Method of operating an aerosol-generating system

Abstract

A method of operating an aerosol-generating system is provided, the aerosol-generating system including a heater, an aerosol-generating device, and an aerosol-generating article engageable with, and disengageable from, the aerosol-generating device; and the method including: a first determining step of determining whether or not an aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device belongs to a first group of aerosol-generating articles, then, if the first determining step determines that the aerosol-generating article belongs to the first group of aerosol-generating articles, beginning a step of pre-heating the heater, and then a second determining step of determining whether or not the aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device belongs to the first group of aerosol-generating articles.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating an aerosol-generating system,
 the aerosol-generating system comprising:
 a heater, 
 an aerosol-generating device, and 
 an aerosol-generating article engageable with, and disengageable from, the aerosol-generating device; and 
   the method comprising:
 a first determining step of determining whether or not an aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device belongs to a first group of aerosol-generating articles, then 
 if the first determining step determines that the aerosol-generating article belongs to the first group of aerosol-generating articles, beginning a step of pre-heating the heater, and then 
 a second determining step of determining whether or not the aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device belongs to the first group of aerosol-generating articles. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises an identifier comprising a light source, and one or both of the first determining step and the second determining step comprises the light source illuminating the aerosol-generating article with light. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the light source is an infrared light emitting diode. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the identifier further comprises a light receiver, and one or both of the first determining step and the second determining step further comprises, after the light source illuminating the aerosol-generating article with light, the light receiver receiving light reflected or emitted by the aerosol-generating article. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the light receiver is a photodiode. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein one or both of the first determining step and the second determining step further comprises analyzing the light received by the light receiver to determine whether or not the aerosol-generating device belongs to the first group of aerosol-generating articles. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the first group of aerosol-generating articles comprises a plurality of sub-groups, and the first determining step comprises determining which of the plurality of sub-groups, if any of the plurality of sub-groups, the aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device belongs to. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the first group of aerosol-generating articles comprises a plurality of sub-groups, and the second determining step comprises determining which of the plurality of sub-groups, if any of the plurality of sub-groups, the aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device belongs to. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 further comprising, prior to the first determining step, a presence determining step of determining whether an aerosol-generating article is engaged with the aerosol-generating device,   wherein the first determining step is carried out only if the presence determining step determines that an aerosol-generating article is engaged with the aerosol-generating device.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising, following the first determining step, if the first determining step determines that the aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device does not belong to the first group of aerosol-generating articles, preventing beginning the step of pre-heating the heater until the first determining step is repeated and determines that the aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device does belong to the first group of aerosol-generating articles. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the second determining step:
 occurs a predetermined time after beginning or finishing the step of pre-heating the heater, or   begins or occurs during the step of pre-heating the heater, or   is triggered by completion of the step of pre-heating the heater.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the second determining step occurs after the step of pre-heating the heater has finished. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising, following the second determining step, if the second determining step determines that the aerosol-generating article belongs to the first group of aerosol-generating articles, a main heating step during which at least a portion of the aerosol-generating article is heated so as to form an aerosol. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising, following the second determining step, if the second determining step determines that the aerosol-generating article does not belong to the first group of aerosol-generating articles, preventing a main heating step until the second determining step is repeated and determines that the aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device does belong to the first group of aerosol-generating articles. 
     
     
         30 . An aerosol-generating device configured to engage with, and disengage from, an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, the aerosol-generating device comprising:
 at least a portion of a heater configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is engaged with the aerosol-generating device;   an identifier configured to determine whether or not an aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device belongs to a first group of aerosol-generating articles; and   a controller configured to control the aerosol-generating device to performing:
 a first determining step of determining whether or not an aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device belongs to a first group of aerosol-generating articles, then 
 if the first determining step determines that the aerosol-generating article belongs to the first group of aerosol-generating articles, beginning a step of pre-heating the heater, and then 
 a second determining step of determining whether or not the aerosol-generating article engaged with the aerosol-generating device belongs to the first group of aerosol-generating articles.