Electronic cigarette control system

Abstract

The application provides an electronic cigarette control system, which comprises a microphone detection unit, a control unit and a peripheral circuit. The microphone detection unit detects whether a smoking action or a release smoking action is triggered. The control unit provides a power enable signal, a positive end driving signal and a negative end driving signal according to the detection result of the microphone detection unit. The peripheral circuit comprises a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, a PMOS tube, a first capacitor and a heating element. One end of the first resistor and a gate of the PMOS tube are connected with the control unit and connected with the power enable signal. The other end of the first resistor, a source of the PMOS tube and one end of the third resistor are connected with a battery. One end of the second resistor is connected with the control unit and connected with the positive end driving signal. The other end of the second resistor, a drain of the PMOS tube, the other end of the third resistor, one end of the first capacitor and one end of the heating element are connected with the control unit and connected with the negative end driving signal. The other end of the first capacitor and the other end of the heating element are connected with the ground. The circuit is reduced, and the cost is lowered.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of integrated circuit technology, and more particularly to an electronic cigarette control system. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic cigarettes typically include a power supply, a heating element, and a controller. The controller controls the power supply to output power to the heating element, so that the heating element heats and atomizes the atomizing matrix according to the power, producing an aerosol and igniting the electronic cigarette.

[0003] In existing electronic cigarettes, the implementation of various functional modules such as resistance detection, power adjustment, power feedback, and short-circuit protection of heating elements is complex, costly, lacks flexibility, and is not conducive to product promotion.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a novel electronic cigarette control system to solve the aforementioned problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an electronic cigarette control system that simplifies the circuitry and reduces costs.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the electronic cigarette control system of the present invention includes a microphone detection unit, a control unit, and peripheral circuitry. The microphone detection unit is used to detect whether a smoking or smoking release action is triggered. The control unit is used to provide a power enable signal, a positive terminal drive signal, and a negative terminal drive signal based on the detection result of the microphone detection unit. The peripheral circuitry includes a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, a PMOS transistor, a first capacitor, and a heating element. One end of the first resistor and the gate of the PMOS transistor are both connected to the control unit to receive the power enable signal. The other end of the first resistor, the source of the PMOS transistor, and one end of the third resistor are connected to a battery. One end of the second resistor is connected to the control unit to receive the positive terminal drive signal. The other end of the second resistor, the drain of the PMOS transistor, the other end of the third resistor, one end of the first capacitor, and one end of the heating element are all connected to the control unit to receive the negative terminal drive signal. The other end of the first capacitor and the other end of the heating element are grounded.

[0007] The beneficial effects of the electronic cigarette control system are as follows: the peripheral circuit includes a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, a PMOS transistor, a first capacitor, and a heating element. One end of the first resistor and the gate of the PMOS transistor are connected to the control unit to receive a power enable signal. The other end of the first resistor, the source of the PMOS transistor, and one end of the third resistor are connected to the battery. One end of the second resistor is connected to the control unit to receive a positive drive signal. The other end of the second resistor, the drain of the PMOS transistor, the other end of the third resistor, one end of the first capacitor, and one end of the heating element are all connected to the control unit to receive a negative drive signal. The other end of the first capacitor and the other end of the heating element are grounded, reducing the circuit and lowering the cost.

[0008] Optionally, the peripheral circuit further includes a second capacitor, one end of which is connected to the other end of the first resistor, and the other end of the second capacitor is grounded.

[0009] Optionally, the microphone detection unit includes a detection unit and a comparison unit. The detection unit is used to detect the capacitance value and convert the capacitance value into a count value. The comparison unit is used to compare the count value with a trigger threshold to determine whether to trigger a smoking or releasing smoking action.

[0010] Optionally, the microphone detection unit further includes a register unit for storing the count value.

[0011] Optionally, upon initial power-on, the detection unit detects the capacitance value, converts the capacitance value into an initial count value, and stores it in the register unit. The initial count value is used as a reference value. Then, the real-time count value of the detection unit is periodically acquired, the absolute value of the difference between the real-time count value and the reference value is calculated, and the absolute value is compared with the trigger threshold and the release threshold. Based on the comparison result, it is determined whether to trigger a smoking action or release a smoking action.

[0012] Optionally, if the absolute value is greater than the trigger threshold, a smoking action is determined to be triggered; after the smoking action is triggered, if the absolute value is less than the release threshold, a smoking action is determined to be triggered to release.

[0013] Optionally, when the absolute value is less than the trigger threshold and greater than the release threshold, the real-time count value is stored in the register unit after n hours as a new reference value.

[0014] Optionally, when the absolute value is greater than the trigger threshold, after maintaining for m hours, the count value of the detection unit is stored in the register unit as a new reference value. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a circuit diagram of the peripheral circuit in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 This is a structural block diagram of the control unit in some embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein should have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art. The terms "comprising" and similar expressions used herein mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the element or object listed following the word and its equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects.

[0018] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic cigarette control system. (Refer to...) Figure 1 The electronic cigarette control system includes a microphone detection unit, a control unit, and peripheral circuitry. The microphone detection unit detects whether a smoking or smoking action is triggered. The control unit provides a power enable signal, a positive drive signal, and a negative drive signal based on the detection result from the microphone detection unit. The peripheral circuitry includes a first resistor R1, a second resistor R2, a third resistor R3, a PMOS transistor PM, a first capacitor C1, and a heating element R4. One end of the first resistor R1 and the gate of the PMOS transistor PM are both connected to the control unit to receive the power enable signal PMOS_ EN, the other end of the first resistor R1, the source of the PMOS transistor PM, and one end of the third resistor R3 are connected to the battery BAT+. One end of the second resistor R2 is connected to the control unit for receiving the positive drive signal R_DET+. The other end of the second resistor R2, the drain of the PMOS transistor PM, the other end of the third resistor R3, one end of the first capacitor C1, and one end of the heating element R4 are all connected to the control unit for receiving the negative drive signal R_DET-. The other end of the first capacitor C1 and the other end of the heating element R4 are grounded.

[0019] Reference Figure 1 The peripheral circuit also includes a second capacitor C2, one end of which is connected to the other end of the first resistor R1, and the other end of the second capacitor C2 is grounded.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a control unit in some embodiments of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 2 The control unit includes a resistance detection positive terminal drive module 101, a power control module 102, and a negative terminal module 103.

[0021] In some embodiments, the positive terminal driving module for resistance detection is used to generate the positive terminal driving signal required for resistance detection and to measure the voltage at the positive terminal during resistance detection or power control; the power control module is used to generate a power enable signal; and the negative terminal module is used to acquire the negative terminal signal to calculate the resistance value and to perform short-circuit detection and protection on the peripheral circuit.

[0022] Reference Figure 2 The resistance detection positive terminal driving module 101 includes a first analog-to-digital conversion unit 1011, a driving unit 1012, and a first pin unit 1013. The first analog-to-digital conversion unit 1011 and the driving unit 1012 are both connected to the first pin unit 1013.

[0023] In some specific embodiments, when the driving unit has a small current driving capability, the first pin unit includes several pins connected in parallel and supporting small current. This approach is low-cost, flexible in use, and can provide a relatively large driving current for resistance detection, but it requires more pins. When the driving unit has a large current driving capability, the first pin unit includes a pin supporting large current. The cost is relatively high, but it requires fewer pins. It is possible to select a suitable driving unit and first pin unit according to different application scenarios and requirements.

[0024] Reference Figure 2 The control unit further includes a timer 104, a PWM controller 105, an interrupt controller 106, an analog comparator 107, an auxiliary analog-to-digital converter 108, a digital comparator 109, and a central processing unit (CPU) 110. The PWM controller 105 generates power control pulse waveforms and, in conjunction with the interrupt controller 106, generates interrupts at the start of high and low pulses for resistance detection or short-circuit protection. The auxiliary analog-to-digital converter 108 samples the voltage at the positive and negative terminals of the heating element, calculates the resistance change of the heating element in real time, and detects abnormal states such as short circuits and micro-short circuits of the heating element. The analog comparator 107 and the digital comparator 109 work in conjunction with the short-circuit protection unit to provide real-time short-circuit protection for the heating element.

[0025] Reference Figure 2The power control module 102 includes a PWM unit 1021 and a second pin unit 1022, with the PWM unit 1021 connected to the second pin unit 1022. The power control module 102, in conjunction with the PWM controller 105, can adjust the power output on demand and, using the timer, monitors the resistance value in real time during invalid duty cycles output by the PWM unit 1021 and detects short circuits in real time during effective duty cycles output by the PWM unit 1021.

[0026] Reference Figure 2 The negative terminal module 103 includes a second analog-to-digital converter unit 1031, a first analog comparator unit 1032, a short-circuit protection unit 1033, and a third pin unit 1034. The second analog-to-digital converter unit 1031, the first analog comparator unit 1032, and the short-circuit protection unit 1033 are all connected to the third pin unit 1034.

[0027] In some specific embodiments, the control unit is a microcontroller unit (MCU).

[0028] In some embodiments, the power control process of the heating power control circuit includes the following steps:

[0029] S1: When the power enable signal is high, the PMOS transistor is turned off to perform resistance detection;

[0030] S2: Calculate the effective duty cycle of the required PWM unit output based on the battery voltage, the detected resistance of the heating element, and the required power;

[0031] S3: Enable the output of the PWM unit according to the required effective duty cycle of the PWM unit output;

[0032] S4: Obtain the high / low level state of the power enable signal through an interrupt;

[0033] S5: If the power enable signal is high, the PMOS transistor is turned off to detect the resistance; if the power enable signal is low, the PMOS transistor is turned on to detect whether there is a short circuit.

[0034] S6: If no short circuit is detected, proceed to step S2; if a short circuit is detected, turn off the power output.

[0035] In some embodiments, the required effective duty cycle of the PWM unit output is calculated using a duty cycle formula, wherein the duty cycle formula is: Wherein, DR represents the effective duty cycle, W represents the required power, R4 represents the detected resistance of the heating element, and Vout represents the battery voltage.

[0036] In some embodiments, when performing resistance detection, a voltage with a certain driving capability is output through the battery according to the resistance range of the heating element; the voltage V1 of the positive terminal driving signal is read through the first analog-to-digital converter; the voltage V2 of the negative terminal driving signal is read through the second analog-to-digital converter; the resistance of the heating element is calculated using the resistance calculation formula of the heating element, which is R4=V2*R2 / (V1-V2), where R2 represents the resistance of the second resistor.

[0037] In some embodiments, when the PMOS transistor is off, the resistance of the heating element is measured in real time to determine whether a short circuit exists. When the PMOS transistor is on, the voltage of the negative terminal drive signal is detected to determine whether the heating element is short-circuited. Using the internal resistance of the PMOS transistor, the voltages across the PMOS transistor, i.e., the voltage of the positive terminal drive signal and the voltage of the negative terminal drive signal, are compared in real time by the digital comparator. If the voltage of the negative terminal drive signal is lower than a certain threshold relative to the voltage of the positive terminal drive signal, the output of the PWM unit is interrupted to achieve rapid protection.

[0038] During the heating process, the resistance of the heating element changes due to temperature variations, which affects the accuracy of the power output. This application calculates the resistance of the heating element in real time during each power enable signal cycle, detects changes in the resistance, and adjusts the power output in real time to achieve precise control of the power output. During the heating process, the application distinguishes between the on and off states of the PMOS transistor during each power enable signal cycle and detects short circuit, micro-short circuit, and overcurrent states of the heating element to ensure product safety.

[0039] In some embodiments, the microphone detection unit includes a detection unit, a comparison unit, and a register unit. The detection unit is used to detect the capacitance value and convert the capacitance value into a count value. The comparison unit is used to compare the count value with a trigger threshold to determine whether to trigger a smoking or releasing smoking action. The register unit is used to store the count value.

[0040] In some embodiments, the electronic cigarette has a microphone containing a thin film and a microphone capacitor. When a smoking action is performed, the pressure change inside and outside the thin film causes the thin film to deform, thereby changing the size of the microphone capacitor. The structure of the microphone is common knowledge in the art and will not be described in detail here. Upon initial power-on, the detection unit detects the capacitance value, converts it into an initial count value, and stores it in the register unit. Using this initial count value as a reference value, the real-time count value of the detection unit is periodically acquired. The absolute value of the difference between the real-time count value and the reference value is calculated, and this absolute value is compared with the trigger threshold and the release threshold. Based on the comparison result, it is determined whether to trigger a smoking action or release a smoking action.

[0041] In some embodiments, when the absolute value is greater than the trigger threshold, it is determined that a smoking action is triggered; after the smoking action is triggered, when the absolute value is less than the release threshold, it is determined that a smoking action is released.

[0042] In some embodiments, when the absolute value is less than the trigger threshold and greater than the release threshold, the real-time count value is stored in the register unit after being maintained for n hours, serving as a new reference value. During transportation and use, if the microphone capacitance changes due to variations in ambient air pressure or temperature, the reference data can be adjusted to ensure consistent air pressure sensitivity for smoking in different environments, preventing accidental activation during transportation. When the absolute value is greater than the trigger threshold, the count value of the detection unit is stored in the register unit after being maintained for m hours, serving as a new reference value. If an abnormal reference value is obtained due to microphone instability or environmental anomalies, the abnormal reference value can be updated to a normal value, ensuring normal use. Specifically, n is 4 seconds and m is 15 seconds.

[0043] While embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations fall within the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims. Furthermore, the invention described herein may have other embodiments and can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette control system, characterized in that, The device includes a microphone detection unit, a control unit, and peripheral circuitry. The microphone detection unit detects whether a smoking or smoking action is triggered. The control unit provides a power enable signal, a positive drive signal, and a negative drive signal based on the detection result from the microphone detection unit. The peripheral circuitry includes a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, a PMOS transistor, a first capacitor, and a heating element. One end of the first resistor and the gate of the PMOS transistor are connected to the control unit to receive the power enable signal. The other end of the first resistor, the source of the PMOS transistor, and one end of the third resistor are connected to a battery. One end of the second resistor is connected to the control unit to receive the positive drive signal. The other end of the second resistor, the drain of the PMOS transistor, the other end of the third resistor, one end of the first capacitor, and one end of the heating element are all connected to the control unit for receiving a negative terminal drive signal. The other end of the first capacitor and the other end of the heating element are grounded. The control unit includes a resistance detection positive terminal drive module, a power control module, and a negative terminal module. The resistance detection positive terminal drive module generates the positive terminal drive signal required for resistance detection and measures the voltage at the positive terminal during resistance detection or power control. The power control module generates a power enable signal. The negative terminal module acquires the negative terminal signal, calculates the resistance value, and performs short-circuit detection and protection for the peripheral circuit. The microphone detection unit includes a detection unit and a comparison unit. The detection unit is used to detect the capacitance value and convert the capacitance value into a count value. The comparison unit is used to compare the count value with a trigger threshold to determine whether to trigger a smoking or release smoking action. The microphone detection unit further includes a register unit, which is used to store the count value; Upon initial power-on, the detection unit detects the capacitance value, converts the capacitance value into an initial count value, and stores it in the register unit. The initial count value is used as a reference value. Then, the real-time count value of the detection unit is periodically acquired, the absolute value of the difference between the real-time count value and the reference value is calculated, and the absolute value is compared with the trigger threshold and the release threshold. Based on the comparison result, it is determined whether to trigger a smoking action or release a smoking action. If the absolute value is greater than the trigger threshold, a smoking action is triggered; after the smoking action is triggered, if the absolute value is less than the release threshold, a smoking action is triggered. When the absolute value is less than the trigger threshold and greater than the release threshold, the real-time count value is stored in the register unit after n hours as a new reference value. When the absolute value is greater than the trigger threshold, after maintaining for m hours, the count value of the detection unit is stored in the register unit as a new reference value.

2. The electronic cigarette control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The peripheral circuit also includes a second capacitor, one end of which is connected to the other end of the first resistor, and the other end of the second capacitor is grounded.

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