Aerosol-generating system with liquid aerosol-forming substrate identification

Abstract

An aerosol-generating system includes a storage portion configured to hold an aerosol-forming substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode spaced from the first electrode, and a control system. At least a portion of the storage portion is between the first electrode and the second electrode. The portion of the storage portion between the first electrode and the second electrode holds the aerosol-forming substrate when the aerosol-forming substrate is held in the storage portion. The control system is configured to measure an electrical quantity between the first electrode and the second electrode, and identify the liquid aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion based on the measured electrical quantity information.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An aerosol-generating system comprising:
 a storage portion configured to hold an aerosol-forming substrate;   a first electrode;   a second electrode spaced from the first electrode, at least a portion of the storage portion between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the portion of the storage portion between the first electrode and the second electrode containing the aerosol-forming substrate when the aerosol-forming substrate is held in the storage portion; and
 a control system configured to measure an electrical quantity between the first electrode and the second electrode, and identify the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion based on the measured electrical quantity information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to identify the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion by comparing the measured electrical quantity information to reference electrical quantity information stored in the control system. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an aerosol-generator configured to receive the aerosol-forming substrate from the storage portion, and   wherein the control system is further configured to control operation of the aerosol-generator based on the determined identity of the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion.   
     
     
         4 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are on a platform of electrically insulating material. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are interdigitated. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an aerosol-generator including one or more aerosol-generating elements, and   wherein at least one of the aerosol-generating elements includes at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         7 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a power supply configured to supply the first electrode and the second electrode with a measurement signal.   
     
     
         8 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrical quantity to be measured by the control system is impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrical quantity to be measured by the control system is resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrical quantity to be measured by the control system is capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises:
 a cartridge including the liquid storage portion, and   a main unit including the control system, the main unit configured to removably receive the cartridge, and the first electrode and the second electrode arranged such that a portion of the storage portion of the cartridge is between the first electrode and the second electrode when the cartridge is received by the main unit.   
     
     
         12 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 11 , wherein the cartridge comprises the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 11 , wherein the main unit comprises the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 11 , wherein the cartridge includes one of the first electrode and the second electrode, and the main unit comprises another one of the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         15 . A method of identifying liquid aerosol-forming substrate held in a liquid storage portion of an aerosol-generating system, the method comprising:
 measuring an electrical quantity between a first electrode and a second electrode, a portion of a storage portion containing an aerosol-forming substrate between the first electrode and the second electrode; and   identifying the aerosol-forming substrate held in the liquid storage portion based on the measured electrical quantity information.