Method and devices for controlling electronic vaping devices

Abstract

According to at least one example embodiment, a controller for an e-vaping device includes a movement sensor configured to detect movement of the e-vaping device and output an output signal based on the movement. The controller includes control circuitry configured to control power supplied to power consuming elements of the e-vaping device based on the output signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An e-vaping device, comprising:
 a power supply configured to supply power to power consuming elements;   a pressure sensor configured to detect application of negative pressure;   a movement sensor configured to detect movement; and   a controller configured to,
 in a first mode, control power supplied to the power consuming elements in response to the pressure sensor detecting the application of negative pressure, 
 in a second mode, disable the pressure sensor, and 
 in a third mode, disable the pressure sensor and replace control of power supplied to the power consuming elements with the movement sensor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The e-vaping device of  claim 1 , further comprising a reservoir to store a pre-vapor formulation. 
     
     
         3 . The e-vaping device of  claim 2 , further comprising a vaporizer, the vaporizer including,
 a porous element in fluid communication with the reservoir, and   a heater configured to vaporize pre-vapor formulation in the porous element.   
     
     
         4 . The e-vaping device of  claim 1 , wherein the movement sensor is an accelerometer. 
     
     
         5 . The e-vaping device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the movement sensor is configured to output an output signal based on the movement; and   the controller is configured to detect, from the movement, movement events based on a magnitude of an output signal.   
     
     
         6 . The e-vaping device of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to count a number of the detected movement events based on a number of times that the magnitude of the output signal exceeds at least one threshold value within an expiration time associated with the at least one threshold value. 
     
     
         7 . The e-vaping device of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to identify an operating event based on the counted number of detected movement events. 
     
     
         8 . The e-vaping device of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to identify the operating event based on the counted number of detected movement events and at least one of the expiration time, the at least one threshold value, the magnitude of the output signal, a direction of the movement, and time stamps associated with the counted number of detected movement events. 
     
     
         9 . The e-vaping device of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to consult a table stored in a storage medium to identify the operating event. 
     
     
         10 . The e-vaping device of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to supply power to ones of the power consuming elements based on the identified operating event. 
     
     
         11 . The e-vaping device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the power consuming elements comprise a battery level indicator, a lock-out circuit, an indicator, or any combination thereof;   the battery level indicator is configured to indicate a level of the power supply;   the lock-out circuit is configured to lock or unlock the e-vaping device; and   the indicator is configured to indicate an amount of pre-vapor formulation in a reservoir.   
     
     
         12 . An aerosol-generating system, comprising:
 a cartridge defining a container for storing a vapor forming material;   a vaporizer configured to generate a vapor from the vapor forming material; and   a power supply section configured to be coupled to the cartridge, the power supply section including,
 a pressure sensor configured to monitor pressure within the power supply section, 
 a movement sensor configured to detect movement, 
 a power supply, and 
 a controller configured to
 in a first mode, supply power to the vaporizer in response to the pressure sensor detecting an application of negative pressure, 
 in a second mode, disable the pressure sensor and the vaporizer, and 
 in a third mode, disable the pressure sensor and replace power supplied to the pressure sensor with the movement sensor. 
 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the vaporizer includes a porous element in fluid communication with the container. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein
 the movement sensor is configured to output an output signal based on the movement; and   the controller is configured to detect, from the movement, movement events based on a magnitude of an output signal.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to count a number of the detected movement events based on a number of times that the magnitude of the output signal exceeds at least one threshold value within an expiration time associated with the at least one threshold value. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein
 the movement sensor is a multi-axis accelerometer,   the output signal includes an x-axis component of the multi-axis accelerometer, a y-axis component of the multi-axis accelerometer, and a z-axis component of the multi-axis accelerometer, and   the magnitude of the output signal is a magnitude of the x-axis component, a magnitude of the y-axis component, a magnitude of the z-axis component, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the number of times that the magnitude of the output signal has exceeded the at least one threshold value is greater than 1. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to identify an operating event based on the counted number of detected movement events. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to identify the operating event based on the counted number of detected movement events and at least one of the expiration time, the at least one threshold value, the magnitude of the output signal, a direction of the movement, and time stamps associated with the counted number of detected movement events. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to consult a table stored in a storage medium to identify the operating event. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to supply power to one of the pressure sensor, the movement sensor, and the vaporizer based on the identified operating event. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein
 the container is a reservoir; and   the vapor forming material is a pre-vapor formulation.