Aerosol generating device and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of aerosol, and discloses an aerosol generating device and a control method thereof, the device comprises: a chamber for removably placing an aerosol generating product; a heating element for heating the aerosol-generating article; the first capacitor is used for detecting a first capacitance value in the chamber; a second capacitor which is installed at the same position as the first capacitor and is used for detecting a second capacitance value in the chamber; the power supply module is used for providing electric energy for the heating element; the controller is used for determining whether a heating condition is met or not according to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, and if yes, the heating element is controlled to heat the aerosol generating product. According to the invention, the heating element is controlled by using the two capacitors at the same position, so that the influence of residual solid substances in the hot start state of the aerosol generating device or after the aerosol generating product is heated on the change of the capacitance value is eliminated, and the accuracy of detecting whether the aerosol generating product is in the cavity by using the capacitors is effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of aerosols, and in particular to an aerosol generating device and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Traditional tobacco products (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, etc.) burn tobacco to generate tobacco smoke during use. In the prior art, there are products that release compounds by heating without burning to replace these traditional tobacco products. Examples of such products are aerosol generating devices, which generally include a heating element and a heating chamber. When an aerosol generating product used in conjunction with the aerosol generating device is accommodated in the heating chamber, the heating element can heat the aerosol generating product, so that at least a portion of the active substance in the aerosol generating product is volatilized by heat to generate an aerosol that can be inhaled by the user.

[0003] Such devices are usually designed with a self-starting function, that is, the aerosol generating device is provided with a sensing element. When the aerosol generating product is inserted into the heating chamber, the sensing element will be triggered to generate a sensing signal. The aerosol generating device can control the heating element to start heating according to the sensing signal.

[0004] Existing induction methods include capacitive trigger induction methods, in which a capacitor is set in the aerosol generating device, and the capacitance value of the capacitor changes when the aerosol product is inserted into the heating chamber to trigger the induction, thereby controlling the heating element to start heating. However, the solid matter remaining after the aerosol generating product is heated is easy to adhere to the heating chamber, causing the capacitance value of the capacitor to change, which is easy to cause false start. Alternatively, when the aerosol generating device is hot-started, since the temperature of the heating element is still relatively high at this time, this temperature is also easy to cause the capacitance value of the capacitor to change, which in turn causes false start. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides an aerosol generating device and a control method thereof to solve the problem that the existing aerosol generating device is mistakenly started when the aerosol product does not need to be heated.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating device comprising: a chamber, a heating element, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a power module, and a controller, wherein:

[0007] a chamber for removably housing an aerosol-generating article;

[0008] a heating element for heating the aerosol-generating article;

[0009] A first capacitor, used to detect a first capacitance value in the chamber;

[0010] A second capacitor, which is installed at the same position as the first capacitor and is used to detect a second capacitance value in the chamber;

[0011] A power module, used for providing electrical energy to the heating element;

[0012] The controller is used to determine whether a heating condition is met according to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, and if so, control the heating element to heat the aerosol generating product.

[0013] The aerosol generating device provided by the present invention controls whether the heating element heats the aerosol generating product by detecting the capacitance values ​​of two capacitors located at the same position, thereby eliminating the influence of the solid matter remaining in the aerosol generating device in the hot start state or after the aerosol generating product is heated on the change of the capacitance value, thereby effectively improving the accuracy of using capacitors to detect whether the aerosol generating product is in the chamber.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the heating element comprises:

[0015] The heating element is coated on the outer wall of the chamber and transfers heat to the aerosol generating product through the wall of the chamber to heat it, or the heating element includes a coil or a heating rod, wherein:

[0016] The coil is wound around the outer wall of the chamber. When an alternating current is passed through the coil, a changing magnetic field is generated in the chamber. The heating rod is fixed inside the chamber and is used to be inserted into the aerosol generating product. The heating rod induces eddy currents in the changing magnetic field, and generates heat under the action of eddy current effect and hysteresis effect to heat the aerosol generating product.

[0017] The heating element of the aerosol generating device provided by the present invention can be of various structures, and the heating method of the aerosol generating product is more flexible, which meets the design requirements of different products and improves the application range of the aerosol generating device.

[0018] In an optional implementation, the first capacitor includes: a first electrode and a second electrode, and the second capacitor includes: a third electrode and a fourth electrode, wherein:

[0019] The first electrode and the third electrode are installed at a first preset position on the outer wall of the chamber, and the second electrode and the fourth electrode are installed at a second preset position on the outer wall of the chamber;

[0020] The first sensing area of ​​the first electrode and the second electrode is the same as the second sensing area of ​​the third electrode and the fourth electrode.

[0021] The aerosol generating device provided by the present invention overlaps the two electrodes of the first capacitor and the second capacitor, and the electrode sensing areas of the two capacitors are the same, thereby ensuring the consistency of detection of the two capacitors. The detection results of the capacitance values ​​of the two capacitors are used to control the start of the heating element more accurately, thereby avoiding the occurrence of erroneous start of the heating element.

[0022] In an optional embodiment, the aerosol generating device further comprises: a sliding cover, a sensing element, and an air channel, wherein:

[0023] a sliding cover, sliding between a third preset position and a fourth preset position to cover or expose the chamber;

[0024] The sensing element is located at a fourth preset position and generates a start signal when the sliding cover slides to the fourth preset position;

[0025] The air passage is used to connect the chamber with the external environment so that air in the external environment can enter the chamber.

[0026] The aerosol generating device provided by the present invention controls the start signal by sliding the sliding cover. When the user does not need to use the aerosol generating device, the capacitive sensor does not need to work, and the controller does not need to obtain the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value. Only after the aerosol generating device is started, the capacitive sensor starts to work and the controller starts to obtain the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, thereby saving power of the aerosol generating device and extending the battery life of the power module.

[0027] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a control method for an aerosol generating device, the control method being applied to the aerosol generating device of any one of the first aspects, the method comprising:

[0028] Continuously acquiring a first capacitance value of the first capacitor and a second capacitance value of the second capacitor according to a preset sampling period;

[0029] Calculate the difference between the second capacitance value at the current moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the first variation, and calculate the difference between the first capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the second variation;

[0030] The aerosol-generating article is heated according to the first variation and the second variation to generate an aerosol.

[0031] The control method of the aerosol generating device provided by the present invention controls whether the heating element heats the aerosol generating product by detecting the capacitance values ​​of two capacitors located at the same position, thereby eliminating the influence of the solid matter remaining in the aerosol generating device in the hot start state or after the aerosol generating product is heated on the change of the capacitance value, thereby effectively improving the accuracy of using capacitors to detect whether the aerosol generating product is in the chamber.

[0032] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes:

[0033] Continuously obtain the start signal;

[0034] When the start signal is obtained, the first capacitance value of the first capacitor and the second capacitance value of the second capacitor are continuously obtained according to a preset sampling period.

[0035] The control method of the aerosol generating device provided by the present invention controls the user through a start signal so that when the user does not need to use the aerosol generating device, the capacitance sensor does not need to work and the controller does not need to obtain the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value. Only after the aerosol generating device is started, the capacitance sensor starts to work and the controller starts to obtain the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, thereby saving power of the aerosol generating device and extending the battery life of the power module.

[0036] In an optional embodiment, heating the aerosol generating article according to the first change amount and the second change amount to generate the aerosol includes:

[0037] If the first change amount satisfies a first preset condition, and the second change amount satisfies a second preset condition, the heating element is controlled to heat the aerosol generating article.

[0038] The control method of the aerosol generating device provided by the present invention determines whether the thermal engine curve is satisfied through the relationship between the first change amount and the first preset condition and the relationship between the second change amount and the second preset condition, and then controls the heating process of the aerosol generating product by the heating element, avoids the heating element from starting up accidentally, and improves the control accuracy of the heating process.

[0039] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes:

[0040] Calculate the difference between the first capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the first capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the third variation, and calculate the difference between the second capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the fourth variation;

[0041] If the third change amount satisfies the third preset condition, or the fourth change amount satisfies the fourth preset condition, the heating element is controlled to stop heating the aerosol generating product.

[0042] The control method of the aerosol generating device provided by the present invention controls the heating element to stop heating the aerosol generating product through the relationship between the third change amount and the third preset condition and the relationship between the fourth change amount and the fourth preset condition, so as to prevent the heating element from burning dry when the aerosol generating product is pulled out, thereby avoiding safety hazards and increasing the service life of the aerosol generating device.

[0043] In a third aspect, the present invention provides a computer device, comprising: a memory and a processor, the memory and the processor being communicatively connected to each other, the memory storing computer instructions, and the processor executing the method of the above-mentioned second aspect or any corresponding embodiment thereof by executing the computer instructions.

[0044] In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions stored thereon, the computer instructions being used to cause a computer to execute the method of the second aspect or any corresponding embodiment thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0046] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention when heating is performed by a heating rod;

[0048] Figure 3 is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of installing one electrode of a capacitor on a heating rod in an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of another aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a control method of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a computer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0053] An embodiment of the present invention provides an aerosol generating device and a control method thereof, which controls whether a heating element heats an aerosol generating product by detecting the capacitance values ​​of two capacitors located at the same position, so as to improve the accuracy of using capacitors to detect whether an aerosol generating product is contained in a chamber.

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol generating device is provided, such as Figure 1 As shown, the aerosol generating device includes: a chamber 1, a heating element 2, a first capacitor 3, a second capacitor 4, a power module 5, and a controller 6.

[0055] Chamber 1 is used to removably house an aerosol-generating article.

[0056] Specifically, if Figure 1 As shown, the chamber 1 is longitudinally extended and is used to accommodate an aerosol generating product used in conjunction with the aerosol generating device. Part of the active substance filled in the aerosol generating product volatilizes when heated to generate an aerosol. The aerosol generating product preferably uses a tobacco-containing material that releases volatile compounds from the product when heated, or a non-tobacco material that is suitable for electric heating and smoking after heating; the aerosol generating product preferably uses a solid matrix, which may include one or more of powder, particles, fragments, strips or flakes of one or more of vanilla leaves, tobacco leaves, homogenized tobacco, and expanded tobacco, or the solid matrix may contain additional tobacco or non-tobacco volatile flavor compounds to be released when the matrix is ​​heated.

[0057] The heating element 2 is used to heat the aerosol-generating product.

[0058] Specifically, if Figure 1 As shown, the heating element 2 can exist in different forms, and its main function is to heat the aerosol generating product, and the aerosol generating product will generate aerosol after being heated.

[0059] The first capacitor 3 is used to detect a first capacitance value in the chamber 1 .

[0060] Specifically, the first capacitor 3 includes two electrode sheets, and the two electrode sheets are correspondingly installed on the outer wall of the chamber 1. When the aerosol generating product is inserted into the chamber 1, it is located within the sensing range of the two electrode sheets. Since the dielectric constant of the aerosol generating product is different from the dielectric constant of the air, when the aerosol generating product is inserted into the chamber 1 or taken out of the chamber 1, the first capacitance value of the first capacitor 3 will change. Generally speaking, the dielectric constant of the aerosol generating product is greater than the dielectric constant of the air. Therefore, when the aerosol generating product is inserted into the chamber 1, the first capacitance value sensed by the two electrode sheets will be larger than the first capacitance value when there is no aerosol generating product in the chamber 1.

[0061] The second capacitor 4 , which is installed at the same position as the first capacitor 3 , is used to detect a second capacitance value in the chamber 1 .

[0062] Specifically, the parameters of the second capacitor 4 and the first capacitor 3 are exactly the same, and they are installed in the same position. When the external environmental conditions are the same, the second capacitance value of the second capacitor 4 is equal to the first capacitance value of the first capacitor 3. The purpose of setting two capacitors in this embodiment is to use the detection result of one of the capacitors as the standard value and the detection result of the other capacitor as the actual detection value. By comparing the actual detection value with the standard value, the heating process of the aerosol generating product by the heating element 2 can be controlled. The standard value can be dynamically changed according to different external environmental conditions to avoid the influence of external environmental factors on the detection results, and improve the control accuracy of the heating process by the capacitance detection. Since the capacitance value of the capacitor has an obvious linear correlation with the temperature of the medium, the absolute value of the capacitance value can reflect the target temperature to a certain extent. The specific values ​​of the preset first capacitance value and the preset second capacitance value when the thermal engine is calibrated in the preset thermal engine curve. When the value of the first capacitor reaches the preset first capacitance value and the value of the second capacitor reaches the preset second capacitance value, the heating power is changed and switched to the thermal engine curve. This is only an example, but not limited to this.

[0063] The power module 5 is used to provide electrical energy to the heating element 2 .

[0064] Specifically, the power module 5 may be a rechargeable battery cell or a non-rechargeable battery cell, and the battery cell and the heating element 2 are electrically connected to the controller 6 respectively, so that the controller 6 can control the battery cell to provide electrical energy to the heating element 2 .

[0065] The controller 6 is used to determine whether the heating condition is met according to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, and if so, control the heating element 2 to heat the aerosol generating product.

[0066] Specifically, the controller 6 is integrated into the main board and installed at an appropriate position of the aerosol generating device. The capacitance sensor continuously reads the first capacitance value of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitance value of the second capacitor 4 according to a preset sampling period, and sends the read first capacitance value and second capacitance value to the controller 6. The controller 6 calculates and processes the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, and controls the battery cell to provide different electrical energy to the heating element 2 according to the data processing result, so that the heating element 2 heats the aerosol generating product with different powers.

[0067] The controller 6 can be a general processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a microcontroller unit (MCU), an ARM (Acorn RISC Machine) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components or any combination of these components. The controller 6 can also be any traditional processor, controller 6, microcontroller 6 or state machine; the controller 6 can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP and / or any other such configuration. The controller 6 can also be a frequency conversion board or a main control board of a washing machine.

[0068] The aerosol generating device provided in this embodiment controls whether the heating element 2 heats the aerosol generating product by detecting the capacitance values ​​of two capacitors located at the same position, thereby eliminating the influence of the solid matter remaining in the aerosol generating device in the hot start state or after the aerosol generating product is heated on the change of the capacitance value, thereby effectively improving the accuracy of using capacitors to detect whether the aerosol generating product is in the chamber 1.

[0069] In some optional embodiments, the heating element 2 comprises:

[0070] The heating element 2 is coated on the outer wall of the chamber 1, and transfers heat to the aerosol generating product through the wall of the chamber 1 to heat it, or the heating element 2 includes a coil and a heating rod, wherein the coil is wound on the outer wall of the chamber 1, and when an alternating current is passed through the coil, a changing magnetic field is generated in the chamber 1, and the heating rod is fixed inside the chamber 1 and is inserted into the aerosol generating product. The heating rod induces eddy currents in the changing magnetic field, and generates heat under the action of eddy current effect and hysteresis effect to heat the aerosol generating product.

[0071] Specifically, the heating element 2 can be a resistive heating element, which is coated on the outer wall of the chamber 1 and electrically connected to the main board. The resistive heating element generates heat when energized, and transfers the heat to the aerosol generating product in the chamber 1 through the cavity wall of the chamber 1, thereby heating the aerosol generating product.

[0072] Optionally, the aerosol generating device may also heat the aerosol generating product by electromagnetic induction. In this case, the heating element 2 may be a heating rod, at least part of which extends into the chamber 1. Figure 2As shown, and its end portion located in the chamber 1 is pin-shaped or sheet-shaped, so that the heating element 2 can be smoothly inserted into the aerosol generating product for heating. At the same time, the outer wall of the chamber 1 is wound with a coil (not shown in the figure). When the controller 6 controls the power module 5 to pass an alternating current into the coil, the coil generates a changing magnetic field under the action of the alternating current. The changing magnetic field causes the heating rod in the magnetic field to induce eddy currents. The heating rod generates heat under the action of the eddy current effect and the hysteresis effect, thereby achieving heating of the aerosol generating product. It should be noted that the material of the heating rod can be any one of graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, stainless steel, niobium, aluminum, nickel, iron, copper, nickel-containing compounds, titanium and metal material composites. In order to better induce eddy currents to improve heating efficiency, the material of the heating rod is preferably ferromagnetic material or composed of ferromagnetic material, such as ferrite iron, ferromagnetic alloy (such as ferromagnetic steel or stainless steel), ferromagnetic particles and ferrite, which are only used as examples, but not limited to this.

[0073] Optionally, in a specific embodiment, Figure 2 As shown, a separate heating rod can be inserted into the aerosol generating product for heating, and there is no need to wind a coil on the outer wall of the chamber 1. At this time, the heating rod can be a ceramic heating element (a ceramic heating element is a heating element made by sintering an electric heating element and a ceramic at a high temperature and fixing them together). The heating rod is directly electrically connected to the controller 6 of the mainboard, and then the controller 6 can control the power module 5 to provide electrical energy to the heating rod. The heating rod generates heat after obtaining the electrical energy, and directly heats the aerosol generating product.

[0074] In the aerosol generating device provided in this embodiment, the heating element 2 can be a structure of various forms, which makes the heating method of the aerosol generating product more flexible, meets the design requirements of different products, and improves the application scope of the aerosol generating device.

[0075] In a specific embodiment, Figure 3 As shown, Figure 2 In the partial enlarged view of the circled portion A, when the heating element 2 is inserted into the aerosol generating article for heating, the first electrode 31 of the first capacitor 3 and the third electrode 41 of the second capacitor 4 can be arranged at the same position on the outer wall of the chamber 1, and the second electrode 32 of the first capacitor 3 and the fourth electrode 42 of the second capacitor 4 can be arranged on the outer surface of the heating element 2. When the aerosol generating article is inserted into the chamber 1, a part of the aerosol generating article is located between the two electrodes of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4, so that the dielectric material between the two electrodes of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4 can also be changed, and then when the aerosol generating article is inserted into the chamber 1 or removed from the chamber 1, the capacitance values ​​of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4 will change.

[0076] In another specific embodiment, when the heating element 2 is inserted into the aerosol generating product for heating in the form of electromagnetic induction eddy current, the heating element 2 is a conductive material, and the heating element 2 can be used as a common electrode of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4, for example, as a common negative electrode of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4, and the positive electrode of the first capacitor 3 and the positive electrode of the second capacitor 4 are arranged at the same position on the outer wall of the chamber 1.

[0077] In some embodiments, Figure 1 As shown, in order to make the capacitance change of the first capacitor 360 caused by the aerosol generating product 200 being accommodated in the chamber 140 more realistic, thereby improving the accuracy of detection, the first capacitor 360 covers the second capacitor 470, that is, the first capacitor 360 is closer to the chamber 140 on the inside, and the second capacitor 470 is on the outside and away from the chamber 1.

[0078] In some optional embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first capacitor 3 includes: a first electrode 31 and a second electrode 32 , and the second capacitor 4 includes: a third electrode 41 and a fourth electrode 42 .

[0079] The first electrode 31 and the third electrode 41 are installed at a first preset position on the outer wall of the chamber 1 , and the second electrode 32 and the fourth electrode 42 are installed at a second preset position on the outer wall of the chamber 1 .

[0080] The first sensing area of ​​the first electrode 31 and the second electrode 32 is the same as the second sensing area of ​​the third electrode 41 and the fourth electrode 42 .

[0081] Specifically, Figure 1 As shown, the first electrode 31 and the third electrode 41 are installed at a first preset position on the outer wall of the chamber 1, and the second electrode 32 and the fourth electrode 42 are installed at a second preset position on the outer wall of the chamber 1; the first sensing area of ​​the first electrode 31 and the second electrode 32 is the same as the second sensing area of ​​the third electrode 41 and the fourth electrode 42, and the first preset position and the second preset position are located on both sides of the outer wall of the chamber 1.

[0082] The first electrode 31 overlaps with the third electrode 41, and the second electrode 32 overlaps with the fourth electrode 42, that is, the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4 overlap. When the aerosol generating product is inserted into the chamber 1 or removed from the chamber 1, the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value will change. To avoid mutual influence between the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4, the two electrodes of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor are isolated by insulating materials, and the first electrode 31 and the third electrode 41 are isolated by insulating materials, and the second electrode 32 and the fourth electrode 42 are isolated by insulating materials. Both electrodes of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4 can be made of common materials with good conductive properties such as copper, aluminum, iron, silver, and stainless steel.

[0083] The aerosol generating device provided in this embodiment has two electrodes of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4 overlapped, and the electrode sensing areas of the two capacitors are the same, thereby ensuring the consistency of the two capacitance detections. The capacitance value detection results of the two capacitors are used to control the start of the heating element more accurately, thereby avoiding the occurrence of the heating element being started by mistake.

[0084] In some optional embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the aerosol generating device further includes: a sliding cover 7 , a sensing element 8 , and an air channel 9 .

[0085] The sliding cover 7 slides between the third preset position and the fourth preset position to cover or expose the chamber 1 .

[0086] Specifically, when the slide cover 7 slides to the third preset position, the chamber 1 is shielded by the slide cover 7 to prevent dust in the air from falling into the chamber 1 and reducing the heating efficiency; when the slide cover 7 slides to the fourth preset position, the chamber 1 is exposed.

[0087] The sensing element 8 is located at a fourth preset position, and generates a start signal when the sliding cover 7 slides to the fourth preset position.

[0088] Specifically, the sensing element 8 is used to generate a start-up signal for the aerosol generating device. The sensing element 8 is electrically connected to the controller 6. When the sensing element 8 generates a start-up signal and transmits it to the controller 6, the controller 6 determines that the user needs to use the aerosol generating device according to the start-up signal, and the controller 6 starts to read the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value. When the user does not need to use the aerosol generating device, the sensing element 8 does not generate a start-up signal, and the controller 6 does not obtain the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value at this time.

[0089] The sensing element 8 may be a pressure sensor or a touch switch, and whether the sensing element 8 generates a signal may be associated with the sliding of the slide cover 7. When the slide cover 7 slides to the fourth preset position, the sensing element 8 is triggered to generate a start signal. When the user does not need to use the aerosol generating device, the slide cover 7 is slid to the third preset position, and the slide cover 7 blocks the chamber 1 to prevent dust in the air from entering the chamber 1; when the user needs to use the aerosol generating device, the slide cover 7 is slid to the fourth preset position, and the chamber 1 is exposed. At the same time, the slide cover 7 triggers the sensing element 8 to generate a start signal, and the controller 6 controls the power module 5 to supply power to the heating element 2, and the user inserts the aerosol generating product into the chamber 1 for inhalation.

[0090] Optionally, the sensing element 8 can be an independent push button switch, which is electrically connected to the controller 6 and is arranged on the housing of the aerosol generating device. The user presses the button to trigger the push button switch to generate a start signal. The sensing element 8 can also be arranged in other ways, as long as it can generate the above-mentioned start signal.

[0091] The air passage 9 is used to connect the chamber 1 with the external environment so that air in the external environment can enter the chamber 1 .

[0092] Specifically, the aerosol generating device also includes an air channel 9 connecting the chamber 1 and the external environment. When the user inhales on the aerosol generating device, the air in the external environment enters the chamber 1 through the air channel 9, and further enters the aerosol generating product, and then carries the aerosol in the aerosol generating product to escape along the air flow channel in the aerosol generating product for the user to inhale.

[0093] The aerosol generating device provided in this embodiment controls the start signal by sliding the sliding cover 7. When the user does not need to use the aerosol generating device, the capacitive sensor does not need to work, and the controller 6 does not need to obtain the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value. Only after the aerosol generating device is started, the capacitive sensor starts to work and the controller 6 starts to obtain the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, thereby saving power of the aerosol generating device and extending the battery life of the power module 5.

[0094] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment of a control method for an aerosol generating device is provided. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart of the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer executable instructions, and although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described can be executed in an order different from that shown here.

[0095] In this embodiment, a control method for an aerosol generating device is provided, which can be used in the above-mentioned computer system or the aerosol generating device in the previous embodiment. Figure 5is a flow chart of a control method of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0096] Step S101 : continuously acquiring a first capacitance value of the first capacitor 3 and a second capacitance value of the second capacitor 4 according to a preset sampling period.

[0097] Specifically, the aerosol generating device includes a multi-channel capacitive sensor (not shown in the figures), which is integrated on the main board. The capacitive sensor is electrically connected to the controller 6. The first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4 are respectively connected to the capacitive sensor through different channels, so that the capacitive sensor can independently detect the first capacitance value of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitance value of the second capacitor 4, and send the detected results to the controller 6 respectively.

[0098] Optionally, the aerosol generating device may further include two capacitance detection circuits, both of which are electrically connected to the controller 6, wherein one capacitance detection circuit is used to detect a first capacitance value, and the other capacitance detection circuit is used to detect a second capacitance value, and the two capacitance detection circuits send the detected first capacitance value and the second capacitance value to the controller 6 respectively.

[0099] The controller 6 saves the second capacitance value obtained each time to monitor the first variation of the second capacitance value obtained between any two adjacent sampling moments.

[0100] Step S102, calculating the difference between the second capacitance value at the current moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the first variation, and calculating the difference between the first capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the second variation.

[0101] Specifically, the difference between the second capacitance value at the current moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment is calculated as the first variation, and the difference between the first capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment is calculated as the second variation.

[0102] Since the parameters and positions of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4 are completely the same, the temperature of the aerosol generating device and the residual solid matter after heating have basically the same influence on the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4. The influence of the solid matter remaining in the aerosol generating device in the hot start state and after heating on the change of the first capacitance value can be eliminated through the second variation. That is, the second variation is the real variation of the first capacitance value of the first capacitor 3 caused by the aerosol generating article being inserted into the chamber 1. The real variation has eliminated the influence of the solid matter remaining in the aerosol generating device in the hot start state and after heating.

[0103] It should be noted that the hot start state means that when the aerosol generating device is started, the residual temperature on the heating element 2 is still high, and the temperature of the heating element 2 has not dropped to the preset temperature. The residual temperature will cause the capacitance values ​​of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4 to change. Therefore, when a single capacitor is used to detect an aerosol generating product, the capacitance value of the capacitor will change in the hot start state, which may easily lead to misjudgment.

[0104] In this embodiment, the specific positions of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4 are not limited and can be considered to be identical. In order to make the capacitance change caused by the first capacitor 3 when the aerosol generating product is accommodated in the chamber 1 more realistic, thereby improving the accuracy of detection, the first capacitor 3 covers the second capacitor 4, that is, the first capacitor 3 is closer to the chamber 1 on the inside, and the second capacitor 4 is on the outside and away from the chamber 1.

[0105] Step S103, heating the aerosol generating product according to the first change amount and the second change amount to generate aerosol.

[0106] In some optional embodiments, heating the aerosol generating article according to the first change amount and the second change amount to generate the aerosol comprises:

[0107] If the first change amount satisfies the first preset condition, and the second change amount satisfies the second preset condition, the heating element 2 is controlled to heat the aerosol generating article.

[0108] Specifically, the first preset condition and the second preset condition can both be a threshold value or a threshold range. When the first change amount reaches the first threshold value or is within the first threshold range, it means that the first change amount satisfies the first preset condition; similarly, when the second change amount reaches the second threshold value or is within the second threshold range, it means that the second change amount satisfies the second preset condition.

[0109] When both the first preset condition and the second preset condition are met, the aerosol generating device is determined to be in a thermal engine state, and the thermal engine curve is started according to the state corresponding to the first preset condition and the second preset condition are met, and the heating element 2 is controlled to heat the aerosol generating product. The specific determination method can be flexibly set according to actual conditions and is not limited here.

[0110] The control method of the aerosol generating device provided in the embodiment of the present invention determines whether the thermal engine curve is satisfied through the relationship between the first change amount and the first preset condition, and the relationship between the second change amount and the second preset condition, and then controls the heating process of the aerosol generating product by the heating element 2, avoids the heating element 2 from starting up accidentally, and improves the control accuracy of the heating process.

[0111] The controller 6 then determines whether the actual change satisfies the second preset condition. If so, the controller 6 can confirm that the change is caused by the insertion of the aerosol generating product into the chamber 1. Therefore, the controller 6 can control the battery cell to output power to the heating element 2, so that the heating element 2 starts heating, thereby realizing the function of automatically starting heating of the aerosol generating device when the aerosol generating product is inserted into the chamber 1.

[0112] The control method of the aerosol generating device provided in this embodiment controls whether the heating element 2 heats the aerosol generating product by detecting the capacitance values ​​of two capacitors located at the same position, thereby eliminating the influence of the solid matter remaining in the aerosol generating device in the hot start state or after the aerosol generating product is heated on the change of the capacitance value, thereby effectively improving the accuracy of using capacitors to detect whether the aerosol generating product is in the chamber 1.

[0113] In some optional embodiments, the method further comprises:

[0114] Step a1, continuously obtaining a start signal.

[0115] Specifically, the aerosol generating device utilizes the sensing element 8 to continuously acquire a start signal, and when the start signal is acquired, the sensing element 8 sends the start signal to the controller 6 .

[0116] Step b1, when the start signal is obtained, the first capacitance value of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitance value of the second capacitor 4 are continuously obtained according to a preset sampling period.

[0117] Specifically, when the controller 6 obtains the start signal, the controller 6 determines that the user needs to use the aerosol generating device, and controls the capacitance sensor to start reading the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value and sending them to the controller 6 .

[0118] The control method of the aerosol generating device provided in the present embodiment controls the user through a start signal so that when the user does not need to use the aerosol generating device, the capacitive sensor does not need to work, and the controller 6 does not need to obtain the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value. Only after the aerosol generating device is started, the capacitive sensor starts to work, and the controller 6 starts to obtain the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, thereby saving power of the aerosol generating device and extending the battery life of the power module 5.

[0119] In some optional embodiments, the method further comprises:

[0120] Step b1, calculating the difference between the first capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the first capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the third variation, and calculating the difference between the second capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the fourth variation.

[0121] Specifically, the aerosol generating device is usually provided with a fixed heating time. When the heating time of the heating element 2 reaches the heating time, the controller 6 controls the battery cell to stop outputting power to the heating element 2, so that the heating element 2 stops heating.

[0122] However, sometimes the user pulls out the aerosol generating product from the chamber 1 before the set fixed heating time is reached during the heating process of the heating element 2. At this time, it is necessary to control the heating element 2 to stop heating accordingly to avoid dry burning of the heating element 2, which may cause safety hazards or damage the aerosol generating device.

[0123] When the aerosol generating product is removed from the chamber 1, the dielectric material between the two electrodes of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 4 changes from the aerosol generating product to air, which causes the first capacitance value of the first capacitor 3 and the second capacitance value of the second capacitor 4 to change. The controller 6 can determine that the aerosol generating product has been removed from the chamber 1 based on the change, thereby controlling the heating element 2 to stop heating.

[0124] Based on the above situation, in the process of the heating element 2 heating the aerosol generating device, the capacitance sensor continuously obtains the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, and sends the obtained first capacitance value and second capacitance value to the controller 6 and saves them. In the controller 6, the difference between the first capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the first capacitance value at the previous sampling moment is calculated as the third change amount, and the difference between the second capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment is calculated as the fourth change amount.

[0125] Step b2: if the third change amount satisfies the third preset condition, or the fourth change amount satisfies the fourth preset condition, the heating element 2 is controlled to stop heating the aerosol generating product.

[0126] Specifically, when the third change amount satisfies the third preset condition, or the fourth change amount satisfies the fourth preset condition, the controller 6 confirms that the aerosol generating product has been removed from the chamber 1, and then the controller 6 controls the heating element 2 to stop heating. The third preset condition and the fourth preset condition may be the same, and may be a threshold range, or a specific threshold: when the third change amount is within the third threshold range, or the third change amount reaches the third threshold, it means that the third change amount satisfies the third preset condition, and the fourth preset condition is the same, and will not be described here.

[0127] The control method of the aerosol generating device provided in the present embodiment controls the heating element 2 to stop heating the aerosol generating product through the relationship between the third change amount and the third preset condition and the relationship between the fourth change amount and the fourth preset condition, so as to prevent the heating element 2 from burning dry when the aerosol generating product is pulled out, thereby avoiding safety hazards and increasing the service life of the aerosol generating device.

[0128] The embodiment of the present invention also provides a computer device having the above Figure 1 The aerosol generating device shown.

[0129] See also Figure 6 , Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computer device provided by an optional embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 6 As shown, the computer device includes: one or more processors 10, a memory 20, and interfaces for connecting various components, including high-speed interfaces and low-speed interfaces. Various components are connected to each other using different buses for communication, and can be installed on a common mainboard or installed in other ways as needed. The processor can process the instructions executed in the computer device, including instructions stored in or on the memory to display the graphical information of the GUI on an external input / output device (such as, a display device coupled to the interface). In some optional embodiments, if necessary, multiple processors and / or multiple buses can be used together with multiple memories and multiple memories. Similarly, multiple computer devices can be connected, and each device provides some necessary operations (for example, as a server array, a group of blade servers, or a multi-processor system). Figure 6 A processor 10 is taken as an example.

[0130] The processor 10 may be a central processing unit, a network processor or a combination thereof. The processor 10 may further include a hardware chip. The hardware chip may be a dedicated integrated circuit, a programmable logic device or a combination thereof. The programmable logic device may be a complex programmable logic device, a field programmable gate array, a general purpose array logic or any combination thereof.

[0131] The memory 20 stores instructions executable by at least one processor 10, so that the at least one processor 10 executes the method shown in the above embodiment.

[0132] The memory 20 may include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area may store an operating system, an application required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created according to the use of the computer device, etc. In addition, the memory 20 may include a high-speed random access memory, and may also include a non-transient memory, such as at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other non-transient solid-state storage device. In some optional embodiments, the memory 20 may optionally include a memory remotely arranged relative to the processor 10, and these remote memories may be connected to the computer device via a network. Examples of the above-mentioned network include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0133] The memory 20 may include a volatile memory, such as a random access memory; the memory may also include a non-volatile memory, such as a flash memory, a hard disk or a solid state drive; the memory 20 may also include a combination of the above types of memory.

[0134] The computer device further comprises a communication interface 30 for the computer device to communicate with other devices or a communication network.

[0135] The embodiment of the present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium. The method according to the embodiment of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, firmware, or can be implemented as a computer code that can be recorded in a storage medium, or can be implemented as a computer code that is originally stored in a remote storage medium or a non-temporary machine-readable storage medium and will be stored in a local storage medium through a network download, so that the method described herein can be stored in such software processing on a storage medium using a general-purpose computer, a dedicated processor, or programmable or dedicated hardware. Among them, the storage medium can be a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a read-only storage memory, a random access memory, a flash memory, a hard disk or a solid-state hard disk, etc.; further, the storage medium can also include a combination of the above types of memories. It can be understood that a computer, a processor, a microprocessor controller, or programmable hardware includes a storage component that can store or receive software or computer code. When the software or computer code is accessed and executed by a computer, a processor, or hardware, the method shown in the above embodiment is implemented.

[0136] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and such modifications and variations are all within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device, characterized in that: The aerosol generating device comprises: a chamber, a heating element, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a power module, and a controller, wherein: a chamber for removably housing an aerosol-generating article; a heating element for heating the aerosol-generating article; a first capacitor, used to detect a first capacitance value in the chamber; a second capacitor, which is installed at the same position as the first capacitor and is used to detect a second capacitance value in the chamber; A power module, used for providing electrical energy to the heating element; The controller is used to determine whether a heating condition is met according to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, and if so, control the heating element to heat the aerosol generating product.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating element comprises: The heating element is coated on the outer wall of the chamber and transfers heat to the aerosol generating product through the wall of the chamber to heat it, or the heating element includes a coil or a heating rod, wherein: The coil is wound around the outer wall of the chamber. When an alternating current is passed through the coil, a changing magnetic field is generated in the chamber. The heating rod is fixed inside the chamber and is used to be inserted into the aerosol generating product. The heating rod induces eddy currents in the changing magnetic field, and generates heat under the action of eddy current effect and hysteresis effect to heat the aerosol generating product.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first capacitor includes: a first electrode and a second electrode, and the second capacitor includes: a third electrode and a fourth electrode, wherein: The first electrode and the third electrode are installed at a first preset position on the outer wall of the chamber, and the second electrode and the fourth electrode are installed at a second preset position on the outer wall of the chamber; The first sensing area of ​​the first electrode and the second electrode is the same as the second sensing area of ​​the third electrode and the fourth electrode.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The aerosol generating device further comprises: a sliding cover, a sensing element, and an air channel, wherein: a sliding cover, sliding between a third preset position and a fourth preset position to cover or expose the chamber; a sensing element, located at a fourth preset position, and generating a start signal when the sliding cover slides to the fourth preset position; The air passage is used to connect the chamber with the external environment so that air in the external environment can enter the chamber.

5. A method for controlling an aerosol generating device, characterized in that: The control method is applied to the aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and the method comprises: Continuously acquiring a first capacitance value of the first capacitor and a second capacitance value of the second capacitor according to a preset sampling period; Calculate the difference between the second capacitance value at the current moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the first variation, and calculate the difference between the first capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the second variation; The aerosol-generating article is heated according to the first change amount and the second change amount to generate an aerosol.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The method further comprises: Continuously obtain the start signal; When the start signal is obtained, the first capacitance value of the first capacitor and the second capacitance value of the second capacitor are continuously obtained according to a preset sampling period.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that Heating the aerosol generating article according to the first change amount and the second change amount to generate an aerosol, comprising: If the first change amount satisfies a first preset condition, and the second change amount satisfies a second preset condition, controlling the heating element to heat the aerosol generating article.

8. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The method further comprises: Calculate the difference between the first capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the first capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the third variation, and calculate the difference between the second capacitance value at the current sampling moment and the second capacitance value at the previous sampling moment as the fourth variation; If the third change amount satisfies the third preset condition, or the fourth change amount satisfies the fourth preset condition, the heating element is controlled to stop heating the aerosol generating product.

9. A computer device, characterized in that: include: A memory and a processor, wherein the memory and the processor are communicatively connected to each other, the memory stores computer instructions, and the processor executes the method according to any one of claims 5 to 8 by executing the computer instructions.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and the computer instructions are used to enable a computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 5 to 8.

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