Aerosol provision device comprising a communication module for communicating to another aerosol provision device

Abstract

There is provided an aerosol provision device comprising: control circuitry for controlling an activation state of the aerosol provision device; a detector arranged to detect a property associated with the aerosol provision device, aerosol generating material, in use arranged in the aerosol provision device, or user and provide a signal to the control circuitry; and, a communication module for communicating to at least one other aerosol provision device, wherein the control circuitry is arranged to send a signal, via the communication module, to the at least one other aerosol provision device based on the detected property reaching a predetermined value.

1 . An aerosol provision device comprising:
 control circuitry for controlling an activation state of the aerosol provision device;   a detector arranged to detect a property associated with the aerosol provision device, aerosol generating material, in use arranged in the aerosol provision device, or user and provide a signal to the control circuitry; and,   a communication module for communicating to at least one other aerosol provision device,   wherein the control circuitry is arranged to send a signal, via the communication module, to the at least one other aerosol provision device based on the detected property reaching a predetermined value.   
     
     
         2 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 1  wherein the property is at least one of:
 an electrical property of the aerosol provision device; 
 a physical property of the aerosol provision device; amount of aerosol generating material; and, 
 type of aerosol generating material. 
 
     
     
         3 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control circuitry is arranged to categorise the signal from the detector into a privacy ranking,   wherein the privacy ranking corresponds to a group of aerosol provision devices the control circuitry is arranged to send signals to, via the communication module,   wherein a first privacy ranking corresponds to a first group of aerosol provision devices and a second privacy ranking corresponds to a second group of aerosol provision devices,   wherein the first privacy ranking is different from the second privacy ranking and the first group of aerosol provision devices is different from the second group of aerosol provision devices.   
     
     
         4 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 3 , wherein a high privacy ranking corresponds to a high trust group of aerosol provision devices and wherein a low privacy ranking corresponds to a high and low trust group of aerosol provision devices. 
     
     
         5 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 4 , wherein a high privacy signal comprises information regarding an electrical property of the aerosol provision device, a physical property of the aerosol provision device, amount of aerosol generating material, and type of aerosol generating material and,
 wherein a low privacy signal comprises information regarding one of an electrical property of the aerosol provision device, a physical property of the aerosol provision device, amount of aerosol generating material, and type of aerosol generating material.   
     
     
         6 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication module is arranged to communicate to a database of stored contacts, wherein the database of stored contacts comprises a privacy ranking for each stored contact. 
     
     
         7 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is arranged to receive signals, via the communication module, from at least one other aerosol provision device, in response to sending a signal, via the communication module,
 wherein the control circuitry stores in a database accept signals associated with at least one other aerosol provision device.   
     
     
         8 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is arranged to, in response to receiving a signal from the communication module associated with at least one other aerosol provision device associated with an earlier accept signal, update the database. 
     
     
         9 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is arranged to update a trust value associated with a first aerosol provision device in the database, in response to receiving a predetermined number of accept signals from the first aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         10 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication module is arranged to use wireless communication. 
     
     
         11 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication module is arranged to use at least one of Bluetooth ™, Bluetooth Low Energy ™, ZigBee ™, WiFi ™, Wifi Direct ™, GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE, NFC, or RFID. 
     
     
         12 . A method of communicating one aerosol provision device with at least one other aerosol provision device, the method comprising:
 detecting, by a detector, a property associated with the aerosol provision device, aerosol generating material, in use arranged in the aerosol provision device, or user; and,   
       sending a signal, via a communication module of the aerosol provision device, by the control circuitry to at least one other aerosol provision device based on the detected property reaching a predetermined value. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the property is at least one of:
 an electrical property of the aerosol provision device;   a physical property of the aerosol provision device; amount of aerosol generating material; and,   type of aerosol generating material.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 12 , further comprising
 categorising, by the control circuitry, the signal from the detector into a privacy ranking, wherein the privacy ranking corresponds to a group of aerosol provision devices the control circuitry sends signals to, via the communication module,   wherein   sending a signal, via a communication module of the aerosol provision device, by the control circuitry to at least one other aerosol provision device based on the detected property reaching a predetermined value comprises:   sending a signal to at least one other aerosol provision device, based on the privacy ranking of the signal from the detector, and the associated privacy ranking of the at least one other aerosol provision device.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 12 , further comprising
 communicating, by communication module, with a database of stored contacts, wherein the database of stored contacts comprises a privacy ranking for each stored contact.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 12 , further comprising
 receiving, by the control circuitry, via the communication module, signals from at least one other aerosol provision device, in response to sending a signal, via the communication module, and,   storing, by the control circuitry, in a database, accept signals associated with at least one other aerosol provision device.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising
 updating the database, by the control circuitry, in response to receiving a signal from a communication module associated with at least one other aerosol provision device associated with an earlier accept signal.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising
 updating, by the control circuitry, a trust value associated with a first aerosol provision device in the database, in response to receiving a predetermined number of accept signals from the first aerosol provision device.   
     
     
         19 . An aerosol provision system comprising:
 an aerosol provision device comprising control circuitry for controlling an activation state of the aerosol provision device;   a detector arranged to detect a property associated with the aerosol provision device, aerosol generating material, in use arranged in the aerosol provision device, or user and provide a signal to the control circuitry; and,   a communication module for communicating to the aerosol provision device and at least one other aerosol provision device,   wherein the control circuitry is arranged to send a signal, via the communication module, to the at least one other aerosol provision device based on the detected property reaching a predetermined value.   
     
     
         20 . (canceled)