Burning prediction and communications for an electronic cigarette

Abstract

An electronic cigarette comprises a battery portion which is operable to provide power to a heating element of the electronic cigarette, and a cartomizer coupled with the battery portion. The cartomizer comprises a liquid container which provides a liquid toward the heating element wherein the liquid is used for producing and flavoring a vapor of the electronic cigarette when the liquid is heated by the heating element, and a memory which is operable to record and store an amount of the liquid remaining in the liquid container.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An electronic cigarette comprising:
 a battery portion which is operable to provide power to a heating element of the electronic cigarette; and a cartomizer coupled with the battery portion, the cartomizer comprising:   a liquid container which provides a liquid toward the heating element wherein the liquid is used for producing and flavoring a vapor of the electronic cigarette when the liquid is heated by the heating element; and   a memory which is operable to record and store an amount of the liquid remaining in the liquid container.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the cartomizer is disposable. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the cartomizer is interchangeable with different battery portions. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the battery portion further comprises:
 a controller; and   a battery which provides power to the heating element of the electronic cigarette;   wherein the controller is operable to control the amount of power supplied from the battery to the heating element.   
     
     
         5 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 4 , wherein the controller monitors or controls the generation of the vapor, wherein the controller controls or monitors the temperature of the heating element, the temperature of the liquid, and/or the amount of the liquid remaining in the liquid supply. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the cartomizer further comprises a communications chip for communicating with a computing device. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 6 , wherein the communications chip includes data stored in memory. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element is a heating coil which heats the liquid as part of a vaporization process wherein the vapor is generated by the heating coil. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the heating element. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 1 , further comprising an air flow sensor operable to initiate the supply of power from the battery to the heating element when the air flow sensor senses air flow through the electronic cigarette. 
     
     
         11 . An electronic cigarette comprising:
 a battery portion including a battery that provides power to a heating element of the electronic cigarette; and a cartomizer coupled with the battery portion, the cartomizer comprising:   the heating element which generates a vapor;   a liquid container which provides a liquid to the heating element which is used to form the vapor, wherein the liquid is used for flavoring the vapor;   a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the heating element.   
     
     
         12 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 11 , wherein the battery portion comprises a controller that can eliminate power supplied from the battery to the heating element as a function of the temperature of the heating element. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 11 , wherein the battery portion comprises a controller that can control the level of power supplied to the heating element from the battery as a function of the temperature of the heating element. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 11 , wherein the heating element is a heating coil. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 11 , further comprising an air flow sensor operable to initiate the supply of power from the battery to the heating element when the air flow sensor senses air flow through the electronic cigarette. 
     
     
         16 . An electronic cigarette comprising:
 a battery portion including a battery that provides power to a heater element of the electronic cigarette; and a cartomizer coupled with the battery portion, the cartomizer comprising:
 the heating element which generates a vapor, the heating element including a heating coil which supplies the heat to a liquid delivered to the heating element when powered by the battery; 
 a liquid container which delivers the liquid to the heating element, the liquid used for flavoring the vapor; and 
 a coil resistance measurement system that measures the resistance of the heater coil during use of the electronic cigarette. 
   
     
     
         17 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 16 , wherein the battery portion comprises a controller that can eliminate power supplied from the battery to the heating coil as a function of the measurement of the heating coil resistance. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 16 , wherein the battery portion comprises a controller that can control power supplied from the battery to the heating coil as a function of the measured resistance of the heater coil. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 16 , further comprising an air flow sensor operable to initiate the supply of power from the battery to the heating coil when the air flow sensor senses air flow through the electronic cigarette.