Aerosol Generation Device

Abstract

An aerosol generation device is provided with a heating cavity including a heater component and a sensor configured to sense an aerosol generating substrate. The device further includes an energy storage module and a controller. The controller is configured to power the heater component by directing a power flow from the energy storage module to the heater component to pre-heat the heater component to a predetermined temperature, and determine, using the sensor, that an aerosol generating substrate has been received in the heating cavity. The controller is further configured to initiate monitoring a parameter in response to determining that an aerosol generating substrate has been received in the heating cavity, and power the heater component until the monitored parameter meets a predetermined requirement, to compensate a reduction in the heater component temperature due to the received aerosol generating substrate.

1 . An aerosol generation device comprising a heating cavity configured to receive and aerosolise an aerosol generating substrate, wherein the heating cavity comprises a heater component and a sensor configured to sense an aerosol generating substrate received in the heating cavity, and wherein the aerosol generation device further comprises an energy storage module and a controller configured to:
 power the heater component by directing a power flow from the energy storage module to the heater component to pre-heat the heater component to a predetermined temperature;   determine, using the sensor, that an aerosol generating substrate has been received in the heating cavity;   initiate monitoring a parameter in response to determining that an aerosol generating substrate has been received in the heating cavity; and   power the heater component until the monitored parameter meets a predetermined requirement, to re-heat the heater component to the predetermined temperature and compensate a reduction in a temperature of the heater component due to the received aerosol generating substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generation device of  claim 1 , wherein the monitored parameter is a timer, and the predetermined requirement is met when a predetermined time has elapsed after initiating monitoring the parameter. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generation device of  claim 1 , wherein the monitored parameter is a heater temperature and the predetermined requirement is met when the heater temperature is equal to or greater than a target temperature after initiating monitoring the parameter. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generation device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the aerosol generation device to perform an action when the monitored parameter meets the predetermined requirement. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generation device of  claim 4 , wherein the action comprises controlling a power flow from the energy storage module to the heater component to maintain the heater component at a predetermined temperature for a heating phase where an aerosol is generated for inhalation by an operator. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generation device of  claim 5 , wherein the action further comprises controlling an indicator of the aerosol generation device to provide an output indicating that the monitored parameter meets the predetermined requirement and the aerosol generation device is readied for the heating phase. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generation device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor and the controller is configured to monitor the temperature of the heater component using the temperature sensor and determine that an aerosol generating substrate has been received in the heating cavity in response to a decrease in the monitored temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generation device of  claim 1 , further comprising a holding unit configured to receive and aerosolise an aerosol generating substrate, and a charging unit that is connectable to the holding unit, and wherein the energy storage module comprises a first energy storage module and a second energy storage module;
 the holding unit comprising the heating cavity, and the first energy storage module;   the charging unit comprising the second energy storage module; and   wherein the controller is configured to:   power the heater component by directing a power flow from the second energy storage module to the heater component when the holding unit is connected to the charging unit; and   power the heater component by directing a power flow from the first energy storage module to the heater component when the holding unit is disconnected from the charging unit.   
     
     
         9 . The aerosol generation device of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to power the heater component by:
 directing a power flow from the second energy storage module to the heater component to pre-heat the heater component to the predetermined temperature when the holding unit is connected to the charging unit; and   directing a power flow from the first energy storage module to the heater component to maintain the heater component at the predetermined temperature to aerosolise an aerosol generating substrate when the monitored parameter meets the predetermined requirement and the holding unit is not connected to the charging unit.   
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generation device of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to power the heater component by:
 directing a power flow from the second energy storage module to the heater component to pre-heat the heater component to the predetermined temperature when the holding unit is connected to the charging unit; and   directing a power flow from the second energy storage module to the heater component to maintain the heater component at the predetermined temperature to aerosolise an aerosol generating substrate when the monitored parameter meets the predetermined requirement and the holding unit is connected to the charging unit.   
     
     
         11 . The aerosol generation device of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to power the heater component by:
 directing a power flow from the first energy storage module to the heater component to pre-heat the heater component to the predetermined temperature when the holding unit is not connected to the charging unit; and   directing a power flow from the first energy storage module to the heater component to maintain the heater component at the predetermined temperature to aerosolise an aerosol generating substrate when the monitored parameter meets the predetermined requirement and the holding unit is not connected to the charging unit.   
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generation device of  claim 1 , wherein the heating cavity is configured to receive an aerosol generating substrate that is substantially planar in shape; and
 the heating cavity comprises two major internal faces, wherein the two major internal faces oppose one another, an aerosol generating substrate is configured to be received between the opposing major internal faces, and the major internal faces are each associated with a heating element of the heater component.   
     
     
         13 . An aerosol generation system comprising the aerosol generation device of  claim 1  and an aerosol generating substrate. 
     
     
         14 . A method of operating an aerosol generation device, the aerosol generation device comprising:
 a heating cavity configured to receive and aerosolise an aerosol generating substrate, wherein the heating cavity comprises a heater component and a sensor configured to sense an aerosol generating substrate received in the heating cavity, the aerosol generation device further comprising an energy storage module;   wherein the method comprises:   powering the heater component by directing a power flow from the energy storage module to the heater component to pre-heat the heater component to a predetermined temperature;   determining, using the sensor, that an aerosol generating substrate has been received in the heating cavity;   initiating monitoring a parameter in response to determining that an aerosol generating substrate has been received in the heating cavity; and   powering the heater component until the monitored parameter meets a predetermined requirement, to re-heat the heater component to the predetermined temperature and compensate a reduction in a temperature of the heater component due to the received aerosol generating substrate.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors of an aerosol generation device, the aerosol generation device comprising:
 a heating cavity configured to receive and aerosolise an aerosol generating substrate, wherein the heating cavity comprises a heater component and a sensor configured to sense an aerosol generating substrate received in the heating cavity, the aerosol generation device further comprising an energy storage module;   wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:   powering the heater component by directing a power flow from the energy storage module to the heater component to pre-heat the heater component to a predetermined temperature;   determining, using the sensor, that an aerosol generating substrate has been received in the heating cavity;   initiating monitoring a parameter in response to determining that an aerosol generating substrate has been received in the heating cavity; and   powering the heater component until the monitored parameter meets a predetermined requirement, to re-heat the heater component to the predetermined temperature and compensate a reduction in a temperature of the heater component due to the received aerosol generating substrate.