Smoking Article for Aerosol Generation Device Comprising Information Code

Abstract

The present invention relates to a smoking article (1) comprising an information code (101). More specifically, a smoking article for use in an aerosol generation device (2), comprises a machine-readable pattern (101) representing coded data on a surface area (102) of a layer comprised by the smoking article, wherein the pattern is formed by a plurality of recesses in and/or protrusions from the surface area, or perforations of the layer in the surface area.

1 . A smoking article for use in an aerosol generation device, comprising a machine-readable pattern representing coded data on a surface area of a layer comprised by the smoking article, wherein the pattern is formed by a plurality of recesses in and/or protrusions from the surface area, or perforations of the layer in the surface area. 
     
     
         2 . The smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article has a substantially cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         3 . The smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface area is curved. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the recesses and/or the protrusions are recessed in and/or protruding from the surface area in multiple levels of depths and/or heights. 
     
     
         6 . The smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the recesses and/or the protrusions or the perforations are provided with different distances between each other. 
     
     
         7 . The smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein light reflection and/or absorption properties of the pattern are different from that of a surface of the smoking article. 
     
     
         8 . The smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein different recesses and/or protrusions of the pattern have different light reflection and/or absorbing properties. 
     
     
         9 . The smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein colors of recessed and/or protruded surfaces or recesses and/or protrusions, respectively, are different from each other and/or from the that of the surface of the smoking article. 
     
     
         10 . The smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the perforations have a diameter between 1 and 0.072 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The smoking article according to any  claim 1 , further comprising a wrapper, and the machine-readable pattern is formed by perforations in the wrapper. 
     
     
         12 . The smoking article according to  claim 11 , wherein the article is configured in a way that light can be transmitted through a cross section of the article and then through the perforations. 
     
     
         13 . The smoking article according to  claim 11 , further comprising an aerosol generating substrate, a filter and a hollow tubular element positioned between the aerosol generating substrate and the filter. 
     
     
         14 . The smoking article according to  claim 13 , wherein the wrapper comprises a tipping paper for holding the aerosol-generating substrate, the hollow tubular element and the filter, and the machine-readable pattern is formed by perforations in the tipping paper. 
     
     
         15 . The smoking article according to  claim 13 , wherein the perforations are positioned in an area of a hollow tubular element and the hollow tubular element is non-perforated at the location of the perforations. 
     
     
         16 . A method of using a smoking article according to  claim 1 , comprising a step of:
 reading the machine-readable pattern on the surface area of the layer comprised by the smoking article using as detection unit in the aerosol generating device.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to the  claim 16 , comprising a step of:
 using the surface area of the smoking article as a reference surface and determining information about a depth of a recess and/or a height of a protrusion of the pattern from the surface area with respect to the reference surface.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , comprising steps of:
 using a predetermined recess or protrusion of the pattern as a reference depth or protrusion, and   determining depth and/or height information of other protrusions of the pattern with respect to the reference depth or protrusion.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An aerosol device for use of a smoking article according to  claim 1 , comprising a detection unit including a sensor, wherein the detection unit is configured to read the machine-readable pattern on the surface area of the layer comprised by the smoking article. 
     
     
         21 . The aerosol device according to  claim 20 , further comprising a light source arranged at a same and/or a different side of the smoking article as the sensor when the smoking article is inserted into the device. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method of producing a smoking article according to  claim 1 , comprising using an engraving device to produce the machine-readable pattern on the surface of the layer comprised by the smoking article, wherein the engraving device is a laser, a roller having different embossing patterns or a material depositing device such as 3D-printing. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled)