Aerosol generating system and information processing method

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a structure capable of further improving the quality of user experience. [Solution] An aerosol-generating system is provided with: a housing unit having an internal space and an opening that communicates the internal space to the outside; one or more detection units that emit light into the internal space and detect the received reflected light; and a control unit that determines, on the basis of the intensities of the plurality of reflected light detected by the one or more detection units, whether or not the article inserted into the storage unit is a substrate containing an aerosol source.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating system and an information processing method. Background Art

[0002] Suction devices such as electronic cigarettes and atomizers that generate substances to be sucked by users are becoming widely popular. For example, the suction device uses a base material including an aerosol source for generating aerosol and a fragrance source for imparting fragrance components to the generated aerosol to generate an aerosol imparted with fragrance components. The user can enjoy the fragrance by inhaling the aerosol imparted with fragrance components generated by the suction device. In the following, the action of the user sucking in the aerosol is also referred to as inhalation or inhalation action.

[0003] In order to further improve the quality of user experience when using such suction devices, various technical developments are being carried out. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technology that radiates light, detects the phosphorescence properties of the reflected light, and controls the operation of the suction device based on the detection result.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-528710 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] As disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document 1, temperature control when heating the substrate can contribute to the improvement of the fragrance. In addition, cleaning the suction device also contributes to the improvement of the fragrance. However, there is no mention in the above-mentioned patent document 1 about the cleaning of the suction device.

[0009] Therefore, the present disclosure is completed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a structure that can further improve the quality of user experience.

[0010] Means for solving problems

[0011] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to a certain viewpoint of the present disclosure, an aerosol generating system is provided, which comprises: a containing section having an internal space and an opening connecting the internal space to the outside; one or more detection sections, radiating light to the internal space and detecting the received reflected light; and a control section, which determines whether the article inserted into the containing section is a substrate containing an aerosol source based on the intensities of multiple reflected lights detected by the one or more detection sections.

[0012] The aerosol generating system may further include a heating unit that heats the substrate accommodated in the accommodation unit, and the control unit may control an operation of the heating unit based on a determination result of whether the article inserted into the accommodation unit is the substrate.

[0013] The control unit may start heating by the heating unit when determining that the article inserted into the storage unit is the base material.

[0014] The control unit may permit heating by the heating unit when it is determined that the object inserted into the storage unit is the base material, and prohibit heating by the heating unit when it is determined that the object inserted into the storage unit is not the base material.

[0015] The aerosol generating system may include two detection units, and the two detection units may be arranged at positions different from each other.

[0016] The control unit may cause the two detection units to operate at different timings from each other.

[0017] The control unit may activate one of the two detection units and put the other detection unit into sleep mode.

[0018] The two detection units may be arranged at positions different from each other in the insertion direction of the substrate.

[0019] The two detection portions may be arranged at positions where at least a portion of the detection portions overlap each other in the insertion direction of the substrate.

[0020] The two detection portions may be arranged so as to be spaced apart by a diameter greater than the thickest portion of an object other than the substrate that is assumed to be inserted into the receiving portion.

[0021] The two detection portions may be arranged at positions where an angle formed by directions of radiated light is not less than 90 degrees and not more than 270 degrees on a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the substrate.

[0022] The two detection units may be arranged at positions where the angle formed by the directions of the radiated lights is 180 degrees on a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the substrate.

[0023] The control unit may determine whether the article inserted into the storage unit is the base material based on the intensities of a plurality of reflected lights detected by the same detection unit at different timings.

[0024] The aerosol generating system may further include at least one of the substrate and an article other than the substrate that is assumed to be inserted into the housing portion.

[0025] In addition, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to another viewpoint of the present disclosure, an information processing method is provided, which is executed by a computer and includes: based on the intensities of multiple reflected lights detected by one or more detection units, determining whether the article inserted into the receiving unit is a substrate containing an aerosol source, wherein the receiving unit has an internal space and an opening connecting the internal space to the outside, and the one or more detection units radiate light into the internal space and detect the received reflected light.

[0026] Effects of the Invention

[0027] As described above, according to the present disclosure, a structure capable of further improving the quality of user experience is provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram schematically showing an example of the internal structure of the suction device.

[0029] Figure 2 It is an overall perspective view of the suction device involved in this embodiment.

[0030] Figure 3 It is an overall perspective view of the suction device according to the present embodiment in a state where the rod-shaped substrate is held.

[0031] Figure 4 It is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the vicinity of the storage portion of the suction device according to the present embodiment.

[0032] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram showing in detail the structure of the vicinity of the optical sensor unit of the suction device according to the present embodiment.

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the storage portion of the suction device according to the present embodiment as viewed from the opening side (ie, from above).

[0034] Figure 7 It is a block diagram showing the configuration of a photosensor unit in the suction device according to the present embodiment.

[0035] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the optical sensor unit on the time axis.

[0036] Fig. 9 It is a figure which shows an example of the structure of the cotton swab which concerns on this embodiment.

[0037] Fig.10 It is a diagram schematically showing a state in which the storage portion into which the rod-shaped substrate is inserted is viewed from the opening side (ie, from above).

[0038] Fig.11 This is a diagram schematically showing a state in which the storage portion into which the cotton swab is inserted is viewed from the opening side (ie, from above).

[0039] Fig.12 This is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the suction device according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In the following, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in the present specification and the accompanying drawings, for components having substantially the same functional structure, the same reference numerals are given to omit repeated descriptions.

[0041] In addition, in this specification and the drawings, different Latin letters are sometimes added after the same symbol to distinguish between elements having substantially the same functional structure. For example, as needed, multiple elements having substantially the same functional structure are distinguished, such as the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B. However, when there is no need to distinguish each of the multiple elements having substantially the same functional structure, only the same symbol is added. For example, when there is no need to distinguish between the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B, they are simply referred to as the optical sensor unit 170.

[0042] <1. Example of the structure of the suction device>

[0043] (1) Internal structure example

[0044] Figure 1 Schematic diagram schematically showing an example of the internal structure of the suction device. Figure 1 As shown, the suction device 100 involved in this structural example includes: a power supply unit 111, a sensor unit 112, a notification unit 113, a storage unit 114, a communication unit 115, a control unit 116, a heating unit 121, a storage unit 140, and a heat insulation unit 144.

[0045] The power supply unit 111 stores electric power. Furthermore, the power supply unit 111 supplies electric power to each component of the attraction device 100 based on the control of the control unit 116. The power supply unit 111 can be constituted by a rechargeable storage battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery, for example.

[0046] The sensor unit 112 acquires various information related to the suction device 100. As an example, the sensor unit 112 is composed of a pressure sensor such as a condenser microphone, a flow sensor, or a temperature sensor, and acquires a value accompanying the suction performed by the user. As another example, the sensor unit 112 is composed of an input device such as a button or a switch that receives input of information from the user.

[0047] The notification unit 113 notifies the user of information and is configured by, for example, a light emitting device that emits light, a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that outputs sound, or a vibration device that vibrates.

[0048] The storage unit 114 stores various information used for the operation of the suction device 100. The storage unit 114 is composed of a nonvolatile storage medium such as a flash memory, for example.

[0049] The communication unit 115 is a communication interface capable of performing communication in accordance with any wired or wireless communication standard. As the communication standard, for example, a standard using Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy (registered trademark)), NFC (Near Field Communication), or LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) can be adopted.

[0050] The control unit 116 functions as a calculation processing device and a control device, and controls all operations in the suction device 100 according to various programs. The control unit 116 is implemented by an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor.

[0051] The housing portion 140 has an internal space 141, and holds the rod-shaped substrate 150 while accommodating a part of the rod-shaped substrate 150 in the internal space 141. The housing portion 140 has an opening 142 that connects the internal space 141 to the outside, and accommodates the rod-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 from the opening 142. For example, the housing portion 140 is a cylindrical body having the opening 142 and the bottom 143 as the bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141. The housing portion 140 is connected to an air flow path that supplies air to the internal space 141. An air inlet hole that is an inlet of air to the air flow path is, for example, arranged on the side of the suction device 100. An air outlet hole that is an outlet of air from the air flow path to the internal space 141 is, for example, arranged on the bottom 143.

[0052] The rod-shaped substrate 150 includes a substrate portion 151 and a mouthpiece 152. The substrate portion 151 includes an aerosol source. The aerosol source includes flavor components derived from tobacco or non-tobacco. In the case where the suction device 100 is a medical inhaler such as a nebulizer, the aerosol source may also include a medicament. The aerosol source may be, for example, a liquid containing flavor components derived from tobacco or non-tobacco, polyols such as glycerin and propylene glycol, and water, or a solid containing flavor components derived from tobacco or non-tobacco. When the rod-shaped substrate 150 is held in the housing portion 140, at least a portion of the substrate portion 151 is accommodated in the internal space 141, and at least a portion of the mouthpiece 152 protrudes from the opening 142. Furthermore, if the user holds the mouthpiece 152 protruding from the opening 142 and inhales, air flows into the internal space 141 via an air flow path not shown, and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151.

[0053] The heating unit 121 heats the aerosol source to atomize the aerosol source and generate an aerosol. Figure 1 In the example shown, the heating portion 121 is configured in a film shape and is arranged so as to cover the outer periphery of the storage portion 140. Furthermore, when the heating portion 121 generates heat, the substrate portion 151 of the rod-shaped substrate 150 is heated from the outer periphery to generate aerosol. The heating portion 121 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply portion 111. As an example, power may be supplied when the sensor portion 112 detects that the user has started suctioning and / or that specified information has been input. Furthermore, power supply may be stopped when the sensor portion 112 detects that the user has finished suctioning and / or that specified information has been input.

[0054] The heat insulating portion 144 prevents heat conduction from the heating portion 121 to other components. For example, the heat insulating portion 144 is formed of a vacuum heat insulating material or an aerogel heat insulating material.

[0055] The above describes a configuration example of the suction device 100. Of course, the configuration of the suction device 100 is not limited to the above, and various configurations as exemplified below can be adopted.

[0056] As an example, the heating portion 121 may be configured in a blade shape and arranged so as to protrude from the bottom 143 of the receiving portion 140 to the internal space 141. In this case, the blade-shaped heating portion 121 is inserted into the base portion 151 of the rod-shaped base 150, and heats the base portion 151 of the rod-shaped base 150 from the inside. As another example, the heating portion 121 may be arranged so as to cover the bottom 143 of the receiving portion 140. In addition, the heating portion 121 may be configured as a combination of two or more of a first heating portion covering the outer periphery of the receiving portion 140, a blade-shaped second heating portion, and a third heating portion covering the bottom 143 of the receiving portion 140.

[0057] As another example, the housing 140 may include an opening and closing mechanism such as a hinge for opening and closing a portion of the outer shell forming the internal space 141. Furthermore, the housing 140 may open and close the outer shell to hold and hold the rod-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141. In this case, the heating unit 121 may be provided at the holding portion of the housing 140 to heat the rod-shaped substrate 150 while pressing it.

[0058] In addition, the method of atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to the heating by the heating unit 121. For example, the method of atomizing the aerosol source may be induction heating.

[0059] In addition, the suction device 100 and the rod-type substrate 150 may also be considered to constitute an aerosol generating system that cooperatively generates aerosol. Alternatively, the suction device 100 may also be understood to include the rod-type substrate 150.

[0060] (2) Example of appearance structure

[0061] Figure 2 It is an overall perspective view of the suction device 100 according to the present embodiment. Figure 3 1 is an overall perspective view of the suction device 100 according to the present embodiment in a state where the rod-shaped substrate 150 is held.

[0062] like Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, the suction device 100 includes: a top housing 11A, a bottom housing 11B, a cover 12, a switch 13, a cover 14, a vent 15, and a cap 16. The top housing 11A and the bottom housing 11B are connected to each other to form the outermost outer housing 11 of the suction device 100. The outer housing 11 is of a size that can be accommodated in the hand of the user. When the user uses the suction device 100, the suction device 100 can be held by hand to absorb the fragrance.

[0063] The top housing 11A has an opening (not shown), and the cover 12 is coupled to the top housing 11A in a manner to close the opening. Figure 3 As shown, the cover 12 has an opening 142 into which the rod-shaped substrate 150 can be inserted. The lid 14 is configured to open and close the opening 142 of the cover 12.

[0064] The switch 13 is used to switch the operation of the attraction device 100 on and off. Figure 3 As shown in the figure, when the rod-shaped substrate 150 is inserted from the opening 142 into the internal space 141, the switch 13 is operated, and power is supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121, so that the rod-shaped substrate 150 can be heated without burning. When the rod-shaped substrate 150 is heated, an aerosol is generated from the aerosol source contained in the rod-shaped substrate 150, and the fragrance of the fragrance source is taken into the aerosol. The user sucks the portion of the rod-shaped substrate 150 protruding from the suction device 100 (at Figure 3 The portion shown in the figure, namely the mouthpiece 152), can absorb the aerosol containing the fragrance.

[0065] The vent 15 is a vent for introducing air into the internal space 141. The air taken into the interior of the suction device 100 from the vent 15 is introduced into the internal space 141 from, for example, the bottom 143 of the storage portion 140. The cap 16 is configured to be removable relative to the bottom shell 11B. By mounting the cap 16 on the bottom shell 11B, the vent 15 is formed between the bottom shell 11B and the cap 16. The cap 16 can have, for example, a through hole or a cutout, which is not shown.

[0066] <2. Technical features>

[0067] (1) Detailed Structure of the Storage Section 140 and Its Vicinity

[0068] Figure 4 Schematically shows the structure of the vicinity of the storage unit 140 of the suction device 100 according to the present embodiment. Figure 4 , a state where the rod-shaped substrate 150 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 140 is schematically shown. Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , the suction device 100 includes a cover 14, a rod lower housing portion 140A, a guide portion 140B, an opening 142, a bottom portion 143, a light sensor portion 170, and a circuit board 172. The direction in which the rod-shaped substrate 150 is inserted and removed from the suction device 100 is also referred to as the up-down direction. Furthermore, the insertion direction of the rod-shaped substrate 150 is referred to as the down direction, and the removal direction of the rod-shaped substrate 150 is referred to as the up direction.

[0069] The rod lower portion storage section 140A is a bottomed cylindrical body constituting a portion of the bottom portion 143 side of the storage section 140. The rod lower portion storage section 140A stores a portion of the bottom portion 143 side of the rod-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 from the opening 142.

[0070] The guide portion 140B is a cylindrical body with both ends open, constituting a part of the opening 142 side of the housing portion 140. The guide portion 140B accommodates the portion of the rod-shaped substrate 150 inserted from the opening 142 into the internal space 141, which is accommodated in the housing portion 140 and is not accommodated in the lower rod housing portion 140A. Furthermore, the guide portion 140B functions as a guide to facilitate the insertion of the rod-shaped substrate 150 into the lower rod housing portion 140A. For example, the guide portion 140B may be configured to have a larger diameter than the lower rod housing portion 140A, or may be configured to have a funnel shape with a diameter that gradually decreases from top to bottom.

[0071] The optical sensor unit 170 radiates light into the internal space 141 and detects the received reflected light. The optical sensor unit 170 is an example of a detection unit in this embodiment, and is included in the sensor unit 112. The optical sensor unit 170 is, for example, an IC (Integrated Circuit) equipped with an infrared proximity sensor. In this case, the optical sensor unit 170 radiates infrared light into the internal space 141 and detects infrared light reflected by an object contained in the internal space 141 or an inner wall of the containing unit 140.

[0072] The optical sensor unit 170 is arranged at a location where light can be radiated to the internal space 141. For example, the optical sensor unit 170 is arranged in the guide unit 140B. Specifically, the optical sensor unit 170 is embedded in the guide unit 140B. In addition, the optical sensor unit 170 detects light reflected by an object contained in the internal space 141 or an inner wall of the guide unit 140B.

[0073] Here, the heating unit 121 is arranged so as to cover the outer periphery of the rod lower housing portion 140A. On the other hand, the heating unit 121 is not arranged on the outer periphery of the guide portion 140B. Furthermore, the guide portion 140B may be made of a material having lower thermal conductivity than the material constituting the rod lower housing portion 140A. Therefore, the optical sensor unit 170 is not affected by the heating of the rod-shaped substrate 150 and can detect light.

[0074] In addition, the inner wall of the guide portion 140B may be black. By making the inner wall of the guide portion 140B black, it is possible to suppress reflection of light emitted by the optical sensor portion 170. Considering that the rod-shaped substrate 150 can be made of a color that is relatively easy to reflect light, such as white, the intensity of the reflected light can be greatly different when the rod-shaped substrate 150 is inserted and when it is not inserted.

[0075] The circuit board 172 is a base on which the optical sensor unit 170 is mounted. The circuit board 172 is, for example, an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) circuit. The circuit board 172 is connected to the control unit 116 by, for example, a connector or solder.

[0076] Figure 5 1 is a schematic diagram showing in detail the structure of the optical sensor unit 170 and the vicinity of the suction device 100 according to the present embodiment. Figure 5 As shown, the suction device 100 further includes a light-transmitting filter 173 and a reinforcing plate 174 .

[0077] The light-transmitting filter 173 is a filter that transmits the light emitted by the optical sensor unit 170. For example, in the case where the optical sensor unit 170 is an infrared proximity sensor, the light-transmitting filter 173 is an infrared-transmitting filter. The material of the light-transmitting filter 173 is not particularly limited, and it can be resin or glass, or a material obtained by applying a light-transmitting coating to a transparent resin. The light-transmitting filter 173 can also be colored. By making the light-transmitting filter 173 colored, the optical sensor unit 170 can be shielded in appearance. A hole 140Bb is provided in the inner wall 140Ba of the guide unit 140B, and the optical sensor unit 170 is configured in a manner of burying the hole 140Bb. The light-transmitting filter 173 is configured in a manner of blocking the hole 140Bb, thereby forming the inner wall 140Ba of the guide unit 140B. With this structure, the inner wall 140Ba of the guide unit 140B can be made smooth. Furthermore, by allowing light to pass through the optical filter 173 , airtightness can be maintained so that side stream smoke or the like flowing in from the outside of the rod does not contact the optical sensor unit 170 .

[0078] The clearance 175 is a space provided between the rod-shaped substrate 150 accommodated in the accommodation portion 140 and the inner wall 140Ba of the guide portion 140B. The clearance 175 may be provided so that the distance between the rod-shaped substrate 150 and the inner wall 140Ba of the guide portion 140B is 1 to 2 mm.

[0079] The reinforcing plate 174 is a plate-shaped member having a predetermined rigidity and is arranged to cover the back side of the circuit board 172 on which the optical sensor unit 170 is arranged on the front side, and reinforces the optical sensor unit 170 and the circuit board 172 .

[0080] Figure 6 1 is a schematic diagram of the receiving portion 140 of the suction device 100 according to the present embodiment as viewed from the opening 142 side (ie, from above). Figure 6As shown, the suction device 100 may also include two optical sensor units 170 (170A and 170B). The optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B are separated and arranged at a distance L. D In addition, the direction 171A (hereinafter, also referred to as the radiation direction 171A) in which the optical sensor unit 170A radiates light and the direction 171B (hereinafter, also referred to as the radiation direction 171B) in which the optical sensor unit 170B radiates light form an angle θ in a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. The suction device 100 includes a plurality of optical sensor units 170, and further, by setting an appropriate distance L D And by setting the appropriate angle θ, it is possible to more accurately determine the article inserted into the storage portion 140. The determination process using the optical sensor unit 170 will be described in detail later.

[0081] (2) Structure of the optical sensor unit 170

[0082] Next, refer to Figure 7 , the structure of the optical sensor unit 170 is described in detail. Figure 7 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the optical sensor unit 170 in the suction device 100 according to the present embodiment.

[0083] like Figure 7 As shown, the optical sensor unit 170 includes a light emitting unit 176, a light receiving unit 177, a detection storage unit 178, and a detection control unit 179. The optical sensor unit 170 is connected to the control unit 116. The optical sensor unit 170 operates under the control of the control unit 116.

[0084] The light emitting unit 176 emits light into the internal space 141. The light emitting unit 176 is composed of a light emitting element such as an LD (Laser Diode) or an LED (Light Emitting Diode). In this embodiment, the light emitting unit 176 is an infrared LD that emits infrared light. The light receiving unit 177 detects the reflected light of the light emitted by the light emitting unit 176. The infrared light emitted by the light emitting unit 176 may also be a VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser). Figure 8 The operation of the light emitting unit 176 will be described in detail.

[0085] Figure 8 2 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the optical sensor unit 170 on the time axis. Figure 8 The horizontal axis represents time, and time flows from left to right. Figure 8 The vertical axis represents the intensity of the light emitted by the light emitting unit 176. Figure 8As shown, the light emitting unit 176 emits pulse light at a predetermined cycle. This cycle is also called an action cycle. After the light emitting unit 176 repeatedly emits pulse light three times, it stops emitting light during the processing time and the intermittent action time. The processing time refers to the time when the processing based on the reflected light detected by the light receiving unit 177 is implemented. The intermittent action time refers to the time until the next pulse light emission is performed. The light emitting unit 176 repeatedly performs the operation including the reference Figure 8 A series of operations including pulse light emission and stop of light emission are described.

[0086] The detection control unit 179 controls the operation of each component of the optical sensor unit 170. An example of the processing performed by the detection control unit 179 is described below. These processing are basically described in detail below. Figure 8 The processing time described above is executed.

[0087] As an example, the detection control unit 179 calculates a value indicating the intensity of the reflected light detected by the light receiving unit 177. The value indicating the calculated intensity of the reflected light is also referred to as a detection value below. The stronger the intensity of the detected reflected light, the larger the detection value calculated by the detection control unit 179. The relationship between the intensity of the reflected light and the detection value may also be linear.

[0088] As another example, the detection control unit 179 may also calculate the distance to the object to be detected that reflects the light emitted from the optical sensor unit 170, that is, the distance between the object to be detected and the optical sensor unit 170, based on the detection value. Specifically, the larger the detection value, that is, the stronger the intensity of the reflected light, the shorter the distance calculated by the detection control unit 179. On the other hand, the smaller the detection value, that is, the weaker the intensity of the reflected light, the longer the distance calculated by the detection control unit 179.

[0089] As another example, the detection control unit 179 controls the operation of the light emitting unit 176. In detail, the detection control unit 179 may also control Figure 8 In addition, the detection control unit 179 can also control the intensity of the infrared light emitted by the light emitting unit 176 by controlling the current value applied to the light emitting unit 176 (hereinafter also referred to as the LD current value).

[0090] As another example, the detection control unit 179 notifies the control unit 116 of information. For example, the detection control unit 179 may also notify the control unit 116 of the calculated detection value. In addition, the detection control unit 179 may store the calculated detection value in the detection storage unit 178. Furthermore, when the detection value exceeds a predetermined threshold value (hereinafter, also referred to as a notification threshold value), the detection control unit 179 may also notify the control unit 116 of this fact. This notification is also referred to as an interrupt notification below. In this case, the control unit 116 uses the reception of the interrupt notification as a trigger to read out the detection value stored in the detection storage unit 178. The distance to the object to be detected may also be implemented in the same manner as such a process related to the detection value. That is, the detection control unit 179 may also notify the control unit 116 of the calculated distance. Alternatively, the detection control unit 179 may store the calculated distance in the detection storage unit 178, and when the calculated distance exceeds the notification threshold value, notify the control unit 116 of this fact.

[0091] In addition, the interruption notification may also be a notification indicating that some items have been inserted into the storage unit 140. In this case, the control unit 116 may also use the reception of the interruption notification as a trigger to execute a predetermined process. An example of the predetermined process may include: determining whether a stick determination condition described later is satisfied, and heating control based on the determination result. According to this structure, the predetermined process is limited to be executed when the interruption notification is received, which can reduce the processing load of the control unit 116.

[0092] As another example, the detection control unit 179 may also perform calibration. Specifically, the detection control unit 179 may also adjust the relationship between the intensity of the reflected light detected by the light receiving unit 177 and the calculated detection value so that the same detection value is calculated under the specified conditions. By performing the calibration, it is possible to eliminate the deviation of the detection value caused by temperature or vibration, or eliminate the influence of the aging degradation of the light emitting unit 176 or the light receiving unit 177.

[0093] In addition, Figure 8 In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the number of pulse light emission performed by the light emitting unit 176 is three times, but the number of pulse light emission is not particularly limited. In addition, when the number of pulse light emission performed by the light emitting unit 176 is multiple times, the detection control unit 179 can use multiple detection results based on the light receiving unit 177 for processing, or can use a part of the detection results based on the multiple detection results of the light receiving unit 177 for processing.

[0094] The detection storage unit 178 stores programs executed by the detection control unit 179 and various data. The detection storage unit 178 is an example of a storage unit in this embodiment. The detection storage unit 178 is implemented by a register, for example. The detection storage unit 178 stores various setting values ​​such as the operation cycle of the infrared pulse light emission, the intermittent operation time, the notification threshold, and the LD current value, which are used when the detection control unit 179 controls.

[0095] The control unit 116 communicates with the detection control unit 179. The control unit 116 and the detection control unit 179 communicate with each other through a serial communication interface such as I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) communication. The control unit 116 controls the operation of each component of the optical sensor unit 170 through the detection control unit 179.

[0096] The control unit 116 controls so that the mode of the optical sensor unit 170 is switched to an action mode for detecting reflected light or a sleep mode for stopping the detection of reflected light. Specifically, in the sleep mode, the control unit 116 controls the light emitting unit 176 to stop emitting light and controls the light receiving unit 177 to stop detecting reflected light. In addition, in the action mode, the control unit 116 controls the light emitting unit 176 to emit light and controls the light receiving unit 177 to detect reflected light. By controlling the switching of the mode of the optical sensor unit 170 by the control unit 116, power consumption can be reduced compared to the case where the detection of reflected light by the optical sensor unit 170 is always performed.

[0097] Furthermore, control unit 116 stores various setting values ​​used in control by detection control unit 179 in detection storage unit 178. Furthermore, control unit 116 receives various information such as interruption notification from detection control unit 179, or reads information stored in detection storage unit 178.

[0098] Here, the detection storage unit 178 may be configured by a volatile storage medium or a nonvolatile storage medium. When the detection storage unit 178 is configured by a nonvolatile storage medium, when the power supply to the optical sensor unit 170 is interrupted and then resumed, various setting values ​​stored in the detection storage unit 178 are initialized. When the various setting values ​​are initialized, the control unit 116 may store the various setting values ​​before the initialization in the detection storage unit 178 again.

[0099] In addition to the sleep mode, the control unit 116 may control to enter a power-off mode in which the power supply to the optical sensor unit 170 is stopped. In the case where the detection storage unit 178 is configured by a volatile storage medium, when the control is performed in this way, the control unit 116 stores various setting values ​​before initialization in the detection storage unit 178 again when switching the mode of the optical sensor unit 170 from the power-off mode to the operation mode. In addition, in the sleep mode, the control unit 116 may control to maintain the power supply to the detection storage unit 178 provided in the optical sensor unit 170. Thus, in the case where the detection storage unit 178 is configured by a volatile storage medium, it is not necessary to store various setting values ​​before initialization in the detection storage unit 178 again every time the switch is made from the sleep mode to the operation mode. In addition, in the sleep mode, the control unit 116 may control to maintain the power supply to only a part of the memory of the detection storage unit 178 provided in the optical sensor unit 170.

[0100] (3) Determination of inserted objects

[0101] Dirt, foreign matter, and other attachments may remain in the internal space 141. For example, the contents drip from the front end of the heated rod-shaped substrate 150 and may remain as attachments in the internal space 141. In a state where attachments remain, it is difficult to properly heat the rod-shaped substrate 150, and as a result, it is difficult to provide a good fragrance to the user. Therefore, it is preferred that the storage part 140 is cleaned regularly. By cleaning to remove attachments, the rod-shaped substrate 150 can be properly heated, and as a result, a good fragrance can be provided to the user. While referring to Fig. 9 An example of cleaning articles used for cleaning the storage section 140 will be described.

[0102] Fig. 9 1 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the cotton swab 190 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 9 As shown, the cotton swab 190 has a shaft portion 191 and a fiber block portion 192 .

[0103] The shaft 191 is a member configured in an elongated shape and is configured by, for example, winding a paper sheet.

[0104] The fiber block portion 192 is formed by winding and bonding fibers at one end of the shaft portion 191. The fiber block portion 192 may be in any shape such as a teardrop shape, a cylindrical shape, a spherical shape, or a shape with random projections and depressions. Fibers constituting the fiber block portion 192 include, for example, various natural fibers (cotton, silk, or wool, etc.), regenerated fibers (rayon, or cuprammonium fibers, etc.), or synthetic fibers (polyester fibers, or polypropylene fibers, etc.). The fiber block portion 192 may also contain a liquid such as ethanol. In addition, the fiber block portion 192 may be as follows. Fig. 9 Although it is arranged at one end of the shaft portion 191 as shown, it may be arranged at both ends of the shaft portion 191 .

[0105] The cotton swab 190 is an example of a cleaning article. The user holds the shaft 191 and inserts the fiber block 192 from the opening 142 into the internal space 141. Then, the user moves the fiber block 192 in a manner of rubbing the storage section 140. As a result, the attached matter remaining in the storage section 140 is attached to the fiber block 192 and removed. In this way, the storage section 140 is cleaned.

[0106] The cotton swab 190 is configured to be thinner than the stick-shaped base material 150. In particular, the diameter of the cotton swab 190 (more specifically, the diameter of the fiber block portion 192 which is the thickest part) L C The diameter of the rod-shaped substrate 150 (more specifically, the diameter of the thinnest part) L S As an example, the diameter L of the cotton swab 190 is C The diameter L of the rod-shaped substrate 150 may also be S According to this structure, when the cotton swab 190 is inserted into the receiving portion 140, a large gap is ensured between the inner wall 140Ba of the guide portion 140B and the cotton swab 190. As a result, the fiber block portion 192 can be freely moved in the internal space 141, which can improve the cleaning efficiency.

[0107] The cotton swab 190 is an example of an article other than the stick-shaped substrate 150 that is assumed to be inserted into the storage portion 140. In addition, it can also be understood that the suction device 100 and the cotton swab 190 constitute an aerosol generating system. Alternatively, it can also be understood that the suction device 100 includes the cotton swab 190.

[0108] Cotton swab 190 diameter L C The diameter L of the rod-shaped substrate 150 SThe difference can also be used to identify the object inserted into the storage portion 140 (hereinafter, also referred to as the inserted object). This is because the detection values ​​detected by the optical sensor portion 170A and the optical sensor portion 170B are greatly different when the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150 and when it is the cotton swab 190. Fig.10 as well as Fig.11 While explaining.

[0109] Fig.10 1 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which the storage portion 140 into which the rod-shaped substrate 150 is inserted is viewed from the opening side 142 (ie, from above). Fig.10 As shown, the diameter L of the rod-shaped substrate 150 is S The distance L between the optical sensor section 170A and the optical sensor section 170B is D In addition, as referenced Figure 5 As described above with respect to the gap 175, the distance between the rod-shaped substrate 150 and the inner wall 140Ba of the guide portion 140B is about 1 to 2 mm. Fig.10 As shown in FIG. 1 , when the rod-shaped substrate 150 is inserted into the receiving portion 140, any part of the inner wall 140Ba of the guide portion 140B is located at a very close distance to the rod-shaped substrate 150. As a result, the light emitted by either the optical sensor portion 170A or the optical sensor portion 170B is reflected by the rod-shaped substrate 150 located at a very close distance. Therefore, the detection value detected by the optical sensor portion 170A and the detection value detected by the optical sensor portion 170B are large and equal to each other.

[0110] Fig.11 The diagram schematically shows a state in which the storage section 140 into which the cotton swab 190 is inserted is viewed from the opening side 142 (ie, from above). Fig.11 As shown, the diameter L of the cotton swab 190 is C Significantly greater than the distance L between the optical sensor section 170A and the optical sensor section 170B D Therefore, if Fig.11 As shown, if the cotton swab 190 is inserted into the storage portion 140, the distance between the inner wall 140Ba of the guide portion 140B and the cotton swab 190 greatly varies depending on the position of the inner wall 140Ba. As a result, the detection value of at least one of the optical sensor portion 170A or the optical sensor portion 170B becomes significantly smaller than when the rod-shaped substrate 150 is inserted into the storage portion 140. This is because the position of at least one of the optical sensor portion 170A or the optical sensor portion 170B is far from the cotton swab 190, or it is a position where the radiated light is not reflected by the cotton swab 190. Fig.11In the illustrated example, the detection value of the optical sensor section 170B has the same magnitude as that in the case where the rod-shaped substrate 150 is inserted, while the detection value of the optical sensor section 170A becomes significantly smaller.

[0111] Therefore, the control unit 116 involved in the present embodiment determines whether the inserted object is a rod-type substrate 150 based on the detection values ​​detected by the two optical sensor units 170. As an example, when the rod determination condition is satisfied, the control unit 116 determines that the inserted object is a rod-type substrate 150. An example of a rod determination condition is that both the detection value of the optical sensor unit 170A and the detection value of the optical sensor unit 170B are above a predetermined threshold value (hereinafter also referred to as a rod determination threshold value). On the other hand, when the rod determination condition is not satisfied, the control unit 116 determines that the inserted object is not a rod-type substrate 150. That is, when at least one of the detection value of the optical sensor unit 170A and the detection value of the optical sensor unit 170B is less than the rod determination threshold value, the control unit 116 determines that the inserted object is not a rod-type substrate 150. When the rod determination condition is not satisfied, the control unit 116 may also determine that the inserted object is a cotton swab 190. The rod determination threshold is a value that satisfies the rod determination condition when the inserted object is a rod-type substrate 150, and can be arbitrarily set as a value that does not satisfy the rod determination condition when the inserted object is a cotton swab 190. Among them, the diameter of the rod-type substrate 150 sometimes varies depending on the brand or manufacturing batch, or becomes a deformed shape. Therefore, it is preferable to set the rod determination threshold to a value with a margin (i.e., a low value). In addition, the rod determination threshold may also be the same value as the above-mentioned notification threshold. According to this structure, it is possible to determine whether the inserted object is a rod-type substrate 150.

[0112] Here, reference Figure 6 as well as Fig.11 , while explaining the positional relationship between the two optical sensor units 170.

[0113] like Figure 6 As shown, the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B are arranged at different positions. As a result, the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B can radiate light to the inserted object from different positions and angles. According to this structure, when the inserted object is a cotton swab 190, the rod determination condition can be not satisfied. That is, the determination accuracy of whether the inserted object is a rod-shaped substrate 150 can be improved.

[0114] like Fig.11 As shown, the optical sensor portion 170A and the optical sensor portion 170B are preferably separated from each other by a diameter L of the thickest portion of the cotton swab 190 in a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. C That is, the distance L between the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B is DIt is preferably larger than the diameter L of the fiber block 192. C According to this structure, when the cotton swab 190 is inserted into the storage portion 140, the cotton swab 190 can be excluded from at least one of the radial direction 171A or the radial direction 171B. As a result, when the inserted object is the cotton swab 190, the rod determination condition can be not satisfied. That is, the determination accuracy of whether the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150 can be improved.

[0115] like Figure 6 As shown, the optical sensor section 170A and the optical sensor section 170B are preferably arranged at a position where the angle θ formed by the directions of the radiated light 171A and 171B is greater than 90 degrees and less than 270 degrees in the plane orthogonal to the up-down direction. According to this structure, the distance L between the optical sensor section 170A and the optical sensor section 170B can be ensured. D As a result, when the inserted object is a cotton swab 190, the stick determination condition can be made not to be satisfied. That is, the determination accuracy of whether the inserted object is a stick-shaped substrate 150 can be improved.

[0116] The optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B are preferably arranged in a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction at a position where the angle θ formed by the directions of the respective radiated light 171A and 171B is outside 180 degrees. According to this structure, the occurrence of crosstalk can be prevented. Crosstalk refers to a phenomenon in which the light radiated from one of the optical sensor units 170A or the optical sensor unit 170B is erroneously detected by the other. By preventing the occurrence of crosstalk, it is possible to prevent erroneous judgment of whether the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150.

[0117] The control unit 116 may also cause the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B to operate at different timings. For example, the control unit 116 may cause the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B to operate alternately. Figure 8 In the example described above, the control unit 116 may cause the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B to alternately emit pulse light three times each. According to this configuration, the occurrence of crosstalk can be more reliably prevented.

[0118] The control unit 116 may also operate one of the optical sensor unit 170A or the optical sensor unit 170B and put the other to sleep. Operating the optical sensor unit 170 means executing the detection of reflected light by the optical sensor unit 170. Putting the optical sensor unit 170 to sleep means stopping the detection of reflected light by the optical sensor unit 170. That is, the control unit 116 may set the mode of one of the optical sensor unit 170A or the optical sensor unit 170B as the operation mode and the mode of the other as the sleep mode or the power-off mode. Furthermore, the control unit 116 may interrupt the sleep mode of the other and start the operation when the detection value of one of the operations in the optical sensor unit 170A or the optical sensor unit 170B becomes greater than the rod determination threshold. In this case, it is possible to operate both the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B when a certain object is inserted into the storage unit 140, and determine whether the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150. Therefore, power consumption can be suppressed. Furthermore, during a period in which one of the optical sensor section 170A or the optical sensor section 170B is in sleep mode, the occurrence of crosstalk can be reliably prevented.

[0119] The optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B may be arranged in a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction at a position where the angle θ formed by the directions 171A and 171B of the respective radiated light is 180 degrees. Even in this case, crosstalk can be prevented by taking the above-mentioned crosstalk prevention measures. Furthermore, according to this structure, the distance L between the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B can be made D As a result, when the inserted object is a cotton swab 190, the stick determination condition can be made not to be satisfied. That is, the determination accuracy of whether the inserted object is a stick-shaped substrate 150 can be improved.

[0120] (4) Heating control according to the judgment result of the inserted object

[0121] The control unit 116 may also control the operation of the heating unit 121 based on the result of the determination of whether the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150. Specifically, the control unit 116 controls the operation of the heating unit 121 differently when the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150 and when it is not the rod-shaped substrate 150. According to this configuration, usability can be further improved.

[0122] As an example, when it is determined that the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150, the control unit 116 may start heating by the heating unit 121. On the other hand, when it is determined that the inserted object is not the rod-shaped substrate 150, the control unit 116 does not start heating by the heating unit 121. That is, the control unit 116 may limit the automatic start of heating to the case where the rod-shaped substrate 150 is inserted. According to this configuration, heating is automatically started simply by inserting the rod-shaped substrate 150 into the storage unit 140, even without performing a user operation such as pressing a button to instruct the start of heating, so that usability can be improved.

[0123] As another example, when it is determined that the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150, the control unit 116 may permit heating by the heating unit 121, and when it is determined that the inserted object is not the rod-shaped substrate 150, the control unit 116 may prohibit heating by the heating unit 121. When heating is permitted, the suction device 100 starts heating when a user operation such as pressing a key to instruct the start of heating is performed. On the other hand, when heating is prohibited, the suction device 100 does not start heating even when a user operation such as pressing a key to instruct the start of heating is performed. According to this structure, heating will not start even if a key operation is performed by mistake during cleaning, so that the safety of the user can be improved.

[0124] (5) Processing flow

[0125] Fig.12 This is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the suction device 100 according to the present embodiment.

[0126] like Fig.12 As shown, first, the control unit 116 obtains the detection value detected by each of the two optical sensor units 170 (step S102). For example, the control unit 116 uses the fact that an interruption notification is received from one of the two optical sensor units 170 as a trigger to read out the detection value stored in the detection storage unit 178 of each of the two optical sensor units 170.

[0127] Next, the control unit 116 determines whether a stick determination condition is satisfied (step S104 ). Specifically, the control unit 116 determines whether both the detection value of the optical sensor unit 170A and the detection value of the optical sensor unit 170B are equal to or greater than a stick determination threshold.

[0128] When it is determined that the rod determination condition is satisfied (step S104 : YES), the control unit 116 permits heating by the heating unit 121 (step S106 ).

[0129] On the other hand, when it is determined that the rod determination condition is not satisfied (step S104 : NO), the control unit 116 prohibits heating by the heating unit 121 (step S108 ).

[0130] <3.Supplement>

[0131] The above, while referring to the attached Figure 1 The preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail, but the present disclosure is not limited to this example. It should be understood that anyone with common knowledge in the field of technology to which the present disclosure belongs (a person skilled in the art) can think of various changes or modifications within the scope of the technical concept described in the claims, which of course also belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0132] In the above embodiment, an example is described in which the suction device 100 has two optical sensor units 170, but the present disclosure is not limited to this example, and the suction device 100 may also have three or more optical sensor units 170. In this case, it is sufficient as long as at least two of the three or more optical sensor units 170 satisfy the above positional relationship.

[0133] In the above embodiment, an example of determining whether the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150 is described, but the present disclosure is not limited to this example. The control unit 116 may also determine the shape characteristics of the inserted object based on the detection value detected by the optical sensor unit 170. An example of the shape characteristic is the diameter of the inserted object. That is, it may also be determined whether the diameter of the inserted object is the same as the diameter of the rod-shaped substrate 150.

[0134] In the above embodiment, an example in which the rod determination condition is related to the detection value detected by the optical sensor unit 170 is described, but the present disclosure is not limited to this example. The rod determination condition may also be a condition related to the distance to the object to be detected calculated based on the detection value. For example, the first condition may also be: the rod determination condition is that both the distance from the optical sensor unit 170A to the object to be detected and the distance from the optical sensor unit 170B to the object to be detected are less than a specified distance. The specified distance may be set to a distance corresponding to the rod determination threshold. Even with this structure, it is possible to determine whether the inserted object is a rod-shaped substrate 150.

[0135] In the above-mentioned embodiment, an example in which the optical sensor section 170A and the optical sensor section 170B are arranged at different positions in a plane orthogonal to the up-down direction is described, but the present disclosure is not limited to this example. Instead of the optical sensor section 170A and the optical sensor section 170 being arranged at different positions in a plane orthogonal to the up-down direction, they may be arranged at mutually different positions in the up-down direction together. As an example, the optical sensor section 170A may be arranged on the opening 142 side in the guide section 140B, and the optical sensor section 170B may be arranged on the bottom 143 side in the guide section 140B. When the optical sensor section 170A and the optical sensor section 170B are arranged at mutually different positions in the up-down direction, the radial direction 171A and the radial direction 171B can be prevented from intersecting. Thus, the accuracy of determining whether the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150 can be further improved.

[0136] When the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B are arranged at different positions in the vertical direction, the change in the thickness of the inserted object in the vertical direction can be identified. Therefore, even if there is a portion in the vertical direction of the cleaning object that has the same thickness as the rod-shaped substrate 150, it is possible to determine whether the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150 or the cleaning object. The premise is that the vertical distance between the optical sensor unit 170A and the optical sensor unit 170B is longer than the vertical length of the portion in the cleaning object that has the same thickness as the rod-shaped substrate 150.

[0137] Of course, the two optical sensor units 170 may be arranged at positions where at least a portion of them overlap each other in the vertical direction. In order to prevent heat conduction from the heating unit 121 to the optical sensor unit 170, it is considered to limit the range in which the optical sensor unit 170 can be arranged in the guide unit 140B. In this regard, according to this structure, heat conduction from the heating unit 121 to the optical sensor unit 170 can be prevented by arranging both of the two optical sensor units 170 on the side of the opening 142 far from the heating unit 121.

[0138] The control unit 116 may also determine whether the inserted object is the rod-type substrate 150 based on a plurality of detection values ​​detected by the same optical sensor unit 170 at different timings. As an example, the control unit 116 may also determine that the inserted object is the rod-type substrate 150 when the amplitude of the time series change of the detection value of the optical sensor unit 170 is less than a predetermined threshold. This is because, when the inserted object is the rod-type substrate 150, the rod-type substrate 150 does not move significantly in the storage unit 140, so it is assumed that the amplitude of the time series change of the detection value of the optical sensor unit 170 is small. As another example, the control unit 116 may also determine that the inserted object is not the rod-type substrate 150 when the amplitude of the time series change of the detection value of the optical sensor unit 170 is above a predetermined threshold. This is because, when the inserted object is a cotton swab 190, the user moves the cotton swab 190 significantly in the storage unit 140, so it is assumed that the detection value of the optical sensor unit 170 changes significantly in the time series. According to this structure, the accuracy of determining whether the inserted object is the rod-type substrate 150 can be improved.

[0139] In the case where it is determined whether the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150 based on the time series change of the detection value, the number of the optical sensor unit 170 provided in the suction device 100 may be one. Here, the time series change of the detection value corresponds to the change in the thickness of the inserted object in the vertical direction. Therefore, even if a portion of the cleaning object in the vertical direction has the same thickness as the rod-shaped substrate 150, it is possible to determine whether the inserted object is the rod-shaped substrate 150 or the cleaning object based on the time series change of the detection value.

[0140] In addition, the series of processes performed by each device described in this specification can also be implemented using any one of software, hardware, and a combination of software and hardware. The programs constituting the software are, for example, pre-stored in a recording medium (in detail, a non-temporary storage medium that can be read by a computer) provided inside or outside each device. In addition, each program is read into RAM, for example, when controlling the execution of the computer of each device described in this specification, and is executed by a processing circuit such as a CPU. The above-mentioned recording medium is, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magnetic optical disk, a flash memory, etc. In addition, the above-mentioned computer program can also be distributed, for example, via a network without using a recording medium. In addition, the above-mentioned computer can also be a dedicated integrated circuit such as an ASIC, a general-purpose processor that performs functions by reading in a software program, or a computer on a server used in cloud computing, etc. In addition, the series of processes performed by each device described in this specification can also be distributed by multiple computers.

[0141] In addition, the processing described in this specification using flowcharts and timing diagrams does not have to be performed in the order shown in the diagrams. Any processing steps can also be performed in parallel. In addition, additional processing steps can be used, and some processing steps can be omitted.

[0142] In addition, the following structures also belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure. (1)

[0144] An aerosol generating system comprising:

[0145] A receiving portion having an internal space and an opening connecting the internal space to the outside;

[0146] one or more detection units radiating light into the internal space and detecting received reflected light; and

[0147] The control unit determines whether the article inserted into the storage unit is a substrate containing an aerosol source based on the intensities of the plurality of reflected lights detected by the one or more detection units. (2)

[0149] The aerosol generating system as described in (1) above,

[0150] The aerosol generating system further comprises a heating unit for heating the substrate accommodated in the accommodation unit.

[0151] The control unit controls the operation of the heating unit based on a determination result of whether the object inserted into the storage unit is the base material. (3)

[0153] The aerosol generating system as described in (2) above,

[0154] The control unit starts heating by the heating unit when determining that the article inserted into the storage unit is the base material. (4)

[0156] The aerosol generating system as described in (2) above,

[0157] The control unit permits heating by the heating unit when it is determined that the object inserted into the storage unit is the base material, and prohibits heating by the heating unit when it is determined that the object inserted into the storage unit is not the base material. (5)

[0159] The aerosol generating system according to any one of (1) to (4) above,

[0160] The aerosol generating system comprises two detection units.

[0161] The two detection units are arranged at different positions from each other. (6)

[0163] The aerosol generating system as described in (5) above,

[0164] The control unit operates the two detection units at different timings from each other. (7)

[0166] The aerosol generating system as described in (5) or (6) above,

[0167] The control unit activates one of the two detection units and puts the other detection unit to sleep. (8)

[0169] The aerosol generating system according to any one of (5) to (7) above,

[0170] The two detection portions are arranged at positions different from each other in the insertion direction of the substrate. (9)

[0172] The aerosol generating system according to any one of (5) to (7) above,

[0173] The two detection portions are arranged at positions where at least a portion of the detection portions overlap each other in the insertion direction of the substrate. (10)

[0175] The aerosol generating system according to any one of (5) to (9) above,

[0176] The two detection portions are arranged to be spaced apart by a diameter greater than the thickest portion of an object other than the substrate that is assumed to be inserted into the receiving portion. (11)

[0178] The aerosol generating system as described in (10) above,

[0179] The two detection portions are arranged at positions where the angle formed by the directions of the radiated light is not less than 90 degrees and not more than 270 degrees on a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the substrate. (12)

[0181] The aerosol generating system as described in (11) above,

[0182] The two detection portions are arranged at positions where the angle formed by the directions of the radiated lights is 180 degrees on a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the substrate. (13)

[0184] The aerosol generating system according to any one of (1) to (12) above,

[0185] The control unit determines whether the article inserted into the storage unit is the base material based on the intensities of a plurality of reflected lights detected by the same detection unit at different timings. (14)

[0187] The aerosol generating system according to any one of (1) to (13) above,

[0188] The aerosol generating system further includes at least one of the substrate and an article other than the substrate that is assumed to be inserted into the housing portion. (15)

[0190] An information processing method is executed by a computer, and the information processing method includes: based on the intensities of multiple reflected lights detected by one or more detection units, determining whether the article inserted into the receiving unit is a substrate containing an aerosol source, wherein the receiving unit has an internal space and an opening connecting the internal space to the outside, and the one or more detection units radiate light into the internal space and detect the received reflected light.

[0191] Description of Reference Numerals

[0192] 100 suction device; 111 power supply unit; 112 sensor unit; 113 notification unit; 114 storage unit; 115 communication unit; 116 control unit; 121 heating unit; 140 storage unit; 140A rod lower storage unit; 140B guide unit; 141 internal space; 142 opening; 143 bottom; 144 heat insulation unit; 150 rod-shaped base material; 170 optical sensor unit; 172 circuit substrate; 173 light-transmitting filter; 174 reinforcement plate; 175 gap; 176 light-emitting unit; 177 light-receiving unit; 178 detection storage unit; 179 detection control unit; 190 cotton swab; 191 shaft; 192 fiber block portion.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating system comprising: A receiving portion having an internal space and an opening connecting the internal space to the outside; one or more detection units radiating light into the internal space and detecting received reflected light; and The control unit determines whether the article inserted into the storage unit is a substrate containing an aerosol source based on the intensities of the plurality of reflected lights detected by the one or more detection units.

2. An aerosol generating system according to claim 1, wherein: The aerosol generating system further comprises a heating unit for heating the substrate accommodated in the accommodation unit. The control unit controls the operation of the heating unit based on a determination result of whether the object inserted into the storage unit is the base material.

3. An aerosol generating system according to claim 2, wherein: The control unit starts heating by the heating unit when determining that the article inserted into the storage unit is the base material.

4. An aerosol generating system according to claim 2, wherein: The control unit permits heating by the heating unit when it is determined that the object inserted into the storage unit is the base material, and prohibits heating by the heating unit when it is determined that the object inserted into the storage unit is not the base material.

5. The aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The aerosol generating system comprises two detection units. The two detection units are arranged at different positions from each other.

6. An aerosol generating system according to claim 5, wherein: The control unit operates the two detection units at different timings from each other.

7. An aerosol generating system according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein: The control unit activates one of the two detection units and puts the other detection unit into sleep mode.

8. An aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein: The two detection portions are arranged at positions different from each other in the insertion direction of the substrate.

9. An aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein: The two detection portions are arranged at positions where at least a portion of the detection portions overlap each other in the insertion direction of the substrate.

10. An aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein: The two detection portions are arranged to be spaced apart by a diameter greater than the thickest portion of an object other than the substrate that is assumed to be inserted into the receiving portion.

11. An aerosol generating system according to claim 10, wherein: The two detection portions are arranged at positions where the angle formed by the directions of the radiated lights is not less than 90 degrees and not more than 270 degrees on a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the substrate.

12. An aerosol generating system according to claim 11, wherein The two detection portions are arranged at positions where the angle formed by the directions of the radiated lights is 180 degrees on a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the substrate.

13. An aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein: The control unit determines whether the article inserted into the storage unit is the base material based on the intensities of a plurality of reflected lights detected by the same detection unit at different timings.

14. An aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein: The aerosol generating system further includes at least one of the substrate and an article other than the substrate that is assumed to be inserted into the housing portion.

15. An information processing method, executed by a computer, comprising: Based on the intensities of multiple reflected lights detected by one or more detection units, it is determined whether the article inserted into the receiving unit is a substrate containing an aerosol source, wherein the receiving unit has an internal space and an opening connecting the internal space to the outside, and the one or more detection units radiate light into the internal space and detect the received reflected light.

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