Patent Description:
The term electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, is usually applied to a handheld electronic device that simulates the feeling or experience of smoking tobacco in a traditional cigarette. Commonly cigarettes work by heating an aerosol-generating liquid to generate the aerosol that forms a vapour, which is then inhaled by the user.

Accordingly, using e-cigarettes is sometimes also referred to as "vaping". The aerosol-generating liquid in the electronic cigarette usually comprises nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin and flavourings. Apart from liquids, also other types of consumables are used in electronic cigarettes such as, for example, tobacco that is subjected to a heat-not-burn procedure.

One important characteristic of the electronic cigarette is a temperature to which the consumable is heated to generate the aerosol. This temperature is also referred to as a "vaping temperature". The vaping temperature can have a significant impact on the users vaping experience for multiple reasons. Excessive heating can change, in particular negatively, the taste of the vapour, increase the temperature of the inhaled vapour to an uncomfortable level, cause faster consumption of the consumable, in particular of the aerosol-generating liquid, and may cause more rapid degradation of the components of the electronic cigarette.

With the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes, also the number of available types of consumables continues to increase. Achieving accurate temperature control can prove difficult for users. Some existing electronic cigarettes offer manual temperature control; this, however, requires the user to know up to which temperature the consumable should be heated. Given the large variety of compounds and flavours that make up consumables of electronic cigarettes, the specific value can be very difficult to identify and can require a time-consuming process of trial and error on the part of the user.

<CIT> describes an electronic cigarette into which a cartridge is insertable. An electromechanical interface connection may convey a resistance measurement from the cartridge to the electronic cigarette. The resistance measurement conveyed from the cartridge may serve to modulate activation parameters of the electronic cigarette such as a peak activation temperature.

<CIT> describes an e-vaping device where the control of the temperature is based on the measured electrical resistance.

<CIT> describes an electronic cigarette that includes a shell and a cartomizer receivable within a chamber within a portion of the shell. A connector may be provided to make electrical contact to electrical circuitry of the cartomizer inserted into the electronic cigarette. The connector may include a controlling pin used to detect variations in voltage drop across the pin when connected to various types of cartomizers. Depending on different voltage drops, the type of the cartomizer may be identified.

<CIT> describes a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising a temperature regulator. A resistive heating element and thermistor are provided to monitor and precisely control the vaporisation temperature.

The prior art documents cited in the foregoing either do not allow to regulate the heating temperature of the electronic cigarette specifically depending on a type of consumable inserted into the electronic cigarette or do so in a comparatively error-prone way. It is known that voltage measurements and resistance measurements are temperature-dependent and so the measuring of a voltage drop or a resistance value of a consumable that is inserted into an electronic cigarette and will necessarily be heated or be situated close to a heating element may be less reliable than desired. The temperature of the consumable before it is inserted into the electronic cigarette may introduce undesirable errors into the measurements and this may lead to an incorrect vaping temperature.

In view of the above, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an electronic cigarette, a corresponding consumable, a smoking system and a method that allow precisely determining at least one operating parameter, in particular an optimal vaping temperature, for a consumable from the consumable itself in a robust and error-proof way.

It would also be advantageous to provide an authentication method in which an electronic cigarette, or an electronic smoking system, only operates when a specific type of consumable is used with the electronic cigarette.

The present invention solves at least the above-described problem by realising the detection of a certain type of consumable, for example a cartridge, based on a mechanical arrangement of electrical contact points of the electronic cigarette and corresponding electrically conductive patterns arranged at the consumable that indicate or encode operating parameters of the consumable, for example, an optimal heating temperature.

The invention provides an electronic cigarette with the features as set out in claim <NUM>, an electronic smoking system with the features as set out in claim <NUM> and a method of operating an electronic smoking system with the features as set out in claim <NUM>.

Accordingly, the invention provides, according to a first aspect, an electronic cigarette comprising:.

The heater may comprise a plurality of individual heating elements.

In the following, advantageous features of embodiments are described. It should be understood that any or all of these features may, if not explicitly stated otherwise, refer to one and the same embodiment. In other words, features described in the following may be freely combined or used as variants of one another.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the at least two electrical contact points are located inside the receiving cavity. In this way, the electrical contact points are protected from external influences, and the conductive surface can be provided in such a way on the removable consumable that it is completely covered by the main body when the consumable is completely inserted into the receiving cavity.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the heating circuit and the control circuit are connected in series. In other advantageous embodiments or variants, the heating circuit and the control circuit are connected in parallel.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the open control circuit comprises a plurality of closable branches. More preferably, each branch of the open control circuit is provided with a pair of electrical contact points. In other words, different ones of the closable branches are closed depending on which pair of electrical contact points is electrically connected by an electrically conductive element.

It should be understood that a closable branch is arranged in particular such that an electrically conductive element (such as an electrically conductive surface) can close the branch, preferably at the pair of electrical contact points, so as to complete a (and thus generated a closed) electrical circuit.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, a first electrical contact point and a second electrical contact point within each pair are provided at the same longitudinal position in the receiving cavity, and the plurality of pairs are provided at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the receiving cavity. In this way, electrically conductive elements with an extension perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the receiving cavity may be configured such as to connect the electrical contact points of one, and only of a single one, of the pairs of electrical contact points.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the branches of the electrical control circuit are realized as heating circuits, wherein the heating circuits deliver electrical energy (or: electrical current) to heating elements based on an electrical resistance of the respective heating circuit. In other words, a certain electrical resistance of each heating circuit at a specific time may determine how much electrical current is provided to a respective heating circuit. Thus, effects that change the electrical resistance, for example temperature changes, can be used to indirectly control how much electrical current is provided to the heating circuits.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the control circuit comprises, set within each of its branches, at least one positive temperature coefficient, PTC, thermistor. Preferably, each PTC thermistor has a different Curie temperature. Since the resistance of the thermistors rises strongly at the Curie temperature, this may be used to realize that each heating circuit essentially, or completely, stops to provide electrical energy to the heater (or to a specific heating element of the heater) after the heating circuit itself has reached its corresponding Curie temperature. This realizes a simple yet efficient regulation of the temperature of the heating circuit to its Curie temperature.

Thus, more preferably, each PTC thermistor is arranged to be subject to heat when the consumable is being heated by the heater such that the electrical resistance of the respective heating circuit depends on the temperature to which the consumable is heated.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the heater is located within the consumable.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the heater is located in the main body of the electronic cigarette, preferably within the receiving cavity. In this way, the consumable can be produced cheaper.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the electrical circuitry further comprises a controller, wherein the controller is configured to sense which pair of electrical contact points is connected by a conductive surface on the consumable. The controller is preferably further configured to set an operating temperature to which the heater heats a portion of the consumable based on which pair of the electrical contact points is connected. In other words, the regulation achieved in some of the above-described embodiments using the Curie temperature of heating circuits exposed to heat when the heater is active, can in these embodiments, refinements or variants be achieved digitally.

Instead of, as previously described, simply activating the heater until the rise of resistance with the Curie temperature temporarily blocks the electrical energy (until the heating circuit has slightly cooled), in these variants there is preferably a temperature sensor provided to provide the feedback for the digital regulation.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the controller is configured to set different heating profiles, according to which the heater heats the portion of the consumable. Each heating profile may comprise a temporal sequence of desired operating temperatures.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a consumable for an electronic cigarette (preferably for an electronic cigarette according to an embodiment of the first aspect), the consumable comprising a vaporizable substance and a housing, wherein the housing is provided with an electrically conductive pattern configured to close an open control circuit in (or: of) the electronic cigarette when contacted by a pair of at least two electrical contact points (which are electrically connected to the open control circuit) in the electronic cigarette.

This advantageously allows, when the electronic cigarette is configured according to an embodiment of the first aspect, encoding information about the type of consumable (e.g. properties of a content of the consumable such as a type of content, an amount of content and/or the like) and/or instructions for controlling the electronic cigarette in a way recommended for that particular consumable (e.g. comprising an optimal operating temperature for that particular consumable) in the way and geometric shape the electrically conductive pattern is arranged at, in, or on, the housing of the consumable.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the electrically conductive pattern is a continuous pattern which enables the consumable to close the open control circuit irrespectively of the angular position of the consumable in relation to the receiving cavity. In particular, the electrically conductive pattern may be formed in the shape of a straight line arranged on a flat, or on a curved, surface of the housing of the consumable.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the electrically conductive pattern is formed in the shape of a ring (i.e. as an electrically conductive ring pattern), positioned around the circumference of the consumable. In this way, regardless of how far the consumable is rotated along a longitudinal axis thereof, some part of the electrically conductive ring pattern will always connect two electrical contact points of the electronic cigarette that are arranged perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis. This makes the smoking system comprising the electronic cigarette and the consumable very easy to use as a user does not have to spend a lot of time finding the exact arrangement required when inserting the consumable into the receiving cavity of the electronic cigarette. Instead, aligning the longitudinal axis of the consumable (to which the electrically conductive ring pattern is arranged perpendicularly) with a longitudinal axis of the receiving cavity of the electronic cigarette is sufficient as no axial turning or fine-tuning is necessary.

In some advantageous embodiments, refinements or variants, the electrically conductive pattern is at least partially printed onto an outer layer of the consumable. In this way, the consumable can be produced comparatively cheaply, and a large variety of different shapes for the electrically conductive pattern can be realized. Preferably, the electrically conductive pattern is printed using an ingredient selected from the group comprising graphene and metallic nanoparticle ink. The inventors have found that these ingredients provide an electrically conductive pattern (e.g. in ring shape) with excellent conductive properties while still being resilient under external influences.

According to a third aspect, the invention provides an electronic smoking system comprising an electronic cigarette according to an embodiment of the first aspect and a consumable according to an embodiment of the second aspect.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention provides a method of operating an electronic smoking system (in particular an electronic smoking system according to an embodiment of the third aspect), the smoking system comprising an electronic cigarette (preferably according to an embodiment of the first aspect) and a consumable (preferably according to an embodiment of the second aspect) including an electrically conductive pattern provided at least partially on an outside of the consumable, the method comprising the steps of:.

The method according to the fourth aspect is also a method for authenticating a consumable in that the electronic cigarette (and, accordingly, the electronic smoking system) only operates when a specific type of consumable is inserted into the receiving cavity, namely a consumable that is configured such that its electrically conductive pattern closes at least one of the different branches of the control circuit of the electronic cigarette.

For a more complete understanding of the invention and the advantages thereof, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:.

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate particular embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as they become better understood with reference to the following detailed description.

It will be appreciated that common and/or well understood elements that may be useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are not necessarily depicted in order to facilitate a more abstracted view of the embodiments. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily illustrated to scale relative to each other. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps in an embodiment of a method may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrences while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used in the present specification have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study, except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

With reference to <FIG> of the drawings, an electronic cigarette <NUM> according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, a consumable <NUM> according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention and a smoking system <NUM> according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention are described.

The system <NUM> comprises both the electronic cigarette <NUM> and the consumable <NUM>. <FIG> shows a state in which the consumable <NUM> is currently being inserted into the electronic cigarette <NUM>, and <FIG> shows a state in which the consumable <NUM> has been fully and correctly received in the electronic cigarette <NUM>.

The electronic cigarette <NUM> comprises a main body <NUM> which may be formed in an elongated shape as shown in <FIG>. The main body <NUM> comprises a mouthpiece <NUM>, through which an aerosol formed by the electronic cigarette <NUM> can be inhaled.

The main body <NUM> further comprises an opening <NUM> leading into a receiving cavity <NUM>. Through the opening <NUM> a consumable <NUM>, for example a cartridge <NUM> or another type of container containing an aerosol-generating liquid or another active ingredient may be inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM>, in particular in a releasably locked way.

The electronic cigarette <NUM> further comprises electrical circuitry <NUM>. The electrical circuitry <NUM> includes a control circuit <NUM> configured to control at least one operating parameter, preferably a heating profile according to which the consumable <NUM>, or at least a portion of the consumable <NUM>, is heated during smoking (i.e. during use of the electronic cigarette <NUM>).

The control circuit <NUM> comprises at least one pair, preferably a plurality of, pairs of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i which are configured to establish electrical contact with a conductive surface portion, in particular with an electrically conductive pattern <NUM>, of the consumable <NUM>. The electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i are preferably arranged inside the receiving cavity <NUM> such that, when the consumable <NUM> is inserted (and preferably releasably locked) within the receiving cavity <NUM>, the electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i engage with the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>, i.e. at least one electrical connection is created.

In the embodiment of <FIG>, the electrical circuitry <NUM> comprises four pairs of electrical contact points: a first pair having a first electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM> and a second electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM>, a second pair having a first electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM> and a second electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM>, a third pair having a first electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM> and a second electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM> and a fourth pair having a first electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM> and a second electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM>. Preferably, each contact point is only part of one pair of contact points. In other alternatives, however, one or more contact points may be shared by two or more pairs.

As shown in <FIG>, the pairs of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i are arranged such that different pairs of the electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i are engaged by differently shaped and/or differently positioned electrically conductive patterns <NUM>. Specifically, in the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the electrical contact points of each pair of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i are arranged at the same longitudinal distance from the opening <NUM>, whereas the pairs are arranged at different longitudinal distances from the opening <NUM>.

In other words, each first electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> of each pair is arranged at the same longitudinal distance from the opening as the corresponding second electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, whereas each first electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> is arranged at a different longitudinal distance from the opening <NUM> from each other first electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and each second electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> is arranged at a different longitudinal distance from the opening <NUM> than each other second electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>.

As will become evident in the following, other arrangements of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i are possible and may be advantageous. For example, all pairs of electrical contact points may have the same first electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM>, whereas the second electrical contact points <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> are arranged at different longitudinal distances from the opening <NUM> as described in the foregoing.

Referring again to <FIG>, the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> of the consumable <NUM> is formed as an electrically conductive strip, preferably as an electrically conductive ellipsis, in particular a circle, circling the circumference of the consumable <NUM>, more preferably as an electrically conductive circle circling the circumference of the consumable <NUM>.

The electrically conductive pattern <NUM> is preferably formed only on the outer surface of the consumable <NUM>, where it is easily applied during production of the consumable <NUM>. More preferably, the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> is printed onto the outer surface of the consumable <NUM> or onto a material that is, during production of the consumable <NUM>, going to be shaped such as to form the outer surface of the consumable <NUM>, e.g. on a sheet or piece of paper.

Advantageously, electrically conductive ink can be used for printing the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>, preferably graphene-based ink or nanoparticle ink, more preferably silver nanoparticle ink.

The electrically conductive pattern <NUM> may have only one continuous conductive surface portion or may comprise more than one separate conductive portions, for example to connect more than one pair of electrical contact points. More than one separate conductive portions on the surface of the consumable <NUM> may or may not be electrically connected within the consumable <NUM>, wherein additional electronic components such as sensors, resistors, heaters, power sources and the like may be connected between such separate but electrically connected conductive portions.

In particular when the electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i are arranged as described with respect to <FIG>, it is preferred that consumable <NUM> is formed, at least in a portion of the consumable <NUM> comprising the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>, rotationally symmetrically around a rotational symmetry axis A that is parallel to the direction of insertion of the consumable <NUM> into the opening <NUM> and/or the receiving cavity <NUM>.

More preferably, the consumable <NUM> is formed completely rotationally symmetrically along said rotational symmetry axis A and/or the receiving cavity <NUM> is formed rotationally symmetrically along the same rotational symmetry axis A. This has the advantage that it does not matter how the consumable <NUM> is rotated along the axis A when it is inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM> which greatly simplifies the handling of the consumable <NUM> by the user.

Preferably, the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> is realized as an electrically conductive ring circling the outer surface of the consumable <NUM>, wherein the electrically conductive ring is arranged in parallel to a virtual plane to which the rotational symmetry axis A is perpendicular. In this way, it also does not matter how the consumable <NUM> is rotated when it is inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM>: the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> will always establish an electrical connection with both electrical contact points of any pair of electrical contact points that is arranged at such a distance from the opening <NUM> that said pair and the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> are at the same longitudinal position when the consumable <NUM> is correctly inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM>.

That the consumable <NUM> is arranged at the correct longitudinal position as a result of being inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM> may be achieved by way of an engaging portion of the receiving cavity <NUM> (or of the main body <NUM>) which eventually stops the movement of the consumable <NUM> into the receiving cavity <NUM>. Whenever in the foregoing or in the following the distance from the opening <NUM> is mentioned, it should be understood that instead also the distance from said engaging portion may be used instead as a measurement of the longitudinal position of any element.

<FIG> illustrates how the consumable <NUM> is designed and provided such that, as an example, when it is inserted fully and correctly into the receiving cavity <NUM>, the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> formed as an electrically conductive ring engages the first and the second electrical contact points <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> of the second pair of electrical contact points.

From the foregoing, it is evident that different consumables <NUM> may be provided with electrically conductive pattern <NUM> at different locations and/or having different shapes such that different pairs of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i are electrically connected by the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> when the consumable <NUM> is inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM>. Specifically with respect to the embodiment shown in <FIG>, if the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> were e.g. provided closer to a front end of the consumable <NUM> with which the consumable <NUM> is inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM>, then the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> could engage with the first and second electrical contact points <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> of the first pair of electrical contact points.

Thus it is possible to encode information in the position of the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> on the consumable <NUM>. The encoded information may then be decoded by a controlling structure that is configured to control a heater <NUM> for heating the consumable <NUM> or a portion thereof. The decoding may be realized, as in the embodiment of <FIG>, in an electromechanical way, but may additionally, or alternatively, also be realized in a digital way, as will be described with respect to <FIG> hereafter.

With respect to <FIG>, it is further illustrated that the control circuit <NUM> is open and is only closed, or closable, when both electrical contact points of at least one of the pairs of electrical contact points are engaged by the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>. Depending on the design and arrangement of the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>, different branches or parts of the control circuit <NUM> may be closed, or closable, when the consumable <NUM> is inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM>. Preferably, each pair of electrical contact points may be configured to close a different closable branch of the control circuit <NUM>.

Hence, in order to operate the smoking system <NUM>, a pair of the electrical contact points need to be connected to the electrically conductive pattern to close at least one branch of the control circuit <NUM>. This has a further advantage that only consumables with a particular conductive pattern enable the use of the electronic cigarette <NUM>. This will allow the electronic cigarette <NUM> to provide an authentication of the consumable <NUM>.

It should be understood that the electronic cigarette <NUM> may be provided with a user interface comprising e.g. an ON/OFF control (such as an ON/OFF switch) and that the control circuit <NUM> is preferably only closable when the ON/OFF control is in the ON position and is not closable when the ON/OFF control is in the OFF position. In the following the invention will be further described without mentioning the ON/OFF control; whenever it is described that a circuit is closable or closed, this is meant to be understood as pertaining to the case when the ON/OFF control is in the ON position for embodiments that comprise an ON/OFF control.

The control circuit <NUM> is connected to, or arranged as, a heating circuit that provides electrical energy to a heater <NUM> configured to heat at least a portion of the consumable <NUM> such as to generate the aerosol. The heater <NUM> may be arranged within the main body <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, or within the consumable <NUM>. In the latter case, the heater may be electrically coupled between two separate conductive portions of the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>.

In the described embodiment the heater <NUM> is configured such that a temperature to which the heater <NUM> is adapted to heat the portion of the consumable <NUM> ("vaping temperature" or "operating temperature") is controlled by the electrical current running through the heater <NUM>. The heater <NUM> may e.g. be realized as an Ohmic heating element.

Each closable branch of the control circuit <NUM> preferably comprises a different temperature-dependent total electrical resistance and is configured to supply, when closed by the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>, the heater <NUM> with electrical energy. An electrical power source <NUM> for supplying said electrical energy, when the control circuit <NUM> is closed, may be arranged within the consumable <NUM> and/or within the main body <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>.

The closable branches of the control circuit <NUM> are provided and formed such that heat provided by the heater also increases the temperature of at least a portion of the closable branches, thereby altering their temperature-dependent total electric resistance.

This may be realized by arranging temperature-dependent resistors with different temperature-dependent resistance profiles within the different branches of the control circuit <NUM>. Preferably, the temperature-dependent resistors are positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistors with different temperature-dependent resistance profiles.

With PTC thermistors, resistance increases as temperature rises, preferably in such a way that the resistance rises suddenly at a certain critical temperature which is called the Curie temperature. The thermistors may e.g. be made from doped polycrystalline ceramic (containing barium titanate (BaTiO3) and other compounds) or may be realized as polymer PTC thermistors.

In <FIG>, a variant is illustrated in which four thermistors <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> (designated jointly as <NUM>-i) are coupled in electrical series. The closable branches of the control circuit <NUM> are coupled such to that electrical series that each closable branch of the control circuit <NUM> contains a different number of thermistors <NUM>-i.

Connected in series between the electrical contact points <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> of the first pair of electrical contact points (i.e. in a first closable branch of the control circuit <NUM>) is only a first thermistor <NUM>-<NUM>. Connected in series between the electrical contact points <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> of the second pair of electrical contact points (i.e. in a second closable branch of the control circuit <NUM>) are the first thermistor <NUM>-<NUM> and a second thermistor <NUM>-<NUM>. Connected in series between the electrical contact points <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> of the third pair of electrical contact points (i.e. in a third closable branch of the control circuit <NUM>) are the first thermistor <NUM>-<NUM>, the second thermistor <NUM>-<NUM> and a third thermistor <NUM>-<NUM>. Connected in series between the electrical contact points <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> of the fourth pair of electrical contact points (i.e. in a fourth closable branch of the control circuit <NUM>) are the first thermistor <NUM>-<NUM>, the second thermistor <NUM>-<NUM>, the third thermistor <NUM>-<NUM> and a fourth thermistor <NUM>-<NUM>.

The heater <NUM> and the electrical power source <NUM> are preferably connected between the first electrical contact points <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM><NUM>-<NUM> of the pairs of electrical contact points on one side and the series of thermistors <NUM>-i on the other hand, more preferably in series.

Preferably, the first through fourth thermistors <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> are provided with increasing respective Curie temperatures Tc,<NUM> > Tc,<NUM> > Tc,<NUM> > Tc,<NUM>. Thus, when the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> closes the first closable branch comprising the first thermistor <NUM>-<NUM>, thereby supplying electrical power to the heater, the heater will increase its heat output until, by the same heat output, the first thermistor <NUM>-<NUM> is heated up to its Curie temperature Tc,<NUM>. At that time, the current through the first thermistor <NUM>-<NUM> will decrease sharply and the heat emission will be reduced accordingly, until the temperature of the first thermistor <NUM>-<NUM> is reduced below its Curie temperature Tc,<NUM>. In this way, a simple regulation of the temperature of the consumable <NUM>, or of the heated portion of the consumable <NUM>, is achieved. Depending on the spatial arrangement of the consumable <NUM>, the heater and the thermistors <NUM>-i, the vaping temperature of the consumable <NUM>, or the heated portion of the consumable <NUM>, may be the same as the corresponding Curie temperature Tc,<NUM> or may be higher or lower.

When, as shown in <FIG>, a consumable <NUM> is inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM> which engages with the second pair of electrical contact points <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, then the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> closes the second closable branch comprising the second thermistor <NUM>-<NUM> instead. The second thermistor <NUM>-<NUM> has a lower Curie temperature Tc,<NUM> than the first thermistor <NUM>-<NUM>, which is also part of the second branch of the control circuit <NUM> closed by the second pair of electrical contact points <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>.

Because of the lower Curie temperature Tc,<NUM> of the second thermistor <NUM>-<NUM>, the heater <NUM> will not reach the same temperature as in the previously described case. In the same way, closing the third or the fourth branch of the control circuit <NUM> will include the third and fourth thermistors <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, respectively, and thus lower the temperature of the heater <NUM>, and thereby the vaping temperature, even further. In this way, the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> of the consumable <NUM> may encode, in an electromechanical way, a predetermined optimal vaping temperature for that consumable <NUM>.

Alternatively, or additionally to the vaping temperature, other operating parameters of the electronic cigarette <NUM> and/or of the consumable <NUM> may be encoded by the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>. For example, a colour of a light-emitting element of the electronic cigarette <NUM> and/or of the consumable <NUM> may be set based on the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>. For example, in the embodiment shown in <FIG>, LEDs of different colours may be provided electrically between each second electrical contact point <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> and the respective thermistor <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> such that, by closing a specific branch of the control circuit <NUM>, a specific LED is also powered. The light-emitting elements may also be set in circuits separate from the heating/control circuit <NUM> and may be connected to the same electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i as the control circuit <NUM> and/or to other electrical contact points connectable by the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG> of the drawings, an electronic cigarette <NUM> according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, and a smoking system <NUM> according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention are described.

The electronic cigarette <NUM> and the system <NUM> of <FIG> differs from the embodiments described with respect to <FIG> in that the control circuit <NUM> of the electronic cigarette <NUM> comprises a controller <NUM> which acts as a controlling structure (instead of the thermistors <NUM>-i), and that the smoking system <NUM> comprises the electronic cigarette <NUM> instead of the electronic cigarette <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> may be implemented as only consisting of hardware, e.g. as comprising transistors, logic gates and other circuitry. Additionally, the controller <NUM> may be partially realized in terms of software. As such, the controller <NUM> may comprise a processor and a memory storing a software or a firmware that is executed by the processor. Signals may be received by an input interface of the controller <NUM> and signals that the processor of the controller <NUM> creates may be outputted by an output interface of the controller <NUM>. The controller <NUM> may be implemented as, or using, a microcontroller, an ASIC, an FPGA and so on, optionally in combination with a non-volatile memory. The physical elements that the controller <NUM> consists of, or uses, may optionally be shared with other pieces of hardware or software.

The controller <NUM> is configured to detect which of the pairs of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i is or are electrically connected by an electrically conductive pattern <NUM> of a consumable <NUM> inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM>. In some embodiments the controller <NUM> may be configured to, in addition, detect if any of the pairs of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i are connected by the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> of a consumable <NUM> inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM>. In such embodiments, the controller may comprise, or receive data from, a sensor configured to determine whether a consumable <NUM> is currently inserted into the receiving cavity <NUM>. That sensor may operate based on mechanical pressure, on optical measurements, on an electrical circuit being closed by the consumable <NUM> (e.g. by a second electrically conductive pattern in or on the consumable <NUM>) and so on.

Based on the pattern of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i detected to be connected by a particular electrically conductive pattern <NUM> (or, in other words, based on the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> of the inserted consumable <NUM>), the controller <NUM> may control operating parameters of the electronic cigarette <NUM> and/or of the consumable <NUM>.

In particular, the controller <NUM> may control any or all of the following operating parameters based on the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>:.

The controller <NUM> may have access to, preferably comprise, a database, in which different electrically conductive patterns <NUM> (or, in other words, patterns of closed pairs of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i) are related to settings and/or options for any or all of the controlled operating parameters. The database may be programmable and/or adjustable by a user, e.g. via a user interface of the electronic cigarette <NUM>. There may be operating parameters that the user may adjust some or all settings for and there may be operating parameters for which the user may adjust no settings.

For example, a user may be able to program that for a consumable <NUM> comprising a menthol-flavoured liquid (identified by its electrically conductive pattern <NUM>), a green light should be emitted from the electronic cigarette <NUM> but may be unable to change the optimal vaping temperature for said consumable <NUM> that has been predetermined and encoded in the database.

<FIG> is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method of operating a smoking system <NUM>; <NUM> according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the smoking system <NUM>; <NUM> comprises an electronic cigarette <NUM>; <NUM> and a consumable <NUM> including an electrically conductive pattern <NUM> provided at least partially on an outside of the consumable <NUM>.

The method described with respect to <FIG> may be performed with any or all of the previously described electronic cigarettes <NUM>; <NUM> and/or smoking systems <NUM>; <NUM> and/or consumables <NUM>. Accordingly, the method described with respect to <FIG> may be provided with any of the modifications, options and variations as described in the foregoing with respect to <FIG>, and vice versa. The method will be described partially using reference signs of <FIG>; however, the method is not restricted to the previously described electronic cigarettes, smoking systems and consumables.

In a step S10, a consumable <NUM> is inserted into a receiving cavity <NUM> of an electronic cigarette <NUM>; <NUM> with an electrically conductive pattern <NUM> provided at least partially on an outside of the consumable <NUM>. As has been described in the foregoing, the electrically conductive pattern <NUM> may preferably be provided exclusively on the outside of the consumable <NUM> and/or may be printed onto the consumable <NUM>, more preferably with one of the previously described inks and in one of the previously described shapes.

In a step S20, at least one pair of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i of the receiving cavity <NUM> of the electronic cigarette <NUM>; <NUM> is contacted by the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>, thereby closing at least one branch of a control circuit <NUM> of the electronic cigarette <NUM>; <NUM>. Preferably, exactly one pair of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i is closed by the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>.

In a step S30, at least one operating parameter of the electronic cigarette <NUM>; <NUM> and/or of the consumable <NUM> is set based on the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>.

Preferably, setting the at least one operating parameter includes the following sub-steps:
In an optional sub-step S31, a setting and/or an option for an operating parameter of the electronic cigarette <NUM> and/or of the consumable <NUM> may be determined based on the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>, for example in an electromechanical manner and/or thermoelectric manner (such as with thermistors as a controlling structure) and/or in a digital manner (such as with a controller <NUM> as a controlling structure).

In an optional sub-step S32, at least a portion of the consumable is heated by a heater <NUM> of the electronic cigarette <NUM>; <NUM> according to a heating profile based on which of the pairs of electrical contact points <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i has been electrically contacted by the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>, or, in other words, based on the electrically conductive pattern <NUM>.

Although specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

Claim 1:
An electronic cigarette (<NUM>; <NUM>) comprising:
a main body (<NUM>) having a receiving cavity (<NUM>) configured to receive a removable consumable (<NUM>) comprising a substance to be vaporized, and
an electrical circuitry (<NUM>),
wherein the electrical circuitry (<NUM>) comprises a heating circuit that is connectable to a heater (<NUM>) configured to supply energy to the consumable (<NUM>) such as to vaporize the substance, and
wherein the electrical circuitry (<NUM>) comprises an open control circuit (<NUM>) comprising and connected to at least two electrical contact points (<NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i) arranged as a pair and configured to establish a closed electrical circuit when they are in contact with a conductive surface on the removable consumable (<NUM>), the conductive surface being separate from the heater (<NUM>) , wherein the open control circuit (<NUM>) comprises a plurality of closable branches, wherein each branch of the open control circuit (<NUM>) is provided with a pair of electrical contact points (<NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i),
wherein the electrical circuitry (<NUM>) further comprises a controller (<NUM>), wherein the controller (<NUM>) is configured to sense which pair of electrical contact points (<NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i) is connected by a conductive surface on the consumable (<NUM>), and
wherein the controller (<NUM>) is further configured to set an operating temperature to which the heater (<NUM>) heats a portion of the consumable (<NUM>) based on which pair of the electrical contact points (<NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i, <NUM>-i) is connected.