Heat-not-burn (hnb) aerosol-generating devices with capsule reuse detection

Abstract

A non-combustible aerosol-generating device includes a memory storing computer-readable instructions and a controller. The controller is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to: apply power to a heater to preheat an aerosol-forming substrate; determine whether a preheat monitor timer has exceeded a preheat timer threshold; determine whether the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated based on a comparison between a first threshold power level and an applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having not exceeded the preheat timer threshold; and determine whether the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated based on a comparison between a second threshold power level and the applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having exceeded the preheat timer threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-combustible aerosol-generating device, comprising:
 a memory storing computer-readable instructions; and   a controller configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to
 apply power to a heater to preheat an aerosol-forming substrate, 
 determine whether a preheat monitor timer has exceeded a preheat timer threshold, 
 determine whether the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated based on a comparison between a first threshold power level and an applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having not exceeded the preheat timer threshold, and 
 determine whether the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated based on a comparison between a second threshold power level and the applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having exceeded the preheat timer threshold. 
   
     
     
         2 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a capsule including the aerosol-forming substrate and the heater.   
     
     
         3 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to terminate application of power to the heater in response to determining that the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated. 
     
     
         4 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to output a fault indication in response to determining that the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated. 
     
     
         5 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to output a fault indication in response to determining that the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated. 
     
     
         6 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to allow for aerosol generation in response to determining that the aerosol-forming substrate has not been previously heated. 
     
     
         7 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the first threshold power level is less than the second threshold power level. 
     
     
         8 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the applied power is a maximum power applied to the heater or a power target for the heater. 
     
     
         9 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 8 , wherein the first threshold power level and the second threshold power level are based on the maximum power or the power target. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a non-combustible aerosol-generating device, the method comprising:
 applying power to a heater to preheat an aerosol-forming substrate;   determining whether a preheat monitor timer has exceeded a preheat timer threshold;   determining whether the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated based on a comparison between a first threshold power level and an applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having not exceeded the preheat timer threshold; and   determining whether the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated based on a comparison between a second threshold power level and the applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having exceeded the preheat timer threshold.   
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a controller at a non-combustible aerosol-generating device, cause the controller to perform a method of operating the non-combustible aerosol-generating device, the method comprising:
 applying power to a heater to preheat an aerosol-forming substrate;   determining whether a preheat monitor timer has exceeded a preheat timer threshold;   determining whether the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated based on a comparison between a first threshold power level and an applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having not exceeded the preheat timer threshold; and   determining whether the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated based on a comparison between a second threshold power level and the applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having exceeded the preheat timer threshold.   
     
     
         12 . A non-combustible aerosol-generating device, comprising:
 a memory storing computer-readable instructions; and   a controller configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to
 apply power to a heater to preheat an aerosol-forming substrate within a capsule, 
 determine whether a preheat monitor timer has exceeded a preheat timer threshold, 
 determine whether the capsule is at least one of an inauthentic or degraded capsule based on a comparison between a first threshold power level and n applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having not exceeded the preheat timer threshold, and 
 determine whether the capsule is at least one of an inauthentic or degraded capsule based on a comparison between a second threshold power level and the applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having exceeded the preheat timer threshold. 
   
     
     
         13 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 the capsule is a removable capsule including the aerosol-forming substrate and the heater.   
     
     
         14 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 12 , wherein
 the capsule is a degraded capsule, and   degradation of the capsule is a result of prior heating of the aerosol-forming substrate.   
     
     
         15 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to terminate application of power to the heater in response to determining that the capsule is at least one of an inauthentic or degraded capsule. 
     
     
         16 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to output a fault indication in response to determining that the capsule is at least one of an inauthentic or degraded capsule. 
     
     
         17 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to output a fault indication in response to determining that the capsule is at least one of an inauthentic or degraded capsule. 
     
     
         18 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to allow for aerosol generation in response to determining that the capsule is not at least one of an inauthentic or degraded capsule. 
     
     
         19 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 12 , wherein the first threshold power level is less than the second threshold power level. 
     
     
         20 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 12 , wherein the applied power is a maximum power applied to the heater or a power target for the heater. 
     
     
         21 . The non-combustible aerosol-generating device of  claim 20 , wherein the first threshold power level and the second threshold power level are based on the maximum power or the power target.