WO2025237843A1

WO2025237843A1 - Communication method and module for aerosol provision device and aerosol provision device

Info

Publication number: WO2025237843A1
Application number: PCT/EP2025/062780
Authority: WO
Inventors: Phaik Ee OOI; Yukun ZHOU
Original assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Current assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Priority date: 2024-05-11
Filing date: 2025-05-09
Publication date: 2025-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-11
Also published as: CN120931295A

Abstract

The embodiments of the present application disclose a communication method for an aerosol provision device, a communication module, a validation method for an aerosol provision device, an aerosol provision device, an aerosol provision system, a computer device, and a computer-readable storage medium. The method comprises: utilizing a communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device; sending the first identifier to an external device and receiving a first unlock code obtained based on the first identifier from the external device for verification based on the first unlock code. In the embodiments of the present application, the communication between the aerosol provision device and the external device is realized through the communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device.

Description

COMMUNICATION METHOD AND MODULE FOR AEROSOL PROVISION DEVICE

AND AEROSOL PROVISION DEVICE

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of aerosol provision technology, particularly to a communication method for an aerosol provision device, a communication module, a validation method for an aerosol provision device, an aerosol provision device, an aerosol provision system, a computer device, and a computer-readable storage medium.

Background

The connection authentication between Bluetooth BLE and a mobile phone is a common way at present to prevent teenagers from accessing (YAP, youth access prevention) an aerosol provision device (i.e. , an electronic cigarette), because only after the age is verified through the mobile phone APP, can the aerosol provision device with Bluetooth be activated and unlocked through Bluetooth BLE communication.

In the current connection authentication scheme between Bluetooth BLE and a mobile phone, usually, when the Bluetooth module leaves the factory, an unlock code is generated through an algorithm by using the media access control address (i.e., MAC) of the Bluetooth or a quick response code (QR code) and pre-stored in the Bluetooth module, and a corresponding relationship between the two is established in the database. Subsequently, the unlock code can be queried through the unique MAC or QR code. When the product reaches the user's hands, after the user passes the identity authentication through the mobile phone APP, the user can read the MAC of the device or obtain the QR code by scanning. Then, the mobile phone APP uploads the MAC or QR code to query the unlock code, and the mobile phone APP sends the queried unlock code to the Bluetooth module of the electronic cigarette. The Bluetooth module compares it with the built-in unlock code, and when they match, this electronic cigarette can be activated.

Summary

In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided a communication method for an aerosol provision device, a communication module, a validation method for an aerosol provision device, an aerosol provision device, an aerosol provision system, a computer device, and a computer-readable storage medium, so as to solve the technical problem in the prior art that the Bluetooth module of the aerosol provision device communicating through the Bluetooth module cannot be reused, resulting in cost waste.

According to an aspect, there is provided a communication method for an aerosol provision device. The method comprises: utilizing a communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device; and sending the first identifier to an external device and receiving a first unlock code obtained based on the first identifier from the external device for verification based on the first unlock code.

The communication between the aerosol provision device and the external device may be realized by using the communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device. On the premise of meeting the communication requirements of the aerosol provision device, the reusable use of the communication module can be achieved, avoiding cost waste.

In embodiments of the or any of the above communication methods, before sending the first identifier to the external device, the method may further comprise: the communication module compares the read first identifier with a second identifier stored within itself; if they match, sending the first identifier to the external device; otherwise, sending the first identifier to the external device and updating the second identifier stored within itself to the first identifier.

In embodiments of the or any of the above methods, it may be ensured that the identifier of the aerosol provision device stored in the communication module is the identifier of the latest aerosol provision device connected to the communication module, thereby further enabling the communication module to be applied to the verification of different aerosol provision devices.

In embodiments of the or any of the above communication methods, after utilizing a communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device, the method may further comprise: generating a second unlock code by using the communication module based on the first identifier.

In embodiments of the or any of the above communication methods, the method may further comprise: comparing the first unlock code with the second unlock code, and determining whether the external device has passed the verification based on the comparison result.

In embodiments of the or any of the above communication methods, the method may further comprise: sending the first unlock code to the aerosol provision device, so that the aerosol provision device compares the first unlock code with the second unlock code stored within itself and determine whether the external device has passed the verification based on the comparison result.

In embodiments of the or any of the above communication methods, the method may further comprise: sending the first unlock code and the second unlock code to the aerosol provision device, so that the aerosol provision device compares the first unlock code with the second unlock code stored within itself and determine whether the external device has passed the verification based on the comparison result.

In embodiments of the or any of the above communication methods, the first unlock code may be generated based on the first identifier and a first preset encoding method; and/or, the second unlock code is generated based on the first identifier and a second preset encoding method.

In embodiments of the or any of the above communication methods, the first preset encoding method may be the same as the second preset encoding method.

In embodiments of the or any of the above communication methods, the method may further comprise: upon determining that the external device has passed verification, activating or allowing to activate the device to heat.

In embodiments of the or any of the above communication methods, the first identifier may comprise an identifier that characterizes the uniqueness of the aerosol provision device.

According to an aspect, there is provided a communication module for an aerosol provision device. The communication module is detachably connected to the aerosol provision device, and the communication module is configured to implement the communication method according to any one of embodiments described above.

According to an aspect, there is provided a validation method for an aerosol provision device, the method comprises: utilizing a communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device and sending the first identifier to an external device; and obtaining the first unlock code based on the first identifier and sending it to the communication module to facilitate verification based on the first unlock code after the external device receives the first identifier.

In embodiments of the or any of the above validation methods, before sending the first identifier to an external device, the method may comprise: utilizing the external device to send a user's identity information to a preset server so that the preset server determines whether the user has passed age verification based on the identity information. If the user passes age verification, then sending the first identifier to the external device.

According to an aspect, there is provided an aerosol provision device. The device at least comprises: the communication module according to embodiments of any of the above. The communication module is pluggable into the aerosol provision device. According to an aspect, there is provided an aerosol provision system. The system comprises the aerosol provision device according to embodiments of any of the above.

According to an aspect, there is provided a computer device. The 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, the communication method for an aerosol provision device according to any one of embodiments in the first aspect or the validation method for an aerosol provision device according to any one of embodiments in of any of the above is implemented.

According to an aspect, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium. A computer program stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed, the communication method for an aerosol provision device according to any one of embodiments in of any of the above or the validation method for an aerosol provision device according to any one of embodiments of any of the above is implemented.

According to an aspect, there is provided a communication method for an aerosol provision device, comprising: utilizing a communication module that is removably plugged into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device; sending the first identifier to an external device and receiving a first unlock code from the external device, the first unlock code obtained based on the first identifier, for verification by the communication module based on the first unlock code

According to an aspect, there is provided a method for communication with an aerosol provision device. The method comprises utilizing a communication module that is removably plugged into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device, send the first identifier to an external device, and receive a first unlock code from the external device for verification by the communication module.

According to an aspect, there is provided a communication module for an aerosol provision device, wherein the communication module is configured to be detachably connected to the aerosol provision device, and the communication module is configured to: when detachably connected into the aerosol provision device, to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device; send the first identifier to an external device and receive a first unlock code from the external device, the first unlock code obtained based on the first identifier, for verification by the communication module based on the first unlock code.

One or more of the above may provide at least one or more of the following beneficial effects: A communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device is used to read the first identifier of the aerosol provision device. Then, the first identifier is sent to an external device and a first unlock code obtained based on the first identifier sent by the external device is received, so as to conduct verification according to the first unlock code. The communication between the aerosol provision device and the external device is realized by using the communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device. On the premise of meeting the communication requirements of the aerosol provision device, the reusable use of the communication module can be achieved, avoiding cost waste.

The additional aspects and advantages will be partially provided in the following description, and some will become obvious from the following description.

Brief Description of the 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:

Figure 1 is a flowchart of a communication method for an aerosol provision device;

Figure 2 is a flowchart of a validation method for an aerosol provision device; and Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a computer device.

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 aerosol-generating 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 aerosol-generating 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 aerosol-generating 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 aerosol-modifying 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 aerosol-former 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 aerosol-modifying 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 aerosol-generating 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 “cartomizer”) 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.

If a disposable aerosol provision device adopts the connection authentication scheme between Bluetooth BLE and a mobile phone, since the disposable aerosol provision device will be discarded after use, and based on the working principle of the connection authentication scheme between Bluetooth BLE and a mobile phone, the Bluetooth module will no longer be suitable for use in other devices, which means that the Bluetooth chip part can only be discarded together. This not only causes huge waste in terms of cost but also causes great harm to the environment.

There is creatively proposed a new communication method for an aerosol provision device. This method realizes the communication between the aerosol provision device and an external device by using a communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device. On the premise of meeting the communication requirements of the aerosol provision device, the reusable use of the communication module can be achieved, avoiding cost waste.

Embodiment 1

Figure 1 is a flowchart of a communication method for an aerosol provision device provided in some embodiments. This method is applied to the side of the aerosol provision device. As shown in Figure 1 , the method includes the following steps:

S110: Utilizing a communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device.

In embodiments, a communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device is adopted as an activator of the aerosol provision device. After the disposable aerosol provision device is used up, the user can remove the communication module and reinstall it on a new disposable aerosol provision device to serve as an activation module to activate the new disposable aerosol provision device.

It should be noted here that the specific implementation of the communication module is not limited in the embodiments. The communication module in the embodiments of the present application may be a Bluetooth module.

It can be understood that the first identifier in the embodiments of the present application comprises an identifier that characterizes the uniqueness of the aerosol provision device, that is, the first identifier can only characterize the current aerosol provision device connected to the communication module. In this way, the uniqueness of the corresponding relationship between the first identifier and the first unlock code can be ensured, thereby ensuring that the first identifier can only be used for the verification of the current aerosol provision device connected to the communication module. It should be noted that in the embodiments, the first identifier is not specifically limited. Any identifier that can characterize the uniqueness of the aerosol provision device can be used as the first identifier of the present application. As an exemplary rather than restrictive illustration, the first identifier in the embodiments of the present application may be the identity identifier (ID) of the control circuit of the aerosol provision device. It can be understood that the identity identifiers (IDs) of the control circuits of the aerosol provision devices are all unique, and the identity identifiers (IDs) of the control circuits of different aerosol provision devices are different.

S120: Sending the first identifier to an external device and receiving a first unlock code obtained based on the first identifier from the external device for verification based on the first unlock code.

After the communication module reads the first identifier, it sends it to the external device. After the external device receives the first identifier, it obtains the corresponding first unlock code according to the first identifier and sends the first unlock code to the communication module for verification according to the first unlock code. Among them, as an exemplary rather than restrictive illustration, in the embodiments, obtaining the corresponding first unlock code according to the first identifier includes but is not limited to obtaining the corresponding first unlock code from a preset database or a preset server according to the first identifier.

It can be understood that before each aerosol provision device leaves the factory, a corresponding first unlock code is generated for it through an algorithm or other means according to its first identifier, and the first identifier and the first unlock code are stored in association in a preset database or a preset server, etc. In subsequent verification, the corresponding first unlock code can be obtained through the first identifier of the device.

It should be noted here that the specific implementation of the external device is not limited in the embodiments. The external device can be set according to the actual product requirements. The external device in the embodiments may be any device with a communication function, such as a mobile phone, a computer, or a tablet.

In embodiments, before sending the first identifier to the external device, the method further comprises:

The communication module compares the read first identifier with a second identifier stored within itself. If they are consistent, the first identifier is sent to the external device. Otherwise, the first identifier is sent to the external device and the second identifier stored within itself is updated to the first identifier.

Specifically, since the communication module in the embodiments of the present application is detachably connected to the aerosol provision device, that is, the communication module can be assembled on different aerosol provision devices. After the communication module is assembled on the aerosol provision device and powered on, the communication module is started, and it will read the first identifier of the currently connected aerosol provision device and determine whether the first identifier is consistent with the second identifier stored within itself. If they are not consistent, it indicates that the communication module and the aerosol provision device are newly assembled. At this time, the new identifier overwrites the old identifier, that is, the newly read first identifier overwrites the second identifier stored within the communication module itself, and then the first identifier is sent to the external device. If they are consistent, it indicates that the communication module and the aerosol provision device are not newly assembled. At this time, it is only necessary to directly send the first identifier to the external device.

It can be understood that in the embodiments, since the information in the communication module (including but not limited to the second identifier) will be regenerated every time the communication module is assembled with the aerosol provision device, it is different from the method of binding the MAC in the communication module in the prior art. The communication module in the embodiments of the present application is not for one-time use, but can be assembled and used repeatedly. Moreover, since the communication module in the embodiments of the present application no longer queries the unlock code by using its own characteristics, but reads the unique identifier (i.e., the first identifier) of the aerosol provision device assembled with it to query the unlock code, the purpose of enabling the same communication module to be assembled on different aerosol provision devices and reusing the communication module is achieved.

In embodiments, after utilizing a communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device, the method further comprises: generating a second unlock code by using the communication module based on the first identifier.

In embodiments, the communication module can be used to generate a second unlock code according to the first identifier, so as to further realize that the information in the communication module (including the second unlock code) is regenerated every time the communication module is assembled with the aerosol provision device. Therefore, it is different from the method of binding the MAC in the communication module in the prior art, so that the communication module in the embodiments of the present application is not for one-time use, but can be assembled and used repeatedly.

In embodiments of the present application, the method further comprises: utilizing the communication module to read the second unlock code stored within the aerosol provision device.

In embodiments, before leaving the factory, the aerosol provision device generates a second unlock code according to its own first identifier and pre-stores it locally. After the communication device is assembled with the aerosol provision device, in addition to reading the first identifier of the aerosol provision device, the communication module also reads the second unlock code stored locally in the aerosol provision device for comparison in the subsequent verification process.

In embodiments, the method further comprises: comparing the first unlock code with the second unlock code, and determining whether the external device has passed the verification based on the comparison result.

In embodiments, the second unlock code can be generated by the communication module according to the first identifier, or can be pre-stored in the aerosol provision device. However, the communication module is used to compare the first unlock code and the second unlock code and determine whether the external device has passed the verification. It can be understood that when the comparison result shows that the first unlock code is consistent with the second unlock code, it can be determined that the external device has passed the verification, that is, the user using the external device has passed the verification. When the comparison result shows that the first unlock code is inconsistent with the second unlock code, it can be determined that the external device has not passed the verification, that is, the user using the external device has not passed the verification.

It can be understood that when the communication module is used to compare the first unlock code and the second unlock code and determine whether the external device has passed the verification, after determining that the external device has passed the verification, the communication module can send an instruction or a signal for activating heating to the relevant components (such as a microcontroller or a control circuit, etc.) of the aerosol provision device.

In embodiments, a comparison algorithm can be used to compare the first unlock code and the second unlock code. It should be noted that the comparison algorithm is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application. Any known comparison algorithm can be used in the present application. It can be understood that the comparison result can be represented as "consistent" or "inconsistent", or can be represented by a value such as a percentage. There is also no limitation here, and the specific representation method can be selected according to actual needs.

In embodiments, the method further comprises: sending the first unlock code to the aerosol provision device, so that the aerosol provision device compares the first unlock code with the second unlock code stored within itself and determines whether the external device has passed the verification based on the comparison result.

In embodiments, the second unlock code is pre-stored in the aerosol provision device, and the aerosol provision device is used to compare the first unlock code and the second unlock code and determine whether the external device has passed the verification. In specific implementation, the microcontroller (MCU) inherent in the aerosol provision device itself can be used to compare the first unlock code and the second unlock code and determine whether the external device has passed the verification.

In embodiments, the method further comprises: sending the first unlock code and the second unlock code to the aerosol provision device, so that the aerosol provision device compares the first unlock code with the second unlock code stored within itself and determines whether the external device has passed the verification based on the comparison result.

In embodiments, the second unlock code is generated by the communication module according to the first identifier, but the aerosol provision device is used to compare the first unlock code and the second unlock code and determine whether the external device has passed the verification. In specific implementation, the microcontroller (MCU) inherent in the aerosol provision device itself can be used to compare the first unlock code and the second unlock code and determine whether the external device has passed the verification.

In the embodiments, the first unlock code is generated based on the first identifier and a first preset encoding method; and/or, the second unlock code is generated based on the first identifier and a second preset encoding method.

In embodiments, the first preset encoding method and the second preset encoding method are not specifically limited. Any known encoding method can be used as the first preset encoding method or the second preset encoding method.

In embodiments, the first preset encoding method is the same as the second preset encoding method.

In embodiments, the first preset encoding method and the second preset encoding method can be the same encoding method or different encoding methods. Optionally, the first preset encoding method is the same as the second preset encoding method. It can be understood that using the same encoding method for the first unlock code and the second 1 unlock code can reduce the complexity of decoding, further reduce the requirements for the computing power of the aerosol provision device or the communication module, and improve the comparison efficiency.

In embodiments, the method further comprises: upon determining that the external device has passed verification, activating or allowing to activate the device to heat.

It can be understood that only when the external device has passed the verification is the use of the aerosol provision device allowed. At this time, it is set to automatically activate or allow activation (such as activation through an external instruction) of the heating device of the aerosol provision device for heating.

Embodiment 2

Corresponding to Embodiment 1 above, a communication module for an aerosol provision device is provided. The communication module is detachably connected to the aerosol provision device, and the communication module can implement the communication method according to any one of the embodiments in Embodiment 1. In this embodiment, the content that is the same as or similar to that in Embodiment 1 above can be referred to the above introduction, and will not be repeated hereinafter.

Embodiment 3

Corresponding to Embodiment 1 above, a validation method for an aerosol provision device is provided. In this embodiment, the content that is the same as or similar to that in Embodiment 1 above can be referred to the above introduction, and will not be repeated hereinafter. As shown in Figure 2, the method comprises the following steps:

S210: Utilizing a communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device and sending the first identifier to an external device;

S220: After the external device receives the first identifier, obtaining a first unlock code based on the first identifier and sending the first unlock code to the communication module for verification based on the first unlock code.

In embodiments, before sending the first identifier to the external device, the method further comprises: utilizing the external device to send the user's identity information to a preset server so that the preset server determines whether the user has passed age verification based on the identity information; and sending the first identifier to the external device if the user passes age verification.

It can be understood that in the embodiments, only the external device that has passed the age verification can receive the first identifier sent by the communication device, that is, only the external device that has passed the age verification can activate and unlock the aerosol provision device through the communication device, thereby preventing teenagers from accessing the aerosol provision device.

Embodiment 4

Corresponding to Embodiment 2 above, an aerosol provision device is provided. The device at least comprises the communication module provided in Embodiment 2, and the communication module is detachably connected to the aerosol provision device. In this embodiment, the content that is the same as or similar to that in Embodiment 2 above can be referred to the above introduction, and will not be repeated hereinafter.

Embodiment 5

Corresponding to Embodiment 4 above, an aerosol provision system is provided. The system at least comprises the aerosol provision device described in Embodiment 4. In this embodiment, the content that is the same as or similar to that in Embodiment 4 above can be referred to the above introduction, and will not be repeated hereinafter.

Embodiment 6

Corresponding to Embodiment 1 or 3 above, a computer device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory. A computer program that can run on the processor is stored in the memory. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the communication method for an aerosol provision device or the validation method for an aerosol provision device provided in any one of the above embodiments is executed.

Wherein, Figure 3 shows a computer device 1500, which may specifically comprise 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 can be communicatively connected through a communication bus 1530.

Wherein, the processor 1510 can 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.

The memory 1520 can be implemented in the form of a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a static storage device, a dynamic storage device, etc. The memory 1520 can store an operating system 1521 for controlling the operation of the electronic device, and a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) for controlling the low-level operations of the electronic device. In addition, a web browser 1523, a data storage management system 1524, and a device identification information processing system 1525, etc. can also be stored. The above-mentioned device identification information processing system 1525 can be the application program that specifically implements the foregoing operations of each step in the embodiments. The relevant program code is stored in the memory 1520 and called and executed by the processor 1510.

The input/output interface 1513 is used to connect to an input/output module to realize information input and output. The input/output module can be configured as a component in the device (not shown in the figure), or can be externally connected to the device to provide corresponding functions. The input device may comprise a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, a microphone, various sensors, etc., and the output device may comprise a display, a speaker, a vibrator, an indicator light, etc.

The network interface 1514 is used to connect to a communication module (not shown in the figure) to realize the communication interaction between this device and other devices. The communication module can realize communication through a wired method (such as USB, network cable, etc.) or a wireless method (such as a mobile network, WIFI, Bluetooth, etc.).

The bus comprises 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 the information of specific claiming conditions from the conditional information database of the virtual resource object claiming, for condition judgment, and so on.

It should be noted that although the above 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 may also comprise other components necessary for normal operation. In addition, those skilled in the art can understand that the above device may also only comprise the necessary components, and does not necessarily comprise all the components shown in the figure.

Embodiment 7

Corresponding to Embodiment 1 or 3 above, the embodiments also provide a computer-readable storage medium. In this embodiment, the content that is the same as or similar to that in Embodiment 1 or 3 above can be referred to the above introduction, and will not be repeated hereinafter.

The computer-readable storage medium has a computer program stored therein. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the communication method for an aerosol provision device or the validation method for an aerosol provision device as described above is implemented.

In some implementations, in the embodiments of the present application, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it can also implement the steps corresponding to the method described in Embodiment 1. For detailed descriptions, reference can be made to the detailed descriptions in Embodiment 1 , and details are not repeated here.

Through the description of the above implementations, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the present invention can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general-purpose hardware platform. Based on this understanding, the technical solution, in essence or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product can be stored in a storage medium, such as a ROM/RAM, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute the method described in each embodiment of the present invention or some parts of the embodiments.

Each embodiment in this specification is described in a progressive manner. For the same or similar parts among the various embodiments, reference can be made to each other, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. In particular, for the system or system embodiments, since they are basically similar to the 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 system 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 may be distributed over multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand and implement it without creative efforts.

It should be understood that each part 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. In this specification, the indicative expression of the above 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. Those skilled in the art within the scope of the application can make variations, modifications, replacements, and variations to the above-described embodiments.

Claims

1 . A communication method for an aerosol provision device, comprising: utilizing a communication module that is removably plugged into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device; sending the first identifier to an external device and receiving a first unlock code from the external device, the first unlock code obtained based on the first identifier, for verification by the communication module based on the first unlock code.

2. The communication method according to claim 1 comprising, before sending the first identifier to the external device, the communication module compares the first identifier with a second identifier stored within the communication module; if they match, sending the first identifier to the external device; if they do not match, sending the first identifier to the external device and updating the second identifier stored within the communication module to the first identifier.

3. The communication method according to claim 2, comprising, after utilizing a communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device, generating a second unlock code by using the communication module based on the first identifier.

4. The communication method according to claim 3, comprising, utilizing the communication module to read the second unlock code stored within the aerosol provision device.

5. The communication method according to claim 3 or claim 4, comprising, comparing the first unlock code with the second unlock code, and determining whether the external device has passed the verification based on the comparison result.

6. The communication method according to claim 3, comprising, sending the first unlock code to the aerosol provision device, so that the aerosol provision device compares the first unlock code with the second unlock code stored within itself and determines whether the external device has passed the verification based on the comparison result.

7. The communication method according to claim 3, comprising, sending the first unlock code and the second unlock code to the aerosol provision device, so that the aerosol provision device compares the first unlock code with the second unlock code stored within itself and determines whether the external device has passed the verification based on the comparison result.

8. The communication method according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the first unlock code is generated based on the first identifier and a first preset encoding method, and/or, the second unlock code is generated based on the first identifier and a second preset encoding method.

9. The communication method according to claim 8, wherein the first preset encoding method is the same as the second preset encoding method.

10. The communication method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, comprising, upon determining that the external device has passed verification, activating or allowing activation of heating of the device.

11. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first identifier comprises an identifier unique to the aerosol provision device.

12. A communication module for an aerosol provision device, wherein the communication module is configured to be detachably connected to the aerosol provision device, and the communication module is configured to: when detachably connected into the aerosol provision device, to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device; send the first identifier to an external device and receive a first unlock code from the external device, the first unlock code obtained based on the first identifier, for verification by the communication module based on the first unlock code.

13. A validation method for an aerosol provision device, comprising: utilizing a communication module that is pluggable into the aerosol provision device to read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device and sending the first identifier to an external device; after the external device receives the first identifier, obtaining the first unlock code based on the first identifier and sending it to the communication module to facilitate verification based on the first unlock code.

14. The validation method according to claim 13, wherein before sending the first identifier to an external device, the method comprises: utilizing the external device to send a user's identity information to a preset server so that the preset server determines whether the user has passed age verification based on the identity information; if the user passes age verification, then sending the first identifier to the external device.

15. An aerosol provision device configured to be detachably connected to the communication module according to claim 12.

16. An aerosol provision system comprising the aerosol provision device according to claim 15 and the communication module according to claim 12.

17. A computer device, wherein comprises a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or 13 to 14 is implemented.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, with a computer program stored therein, wherein when the computer program is executed, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or 13 to 14 is implemented.

19. A method for communication with an aerosol provision device, comprising: utilizing a communication module that is detachably connected with the aerosol provision device to: read a first identifier of the aerosol provision device; send the first identifier to an external device; receive a first unlock code from the external device for verification by the communication module.