| abstract |
The present invention is directed to a vape device configured to determine a dose of a vaporized payload delivered to a user during each of a plurality of user inhalations. The vape device includes a payload reservoir configured to contain a payload to be vaporized, as well as a heater or atomizer configured to vaporize a portion of the payload to thereby generate a vaporized payload during each respective user inhalation. The vape device also includes a piezoelectric sensor positioned within the air flow chamber and configured to mechanically vibrate at a frequency that is dependent on a natural frequency of the piezoelectric sensor as shifted by a mass of the vaporized payload deposited on a surface of the piezoelectric sensor. The vape device additionally incudes a frequency measurement circuit configured to obtain a frequency measurement corresponding to the frequency of the piezoelectric sensor. The vape device further includes a microcontroller programmed to determine a dose of the vaporized payload for each respective user inhalation based on one or more frequency measurements obtained for the user inhalation. |