Electronic smoking device and capsule system

Abstract

In an electronic smoking system, a capsule ( 6 ) contains a liquid ( 28 ) to be supplied to an atomizer ( 20 ) and is mounted on an electronic smoking device ( 1 ). The capsule ( 6 ) may have a controller ( 40 ), which receives data from and transmits data to control electronics ( 14 ) of the electronic smoking device ( 1 ). The control electronics ( 14 ) of the electronic smoking device ( 1 ) and the controller ( 40 ) of the capsule ( 6 ) are adapted to execute a challenge response authentication.

1 . A capsule comprising:
 a liquid for atomization;   an atomizer for atomizing the liquid;   electrical contacts configured to electrically connect to corresponding electrical contacts of an electronic smoking device;   a controller which is responsive when mounted to the electronic smoking device to receive data from and to transmit data to control electronics of the electronic smoking device;   the controller and the control electronics configured to execute a challenge response authentication when the capsule is mounted to the electronic smoking device;   wherein one of the controller and the control electronics is configured to operate as a master side and the other is configured to operate as a servant side, with the challenge response authentication comprising the steps of:
 a) the master side creating a random number, storing the random number and transmitting the random number to the servant side; 
 b) the servant side encrypting the random number using a secret key and transmitting the encrypted random number to the master side, the encryption performed using a hash function; 
 c) the master side decrypting the encrypted random number received from the servant side using a secret key, and comparing the decrypted random number with the random number created and stored by the master side in step a); and 
   wherein the control electronics and the controller contain the same secret key.   
     
     
         2 . The capsule of  claim 1  wherein the controller is in an inner space of the capsule separate from a reservoir containing the liquid. 
     
     
         3 . The capsule of  claim 1  comprising a shell having an access port at a first end of the shell, and a pierceable membrane covering the access port. 
     
     
         4 . The capsule of  claim 3  wherein the pierceable membrane is on the first end of the shell, an intermediate wall in the shell provides a cavity in a second end of the shell, the cavity separated from the liquid, and the controller in the cavity. 
     
     
         5 . An electronic smoking device comprising:
 a housing containing control electronics electrically connected to a battery, an atomizer, a puff detector, and device electrical contacts;   a capsule including:
 a liquid for atomization; 
 an atomizer for atomizing the liquid; 
 capsule electrical contacts configured to electrically connect to the device electrical contacts; 
 a controller which is responsive when mounted to the electronic smoking device to receive data from and to transmit data to the control electronics; 
   the controller and the control electronics configured to execute a challenge response authentication when the capsule is mounted to the electronic smoking device, the challenge response authentication, wherein one of the controller and the control electronics is configured to operate as a master side and the other is configured to operate as a servant side, with the challenge response authentication comprising the steps of:
 a) the master side creating a random number, storing the random number and transmitting the random number to the servant side; 
 b) the servant side encrypting the random number using a secret key and transmitting the encrypted random number to the master side, the encryption performed using a hash function; 
 c) the master side decrypting the encrypted random number received from the servant side using a secret key, and comparing the decrypted random number with the random number created and stored by the master side in step a); and 
   wherein the control electronics and the controller contain the same secret key.   
     
     
         6 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 5  wherein the controller is in an inner space of the capsule separate from a reservoir containing the liquid. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 5  further including a piercing tip configured to pierce a membrane in the capsule sealing the liquid in a reservoir in the capsule, wherein the membrane is pierced by the piercing tip when the capsule is attached to the housing, and the liquid is moved via a wick towards a heater in the atomizer.