Battery Level Indication for an Aeorosol Generating Device

Abstract

A method of indicating a battery level of a battery of an aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating substance contained in a consumable article, the method comprising the steps of: determining the amount of charge remaining in the battery; calculating the number of consumable articles that can be fully used with the determined amount of charge remaining in the battery; and displaying an information, said information indicating the calculated number of consumable articles that can be fully used with the determined amount of charge remaining in the battery.

1 . A method of indicating a battery level of a battery of an aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating substance contained in a consumable article, the method comprising the steps of:
 determining an amount of charge remaining in the battery;   calculating a number of consumable articles that can be fully used with the determined amount of charge remaining in the battery; and   displaying information, said information indicating the calculated number of consumable articles that can be fully used with the determined amount of charge remaining in the battery.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining comprises:
 determining a first value (Y) for the amount of charge remaining in the battery before a consumable article is used.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of determining further comprises:
 determining a second value (X) for the amount of charge remaining in the battery after the consumable article is fully used,   the method further comprising:   subtracting the second value (X) from the first value (Y),   determining an amount (Zx) of charge needed to fully use one consumable article by subtracting the second value (X) from the first value (Y), and   storing the determined amount (Zx) of charge needed to fully use one consumable article.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the step of determining and storing the amount (Zx) of charge needed to fully use one consumable article is performed each time a consumable article is fully used. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of
 calculating the number of consumable articles that can be fully used with the determined amount of charge remaining in the battery comprises:   dividing the first value (Y) with the last stored amount (Zx) of charge needed to fully use one consumable article to thereby obtain a first division result.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of
 calculating the number of consumable articles that can be fully used with the determined amount of charge remaining in the battery comprises:   calculating an average value of the amount (Zx) of charge needed to fully use one consumable article, and   dividing the first value (Y) with said average value of the amount (Zx) of charge needed to fully use one consumable article to thereby obtain a second division result.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of transmitting the amount of charge remaining in the battery to an electronic device, such that the step of calculating the number of consumable articles is performed by the electronic device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the electronic device is a smartphone or a charging case. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of displaying information indicating the calculated number of consumable articles that can be fully used with the determined amount of charge remaining in the battery comprises displaying a calculated number. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of displaying information indicating the calculated number of consumable articles that can be fully used with the determined amount of charge remaining in the battery comprises a step of illuminating one or more indicators based on said calculated number. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a predetermined number of indicators are arranged on the aerosol generation device,
 and the method further comprising:   determining an illumination pattern for the indicators based on the calculated number of consumable articles and a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining an illumination pattern for the indicators comprises determining a number of indicators to be illuminated of the predetermined number of indicators and determining a colour of illumination based on the calculated number of consumable articles and the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined number of indicators arranged on the aerosol generating device is four. 
     
     
         14 . An aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol comprising:
 a heating chamber configured so that a user can place a consumable article containing an aerosol generating substance into said heating chamber;   a heater configured to supply heat to the heating chamber to thereby heat the aerosol generating substance in the consumable article;   a battery configured to supply electrical power to the heater;   an output unit for displaying an information to the user; and   a control unit configured to carry out the method according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         15 . A system comprising an aerosol generating device according to  claim 14  and a charging case, said charging case comprising a display for displaying said calculated number.