Refillable article and method

Abstract

A method for determining when a refillable article including an aerosol generator for generating aerosol from aerosol-generating material stored within the refillable article reaches a determined lifetime, the method including: identifying a cumulative operation value based on the cumulative operation of the aerosol generator of the article; comparing the cumulative operation value with a lifetime threshold; determining that the article reaches a determined lifetime when the cumulative operation value equals or surpasses the lifetime threshold, wherein at least one of the cumulative operation value and the lifetime threshold is based, in part, on a status of the article indicative of the usage of the article with respect to the amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article. Also described is a refillable article, an aerosol provision device, and a refilling unit.

1 . A method for determining when a refillable article comprising an aerosol generator for generating aerosol from aerosol-generating material stored within the refillable article reaches a determined lifetime, the method comprising:
 identifying a cumulative operation value based on the cumulative operation of the aerosol generator of the article;   comparing the cumulative operation value with a lifetime threshold;   determining that the article reaches a determined lifetime when the cumulative operation value equals or surpasses the lifetime threshold,   wherein at least one of the cumulative operation value and the lifetime threshold is based, in part, on a status of the article indicative of the usage of the article with respect to the amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cumulative operation value is based on at least one of: a number of activations of the aerosol generator, a cumulative active duration of the aerosol generator, and a cumulative amount of aerosol-generating material used by activating the aerosol generator. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the status of the article is a status of the article corresponding to one of: the status of the article during a current individual activation of the aerosol generator, and an average status of the article obtained over a previous number of activations of the aerosol generator. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the status of the article is indicative of the amount of aerosol-generating material contained within the article during operation of the aerosol generator. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein when the amount of aerosol-generating material contained within the article during operation of the aerosol generator is equal to or below a predetermined threshold, the cumulative operation value is increased or increases at a greater rate and/or the lifetime threshold is reduced. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the status of the article is indicative of the amount of aerosol-generating material contained within the article at the start of a previous refilling operation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein when the amount of aerosol-generating material contained within the article at the start of a previous refilling operation is equal to or below a predetermined threshold, the cumulative operation value is increased or increases at a greater rate and/or the lifetime threshold is reduced. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cumulative operation value is based, in part, on the status of the article. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cumulative operation value is based on the product of the cumulative operation of the aerosol generator and the status of the article. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein identifying the cumulative operation value includes:
 determining a parameter indicative of a current individual activation of the aerosol generator;   multiplying the parameter indicative of the current individual activation of the aerosol generator by the status of article;   adding the resulting product to a previous cumulative operation value obtained prior to the current individual activation of the aerosol generator.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lifetime threshold is based on the status of the article state, and the method further comprises determining a lifetime threshold based on the status of the article. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the lifetime threshold is determined based on altering a predetermined value representing a default lifetime threshold using the status of the article. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein identifying the cumulative operation value includes:
 determining a parameter indicative of current individual activation of the aerosol generator;   multiplying the parameter indicative of the current individual activation of the aerosol generator with the status of the article;   adding the resulting product to a previous cumulative operation value obtained prior to the current individual activation of the aerosol generator.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further includes preventing further activation of the aerosol generator when it is determined that the article reaches a determined lifetime. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the article is a refillable article adapted to be refilled with aerosol-generating material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method further includes preventing further refilling of the article when it is determined that the article reaches a determined lifetime. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the cumulative operation value and the lifetime threshold based, in part, on the status of the article indicative of the usage of the article with respect to the amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article is provided to the user. 
     
     
         18 . A refillable article for use with a refilling unit to refill the article with aerosol-generating material, and for use with an aerosol provision device for generating aerosol from the aerosol-generating material for user inhalation, the article comprising:
 a storage area for storing aerosol-generating material;   an aerosol generator for generating aerosol from the aerosol-generating material; and   a data storing element configured to:
 store a cumulative operation value based on the cumulative operation of the aerosol generator of the article; and 
 store a status of the article indicative of the usage of the article during operation of the aerosol generator. 
   
     
     
         19 . The refillable article of  claim 18 , wherein the cumulative operation value is based on at least one of: a number of activations of the aerosol generator and a cumulative active duration of the aerosol generator, and a cumulative amount of aerosol-generating material used by activating the aerosol generator. 
     
     
         20 . The refillable article of  claim 18 , wherein the status of the article is a status of the article corresponding to one of: the status of the article during a current individual activation of the aerosol generator, and an average status of the article obtained over a previous number of activations of the aerosol generator. 
     
     
         21 . The refillable article of  claim 18 , wherein the status of the article is indicative of the amount of aerosol-generating material contained within the article during operation of the aerosol generator. 
     
     
         22 . The refillable article of  claim 18 , wherein the status of the article is indicative of the amount of aerosol-generating material contained within the article at the start of a previous refilling operation. 
     
     
         23 . An aerosol provision device for use with an article comprising an aerosol generator, wherein the aerosol provision device comprises:
 a power source configured to couple to an aerosol generator of the article when the article is engaged with the aerosol provision device;   a controller configured to control operations of the aerosol provision device, wherein the controller is configured to:   identify a cumulative operation value based on the cumulative operation of the aerosol generator of the article;   compare the cumulative operation value with a lifetime threshold;   determine that the article reaches a determined lifetime when the cumulative operation value equals or surpasses the lifetime threshold,   wherein at least one of the cumulative operation value and the lifetime threshold is based, in part, on the status of the article indicative of the usage of the article with respect to the amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article.   
     
     
         24 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 23 , wherein the aerosol provision device is configured to obtain the cumulative operation value from a data storing element of an article coupled to the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         25 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 23 , wherein the aerosol provision device is configured to identify the cumulative operation value by monitoring the activation of the aerosol generator of the article when the article is coupled to the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         26 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 23 , wherein the aerosol provision device is configured to obtain the lifetime threshold from a data storing element of an article coupled to the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         27 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 23 , wherein the aerosol provision device is configured to store and/or calculate the lifetime threshold. 
     
     
         28 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 23 , wherein the aerosol provision device is configured to prevent further activation of the aerosol generator when it is determined that the article coupled to the aerosol provision device reaches a determined lifetime. 
     
     
         29 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 23 , wherein the aerosol provision device is configured to cause the at least one of the cumulative operation value and the lifetime threshold based, in part, on the status of the article indicative of the usage of the article with respect to the amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article to be provided to the user. 
     
     
         30 . A refilling unit for refilling an article comprising an aerosol generator for use with an aerosol provision device, wherein the refilling unit comprises:
 an article port for receiving at least a refillable article;   an aerosol transfer mechanism for transferring aerosol-generating material to the refillable article received in the article port; and   a controller configured to control operations of the refilling unit, wherein the controller is configured to:
 identify a cumulative operation value based on the cumulative operation of the aerosol generator of the article; 
 compare the cumulative operation value with a lifetime threshold; 
 determine that the article reaches a determined lifetime when the cumulative operation value equals or surpasses the lifetime threshold, 
   wherein at least one of the cumulative operation value and the lifetime threshold is based, in part, on a status of the article indicative of the usage of the article with respect to the amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article.   
     
     
         31 . The refilling unit of  claim 30 , wherein the refilling unit is configured to obtain the cumulative operation value from a data storing element of an article coupled to the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         32 . The refilling unit of  claim 30 , wherein the refilling unit is configured to identify the status of an article, when coupled to the refilling unit, and cause the refilling unit to determine at least one of the cumulative operation value and the lifetime threshold, in part, on a obtained status of the article. 
     
     
         33 . The refilling unit of  claim 32 , wherein the refilling unit is configured to determine the amount of aerosol-generating material within the refilling unit prior to refilling the article with aerosol-generating material as the status of the article. 
     
     
         34 . The refilling unit of  claim 30 , wherein the refilling unit is configured to prevent further refilling of an article coupled to the refilling unit when it is determined that the article coupled to the refilling unit reaches a determined lifetime. 
     
     
         35 . The refilling unit of  claim 30 , wherein the refilling unit is configured to cause the at least one of the cumulative operation value and the lifetime threshold based, in part, on the status of the article indicative of the usage of the article with respect to the amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article to be provided to the user. 
     
     
         36 . A refillable article for use with refilling means to refill the article with aerosol-generating material, and for use with an aerosol provision means for generating aerosol from the aerosol-generating material for user inhalation, the article comprising:
 storage means for storing aerosol-generating material;   aerosol generator means for generating aerosol from the aerosol-generating material; and   data storing means configured to:
 store a cumulative operation value based on the cumulative operation of the aerosol generator of the article; and 
 store a status of the article indicative of the usage of the article during operation of the aerosol generator means. 
   
     
     
         37 . Aerosol provision means for use with an article comprising aerosol generator means, wherein the aerosol provision means comprises:
 power means configured to couple to aerosol generator means of the article when the article is engaged with the aerosol provision means;   controller means configured to control operations of the aerosol provision means, wherein the controller is configured to:
 identify a cumulative operation value based on the cumulative operation of the aerosol generator means of the article; 
 compare the cumulative operation value with a lifetime threshold; 
 determine that the article reaches a determined lifetime when the cumulative operation value equals or surpasses the lifetime threshold, 
   wherein at least one of the cumulative operation value and the lifetime threshold is based, in part, on the status of the article indicative of the usage of the article with respect to the amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article.   
     
     
         38 . Refilling means for refilling an article comprising aerosol generator means for use with aerosol provision means, wherein the refilling means comprises:
 receiving means for receiving at least a refillable article;   aerosol transfer means for transferring aerosol-generating material to the refillable article received in the receiving means; and   controller means configured to control operations of the refilling means, wherein the controller means is configured to:
 identify a cumulative operation value based on the cumulative operation of the aerosol generator of the article; 
 compare the cumulative operation value with a lifetime threshold; 
 determine that the article reaches a determined lifetime when the cumulative operation value equals or surpasses the lifetime threshold, 
   wherein at least one of the cumulative operation value and the lifetime threshold is based, in part, on a status of the article indicative of the usage of the article with respect to the amount of aerosol-generating material stored in the article.