Test Circuit and Test Method Based on Multi-Level Airflow Sensor Chip

Abstract

This application discloses a multi-level airflow sensor chip test circuit and test method. The airflow sensor chip test circuit is used to connect an airflow sensor chip. The airflow sensor chip test circuit includes a capacitor array, an adjustable connector, and a reference capacitor. One side of the adjustable connector is provided with a preset number of first pins. The other side of the adjustable connector is provided with a preset number of second pins, all of which are connected to the reference capacitor. The reference capacitor is connected to the airflow sensor chip. The capacitor array includes a preset number of capacitor subarrays. Each capacitor subarray is connected to a first pin that matches the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray. The first and second pins located on both sides of the adjustable connector can be connected by a jumper cap. The total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to each first pin corresponds one-to-one with the capacitance level represented by the first pin, so that each first pin represents a capacitance level.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of electronic circuits, specifically to a test circuit and test method for a multi-level airflow sensing chip. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the known methods for detecting airflow in electronic cigarettes involve sampling the voltage of the microphone (airflow sensor) using a sampling circuit, amplifying the voltage using an amplifier circuit, and finally processing the signal using a microcontroller with analog-to-digital conversion. Alternatively, the signal can be processed directly by a high-level analog-to-digital converter without amplification. These methods can be used to test the sensitivity of the airflow sensor, provided that the airflow pressure received by the diaphragm is adjusted. This involves changing the distance between the plates of the capacitive microphone by altering the airflow pressure, thus changing the capacitance value. However, if a dedicated air source generator and pressure valve are used to simulate airflow, the assembly size and design cost of the airflow detection equipment will increase.

[0003] In addition, an airflow sensor is packaged from an airflow sensor chip, a variable capacitor, a battery, and other necessary components that can establish electrical connections in order to be assembled into an electronic cigarette. Moreover, the airflow sensor can only be tested for sensitivity after all components (including the variable capacitor with diaphragm and electrode plate) are packaged. Since the packaging time required to package the chip into an application sensor is long, the product development cycle will also be extended accordingly. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application discloses a test circuit and test method based on a multi-level airflow sensing chip, and the specific technical solution is as follows:

[0005] A multi-level airflow sensor chip test circuit is used to connect an airflow sensor chip. The airflow sensor chip test circuit includes a capacitor array, an adjustable connector, and a reference capacitor. One side of the adjustable connector has a preset number of first pins; the other side of the adjustable connector has a preset number of second pins, all of which are connected to the reference capacitor. The reference capacitor is connected to the airflow sensor chip so that the airflow sensor chip can sense changes in the external capacitance value without deformation of the external capacitor. The capacitor array includes a preset number of capacitor subarrays, each capacitor subarray being connected to the total capacitance of that subarray. The first row of pins matches the value; the first and second rows of pins located on both sides of the adjustable connector are connected by a jumper cap. If the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, the airflow sensing chip's sensitivity is qualified when the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset airflow sensitivity range; wherein, the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip; the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to each first row of pins corresponds one-to-one with the capacitance level represented by that first row of pins, so that each first row of pins represents a capacitance level.

[0006] Furthermore, the airflow sensing chip test circuit also includes a switching unit, all the second row of pins are connected to one end of the reference capacitor through the switching unit, one end of the reference capacitor is connected to the capacitance sensing terminal of the airflow sensing chip, and the other end of the reference capacitor is grounded.

[0007] Furthermore, the larger the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins, the higher the capacitance level it represents; the smaller the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins, the lower the capacitance level it represents. When a jumper cap is inserted into the first row of pins and the second row of pins, the jumper cap connects a corresponding first row of pins and a corresponding second row of pins together, and the jumper cap is connected to the capacitor subarray connected to a corresponding first row of pins.

[0008] Furthermore, in the capacitor array, in addition to capacitor subarrays containing only one capacitor, each capacitor subarray contains a number of capacitors connected in parallel to the corresponding capacitor level, so that the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to each first row of pins corresponds one-to-one with the capacitor level represented by that first row of pins; wherein, the total capacitance value obtained by connecting different numbers of capacitors in parallel is different; in each capacitor subarray, one end of all capacitors is connected to the first row of pins corresponding to the capacitor level, and the other end of all capacitors is grounded.

[0009] Furthermore, within the capacitor array, there are capacitor subarrays with an increasing number of capacitors. In a preset number of capacitor subarrays, the number of capacitors increases from a value of 1 to a preset number of levels. In the capacitor array, when the number of capacitors in a capacitor subarray is a value of 1, the total capacitance value of a capacitor subarray with one capacitor is equal to the capacitance value of the reference capacitor, and the total capacitance value of a capacitor subarray with more than one capacitor is greater than the capacitance value of the reference capacitor.

[0010] Furthermore, starting from the first row of pins corresponding to the lowest capacitance setting connected to the jumper cap, if the airflow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, the jumper cap is sequentially connected to the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins in the direction from low capacitance setting to high capacitance setting until the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge. Then, it is determined whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset airflow sensitivity range. If yes, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is determined to be qualified; otherwise, the jumper cap continues to sequentially connect the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins in the direction from low capacitance setting to high capacitance setting. And / or, starting from the first row of pins corresponding to the lowest capacitance setting connected to the jumper cap, if the airflow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, the jumper cap is sequentially connected to the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins in the direction from low capacitance setting to high capacitance setting until the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray electrically connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset qualified threshold range and the airflow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge. In this case, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is determined to be qualified. The preset qualified threshold range is different from the preset airflow sensitivity range.

[0011] Furthermore, starting from the first row of pins corresponding to the highest capacitance setting connected to the jumper cap, if the airflow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, the jumper cap is sequentially connected to the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins along the direction from high capacitance setting to low capacitance setting until the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge. Then, it is determined whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset airflow sensitivity range. If yes, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is determined to be qualified; otherwise, the jumper cap continues to sequentially connect the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins along the direction from high capacitance setting to low capacitance setting. And / or, starting from the first row of pins corresponding to the highest capacitance setting connected to the jumper cap, if the airflow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, the jumper cap is sequentially connected to the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins along the direction from high capacitance setting to low capacitance setting until the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray electrically connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset qualified threshold range and the airflow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge. In this case, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is determined to be qualified. The preset qualified threshold range is different from the preset airflow sensitivity range.

[0012] Furthermore, the power supply terminal of the airflow sensing chip is connected to a battery, and the battery is connected in parallel with a decoupling capacitor. One level output terminal of the airflow sensing chip is connected to an indicator light so that the indicator light illuminates when the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge. The other level output terminal of the airflow sensing chip is connected to a resistance wire so that power is applied and heating begins when the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge. The airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge when the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance of the reference capacitor exceeds a preset intake threshold.

[0013] A testing method is provided, which controls an airflow sensing chip testing circuit to test the sensitivity of an airflow sensing chip. The method includes: after selectively connecting a first port and a second port located on both sides of an adjustable connector, if the airflow sensing chip is detected to be triggered to discharge, the airflow sensing chip is deemed to have qualified sensitivity if the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected to the selected first port and the capacitance of a reference capacitor is within a preset airflow sensitivity range. The ratio between the total capacitance of the selected capacitor subarray and the capacitance of the reference capacitor represents the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip. The airflow sensing chip testing circuit is used to connect... An airflow sensing chip; the airflow sensing chip test circuit includes a capacitor array, an adjustable connector, and a reference capacitor; one side of the adjustable connector is provided with a preset number of first ports; the other side of the adjustable connector is provided with a preset number of second ports, all of which are connected to the reference capacitor; the reference capacitor is connected to the airflow sensing chip; the capacitor array includes a preset number of capacitor subarrays, each capacitor subarray is connected to a first port that matches the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray; the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to each first port corresponds one-to-one with the capacitance level represented by the first port, so that each first port represents a capacitance level.

[0014] Furthermore, after selecting and connecting the first and second ports located on both sides of the adjustable connector, before detecting whether the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, the method further includes: energizing the airflow sensing chip, and then controlling the switching unit to connect all the second ports to the airflow sensing chip; wherein, the airflow sensing chip test circuit further includes a switching unit, all the second row of pins are connected to one end of the reference capacitor through the switching unit, one end of the reference capacitor is connected to the capacitance sensing terminal of the airflow sensing chip, and the other end of the reference capacitor is grounded.

[0015] Furthermore, the larger the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first port, the higher the capacitance level it represents; the smaller the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first port, the lower the capacitance level it represents. In this case, after the first port and the second port are selected and connected, the currently selected first port and the corresponding second port are connected together, so that the corresponding second port is connected to the capacitor subarray connected to the currently selected first port to form a loop.

[0016] Furthermore, in the capacitor array, in addition to capacitor subarrays containing only one capacitor, each capacitor subarray contains a number of capacitors connected in parallel to the corresponding capacitance level, so that the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to each first port corresponds one-to-one with the capacitance level represented by that first port; wherein, the total capacitance value obtained by connecting different numbers of capacitors in parallel is different; in each capacitor subarray, one end of all capacitors is connected to the first port of the corresponding capacitance level, and the other end of all capacitors is grounded.

[0017] Further, the testing method includes: Step S101, starting from the first port corresponding to the lowest capacitance level, selecting the first port and the second port corresponding to the lowest capacitance level; Step S102, determining whether the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge; if yes, proceed to step S103, otherwise proceed to step S104; Step S103, determining whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the selected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset airflow sensitivity range; if yes, determine that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified, otherwise proceed to step S105; Step S104, determining the selected... If the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected to the first port and the capacitance of the reference capacitor is within the preset qualified threshold range, then the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is determined to be qualified; otherwise, step S105 is executed. Step S105: Select the first and second ports corresponding to the higher capacitance levels along the direction from the low capacitance level to the high capacitance level; then execute step S102. The higher capacitance level is one level higher than the capacitance level corresponding to the first port selected in step S103 or step S104. The preset qualified threshold range is different from the preset airflow sensitivity range.

[0018] Further, the testing method includes: Step S201, starting from the first port corresponding to the highest capacitance level, selecting the first port and the second port corresponding to the highest capacitance level; Step S202, determining whether the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge; if yes, proceed to step S203, otherwise proceed to step S204; Step S203, determining whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the selected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within a preset airflow sensitivity range; if yes, determine that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified, otherwise proceed to step S205; Step S204, determining the selected... If the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected to the first port and the capacitance of the reference capacitor is within the preset qualified threshold range, then the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is determined to be qualified; otherwise, step S205 is executed. Step S205: Select the first and second ports corresponding to the lower capacitance levels along the direction from high capacitance level to low capacitance level; then execute step S202. The lower capacitance level is one level lower than the capacitance level corresponding to the first port selected in step S103 or step S104. The preset qualified threshold range is different from the preset airflow sensitivity range.

[0019] Furthermore, the testing method includes: before selecting each first port and second port, first disconnecting the path between the second port and the airflow sensing chip, then selecting one first port and one second port, and then connecting the second port to the airflow sensing chip.

[0020] Furthermore, when the airflow sensing chip sends a prompt level signal to the connected indicator light to illuminate the indicator light, it is determined that the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, and then the resistance wire connected to the airflow sensing chip is energized and heated. Specifically, when the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected to the selected first port and the capacitance of the reference capacitor exceeds a preset intake threshold, the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge. The power supply terminal of the airflow sensing chip is connected to a battery, which is connected in parallel with a decoupling capacitor. One level output terminal of the airflow sensing chip is connected to an indicator light, and the other level output terminal is connected to the resistance wire.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, in the present application, the capacitance value externally connected to the airflow sensor chip is adjusted to simulate the capacitance change effect brought by the change in air flow. During the process of testing the sensitivity of the airflow sensor chip, there is no need to package the microphone (including not setting the diaphragm and electrode plate as the variable capacitor), saving the packaging time and the R & D test cycle; by switching and connecting different capacitance gears in the capacitance array, the airflow sensing chip can sense the change in the external capacitance value on the premise that the reference capacitance does not deform. The total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected by each first row of pins corresponds to the capacitance gear represented by this first row of pins, so that each first row of pins represents a capacitance gear, and the capacitance change amount that can be converted can simulate the air pressure change amount. Without specially setting a gas source generator and a pneumatic valve to simulate air flow, the sensitivity of the airflow sensor chip to trigger the inhalation action can be determined.

[0022] The airflow sensing chip test circuit can use row pins to form an adjustable connector and use a jumper cap for switching connection. The operation is simple. Switching through the jumper cap can reduce the parasitic capacitance in the switch and reduce the degree of signal interference compared with switching through a switch. At the same time, the airflow sensing chip is small in size. The airflow sensing chip test circuit includes a capacitance array, an adjustable connector, and a reference capacitance. As long as the preset number of gears is set relatively small (such as 3), the space capacity of the PCB board test environment required for the airflow sensing chip can be reduced.

[0023] During the process of sequentially connecting the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins along a specific adjustment direction, when the airflow sensing chip triggers a discharge, if the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected by the first row of pins connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitance is within the preset airflow sensitivity range, it is determined that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified; when the airflow sensing chip does not trigger a discharge, if the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected by the first row of pins connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitance is within the preset qualified threshold range, it is determined that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified. The applicable range of the capacitance ratio for triggering the inhalation action can be broadened. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of a multi-gear-based airflow sensing chip test circuit disclosed in an embodiment of the present application.

[0025] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of an airflow sensing chip disclosed in an embodiment of the present application.

[0026] Figure 3 It is a schematic flowchart of a test method for adjusting from a low capacitance gear to a high capacitance gear disclosed in an embodiment of the present application.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart of a test method for adjusting from a high capacitance setting to a low capacitance setting, as disclosed in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0029] It should be noted that for airflow sensor chips, air pressure sensor chips, gas-sensitive sensor chips, flow sensor driver chips, airflow sensing chips, microphone chips, etc., a generally packaged microphone sensor contains a diaphragm and electrode plates positioned opposite each other to form a variable capacitor connected to the capacitive sensing terminal of the chip. This is used to determine the change in airflow pressure by detecting the deformation of the variable capacitor. The diaphragm and electrode plates are positioned opposite each other and serve as the positive and negative electrodes of the capacitor, respectively. For example, the diaphragm can be the positive electrode and the electrode plate can be the negative electrode. A gasket is placed between the diaphragm and the electrode plate. The gasket can be an insulating gasket made of materials such as rubber, plastic, or resin. The gasket provides electrical isolation between the electrode plate and the diaphragm when there is no external suction force (specifically, the suction force generated by the inhaled airflow). When an airflow sensor chip does not have a diaphragm and electrode plates, it is considered an airflow sensor chip without a variable capacitor or capacitive microphone, which is a type of unpackaged airflow sensor chip.

[0030] The diaphragm can be made by combining metal with elastic materials (such as rubber, fiber cloth, etc.). When there is no external suction, the diaphragm and electrode plates form a parallel-plate capacitor. When the external suction reaches a certain threshold, the diaphragm contacts the electrode plates and becomes conductive. The air pressure varies depending on the user's inhalation intensity. When the user inhales, the diaphragm in the microphone vibrates, reducing the distance between the diaphragm and the electrode plates. According to electrostatics, when the dielectric constant and the area of ​​the two plates remain constant, the capacitance is directly proportional to the dielectric constant of the medium, directly proportional to the area of ​​the two plates, and inversely proportional to the distance between the diaphragm and the electrode plates (inter-plate distance). Therefore, as long as the inhaled airflow exceeds the preset airflow trigger value, the microphone will trigger a smoking action, i.e., the chip will start working.

[0031] Considering the excessively long manufacturing cycle caused by the capacitors required for airflow sensors, and the need to set up an air pump when testing the sensitivity of airflow sensor chips, this embodiment discloses a multi-level airflow sensor chip test circuit, combined with... Figure 1 It is known that the airflow sensor chip test circuit is used to connect the airflow sensor chip MIC; the airflow sensor chip test circuit includes a capacitor array, an adjustable connector HR, and a reference capacitor C1, wherein the reference capacitor C1 can be set as the initial capacitance of the capacitive microphone in a static state. One side of the adjustable connector HR has a preset number of first row pins, corresponding to... Figure 1 In the configuration, the preset number of positions is 3, so the first row of pins for that preset number of positions are J1, J2, and J3 respectively. The other side of the adjustable connector HR has a second row of pins for the preset number of positions, making the adjustable connector a double-row pin connector that can be connected to jumper caps; all the second row of pins are connected to the reference capacitor, corresponding to... Figure 1In the configuration, the preset number of gear positions is 3. Therefore, the pins on the second row for these preset gear positions are J4, J5, and J6, respectively. The ports under pins J4, J5, and J6 are all connected to one end of the reference capacitor C1. In the adjustable connector HR, the first and second rows of pins can be connected with jumper caps. The reference capacitor C1 is connected to the airflow sensor chip MIC so that the airflow sensor chip MIC can sense changes in the external capacitance value without deformation of the external capacitor. The external capacitor includes the reference capacitor C1. The external capacitance value here refers to the total capacitance value connected to the airflow sensor chip MIC. This can be the total capacitance value of a series of series and parallel capacitors, or it can be a parallel capacitor with a selective capacitance value, which eliminates the need for an air pump to provide an air source or allows direct air pressure application. The capacitor array includes a preset number of capacitor subarrays. Each capacitor subarray is connected to a first row of pins matching the total capacitance value of that subarray; that is, each capacitor subarray corresponds to one first row of pins (specifically, one end of the capacitor is connected to the port under the corresponding first row of pins). The first and second rows of pins located on either side of the adjustable connector HR are connected by a jumper cap (i.e., the first and second rows of pins establish an electrical connection), creating a path between the capacitor subarrays and the second row of pins. If the airflow sensing chip MIC is triggered to discharge (initiating discharge to enter the discharge state, or understood as the airflow sensing chip MIC starting to work), the airflow sensing chip's sensitivity is considered qualified when the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarrays connected to the first row of pins connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor C1 is within a preset airflow sensitivity range. Here, the reference capacitor C1 may be in a discharge state, which can be understood as the relevant external capacitor being triggered to discharge by the airflow sensing chip. Therefore, when applied to electronic cigarettes, the airflow sensing chip not only starts working, but the conversion ratio of the external capacitor to the initial capacitance value also meets the application requirements. The ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance of the reference capacitor is the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip. The sensitivity required for the airflow sensing chip to start working (e.g., to initiate a smoking action) is also within a test range.

[0032] In this embodiment, the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to each first row of pins corresponds one-to-one with the capacitance level represented by that first row of pins, so that each first row of pins represents a capacitance level. The converted capacitance change can be used to simulate air pressure change, eliminating the need for a dedicated air source generator and pressure valve to simulate airflow, thus determining the sensitivity of the airflow sensor chip in triggering the intake action.

[0033] Since the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance of the reference capacitor is the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip will also be different when the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray switched by the jumper cap is different. For example, 1%, 2%, 3%, etc., correspond to the capacitance change value caused by the intensity of the airflow generated by the user's inhalation. Generally, when the airflow sensing chip initiates a smoking action (enters a discharge state), the sensitivity is no higher than 2%. Therefore, in this embodiment, the capacitor array can be regarded as a controllable capacitor, and different capacitance values ​​with different sensitivities can be set according to needs. Furthermore, the capacitance ratio between the controllable capacitor and the reference capacitor C1 is adjustable, thereby allowing the electronic cigarette containing the airflow sensing chip to have different sensitivities, and determining whether to trigger the electronic cigarette to work (triggering the airflow sensing chip to start discharging) under the corresponding sensitivity.

[0034] Compared with existing technologies, this embodiment adjusts the external capacitance value of the airflow sensor chip to simulate the effect of changes in inhaled airflow, thereby simulating the effect of triggering a smoking action. In the process of testing the sensitivity of the airflow sensor chip, it is not necessary to package the microphone (including not setting the diaphragm and electrode plate to form the variable capacitor), saving packaging time and R&D testing cycle. Therefore, by switching the connection of different capacitance levels in the capacitor array, the airflow sensor chip can be controlled to sense changes in external capacitance value without deformation of the reference capacitance, which can also reduce the environmental space required for testing.

[0035] Based on the above embodiments, the airflow sensing chip test circuit further includes a switching unit, and all the second row of pins are connected to one end of the reference capacitor through the switching unit, corresponding to... Figure 1 In the middle, pins J4, J5, and J6 of the second row are all connected to one end of the reference capacitor C1; one end of the reference capacitor is connected to the capacitive sensing terminal of the airflow sensing chip, corresponding to... Figure 2 In this configuration, the non-grounded terminal of the reference capacitor C1 is connected to the capacitive sensing terminal SW of the airflow sensing chip MIC; the other terminal of the reference capacitor is grounded. The switching unit can be... Figure 1 The push-button switch S1 shown can also be a switching transistor such as a MOSFET or a bipolar transistor. In this embodiment, the switch unit serves to close and open the path between the adjustable connector HR and the reference capacitor C1. More specifically, it controls the on / off state of the circuit branch that powers the airflow sensing chip MIC to the airflow sensing chip test circuit. That is, when the switch unit is closed, the airflow sensing chip MIC powers the airflow sensing chip test circuit, and the airflow sensing chip MIC can enter a discharge state under the triggering action of the connected capacitor subarray to simulate the capacitance change effect of the microphone caused by the inhalation action.

[0036] In one embodiment, the larger the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins, the higher the capacitance level it represents. This can be understood as a larger increase in capacitance value relative to the reference capacitor, used to simulate the capacitance change caused by enhanced inhalation airflow. Conversely, the smaller the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins, the lower the capacitance level it represents. This can be understood as a smaller increase in capacitance value relative to the reference capacitor, used to simulate the capacitance change caused by weakened inhalation airflow. In some embodiments, it can also be understood as a larger decrease in capacitance value relative to the reference capacitor, to simulate the capacitance change caused by enhanced exhalation airflow. When a jumper cap is inserted into the first and second rows of pins, the jumper cap connects a corresponding first row pin and a corresponding second row pin together. The jumper cap connects to the capacitor subarray connected to the corresponding first row pin, forming a circuit path between the capacitor subarray and the second row of pins, serving as the currently selected capacitance level.

[0037] It should be noted that the adjustable connector can be a pin header connector, where the first and second pin headers on the same row on both sides can be shorted by a jumper cap to establish an electrical path between them. The airflow sensor chip test circuit uses a pin header to form an adjustable connector and jumpers for switching connections. This is simple to operate, and switching via jumpers reduces parasitic capacitance and signal interference compared to switching via a switch. Furthermore, the airflow sensor chip is small in size. The airflow sensor chip test circuit includes a capacitor array, an adjustable connector, and a reference capacitor. By setting a small number of preset speeds (e.g., three), the required PCB board space for the airflow sensor chip test environment can be reduced.

[0038] In the capacitor array, besides capacitor subarrays containing only one capacitor, each capacitor subarray contains a number of capacitors connected in parallel to the corresponding capacitance level, so that the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to each first row of pins corresponds one-to-one with the capacitance level represented by that first row of pins; wherein, different numbers of capacitors connected in parallel result in different total capacitance values; in each capacitor subarray, one end of all capacitors is connected to the first row of pins corresponding to the capacitance level, and the other end of all capacitors is grounded, to serve as anti-signal interference and shielding. Figure 1Observing the airflow sensing chip test circuit from top to bottom, capacitor C2 corresponds to the lowest capacitance level, denoted as the first capacitance level. The capacitance value of capacitor C2 can be equal to the capacitance value of the reference capacitor C1. Capacitors C3 and C4 are connected in parallel to form a capacitor subarray, denoted as the second capacitance level, and their total capacitance value is higher than that of the first capacitance level. Capacitors C5, C6, and C7 are connected in parallel to form a capacitor subarray, denoted as the third capacitance level, and their total capacitance value is higher than that of the second capacitance level. Among them, capacitors C2, C3, C4, C5, and C7 are connected in parallel to form a capacitor subarray, denoted as the third capacitance level, and their total capacitance value is higher than that of the second capacitance level. The capacitance values ​​of capacitors C6 and C7 are equal to the capacitance value of the reference capacitor C1. Furthermore, one end of capacitor C2 is connected to the first pin header J1, and the other end of capacitor C2 is grounded, forming the first capacitance level. One common connection point of capacitors C3 and C4 is connected to the first pin header J2, and the other common connection point of capacitors C3 and C4 is grounded, forming the second capacitance level. One common connection point of capacitors C5, C6, and C7 is connected to the first pin header J3, and the other common connection point of capacitors C5, C6, and C7 is grounded, forming the third capacitance level, which is the highest capacitance level.

[0039] Based on the above embodiments, within the capacitor array, there are capacitor subarrays with progressively increasing capacitance. In a preset number of capacitor subarrays, the capacitance increases from 1 to the preset number of levels. This increases the capacitance value outside the airflow sensing chip, triggering the airflow sensing chip to issue an inhalation or smoking action prompt signal, achieving the effect of triggering smoking by utilizing capacitance changes; corresponding to... Figure 1 In the capacitor array, from the first capacitor level to the third capacitor level, the number of capacitors connected to the corresponding capacitor subarray increases from 1 to 3. Alternatively, in the capacitor array, there are capacitor subarrays with the number of capacitors decreasing sequentially, where the number of capacitors in the preset number of capacitor subarrays decreases from the preset number of levels to 1. In this embodiment, in a capacitor subarray with only one capacitor, one end of the single capacitor is connected to the first pin of the corresponding capacitor level (corresponding to the first capacitor level), and the other end of the capacitor is grounded. That is, one end of capacitor C2 is connected to the first pin J1, and the other end of capacitor C2 is grounded. In the capacitor array, the total capacitance value of a capacitor subarray with only one capacitor is equal to the capacitance value of the reference capacitor, and the total capacitance value of a capacitor subarray with more than 1 capacitors is greater than the capacitance value of the reference capacitor. Figure 1In the above, the capacitance values ​​of capacitors C3 and C4 are both equal to the capacitance value of reference capacitor C1. Therefore, the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray formed by capacitors C3 and C4 connected in parallel is twice the capacitance value of reference capacitor C1. The capacitance values ​​of capacitors C5, C6, and C7 are all equal to the capacitance value of reference capacitor C1. Therefore, the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray formed by capacitors C5, C6, and C7 connected in parallel is three times the capacitance value of reference capacitor C1.

[0040] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, when the airflow sensing chip MIC senses a change in the total capacitance value connected to its SW port, the airflow sensing chip MIC will provide different operating currents and voltages to the SW port until the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor exceeds the preset intake threshold, triggering the airflow sensing chip to discharge. The airflow sensing chip MIC will provide a corresponding operating voltage to the LED port to light up the diode D1. The airflow sensing chip MIC will also provide a corresponding operating voltage to the AT port to control the heating of the resistance wire RL.

[0041] As one embodiment, starting from shorting the first row of pins corresponding to the lowest capacitance setting with the jumper cap, if the airflow sensing chip is not triggered (mainly by external capacitance changes), the jumper cap sequentially shorts the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins along the direction from low capacitance setting to high capacitance setting. Figure 1 Starting with capacitor C2 at the first capacitance level, the system sequentially connects the first row of pins J1 and its corresponding second row of pins J4, J2 and its corresponding second row of pins J5, and J3 and its corresponding second row of pins J6, moving from lower capacitance levels to higher capacitance levels, until the airflow sensor chip (MIC) is triggered to discharge. Each time a pair of first and second row pins is connected, the airflow sensor chip is checked to see if it has been triggered to discharge. The airflow sensor chip discharges when the ratio of the total capacitance value in the currently connected capacitor subarray to the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is reached. This ratio is transmitted to port SW of the airflow sensor chip, thus enabling the airflow sensor chip to trigger smoking by adding an external capacitor, achieving the effect of triggering smoking through inhalation. Then, it is determined whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset airflow sensitivity range. If it is, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is determined to be qualified. Otherwise, the jumper cap continues to short-circuit the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins in sequence from the low capacitance setting to the high capacitance setting. This process is repeated until the airflow sensing chip MIC is triggered to discharge.

[0042] On the other hand, if the jumper cap fails to trigger the discharge of the airflow sensing chip MIC by switching between the first and second pins within a limited capacitance range, the strategy for determining whether the sensitivity is qualified needs to be improved. Therefore, the following approach is proposed: starting from the first pin corresponding to the lowest capacitance level connected to the jumper cap, if the airflow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge (the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected to the first pin connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance of the reference capacitor does not exceed the preset smoking threshold), the jumper cap sequentially connects the first pin and the corresponding second pin along the direction from the low capacitance level to the high capacitance level. Each time a pair of first and second pins is connected, the airflow sensing chip is checked to see if it is triggered to discharge. This continues until the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray electrically connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance of the reference capacitor is within the preset qualified threshold range and the airflow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge. In this case, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is determined to be qualified. The preset qualified threshold range is different from the preset airflow sensitivity range, but both are reference value ranges obtained through a limited number of inhalation experiments, especially the experimental range obtained by assembling the airflow sensor into an electronic cigarette to trigger the smoking action. Preferably, the upper limit of the preset qualified threshold range can also be less than the lower limit of the preset airflow sensitivity range, allowing some ranges or upper and lower limits to overlap.

[0043] It should be noted that the discharge occurs through the airflow sensing chip. Therefore, when the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray electrically connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance of the reference capacitor increases, the relevant port SW of the airflow sensing chip receives a signal indicating an increase in external capacitance. When the increase in capacitance (the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray electrically connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance of the reference capacitor) exceeds the smoking threshold, the airflow sensing chip transitions from a static state to a discharge state. Here, the static state refers to a state without either blowing or inhaling air.

[0044] As a variation of the adjustment method in the above embodiment, starting from the first row of pins corresponding to the highest capacitance setting connected to the jumper cap, if the airflow sensor chip is not triggered (mainly by external capacitance changes) to discharge (the airflow sensor chip does not issue an indication signal or the capacitance change value does not exceed the preset inhalation threshold (smoking threshold)), the jumper cap sequentially connects the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins along the direction from high capacitance setting to low capacitance setting. Each time, the first row of pins and the second row of pins in the same row of the adjustable connector are connected, corresponding to... Figure 1The process begins with a capacitor subarray formed by capacitors C5, C6, and C7 connected in parallel at the third capacitance setting. Then, starting from higher capacitance settings and moving towards lower capacitance settings, the system sequentially connects the first row of pins J3 and the corresponding second row of pins J6, J2 and J5, and J1 and J4, until the airflow sensor chip MIC is triggered to discharge. It can be determined that the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins (connected by the jumper cap) and the capacitance of the reference capacitor exceeds a preset inhalation threshold. Next, it checks whether the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected to the first row of pins (connected by the jumper cap) and the capacitance of the reference capacitor is within a preset airflow sensitivity range. If yes, the airflow sensor chip's sensitivity is deemed acceptable; otherwise, the jumper cap continues to sequentially connect the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins from higher capacitance settings to lower capacitance settings, iterating in this manner until the airflow sensor chip MIC is triggered to discharge.

[0045] On the other hand, if the jumper cap fails to trigger the discharge of the airflow sensor chip's MIC by switching between the first and second pin rows within a limited capacitance range, the strategy for determining whether the sensitivity is acceptable needs to be improved. Therefore, starting from the first pin row corresponding to the highest capacitance level connected to the jumper cap, if the airflow sensor chip is not triggered to discharge (the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected to the first pin row connected to the jumper cap and the capacitance of the reference capacitor does not exceed a preset smoking threshold), then the jumper cap sequentially connects the first pin row and the corresponding second pin row from high capacitance levels to low capacitance levels. Figure 1 The process begins with a capacitor subarray formed by the parallel connection of capacitors C5, C6, and C7 at the third capacitance level. Moving from higher to lower capacitance levels, the jumper cap sequentially connects the first row of pins J3 and the corresponding second row of pins J6, the first row of pins J2 and the corresponding second row of pins J5, and the first row of pins J1 and the corresponding second row of pins J4. This continues until the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray electrically connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance of the reference capacitor is within a preset acceptable threshold range and no discharge of the airflow sensing chip is triggered. If this ratio is true, the airflow sensing chip is considered to have acceptable sensitivity. The preset acceptable threshold range differs from the preset airflow sensitivity range, but both are reference value ranges obtained through a limited number of inhalation experiments, particularly experimental ranges obtained by assembling the airflow sensor into an electronic cigarette and triggering a smoking action. Preferably, the upper limit of the preset acceptable threshold range can be lower than the lower limit of the preset airflow sensitivity range, allowing some ranges or upper and lower limits to overlap.

[0046] In summary, during the process of sequentially connecting the first row of pins and the corresponding second row of pins along a specific adjustment direction, when the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, if the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected to the first row of pins connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset airflow sensitivity range, it is determined that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified; when the airflow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, if the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected to the first row of pins connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset qualified threshold range, it is determined that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified. This can broaden the applicable range of the capacitance ratio for triggering the inhalation action.

[0047] As an embodiment, in combination with Figure 2 it can be seen that the power supply terminal VCC of the airflow sensing chip MIC is connected to the battery B1, and the battery B1 is connected in parallel with the decoupling capacitor C8. After the switch unit is closed, the battery B1 can supply power to the airflow sensing chip test circuit through the airflow sensing chip MIC; one level output terminal LED of the airflow sensing chip MIC is connected to an indicator light D1 to light up the indicator light when the external capacitance change value triggers the airflow sensing chip MIC to discharge, where the indicator light D1 is formed by connecting the diode D1; the other level output terminal AT of the airflow sensing chip MIC is connected to the resistance wire RL to start power-on heating when the airflow sensing chip MIC is triggered to discharge, where the resistance wire RL can be used as the heating source in the atomization component to drive the atomization of the e-liquid, so that the electronic cigarette installed with the airflow sensing chip MIC starts to perform the smoking operation. It should be noted that when the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected to the first row of pins connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor exceeds the preset inhalation threshold, the airflow sensing chip MIC is triggered to discharge. At this time, the reference capacitor C1 connected to the airflow sensing chip MIC starts to discharge externally; thus, the capacitor sub-array connected to the first row of pins connected by the jumper cap can act as a switch. Correspondingly, the airflow sensing chip MIC outputs high levels at both the level output terminal LED and the level output terminal AT, and both the level output terminal LED and the level output terminal AT are chip ports multiplexed by the IO terminal function. Preferably, the preset inhalation threshold is set to the lower limit value of the preset airflow sensitivity range or a value less than the lower limit value of the preset airflow sensitivity range.

[0048] In Figure 2In order to test the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip MIC, besides connecting to the reference capacitor C1, only the battery B1, decoupling capacitor C8, resistance wire RL, and diode D1 are connected externally to the airflow sensing chip MIC, without including other components. The airflow sensing chip MIC can be a commercially available general-purpose I / O microcontroller, preferably an 8-bit general-purpose I / O microcontroller with a RISC architecture. The model of the general-purpose I / O microcontroller should not be limited to the scope of protection of this invention. The advantage of this embodiment is that it uses a low-cost microcontroller and fewer and simpler peripheral circuits for sensitivity testing. Moreover, the airflow sensing chip disclosed in this embodiment can be a dedicated device for an electronic cigarette airflow switch, with an internal ASIC design, stable chip operation, very few external components, and low system cost.

[0049] Preferably, the airflow sensing chip is a MEMS chip built into an airflow sensor suitable for detecting the smoking state of electronic cigarettes. When the built-in MEMS chip can sense the change in capacitance, and when the change in capacitance exceeds a preset smoking threshold, it triggers a smoking action. The MEMS chip is connected to the input terminal of an external ASIC chip. The ASIC input terminal circuit detects the change in capacitance signal to determine the user's operation behavior and outputs corresponding trigger high and low level signals.

[0050] It's worth noting that e-cigarettes typically have an airflow sensor to detect the airflow during inhalation, using it as a control parameter to regulate the amount of vapor produced by the atomizer. Because e-cigarettes are battery-powered, this gas sensor requires low power consumption and a small size. Furthermore, the ability of an e-cigarette to produce vapor and control its on / off state and vapor output is entirely thanks to the airflow sensing chip.

[0051] Preferably, the airflow sensing chip can also be a piezoresistive pressure sensor chip, the core of which is a silicon piezoresistive pressure-sensitive chip fabricated using MEMS technology. Preferably, this pressure-sensitive chip consists of an elastic membrane and four resistors integrated on the membrane. The four piezoresistors form a Wheatstone bridge structure. When pressure is applied to the elastic membrane, the bridge generates a voltage output signal that is linearly proportional to the applied pressure.

[0052] This application also discloses a testing method for controlling an airflow sensor chip testing circuit to test the sensitivity of an airflow sensor chip. The basic concept of this testing method is to use an external microcontroller to switch and adjust the capacitor subarray in the capacitor array of the airflow sensor chip testing circuit. The execution subject of this testing method can be a microcontroller electrically connected to the airflow sensor testing circuit (or connected to the airflow sensor chip), which can automatically control the airflow sensor testing circuit to perform sensitivity switching tests on the externally connected airflow sensor chip.

[0053] As one example, combined with Figures 1 to 4 It can be seen that the test method includes:

[0054] Under the selection signal issued by the microcontroller, the first and second ports located on both sides of the adjustable connector HR are selected and connected. After the first and second ports on both sides of the adjustable connector HR are selected and connected, if the airflow sensing chip MIC is detected to be triggered to discharge, then if the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the selected and connected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within a preset airflow sensitivity range, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is determined to be qualified. Specifically, the airflow sensing chip MIC triggers the reference capacitor C1 to start discharging upon receiving a change in the total capacitance value from an external input. In this embodiment, the ratio between the total capacitance value of the selected and connected capacitor subarray and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip, and the sensitivity switching is controlled by the microcontroller, ensuring that the qualification test of the airflow sensing chip's sensitivity is performed in an environment where the sensitivity is adjustable.

[0055] In this embodiment, the airflow sensor chip test circuit is used to connect to the airflow sensor chip MIC; the airflow sensor chip test circuit includes a capacitor array, an adjustable connector, and a reference capacitor C1; one side of the adjustable connector is provided with a preset number of first ports, corresponding to... Figure 1 In the configuration, the first ports are J1, J2, and J3, respectively. On the other side of the adjustable connector, a preset number of second ports are provided, namely J4, J5, and J6, respectively. All second ports are connected to a reference capacitor. The reference capacitor is connected to the airflow sensor chip, allowing the airflow sensor chip to sense changes in the external capacitance value without deformation of the external capacitor. This allows the airflow sensor chip (MIC) to sense changes in the total capacitance value of the connected capacitor subarray without deformation of the reference capacitor C1. The external capacitance value refers to the total capacitance value connected to the airflow sensor chip (MIC), which can be the total capacitance value of a series of series and parallel capacitors, or selectively connected parallel capacitors with corresponding capacitance values. This eliminates the need for an air pump to provide an air source or allows direct air pressure application. The capacitor array includes a preset number of capacitor subarrays. Each capacitor subarray is connected to a first port that matches the total capacitance value of that subarray. The total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to each first port corresponds one-to-one with the capacitance level represented by that first port, so that each first port represents a specific capacitance level.

[0056] Based on the above embodiment, after the first and second ports located on both sides of the adjustable connector HR are selectively connected, before detecting whether the airflow sensing chip MIC is triggered to discharge (i.e., determining whether the airflow sensing chip is triggered to start), the method further includes: energizing the airflow sensing chip MIC, and then controlling the switching unit to connect all the second ports to the airflow sensing chip MIC. That is, when the microcontroller detects that one of the first ports and the corresponding second port on both sides of the adjustable connector HR are connected, the trigger switching unit connects the adjustable connector HR to the airflow sensing chip MIC through the reference capacitor C1. The airflow sensing chip test circuit further includes a switching unit, which can be... Figure 1 The push-button switch S1 shown can also be a switching transistor such as a MOSFET or a bipolar transistor. All second ports are connected to one end of the reference capacitor C1 through a switching unit. One end of the reference capacitor C1 is connected to the capacitive sensing terminal SW of the airflow sensing chip MIC, and the other end of the reference capacitor C1 is grounded.

[0057] It should be noted that the larger the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first port, the higher the capacitance level it represents. This can be understood as a larger increase in capacitance value relative to the reference capacitor, used to simulate the capacitance change caused by the enhanced intake airflow. Conversely, the smaller the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the first port, the lower the capacitance level it represents. This can be understood as a smaller increase in capacitance value relative to the reference capacitor, used to simulate the capacitance change caused by the weakening intake airflow.

[0058] In this embodiment, after the first and second ports are selected and connected, the currently selected first port and its corresponding second port are connected together, so that the corresponding second port is connected to the capacitor subarray connected to the currently selected first port to form a loop. Especially when the switching unit is closed to form a circuit loop, it can be used as the currently selected capacitor level. The adjustable connector can be a connector formed by the selector control, and the first and second ports on the left and right sides of the connector, which are on the same row, can be switched by an external selection signal to establish a corresponding electrical path. The airflow sensing chip test circuit uses ports to form an adjustable connector and uses a selector to switch the connection. At the same time, the airflow sensing chip is small in size. The airflow sensing chip test circuit includes a capacitor array, an adjustable connector, and a reference capacitor. As long as the number of preset levels is set to be relatively small (e.g., 3), the space required for the PCB board test environment of the airflow sensing chip can be reduced.

[0059] In the capacitor array, besides capacitor subarrays containing only one capacitor, each capacitor subarray contains a number of capacitors connected in parallel, matching the corresponding capacitance level. This ensures that the total capacitance value of each capacitor subarray connected to the first port corresponds one-to-one with the capacitance level represented by that first port. The total capacitance value obtained by connecting different numbers of capacitors in parallel is different. In each capacitor subarray, one end of all capacitors is connected to the first port of the corresponding capacitance level, and the other end of all capacitors is grounded. Specifically, from... Figure 1 Observing the airflow sensing chip test circuit from top to bottom, capacitor C2 corresponds to the lowest capacitance level, denoted as the first capacitance level. The capacitance value of capacitor C2 can be equal to the capacitance value of the reference capacitor C1. Capacitors C3 and C4 are connected in parallel to form a capacitor subarray, denoted as the second capacitance level, and their total capacitance value is higher than that of the first capacitance level. Capacitors C5, C6, and C7 are connected in parallel to form a capacitor subarray, denoted as the third capacitance level, and their total capacitance value is higher than that of the second capacitance level. Among them, capacitors C2, C3, C4, C5, and C7 are connected in parallel to form a capacitor subarray, denoted as the third capacitance level, and their total capacitance value is higher than that of the second capacitance level. The capacitance values ​​of capacitors C6 and C7 are equal to the capacitance value of the reference capacitor C1. One end of capacitor C2 is connected to the first port J1, and the other end is grounded, forming the first capacitance level. One common connection point of capacitors C3 and C4 is connected to the first port J2, and the other common connection point is grounded, forming the second capacitance level. One common connection point of capacitors C5, C6, and C7 is connected to the first port J3, and the other common connection point is grounded, forming the third capacitance level, which is the highest capacitance level. The third capacitance level is one level higher than the second capacitance level, corresponding to a capacitance value one level higher than the reference capacitor; the second capacitance level is one level higher than the first capacitance level, corresponding to a capacitance value one level higher than the reference capacitor.

[0060] As one example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the test method includes: step S101, starting from the first port corresponding to the lowest capacitance level, selecting the first port and the second port corresponding to the lowest capacitance level (which may be located in the same row or different rows of the adjustable connector, since all the second ports are connected to the reference capacitor C1); and then executing step S102.

[0061] Step S102: Determine whether the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge. If yes, proceed to step S103; otherwise, proceed to step S104. Here, triggering discharge can refer to the airflow sensing chip MIC being turned on (e.g., triggering a smoking action), which can trigger the reference capacitor C1 to discharge externally.

[0062] Step S103: Determine whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the selected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset airflow sensitivity range. If yes, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified; otherwise, proceed to step S105.

[0063] Step S104: Determine whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the selected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset qualified threshold range. If yes, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified; otherwise, proceed to step S105. Step S104 is a strategy set up to determine whether the sensitivity is qualified when switching all or a certain number of the first and second ports within a limited capacitance range fails to trigger the discharge of the MIC of the airflow sensing chip.

[0064] Step S105: Select the first and second ports corresponding to the higher capacitance levels along the direction from low to high capacitance levels; then execute step S102; wherein, the higher capacitance level is one level higher than the capacitance level corresponding to the first port selected in step S103 or step S104. This achieves sequential selection of the corresponding first and second ports along the direction from low to high capacitance levels; each time a first and second port is selected, step S102 is executed once; corresponding to... Figure 1 Starting from capacitor C2 at the first capacitance level, the first port J1 and its corresponding second port J4, the first port J2 and its corresponding second port J5, and the first port J3 and its corresponding second port J6 are connected sequentially along the direction from high capacitance level to low capacitance level. Thus, the airflow sensing chip uses an externally added capacitor to trigger smoking, achieving the effect of triggering smoking by inhaling.

[0065] Each time step S105 is executed, the first and second ports corresponding to the desired capacitance level are selected based on the selection signal. This selection signal is determined by the microcontroller based on the judgment result of step S103 or step S104. When the judgment result is negative, a higher capacitance level is selected to ensure the judgment result falls within the corresponding threshold range. Preferably, to protect the circuit from high current surges, before selecting each first and second port, the switching unit first disconnects the path between the second port and the airflow sensing chip MIC, then selects one first and second port based on the selection signal, and finally connects the second port to the airflow sensing chip MIC.

[0066] In this embodiment, the preset qualified threshold range differs from the preset airflow sensitivity range, but both are reference value ranges obtained through a limited number of inhalation experiments, especially the experimental range obtained in experiments where the airflow sensor is assembled into an electronic cigarette and triggered by a smoking action. Preferably, the upper limit of the preset qualified threshold range can also be smaller than the lower limit of the preset airflow sensitivity range, allowing some ranges or upper and lower limits to overlap.

[0067] It should be noted that the discharge occurs through the airflow sensing chip. Therefore, when the ratio between the total capacitance of the selected capacitor subarray and the reference capacitor increases, the relevant port SW of the airflow sensing chip receives a signal indicating an increase in external capacitance. When the increase in capacitance (the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray electrically connected to the jumper cap and the reference capacitor) exceeds the smoking threshold, the airflow sensing chip transitions from a static state to a discharge state. Here, the static state refers to a state without either blowing or inhaling air.

[0068] As a variant embodiment of the gear shifting method described above, such as Figure 4 As shown, the testing method includes: step S201, starting from the first port corresponding to the highest capacitance setting, selecting the first port and the second port corresponding to the highest capacitance setting (they can be located in the same row or different rows of the adjustable connector, since all second ports are connected to the reference capacitor C1); then executing step S202. The highest capacitance setting can be used as the currently selected capacitance setting.

[0069] Step S202: Determine whether the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge. If yes, proceed to step S203; otherwise, proceed to step S204. Here, triggering discharge can refer to the airflow sensing chip MIC being turned on (e.g., triggering a smoking action), which can trigger the reference capacitor C1 to discharge externally.

[0070] Step S203: Determine whether the ratio between the total capacitance of the capacitor subarray connected to the selected first port and the capacitance of the reference capacitor is within the preset airflow sensitivity range. If yes, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified; otherwise, proceed to step S205.

[0071] Step S204: Determine whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor subarray connected to the selected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset qualified threshold range. If yes, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified; otherwise, proceed to step S205. Step S204 is a strategy set up to determine whether the sensitivity is qualified when switching all or part of the first and second ports within a limited capacitance range fails to trigger the discharge of the airflow sensing chip MIC.

[0072] Step S205: Select the first and second ports corresponding to the lower capacitance levels along the direction from high capacitance levels to low capacitance levels; then execute step S202; wherein, the lower capacitance level is one level lower than the capacitance level corresponding to the first port selected in step S203 or step S204 (one capacitance level can be represented by the capacitance value of a reference capacitor). This achieves sequential selection of the corresponding first and second ports along the direction from high capacitance levels to low capacitance levels; each time a first and second port is selected, step S202 is executed once; corresponding to... Figure 1 Starting from the third capacitor setting, the first port J3 and its corresponding second port J6, the first port J2 and its corresponding second port J5, and the first port J1 and its corresponding second port J4 are connected sequentially along the direction from the high capacitor setting to the low capacitor setting. Thus, the airflow sensing chip uses an external capacitor reduction method to trigger smoking, achieving the effect of triggering smoking by inhaling.

[0073] Each time step S205 is executed, the first and second ports corresponding to the desired capacitance level are selected based on the selection signal. This selection signal is determined by the microcontroller based on the judgment result of step S203 or step S204. When the judgment result is negative, a lower capacitance level is selected to ensure the judgment result falls within the corresponding threshold range. Preferably, to protect the circuit from high current surges, before selecting each first and second port, the switching unit first disconnects the path between the second port and the airflow sensing chip MIC, then selects one first and second port based on the selection signal, and finally connects the second port to the airflow sensing chip MIC.

[0074] In this embodiment, the preset qualified threshold range differs from the preset airflow sensitivity range, but both are reference value ranges obtained through a limited number of inhalation experiments, especially the experimental range obtained in experiments where the airflow sensor is assembled into an electronic cigarette and triggered by a smoking action. Preferably, the upper limit of the preset qualified threshold range can also be smaller than the lower limit of the preset airflow sensitivity range, allowing some ranges or upper and lower limits to overlap.

[0075] In summary, during the process of sequentially enabling the first port and the corresponding second port along a specific adjustment direction, when the air flow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, if the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected to the enabled first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset air flow sensitivity range, it is determined that the sensitivity of the air flow sensing chip is qualified; when the air flow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, if the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected to the enabled first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset qualified threshold range, it is determined that the sensitivity of the air flow sensing chip is qualified. This can broaden the applicable range of the capacitance ratio for triggering the inhalation action (such as a smoking action).

[0076] Based on the foregoing embodiments, when it is detected that the air flow sensing chip MIC sends a prompt level signal to the connected indicator light D1 and the indicator light D1 is lit by setting the port LED to a high level, it is determined that the air flow sensing chip MIC is triggered to discharge, and then the heating wire RL connected to the air flow sensing chip MIC is triggered to start energizing and heating, that is, the atomization component (the atomizer of the electronic cigarette) where the air flow sensing chip MIC is located can be triggered to start performing the atomization operation. Among them, when the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected to the selected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor exceeds the preset inhalation threshold, the air flow sensing chip MIC is triggered to discharge. Preferably, the preset inhalation threshold is set to the lower limit value of the preset air flow sensitivity range or a value less than the lower limit value of the preset air flow sensitivity range. The power supply terminal of the air flow sensing chip MIC is connected to the battery, the battery B1 is connected in parallel with the decoupling capacitor C8, one level output terminal LED of the air flow sensing chip MIC is connected to an indicator light D1, and the other level output terminal AT of the air flow sensing chip MIC is connected to the heating wire RL.

[0077] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation to the present application.

[0078] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0079] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0080] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0081] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. The illustrative expressions of the above terms in this specification should not be construed as necessarily referring to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0082] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A multi-gear based airflow sensing chip test circuit, characterized in that, The airflow sensing chip test circuit is used for connecting the airflow sensing chip; The airflow sensing chip test circuit comprises a capacitor array, an adjustable connector, and a reference capacitor; One side of the adjustable connector is provided with a preset number of first pin rows; the other side of the adjustable connector is provided with a preset number of second pin rows, all of which are connected to the reference capacitor; the reference capacitor is connected to the airflow sensing chip, so that the airflow sensing chip senses the change of the external capacitor value without deformation of the external capacitor; The capacitor array comprises a preset number of capacitor sub-arrays, each of which is connected to a first pin row matching the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array; If the first pin row connected by the jumper cap triggers the discharge of the airflow sensing chip, the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected by the first pin row connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor are in a preset airflow sensitivity range, the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified; wherein the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip; the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected by each first pin row corresponds to the capacitance range represented by the first pin row, so that each first pin row represents a capacitance range.

2. The air flow sensing chip test circuit according to claim 1, wherein, The airflow sensing chip test circuit further comprises a switch unit, all of the second pin rows are connected to one end of the reference capacitor through the switch unit, one end of the reference capacitor is connected to the capacitance sensing end of the airflow sensing chip, and the other end of the reference capacitor is grounded.

3. The air flow sensing chip test circuit of claim 1, wherein, The greater the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected by the first pin row, the higher the capacitance range it represents; the smaller the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected by the first pin row, the lower the capacitance range it represents; Wherein, after a jumper cap is inserted into the first pin row and the second pin row, the jumper cap connects a corresponding first pin row and a corresponding second pin row together, and the jumper cap is connected to the capacitor sub-array connected by the corresponding first pin row.

4. The air flow sensing chip test circuit of claim 3, wherein, In the capacitor array, except for the capacitor sub-array with only one capacitor, a number of capacitors corresponding to the corresponding capacitance range are connected in parallel in each capacitor sub-array, so that the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array connected by each first pin row corresponds to the capacitance range represented by the first pin row; wherein the total capacitance value obtained by connecting a different number of capacitors in parallel is different; In each capacitor sub-array, one end of all the capacitors is connected to the first pin row corresponding to the capacitance range, and the other end of all the capacitors is grounded.

5. The air flow sensing chip test circuit of claim 4, wherein, In the capacitor array, there are capacitor sub-arrays with increasing number of capacitors, and in the preset number of capacitor sub-arrays, the number of capacitors increases from 1 to the preset number of ranges; In the capacitor array, when the number of capacitors in the capacitor sub-array is 1, the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array with one capacitor is equal to the capacitance value of the reference capacitor, and the total capacitance value of the capacitor sub-array with more than one capacitor is greater than the capacitance value of the reference capacitor.

6. The airflow sensing chip test circuit of claim 3, wherein, starting from the first pin corresponding to the lowest capacitance level connected by the jumper cap, if the air flow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, the jumper cap sequentially connects the first pin and the corresponding second pin in the direction from the low capacitance level to the high capacitance level until the air flow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, and then it is judged whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected by the first pin connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset air flow sensitivity range, if yes, it is determined that the sensitivity of the air flow sensing chip is qualified, otherwise, the jumper cap continues to sequentially connect the first pin and the corresponding second pin in the direction from the low capacitance level to the high capacitance level; and / or, starting from the first pin corresponding to the lowest capacitance level connected by the jumper cap, if the air flow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, the jumper cap sequentially connects the first pin and the corresponding second pin in the direction from the low capacitance level to the high capacitance level until the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array electrically connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset qualified threshold range and the air flow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, then it is determined that the sensitivity of the air flow sensing chip is qualified; wherein the preset qualified threshold range is different from the preset air flow sensitivity range.

7. The air flow sensing chip test circuit of claim 3, wherein, starting from the first pin corresponding to the highest capacitance level connected by the jumper cap, if the air flow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, the jumper cap sequentially connects the first pin and the corresponding second pin in the direction from the high capacitance level to the low capacitance level until the air flow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, and then it is judged whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected by the first pin connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset air flow sensitivity range, if yes, it is determined that the sensitivity of the air flow sensing chip is qualified, otherwise, the jumper cap continues to sequentially connect the first pin and the corresponding second pin in the direction from the high capacitance level to the low capacitance level; and / or, starting from the first pin corresponding to the highest capacitance level connected by the jumper cap, if the air flow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, the jumper cap sequentially connects the first pin and the corresponding second pin in the direction from the high capacitance level to the low capacitance level until the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array electrically connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor is within the preset qualified threshold range and the air flow sensing chip is not triggered to discharge, then it is determined that the sensitivity of the air flow sensing chip is qualified; wherein the preset qualified threshold range is different from the preset air flow sensitivity range.

8. The air flow sensing chip test circuit of claim 1, wherein, The power terminal of the air flow sensing chip is connected with a battery, the battery is connected in parallel with a decoupling capacitor, one level output terminal of the air flow sensing chip is connected with an indicator lamp to light up when the air flow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, and another level output terminal of the air flow sensing chip is connected with a resistance wire to start heating when the air flow sensing chip is triggered to discharge. The ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected by the first pin connected by the jumper cap and the capacitance value of the reference capacitor exceeds the preset air suction threshold, triggering the air flow sensing chip to discharge.

9. A test method characterized by, The test method is used for controlling the sensitivity test of the air flow sensing chip by the air flow sensing chip test circuit. The test method comprises: after the first port and the second port located on two sides of the adjustable connector are connected in a gating manner, if it is detected that the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, and the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected with the first port connected in the gating manner and the capacitance value of the reference capacitance is in the preset airflow sensitivity range, it is determined that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified, wherein the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected in the gating manner and the capacitance value of the reference capacitance is the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip. The airflow sensing chip test circuit is used for connecting the airflow sensing chip. The airflow sensing chip test circuit comprises a capacitance array, an adjustable connector and a reference capacitance. One side of the adjustable connector is provided with a preset number of first ports; the other side of the adjustable connector is provided with a preset number of second ports, and all the second ports are connected to the reference capacitance; the reference capacitance is connected to the airflow sensing chip. The capacitance array comprises a preset number of capacitance sub-arrays, and each capacitance sub-array is connected with a first port matched with the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array. The total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected with each first port corresponds to the capacitance gear represented by the first port, so that each first port represents a capacitance gear.

10. The test method of claim 9, wherein, After the first port and the second port located on two sides of the adjustable connector are connected in a gating manner, before detecting whether the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, the following steps are further included: The airflow sensing chip is powered on, and then the switch unit is controlled to connect all the second ports to the airflow sensing chip. The airflow sensing chip test circuit further comprises a switch unit, all the second pins are connected to one end of the reference capacitance through the switch unit, one end of the reference capacitance is connected to the capacitance sensing end of the airflow sensing chip, and the other end of the reference capacitance is grounded.

11. The test method of claim 9, wherein, The greater the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected with the first port, the higher the capacitance gear represented; the smaller the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected with the first port, the lower the capacitance gear represented. After the first port and the second port are connected in a gating manner, the current gated first port and the corresponding second port are connected together, so that the corresponding second port is connected to the capacitance sub-array connected with the current gated first port to form a loop.

12. The test method of claim 11, wherein, In the capacitance array, except for the capacitance sub-array with only one capacitance, a number of capacitors matched with the corresponding capacitance gear are connected in parallel in each capacitance sub-array, so that the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected with each first port corresponds to the capacitance gear represented by the first port; wherein the total capacitance value obtained by connecting a different number of capacitors in parallel is different. In each capacitance sub-array, one end of all the capacitors is connected to the first port of the corresponding capacitance gear, and the other end of all the capacitors is grounded.

13. The test method of claim 12, wherein, The test method comprises: Step S101: starting from the first port corresponding to the lowest capacitance gear, the first port and the second port corresponding to the lowest capacitance gear are connected in a gating manner; Step S102: judging whether the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, if yes, executing step S103, otherwise executing step S104; Step S103: determining that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified; and Step S104: determining that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is not qualified. Step S103: Determine whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected to the selected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitance is within a preset airflow sensitivity range. If yes, determine that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified. Otherwise, execute step S105. Step S104: Determine whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected to the selected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitance is within a preset qualified threshold range. If yes, determine that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified. Otherwise, execute step S105. Step S105: Select the first port and the second port corresponding to a higher capacitance level in the direction from the low capacitance level to the high capacitance level, and then execute step S102. The higher capacitance level is one level higher than the capacitance level corresponding to the first port selected in step S103 or step S104. The preset qualified threshold range is different from the preset airflow sensitivity range.

14. The test method of claim 12, wherein, The test method comprises: Step S201: Select the first port and the second port corresponding to the highest capacitance level from the highest capacitance level. Step S202: Determine whether the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge. If yes, execute step S203. Otherwise, execute step S204. Step S203: Determine whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected to the selected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitance is within a preset airflow sensitivity range. If yes, determine that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified. Otherwise, execute step S205. Step S204: Determine whether the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected to the selected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitance is within a preset qualified threshold range. If yes, determine that the sensitivity of the airflow sensing chip is qualified. Otherwise, execute step S205. Step S205: Select the first port and the second port corresponding to a lower capacitance level in the direction from the high capacitance level to the low capacitance level, and then execute step S202. The lower capacitance level is one level lower than the capacitance level corresponding to the first port selected in step S103 or step S104. The preset qualified threshold range is different from the preset airflow sensitivity range.

15. The test method of claim 13 or 14, wherein, The test method comprises: Before selecting a first port and a second port each time, disconnect the second port from the airflow sensing chip, select a first port and a second port, and then connect the second port to the airflow sensing chip.

16. The test method of claim 9, wherein, When it is detected that the airflow sensing chip sends a prompt level signal to the connected indicator light to make the indicator light light up, determine that the airflow sensing chip is triggered to discharge, and then trigger the resistance wire connected to the airflow sensing chip to start heating. When the ratio between the total capacitance value of the capacitance sub-array connected to the selected first port and the capacitance value of the reference capacitance exceeds a preset suction threshold, trigger the airflow sensing chip to discharge. The power supply end of the airflow sensing chip is connected with a battery, the battery is connected in parallel with a decoupling capacitor, one level output end of the airflow sensing chip is connected with an indicating lamp, and another level output end of the airflow sensing chip is connected with a resistance wire.

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