Electronic aerosol provision system

Abstract

An aerosol provision device and related methods and means for generating aerosol from an article including portions of aerosol generating material. The device includes a receptacle for receiving the article including, portions of aerosol generating material, an outlet fluidly coupled to the receptacle, at least one aerosol generating component configured to perform an aerosolization process on one or more of the portions of aerosol generating material when the article is received in the receptacle and control circuitry for controlling the aerosol generating component. The control circuitry is configured to cause the at least one aerosol generating component to generate an amount of aerosol from a respective portion of aerosol generating material based on the distance of the respective portion of aerosol generating material from the outlet.

1 . An aerosol provision device for generating aerosol from an article comprising portions of aerosol generating material, the device comprising:
 a receptacle for receiving the article comprising portions of aerosol generating material;   an outlet fluidly coupled to the receptacle;   at least one aerosol generating component configured to perform an aerosolization process on one or more of the portions of aerosol generating material when the article is received in the receptacle; and   control circuitry for controlling the aerosol generating component,   wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the at least one aerosol generating component to generate an amount of aerosol from a respective portion of aerosol generating material based on the distance of the respective portion of aerosol generating material from the outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate an amount of aerosol from the respective portion of aerosol generating material such that, regardless of distance of the respective portion of aerosol generating material from the outlet, a substantially constant amount of aerosol passes through the outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the aerosol generating component to generate an increasing amount of aerosol from the respective portion of aerosol generating material the further away the respective portion is located from the outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the aerosol generating component to generate an amount of aerosol from the portion of aerosol generating material based on a function of the distance of the portion of the aerosol generating material from the outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one aerosol generating component is at least one heating element arranged to heat the portions of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 5 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the operational temperature for the at least one heating element based on the distance of the respective portion of aerosol generating material from the outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the operational temperature of the heating elements closer to the outlet to be lower than the operational temperature of the heating elements further from the outlet. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 5 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the heating duration for the at least one heating element based on the distance of the respective portion of aerosol generating material from the outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 1 , wherein the portions of aerosol generating material are arranged in an N×M array with respect to the outlet when received in the receptacle, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the aerosol generating component to generate X different amounts of aerosol, where X is determined according to: 
       
         
           
             
               X 
               = 
               
                 
                   
                     
                       2 
                       ⁢ 
                       N 
                     
                     + 
                     1 
                     + 
                     
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           - 
                           1 
                         
                         ) 
                       
                       
                         N 
                         + 
                         1 
                       
                     
                   
                   4 
                 
                 × 
                 
                   M 
                   . 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     
         10 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one aerosol generating components comprises a plurality of aerosol generating components arranged in an N×M array, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the each of the plurality of aerosol generating components to operate at one of X different power levels, where X is determined according to: 
       
         
           
             
               X 
               = 
               
                 
                   
                     
                       2 
                       ⁢ 
                       N 
                     
                     + 
                     1 
                     + 
                     
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           - 
                           1 
                         
                         ) 
                       
                       
                         N 
                         + 
                         1 
                       
                     
                   
                   4 
                 
                 × 
                 
                   M 
                   . 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     
         11 . An aerosol provision system, the system comprising the aerosol provision device according to  claim 1  and further comprising an article comprising portions of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 11 , wherein each portion of aerosol generating material is substantially the same. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 11 , wherein the properties of the aerosol generating material differ based on the distance from the outlet when the aerosol generating material is received in the receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 11 , wherein the aerosol generating material is an amorphous solid. 
     
     
         15 . A method of generating aerosol using an aerosol generating device, the method comprising:
 determining the distance between a portion of aerosol generating material and an outlet on the device through which generated aerosol can be inhaled by a user;   setting an amount of aerosol to be generated from the portion of the aerosol generating material based on the determined distance; and   generating an aerosol from the portion of aerosol generating material.   
     
     
         16 . An aerosol provision means for generating aerosol from an article comprising portions of aerosol generating material, the means comprising:
 a receiving means for receiving the article comprising portions of aerosol generating material;   an outlet means fluidly coupled to the receiving means;   at least one aerosol generating means configured to perform an aerosolization process on one or more of the portions of aerosol generating material when the article is received in the receiving means; and   control means for controlling the aerosol generating means,   wherein the control means is configured to cause the at least one aerosol generating means to generate an amount of aerosol from a respective portion of aerosol generating material based on the distance of the respective portion of aerosol generating material from the outlet means.