Electronic aerosol provision system

Abstract

An electronic vapor provision system including a vaporizer for vaporizing liquid for inhalation by a user of the electronic vapor provision system; a power supply for supplying power to the vaporizer to vaporize the liquid in response to a user activation of the device; and a control unit configured to estimate a user's expected activation duration and cause power to be supplied to the vaporizer for a period of time shorter than a user's activation duration.

1 . An electronic vapor provision system comprising:
 a vaporizer for vaporizing liquid for inhalation by a user of the electronic vapor provision system;   a power supply for supplying power to the vaporizer to vaporize the liquid in response to a user activation of the electronic vapor provision system; and   a control unit configured to:
 estimate a user's expected activation duration, and 
 cause power to be supplied to the vaporizer for a period of time shorter than the user's estimated expected activation duration. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , wherein user activation of the electronic vapor provision system is by one selected from the group consisting of:
 inhalation through the electronic vapor provision system;   pressing a button; and   interaction with a touch sensor.   
     
     
         3 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the period of time is shorter than the user's estimated expected activation duration by between 0.05 seconds and 0.5 seconds. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 3 , wherein the period of time is shorter than the user's estimated expected activation duration by 0.3 seconds. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises a CPU. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit employs machine learning software to learn the user's expected activation duration. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit learns the user's expected activation duration by:
 measuring the activation duration for a predetermined number of preceding activations of a given user, and   calculating the user's average activation duration based on the measuring.   
     
     
         8 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 7 , wherein the user's average activation duration is calculated using one selected from the group consisting of:
 up to the last 100 activations; and   up to the last 10 activations.   
     
     
         9 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to resume causing power to be supplied to the vaporizer for a second period of time, if the user activates the electronic vapor provision system for a duration exceeding the user's expected activation duration, the second period of time ending when the user ceases activation of the electronic vapor provision system. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 9 , wherein the control unit provides power at a lower level for the second period of time. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 9 , wherein the control unit provides pulses of power for the second period of time. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to cause power to be supplied to the vaporizer at a lower power level for a second period of time immediately after the first period of time ends, the second period of time ending when the user ceases activation of the electronic vapor provision system. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to cause power to be supplied to the vaporizer in pulses for a second period of time immediately after the first period of time ends, the second period of time ending when the user ceases activation of the electronic vapor provision system. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor for detecting airflow through the electronic vapor provision system as a result of the inhalation by the user, wherein the sensor provides for user activation of the electronic vapor provision system. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , further comprising a manual activation device, wherein the manual activation device provides for user activation of the electronic vapor provision system, the manual activation device comprising one selected from the group consisting of:
 a button; and   a touch sensor.   
     
     
         16 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the vaporizer is a heater which is supplied with power from the power supply to heat and thereby vaporize the liquid for inhalation by the user. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic vapor provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises nicotine. 
     
     
         18 . A method of operating an electronic vapor provision system including a vaporizer for vaporizing liquid for inhalation by a user of the electronic vapor provision system, wherein the electronic vapor provision system includes a power supply for supplying power to the vaporizer to vaporize the liquid in response to a user activation of the electronic vapor provision system, the method comprising;
 causing a control unit to estimate a user's expected activation duration; and   causing the control unit to supply power to the vaporizer for a period of time shorter than the user's estimated expected activation duration.