US 12,254,728 B2
Cartridge-accepting device with an authentication circuit
Stephen S. Milt, Winchester, MA (US); Loucinda C. Bistany, Methuen, MA (US); William D. Hargett, Chelmsford, MA (US); and Robert S. Mawrey, Ashland, MA (US)
Filed by Zeptive, Inc., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/084,764.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/929,747, filed on Nov. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0134095 A1, May 6, 2021
Int. Cl. A24F 40/42 (2020.01); A24F 40/10 (2020.01); A24F 40/53 (2020.01); A24F 40/65 (2020.01); G06F 21/44 (2013.01); G07C 9/00 (2020.01)
CPC G07C 9/00571 (2013.01) [A24F 40/10 (2020.01); A24F 40/42 (2020.01); A24F 40/53 (2020.01); A24F 40/65 (2020.01); G06F 21/44 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A self-authenticating cartridge-accepting device, the device comprising:
a cartridge receptacle adapted to accept a cartridge containing vaporizable material;
a battery;
a vaporization circuit electrically connected to the battery, the vaporization circuit configured to provide power from the battery to a heating element, wherein the heating element is configured to vaporize the vaporizable material; and
an authentication circuit electrically connected to the battery, the authentication circuit configured to:
interface with an identification circuit in the cartridge, wherein the identification circuit is configured to store an identifier of the cartridge;
receive, via an antenna, the identifier of the cartridge from the identification circuit; and
determine an authenticity of the cartridge based on the identifier of the cartridge, wherein the identification circuit includes a disablement component configured to, based on the cartridge being extracted from the cartridge receptacle, disable the identification circuit such that the identification circuit is prevented from outputting the identifier of the cartridge.