Abstract: A method for authenticating an aerosol-generating article includes the steps of imaging and processing at least one consumable section of the aerosol-generating article, correlating a current digitalized image with a reference image registered during production of the article, and determining, based on correlation results and a predetermined correlation criterium, if the article is a genuine product. An aerosol-generating system includes an aerosol-generating device having a 2D and/or 3D imager that includes image processing and image correlation means for imaging and analysing the stochastic arrangement of the individual substrate parts of the aerosol-generating article. A machine for producing aerosol-generating articles includes an in-line imaging system.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating article includes a consumable section attached to a mouthpiece section. The mouthpiece section includes at least one inner tube having a plurality of light transmitting apertures extending over at least a length in the wall of the inner tube, the plurality being arranged along a circumference of the inner tube. The inner tube is arranged inside a wrapper that is made of a light-scattering material. An aerosol-generating system includes the aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating device having a cavity having an opening accessible at the outer body part and being configured to receive the aerosol-generating article. The aerosol-generating device includes at least one illumination system having at least one optical light source arranged to a side of the cavity. The aerosol-generating device also includes an optical reader system, having at least two detectors, for reading information provided by transmitted light by the array of apertures.

Abstract: An aerosol generating device includes a cavity adapted for receiving a tobacco article; and a heater including a heating element configured to generate heat and a heat diffusion layer configured to transfer the generated heat to the tobacco article when it is received in the cavity, the heater further including a sensor system that includes at least partially the heat diffusion layer.

Abstract: A smoking device (2) comprises an optical sensing system (5) for reading indicia (10) on a consumable article (1). Means are provided for adapting a characteristic of the optical sensing system (5) in response to a distance of the indicia (10) from the optical sensing system (5). The adapting means may change the focal length of an optical clement (120) by applying a potential difference to change a refractive index of the optical element (120) or to change the curvature of an optical surface (130). The optical surface (130) may be an interface between two immiscible liquids (122, 124) that have different electrical properties. The adapting means may alternatively move an element of the optical sensing system (5) in response to the distance of the indicia (10), for example by changing a shape of a support of an optical element (120). The optical element may comprise a pinhole (20) and the adapting means may change the size of its aperture.

Abstract: A heater for an aerosol-generating device includes at least one portion made of a material that is, at least partially, thermally conductive and transparent to electromagnetic radiation. An aerosol-generating device includes the heater. An aerosol-generating system includes the aerosol-generating device and an aerosol-generating article inserted into the aerosol-generating device. A method for authenticating an aerosol-generating article using the device includes the steps of: collecting radiated electromagnetic radiation from an inserted article, through the at least one transparent portion, and collecting at least a portion of the radiated electromagnetic radiation by the detector of the optical reader system, and authenticating the aerosol generating article by computing information contained in the collected electromagnetic radiation by the detector.

Abstract: An electrically powered smoking device configured to receive a consumable article includes a housing having a cavity, defining a cavity axis, for receiving at least partially the consumable article, and an optical sensing system for detecting indicia on the consumable article, wherein the optical sensing system includes at least one pinhole and an image detector, wherein the pinhole allows to form an image on an image plane, detectable by the image detector.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating article includes a consumable section attached to a mouthpiece section. The mouthpiece section includes at least one inner tube having a plurality of light transmitting apertures extending over at least a length in the wall of the inner tube, the plurality being arranged along a circumference of the inner tube. The inner tube is arranged inside a wrapper that is made of a light-scattering material. An aerosol-generating system includes the aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating device having a cavity having an opening accessible at the outer body part and being configured to receive the aerosol-generating article. The aerosol-generating device includes at least one illumination system having at least one optical light source arranged to a side of the cavity. The aerosol-generating device also includes an optical reader system, having at least two detectors, for reading information provided by transmitted light by the array of apertures.

Abstract: A method for authenticating an aerosol-generating article includes the steps of imaging and processing at least one consumable section of the aerosol-generating article, correlating a current digitalized image with a reference image registered during production of the article, and determining, based on correlation results and a predetermined correlation criterium, if the article is a genuine product. An aerosol-generating system includes an aerosol-generating device having a 2D and/or 3D imager that includes image processing and image correlation means for imaging and analysing the stochastic arrangement of the individual substrate parts of the aerosol-generating article. A machine for producing aerosol-generating articles includes an in-line imaging system.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system comprises an aerosol-generating article having an indicium arranged on an outer surface thereof and an aerosol-generating device usable with the article. The aerosol-generating device includes a cavity, a heater, and an optical reader system. The cavity has an opening accessible at the outer body part and is configured to receive a consumable article comprising an indicium arranged on the article. The optical reader system includes at least one waveguide that has an incoupling surface, an outcoupling surface, and a detector. The waveguide is configured to illuminate the indicium in the cavity with a light beam and to transmit a reflected light beam provided by the indicium to the detector (30) of the optical reader system. A related method for authenticating a consumable article is also provided.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system, aerosol-generating device, and aerosol-generating article are provided. The device includes an optical light source extending in a cavity. The aerosol-generating device includes an optical reader system configured to read the at least one indicium upon illumination of an authentication portion of an aerosol-generating article from inside the consumable segment. The aerosol-generating device includes a control unit configured to authenticate the article upon reading of the indicium. The aerosol-generating article includes a consumable segment that includes a charge of aerosol-generating material and a mouthpiece segment attached at a first end of the consumable segment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating consumable article comprising at least one indicium containing coded information about the article arranged on a surface of said article. The coded information is implemented in at least one array of readable code elements that are readable upon illumination by an optical magnification reader system, said readable code elements having a density of at least 10 elements per square mm of said indicium. The invention is also related to an aerosol-generating device configured to receive a consumable article. The aerosol-generating device comprises an optical magnification reader system configured to provide an optically magnified image of at least a portion of said indicium on a detector and to read said coded information, to recognize the authenticity of the consumable article.

Abstract: This switching device comprises at least one cell made up of a moving structure consisting in a flexible cantilever beam (14) and an integral screen (16) attached to said beam, being able to move between two end positions (A, B) and of actuating electrodes (20) for subjecting said structure to forces of attraction to control its movements. The electrodes (20) are located on each side of the beam (14) in such a way as to follow its exact shape when it is in one of its two end positions. A regular movement of the moving structure and a reliable operating of the switching device are thus obtained This invention may be used in optical switching applications.

Abstract: This switching device comprises at least one cell made up of a moving structure consisting in a flexible cantilever beam (14): and an integral screen (6) attached to said beam, being able to move between two end positions (A, B) and of actuating electrodes (20) for subjecting said structure to forces of attraction to control its movements The electrodes (20) are located on each side of the beam (14) in such a way as to follow its exact shape when it is in one of its two end positions. A regular movement of the moving structure and a reliable operating of the switching device are thus obtained This invention may be used in optical switching applications.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optoelectronic sensor for measuring the intensity and the direction of incidence of a light beam, the sensor being of the type comprising a matrix of pixels; an optical system designed to form a light spot on the matrix of pixels; and a signal process for determining the geometrical center of the light spot on the matrix, the signal processor constituted by two arrays of connections between the pixels of the matrix, substantially in radii and in concentric circles, the coordinates of the light spot on the matrix giving an image of the azimuth angle and of the elevation angle of the incident light beam, the device also including circuits associated with the two arrays of connections between the pixels to compute the azimuth and elevation coordinates respectively of the incident light beam.

Abstract: The optical electric current sensor is composed of a birefringent light guide (2) coiled around an electric current conductor (1) and is characterized by a spatial modulation of the magnetic field or of the birefringence of the light guide, along the light guide, at a spatial period equal to a whole number of times the beat length of the guide.

Abstract: A method of coupling an optical fiber to an optoelectronic component including a substrate having an optical waveguide therein, the waveguide opening into a notch formed in or on a first face of the substrate, including the steps of pre-positioning the optical fiber in a groove of an optical fiber support, the groove terminating at a first face of the optical fiber support, positioning the fiber support such that the first face of the substrate and the first face of the fiber support are directly opposite each other, the first faces forming a gap therebetween, and positioning an end of the optical fiber to be in the notch such that the waveguide and the optical fiber are optically aligned.