Patent ID: 8561604

Claim:
A method for aerosolizing a liquid, the method comprising: providing an aerosolization device comprising an aerosol generator, an inhalation sensor, an acoustic chamber, and control circuitry, wherein the aerosol generator comprises a plate having a plurality of apertures and a vibratable element that is mechanically linked to the plate, wherein the vibratable element is configured to vibrate the plate, wherein the plate is non-planar in geometry, and wherein the acoustic chamber is adapted to produce an audible signal that has an acoustic tone during inhalation; sensing a user inhalation with the sensor based on the acoustic tone, wherein the acoustic tone is proportional to the inhalation; transmitting an electrical signal indicating the inhalation to the control circuitry; sending a signal from the control circuitry to vibrate the vibratable element only when the inhalation reaches a threshold amount; and sending a second signal from the control circuitry to control a rate of liquid delivered to the vibratable element such that aerosolized liquid is produced at a rate corresponding to a rate of the inhalation.