Aerosol provision system

Abstract

An aerosol provision system comprising a first part comprising a reservoir for storing an aerosolisable material, and a sensor for detecting a level of the aerosolisable material in the reservoir ( 44 ). The sensor is configured to output sensor information relating to the level of the aerosolisable material in the reservoir ( 44 ). The aerosol provision system further comprises a vaporizer ( 48 ) for vaporizing the aerosolisable material; and a second consumable part, for holding flavoring material, located downstream of the vaporizer ( 48 ). The aerosol provision system is configured to process the sensor information to determine an amount of the aerosolisable material in the reservoir ( 44 ), and generate a signal to replace the second consumable part when the amount of the aerosolisable material is determined as reaching, or falling below, a predetermined amount.

1 . An aerosol provision system comprising:
 a first part comprising a reservoir for storing an aerosolizable material;   a sensor for detecting a level of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir of the first part, wherein the sensor is configured to output sensor information relating to the level of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir;   a vaporizer, located downstream of the reservoir, for vaporizing the aerosolizable material;   a second consumable part, for holding flavoring material, located downstream of the vaporizer; and   control circuitry configured to process the sensor information from the sensor to determine an amount of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir, and configured to generate a signal when the amount of the aerosolizable material is determined as reaching, or falling below, a predetermined amount;   wherein the signal is an indication to replace the second consumable part.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an acoustic sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a capacitive sensor, resistive sensor, and an inductive sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is located in, or on a wall of, the reservoir. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol provision system comprises a reusable part:
 wherein the first part is connectable to the reusable part; and   wherein the second consumable part is connectable to the first part.   
     
     
         7 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 6 , wherein the reusable part comprises the sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the first part comprises the sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the first part is able to be removed from the aerosol provision system independently of the second consumable part. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal is at least one of: an optical signal, an acoustic signal, and a haptic signal. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined amount corresponds to the reservoir from the first part being at least one of ¾; ⅔; ½; ⅓; or ¼ full with aerosolizable material. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , further comprising an orientation sensor configured to output orientation sensor information, to the control circuitry, relating to the orientation of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir,
 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to process the orientation sensor information from the orientation sensor, alongside the sensor information from the sensor, to determine the amount of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir.   
     
     
         13 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 12 , wherein the aerosol provision system comprises a reusable part:
 wherein the first part is connectable to the reusable part;   wherein the second consumable part is connectable to the first part; and   wherein the reusable part comprises the orientation sensor.   
     
     
         14 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined amount is a first predetermined amount, and the signal is a first signal;
 wherein the control circuitry system is further configured to generate a second signal when the amount of the aerosolizable material is determined as reaching, or falling below, a second predetermined amount, wherein the second predetermined amount is less than the first predetermined amount.   
     
     
         15 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 14 , wherein the second predetermined amount corresponds to the reservoir being at least one of ½ or ⅓ full with aerosolizable material. 
     
     
         16 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 14 , wherein the second signal is a second indication to replace the second consumable part. 
     
     
         17 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 14 , wherein the second signal comprises a command to disable the operation of the aerosol provision system. 
     
     
         18 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate a third signal when the amount of the aerosolizable material is determined as reaching, or falling below, a third predetermined amount, wherein the third predetermined amount is less than the second predetermined amount.   
     
     
         19 . The aerosol provision system of 18, wherein the third signal comprises a command to replace the second consumable part and/or to disable the operation of the vaporizer. 
     
     
         20 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein a wall of the reservoir comprises an opening for delivering the aerosolizable material from the reservoir to the vaporizer, wherein the sensor at least partially covers the opening. 
     
     
         21 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the first part is a first consumable part. 
     
     
         22 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the vaporizer comprises a heater. 
     
     
         23 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the flavoring material comprises, or consists of, tobacco. 
     
     
         24 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the aerosolizable material comprises a fluid. 
     
     
         25 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         26 . A method of generating a signal, for use with an aerosol provision system configured to generate vapor from an aerosolizable material using a vaporizer, wherein the method comprises: 
 detecting, using a sensor, a level of aerosolizable material in a reservoir from a first part of the aerosol provision system;   outputting sensor information from the sensor to control circuitry of the aerosol provision system, wherein the sensor information relates to the level of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir;   processing the sensor information at the control circuitry to determine an amount of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir; and   generating a signal at the control circuity when the amount of the aerosolizable material is determined as reaching, or falling below, a predetermined amount,   wherein the signal is an indication to replace a second consumable part, for holding flavoring material, from the aerosol provision system, wherein the second consumable part is located downstream of the vaporizer and is configured to receive the vapor generated by vaporizer.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the method further comprises:
 detecting, using an orientation sensor, an orientation of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir;   outputting orientation sensor information from the orientation sensor to the control circuitry, wherein the orientation sensor information relates to the orientation of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir;   wherein to determine the amount of the aerosolizable material in the reservoir, as well as processing the sensor information, the control circuitry further processes the orientation sensor information.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the predetermined amount is a first predetermined amount, and the signal is a first signal;
 wherein, after generating the first signal, the method further comprises:
 replacing the second consumable part with an another second consumable part; 
 generating a second signal at the control circuity when the amount of the aerosolizable material is determined as reaching, or falling below, a second predetermined amount, wherein the second predetermined amount is less than the first predetermined amount; 
 wherein the second signal is an indication to replace the another second consumable part. 
   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein, after generating the second signal, the method further comprises;
 replacing the another second consumable part with a yet another second consumable part; 
 generating a third signal at the control circuity when the amount of the aerosolizable material is determined as reaching, or falling below, a third predetermined amount, wherein the third predetermined amount is less than the second predetermined amount. 
 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the third signal is an indication to replace the yet another second consumable part. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the third signal is an indication to disable the operation of the vaporizer.