Aerosol Generating Device

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0083119, filed on Jun. 25, 2024, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0119569, filed on Sep. 3, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

The disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device and a method of performing sensor calibration in an aerosol generating device, and more particularly, to execution of sensor calibration for a capacitive sensor included in an aerosol generating device.

Recently, there has been an increasing demand for an alternative method of overcoming the disadvantages of normal cigarettes. For example, there is an increasing demand for a system for generating aerosols by heating an aerosol generating substrate by using an aerosol generating device, rather than by burning cigarettes.

These aerosol generating devices may be equipped with sensors for various purposes. For example, aerosol generating devices may include a sensor that detects insertion of an aerosol generating article. In this case, aerosol generating devices can activate various functions for user convenience, the functions being providable by the aerosol generating devices in conjunction with an output of the sensor.

When a malfunction of a sensor included in an aerosol generating device occurs, malfunction in activation of various functions of the aerosol generating device may also occur. This may cause a user to not be able to properly use the aerosol generating device or to experience inconvenience in using the aerosol generating device. Therefore, methods are required to detect a malfunction of the sensor included in the aerosol generating device and ensure a normal operation of the aerosol generating device.

Technical objectives of embodiments are not limited to the above-described technical objectives and other technical objectives may be derived from the embodiments to be described hereinafter.

Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments of the disclosure.

Provided is a method of performing sensor calibration with respect to a capacitive sensor included in an aerosol generating device to thereby ensure sensitivity or accuracy of the capacitive sensor.

According to an embodiment, a method of performing sensor calibration in an aerosol generating device includes providing a reference current for charging a capacitive sensor in a charging cycle of the capacitive sensor, when the capacitive sensor is fully charged by the reference current from a discharge voltage to a charge voltage, obtaining a counting value corresponding to a time required for the full charging of the capacitive sensor, determining whether the obtained counting value is within a preset normal range including a reference counting value indicating normal, when an aerosol generating article is inserted, and, when it is determined that the obtained counting value deviates from the normal range, performing calibration with respect to sensitivity of the capacitive sensor by adjusting a level of the reference current provided to the capacitive sensor.

According to another embodiment, an aerosol generating device includes a capacitive sensor that is fully charged from a discharge voltage to a charge voltage during a charge cycle by using a reference current provided by a current source, and a controller configured to control an operation of the aerosol generating device, wherein the controller is configured to, when the capacitive sensor is fully charged, obtain a counting value corresponding to a time taken for the full charging of the capacitive sensor, determine whether the obtained counting value is within a preset normal range including a reference counting value indicating normal, when an aerosol generating article is not inserted, and, when it is determined that the obtained counting value deviates from the normal range, perform calibration with respect to sensitivity of the capacitive sensor by adjusting a level of the reference current provided to the capacitive sensor.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the same or similar components will be assigned the same reference numerals regardless of the reference numerals in the drawings, and the same descriptions thereof will be omitted. With regard to the description of the drawings, like reference numerals may be used to represent like or related elements.

The suffixes “module”, “-er”, and “-or” for the components used in the following description are given or used interchangeably by considering only the ease of writing the description, and do not have distinct meanings or roles in themselves. The suffix “module” or “unit”, as used herein, may include a unit implemented as hardware, software, or firmware. For example, the suffix “module” or “unit” may be interchangeably used with the term a “logic”, a “logical block”, a “component”, or a “circuit”. The “module” or “unit” may be an integrally formed component, a minimum unit of the component performing one or more functions, or a part of the minimum unit. For example, the “module” or “unit” may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

In addition, when describing the embodiments of the disclosure, the detailed description of the related known art, which may obscure the subject matter of the embodiments, may be omitted. Also, the accompanying drawings are only intended to facilitate understanding of the embodiments described herein, and the spirit of the disclosure is not limited by the accompanying drawings and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents or alternatives included in the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements or components, these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element or component from another element or component.

When an element is referred to as being “connected to” or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element, there are no intervening elements present.

The singular forms are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as software including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., a memory) readable by a machine (e.g., an aerosol generating device). For example, a processor (e.g., a controller) of the machine (e.g., the aerosol generating device) may call at least one instruction among one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute the at least one instruction. This makes it possible for the machine to be operated to perform at least one function according to the called at least one instruction. Examples of the one or more instructions may include codes created by a compiler, or codes executable by an interpreter. A machine-readable storage medium may be provided as a non-transitory storage medium. The ‘non-transitory storage medium’ is a tangible device and only means that it does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves). This term does not distinguish a case in which data is stored semi-permanently in a storage medium from a case in which data is temporarily stored.

In the present disclosure, a direction of the aerosol generating devicemay be defined based on an orthogonal coordinate system. The x-axis direction in the orthogonal coordinate system may be defined as a left-right direction of the aerosol generating device. The y-axis direction may be defined as a front-back direction of the aerosol generating device. The z-axis direction may be defined as an upward and downward direction of the aerosol generating device.

is a block diagram of the aerosol generating deviceaccording to an embodiment.

According to an embodiment, the aerosol generating devicemay include a power supply, the controller, a sensor unit, an output unit, an input unit, a communication unit, a memory, and/or heateror. However, it may be understood by those skilled in the art that some of the components shown inmay be omitted or new components may be added, according to the design of the aerosol generating device.

According to an embodiment, the sensor unitmay sense a state of the aerosol generating deviceor a state of the surroundings of the aerosol generating deviceand may transmit information corresponding to the sensed state to the controller. For example, the sensor unitmay include a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, an insertion detection sensor, a reuse detection sensor, an overwetting detection sensor, a cigarette identification sensor, a cartridge detection sensor, a cap detection sensor, and/or a movement detection sensor. The sensor unitmay further include various sensors, such as a liquid remaining amount sensor for detecting the liquid remaining amount of a cartridge and an immersion sensor for detecting immersion of the aerosol generating device.

According to an embodiment, the temperature sensor may detect the heating temperature of the heateror. The aerosol generating devicemay include a separate temperature sensor for detecting respective temperatures of the heateror, or the heaterormay serve as a temperature sensor. For example, the temperature sensor may be used to measure an impedance of the heater. The impedance of the heatermay be correlated with the temperature of the heater. The temperature sensor may measure a current and/or voltage applied to the heater(or an induction coil). Based on the measured current and/or voltage, the impedance for the heatermay be calculated. The controllermay estimate the temperature of the heater, based on the calculated impedance.

For example, the temperature sensor may include a resistive element (e.g., a thermistor) whose resistance value changes in response to a change in temperatures of the heateror. The temperature sensor may output a signal corresponding to the resistance value of the resistive element, and the controllermay detect the temperatures and/or temperature changes of the heateror, based on the signal corresponding to the resistance value.

As another example, the temperature sensor may include a sensor for detecting the resistance values of the heateror. The temperature sensor may output signals corresponding to the resistance values of the heateror, and the controllermay detect the temperatures and/or temperature changes of the heateror, based on the signals corresponding to the resistance values.

According to an embodiment, the temperature sensor may detect a temperature of the power supply. The temperature sensor may be disposed adjacent to the power supply. For example, the temperature sensor may be attached to one surface of the power supply(e.g., a battery) and/or mounted on one surface of a printed circuit board. For example, the aerosol generating devicemay include a power protection circuit module (PCM), and the temperature sensor may be disposed adjacent to the power supplytogether with the power PCM.

According to an embodiment, the temperature sensor may be disposed inside a housing (not shown) of the aerosol generating deviceto detect an internal temperature of the housing.

According to an embodiment, the puff sensor may detect a puff of a user.

For example, the puff sensor may include a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor may output a signal corresponding to an internal pressure of the aerosol generating device, and the controllermay detect the puff of the user, based on the signal corresponding to the internal pressure. The internal pressure of the aerosol generating devicemay correspond to pressure of an airflow path along which gas flows. The puff sensor may be disposed to correspond to the airflow path along which gas flows, in the aerosol generating device.

As another example, the puff sensor may include a temperature sensor. When the user' puff occurs, a temporary temperature drop may occur in the airflow path, a space where an aerosol generating article is inserted (hereinafter, an insertion space), the heateror, etc. The controllermay detect the user's puff, based on a signal corresponding to the temperature of the airflow path, etc. output from the temperature sensor.

As another example, the puff sensor may include both a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor. In this case, the temperature sensor may measure a temperature that is used to correct an internal pressure measured by the pressure sensor. For example, the puff sensor may correct the signal corresponding to the internal pressure, based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and may output the corrected signal. As another example, the puff sensor may output the signal corresponding to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and the signal corresponding to the internal pressure measured by the puff sensor. In this case, the controllermay receive the signals, and may correct the signal corresponding to the internal pressure, based on the signal corresponding to the temperature.

As another example, the puff sensor may include a capacitance sensor. In the present disclosure, the capacitance sensor may also be referred to as a cap sensor or a capacitive sensor. When the user's puff occurs, a temperature change and/or aerosol flow may occur within the insertion space of the aerosol generating article, and accordingly, an internal permittivity of the insertion space may change. The controllermay detect the user's puff, based on a signal corresponding to the internal permittivity, etc. of the insertion space output by the temperature sensor.

The puff sensor is not limited to the aforementioned examples, and may be implemented using various sensors for detecting the user's puff.

According to an embodiment, the insertion detection sensor may detect insertion and/or removal of the aerosol generating article. The insertion detection sensor may be provided around the insertion space. The insertion detection sensor may also include any combination of the aforementioned examples.

For example, the insertion detection sensor may include a capacitance sensor. The capacitance sensor may include at least one conductor. The at least one conductor may be arranged adjacent to the insertion space. When the aerosol generating article is inserted into or removed from the insertion space, a permittivity around the conductor may change. The controllermay detect the insertion and/or removal of the aerosol generating article, based on a signal corresponding to the internal permittivity, etc. of the insertion space output by the capacitance sensor.

As another example, the insertion detection sensor may include an inductive sensor. The inductive sensor may include at least one coil. The at least one coil may be disposed adjacent to the insertion space. When the aerosol generating article (e.g., a wrapper of the aerosol-generating article) includes a conductor and is inserted into or removed from the insertion space, a change in a magnetic field may occur around a coil where a current flows. The controllermay detect insertion and/or removal of the aerosol generating article including the conductor, based on the characteristics (e.g., a frequency, a current value, a voltage value, an inductance value, and an impedance value of an alternating current) of a current output or detected by the inductive sensor. Alternatively, the aerosol generating article (e.g., a medium portion of the aerosol generating article) may include a susceptor (SUS), etc. Even in this case, a change in the magnetic field around the coil may occur based on the insertion or removal of the susceptor, etc. within the insertion space, and the controllermay also detect the insertion and/or removal of the aerosol generating article, based on the characteristics of the current of the inductive sensor.

The insertion detection sensor is not limited to the aforementioned examples, and may be implemented using any of various sensors (e.g., a proximity sensor) for detecting insertion and/or removal of the aerosol generating article. The insertion detection sensor may also include any combination of the aforementioned examples. According to an embodiment, the insertion detection sensor may include a switch, etc. for detecting compression performed by the aerosol generating article.

According to an embodiment, the reuse detection sensor may detect whether the aerosol generating article is reused. For example, the reuse detection sensor may be a color sensor for detecting a color of the aerosol generating article. When the aerosol generating article is used by the user, a change in the color of a portion of the wrapper surrounding the outside of the aerosol generating article may occur due to generated aerosol or heating. The color sensor may output a signal corresponding to optical characteristics (e.g., a wavelength of light) corresponding to the color of the wrapper, based on light reflected by the wrapper. When a change in the color of the portion of the wrapper is detected, the controllermay determine that the aerosol generating article inserted into the insertion space has already been used.

According to an embodiment, the overwetting detection sensor may detect whether the aerosol generating article is in an overwetting state. For example, the overwetting detection sensor may include a capacitance sensor. The capacitance sensor may include at least one conductor disposed adjacent to the insertion space. The controllermay detect whether the aerosol generating article is in an overwetting state, based on the level of a signal corresponding to a permittivity, etc. output by the capacitance sensor. For example, the controllermay check a level range including the level of the signal, based on a look-up table, and may determine a moisture content for the aerosol generating article, based on the checked level range.

According to an embodiment, the cigarette identification sensor may detect whether the aerosol generating article is authentic, and/or detect the type of the aerosol generating article.

For example, the cigarette identification sensor may include an optical sensor for detecting an identification material (or an identification mark) located on an outer surface (e.g., a wrapper) of the aerosol generating article. The optical sensor may radiate light toward the identification material (or the identification mark) of the aerosol generating article, and may detect the authenticity and/or the type of the aerosol generating article, based on the reflected light. For example, the identification material may include a material that emits light of a wavelength in a specific band, based on the radiated light. The controllermay detect the authenticity and/or the type of the aerosol generating article, based on the range of the wavelength.

As another example, the cigarette identification sensor may include a capacitance sensor. According to the types of aerosol generating article inserted into the insertion space, the internal permittivity of the insertion space may vary. The controllermay detect the authenticity of and/or the type of the aerosol generating article, based on the signal corresponding to the internal permittivity, etc. of the insertion space output by the capacitance sensor.

As another example, the cigarette identification sensor may include an inductive sensor. When a conductor is included in the wrapper and/or interior (e.g., a medium portion) of the aerosol generating article inserted into the insertion space, the characteristics of a current detected by the inductive sensor (e.g., a frequency, a current value, a voltage value, an inductance value, and an impedance value of an AC current) may differ according to the types of aerosol generating article inserted into the insertion space. The controllermay detect the authenticity of and/or the type of the aerosol generating article, based on the characteristics of a current output by the capacitance sensor or detected by the inductive sensor.

The cigarette identification sensor is not limited to the aforementioned examples, and may be implemented using any of various sensors for detecting whether the aerosol generating article is authentic, and/or detecting the type of the aerosol generating article. The cigarette identification sensor may also include any combination of the aforementioned examples.

According to an embodiment, the cartridge detection sensor may detect insertion and/or removal of the cartridge. For example, the cartridge detection sensor may include an inductive sensor, a capacitance sensor, a resistance sensor, a hall sensor (a hall IC) using a hall effect, and/or an optical sensor.

According to an embodiment, the cap detection sensor may detect insertion and/or removal of the cap. For example, the cap detection sensor may include an inductive sensor, a capacitance sensor, a resistance sensor, a hall sensor (a hall IC), and/or an optical sensor. The cap may include a structure that covers at least a portion of the cartridge mounted on or inserted into the aerosol generating deviceor covers at least a portion of the housing of the aerosol generating device. When the cap is mounted on or removed from the housing, the cap detection sensor may output a signal corresponding to the mounting or removal of the cap. The controllermay detect the mounting or removal of the cap, based on a signal corresponding to the mounting or removal.

According to an embodiment, the movement detection sensor may detect a motion of the aerosol generating device. The movement detection sensor may be implemented using at least one of an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.

According to an embodiment, the sensor unitmay further include at least one of a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, a global positioning sensor (GPS), or a proximity sensor, in addition to the above-described sensors. Functions of the sensors would be instinctively understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in view of their names and thus detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted herein.

According to an embodiment, the output unitmay output information about the state of the aerosol generating device. The output unitmay include a display, a haptic unit, and/or a sound output unit, but embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, information about the aerosol generating devicemay include a charging/discharging state of the power supplyof the aerosol generating device, preheating states of the heateror, an insertion/removal state of the aerosol generating article and/or the cartridge, a mounting and/or removal state of the cap, or a state in which use of the aerosol generating deviceis limited (e.g., detection of an abnormal article). The display may visually provide the information about the state of the aerosol generating deviceto the user. For example, the display may include a light-emitting diode (LED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), etc. When the display includes a touch pad, the display may also be used as an input unit. A haptic unit may tactually provide the information about the state of the aerosol generating deviceto the user. For example, the haptic unit may include a vibration motor, a piezoelectric element, an electrical stimulation device, etc. The sound output unit may acoustically provide the information about the aerosol generating deviceto the user. For example, the sound output unit may convert an electrical signal into a sound signal and may output the sound signal to the outside.

According to an embodiment, the power supplymay output power for operating the aerosol generating device. The power supplymay include one or more batteries. The power supplymay supply power so that the heaterormay be heated. In addition, the power supplymay supply power required for operations of the controller, the sensor unit, the output unit, the input unit, the communication unit, the memory, etc. which are other components included in the aerosol generating device. The power supplymay be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, the power supplymay be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but embodiments are not limited thereto. The power supplymay be a rechargeable (separate-type) battery (hereinafter, a detachable battery. The detachable battery may be mounted on a battery accommodation part provided within the aerosol generating device, or may be removed from the battery accommodation part. The detachable battery may be charged either via wire or wirelessly.

According to an embodiment, the heaterormay heat a medium and/or an aerosol generating material within the aerosol generating article and/or the cartridge by receiving power from the power supply. The aerosol generating devicemay include a heaterfor heating the aerosol generating article and/or a cartridge heaterfor heating the cartridge (i.e., a solid and/or liquid medium).