Abstract: There is provided an aerosol generating device configured for user inhalation of a generated aerosol, including a heater element configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate; a power source connected to the heater element; and a controller connected to the heater element and to the power source, wherein the controller is configured to control the power supplied to the heater element from the power source to maintain the temperature of the heater element at a target temperature, and is configured to monitor changes in the temperature of the heater element or changes in the power supplied to the heater element to detect a change in air flow past the heater element indicative of a user inhalation. The controller may determine when a user has inhaled and may use this for dynamic control of the device as well as provide user inhalation data for subsequent analysis.

Abstract: There is provided an aerosol generating device, including a heater element configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate; a power source connected to the heater element; and a controller connected to the heater element and to the power source, wherein the controller is configured to control the power supplied to the heater element from the power source to maintain the temperature of the heater element at a target temperature, and is configured to compare a measure of power supplied to the heater element or energy supplied to the heater element from the power source to a threshold measure of power or energy to detect the presence of an aerosol-forming substrate close to the heater element or a material property of an aerosol-forming substrate close to the heater element.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system for oral or nasal delivery of a generated aerosol to a user is provided, including a heater element configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol; a power source; a controller configured to control operation of the heater element, the controller including or being connected to a means to detect a change in air flow past the heater element; first data storage means for recording detected changes in airflow past the heater element and data relating to the operation of the heater element; second data storage means including a database relating changes in airflow and data relating to the operation of the heater element to the properties of the aerosol delivered to the user; and an indication means coupled to the second data storage means for indicating to the user a property of the aerosol delivered to the user.