DESC:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and system for detecting and heating variant of aerosol generating article. Particularly, it relates to an aerosol-generating system comprising aerosol-generating article and the associated device wherein the article and the device are configured such that the presence of aerosol-generating article is detected by the device and the aerosol generating device triggers the pre-determined heating cycle basis the aerosol generating article variant inserted in the aerosol generating device.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Electrically heated aerosol generating products consist of an aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating device wherein the aerosol-generating article has an aerosol-generating substrate, cooling segment and the mouth end segment. The aerosol-generating device comprises a power source and an electronic controller.
Commercially available aerosol-generating products have multiple variants of aerosol-generating articles and consumers know it very well that they smoke significantly differently hence consumers remain unsatisfied with ‘one heating profile suits for all’ technology-based device.
It seems that the difference in aerosol generation between multiple variants is due to the chemical composition of the aerosol-generating substrates and it requires further fine-tuning of the heating profile to get the best out of those aerosol generating articles.
KR20220017267A describes sensor for recognizing an authentication code that is attached to a cigarette packet configured to include a plurality of cigarettes, and a controller setting the number of possible heating operations of the aerosol generating device to a number corresponding to the plural number on the basis of the recognition of the authentication code through the sensor.
WO2020100034A1 relates to an aerosol-generating device including a heater array and methods for use therewith may generate aerosol using aerosol- generating articles. The heater array includes a plurality of heating elements arranged about an aerosol-generating device to direct heat to an aerosol-generating article coupled thereto. At least one property of the aerosol-generating article may be identified and the aerosol-generating article may be heated using the heater array based on the identified at least one property. Property of the aerosol-generating article may include one or more of the size, shape, type, density, content, age, and brand of the aerosol-generating article.
WO2010073122A1 relates to an electrically heated smoking system comprising: a smoking article including identification information printed thereon; a cavity for at least partially receiving the smoking article; at least one heating element; a power supply for supplying power to the at least one heating element; electrical hardware connected to the power supply and the at least one heating element; and a detector capable of detecting the presence of the smoking article in the cavity and distinguishing the smoking article from other articles configured for use with the smoking system, based on the identification information printed on the smoking article. The electrical hardware is arranged to establish a heating protocol for the at least one heating element based on the particular smoking article identified by the detector. The identification information comprises one or more of: smoking article type, aerosol-forming substrate type, date of production, place of production, batch number and other production details, and use-by date.
There is a long felt need in the art to develop a method and system for detection and heating of variants of aerosol-generating articles and an aerosol-generating technology which can sense different variants and trigger the pre-defined heating cycle for that variant accordingly. Furthermore, it is important to capture the data in the aerosol-generating device and in any interactive interface devices such as mobile application. The present inventors have developed a method and system which ameliorates the aforesaid shortcomings of the prior art. None of the prior arts teaches auto detection of the aerosol-generating article variants based on the unique feature, e.g. color pattern, contained therein and configure the temperature profile of heating element basis the variant inserted.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an aerosol-generating system that overcomes the drawbacks of prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an aerosol-generating system for detection of different variants of aerosol-generating article and triggering the pre-defined heating cycle for that variant accordingly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an aerosol generating system configured for capturing data in the aerosol-generating device and in any interactive interface devices such as mobile application.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide heating profile of aerosol-generating article based on the detected variant of the said aerosol-generating article so as provide improved smoking experience, consumer satisfaction and enhance efficiency of the aerosol production and generation.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system for anti-counterfeiting of aerosol-generating articles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for detection of different variants of aerosol generating article and triggering the pre-defined heating cycle for that variant accordingly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method using Artificial intelligence (AI) based intervention which helps to auto calibrate the color (RGB) value ranges with respect to any environmental and/or day, night conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aerosol -generating system for aerosol article variant detection.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for detection of a variant type of the aerosol generating article and triggering heating cycle of aerosol-generating article.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the microcontroller of the aerosol generating device is programmed to activate the pre-configured temperature profile of the heating element based on the variant of aerosol generating article inserted inside the aerosol generating device.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method and system for detection and heating of variants of aerosol generating article based on RGB color sensor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure. 1 illustrates the Aerosol generating device with aerosol generating article configured with core heater.
Figure. 2 illustrates the Aerosol generating device with aerosol generating article configured with peripheral heater.
Figure. 3 Flowchart showing the Red-Green-Blue (RGB) sensor based auto configuration of the aerosol generating article.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary.
Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.
The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Features that are described and/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or in combination with or instead of the features of the other embodiments.
It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, components or groups thereof.
The term ‘aerosol-generating device' as used herein relates to a device that interacts with an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol. The aerosol-forming substrate forms a part of an aerosol-generating article, for example part of a smoking article. An aerosol-generating device may be a smoking device that interacts with an aerosol-forming substrate of an aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol that is directly inhalable into a user's lungs through the user's mouth.
The term “heating element” as used herein is any device, apparatus, or portion thereof configured to provide heat to an aerosol-generating article containing an aerosol-producing substrate to release volatile compounds from the aerosol-generating article to form an aerosol that may be inhaled by a user.
The term 'aerosol-forming substrate' as used herein relates to a substrate capable of releasing volatile compounds that can form an aerosol. Such volatile compounds may be released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate. An aerosol-forming substrate forms a part of an aerosol-generating article or smoking article.
The terms 'aerosol-generating article' and 'smoking article' as used herein refer to an article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate that is capable of releasing volatile compounds that can form an aerosol. For example, an aerosol-generating article may be a smoking article that generates an aerosol that is directly inhalable into a user's lungs through the user's mouth. An aerosol-generating article may be disposable. In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol generating article is a “stick” (for example heated tobacco sticks).
The term ‘aerosol-generating system’ as used herein is a combination of an aerosol-generating device and one or more aerosol-generating articles for use with the device.
The present invention is directed to heat-not-burn products i.e. the devices and methods are configured to sufficiently heat aerosol-generating articles to cause generation of an aerosol, without combusting the aerosol-generating articles.
The present invention relates to a method and system for detecting and heating aerosol article variant.
The device of the present invention can detect the aerosol-generating article variants and trigger the heating cycle pre-programmed for that variant.
Consumers of these kinds of products know that all variants of the aerosol-generating article do not provide the same aerosol delivery. This is predominantly due to the chemical and physical properties of the composition of the aerosol generating substrate and the construct of the aerosol-generating article.
The present invention discloses an electrically heated and not to be burnt, aerosol-generating article and the associated device wherein the article and the device are configured such that the presence of aerosol-generating article is detected by the device and perform as per the in-built program.
The aerosol-generating article of the present invention has a unique overt (i.e. visible on the body of the article) and/ or covert feature (i.e. inside body of article) which can be detected by a sensor present in the aerosol generating device through different technologies including but not limited to Near Field Communication (NFC), Color sensor, Optical Identity Detection (OID) such as QR code or Bar code, Hall sensor, Radio-frequency identification (RFID) and the like.
The unique feature can be further achieved by inserting ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material and other magnetic material in the aerosol-generating article which generates a specific voltage amplitude. The sensor present in the aerosol-generating device can detect the change in the voltage amplitude and if this matches the pre-defined range, the device can trigger specific heating cycle.
Some of the features can be pre-printed, printed during the manufacturing of the article or post printed. Yet in another embodiment, the feature can be pasted or inserted into the aerosol-generating article for identification.
The device can have the corresponding sensor to identify the feature. The sensors can be present in any place of the device and more specifically in the area which is in proximity to the aerosol-generating article such as the cavity and the cap.
In one of the embodiments, the present invention concerns the auto configuration of the aerosol smoking article. For e.g., once the article is inserted, based on the unique feature, for example, color band / color pattern contained on the article, it will be authenticated for the initiation of pre-defined heating cycle which is very specific to the color band / pattern. Auto configuration involves, when the system validates the color pattern (unique feature) and thereafter, initiates the pre-defined heating cycle, which is very specific to the color pattern present on the aerosol generating article.
The term, “pre-defined heating cycle” as used herein involves, for a particular variant, its pre-defined pre heating time and pre heating duration and multiple phases. Each phase will have its own pre-defined heating temperature for heating element and time duration. There will be multiple pre-defined heating cycles stored in the device. The device will trigger one of the heating cycles basis the variant of stick inserted.
The various heating cycles are designed based on the chemical and physical properties of the different types of aerosol-generating articles. The heating cycle may comprise one or more of: a maximum operating temperature for the heating element, a maximum heating time per puff, a minimum time between puffs, a maximum number of puffs per smoking article and a maximum total heating time for the smoking article.
The present invention further discloses capturing the data in the device and transferring the same to any interactive interface such as mobile app and the like.
Sensors present on the aerosol-generating device are hardware devices. The sensor comprises a receiver unit, a processing unit and communication unit. The receiver unit detects the color of the reflector present on the aerosol generating article based on the amount of light reflected by the reflector. The processing unit generates the analog voltage output. The generated voltage output is directly co-related to the amount of light received by receiving unit. The output of processing unit is communicated to the micro controller of the aerosol generating device through the communication unit present in the sensor. The microcontroller compares the received values of the communication unit with the programmed values stored in the memory chip. Accordingly, the microcontroller configures the temperature profile of the heating element for the individual variants of the aerosol generating article. The microcontroller is also responsible for capturing the data in the device and transferring the same to any interactive interface.
A non-limiting feature of present invention is detection and identification of the aerosol-generating article by the device. In an embodiment, the device can detect and identify the variant of the article and can perform the operation as per the pre-defined program. Yet another feature of the present invention is the detection of the aerosol-generating article and storing the data in the device and transfer to any interactive interface.
The present invention provides an aerosol-generating system for detecting and heating variants of aerosol-generating article comprising:
a. An aerosol-generating article with unique feature;
b. An aerosol-generating device with sensor;
Wherein the aerosol-generating device is configured to receive the aerosol-generating article;
Wherein, the sensor present in the aerosol-generating device detects the aerosol-generating article based on the unique feature and triggers the pre-defined heating cycle.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the unique feature is selected from coloured band or colour pattern, QR code, Bar code, Near Field Communication (NFC), Optical Identity Detection (OID), Radio-frequency identification (RFID), magnetic materials or combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the unique feature is coloured band or colour pattern.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the unique feature is pre-printed or printed during the manufacturing of article or post printed. In another embodiment, the unique feature is pasted or inserted into the aerosol generating article.
In an embodiment, the present invention utilizes artificial intelligence algorithm which helps to auto calibrate the color (RGB) value ranges with respect to any environmental and/or day, night conditions. In particular, artificial intelligence can be used to determine the specific analog voltage range for different color band / pattern printed on the aerosol generating article, and can automatically determine the bandwidth for a particular color to select the respective temperature profile. In an embodiment, the artificial intelligence algorithm calibrates the system and the article, regardless of the environmental conditions, be it day or night, with or without adequate lighting conditions, and seamlessly detects the aerosol generating article for its authenticity and auto configures the pre-defined heating cycle for that particular variant, which was inserted. If there is a mismatch between the color band (unique feature) present on the aerosol generating article and the RGB values, the artificial intelligence algorithm will not proceed to trigger the pre-defined temperature profile for the said aerosol generating article that was inserted.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor in the aerosol generating device is selected from RGB color sensors, QR and bar code detectors, NFC sensor, OID sensor, RFID sensor, hall sensors (magnetic) or combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the sensor is a RGB color sensor which is accurate, cheap and suitable in size for detection of variant of aerosol generating article.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor is positioned in the cavity or cap of the aerosol-generating device.
The present invention also provides a method of detecting and heating variants of aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating system comprising the steps of:
I. Placing an aerosol-generating article with a unique feature specific to a particular variant of aerosol-generating article into an aerosol-generating device with a sensor;
II. Detecting the unique feature and identifying the variant of the aerosol-generating article; and
III. Triggering the heating cycle specific to the detected variant.
In an embodiment of the method, the sensor further transmits the data to any interactive interface device.
The advantages of present invention are providing a heating profile of aerosol-generating article based on the detected variant of the said aerosol-generating article which helps in providing an improved smoking experience based on the particular heating conditions, increased consumer satisfaction and enhances the efficiency of aerosol production and generation. Also, the present system helps in preventing the use of counterfeit smoking articles for use with the system.
It should be understood that the description of the mechanisms, components, features, and methods disclosed herein are discussed in terms of implementations relating to aerosol delivery devices by way of example only, and may be embodied and used in various other products and methods.
Various applications include heat not burn smoking products, portable aerosol generating product such as resistive or induction-based mosquito repellent, nicotine and other active delivery system, pharmaceutical drug delivery system and the like.
A non-limiting example of the present invention is insertion of the aerosol-generating article with unique feature in the aerosol-generating device and switching on the said device. The device sensor detects the variant of the aerosol-generating article, records the variant and transfers the details to the interactive interface devices.
Another non-limiting example of the present invention is insertion of the aerosol-generating article with unique feature in the aerosol-generating device, wherein the device sensor detects the article variant and automatically activates the heating cycle. The device sensor can also detect the variant and trigger the pre- programmed heating profile best suited for that variant.
Reference numbers of the components according to various embodiments of the present invention are listed below for ready reference. However, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to these components and may include other components.
Reference No Name of the component
1,1a Aerosol generating device
2, 2a Aerosol generating article
3, 3a Feature on aerosol generating article
4 Core heater
4a Peripheral heater
5, 5a Microcontroller in PCBA
6, 6a Battery
7, 7a White light emitter
8, 8a Receiver/Sensor
9, 9a Signal processing unit
10, 10a Communication channel

Table-1
Reference is made to Figure 1 which illustrates an aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device (1) with an aerosol generating article (2) configured with core heater (4).
The aerosol-generating article (2) has a unique feature on the article. The aerosol-generating device (1) comprises sensor/receiver (8), white light emitter (7), heater (4), micro-controller in PCBA (5), battery (6) and signal processing unit (9). In an embodiment, the unique feature on the aerosol generating article is a coloured band or colour pattern printed or pasted on the said article and the corresponding sensor used for detection/identification in the device is an RGB color sensor.

In another embodiment, reference is made to Figure 2 which illustrates an aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device (1a) with aerosol generating article (2a) configured with peripheral heater (4a).
The key aspect of the invention is the configuration of the temperature profile of the device basis the variant of aerosol generating article. In this embodiment, the variant is identified through checking color values of the marking present on the consumable; matching the identified values with the pre-configured values in the program and then activating pre-determined heating temperature profile as per the pre-configured values, which is not known in the conventional art.

EXAMPLES:
The following examples are meant to illustrate the present invention. The examples are presented to exemplify the invention and are not to be considered as limiting the scope of the invention.
Figure. 3 illustrates Flowchart showing the Red-Green-Blue (RGB) sensor based auto configuration of the aerosol generating article.
I. Insertion of the said aerosol-generating article into the said aerosol-generating device;
II. Activation of the light emission on the unique feature of coloured band or colour pattern on the aerosol generating article by the white light emitter;
III. Detection and identification of the coloured band or colour pattern by the sensor on the device and validation with the pre-configured data stored in the micro-controller; and
IV. Triggering of the heater to the pre-defined temperature profile for the respective colour pattern of the said aerosol generating article.
Example of various temperature profiles stored in the aerosol generating device are as follows:
Example 1:
Total cycle duration – 340 seconds
Pre heating time -25 seconds
Pre heating temperature- 392(°C)
Working Example
Phases Temperature range (°C) Time (sec)
Pre heating 392°C 0-25 sec
Phase-1 370-390°C 25-50 sec
Phase-2 360-380°C 50-100 sec
Phase-3 335-355°C 100-180 sec
Phase-4 345-365°C 180-260 sec
Phase-5 355-375°C 260-340 sec

Example -2
Total cycle duration -290 seconds
Pre heating time-20 seconds
Pre heating temperature- 378°C
Working Example
Phases Temperature range (°C) Time (sec)
Pre heating 378°C 0-20 sec
Phase-1 365-385°C 20-50 sec
Phase-2 340-360°C 50-100 sec
Phase-3 360-390°C 100-220 sec
Phase-4 340-360°C 220-290 sec

It is to be understood that the present invention is susceptible to modifications, changes and adaptations by those skilled in the art. Such modifications, changes, adaptations are intended to be within the scope of the present invention.
,CLAIMS:
1. An aerosol-generating system for detecting and heating variants of aerosol-generating article comprising;
a) An aerosol-generating article with unique feature contained therein; and configured to be received by an aerosol-generating device;
b) An aerosol-generating device with sensor; wherein, the sensor is configured to detect the aerosol-generating article, based on the unique feature and triggers the pre-defined heating temperature profile based on unique feature of the said aerosol generating article.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unique feature is selected from a coloured band or colour pattern, QR code, Bar code, Near Field Communication (NFC), Optical Identity Detection (OID), Radio-frequency identification (RFID), magnetic materials or combinations thereof.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the unique feature is a coloured band or colour pattern.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unique feature is pre-printed or printed during the manufacturing of article or post printed.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unique feature is pasted or inserted into the aerosol generating article.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor in the aerosol generating device is selected from RGB color sensors, QR and bar code detectors, NFC sensor, OID sensor, RFID sensor, hall sensors (magnetic) or combinations thereof.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sensor is RGB color sensor.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is positioned in the cavity or cap of the aerosol-generating device.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communicating unit of the sensor further transmits the data to the microcontroller of the aerosol generating device.

10. A method of detecting and heating variants of aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating system comprising the steps of:
I. Inserting an aerosol-generating article with a unique feature specific to a particular variant of aerosol-generating article into an aerosol-generating device with a sensor configured to detect the aerosol-generating article, based on the unique feature;
II. Detecting the unique feature and identifying the variant of the aerosol-generating article; and
III. Triggering the pre-defined heating temperature profile based on unique feature specific to the detected variant of the aerosol generating article.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the aerosol generating device stores the data of the variant of aerosol generating article detected and optionally can transfer the data to interactive interface device connected to the aerosol generating device.

12. An aerosol-generating system for detecting and heating variants of aerosol-generating article comprising;
A. An aerosol-generating article with a unique feature of coloured band or colour pattern contained therein;
B. An aerosol-generating device comprising RGB color sensor, white light emitter, heater, micro-controller, battery and signal processing unit;
Wherein the said system is configured such that insertion of the said aerosol generating article into the said device activates the emission of light on the unique feature of coloured band or colour pattern of the aerosol generating article by the white light emitter;
Wherein the said system is configured such that the coloured band or colour pattern is detected and identified by the sensor in the device and validated with the pre-configured data stored in the micro-controller;
Wherein the said system is configured such that the device triggers the heater to the pre-defined heating temperature profile for the respective colour pattern of the said aerosol generating article.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the heater is selected from a core heater or a peripheral heater.

14. A method for detecting and heating variants of aerosol-generating article by an aerosol generating system comprising:
i. An aerosol-generating article with a unique feature of coloured band or colour pattern contained therein;
ii. An aerosol-generating device comprising RGB color sensor, white light emitter, heater, micro-controller, battery and signal processing unit;
Wherein the said method comprises the steps of:
I. Insertion of the said aerosol-generating article into the said aerosol-generating device;
II. Activation of the light emission on the unique feature of coloured band or colour pattern on the aerosol generating article by the white light emitter;
III. Detection and identification of the coloured band or colour pattern by the sensor on the device and validation with the pre-configured data stored in the micro-controller; and
IV. Triggering of the heater to the pre-defined heating temperature profile for the respective colour pattern of the said aerosol generating article.