Nicotine dosage sensor

Abstract

An electronic nicotine delivery device including a nicotine dosage sensor that determines an amount of nicotine consumed by a user based on the duration of an inhalation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic nicotine delivery device comprising:
 a reservoir configured to store a nicotine solution;   a heating element configured to vaporize the nicotine solution;   a power source configured to supply power to the heating element;   an inhalation sensor configured to detect an inhalation by a user;   a timer; and   a nicotine dosage sensor comprising a processor and memory, the nicotine dosage sensor configured to determine an amount of nicotine consumed by the user based on a duration of the inhalation.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the nicotine dosage sensor determines the amount of nicotine consumed by the user further based on information indicative of a relationship between the duration of the inhalation and a temperature of the heating element. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the memory includes a device profile, the device profile including the information indicative of the relationship between the duration of the inhalation and the temperature of the heating element. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the nicotine dosage sensor determines the amount of nicotine consumed by the user further based on a time between the inhalation and a previous inhalation. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the device profile further includes a ramp up profile indicative of the temperature of the heating element during inhalation and a decaying profile indicative of the temperature of the heating element after the heating element is de-activated. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the nicotine dosage sensor determines the amount of nicotine consumed by the user further based on information indicative of an air flow rate of the electronic nicotine delivery device. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the information indicative of the air flow rate of the electronic nicotine delivery device is stored in the device profile. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , further comprising an air flow sensor configured to determine the air flow rate of the electronic nicotine delivery device. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the nicotine dosage sensor determines the amount of nicotine consumed by the user further based on a nicotine concentration of the nicotine solution. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the memory includes a solution profile associated with the nicotine solution, the solution profile including the nicotine concentration. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the device is configured to receive the solution profile associated with the nicotine solution from an external device. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the solution profile further includes a burning point of the nicotine solution. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the nicotine dosage sensor is further configured to determine a temperature of the heating element and compare the temperature of the heating element to the boiling point of the nicotine solution. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the device is configured to output an indication to the user in response to the temperature of the heating element approaching or exceeding the boiling point of the nicotine solution. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the device is configured to interrupt the supply of power to the heating element in response to a determination that the temperature of the heating element approaching or exceeding the boiling point of the nicotine solution. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a visual indicator configured to output a visual indication indicative of the amount of nicotine consumed by the user.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the visual indication is indicative of a comparison of the amount of nicotine consumed by the user and an amount of nicotine in a traditional cigarette. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the nicotine dosage sensor is configured to output data indicative of the nicotine consumed by the user to a health monitoring device. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the nicotine dosage sensor is configured to compare the amount of nicotine consumed by the user to a nicotine consumption limit. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the nicotine consumption limit is user adjustable. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the nicotine dosage sensor is configured to reduce the nicotine consumption limit over time. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the device is configured to interrupt the supply of power to the heating element in response to a determination that the amount of nicotine consumed is greater than or equal to the nicotine consumption limit. 
     
     
         24 . The electronic nicotine delivery device of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the reservoir is a first reservoir for storing a first nicotine solution with a first nicotine concentration,   the electronic nicotine delivery device further comprises a second reservoir for storing a second nicotine solution with a second nicotine concentration, and the device is configured to:   vaporize the first nicotine solution in response to a determination that the amount of nicotine consumed is less than the nicotine consumption limit, and   vaporize the second nicotine solution in response to a determination that the amount of nicotine consumed is greater than or equal to the nicotine consumption limit.