Patent ID: 7164993

Claim:
A method for providing smoking topographical information, comprising: providing a portable smoking topography measurement unit having a smoking material holder, the portable smoking topography measurement unit being dockable with a docking station, while undocked from the docking station, the portable smoking topography measurement unit being adapted to perform the steps of: receiving a smoking material by the smoking material holder of the portable smoking topography measurement unit; detecting a puff of the smoking material; and measuring flow rate of smoke from the smoking material into a subject during said puff; computing puff information at least the detected puff at least one of prior to and/or after docking; computing smoking material information, wherein said computing smoking material information comprises at least one of: detecting the receipt of the smoking material into the smoking material holder; reading time of receipt of the smoking material from the real time clock to provide smoking material receipt time; incrementing a puff counter each time a puff is detected; detecting removal of the smoking material from the smoking material holder; and/or reading time of removal from the real time clock to provide smoking material removal time wherein said computing smoking material information further comprises reading the value of the puff counter after the smoking material is removed to provide the number of puffs per smoking material, and calculating time to first puff by determining the difference between smoking material receipt time and puff start time of first puff of the smoking material, and displaying at least one of the puff information and/or the smoking material information on a display.