Abstract: An aerosol-generating article may comprise a liquid storage portion containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and a hydrochromic material provided on the liquid storage portion. The hydrochromic material has a first colour when in the presence of or when in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate and a second colour when in the absence of or when not in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. An aerosol-generating system may comprise the aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating element, and an aerosol-generating device. An aerosol-generating device may comprise an electrical power supply, an electronic photosensor, and a controller configured to control a supply of electrical power from the electrical power supply based on a value of an optical property sensed with the electronic photosensor.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system includes an electric heater, a battery and control circuitry. The electric heater is configured to vaporize an aerosol-forming substance. The battery is configured to power the electric heater. The control circuitry is configured to: prevent charging of the battery in response to detecting that the electric heater is in an operation state; or prevent operation of the electric heater in response to detecting that the battery is in a charging state.

Abstract: A aerosol-generating system includes a liquid storage portion, a liquid pressure sensor within the liquid storage portion, and a control unit that is in communication with the pressure sensor. The aerosol-generating system further includes an atmospheric pressure sensor in communication with the control unit. The atmospheric pressure sensor is configured to sense the atmospheric pressure of the environment. The control unit is configured to receive the pressure signals from the liquid pressure sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor. The control unit is further configured to determine the fill level of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate based on a comparison of the pressure signals from the liquid pressure sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor.

Abstract: A aerosol-generating system includes a liquid storage portion, a liquid pressure sensor within the liquid storage portion, and a control unit that is in communication with the pressure sensor. The aerosol-generating system further includes an atmospheric pressure sensor in communication with the control unit. The atmospheric pressure sensor is configured to sense the atmospheric pressure of the environment. The control unit is configured to receive the pressure signals from the liquid pressure sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor. The control unit is further configured to determine the fill level of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate based on a comparison of the pressure signals from the liquid pressure sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a housing including an air inlet, an air outlet, and an airflow passage extending therebetween; an aerosol-generating element disposed within the airflow passage and configured to generate an aerosol; a sensor coupled to the housing and configured to generate a time-dependent airflow signal corresponding to a time-dependent strength of a user puff at the air outlet; a haptic output element coupled to the housing; and a circuit operably coupled to the sensor so as to receive the time-dependent airflow signal during the user puff, and further configured to actuate, based on the time-dependent airflow signal, the haptic output element at time-dependent frequencies or at time-dependent intervals during the user puff. An aerosol-generating system, and a method for generating an output in an aerosol-generating device, are also provided.

Abstract: The method includes first arranging pairs of conductors on an aerosol-generating device, and second arranging conductive portions in a physical pattern on a consumable, the physical pattern being configured to electrically connect to at least one first subset of the pairs of conductors to complete at least one first circuit, of a plurality of circuits, that identifies the consumable, the plurality of circuits including the conductive portions and the pairs of conductors.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods may control total particulate matter (TPM) production based on air flow rate and TPM density. TPM density is a TPM production rate per flow rate of gas through an aerosol-generating device. The systems, devices, and methods may measure, or sample, air flow during a puff or draw on an aerosol-generating device. The aerosol-generating device may, in turn, adjust the production of the TPM based on the measured air flow rate and a selected, or desired, TPM density, which may be pre-set in the device and/or subsequently set as desired.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system is provided, including: a cartridge including a storage compartment configured to contain a liquid composition including an aerosol-forming substrate; an aerosol-generating device configured to receive the cartridge and including a power supply and control electronics operably coupled to the power supply; a light source operably coupled to the control electronics and positioned and oriented to emit light into the storage compartment, light emitted from the source is absorbed by the liquid composition; and a detector operably coupled to the control electronics and positioned and oriented to detect light emitted from the source, the source and the detector are both located adjacent to a same side of the storage compartment, and a surface of the storage compartment opposite the source is configured to absorb light emitted into the storage compartment from the source.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating device includes an interface, one or more pairs of conductors, and electrical circuitry. The interface is configured to receive at least a portion of a consumable. The consumable comprises one or more conductive portions arranged to identify the consumable. The one or more pairs of conductors define at least a portion of one or more circuits. The one or more pairs of conductors are selectively electrically couplable with the one or more conductive portions of the consumable if the consumable is received by the interface. The electrical circuitry is configured to identify the consumable based on completion of the one or more circuits defined by the one or more pairs of conductors and the one or more conductive portions if the consumable is received by the interface.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods may control total particulate matter (TPM) production based on air flow rate and TPM density. TPM density is a TPM production rate per flow rate of gas through an aerosol-generating device. The systems, devices, and methods may measure, or sample, air flow during a puff or draw on an aerosol-generating device. The aerosol-generating device may, in turn, adjust the production of the TPM based on the measured air flow rate and a selected, or desired, TPM density, which may be pre-set in the device and/or subsequently set as desired.

Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system is provided, including: a heating element to heat an aerosol-forming substrate; a power supply; a temperature sensor; electric circuitry in communication with the element, the sensor, and the power supply, and configured to regulate a supply of power based on a measured temperature, determine an adverse condition when a reduction in power required to reach or to maintain a predetermined temperature over successive heating cycles falls outside a predefined range, by comparing the power supplied in a given heating cycle with that of preceding heating cycles, the predefined range stored in the memory, and control the power supplied based on whether there is the adverse condition or provide an indication when there is the adverse condition; and a device and a removable cartridge including a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, the power supply and the circuitry being in the device and the element being in the cartridge.

Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system is provided, including an electric heater including a heating element configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate; a power supply; and electric circuitry for an electrically operated aerosol-generating device, in use the electric circuitry being connected to the heater and to the power supply, the electric circuitry including a memory, and being configured to measure an initial resistance, or an initial rate of change of resistance, of the heater within a predetermined time period after power is supplied to the heater, to compare the initial resistance or the initial rate of change of resistance of the heater with a range of acceptable values, and if the initial resistance or the initial rate of change of resistance is outside the range, to prevent the supply of power to the heater, or provide an indication, until the heater or the substrate is replaced.

Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system is provided, including: a heating element configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate proximate to the heating element; a power supply; and electric circuitry in communication with the element and the power supply, and configured to regulate the supply of power during a plurality of discrete heating cycles in response to user inputs, determine a maximum electrical resistance of the heating element during each heating cycle, calculate a rolling average value of the resistance for n preceding heating cycles, n being an integer greater than 1, compare the resistance with the calculated value, determine an adverse condition when the resistance is greater than the calculated value by more than a threshold value, the threshold value being stored in the memory, and control the power supplied based on whether there is the adverse condition or to provide an indication based on whether there is the adverse condition.

Abstract: A method of controlling heating in an aerosol-generating system including a heater is provided, the method including: a first control step in which a predetermined power is provided to the heater and a resistance of the heater is determined, the determined resistance being indicative of a temperature of the heater; monitoring for a predetermined condition, and upon detection of the predetermined condition, recording a resistance of the heater; determining a target resistance corresponding to a target temperature of the heater based on the recorded resistance; and a second control step in which the predetermined power provided to the heater is controllably adapted to drive the resistance of the heater towards the target resistance such that the heater is driven towards the target temperature corresponding to the target resistance. An aerosol-generating system and a controller for an aerosol-generating system are also provided.

Abstract: A method of controlling aerosol production in an aerosol-generating system is provided, the system including an aerosol-generating element and a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet, a flow channel defined from the air inlet to the air outlet configured to provide a flow of air past the aerosol-generating element, and a flow sensor configured to detect an air flow in the flow channel; and the method including increasing a power supplied to the aerosol-generating element for at least a second time if the flow sensor detects that the flow rate of the air flow increases past a threshold. There is also provided an aerosol-generating system comprising circuitry configured to perform the method.

Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system may be configured to detect adverse conditions (e.g., a dry heater). The system may comprise an electric heater comprising at least one heating element for heating an aerosol-forming substrate, a power supply, and electric circuitry connected to the electric heater and to the power supply and comprising a memory. The electric circuitry may be configured to measure an initial electrical resistance (R1) of the electric heater; measure a subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater after the measurement of the initial electrical resistance; determine the difference (?R) between the initial electrical resistance and the subsequent electrical resistance; determine that an adverse condition is present if the difference is greater than a maximum threshold value (?Rmax) or less than a minimum threshold value (?Rmin) stored in the memory; and control a power to the electric heater and/or provide an indication if the adverse condition is present.

Abstract: A aerosol-generating system includes a liquid storage portion, a liquid pressure sensor within the liquid storage portion, and a control unit that is in communication with the pressure sensor. The aerosol-generating system further includes an atmospheric pressure sensor in communication with the control unit. The atmospheric pressure sensor is configured to sense the atmospheric pressure of the environment. The control unit is configured to receive the pressure signals from the liquid pressure sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor. The control unit is further configured to determine the fill level of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate based on a comparison of the pressure signals from the liquid pressure sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor.

Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system configured to detect an adverse conditions, such as a dry heater or an unauthorized type of heater, is provided, including an electric heater including at least one heating element configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate, a power supply, and electric circuitry connected to the electric heater and to the power supply and comprising a memory, the electric circuitry being configured to determine the adverse condition when a ratio between an initial electrical resistance of the electric heater and a change in electrical resistance from the initial resistance is greater than a maximum threshold value stored in the memory or is less than a minimum threshold value stored in the memory, and to limit power supplied to the electric heater, or to provide an indication to a user, if there is the adverse condition.

Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system may be configured to detect adverse conditions (e.g., a dry heater). The system may comprise an electric heater comprising at least one heating element for heating an aerosol-forming substrate, a power supply, and electric circuitry connected to the electric heater and to the power supply and comprising a memory. The electric circuitry may be configured to measure an initial electrical resistance (R1) of the electric heater; measure a subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater after the measurement of the initial electrical resistance; determine the difference (?R) between the initial electrical resistance and the subsequent electrical resistance; determine that an adverse condition is present if the difference is greater than a maximum threshold value (?Rmax) or less than a minimum threshold value (?Rmin) stored in the memory; and control a power to the electric heater and/or provide an indication if the adverse condition is present.

Abstract: A aerosol-generating system includes a liquid storage portion, a liquid pressure sensor within the liquid storage portion, and a control unit that is in communication with the pressure sensor. The aerosol-generating system further includes an atmospheric pressure sensor in communication with the control unit. The atmospheric pressure sensor is configured to sense the atmospheric pressure of the environment. The control unit is configured to receive the pressure signals from the liquid pressure sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor. The control unit is further configured to determine the fill level of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate based on a comparison of the pressure signals from the liquid pressure sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor.