Proximity detection for an aerosol delivery device

Abstract

An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a housing, heating element, communication interface and microprocessor. The heating element may to activate and vaporize components of an aerosol precursor composition in response to a flow of air through at least a portion of the housing, with the air being combinable with a thereby formed vapor to form an aerosol. The communication interface may effect a wireless, proximity-based communication link with a computing device. And the microprocessor may be coupled to the communication interface, may control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on a state of the proximity-based communication link, or in response to a trigger signal received from the computing device over the proximity-based communication link.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . An aerosol delivery device comprising:
 a housing;   a communication interface configured to effect a wireless, proximity-based communication link with a computing device; and   a microprocessor configured to cause the aerosol delivery device to produce an aerosol from an aerosol precursor composition, the microprocessor also coupled to the communication interface and configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device and trigger a user-perceptible feedback member of the computing device to provide visual, audible, or haptic feedback indicative of a signal strength of the proximity-based communication link.   
     
     
         26 . The aerosol delivery device of  claim 25 , wherein the microprocessor is further configured to trigger a user-perceptible feedback member of the aerosol delivery device to provide visual, audible, or haptic feedback indicative of a signal strength of the proximity-based communication link. 
     
     
         27 . The aerosol delivery device of  claim 25 , wherein the microprocessor is further configured to disable the at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device when the proximity-based communication link is broken. 
     
     
         28 . The aerosol delivery device of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one functional element comprises an atomizer configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. 
     
     
         29 . The aerosol delivery device of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one functional element is configured to alter a locked state of the aerosol delivery device. 
     
     
         30 . The aerosol delivery device of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one functional element is configured to alter power delivery from a power source of the aerosol delivery device. 
     
     
         31 . The aerosol delivery device of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one functional element is further configured to prevent charging of the power source. 
     
     
         32 . The aerosol delivery device of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one functional element is configured to validate the aerosol delivery device to the microprocessor. 
     
     
         33 . A computing device comprising:
 a communication interface configured to effect a wireless, proximity-based communication link with an aerosol delivery device configured to produce an aerosol from an aerosol precursor composition; and   a processor coupled to the communication interface and configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device and trigger a user-perceptible feedback member of the computing device to provide visual, audible, or haptic feedback indicative of a signal strength of the proximity-based communication link.   
     
     
         34 . The computing device of  claim 33 , wherein the processor is further configured to trigger a user-perceptible feedback member of the aerosol delivery device to provide visual, audible, or haptic feedback indicative of a signal strength of the proximity-based communication link. 
     
     
         35 . The computing device of  claim 33 , wherein the processor is further configured to disable the at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device when the proximity-based communication link is broken. 
     
     
         36 . A method of controlling operation of an aerosol delivery device configured to produce an aerosol from an aerosol precursor composition, the method comprising at the aerosol delivery device:
 effecting a wireless, proximity-based communication link with a computing device;   controlling at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device; and   triggering a user-perceptible feedback member of the computing device to provide visual, audible, or haptic feedback indicative of a signal strength of the proximity-based communication link.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising triggering a user-perceptible feedback member of the aerosol delivery device to provide visual, audible, or haptic feedback indicative of a signal strength of the proximity-based communication link. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising disabling the at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device when the proximity-based communication link is broken. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein controlling the at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device comprises activating an atomizer to vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein controlling the at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device comprises altering a locked state of the aerosol delivery device. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein controlling the at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device comprises altering power delivery from a power source of the aerosol delivery device. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein controlling the at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device comprises preventing charging of the power source. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein controlling the at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device comprises validating the aerosol delivery device to the microprocessor.