An aerosol-generating device comprising two interface buttons

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a housing; a cavity in the housing to receive an aerosol-generating article; a heating arrangement to heat the article when in the cavity; a power supply to supply power to the arrangement; control circuitry that controls power from the power supply to the arrangement; first and second buttons located on the housing and connected to the circuitry, the first button having a different size and/or shape from the second button, the first and the second buttons to respectively activate first and second functions of the device, the first and the second functions being different, the circuitry including a microcontroller having a low power mode and an operating mode that uses more power than the low power mode, the microcontroller to detect activation of the first and/or the second button, and in response transition from the low power mode to the operating mode.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An aerosol-generating device, comprising:
 a housing;   a cavity in the housing configured to receive an aerosol-generating article;   a heating arrangement configured to heat the aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is in the cavity;   a power supply configured to supply power to the heating arrangement;   control circuitry that controls the supply of power from the power supply to the heating arrangement;   a first button located on the housing and connected to the control circuitry; and   a second button located on the housing and connected to the control circuitry,   wherein the first button has a different size and/or shape from the second button,   wherein the first button is configured to activate a first function of the aerosol-generating device,   wherein the second button is configured to activate a second function of the aerosol-generating device,   wherein the first function is different from the second function,   wherein the control circuitry comprises a microcontroller having a low power mode and an operating mode that uses more power than the low power mode, and   wherein the microcontroller is configured to detect activation of the first button and/or the second button, and in response transition from the low power mode to the operating mode.   
     
     
         17 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 16 , wherein the first function is a first mode of operation in which the aerosol-generating article is heated to generate an aerosol. 
     
     
         18 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 16 , wherein the second function is a second mode of operation in which the aerosol-generating article is heated to produce aerosol at a different rate or in a different manner than in the first mode. 
     
     
         19 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 18 , wherein in the second mode of operation aerosol is generated at a greater rate or in greater volume than in the first mode of operation. 
     
     
         20 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 18 , wherein actuation of the second button causes the control circuitry to transition from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation. 
     
     
         21 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 18 , wherein actuation of the second button causes the control circuitry to transition from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation. 
     
     
         22 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 16 , wherein the housing has a plurality of faces, and the first button and the second button are provided on the same face of the housing as one another. 
     
     
         23 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the housing has a length, a width, and a thickness, the length being in a longitudinal direction, the width being in a first transverse direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and the thickness being in a second transverse direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the first transverse direction,   wherein the housing has a length greater than its width and thickness, and a width greater than its thickness,   wherein the housing has first and second end faces extending in a transverse plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and a gripping surface extending in a longitudinal direction between the end faces, and   wherein the first button and the second button are provided on the gripping surface.   
     
     
         24 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 23 , wherein the first button and the second button are aligned with one another in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         25 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 23 ,
 wherein the first button and the second button are provided on the gripping surface closer to the first end face than the second end face, and   wherein the second button is provided closer to the first end face than the first button.   
     
     
         26 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 23 , wherein the housing has an opening in a first end face, the opening providing access to the cavity. 
     
     
         27 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 24 , further comprising a display on the first end face. 
     
     
         28 . An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device according to  claim 16  and an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate comprises a plug of tobacco or tobacco material.