Aerosol generating device including a vibrator and method of operating the device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an aerosol generating device including a vibrator and a method for operating the device. According to an embodiment, the aerosol generating device includes: a reservoir storing an aerosol generating substance; a vibrator generating ultrasonic vibrations to atomize the aerosol generating substance into an aerosol; a drive circuit applying an alternating current (AC) voltage to the vibrator; a feedback circuit outputting a voltage proportional to the current supplied to the drive circuit; and a processor controlling a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal applied to the drive circuit so that a value corresponding to the voltage is within a preset range defined by a first upper limit and a first lower limit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device including a vibrator and a method of operating the aerosol generating device. Background Art

[0002] There is an increasing demand for aerosol generating devices that generate aerosol in a non-combustion manner as a substitute for traditional cigarettes. For example, an aerosol generating device can generate aerosol from an aerosol generating substance without combustion and supply the generated aerosol to a user. Summary of the invention

[0003] Technical issues

[0004] An aerosol generating device using ultrasonic vibration can generate ultrasonic vibration by applying an alternating current (AC) voltage to a vibrator, and can separate an aerosol generating substance into fine particles by the ultrasonic vibration. When the aerosol generating substance is separated into fine particles and released, an aerosol can be generated. The aerosol generated by ultrasonic vibration may be greatly affected by the characteristics of the vibrator. Therefore, a technology for acquiring information about the characteristics or state of the vibrator in real time and using the acquired information to control the aerosol generating device may be required.

[0005] Various embodiments provide an aerosol generating device including a vibrator and a method of operating the aerosol generating device.The technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above technical problems, and other technical problems can be inferred from the following embodiments.

[0006] Solution to the problem

[0007] According to one embodiment, an aerosol generating device includes: a reservoir for storing an aerosol generating substance; a vibrator for generating ultrasonic vibrations to atomize the aerosol generating substance into an aerosol; a drive circuit for applying an alternating current (AC) voltage to the vibrator; a feedback circuit for outputting a voltage proportional to a current supplied to the drive circuit; and a processor for controlling a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal applied to the drive circuit so that a value corresponding to the voltage is within a preset range defined by a first upper limit and a first lower limit.

[0008] Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0009] The present disclosure may provide an aerosol generating device including a vibrator and a method for operating the aerosol generating device. For example, the aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may feedback a voltage proportional to a current supplied to a driving circuit by using a feedback circuit, the driving circuit being used to apply an AC voltage to the vibrator, and the aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may control a PWM signal applied to the driving circuit so that a value corresponding to the voltage is within a preset range defined by a first upper limit and a first lower limit. Therefore, the characteristics of the vibrator may be maintained at a level at which stable atomization of the aerosol can be performed.

[0010] In addition, when the value corresponding to the voltage is less than a second lower limit lower than the first lower limit, the aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can determine that the cartridge including the vibrator is not connected to the main body. The aerosol generating device can prevent unnecessary power consumption by stopping at least one operation when determining that the cartridge is not connected to the main body.

[0011] In addition, when the value corresponding to the voltage reaches a second upper limit greater than the first upper limit, the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can determine that the aerosol generating substance is insufficient or the characteristics of the vibrator have changed. The change in the characteristics of the vibrator can indicate that the vibrator is in an overheated state or that the vibrator is damaged due to a temperature increase above the Curie temperature. When it is determined that the aerosol generating substance is insufficient or the characteristics of the vibrator have changed, the aerosol generating device can stop at least one operation or can output a notification that the cartridge or vibrator needs to be replaced.

[0012] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the thresholds (e.g., the first upper limit and the first lower limit) for determining the optimal state of the aerosol generating device can be set to be different from the thresholds (e.g., the second upper limit and the second lower limit) for determining the inoperable state of the aerosol generating device. Therefore, the aerosol generating device is not only controlled to be in an operable state, but also can be controlled to be in an optimal state in which stable atomization of the aerosol can be performed.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the feedback circuit may include an operational amplifier having a non-inverting input terminal for applying a driving voltage, an inverting input terminal connected to an input terminal of the driving circuit, and an output terminal. In addition, the feedback circuit may include a first resistor and a first capacitor, the first resistor and the first capacitor being connected in parallel between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal. The operational amplifier may amplify the voltage between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal to be within a range that can be accepted by the processor, and the operational amplifier may output the amplified voltage through the output terminal.

[0014] The first resistor may have a resistance value small enough to transfer the drive voltage applied to the non-inverting input terminal to the input terminal of the drive circuit without a significant voltage drop. In addition, the first capacitor may reduce noise while the voltage between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal is amplified by the operational amplifier. In this way, the feedback circuit may provide feedback on the characteristics of the vibrator without substantially affecting the process in which the drive voltage is applied to the drive circuit.

[0015] In addition, the feedback circuit may further include an RC filter including a second resistor and a second capacitor connected in series to the output terminal, and the RC filter provides an output voltage of the feedback circuit through the second capacitor. Therefore, noise in the process of outputting the voltage through the feedback circuit can be further reduced, and the aerosol generating device can be accurately controlled. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0017] Figure 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a driving circuit according to an example embodiment.

[0019] Figure 4 A diagram illustrating the operation of a driving circuit according to example embodiments is illustrated.

[0020] Figure 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating a feedback circuit according to an embodiment.

[0021] Figures 6 to 8 is a diagram illustrating a process of controlling an aerosol generating device based on a feedback voltage according to an embodiment.

[0022] Fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an aerosol generating device may include: a reservoir for storing an aerosol generating substance; a vibrator for generating ultrasonic vibrations to atomize the aerosol generating substance into an aerosol; a drive circuit for applying an alternating current (AC) voltage to the vibrator; a feedback circuit for outputting a voltage proportional to a current supplied to the drive circuit; and a processor for controlling a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal applied to the drive circuit so that a value corresponding to the voltage is within a preset range defined by a first upper limit and a first lower limit.

[0025] The aerosol generating device may further comprise a sensor configured to detect a puff by a user, and the processor may apply a PWM signal to the drive circuit based on detecting the start of a puff, and the processor controls the PWM signal so that the time taken for the value corresponding to the voltage to reach the first upper limit is substantially constant for each puff by the user.

[0026] The aerosol generating device may also include: a cartridge, which includes a reservoir and a vibrator; and a main body, which includes a drive circuit, a feedback circuit and a processor, and the main body is detachably connected to the cartridge, and, based on the value corresponding to the voltage being less than a second lower limit that is lower than the first lower limit, the processor can determine that the cartridge is not connected to the main body.

[0027] Based on the value corresponding to the voltage reaching a second upper limit that is greater than the first upper limit, the processor may determine that the aerosol generating substance is insufficient or that a characteristic of the vibrator has changed.

[0028] The feedback circuit may include: an operational amplifier having a non-inverting input terminal for applying a driving voltage, an inverting input terminal connected to the input terminal of the driving circuit, and an output terminal; and a first resistor and a first capacitor, the first resistor and the first capacitor are connected in parallel between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal, and the operational amplifier can amplify the voltage between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal to be within a range that can be accepted by the processor, and the operational amplifier can output the amplified voltage through the output terminal.

[0029] The first resistor may have a resistance value small enough to pass a driving voltage applied to the non-inverting input terminal to the input terminal of the driving circuit without a significant voltage drop.

[0030] The feedback circuit may further include an RC filter including a second resistor and a second capacitor connected in series to the output terminal, and the RC filter provides an output voltage of the feedback circuit through the second capacitor.

[0031] The processor may acquire a value corresponding to the voltage by converting the voltage output from the feedback circuit into a digital value using an analog-to-digital converter.

[0032] The driving circuit may include an input terminal to which a driving voltage is applied; an inductor having one terminal connected to the input terminal; a transistor connected to the other terminal of the inductor and configured to perform switching so that a current flowing through the inductor flows to one of a vibrator and a ground; and a power field effect transistor (FET) configured to generate a switching voltage based on a PWM signal, and when the transistor performs switching according to the switching voltage, an AC voltage may be applied to the vibrator.

[0033] In addition, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for operating an aerosol generating device may include: providing feedback on a voltage proportional to a current supplied to a drive circuit by using a feedback circuit, the drive circuit being used to apply an alternating current (AC) voltage to a vibrator; and controlling a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal applied to the drive circuit by using a processor so that a value corresponding to the voltage is within a preset range defined by a first upper limit and a first lower limit.

[0034] Solution of the present invention

[0035] As for the terms used to describe various embodiments, currently widely used general terms are selected in consideration of the functions of the structural elements in the various embodiments of the present disclosure. However, the meanings of these terms may change according to intentions, judicial precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, in certain cases, there are terms arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in this case, the meaning of the term is described in detail in the description of the corresponding part. Therefore, the terms used in the present disclosure should be defined based on the meanings of these terms and all the contents of the present disclosure rather than the simple names of these terms.

[0036] In addition, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the term "include" and its variations, such as "include" and "comprising", will be understood to mean including the stated elements but not excluding any other elements. In addition, the terms described in this application document, such as "-unit", "-part" and "-module" refer to a unit for processing at least one function or operation, which unit is implemented by hardware, software or a combination thereof.

[0037] As used in this disclosure, expressions such as "at least one" when following a list of elements define the entire list of elements rather than defining individual elements in the list. For example, the expression "at least one of a, b, and c" may be understood as: including a, including b, including c, including a and b, including a and c, including b and c, or including a, b, and c.

[0038] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0039] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0040] Reference Figure 1 The aerosol generating device 10 may include a battery 110, an atomizer 120, a sensor 130, a user interface 140, a memory 150, and a processor 160. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 10 is not limited to Figure 1 The structure shown in FIG. Those skilled in the art who are related to this embodiment can understand that, according to the design of the aerosol generating device 10, Figure 1 Some of the hardware components shown in the figure may be omitted or new configurations may be further added.

[0041] For example, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a main body, and in this case, the hardware components included in the aerosol generating device 10 may be located on the main body.

[0042] In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a main body and a cartridge, and the hardware components included in the aerosol generating device 10 may be distributedly located in the main body and the cartridge. Alternatively, at least some of the hardware components included in the aerosol generating device 10 may be located in each of the main body and the cartridge.

[0043] Hereinafter, the operation of each component is described without limiting the position of each component included in the aerosol generating device 10 .

[0044] The battery 110 supplies power for operating the aerosol generating device 10. For example, the battery 110 may supply power to enable the atomizer 120 to atomize the aerosol generating substance. In addition, the battery 110 may supply power required for the operation of other hardware components included in the aerosol generating device 10, such as the sensor 130, the user interface 140, the memory 150, and the processor 160. The battery 110 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery.

[0045] For example, the battery 110 may include a nickel-based battery (e.g., a nickel metal hydride battery or a nickel cadmium battery), or a lithium-based battery (e.g., a lithium cobalt battery, a lithium phosphate battery, a lithium titanate battery, a lithium ion battery, or a lithium polymer battery). However, the types of the battery 110 that can be used in the aerosol generating device 10 are not limited to the above batteries. As needed, the battery 110 may also include an alkaline battery or a manganese battery.

[0046] The atomizer 120 may receive power from the battery 110 under the control of the processor 160. The atomizer 120 may receive power from the battery 110 to atomize the aerosol generating substance stored in the aerosol generating device 10.

[0047] The atomizer 120 may be located in the body of the aerosol generating device 10. Alternatively, when the aerosol generating device 10 includes a body and a cartridge, the atomizer 120 may be located in the cartridge or may be divided into being located in the body and the cartridge. When the atomizer 120 is located in the cartridge, the atomizer 120 may receive power from the battery 110 located in at least one of the body and the cartridge. In addition, when the atomizer 120 is divided into being located separately in the body and the cartridge, the power-requiring components of the atomizer 120 may receive power from the battery 110 located in at least one of the body and the cartridge.

[0048] The atomizer 120 generates an aerosol from the aerosol-generating substance in the cigarette cartridge. Aerosol refers to floating particles in which liquid and / or solid fine particles are dispersed in a gas. Therefore, the aerosol generated from the atomizer 120 may refer to a mixture of vaporized particles generated by the aerosol-generating substance and air. For example, the atomizer 120 may transform the phase of the aerosol-generating substance into a gas phase by vaporization and / or sublimation. In addition, the atomizer 120 may generate an aerosol by converting the aerosol-generating substance in a liquid phase and / or a solid phase into fine particles.

[0049] For example, the nebulizer 120 may generate aerosol from the aerosol generating substance by an ultrasonic vibration method. The ultrasonic vibration method may refer to a method of generating aerosol by atomizing the aerosol generating substance using ultrasonic vibration generated by a vibrator (eg, a transducer).

[0050] Although not in Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1 , the atomizer 120 may optionally include a heater capable of heating the aerosol-generating substance by generating heat. The aerosol-generating substance may be heated by the heater to generate an aerosol.

[0051] The heater may be formed of any suitable resistive material. For example, a suitable resistive material may be a metal or metal alloy including, but not limited to, titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, or nickel-chromium alloy. In addition, the heater may include, but not limited to, a metal heating wire, a metal heating plate arranged with conductive traces, a ceramic heating element, and the like.

[0052] For example, in one embodiment, the heater can be part of the cartridge. In addition, the cartridge can include a liquid delivery device and a reservoir to be described below. The aerosol-generating substance included in the reservoir can be moved to the liquid delivery device, and the heater can heat the aerosol-generating substance absorbed in the liquid delivery device to generate an aerosol. For example, the heater can be wrapped around the liquid delivery device or can be arranged adjacent to the liquid delivery device.

[0053] In another example, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a housing space capable of housing a cigarette, and the heater may heat the cigarette inserted into the housing space of the aerosol generating device 10. When the cigarette is housed in the housing space of the aerosol generating device 10, the heater may be located inside and / or outside the cigarette. Therefore, the heater may heat the aerosol generating substance in the cigarette to generate an aerosol.

[0054] In addition, the heater may include an induction heating type heater. The heater may include a conductive coil for inducing an alternating magnetic field, and the cigarette or the cigarette cartridge may include a base that can be heated by the alternating magnetic field.

[0055] The aerosol generating device 10 may include at least one sensor 130. The sensing result obtained by the at least one sensor 130 may be transmitted to the processor 160, and the processor 160 may control the aerosol generating device 10 according to the sensing result to perform various functions, such as operation control of the atomizer 120, restriction of smoking, determination of whether a cartridge (or cigarette) is inserted, and notification display.

[0056] For example, the at least one sensor 130 may include a suction detection sensor. The suction detection sensor may detect the user's suction based on at least one of the following: flow change of an externally introduced airflow; pressure change; and sound detection. The suction detection sensor may detect the start time and end time of the user's suction, and the processor 160 may determine the suction period and the non-suction period according to the detected start time of the suction and the detected end time of the suction.

[0057] In addition, the at least one sensor 130 may include a user input sensor. The user input sensor may include a sensor capable of receiving user input, such as a switch, a physical button, or a touch sensor. For example, the touch sensor may include a capacitive sensor that can detect user input by detecting a change in capacitance that occurs when a user touches a specific area formed by a metal material. The processor 160 may determine whether a user input has been made based on the change in capacitance detected by the capacitive sensor. When the change in capacitance exceeds a preset threshold, the processor 160 may determine that a user input has been made.

[0058] In addition, the at least one sensor 130 may include a motion sensor. Information about the movement of the aerosol generating device 10, such as the inclination, movement speed, and acceleration of the aerosol generating device 10, may be acquired through the motion sensor. For example, the motion sensor may acquire information about the following items: a state in which the aerosol generating device 10 is moving, a stationary state of the aerosol generating device 10, a state in which the aerosol generating device 10 is tilted at an angle within a predetermined range for puffing, and a state in which the aerosol generating device 10 is tilted at an angle different from that during the puffing operation between each puffing operation. The motion sensor may measure the motion information of the aerosol generating device 10 by various methods known in the art. For example, the motion sensor may include an acceleration sensor capable of measuring acceleration in three directions of the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis, and a gyroscope sensor capable of measuring angular velocity in three directions.

[0059] In addition, the at least one sensor 130 may include a proximity sensor. A proximity sensor refers to a sensor that detects the presence of an object or a nearby object or the distance to an object by using an electromagnetic field, infrared rays, etc. without mechanical contact. Therefore, the proximity sensor can detect a user approaching the aerosol generating device 10.

[0060] In addition, the at least one sensor 130 may include an image sensor. The image sensor may include, for example, a camera for acquiring an image of an object. The image sensor may identify the object based on the image acquired by the camera. The processor 160 may analyze the image acquired by the image sensor to determine whether the user is in a situation of using the aerosol generating device 10. For example, when the user brings the aerosol generating device 10 close to the lips to use the aerosol generating device 10, the image sensor may acquire an image of the lips. The processor 160 may analyze the acquired image, and when determining that the image is lips, the processor 160 determines that the user is in a situation of using the aerosol generating device 10. The aerosol generating device 10 may operate the atomizer 120 in advance, or may preheat the heater.

[0061] In addition, the at least one sensor 130 may include a consumable removal sensor that can detect the installation or removal of consumables (e.g., cartridges, cigarettes, etc.) that can be used in the aerosol generating device 10. For example, the consumable removal sensor can detect whether the consumable is in contact with the aerosol generating device 10, or can determine whether the consumable is removed by an image sensor. In addition, the consumable removal sensor may include: an inductance sensor for detecting changes in the inductance value of a coil that can interact with a mark of the consumable; or a capacitance sensor for detecting changes in the capacitance value of a capacitor that can interact with a mark of the consumable.

[0062] In addition, the at least one sensor 130 may include a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may detect the temperature of a vibrator or a heater (or an aerosol generating substance) of the atomizer 120. The aerosol generating device 10 may include an independent temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the vibrator or the heater, or the heater itself may be used as a temperature sensor without including an independent temperature sensor. Alternatively, in the case where the heater is used as a temperature sensor, an independent temperature sensor may also be included in the aerosol generating device 10. In addition, the temperature sensor may also detect the temperature of internal components of the aerosol generating device 10, such as a printed circuit board (PCB) and a battery, and the temperature of the vibrator or the heater.

[0063] In addition, the at least one sensor 130 may include various sensors for acquiring information about the surrounding environment of the aerosol generating device 10. For example, the at least one sensor 130 may include a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the surrounding environment, a humidity sensor for detecting the humidity of the surrounding environment, an atmospheric pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the surrounding environment, and the like.

[0064] The sensor 130 that can be provided in the aerosol generating device 10 is not limited to the above-mentioned sensors, and may also include various sensors. For example, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a fingerprint sensor for acquiring fingerprint information from a user's finger for user authentication and security, an iris recognition sensor for analyzing an iris pattern of a pupil, a vein recognition sensor for detecting the amount of infrared absorption by reduced hemoglobin in a vein from an image obtained by photographing a palm, a facial recognition sensor for recognizing feature points such as eyes, nose, mouth, facial contours, etc. by a two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) method, a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, and the like.

[0065] The aerosol generating device 10 may selectively include only some of the above-mentioned examples of the various sensors 130. In other words, the aerosol generating device 10 may combine various pieces of information acquired by at least one of the above-mentioned sensors.

[0066] The user interface 140 may provide the user with information about the status of the aerosol generating device 10. The user interface 140 may include various interface devices, such as a display or light for outputting visual information, a motor for outputting tactile information, a speaker for outputting sound information, a terminal for data communication with an input / output (I / O) interface device (e.g., a button or a touch screen) for receiving information input from the user or outputting information to the user or for receiving charging power, and a communication interface for wireless communication with an external device (e.g., Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), etc.).

[0067] However, the aerosol generating device 10 may optionally include only some of the various examples of user interface 140 described above.

[0068] The memory 150 can store various data processed by the aerosol generating device 10, data processed by the processor 160, and data to be processed by the processor 160. The memory 150 includes various memory devices, for example: random access memory (RAM), such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or static random access memory (SRAM); read-only memory (ROM); electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), etc.

[0069] The memory 150 may store the operation time of the aerosol generating device 10 , the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, data on the smoking pattern of the user, and the like.

[0070] The processor 160 controls all operations of the aerosol generating device 10. The processor 160 may be implemented by an array of multiple logic gates, or may be implemented by a combination of a microprocessor and a memory storing a program that can be executed in the microprocessor. In addition, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the processor 160 may also be implemented by other types of hardware.

[0071] The processor 160 analyzes the sensing result of the at least one sensor 130 and controls the process to be performed subsequently. For example, the processor 160 may control the power supplied to the atomizer 120 based on the sensing result of the at least one sensor 130 to start or terminate the operation of the atomizer 120. In addition, the processor 160 may control the amount of power supplied to the atomizer 120 and the power supply time based on the sensing result of the at least one sensor 130 so that the atomizer 120 can generate an appropriate amount of aerosol. For example, the processor 160 may control the current or voltage supplied to the vibrator so that the vibrator of the atomizer 120 vibrates at a preset frequency.

[0072] In one embodiment, the processor 160 may start the operation of the atomizer 120 after receiving a user input for the aerosol generating device 10. In addition, the processor 160 may start the operation of the atomizer 120 when a puff of the user is detected by the puff detection sensor. In addition, the processor 160 may stop supplying power to the atomizer 120 when the number of puffs reaches a preset number after counting the number of puffs with the puff detection sensor.

[0073] The processor 160 may control the user interface 140 based on the sensing result of the at least one sensor 130. For example, when the number of puffs reaches a preset number after the number of puffs is counted by the puff detection sensor, the processor 160 may notify the user through at least one of a light, a motor, or a speaker that the aerosol generating device 10 is about to terminate.

[0074] In addition, although not Figure 1 , but the aerosol generating device 10 can be combined with a separate cradle as an aerosol generating system. For example, the cradle can be used to charge the battery 110 of the aerosol generating device 10. For example, the aerosol generating device 10 can receive power from the battery of the cradle to charge the battery 110 of the aerosol generating device 10 when accommodated in the accommodation space in the cradle.

[0075] An embodiment can also be implemented in the form of a computer-readable medium including instructions that can be executed by a computer, such as a program module that can be executed by a computer. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer, and includes volatile and non-volatile media and removable and non-removable media. In addition, computer-readable media can include both computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes all volatile and non-volatile and removable and non-removable media for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data implemented by any method or technology. Communication media typically include computer-readable instructions, data structures, other data in modulated data signals such as program modules, or other transmission mechanisms, and include any information transfer media.

[0076] Figure 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0077] according to Figure 2 The aerosol generating device 10 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a cartridge 20 containing an aerosol generating substance and a main body 25 supporting the cartridge 20 .

[0078] The cartridge 20 may be coupled to the body 25 in a state where the aerosol generating substance is contained in the cartridge 20. For example, the cartridge 20 may be coupled to the body 25 by inserting at least a portion of the cartridge 20 into the body 25. In another example, the cartridge 20 may be coupled to the body 25 by inserting at least a portion of the body 25 into the cartridge 20.

[0079] The cartridge 20 may be coupled to the body 25 by at least one of a snap-fit ​​method, a threaded coupling method, a magnetic coupling method, and a press-fit method, but the coupling method of the cartridge 20 and the body 25 is not limited to the above examples.

[0080] In one embodiment, the cartridge 20 may include a mouthpiece 210 that is inserted into the user's mouth during the user's inhalation. In one embodiment, the mouthpiece 210 may be located at one end, and the opposite end may be coupled to the body 25 of the cartridge 20. The mouthpiece 210 may include an outlet 210e for discharging the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating substance to the outside.

[0081] Due to the inhalation or suction of the user, a pressure difference may occur between the outside and the inside of the cartridge 20, and the aerosol generated inside the cartridge 20 may be discharged to the outside of the cartridge 20 through the outlet 210e due to the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the cartridge 20. The user can receive the aerosol by inhaling the aerosol discharged to the outside of the cartridge 20 through the outlet 210e with the help of the mouthpiece 210.

[0082] In one embodiment, the cartridge 20 may include a reservoir 220, which is located in the internal space of the housing 200 to accommodate the aerosol generating substance. That is, the reservoir 220 can be used as a container for directly storing the aerosol generating substance. Alternatively, the reservoir 220 may include an element for accommodating the aerosol generating substance, such as a sponge, cotton, cloth, or a porous ceramic structure.

[0083] The cartridge 20 can contain an aerosol-generating substance in any of a liquid, solid, gaseous or gel state. The aerosol-generating substance can include a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition can include: a liquid containing a tobacco substance; a liquid containing a volatile tobacco aroma component; and / or a liquid containing a non-tobacco substance.

[0084] For example, the liquid composition may include a component of water, solvent, ethanol, plant extract, spices, flavoring agent and vitamin mixture, or a mixture of these components. Spices may include menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil and various fruity ingredients, but are not limited to this. Flavoring agent may include ingredients that can provide various flavors or fragrances to users. The vitamin mixture may be a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin E, but is not limited to this. In addition, the liquid composition may include an aerosol forming agent, such as glycerol and propylene glycol.

[0085] For example, the liquid composition may include a glycerol and propylene glycol solution to which a nicotine salt is added. The liquid composition may include two or more nicotine salts. The nicotine salt may be formed by adding a suitable acid including an organic acid or an inorganic acid to nicotine. The nicotine may be naturally occurring nicotine or synthetic nicotine and may have any suitable weight concentration relative to the total solution weight of the liquid composition.

[0086] The acid used to form the nicotine salt may be appropriately selected in consideration of the blood nicotine absorption rate, the operating temperature of the aerosol generating device 10, flavor or aroma, solubility, etc. For example, the acid used to form the nicotine salt may be a single acid selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, lauric acid, sorbic acid, levulinic acid, pyruvic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, citric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, phenylacetic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, sucrose acid, malonic acid, or malic acid, but is not limited thereto.

[0087] The aerosol generating device 10 may include an atomizer 120 that transforms the phase of the aerosol generating substance in the cartridge 20 to generate an aerosol.

[0088] In one example, the aerosol generating substance stored or contained in the reservoir 220 may be supplied to the atomizer 120 through the liquid delivery device 230, and the atomizer 120 may atomize the aerosol generating substance supplied from the liquid delivery device 230, thereby generating an aerosol. The liquid delivery device 230 may be, for example, a core including at least one of cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, and porous ceramic, but is not limited thereto.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the atomizer 120 of the aerosol generating device 10 may transform the phase of the aerosol generating substance by an ultrasonic vibration method of atomizing the aerosol generating substance using ultrasonic vibration.

[0090] For example, the nebulizer 120 may include a vibrator that generates short-period vibrations, and the vibrations generated by the vibrator may be ultrasonic vibrations. The frequency of the ultrasonic vibrations may be about 100 kHz to about 3.5 MHz, but is not limited thereto. The aerosol-generating substance supplied from the reservoir 220 to the nebulizer 120 may be vaporized and / or made into particles by the short-period vibrations generated by the vibrator to be atomized into an aerosol.

[0091] The vibrator may include, for example, piezoelectric ceramics, which may be functional materials capable of converting mechanical force into electricity by generating electricity (e.g., voltage) in response to physical force (e.g., pressure), and converting electricity into mechanical force by generating vibration (i.e., mechanical force) in response to electricity. When electricity is applied to the vibrator, short-period vibration (i.e., physical force) may be generated, and the generated vibration may split the aerosol-generating substance into small particles, thereby generating an aerosol.

[0092] The vibrator may be electrically connected to other components of the aerosol generating device 10 through an electrical connection member. For example, the vibrator may be electrically connected to at least one of the battery 110 and the processor 160 of the aerosol generating device 10, or electrically connected to a circuit of the aerosol generating device 10 through an electrical connection member, but the components electrically connected to the vibrator are not limited to the above examples.

[0093] The vibrator may receive current or voltage from the battery 110 through the electrical connection member to generate ultrasonic vibrations, or the operation of the vibrator may be controlled by the processor 160 .

[0094] The electrical connection member may include, for example, at least one of a spring pin and a C-clip, but the electrical connection member is not limited to the above examples. In another example, the electrical connection member may include at least one of a cable and a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

[0095] In another embodiment (not shown), the atomizer 120 may include a vibration receiver having a mesh shape or a plate shape, which performs the following two functions: maintaining an optimal state for absorbing the aerosol generating substance to convert the aerosol generating substance into an aerosol without using a separate liquid delivery device 230; and transmitting vibration to the aerosol generating substance to generate an aerosol.

[0096] although Figure 2 The liquid delivery device 230 and the atomizer 120 are shown to be arranged in the cartridge 20 , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the liquid delivery device 230 may be in the cartridge 20 , and the atomizer 120 may be in the body 25 .

[0097] The cartridge 20 of the aerosol generating device 10 may include an outlet channel 240. The outlet channel 240 is formed inside the cartridge 20 and may be in fluid communication with the atomizer 120 and the outlet 210e of the mouthpiece 210. Therefore, the aerosol generated by the atomizer 120 may flow through the outlet channel 240 and may be discharged through the outlet 210e to the outside of the aerosol generating device 10 to be delivered to the user.

[0098] For example, the outlet channel 240 may be disposed in the interior of the cartridge 20 in a manner of being surrounded by the reservoir 220 , but is not limited thereto.

[0099] Although not shown in the drawings, the cartridge 20 of the aerosol generating device 10 may include at least one air inlet channel through which air outside the aerosol generating device 10 (hereinafter “external air”) flows into the aerosol generating device 10 .

[0100] External air may be introduced into the outlet passage 240 or the space where the aerosol is generated by the atomizer 120 through at least one air inlet passage. The introduced external air may be mixed with vaporized particles generated by the aerosol generating substance, thereby generating an aerosol.

[0101] According to various embodiments, the cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (i.e., the longitudinal direction) of the cartridge 20 and the body 25 may have different shapes, such as circular, elliptical, square, rectangular, and polygonal. However, the cross-sectional shape of the aerosol generating device 10 is not limited to the above-mentioned shapes. In addition, the present disclosure is not limited to the linear extension structure of the aerosol generating device 10.

[0102] In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device 10 may be curved into a streamlined shape for the user to easily hold the aerosol generating device 10 by hand, or may be bent at a preset angle in a specific area. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the aerosol generating device 10 may vary along the longitudinal direction.

[0103] In addition, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a driving circuit for applying an alternating current (AC) voltage to the vibrator to drive the vibrator. In addition, the aerosol generating device 10 may also include a feedback circuit for detecting the characteristics of the vibrator in real time and controlling the aerosol generating device 10 using the detected characteristics of the vibrator. Hereinafter, the driving circuit and the feedback circuit are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0104] Figure 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a driving circuit according to an example embodiment.

[0105] Reference Figure 3 The driving circuit 30 may include at least one power field effect transistor (FET) 310 and at least one switching circuit 320. In addition, the driving circuit 30 may include at least one input terminal, a driving voltage V 驱动 is applied to the at least one input terminal. For example, the driving voltage V 驱动 A voltage may be applied to the power FET 310 and / or the switching circuit 320 through at least one input terminal.

[0106] When the driving voltage V 驱动 When applied to the power FET 310, the power FET 310 can generate a switching voltage V based on the PWM signal PWM. 切换 . Switching voltage V 切换 It can indicate a voltage signal having a frequency corresponding to the PWM signal PWM and repeating a high level and a low level. The switching voltage V generated by the power FET 310 切换 It can be used to control the switching circuit 320.

[0107] The switching circuit 320 may include an inductor L and a transistor TR. One terminal of the inductor L may be connected to an input terminal to receive a driving voltage V 驱动 , and the other terminal of the inductor L can be connected to the transistor TR and the vibrator P. The transistor TR can be switched so that the current flowing through the inductor L is transferred to one of the vibrator P and the ground. The transistor TR can be an N-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). For example, the transistor TR can switch on and off the current flowing between the source terminal connected to the ground and the drain terminal connected to the inductor L in response to a signal received to the gate terminal. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the transistor TR can be a P-channel MOSFET or other types of semiconductor switching devices.

[0108] The switching voltage V output by the transistor TR can be 切换An AC voltage is applied to the vibrator P. In the following, reference is made to Figure 4 The process in which the AC voltage is applied to the vibrator P is described in detail.

[0109] Figure 4 A diagram illustrating the operation of a driving circuit according to example embodiments is illustrated.

[0110] Figure 4 The diagram shows that when the switching voltage V 切换 At high level and when the switching voltage V 切换 When low, it switches the circuit (for example, Figure 3 An equivalent circuit of the switching circuit 320).

[0111] When the switching voltage V is applied to the switching circuit 切换 When at a high level, current can flow in a transistor (e.g. Figure 3 Flow between the source terminal and the drain terminal of the transistor TR). Therefore, the inductor L can be connected to the ground, and thus the current I can flow to the ground through the inductor L. In this case, the inductor L is also connected to the vibrator P, but the vibrator P has a non-zero load value (e.g., capacitance), and the resistance of the ground is zero or substantially close to zero. Therefore, the current I flowing through the inductor can basically travel to the ground. In addition, since the current I flows through the inductor L, the inductor L can store energy corresponding to the current I.

[0112] When the switching voltage V is applied to the switching circuit 切换 When at a low level, current does not flow between the source terminal and the drain terminal of the transistor. Therefore, the energy stored in the inductor L can be supplied to the vibrator P.

[0113] Switching voltage V 切换 The high level and the low level are repeated according to the PWM signal. Therefore, the above switching operation can be performed quickly. Therefore, the AC voltage can be applied to the vibrator P, so that the vibrator P generates ultrasonic vibration, so that the aerosol generating substance can be atomized.

[0114] Figure 5 is a circuit diagram showing a feedback circuit according to an embodiment.

[0115] Reference Figure 5 , the feedback circuit 50 outputs and supplies to the drive circuit (eg, Figure 3 The feedback circuit 50 can be positioned to generate a driving voltage V 驱动0 The power supply circuit may include a power supply. The driving voltage V generated by the power supply circuit 驱动0It can be the battery voltage, but is not limited to this. 驱动0 It may correspond to a voltage obtained by boosting the battery voltage using a converter circuit or the like.

[0116] The feedback circuit 50 may include an operational amplifier 510. The operational amplifier 510 has: a driving voltage V 驱动0 The operational amplifier 510 may amplify the voltage between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal to a voltage that can be controlled by a processor (e.g., Figure 1 or Figure 2 The processor 160) is within the range accepted by the processor 160, and the amplified voltage is output through the output terminal.

[0117] In one example, a vibrator may be included in a cigarette cartridge (e.g., Figure 2 The cartridge 20) and the cartridge may be detachably connected to the main body (eg, Figure 2 In this case, before the cigarette cartridge is connected to the main body, the drive circuit may correspond to the vibrator P not included in the Figure 3 The state of the driving circuit 30. Therefore, the driving circuit does not include a significant load, so the current flowing through the first resistor R1 and flowing to the input terminal of the driving circuit may be very small. For example, the current flowing through the first resistor R1 may be only tens of mA to hundreds of mA.

[0118] On the other hand, when the cigarette cartridge is connected to the main body and the vibrator is driven, the above reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The described operation of the driving circuit applies an AC voltage to the vibrator included in the cartridge, and the current flowing through the first resistor R1 may be increased to 2 A or more.

[0119] According to Ohm's law, the current flowing through the first resistor R l The current can be connected with the first resistor R l In addition, since the voltage across the first resistor R1 corresponds to the voltage between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 510, the operational amplifier 510 can output a voltage proportional to the current flowing through the first resistor R1, that is, the current supplied to the drive circuit.

[0120] For example, assuming that the first resistor R l The resistance value is about 0.01Ω, then when the cigarette cartridge is not connected to the main body, the current flowing through the first resistor R lThe current is about 100mA, and when the cigarette cartridge is connected to the main body and the vibrator is driven, it flows through the first resistor R l The current is about 2A. In this case, when the cigarette cartridge is not connected to the main body, the first resistor R l The voltage across the two ends may be about 1 mV (=100 mA*0.01 Ω), and when the cartridge is connected to the main body and the vibrator is driven, the first resistor R l The voltage across the two ends may be about 20 mV (=2A*0.01Ω).

[0121] The operational amplifier 510 can connect the first resistor R l The voltage at both ends is amplified, for example, by 50 times and is within the range acceptable to the processor. Therefore, in the above example, when the cartridge is not connected to the main body, the voltage output by the operational amplifier 510 may be about 50mV, and when the cartridge is connected to the main body and the vibrator is driven, the voltage output by the operational amplifier 510 may be about 1000mV.

[0122] Thus, the voltage output by the operational amplifier 510 changes depending on whether the cigarette cartridge is connected to the body. Figure 1 or Figure 2 The aerosol generating device 10) can determine whether the cigarette cartridge is connected to the main body by using the voltage output by the operational amplifier 510.

[0123] In addition, the aerosol generating device can detect the characteristics or state of the vibrator by using the voltage output by the operational amplifier 510. When the characteristics of the vibrator change in the process of generating ultrasonic vibration in response to the AC voltage, the load value (e.g., capacitance) of the vibrator changes, and thus the current provided to the drive circuit also changes. In one example, when the temperature of the vibrator increases, the capacitance and load value of the vibrator increase. Therefore, the current provided to the drive circuit increases. In this regard, the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment can maintain the characteristics of the vibrator within an appropriate range by performing feedback control using the voltage output by the operational amplifier 510.

[0124] The first resistor R l can have a resistance value small enough to apply the drive voltage V 驱动0 is passed to the input terminal of the driving circuit without significant voltage drop. That is, the driving voltage V 驱动0 can drop within the tolerance range. For example, when the drive voltage V 驱动0 is about 13V and flows through the first resistor R l When the current is about 2A, the first resistor R lThe resistance value of the first resistor R may be about 0.01Ω. In this case, since the first resistor R l The voltage drop caused can correspond to 2A*0.01Ω=0.02V. Since this voltage drop is only about 13V of the driving voltage V 驱动0 is about 0.15%, so it can be considered that: the driving voltage V 驱动0 is substantially equal to the drive voltage V applied to the input terminal of the drive circuit 驱动 .

[0125] In addition, while the voltage between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal is amplified by the operational amplifier 510, the first capacitor C l In this way, the feedback circuit 50 can provide feedback on the characteristics of the vibrator and the driving voltage V 驱动 The process applied to the drive circuit has essentially no effect.

[0126] In addition, the feedback circuit 50 may further include an RC filter 520 including a second resistor R2 and a second capacitor C2 connected in series to the output terminal of the operational amplifier 510. The RC filter 520 outputs the output voltage of the feedback circuit 50 through the second capacitor C2. Therefore, noise in the process of outputting the voltage through the feedback circuit 50 can be further reduced, and the aerosol generating device can be accurately controlled.

[0127] The processor may obtain a value corresponding to the voltage by converting the voltage output from the feedback circuit 50 into a digital value using an analog-to-digital converter. The analog-to-digital converter may be included in the processor or may be provided outside the processor. The processor may control the PWM signal applied to the drive circuit so that the value corresponding to the voltage is within a preset range. Figures 6 to 8 The method of controlling the PWM signal by using an aerosol generating device or a processor is described in more detail.

[0128] Figures 6 to 8 is a diagram illustrating a process of controlling an aerosol generating device based on a feedback voltage according to an embodiment.

[0129] Reference Figure 6 , illustrates the change of feedback voltage over time in one example. The feedback voltage may correspond to the feedback voltage obtained by using an analog-to-digital converter to obtain the feedback voltage from the feedback circuit (e.g., Figure 5 The voltage value is obtained by converting the analog voltage output by the feedback circuit 50 of the aerosol generating device into a digital value. Figure 1 or Figure 2 The aerosol generating device 10 includes a sensor for detecting the user's puff. In addition, the processor (e.g., Figure 1 or Figure 2 The processor 160 of the embodiment may apply a drive voltage and a PWM signal to a drive circuit (eg, Figure 3 driving circuit 30).

[0130] When the driving voltage and the PWM signal are applied to the driving circuit, a feedback voltage can be output from the feedback circuit. Figure 6 As shown in , the aerosol generating device can control the PWM signal applied to the driving circuit so that the feedback voltage is included in a preset range defined by a first upper limit and a first lower limit.

[0131] In one example, the aerosol generating device or the processor may control the PWM signal such that the time taken for the feedback voltage to reach the first upper limit is substantially constant for each puff taken by the user. Figure 6 As shown in , the aerosol generating device or the processor can control the PWM signal so that the time t1, t2 and t3 taken for the feedback voltage to reach the first upper limit in the first puff, the second puff and the third puff, respectively, are substantially equal to each other. Therefore, stable atomization with uniform characteristics for each puff can be performed.

[0132] In addition, despite Figure 6 An example is shown in which the operation of the drive circuit stops when the feedback voltage reaches the first upper limit, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. When the feedback voltage reaches the first upper limit, the aerosol generating device may keep the feedback voltage at the first upper limit, or may continuously operate the drive circuit while controlling the feedback voltage to be less than the first upper limit.

[0133] Reference Figure 7 , illustrates the change of feedback voltage over time in another example. When the feedback voltage (i.e., the value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit) reaches a second upper limit higher than the first upper limit, the aerosol generating device or the processor may determine that: the aerosol generating substance is insufficient, or the characteristics of the vibrator have changed. For example, when the aerosol generated by ... Figure 2 The cartridge 20) of the storage device (for example, Figure 2 Reservoir 220) or liquid delivery device (e.g., Figure 2 When the aerosol generating material in the liquid delivery device 230 is exhausted, the temperature of the vibrator may increase faster than expected. As the temperature of the vibrator increases, the load value of the vibrator increases, and thus the current supplied to the drive circuit connected to the vibrator also increases. Therefore, the feedback voltage can reach a second upper limit that is higher than the first upper limit.

[0134] In addition, changes in the characteristics of the vibrator may indicate that the vibrator is in an overheated state or that the vibrator has been damaged because the vibrator has been heated above the Curie temperature. When it is determined that the aerosol generating substance is insufficient or the characteristics of the vibrator have changed, the aerosol generating device may stop at least one operation or may output a notification that the cartridge or vibrator needs to be replaced. For example, the aerosol generating device may disconnect the power to the drive circuit or the vibrator. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the aerosol generating device may attempt to reduce the feedback voltage to below the first upper limit by reducing the duty cycle of the PWM signal.

[0135] Reference Figure 8 , illustrating the change of feedback voltage over time in another example. In this example, it is assumed that the cartridge includes a reservoir and a vibrator, and the main body connected to the cartridge in a detachable manner includes a drive circuit, a feedback circuit, and a processor. In this case, when the feedback voltage (a value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit) is less than a second lower limit that is lower than the first lower limit, the aerosol generating device or the processor can determine that the cartridge is not connected to the main body. When it is determined that the cartridge is not connected to the main body, the aerosol generating device or the processor can stop at least one operation, and thus unnecessary consumption of power can be prevented.

[0136] In one example, the first upper limit may be about 900 mV, the first lower limit may be about 700 mV, the second upper limit may be about 1000 mV, and the second lower limit may be about 200 mV, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and these limits may also be set or may be other appropriate values. The first upper limit may be about 1700 mV, the first lower limit may be about 800 mV, the second upper limit may be about 2000 mV, and the second lower limit may be about 200 mV. In addition, thresholds such as the first upper limit, the first lower limit, the second upper limit, and the second lower limit may be fixed, or may be dynamically changed. For example, the aerosol generating device may dynamically adjust the threshold by taking into account the fact that the characteristics of the vibrator may change as the smoking operation using the vibrator is repeated.

[0137] As described above, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the thresholds (e.g., the first upper limit and the first lower limit) for determining the optimal state of the aerosol generating device can be set to be different from the thresholds (e.g., the second upper limit and the second lower limit) for determining the inoperable state in which the aerosol generating device cannot be performed. Therefore, the aerosol generating device is not only controlled to be in an operable state, but also can be controlled to be in an optimal state in which stable atomization of the aerosol can be performed.

[0138] Fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0139] Reference Fig. 9 , a method of operating an aerosol generating device comprises: Figure 1 and Figure 2 The operation of the aerosol generating device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is thus seen to be a process that is not described in detail above, although omitted below. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The description of the aerosol generating device 10 also applies to Fig. 9 The method of operating the aerosol generating device shown in .

[0140] In operation 910, the aerosol generating device may be configured to generate a plurality of aerosols by using a feedback circuit (e.g., Figure 5 The feedback circuit 50) is fed back and supplied to a driving circuit (e.g., Figure 3 The voltage is proportional to the current of the driving circuit 30).

[0141] In operation 920, the aerosol generating device may determine whether the value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit is between the first upper limit and the first lower limit. When the value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit is between the first upper limit and the first lower limit, the aerosol generating device may perform operation 930. In addition, when the value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit is less than the first lower limit, the aerosol generating device may perform operation 940, and when the value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit is greater than the first upper limit, the aerosol generating device may perform operation 950.

[0142] In operation 930, the aerosol generating device may maintain the duty cycle of the PWM signal. When the value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit is between the first upper limit and the first lower limit, the vibrator is driven to be in a state that is optimal for stable atomization, and thus the aerosol generating device may maintain the current state. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the aerosol generating device may not maintain the duty cycle of the PWM signal, but may adjust the duty cycle of the PWM signal so that the feedback voltage (i.e., the value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit) is adjusted to a more appropriate value (e.g., an intermediate value between the first upper limit and the first lower limit, or the first upper limit).

[0143] In operation 940, the aerosol generating device may increase the duty cycle of the PWM signal. The aerosol generating device may increase the power supplied to the driving circuit by increasing the duty cycle of the PWM signal. Therefore, the value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit may be increased to be within an appropriate range (i.e., between the first upper limit and the first lower limit).

[0144] If the value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit is still lower than the second lower limit which is lower than the first lower limit even after the aerosol generating device has increased the duty cycle of the PWM signal within a possible range, the aerosol generating device may stop supplying power to the drive circuit or may determine that the cartridge is not connected to the main body.

[0145] In operation 950, the aerosol generating device may reduce the duty cycle of the PWM signal. The aerosol generating device may reduce the power supplied to the driving circuit by reducing the duty cycle of the PWM signal. Therefore, the value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit may be reduced to be within an appropriate range (i.e., between the first upper limit and the first lower limit).

[0146] If the value corresponding to the output voltage of the feedback circuit is still higher than the second upper limit that is larger than the first upper limit even after the aerosol generating device has reduced the duty cycle of the PWM signal within a possible range, the aerosol generating device can determine that the aerosol generating substance is insufficient or the characteristics of the vibrator have changed, and can stop at least one operation or can output a notification that the cartridge or vibrator needs to be replaced.

[0147] The description of the above embodiments is only an example, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalents of the above embodiments may be made. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should be defined by the appended claims, and all differences falling within the scope equivalent to the scope described in the claims will be interpreted as being included in the protection scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device, wherein: The aerosol generating device comprises: A reservoir, wherein the reservoir stores an aerosol-generating substance; a vibrator configured to generate ultrasonic vibrations to atomize the aerosol-forming substance into an aerosol; a drive circuit configured to apply an alternating voltage to the vibrator; a feedback circuit configured to output a voltage proportional to a current supplied to the drive circuit; and a processor configured to control a pulse width modulation signal applied to the drive circuit so that a feedback voltage corresponding to a voltage output by the feedback circuit is within a preset range defined by a first upper limit and a first lower limit, Wherein, the feedback circuit comprises: an operational amplifier including a non-inverting input terminal to which a driving voltage is applied, an inverting input terminal connected to an input terminal of the driving circuit, and an output terminal; and a first resistor and a first capacitor, the first resistor and the first capacitor being connected in parallel between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal, The operational amplifier amplifies the voltage between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal to be within a range acceptable to the processor, and the operational amplifier outputs the amplified voltage through the output terminal.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The aerosol generating device further comprises: a sensor configured to detect a puff by a user, wherein the processor applies the pulse width modulation signal to the drive circuit based on detecting the start of the puff, and the processor controls the pulse width modulation signal so that the time taken for the feedback voltage to reach the first upper limit is constant for each user puff.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The aerosol generating device further comprises: A cigarette cartridge, the cigarette cartridge comprising the reservoir and the vibrator; and A main body, the main body includes the driving circuit, the feedback circuit and the processor, and the main body is detachably connected to the cigarette cartridge, Wherein, based on the feedback voltage being less than a second lower limit that is lower than the first lower limit, the processor determines that the cigarette cartridge is not connected to the main body.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: Based on the feedback voltage reaching a second upper limit that is greater than the first upper limit, the processor determines that the aerosol generating substance is insufficient or a characteristic of the vibrator has changed.

5. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The first resistor has a resistance value small enough to pass the drive voltage applied to the non-inverting input terminal to the input terminal of the drive circuit without a significant voltage drop.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The feedback circuit further includes: An RC filter includes a second resistor and a second capacitor connected in series to the output terminal, and the RC filter is configured to provide an output voltage of the feedback circuit through the second capacitor.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The processor acquires the feedback voltage by converting a voltage output from the feedback circuit into a digital value using an analog-to-digital converter.

8. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The driving circuit comprises: an input terminal to which a driving voltage is applied; an inductor having a terminal connected to the input terminal; a transistor connected to the other terminal of the inductor and configured to perform switching so that the current flowing through the inductor flows to one of the vibrator and a ground; and a power field effect transistor configured to generate a switching voltage based on the pulse width modulation signal, When the transistor performs the switching according to the switching voltage, the AC voltage is applied to the vibrator.

9. A method of operating an aerosol generating device, wherein: The method comprises: feeding back a voltage proportional to a current supplied to a driving circuit for applying an AC voltage to a vibrator by using a feedback circuit; and The pulse width modulation signal applied to the driving circuit is controlled by using a processor so that a feedback voltage corresponding to the voltage fed back by the feedback circuit is within a preset range defined by a first upper limit and a first lower limit, Wherein, the feedback circuit comprises: an operational amplifier including a non-inverting input terminal to which a driving voltage is applied, an inverting input terminal connected to an input terminal of the driving circuit, and an output terminal; and a first resistor and a first capacitor, the first resistor and the first capacitor being connected in parallel between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal, The operational amplifier amplifies the voltage between the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal to be within a range acceptable to the processor, and the operational amplifier outputs the amplified voltage through the output terminal.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The driving circuit comprises: an input terminal to which a driving voltage is applied; an inductor having a terminal connected to the input terminal; a transistor connected to the other terminal of the inductor and configured to perform switching so that the current flowing through the inductor flows to one of the vibrator and a ground; and a power field effect transistor configured to generate a switching voltage based on the pulse width modulation signal, When the transistor performs the switching according to the switching voltage, the AC voltage is applied to the vibrator.

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