EMBEDDED CARTRIDGE INFORMATION AND DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR VAPORIZERS

A system for securely displaying information to a user about vaporizer products. The system involves electronically embedding detailed information about the cartridge's contents, including strain names, profiles, and other chemical compositions, directly into a memory contained in the cartridge. The information may be communicated to a battery unit when the cartridge is connected thereto and authenticated by the battery unit. Once authenticated, the information may be presented on a display screen that is integrated into the battery unit and/or the cartridge itself. This display screen provides users with information about the cartridge's contents.

BACKGROUND

Vape cartridges have become increasingly popular for delivering vaporized substances to users. These cartridges often contain various ingredients, flavors, and potentially active compounds. While the packaging of vape cartridges typically lists important information about the cartridge's content, users frequently discard the packaging, leading to difficulties in identifying and distinguishing between cartridges. This lack of clear information poses health risks and challenges for users seeking consistent and safe vaping experiences. This disclosure aims to address these issues by integrating a display into the vape battery to showcase encoded information from the vape cartridge directly.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to an improved system for enhancing the user experience with vaporizer products. The system involves electronically embedding detailed information about the cartridge's contents, including strain names, profiles, and other chemical compositions, directly into the cartridge. The information may be presented on a display screen that is integrated into the vaporizer battery unit and/or the cartridge itself. This display screen provides users with information about the cartridge's contents.

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, a method of communicating information from a vape cartridge to a battery unit is disclosed. The method may include establishing a communication connection between the vape cartridge and the battery unit; authenticating the cartridge unit; upon a successful authentication of the cartridge unit, retrieving information from a memory of the cartridge; and displaying the information on a display of the battery unit.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a vape cartridge is disclosed. The vape cartridge may include a housing having a tip and sidewalls, a vapor outlet, a liquid reservoir coupled to the vapor outlet that has outer walls that holds vape oil, a memory that stores information about the vape oil contained in the liquid reservoir, and a communications interface that is adapted to be received by a second communications interface in a battery housing.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a battery unit is disclosed. The battery unit may include an engagement end adapted to receive a vape cartridge, a rechargeable battery, a body that receives the rechargeable battery, a communications interface adapted to receive information from a vape cartridge, a controller that authenticates the vape cartridge when connected thereto, and a display that displays information retrieved from an authenticated vape cartridge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure. As used in the specification, and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “comprising”, and variations thereof as used herein is used synonymously with the term “including” and variations thereof and are open, non-limiting terms. The terms “optional” or “optionally” used herein mean that the subsequently described feature, event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said feature, event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.

With reference toFIGS.1and2, the cartridge information and display system includes a cartridge100and a battery unit200. With reference toFIG.1there is illustrated a plan view of a non-limiting cartridge100of an electronic vape device. The cartridge100includes a vapor outlet50at one end thereof, which includes a tip40and sidewalls20and25, which could be sides or parts of the same cylindrical sidewall in some implementations.

The cartridge100further includes a liquid reservoir60for containing the vape oil. The vapor outlet50, in addition to sealing an end of an interior space of the liquid reservoir60, also provides a mouth-piece portion through which a user can draw vapor from the electronic vape device. The mouthpiece could be tapered, as shown, or otherwise shaped for a user's comfort. The present disclosure is not limited to any particular shape of the vapor outlet50. The vapor outlet50could be made from one or more materials including metal, ceramic, wood, or a combination thereof. However, other materials could also or instead be used.

The liquid reservoir60holds the vape oil prior to vaporization. The liquid reservoir60includes outer walls10and15, which could be a single wall such as a cylindrical sidewall. The outer walls10and15of the liquid reservoir60could be made from one or more transparent or translucent materials, such as medical grade glass, in order to enable a user to visibly determine the quantity of vape oil in the chamber.

The liquid reservoir60engages the vapor outlet50, and could be coupled to the vapor outlet50, via an engagement or connection at30. A gasket or other sealing member could be provided between the liquid reservoir60and the vapor outlet50to seal the vape oil in the liquid reservoir60. A stem65inside the liquid reservoir60. The stem65is a hollow tube or air channel through which vapor can be drawn into and through vapor outlet50. Materials such as stainless steel, other metal alloys, plastics and ceramics could be used for stems such as the stem65. The stem65couples the vapor outlet50via an engagement or connection (not shown).

FIG.1also illustrates a memory70that stores information about the vape oil contained within the liquid reservoir60, such as the chemical make-up, strain name, manufacturer details, ingredient list, safety information, and other pertinent data regarding the vape oil. Additional or fewer details may be stored in the memory. The memory70may include a cryptographic certificate that is used to confirm the information contained memory70about the vape oil contained in the cartridge100. The information may be encrypted, or otherwise encoded, to prevent tampering or counterfeiting. As will be described below, cartridge100includes an interface75that communicates the information contained stored in the memory70to the battery unit200, which has an integrated display to visually present the information to a user.

FIG.2shows the battery unit200that supplies power to the cartridge100. The battery unit200engages and the cartridge100via, e.g., a female engagement230defined within a receiving body220, which receives a male thread30present at an end of the cartridge100. In this implementation, the engagement230and thread30is a releasable engagement. In the implementation shown, the releasable engagement enables removal or disengagement of the battery unit200from the cartridge100to permit recharging of the battery contained within the elongated body210of the battery unit200.

The battery unit200generally includes circuitry to supply power to the cartridge100. For example, the battery unit200could include electrical contacts that connect to corresponding electrical contacts with the battery. The battery unit200could further include electrical contacts that connect to corresponding electrical contacts in the cartridge100. The battery unit200could reduce, regulate or otherwise control the power/voltage/current output from the battery. However, this functionality could also or instead be provided by the battery itself. The battery unit200could be made from one or more materials including metals, plastics, elastomers and ceramics, for example, to carry or otherwise support other base components such as contacts and/or circuitry. However, other materials could also or instead be used.

The battery unit200powers the vape device and allows powered components of the vape device, including at least the cartridge100, to operate. Other powered components could include, for example, one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), speakers or other indicators of device power status (on/off), device usage status (on when a user is drawing vapor), etc. In some implementations, speakers and/or other audible indicators could produce long, short or intermittent “beep” sounds as a form of indicator of different conditions.

As shown inFIG.2, the battery unit200further includes a controller255, an integrated display260, and interaction buttons265. The integrated display260may comprise an OLED or LCD screen, positioned on the exterior of the battery unit200. The display260is adapted to present textual and graphical information to users, such as information about the vape oil retrieved from the memory70that is contained in the cartridge100, as noted above. A communication interface250is provided to communicatively connect to the communications interface75of the cartridge100when the cartridge100is inserted into the battery unit200. The communications interface250may be an electrical connection, but may also utilize technologies such as Bluetooth, NFC, or other wireless protocols to interface with a mobile device in addition to or alternatively from the integrated display. Still further, the communications interface250may include a USB connection to enable the battery unit200to send and receive information through a host device, such as a computer or mobile device.

The communication interface250facilitates communication with compatible vape cartridges. For example, the battery unit200may establish communication with the cartridge100through the communication interfaces75and250by verifying the authenticity of the vape cartridge using information contained in the memory70, such as a cryptographic certificate. Once verified, the communication interface250retrieves encoded information from the cartridge's memory70. This information is processed by the controller255and displayed on the display260. Users can scroll through the displayed information using the provided interaction buttons265. This implementation provides many advantages, as the display260enables users to have access to information about the cartridge's content before using it. This information also enables users to identify potential allergens, verify the legitimacy of the cartridge, and make informed choices to avoid adverse health effects. Further, in addition to the cartridge's essential information, the display could also provide details about the anticipated effects of using a particular cartridge, enhancing user customization and decision-making.

The USB interface may be used to update cryptographic keys and/or certificates that are stored in a memory (not shown) of the battery unit200that are used by the controller255to verify the authenticity of the information in the memory70of the cartridge100. Upon connecting the battery unit200to a computer or other device, an application may recognize the controller255and perform an update to ensure that the battery unit200has current information to authenticate new and updated cartridges100. Similarly, cryptographic keys and/or certificates may be removed for cartridges100that are no longer supported. One of ordinary skill in the art would now recognize the benefits of providing an update functionality for the battery unit200in order to maintain current authentication information in the battery unit200.

With respect ofFIG.3, there is illustrated an example alternative implementation where the display260′ and interaction buttons265′ are provided on the cartridge100′. When attached to the battery unit200, this display260′ would be visible to the user, providing them with cartridge-specific information.

With reference toFIG.4, there is illustrated an example flow diagram of the operations400performed in accordance with the present disclosure. At402, when a user connects the cartridge100to the battery unit200, communications are established between the memory70in the cartridge100and the controller255in the battery unit200. The communication connection may be made using interfaces75and250

At404, the authenticity of the information contained in the memory70of the cartridge100is verified. The verification may utilize cryptographic keys or other data in memory70(or other location in the cartridge100) to authenticate the information and/or the cartridge100. If at406the verification fails, then at407a warning message may be displayed to the user. Optionally, the battery unit200may disable the use of the cartridge100.

If, at406, the verification passes, then at408, information may be retrieved from the cartridge100. At410, the information is displayed on the display260of the battery unit200. As noted above, the information may be the cartridge's strain, terpenes, and chemical composition.

Optionally, at410, the battery unit's Bluetooth module connects with a mobile application running on a mobile device to enable users to record their preferences, experiences, and feedback about the vaporizer's effects. This data can be stored, reviewed, and shared for future reference. Also optionally at410, battery unit's USB connection may be used for similar purposes.

The vape battery with integrated display represents an advancement in safety in vaping technology, offering users immediate access to encoded information from connected cartridges. This innovation not only enhances safety and transparency but also empowers users to make informed choices, ultimately revolutionizing the vaping experience.

Moreover, the various components may be in communication via wireless and/or hardware or other desirable and available communication means, systems and hardware. Moreover, various components and modules may be substituted with other modules or components that provide similar functions.

Although example implementations of the present disclosure are explained in some instances in detail herein, it is to be understood that other implementations are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the present disclosure be limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present disclosure is capable of other implementations and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. For example, while the disclosure describes separate cartridges and battery units, aspects of the present disclosure may be applied to a device that includes both, such as e-cigarettes.