicotine can be controlled during the puffing process, avoiding the impact on users' health.

Additional aspects and advantages of the application will be partially described in the following description, some will become apparent from the following description, and others will be learned through the practice of the application.

Drawings

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the disclosure of the present application will become more understandable. Those skilled in the art can easily understand that these drawings are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Moreover, similar numbers in the figures are used to represent similar components, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the control method for an aerosol provision system provided in Embodiment 1.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of heating cartridges during a single puff based on the heating strategy provided in one embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 3 is another flowchart of heating cartridges during a single puff based on the heating strategy provided in another embodiment of the present application. FIG. 4 is yet another flowchart of heating cartridges during a single puff based on the heating strategy provided in another embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 5 is a further flowchart of heating cartridges during a single puff based on the heating strategy provided in another embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of the aerosol provision system provided in one embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of the computer device provided in Embodiment 4.

Detailed Description

The following describes some embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are only for explaining the technical principles of the present application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

As used herein, the term “delivery system” is intended to encompass systems that deliver at least one substance to a user in use, and includes: combustible aerosol provision systems, such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own or for make-your-own cigarettes (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes or other smokable material); non-combustible aerosol provision systems that release compounds from an aerosolgenerating material without combusting the aerosol-generating material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials; and aerosol-free delivery systems that deliver the at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally or in another way without forming an aerosol, including but not limited to, lozenges, gums, patches, articles comprising inhalable powders, and oral products such as oral tobacco which includes snus or moist snuff, wherein the at least one substance may or may not comprise nicotine.

According to the present disclosure, a “combustible” aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is combusted or burned during use in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is a combustible aerosol provision system, such as a system selected from the group consisting of a cigarette, a cigarillo and a cigar.

In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a component for use in a combustible aerosol provision system, such as a filter, a filter rod, a filter segment, a tobacco rod, a spill, an aerosol-modifying agent release component such as a capsule, a thread, or a bead, or a paper such as a plug wrap, a tipping paper or a cigarette paper.

According to the present disclosure, a “non-combustible” aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is not combusted or burned in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol provision system.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it is noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an aerosolgenerating material heating system, also known as a heat-not-burn system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is a hybrid system to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or a plurality of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid or gel and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may comprise, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

Typically, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise a non- combustible aerosol provision device and a consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision device.

In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosolgenerating material and configured to be used with non-combustible aerosol provision devices. These consumables are sometimes referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a non- combustible aerosol provision device thereof, may comprise a power source and a controller. The power source may, for example, be an electric power source or an exothermic power source. In some embodiments, the exothermic power source comprises a carbon substrate which may be energised so as to distribute power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or to a heat transfer material in proximity to the exothermic power source.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise an area for receiving the consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter and/or an aerosol-modifying agent. In some embodiments, the consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision device may comprise aerosol-generating material, an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and/or an aerosolmodifying agent.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is an aerosol-free delivery system that delivers at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally or in another way without forming an aerosol, including but not limited to, lozenges, gums, patches, articles comprising inhalable powders, and oral products such as oral tobacco which includes snus or moist snuff, wherein the at least one substance may or may not comprise nicotine.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered may be an aerosol-generating material or a material that is not intended to be aerosolised. As appropriate, either material may comprise one or more active constituents, one or more flavours, one or more aerosolformer materials, and/or one or more other functional materials.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered comprises an active substance. The active substance as used herein may be a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substance may for example be selected from nutraceuticals, nootropics, psychoactives. The active substance may be naturally occurring or synthetically obtained. The active substance may comprise for example nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or constituents, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of tobacco, cannabis or another botanical.

In some embodiments, the active substance comprises nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises caffeine, melatonin or vitamin B12.

As noted herein, the active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more cannabinoids or terpenes.

As noted herein, the active substance may comprise or be derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof. As used herein, the term "botanical" includes any material derived from plants including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibres, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husk, shells or the like. Alternatively, the material may comprise an active compound naturally existing in a botanical, obtained synthetically. The material may be in the form of liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, shreds, strips, sheets, or the like.

Example botanicals are tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, licorice (liquorice), matcha, mate, orange skin, papaya, rose, sage, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed (anise), basil, bay leaves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, Wintergreen, beefsteak plant, curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab or any combination thereof. The mint may be chosen from the following mint varieties: Mentha Arventis, Mentha c.v., Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrata c.v., Mentha piperita c.v, Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cardifolia, Memtha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata c.v. and Mentha suaveolens.

In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is tobacco. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa and hemp.

In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is selected from rooibos and fennel.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered comprises a flavour. As used herein, the terms "flavour" and "flavourant" refer to materials which, where local regulations permit, may be used to create a desired taste, aroma or other somatosensorial sensation in a product for adult consumers. They may include naturally occurring flavour materials, botanicals, extracts of botanicals, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice (liquorice), hydrangea, eugenol, Japanese white bark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed (anise), cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herb, Wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, papaya, rhubarb, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, piment, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, a mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange skin, rose, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, beefsteak plant, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavour enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath freshening agents. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, liquid such as an oil, solid such as a powder, or gas.

In some embodiments, the flavour comprises menthol, spearmint and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus fruits and/or redberry. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from cannabis.

In some embodiments, the flavour may comprise a sensate, which is intended to achieve a somatosensorial sensation which are usually chemically induced and perceived by the stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to or in place of aroma or taste nerves, and these may include agents providing heating, cooling, tingling, numbing effect. A suitable heat effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether and a suitable cooling agent may be, but not limited to eucolyptol, WS-3.

Aerosol-generating material is a material that is capable of generating aerosol, for example when heated, irradiated or energized in any other way. Aerosol-generating material may, for example, be in the form of a solid, liquid or gel which may or may not contain an active substance and/or flavourants. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise an “amorphous solid”, which may alternatively be referred to as a “monolithic solid” (i.e. non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dried gel. The amorphous solid is a solid material that may retain some fluid, such as liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may for example comprise from about 50wt%, 60wt% or 70wt% of amorphous solid, to about 90wt%, 95wt% or 100wt% of amorphous solid.

The aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more active substances and/or flavours, one or more aerosol-former materials, and optionally one or more other functional material.

The aerosol-former material may comprise one or more constituents capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-former material may comprise one or more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1 ,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-Erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, a diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, a diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate. The one or more other functional materials may comprise one or more of pH regulators, colouring agents, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and/or antioxidants.

The material may be present on or in a support, to form a substrate. The support may, for example, be or comprise paper, card, paperboard, cardboard, reconstituted material, a plastics material, a ceramic material, a composite material, glass, a metal, or a metal alloy. In some embodiments, the support comprises a susceptor. In some embodiments, the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some alternative embodiments, the susceptor is on one or either side of the material.

A consumable is an article comprising or consisting of aerosol-generating material, part or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user. A consumable may comprise one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter and/or an aerosol-modifying agent. A consumable may also comprise an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that emits heat to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate aerosol in use. The heater may, for example, comprise combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

A susceptor is a material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be an electrically-conductive material, so that penetration thereof with a varying magnetic field causes induction heating of the heating material. The heating material may be magnetic material, so that penetration thereof with a varying magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both electrically-conductive and magnetic, so that the susceptor is heatable by both heating mechanisms. The device that is configured to generate the varying magnetic field is referred to as a magnetic field generator, herein.

An aerosol-modifying agent is a substance, typically located downstream of the aerosol generation area, that is configured to modify the aerosol generated, for example by changing the taste, flavour, acidity or another characteristic of the aerosol. The aerosolmodifying agent may be provided in an aerosol-modifying agent release component, that is operable to selectively release the aerosol-modifying agent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, be an additive or a sorbent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, comprise one or more of a flavourant, a colourant, water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, be a solid, a liquid, or a gel. The aerosol-modifying agent may be in powder, thread or granule form. The aerosol-modifying agent may be free from filtration material.

An aerosol generator is an apparatus configured to cause aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to heat energy, so as to release one or more volatiles from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from the aerosolgenerating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or electrostatic energy.

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems (which may also be referred to as vapour delivery systems) such as nebulisers or e-cigarettes. Throughout the following description the term "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may sometimes be used, but it will be appreciated this term may be used interchangeably with aerosol delivery system I device and electronic aerosol delivery system I device. Furthermore, and as is common in the technical field, the terms "aerosol" and "vapour", and related terms such as "vaporise", "volatilise" and "aerosolise", may generally be used interchangeably.

Aerosol delivery systems (e-cigarettes) often, though not always, comprise a modular assembly comprising a reusable device part and a replaceable (disposable/consumable) cartridge part. Often, the replaceable cartridge part will comprise the aerosol-generating material and the vaporiser (which may collectively be called a “cartom izer”) and the reusable device part will comprise the power provision (e.g. rechargeable power source) and control circuitry. It will be appreciated these different parts may comprise further elements depending on functionality. For example, the reusable device part will often comprise a user interface for receiving user input and displaying operating status characteristics, and the replaceable cartridge device part in some cases comprises a temperature sensor for helping to control temperature. Cartridges are electrically and mechanically coupled to the control unit for use, for example using a screw thread, bayonet, or magnetic coupling with appropriately arranged electrical contacts. When the aerosol-generating material in a cartridge is exhausted, or the user wishes to switch to a different cartridge having a different aerosol-generating material, the cartridge may be removed from the reusable part and a replacement cartridge attached in its place. Systems and devices conforming to this type of two-part modular configuration may generally be referred to as two-part systems/devices.

It is common for electronic cigarettes to have a generally elongate shape. For the sake of providing a concrete example, certain embodiments of the disclosure will be taken to comprise this kind of generally elongate two-part system employing disposable cartridges. However, it will be appreciated that the underlying principles described herein may equally be adopted for different configurations, for example single-part systems or modular systems comprising more than two parts, refillable devices and single-use disposables, as well as other overall shapes, for example based on so-called box-mod high performance devices that typically have a boxier shape. More generally, it will be appreciated certain embodiments of the disclosure are based on aerosol delivery systems which are operationally configured to provide functionality in accordance with the principles described herein and the constructional aspects of systems configured to provide the functionality in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure is not of primary significance.

As described in the technical background, in the existing aerosol provision systems, if it is necessary to mix flavours, two cartridges can be combined together by mechanical methods such as magnetic needles. Although this method meets users' diversified needs for flavours, it also brings problems. Since users puff two cartridges at the same time, the release amount of nicotine will also double, which may have an impact on users' health and it is difficult to comply with relevant health regulations. Based on this, this application proposes a control method for an aerosol provision system that can control the release amount of nicotine during the puffing process while meeting users' diversified needs for flavours, so as to avoid the impact on users' health.

Embodiment 1

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the control method for an aerosol provision system provided in Embodiment 1 of the present application. The method is applied on the side of the aerosol provision system. Referring to FIG. 1 , the method comprises the following steps:

S100: determining the number of cartridges n used simultaneously in the aerosol provision system and obtaining the preset heating power A and preset heating time T for the cartridges, where n is a positive integer, A and T are arbitrary positive numbers.

As mentioned above, this application aims to provide a control method for an aerosol provision system that can both meet the needs of users for diversified flavours and control the release amount of nicotine. It can be understood that the nicotine release amount of cigarettes is related to factors such as the number of cartridges, heating power, and heating time. Therefore, when implementing the control method provided in the embodiments of this application, it is necessary to first determine the number n of cartridges used simultaneously by the current aerosol provision system, as well as the preset heating power A and the preset heating time T corresponding to the cartridges.

It can be understood that in the embodiments of this application, the number n of cartridges is any positive integer, and the preset heating power A and the preset heating time T of the cartridges are any positive numbers.

S200: based on the number of cartridges n and the preset heating power A, as well as the preset heating time T, determining the corresponding heating strategy.

Specifically, as mentioned previously, since the nicotine release amount of cigarettes is related to factors such as the number of cartridges, heating power, and heating time, in the embodiments of this application, in order to make the nicotine release amount meet the needs, the corresponding heating strategy is determined according to the number n of cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system, the preset heating power A of the cartridges, and the preset heating time T.

S300: during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy.

Specifically, the control method for the aerosol provision system provided in the embodiments of this application adopts the way of controlling the release amount of nicotine in each puff to control the release amount of nicotine corresponding to each physical cigarette of the aerosol provision system. On the one hand, it ensures that the release amount of nicotine in each puff of the cartridge does not increase, thereby avoiding affecting the health of users. On the other hand, it prevents the release amount of nicotine from being too low and affecting the taste experience of users.

In an embodiment, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is 1 , the cartridge is heated for the preset heating time T using the preset heating power A.

Specifically, it is assumed that the release amount of nicotine in a single puff that the cartridge needs to meet is S. Correspondingly, the preset heating power required for the cartridge to work normally is A, and the preset heating time is T, so the total energy it needs is A * T. When the number of cartridges n is 1 , by adopting the control method for an aerosol provision system provided in this application, during a single puff, the total energy consumed by the cartridge = preset heating power * preset heating time, which is still A * T. Therefore, during a single puff, the release amount of nicotine of the cartridge is still S. Neither will the user's health be affected due to an increase in the nicotine release amount, nor will the user's taste experience be affected due to insufficient nicotine release amount.

In an embodiment, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, the preset heating power A is applied successively to heat each cartridge, ensuring that the total heating time for all cartridges is T.

It can be understood that when there are multiple cartridges, the preset heating power and the preset heating time corresponding to each cartridge may be the same or different. When the preset heating power and the preset heating time corresponding to each cartridge are different, each cartridge is heated respectively with its corresponding preset heating power and preset heating time. For the convenience of illustration, the following description of the embodiments of this application will be based on the situation where the preset heating power and the preset heating time corresponding to each cartridge are the same.

Specifically, when the number of cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system is multiple (that is, n > 2), by adopting the control method for an aerosol provision system provided in this application, during a single puff, the total energy consumed by all cartridges should be equal to the sum of the energy consumed by each cartridge. It can be understood that when the total energy consumed by all cartridges during one puff is A * T, the release amount of nicotine is still S.

The following uses the case where the number n of cartridges is 2 to illustrate the control method provided in this application. Referring to FIG. 2, it is assumed that the cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system include two cartridges, namely Pod1 and Pod2. The preset heating power of both Pod1 and Pod2 is A, and the preset heating time is T. Use the preset heating power A to heat Pod1 and Pod2 in sequence respectively, and make the sum of the heating time of Pod1 and Pod2 equal to T. Further referring to FIG. 2, taking the example of using the heating power A to heat Pod1 and Pod2 in sequence respectively for T/2, the total energy consumed by Pod1 and Pod2 should be A * T/2 + A * T/2 = A * T. That is, the total energy consumed by Pod1 and Pod2 is still A * T, so during one puff, the release amount of nicotine of Pod1 and Pod2 is still S.

In another embodiment, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, repeating m cycles, the preset heating power A is applied successively to heat each cartridge for the preset heating time T/ (m*n) within each cycle, where m is a positive integer.

Specifically, as mentioned above, when the number of cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system is multiple (that is, n > 2), as long as it is ensured that the total energy consumed by all cartridges during a single puff is A * T, the release amount of nicotine will still be S. Based on this, in the control method for an aerosol provision system provided in the embodiments of this application, in addition to heating the cartridges in the above- mentioned way, it is also possible to repeat m cycles. In each cycle, the preset heating power A is used to heat each cartridge in sequence for a time of T / (m * n), where m is a positive integer.

The following still uses the case where the number n of cartridges is 2 to illustrate the control method provided in this application. Referring to FIG. 3, it is assumed that the cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system include two cartridges, namely Pod1 and Pod2. The preset heating power of both Pod1 and Pod2 is A, and the preset heating time is T. Use the preset heating power A to heat Pod1 and Pod2 for a time of T / (m * n) in sequence respectively, and repeat m cycles. Further referring to FIG. 3, taking m as 2 for example, then T / (m * n) = T / 4. Use the heating power A to heat Pod1 and Pod2 for a time of T / 4 in sequence respectively and repeat two cycles. Then the total energy consumed by Pod1 and Pod2 should be (A * T / 4 + A * T / 4) * 2 = A * T. That is, the total energy consumed by Pod1 and Pod2 is still A * T, so during a single puff, the release amount of nicotine of Pod1 and Pod2 is still S.

In another embodiment, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, n times the preset heating power A is applied simultaneously to all cartridges, ensuring that the total heating time for all cartridges is T/n.

It can be understood that when the number of cartridges is n, if it is necessary to heat the n cartridges simultaneously, then n times the preset heating power will be needed. Meanwhile, based on the principle mentioned previously that as long as it is ensured that the total energy consumed by all cartridges during one puff is A * T, the release amount of nicotine will still be S. In the control method for an aerosol provision system provided in the embodiments of this application, when heating the cartridges according to the heating strategy, it is also possible to use n times the preset heating power A to heat all cartridges simultaneously and make the sum of the heating time of the cartridges equal to T / n.

The following still uses the case where the number n of cartridges is 2 to illustrate this implementation mode. Referring to FIG. 4, it is assumed that the cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system include two cartridges, namely Pod1 and Pod2. The preset heating power of both Pod1 and Pod2 is A, and the preset heating time is T. Use n times the preset heating power A (i.e., 2A in this case) to heat Pod1 and Pod2 simultaneously, and make the sum of the heating time of Pod1 and Pod2 equal to T / n. Further referring to FIG. 4, use the heating power 2A to heat Pod1 and Pod2 for a time of T / 2 simultaneously. Then the total energy consumed by Pod1 and Pod2 should be 2A * T / 2 = A * T. That is, the total energy consumed by Pod1 and Pod2 is still A * T, so during a single puff, the release amount of nicotine of Pod1 and Pod2 is still S.

In another embodiment, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, repeating a cycle, n times the preset heating power A is applied simultaneously to all cartridges for the total heating time T/ (l*n) within each cycle, where I is a positive integer.

Specifically, when it is necessary to heat n cartridges simultaneously, it is also possible to repeat I cycle. In each cycle, n times the preset heating power A is used to heat all cartridges simultaneously for a total heating time of T / (I * n), where I is a positive integer.

The following still uses the case where the number n of cartridges is 2 to illustrate this implementation mode. Referring to FIG. 5, it is assumed that the cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system include two cartridges, namely Pod1 and Pod2. The preset heating power of both Pod1 and Pod2 is A, and the preset heating time is T. Use n times the preset heating power A (i.e. , 2A) to heat Pod1 and Pod2 simultaneously, and make the sum of the heating time of Pod1 and Pod2 equal to T / (I * n). Repeat I cycle. Further referring to FIG. 5, taking I as 2 for example, then T / (I * n) = T / 4. Use the heating power 2A to heat Pod1 and Pod2 for a time of T / 4 simultaneously and repeat two cycles. Then the total energy consumed by Pod1 and Pod2 should be (2A * T / 4) * 2 = A * T. That is, the total energy consumed by Pod1 and Pod2 is still A * T, so during a single puff, the release amount of nicotine of Pod1 and Pod2 is still S.

In an embodiment, determining the number of cartridges n used simultaneously in the aerosol provision system comprises: detecting the resistance value of the cartridge insertion point in the aerosol provision system, determining the number of cartridges n simultaneously used in the aerosol provision system based on the resistance value.

Referring to FIG. 6, the aerosol provision system provided in the embodiments of this application generally includes a battery, a control system (such as a microcontroller MCU, etc.), and a cartridge insertion point. The resistance values of the cartridge insertion point are different in the two states of cartridge insertion and non-insertion. Therefore, when determining the number n of cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system, the number of cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system can be quickly determined by detecting the resistance value of the cartridge insertion points. Such a setting can improve the usage efficiency and convenience. Wherein, detecting the resistance value of the cartridge insertion points can be executed by the control system (such as the microcontroller MCU), or it can also be executed by other hardware devices. There is no specific limitation here.

In an embodiment, obtaining the preset heating power A and preset heating time T for the cartridges comprises: determining the nicotine release amount of the aerosol provision system, and determining the preset heating power A and the preset heating time T for the cartridges based on the nicotine release amount.

It can be understood that if the release amount of nicotine is too low, it will affect the user's taste experience. On the other hand, if the release amount of nicotine is too high, it will have an impact on the user's health and not comply with relevant health regulations. Therefore, the release amount of nicotine in each cartridge should meet both of these requirements simultaneously. As a result, the preset heating power A and the preset heating time T of the cartridge can be determined according to the current nicotine release amount of the aerosol supply system, so that the release amount of nicotine from the cartridge meets the requirements during a single puff.

In an embodiment, the flavours of each cartridge may be different or the same. Specifically, the flavours of the cartridges in the embodiments of this application include but are not limited to the tastes and flavours of each cartridge, such as mint flavour, strawberry flavour, orange flavour and so on. They will not be listed one by one here.

It can be understood that in the embodiments of this application, there is no specific limitation on the number of cartridges used simultaneously by the aerosol provision system. On the premise of not violating the inventive concept of this application, users can make selections according to actual needs. Preferably, the number of cartridges is 2.

It can also be understood that the aerosol provision system in the embodiments of this application can be aerosol electronic cigarette, or other e-cigarette products, such as heat- not-burn devices and so on. They will not be elaborated one by one here.

In an embodiment, during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: heating the cartridges by using the preset power supply device based on the heating strategy.

It can be understood that the aerosol provision system in the embodiments of this application may include a preset power supply device, such as a battery. When heating the cartridges, the preset power supply device can be used to heat the cartridges according to the heating strategy. For the specific heating process, reference can be made to the relevant existing technologies, and it will not be elaborated here.

Embodiment 2

Corresponding to Embodiment 1 , this application also provides an aerosol provision system. This system is configured to heat the cartridges contained therein according to the control method described in any one of Embodiment 1. In this embodiment, for the content that is the same as or similar to that in Embodiment 1 , reference can be made to the previous description, and further elaboration is omitted here.

It can be understood that the aerosol provision system includes at least a microcontroller. The microcontroller here can be the one that comes with the aerosol provision system itself, so that there is no need to additionally increase the hardware cost of the aerosol provision system.

Embodiment 3

Corresponding to Embodiment 1 , this application also provides a computer device, which comprises: a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, when the computer program is executed by the processor, the control method for the aerosol provision system provided in any of the above embodiments is executed.

FIG. 7 illustrates the computer device 1500, which may specifically include a processor 1510, a video display adapter 1511 , a disk drive 1512, an input/output interface 1513, a network interface 1514, and a memory 1520. The above-mentioned processor 1510, video display adapter 1511 , disk drive 1512, input/output interface 1513, network interface 1514, and memory 1520 are communicatively connected through a communication bus 1530.

The processor 1510 may be implemented by using a general-purpose CPU (Central Processing Unit), a microprocessor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits, etc., and is used to execute relevant programs so as to implement the technical solutions provided by the present application.

The memory 1520 may be implemented in the forms of ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), static storage devices, dynamic storage devices, etc. The memory 1520 may store an operating system 1521 for controlling the operation of the electronic device and a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) 1522 for controlling the low-level operations of the electronic device. In addition, the memory 1520 may also store a web browser 1523, a data storage management system 1524, and a device identification information processing system 1525, etc. The above-mentioned device identification information processing system 1525 may be the application program that specifically implements the operations of the previous steps in the embodiments of the present application. In summary, when implementing the technical solutions provided by the present application through software or firmware, the relevant program code is stored in the memory 1520 and is called and executed by the processor 1510.

The input/output interface 1513 is used to connect the input/output modules to achieve information input and output. The input/output modules can be configured as components in the device (not shown in the figure), or can be externally connected to the device to provide corresponding functions. Wherein, the input devices can include keyboards, mice, touch screens, microphones, various sensors, etc., and the output devices can include displays, speakers, vibrators, indicator lights, etc.

The network interface 1514 is used to connect the communication module (not shown in the figure) to realise the communication and interaction between this device and other devices. Wherein, the communication module may achieve communication in a wired manner (such as USB, network cable, etc.), or it can also achieve communication in a wireless manner (such as mobile network, WIFI, Bluetooth, etc.).

The bus includes a path for transmitting information among various components of the device (such as the processor 1510, the video display adapter 1511 , the disk drive 1512, the input/output interface 1513, the network interface 1514, and the memory 1520).

In addition, the electronic device can also obtain information on specific receiving conditions from the virtual resource object receiving condition information database for condition judgment and so on. It should be noted that although the above-mentioned device only shows the processor 1510, the video display adapter 1511 , the disk drive 1512, the input/output interface 1513, the network interface 1514, the memory 1520, the bus, etc., in the specific implementation process, the device can also include other components necessary for normal operation. In addition, those skilled in the art can understand that the above-mentioned device may also only include the components necessary for implementing the solution of the present invention, and does not necessarily include all the components shown in the figure.

Embodiment 4

Corresponding to Embodiments 1 to 3 above, the embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium. In this embodiment, for the content that is the same as or similar to that in Embodiments 1 to 3 above, reference can be made to the previous introduction, and it will not be elaborated further.

The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, when the computer program is executed, it implements any one of the control methods for the aerosol provision system described above.

In some embodiments, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it can also implement the steps corresponding to the method described in Embodiment 1. Reference can be made to the detailed description in Embodiment 1 , and it will not be elaborated here.

From the description of the above implementation manners, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the present invention can be implemented by means of software plus the necessary general hardware platform. Based on such an understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, in essence, or the part that makes contributions to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a storage medium, such as ROM/RAM, magnetic disks, optical disks, etc., and includes several instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in various embodiments or certain parts of the embodiments of the present invention.

Each embodiment in this specification is described in a progressive manner. For the parts that are the same or similar among the various embodiments, reference can be made to each other. What each embodiment focuses on is the differences from other embodiments. In particular, for system or system embodiments, since they are basically similar to method embodiments, they are described relatively simply, and for the relevant parts, reference can be made to the partial descriptions of the method embodiments. The systems and system embodiments described above are only illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solutions in this embodiment. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand and implement them without creative work.

It should be understood that each part of the present application may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware or combinations thereof. In the above implementations, multiple steps or methods may be implemented with software or firmware stored in memory and executed by an appropriate instruction execution system. For example, if it is implemented by hardware, as in another implementation, it can be implemented by any one of the following technologies known in the art or combinations thereof: discrete logic circuits with logic gate circuits for implementing logic functions for data signal, special integrated circuits with appropriate combined logic gate circuits, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

In the description of this specification, the referential terminology "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" means that specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are comprised in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the indicative expression of the above-mentioned terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the described specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable way in any one or more embodiments or examples.

Moreover, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used merely for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the characteristics defined as "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly comprise at least one such characteristic. In the description of the present application, the term "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

In the present application, unless explicitly defined and limited, terms such as "mounting," "connecting," "connection," "fixing," etc., should be understood broadly. For instance, the connection can be a fixed connection or a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediary medium, it can be the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless explicitly defined otherwise. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of these terms in the context of the application based on the circumstances.

Although the embodiments of the application have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are exemplary and should not be considered as limiting the application. Those skilled in the art within the scope of the application can make variations, modifications, replacements, and variations to the abovedescribed embodiments.

Claims

1. A control method for an aerosol provision system, wherein the method comprises: determining the number of cartridges n used simultaneously in the aerosol provision system and obtaining the preset heating power A and preset heating time T for the cartridges, where n is a positive integer, A and T are arbitrary positive numbers; based on the number of cartridges n and the preset heating power A, as well as the preset heating time T, determining the corresponding heating strategy; and during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy.

2. The control method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 1 , wherein during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is 1 , the cartridge is heated for the preset heating time T using the preset heating power A.

3. The control method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 2, wherein during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, the preset heating power A is applied successively to heat each cartridge, ensuring that the total heating time for all cartridges is T.

4. The control method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 3, wherein during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, repeating m cycles, the preset heating power A is applied successively to heat each cartridge for the preset heating time T/ (m*n) within each cycle, where m is a positive integer.

5. The control method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 2, wherein during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, n times the preset heating power A is applied simultaneously to all cartridges, ensuring that the total heating time for all cartridges is T/n.

6. The control method for an aerosol provision system according to claim 5, wherein during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: when the number of cartridges n is greater than or equal to 2, repeating a cycle, n times the preset heating power A is applied simultaneously to all cartridges for the total heating time T/ (l*n) within each cycle, where I is a positive integer.

7. The control method for an aerosol provision system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein determining the number of cartridges n used simultaneously in the aerosol provision system comprises: detecting the resistance value of the cartridge insertion point in the aerosol provision system, determining the number of cartridges n simultaneously used in the aerosol provision system based on the resistance value.

8. The control method for an aerosol provision system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein obtaining the preset heating power A and preset heating time T for the cartridges comprises: determining the nicotine release amount of the aerosol provision system, and determining the preset heating power A and the preset heating time T for the cartridges based on the nicotine release amount.

9. The control method for an aerosol provision system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the flavours of each cartridge may be different or the same.

10. The control method for an aerosol provision system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the number of cartridges is 2.

11 . The control method for an aerosol provision system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the aerosol provision system comprises an aerosol electronic cigarette.

12. The control method for an aerosol provision system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein during a single puff, heating the cartridges based on the heating strategy comprises: heating the cartridges by using the preset power supply device based on the heating strategy.

13. An aerosol provision system, wherein the system is configured to heat the cartridges based on any one of the methods as claimed in claims 1 to 12.

14. A computer device, the computer device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements any one of the control methods for an aerosol provision system as claimed in claims 1 to 12.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, wherein, when the computer program is executed, the computer- readable storage medium implements any one of the control methods for the aerosol provision system as claimed in claims 1 to 12.