Aerosol-generating device comprising plurality of circuit boards

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an aerosol-generating device pack may include: a power source; a first circuit board on which a processor is mounted; a second circuit substrate disposed to be spaced apart from the first circuit substrate, and on which is mounted a radio frequency (RF) signal generation circuit for generating an RF signal using power supplied from the power source, and at least one amplifier for amplifying the RF signal using the power supplied from the power source, the at least one amplifier is used for amplifying the generated RF signal; and a radiation section that radiates the amplified RF signal in the form of an electromagnetic wave into an insertion space into which an aerosol-generating article is inserted to heat the aerosol-generating article, in which the processor may be configured to control the RF signal generation circuit and the at least one amplifier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an aerosol generation apparatus comprising multiple circuit boards. Background Technology

[0002] There is a growing demand for aerosol generating devices that generate aerosols using non-combustion methods, replacing methods that generate aerosols through the combustion of cigarettes. An aerosol generating device is, for example, an apparatus that performs the following functions: generating aerosols from aerosol-generating substances using non-combustion methods and providing the aerosols to a user, or generating flavored aerosols by passing vapors generated from aerosol-generating substances through a flavoring medium.

[0003] Aerosol generating devices can heat aerosol-generating materials in various ways, such as resistance heating, induction heating, and ultrasonic transducer-based heating. In addition to the methods mentioned above, research is also underway on aerosol generating devices that can heat aerosol-generating materials using the principle of dielectric heating. However, achieving dielectric heating may require new circuit elements not included in existing aerosol generating devices, and may require techniques for appropriately distributing and / or arranging these new circuit elements within at least one circuit board. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Technical issues Various embodiments of this disclosure relate to an aerosol generation apparatus comprising multiple circuit boards. Because the operating conditions and / or operating characteristics of each circuit element differ, the type of circuit board suitable for each circuit element may differ. Furthermore, because circuit elements mounted on the same circuit board may influence each other, a preferred arrangement may be required taking into account each operating condition and / or operating characteristic. Various embodiments provide techniques for distributing and / or arranging circuit elements for achieving dielectric heating in a suitable manner within at least one circuit board.

[0005] The problems to be solved by the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art to which the embodiments pertain will clearly understand any unmentioned problems through the description and the accompanying drawings.

[0006] Technical solution An aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment may include: a power supply; a first circuit board on which a processor is mounted; a second circuit board arranged spaced apart from the first circuit board, and on which a radio frequency (RF) signal generating circuit and at least one amplifier are mounted, the RF signal generating circuit being used to generate an RF signal using power supplied from the power supply, the at least one amplifier being used to amplify the generated RF signal; and a radiating section for radiating the amplified RF signal in the form of electromagnetic waves into an insertion space into which an aerosol generating article is inserted to heat the aerosol generating article, wherein the processor may be configured to control the RF signal generating circuit and the at least one amplifier.

[0007] According to another embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus may include: a power supply; a first circuit board on which a processor and an RF signal generating circuit are mounted, the RF signal generating circuit being used to generate an RF signal using power supplied from the power supply; a second circuit board directly mounted on the surface of the first circuit board and having at least one amplifier mounted thereon for amplifying the generated RF signal; and a radiating section for radiating the amplified RF signal in the form of electromagnetic waves into an insertion space into which an aerosol generating article is inserted, to heat the aerosol generating article, wherein the processor may be configured to control the RF signal generating circuit and the at least one amplifier, and the dielectric constant of the second circuit board may be lower than that of the first circuit board.

[0008] Beneficial effects The aerosol generating apparatus according to various embodiments of this disclosure may include a circuit board on which circuit elements for controlling the overall operation of the aerosol generating apparatus are mounted, and a circuit board on which circuit elements for generating and / or amplifying RF signals are mounted. In other words, the aerosol generating apparatus can appropriately allocate circuit elements corresponding to each function to circuit boards more suitable for implementing each function by functionally differentiating the circuit elements and mounting them on different circuit boards. Furthermore, circuit elements mounted within the same circuit board can be arranged appropriately considering their respective operating conditions and / or operating characteristics. Therefore, stable operation of the circuit elements realizing dielectric heating can be ensured.

[0009] In addition to circuit elements for controlling the overall operation of the aerosol generating apparatus, the aerosol generating apparatus according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may also include circuit elements for generating and / or amplifying RF signals. The circuit elements for amplifying RF signals handle high-frequency signals and / or high-power signals; therefore, it is preferable that the circuit elements be mounted on a circuit board made using materials optimized for high-frequency and high-speed signal transmission. However, circuit boards made using materials optimized for high-frequency and high-speed signal transmission are more expensive than typical circuit boards, so mounting all circuit elements on such a circuit board may be costly. According to the aerosol generating apparatus of the present disclosure, by differentiating the circuit elements according to operating conditions and / or operating characteristics and mounting the circuit elements on different circuit boards, proper operation of each circuit element can be ensured without significantly increasing manufacturing costs.

[0010] Furthermore, the aerosol generation apparatus according to this disclosure can utilize surface mount technology (SMT) to directly mount another circuit board on the surface of one circuit board, thereby achieving miniaturization of the overall circuit board portion while achieving mass production and low cost through automated assembly processes.

[0011] Furthermore, circuit elements mounted on the same circuit board can be arranged and mounted in an appropriate manner, taking into account their respective operating conditions and / or operating characteristics. Therefore, stable operation of the circuit elements enabling dielectric heating can be ensured.

[0012] The problems to be solved by the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art to which the embodiments pertain will clearly understand any unmentioned problems through the description and the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing a surface of a first circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the ground layer of a first circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing a surface of a second circuit board according to one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 6This is a diagram showing the ground layer of a second circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a diagram used to describe a preferred arrangement of a directional coupler according to one embodiment.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to another embodiment.

[0021] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing a surface of a first circuit board and a second circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0022] Figure 10 This is a diagram showing the ground layer of a first circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0023] Figure 11 This is a diagram showing the ground layer of a second circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0024] Figure 12 This is a diagram used to describe a shielding portion according to one embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Best practice The aerosol generating apparatus according to an embodiment may include: a power supply; a first circuit board on which a processor is mounted; a second circuit board arranged spaced apart from the first circuit board, and on which a radio frequency (RF) signal generating circuit and at least one amplifier are mounted, the RF signal generating circuit being used to generate an RF signal using power supplied from the power supply, the at least one amplifier being used to amplify the generated RF signal; and a radiating section radiating the amplified RF signal in the form of electromagnetic waves into an insertion space into which an aerosol generating article is inserted to heat the aerosol generating article, wherein the processor may be configured to control the RF signal generating circuit and the at least one amplifier.

[0026] In one embodiment, within the second circuit board, a first region where the RF signal generation circuit is mounted and a second region where the at least one amplifier is mounted can be physically separated.

[0027] In one embodiment, the RF signal generation circuit and the at least one amplifier may be arranged near two edges or corners of the second circuit substrate that face each other with reference to the center of the second circuit substrate.

[0028] In one embodiment, the second circuit board may include a first ground connected to the RF signal generation circuit and a second ground separate from the first ground and connected to the at least one amplifier, and the first ground and the second ground may be electrically connected at a single location by a noise reduction element.

[0029] The noise reduction element may include at least one of a zero-ohm resistor and a magnetic bead.

[0030] In the case where the second circuit board is a multilayer circuit board that includes at least one ground layer inside, the first ground and the second ground can be arranged in physically separate areas within the at least one ground layer.

[0031] In one embodiment, the at least one amplifier may include: a driver amplifier for amplifying the level of the generated RF signal; and a power amplifier for amplifying the power of the RF signal received from the driver amplifier.

[0032] The aerosol generating device may further include a temperature sensing circuit mounted on a second circuit board, wherein the temperature sensing circuit may be arranged adjacent to the power amplifier.

[0033] The processor can also stop the operation of at least one of the RF signal generation circuit and the at least one amplifier in response to the determination that the temperature measured by the temperature sensing circuit exceeds a preset threshold.

[0034] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus may further include a heat dissipation section for effectively releasing or dispersing heat generated from the second circuit board to minimize the transfer of heat generated from the second circuit board to the power source.

[0035] The second circuit board may be arranged so that it does not overlap with the power supply in any direction, including the left-right, front-back, and up-down directions, and the heat dissipation portion may be arranged to contact or be adjacent to at least one surface of the second circuit board.

[0036] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus may further include: a directional coupler, which separates and receives the amplified RF signal and the reflected electromagnetic wave radiated by the radiating element and reflected from the insertion space.

[0037] The directional coupler and the at least one amplifier may be arranged as two opposite edges or corners of the second circuit board, respectively, with reference to the center of the second circuit board.

[0038] The directional coupler and the at least one amplifier may be arranged on different surfaces of the second circuit board.

[0039] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus may further include: at least one power conversion circuit mounted on a first circuit board and configured to convert power supplied from the power source into power suitable for each of the processor, the RF signal generating circuit, and the at least one amplifier, wherein within the first circuit board, a region on which digital circuitry including the processor is mounted is electrically and physically separated from a region on which analog circuitry including the at least one power conversion circuit is mounted.

[0040] According to another embodiment, an aerosol generating apparatus includes: a power supply; a first circuit board on which a processor and an RF signal generating circuit are mounted, the RF signal generating circuit being used to generate an RF signal using power supplied from the power supply; a second circuit board directly mounted on the surface of the first circuit board and having at least one amplifier mounted thereon for amplifying the generated RF signal; and a radiating section for radiating the amplified RF signal in the form of electromagnetic waves into an insertion space into which an aerosol generating article is inserted, thereby heating the aerosol generating article, wherein the processor may be configured to control the RF signal generating circuit and the at least one amplifier, and the dielectric constant of the second circuit board may be lower than that of the first circuit board.

[0041] In one embodiment, the power supply and the first circuit board may be arranged parallel to each other, the first circuit board may include a portion extending beyond one end of the power supply, and the second circuit board may be mounted on the surface of the extended portion.

[0042] In one embodiment, the second circuit board may be mounted on one of the two side surfaces of the first circuit board that does not face the power source.

[0043] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus may further include: a heat dissipation section for effectively releasing or dispersing heat generated from the second circuit board to minimize heat transfer from the second circuit board to the power source.

[0044] The second circuit board may be arranged so that it does not overlap with the power supply in any direction, including the left-right, front-back, and up-down directions, and the heat dissipation portion may be arranged to contact or be adjacent to at least one surface of the second circuit board.

[0045] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus may further include: at least one power conversion circuit mounted on a first circuit board and configured to convert power supplied from the power source into power suitable for each of the processor, the RF signal generating circuit, and the at least one amplifier, wherein a first region within the first circuit board in which the processor and the RF signal generating circuit are mounted is physically separable from a second region in which the at least one power conversion circuit is mounted.

[0046] The first circuit board may include a first ground connected to the processor and the RF signal generation circuit, and a second ground arranged separately from the first ground and connected to the at least one power conversion circuit, and the first ground and the second ground may be electrically connected at a single location by a noise reduction element.

[0047] The noise reduction element may include at least one of a zero-ohm resistor and a bead.

[0048] In the case where the first circuit board is a multilayer circuit board that includes at least one ground layer inside, the first ground and the second ground can be arranged in physically separated areas within the at least one ground layer.

[0049] The second circuit board may further include a third ground connected to the at least one amplifier, and the third ground may be directly connected to the second ground, but may be connected to the first ground by means of a noise reduction element.

[0050] The aerosol generating apparatus may further include: a shielding portion arranged on the second circuit board to surround the at least one amplifier, wherein the shielding portion may be connected to the third ground.

[0051] In one embodiment, the at least one amplifier may include: a driver amplifier for amplifying the level of the generated RF signal and a power amplifier for amplifying the power of the RF signal received from the driver amplifier.

[0052] The aerosol generating device may further include a temperature sensing circuit mounted on the second circuit board, wherein the temperature sensing circuit may be arranged adjacent to the power amplifier.

[0053] The processor can also stop the operation of at least one of the RF signal generation circuit and the at least one amplifier in response to the determination that the temperature measured by the temperature sensing circuit exceeds a preset threshold.

[0054] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus may further include: a directional coupler for separating and receiving the amplified RF signal and the reflected electromagnetic wave radiated by the radiating element and reflected from the insertion space, wherein the directional coupler and the at least one amplifier may be arranged to be close to two edges or corners of the second circuit board that face each other with reference to the center of the second circuit board.

[0055] Embodiments of the present invention In the following description, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the same or similar components will be assigned the same reference numerals, regardless of the reference numerals in the drawings, and their identical descriptions will be omitted. Regarding the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals may be used to denote the same or related elements.

[0056] The suffixes “module,” “unit,” “machine,” and “device” used in the following description are given or used interchangeably for ease of writing only, and they do not inherently have different meanings or functions. As used herein, the suffixes “module” or “unit” can include units implemented as hardware, software, or firmware. For example, the suffixes “module” or “unit” are used interchangeably with the terms “logic,” “logic block,” “component,” or “circuit.” A “module” or “unit” can be an integrally formed component, the smallest unit of a component performing one or more functions, or part of a smallest unit. For example, a “module” or “unit” can be implemented as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0057] Additionally, when describing embodiments of this disclosure, detailed descriptions of related known technologies that may obscure the subject matter of the embodiments may be omitted. Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are intended only to facilitate understanding of the embodiments described herein, and the spirit of this disclosure is not limited to the drawings and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, or alternatives included within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0058] Although terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used herein to describe various elements or components, these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element or component from another.

[0059] When a component is described as "connected to" or "combined to" another component, it may be directly connected to or combined with the other component, or there may be intermediate components. In contrast, when a component is described as "directly connected to" or "directly combined to" another component, there are no intermediate components.

[0060] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well.

[0061] Various embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented as software including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., a memory) readable by a machine (e.g., aerosol generating apparatus 1). For example, a processor (e.g., processor 170) of the machine (e.g., aerosol generating apparatus 1) can invoke and execute at least one instruction from one or more instructions stored in the storage medium. This enables the machine to perform at least one function according to the invoked at least one instruction. Examples of one or more instructions may include code created by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided as a non-transitory storage medium. “Non-transitory storage medium” is a tangible device and means only that it does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves). This term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently in the storage medium and cases where data is temporarily stored.

[0062] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to one embodiment.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may include a control unit 10, a source unit 20, and a radiation unit 30. The control unit 10 may refer to a circuit for controlling the basic operation of the aerosol generating apparatus 1. The source unit 20 may refer to a circuit for generating a radio frequency (RF) signal under the control of the control unit 10. The radiation unit 30 may be a device for radiating the RF signal generated by the source unit 20 in the form of electromagnetic waves into the space into which the aerosol generating article is inserted (hereinafter referred to as the "insertion space"). The charge or ions of the dielectric (e.g., glycerol) included in the aerosol generating article may vibrate or rotate due to the radiated electromagnetic waves (e.g., the RF signal), and the aerosol generating article may be heated as the dielectric generates heat through frictional heat generated by the charge or ions during vibration or rotation. In other words, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may be a device for generating aerosols by heating the aerosol generating article in a dielectric heating manner.

[0064] In one embodiment, the control unit 10 may include a power connector 110, a charging circuit 120, a power supply 130, a first power converter 140, a second power converter 150, a third power converter 160, and / or a processor 170. Additionally, the source unit 20 may include an RF signal generation circuit 210, a drive amplifier 220, a power amplifier 230, a directional coupler 240, and / or a temperature sensing circuit 250. However, those skilled in the art will understand that, according to the design of the aerosol generating device 1, this can be omitted. Figure 1 Some of the constituent elements shown, or new constituent elements may be added.

[0065] Power connector 110 can refer to a physical connection device that is electrically connected to an external electronic device or system (e.g., an external power supply) of the aerosol generating device 1 and is used for transmitting and receiving power. For example, power connector 110 can receive power from an external power supply and can transmit the received power to a component that needs charging (e.g., power supply 130). Power connector 110 can also provide a path for data transmission. In this case, power connector 110 can be referred to as a data and power connector. The aerosol generating device 1 can transmit data to and receive data from external electronic devices or systems (e.g., smartphones, computers, etc.) via power connector 110. Power connector 110 may include a Universal Serial Bus (USB) power connector, a Direct Current (DC) power connector, etc. In one example, power connector 110 may include a USB-C connector capable of supplying a 9V DC voltage at a current of 1A, but is not necessarily limited to this. Power connector 110 may also include an interface for wirelessly transmitting and receiving power.

[0066] Charging circuit 120 can refer to circuitry used to charge power supply 130. Charging circuit 120 can charge power supply 130 using power transmitted from power connector 110. In one example, charging circuit 120 can be implemented as a charging integrated circuit (IC), which is an integrated circuit (IC) that performs functions for efficiently and safely charging power supply 130. Charging circuit 120 can monitor the charging status of power supply 130 or optimize the charging process by monitoring the voltage, current, and / or temperature of power supply 130. For example, charging circuit 120 can sense the status of power supply 130 and can prevent overcharging or over-discharging by providing appropriate charging voltage and current.

[0067] Power source 130 provides power for the operation of aerosol generating apparatus 1. Power source 130 may include one or more rechargeable batteries. Power source 130 can supply power to radiating section 30 so that radiating section 30 can radiate electromagnetic waves (e.g., RF signals) into the insertion space to heat the aerosol generating article. Here, supplying power to radiating section 30 can mean the same as supplying power to source section 20. In addition, power source 130 can supply the power required for the operation of processor 170, RF signal generation circuit 210, drive amplifier 220, power amplifier 230, temperature sensing circuit 250, etc. In one example, power source 130 may be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited to this. Power source 130 may be a replaceable (detachable) battery (hereinafter, removable battery). Removable battery may be installed in a battery housing provided in aerosol generating apparatus 1, or may be removed from the battery housing. Removable battery may also be charged in a wired and / or wireless manner.

[0068] The aerosol generating device 1 may include a power conversion circuit for converting the power supplied from the power source 130 into power (e.g., voltage and / or current) suitable for other components. The power conversion circuit may include at least one of a buck converter, a buck-boost converter, a boost converter, a Zener diode, and a low-dropout regulator (LDO). Additionally, the power conversion circuit may, as needed, include a DC / AC converter (e.g., an inverter).

[0069] In one example, the aerosol generating device 1 may include a first power converter 140, a second power converter 150, and a third power converter 160. The first power converter 140 may be an LDO regulator for supplying power (e.g., 3.3V DC) suitable for the processor 170, the second power converter 150 may be a buck-boost converter for supplying power (e.g., 5V DC) suitable for the temperature sensing circuit 250, the RF signal generation circuit 210, and the drive amplifier 220, and the third power converter 160 may be a boost converter for supplying power (e.g., 12V / 25W DC) suitable for the power amplifier 230.

[0070] However, the first power converter 140, the second power converter 150, and the third power converter 160 are not limited to the examples described above, and may include other types of power conversion circuits. Additionally, although... Figure 1The illustration shows an aerosol generating apparatus 1 comprising three power converters; however, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may include more than three power converters or may include fewer power converters. In one example, at least a portion of the first power converter 140, the second power converter 150, and the third power converter 160 may be integrated into a single power converter.

[0071] The processor 170 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 1. For example, the processor 170 can directly or indirectly control the charging and discharging of the power supply 130 using the charging circuit 120. Additionally, the processor 170 can control the voltage and / or current output from the power conversion circuit by controlling the frequency and / or duty cycle of the current pulses input to at least one switching element of the power conversion circuit. Besides the aforementioned components, the processor 170 can also comprehensively control the operation of other components, which will be described later.

[0072] The processor 170 may be implemented as an array of logic gates, or as a combination of a general-purpose microcontroller unit (MCU) (or microprocessor) and memory storing programs that can be executed in such an MCU. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the processor 170 may be implemented in other forms of hardware.

[0073] The RF signal generation circuit 210 can generate an RF signal based on power supplied from the power source 130 or the second power converter 150. An RF signal can refer to a signal having a frequency in the range of 300 MHz to 300 GHz. In one example, the RF signal can have a frequency from 1 GHz to 100 GHz. Additionally, the RF signal can have a frequency in the Industrial Scientific and Medical Equipment (ISM) band (e.g., 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, and / or 5.8 GHz). In this embodiment, the RF signal can also be referred to as electromagnetic waves, microwaves, etc.

[0074] The RF signal generation circuit 210 may include a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), which generates RF signals of different frequencies based on the input voltage. The RF signal generation circuit 210 may receive control signals (e.g., DC signals) from the processor 170 and generate RF signals with frequencies corresponding to the received control signals. The processor 170 may store the control signals corresponding to the desired frequencies in the form of a lookup table, or may calculate the control signals corresponding to the desired frequencies in real time through at least one operation.

[0075] In one example, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may further include a digital-to-analog converter (D / A converter) for converting digital control signals output from the processor 170 into analog control signals. The RF signal generation circuit 210 may receive the analog control signals and generate an RF signal having a frequency corresponding to the received analog control signals.

[0076] The driver amplifier 220 amplifies the RF signal generated by the RF signal generation circuit 210. For example, the driver amplifier 220 can provide an input signal suitable for a next-stage component (e.g., power amplifier 230) by amplifying the signal level (e.g., amplitude) of the RF signal. The driver amplifier 220 can minimize signal distortion by maintaining high linearity. However, since the driver amplifier 220 is an amplifier focused on increasing the signal level, it can provide relatively low output power.

[0077] Power amplifier 230 amplifies the power of the RF signal received from drive amplifier 220. Power amplifier 230 may be an amplifier focused on providing sufficient power to the final output device (e.g., radiator 30). For example, power amplifier 230 may provide an RF signal with high power to radiator 30, allowing radiator 30 to radiate electromagnetic waves into the insertion space to heat aerosol-generating articles. Power amplifier 230 may perform amplification by using power received through a third power converter 160, which provides higher power and / or voltage than the second power converter 150.

[0078] The driver amplifier 220 and power amplifier 230 may include transistors such as bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), field-effect transistors (FETs), or vacuum tubes. In one example, the driver amplifier 220 and power amplifier 230 may be gallium nitride (GaN) transistors capable of handling high efficiency, high speed, and high voltage, but are not limited thereto. The driver amplifier 220 and power amplifier 230 may also include operational amplifiers.

[0079] In addition, Figure 1 In this design, drive amplifier 220 and power amplifier 230 are shown as separate amplifiers, but they can be integrated into a single amplifier. Alternatively, drive amplifier 220 and / or power amplifier 230 can be configured as a series connection, a parallel connection, and / or a combination thereof of multiple amplifiers.

[0080] The radiating section 30 may include at least one antenna for radiating electromagnetic waves into space. The at least one antenna may have a size and shape suitable for the size and shape of the aerosol-generating article. For example, if the aerosol-generating article is cylindrical, then the at least one antenna may be a tubular shape surrounding the cylindrical aerosol-generating article. Here, the shape of the antenna being tubular can mean that the overall shape of the antenna is tubular. In other words, if the antenna is formed from a metal (e.g., SUS) track, then this can mean that the overall shape of the entire track is tubular. The shape of the at least one antenna is not limited to the examples described above and may include various shapes, such as a flat plate shape, a bent plate shape, etc.

[0081] The radiating section 30 heats the aerosol-generating article by radiating electromagnetic waves (e.g., amplified or transmitted RF signals) into the insertion space. To maximize the heating efficiency of the aerosol-generating article, electromagnetic wave resonance should occur within the insertion space. The resonance conditions of the insertion space (e.g., resonant frequency) can vary depending on the type or amount of dielectric contained in the inserted aerosol-generating article. The processor 170 can control the frequency of the RF signal generated by the RF signal generation circuit 210 by adjusting the control signal input to the RF signal generation circuit 210, so that the frequency of the RF signal generated by the RF signal generation circuit 210 corresponds to or is close to the resonance conditions of the insertion space. The processor 170 can use the directional coupler 240 to obtain information about the resonance conditions of the insertion space.

[0082] The directional coupler 240 can refer to a passive element having a waveguide structure that separates the incident wave and the reflected wave from each other. The directional coupler 240 can receive RF signals transmitted from the power amplifier 230 to the radiating section 30, as well as electromagnetic waves reflected from the insertion space after being radiated by the radiating section 30. The directional coupler 240 can separate the transmitted RF signals and the reflected electromagnetic waves and provide them to the processor 170.

[0083] In one example, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may further include an analog-to-digital converter (A / D converter) for converting the analog output of the directional coupler 240 into a digital output. The A / D converter may be integrated into the processor 170 or may exist as a separate component external to the processor 170. The processor 170 can analyze the characteristics of the transmitted RF signal (e.g., current, voltage, power, phase, and / or frequency) and the characteristics of the reflected electromagnetic waves (e.g., current, voltage, power, phase, and / or frequency) by monitoring the output of the directional coupler 240.

[0084] Processor 170 can determine whether the operation of source unit 20 is being performed as expected based on the characteristics of the transmitted RF signal. Furthermore, the characteristics of the transmitted RF signal, together with the characteristics of the reflected electromagnetic waves, can be used to determine the heating efficiency of source unit 20 or radiator 30. Processor 170 can control source unit 20 to maximize the heating efficiency of source unit 20 or radiator 30. For example, processor 170 can adjust the frequency of the RF signal generated by RF signal generation circuit 210 to minimize the power of the reflected electromagnetic waves. Minimizing the power of the reflected electromagnetic waves may mean that the frequency of the RF signal approaches the resonance condition of the insertion space. The characteristics of the transmitted RF signal provide a reference for whether the power of the reflected electromagnetic waves is minimized.

[0085] Since electromagnetic wave resonance can occur in the insertion space according to the frequency of the RF signal, the insertion space can be referred to as a resonant section. At least a portion of the insertion space may be surrounded by at least one shielding component to prevent electromagnetic waves from leaking to the outside of the aerosol generating apparatus 1. In one embodiment, the insertion space may further include physical structures for ensuring that the resonance conditions are within the controllable range of the processor 170. The physical structure may include at least one conductor, and the resonance conditions of the insertion space may vary depending on the arrangement, thickness, and length of the conductor. Additionally, the physical structure may include a space for accommodating a dielectric material with low electromagnetic absorption, unlike the dielectric material contained in the aerosol generating article. A dielectric material with low electromagnetic absorption can alter the resonant frequency of the entire resonant section without absorbing energy to be transferred to the heated material. Therefore, even if the size of the resonant section is reduced, the resonance conditions can be determined within the controllable range of the processor 170.

[0086] The temperature sensing circuit 250 may be in contact with or adjacent to the components included in the source section 20 to measure the temperature of the source section 20. For example, the temperature sensing circuit 250 may be arranged in contact with or adjacent to at least one of the RF signal generation circuit 210, the drive amplifier 220, and the power amplifier 230. Due to the limited efficiency in generating and / or amplifying the RF signal, heat may be generated, and if excessive heat is generated, this heat may negatively affect the components included in the source section 20 or other components included in the aerosol generation apparatus 1. The temperature measured by the temperature sensing circuit 250 can be used to prevent overheating of the source section 20.

[0087] The processor 170 can receive the temperature (or a value corresponding to the temperature) measured by the temperature sensing circuit 250, and if it determines that the source unit 20 is overheating, the processor 170 can stop the operation of the source unit 20. For example, the processor 170 can stop the operation of the source unit 20 by cutting off the power supply to the source unit 20 or transmitting a control signal. In the following text, the term "power supply to the source unit 20" is used to indicate whether the source unit 20 is operating.

[0088] The temperature sensing circuit 250 may include at least one of the following temperature sensors: a thermocouple, a resistance temperature detector (RTD), a thermistor, a semiconductor temperature sensor, and an optical temperature sensor. In one example, the temperature sensing circuit 250 may be implemented as a chip-type sensor (e.g., a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) sensor) to minimize the area occupied, but is not limited thereto.

[0089] Aerosol generating device 1 includes, in addition to Figure 1 In addition to the components shown, other components may be included. For example, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may also include a sensor unit, an output unit, an input unit, a communication unit, and a memory. Furthermore, if the aerosol generating apparatus 1 is a hybrid device using both an aerosol generating article and a cartridge, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may also include a cartridge heater. The cartridge heater receives power from the power source 130 to heat the medium and / or aerosol generating substance within the cartridge.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the sensor unit can sense the state of the aerosol generating device 1 or the state around the aerosol generating device 1, and transmit the sensed information to the processor 170. For example, the sensor unit may include a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, an insertion sensor, a reuse sensor, an overly moist sensor, a cigarette identification sensor, a cartridge sensor, a cap sensor, and / or a motion sensor. The sensor unit may also include various sensors such as a liquid level sensor for sensing the remaining liquid in the cartridge and a water immersion sensor for sensing the immersion of the aerosol generating device 1 in water.

[0091] In one embodiment, a temperature sensor can sense the temperature of the insertion space or the aerosol-generating article. The temperature sensor may be arranged in contact with or adjacent to the insertion space or the aerosol-generating article to directly measure its temperature. Alternatively, the temperature sensor may be arranged spaced apart from the insertion space or the aerosol-generating article to indirectly (e.g., non-contactly) measure its temperature. In one example, the temperature sensor may include an optical temperature sensor (e.g., an infrared temperature sensor).

[0092] In one embodiment, a temperature sensor can sense the temperature of the power supply 130. The temperature sensor may be arranged adjacent to the power supply 130. For example, the temperature sensor may be attached to a surface of the power supply 130 (e.g., a battery) and / or mounted on a surface of a printed circuit board. For example, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may include a protection circuit module (PCM), and the temperature sensor may be arranged together with the protection circuit module adjacent to the power supply 130.

[0093] According to one embodiment, a temperature sensor may also be arranged inside the housing (not shown) of the aerosol generating device 1 to sense the temperature inside the housing (not shown).

[0094] In one embodiment, the suction sensor can sense the user's suction.

[0095] As an example, the suction sensor may include a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor may output a signal corresponding to the internal pressure of the aerosol generating device 1, and the processor 170 may detect user suction based on the signal corresponding to the internal pressure. Here, the internal pressure of the aerosol generating device 1 may correspond to the pressure of the gas flow path. The suction sensor may be arranged to correspond to the gas flow path in the aerosol generating device 1.

[0096] As another example, the suction sensor may include a temperature sensor. When a user suctions, a temporary temperature drop may occur in the airflow path, insertion space, aerosol-generating articles, etc. The processor 170 may detect the user suction based on a signal output from the temperature sensor corresponding to the temperature of the airflow path, etc.

[0097] As another example, the suction sensor may include both a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor. In this case, the temperature sensor measures the temperature used to correct the internal pressure measured by the pressure sensor. As an example, the suction sensor may correct the signal corresponding to the internal pressure based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and output the corrected signal. As another example, the suction sensor may output a signal corresponding to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and a signal corresponding to the internal pressure measured by the suction sensor. In this case, the processor 170 may receive the signals and correct the signal corresponding to the internal pressure based on the signal corresponding to the temperature.

[0098] As another example, the suction sensor may include a capacitive sensor. In this disclosure, a capacitive sensor may also be referred to as a capacitive sensor. When user suction occurs, temperature changes and / or aerosol flow may occur within the insertion space, thereby altering the dielectric constant inside the insertion space. The processor 170 may detect user suction based on a signal output from the capacitive sensor that corresponds to the dielectric constant inside the insertion space.

[0099] Suction sensors are not limited to the examples above, and can be implemented using various sensors to detect a user's suction.

[0100] In one embodiment, an insertion sensing sensor can sense the insertion and / or removal of an aerosol-generating article. The insertion sensing sensor may be mounted around the insertion space.

[0101] As an example, the insertion sensing sensor may include a capacitive sensor. The capacitive sensor may include at least one conductor, wherein the at least one conductor may be arranged adjacent to the insertion space. The dielectric constant around the conductor may change when the aerosol-generating article is inserted into or removed from the insertion space. The processor 170 may detect the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol-generating article based on a signal output from the capacitive sensor corresponding to the dielectric constant inside the insertion space.

[0102] As another example, the insertion-sensing sensor may include an inductive sensor. The inductive sensor may include at least one coil, wherein the at least one coil may be arranged adjacent to the insertion space. When the aerosol-generating article (e.g., a wrapper of the aerosol-generating article) contains a conductor, a change in the magnetic field may occur around the current-carrying coil when the aerosol-generating article is inserted into or removed from the insertion space. The processor 170 may sense the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol-generating article, including the conductor, based on the characteristics of the current output from or detected by the inductive sensor (e.g., the frequency, current value, voltage value, inductance value, impedance value, etc. of the alternating current). Alternatively, the aerosol-generating article (e.g., the dielectric portion of the aerosol-generating article) may include a susceptor (e.g., SUS), etc. Even in this case, a change in the magnetic field around the coil may occur based on the insertion or removal of the susceptor, etc., within the insertion space, and the processor 170 may also sense the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol-generating article based on the characteristics of the current from the inductive sensor.

[0103] Insertion sensing sensors are not limited to the examples described above, and can be implemented using a variety of sensors (e.g., proximity sensors, etc.) for sensing the insertion and / or removal of aerosol-generated articles. Additionally, insertion sensing sensors can include any combination of the examples described above. In one embodiment, the insertion sensing sensor may also include a switch, etc., for sensing a press of an aerosol-generated article.

[0104] In one embodiment, a reuse sensing sensor can detect whether an aerosol-generated article is reused. As an example, the reuse sensing sensor could be a color sensor for sensing the color of the aerosol-generated article. If a user uses the aerosol-generated article, the color of a portion of the outer casing surrounding the article may change due to the generated aerosol or heating. The color sensor can output a signal corresponding to the optical characteristics (e.g., wavelength of light) corresponding to the color of the casing based on light reflected from the casing. If a color change in a portion of the casing is detected, the processor 170 can determine that the aerosol-generated article inserted into the insertion space has been used.

[0105] According to one embodiment, an over-humidity sensing sensor can sense whether an aerosol-generating article is in an over-humid state. For example, the over-humidity sensing sensor may include a capacitive sensor. The capacitive sensor may include at least one conductor arranged adjacent to the insertion space. The processor 170 can detect that the aerosol-generating article is in an over-humid state based on the level of a signal corresponding to a dielectric constant, etc., output from the capacitive sensor. As an example, the processor 170 can determine a range of levels including the signal level based on a lookup table, and determine the moisture content of the aerosol-generating article based on the determined range of levels.

[0106] According to one embodiment, the cigarette identification sensor can sense whether the aerosol-generating article is genuine and / or sense the type of the aerosol-generating article.

[0107] As an example, a cigarette identification sensor may include an optical sensor for sensing an identification substance (or identification mark) located on the outer surface of an aerosol-generating article (e.g., a packaging component). The optical sensor may illuminate the identification substance (or identification mark) of the aerosol-generating article, and the processor 170 may sense the authenticity and / or type of the aerosol-generating article based on the reflected light. For example, the identification substance may include a substance that emits light of a specific wavelength based on the illuminated light. The processor 170 may detect the authenticity and / or type of the aerosol-generating article based on the range of said wavelengths.

[0108] As another example, the cigarette identification sensor may include a capacitive sensor. The dielectric constant within the insertion space may vary depending on the type of aerosol-generating article inserted into the insertion space. The processor 170 may detect the authenticity and / or type of the aerosol-generating article based on a signal output from the capacitive sensor corresponding to the dielectric constant within the insertion space.

[0109] As another example, the cigarette identification sensor may include an inductive sensor. Where a conductor is included in the packaging and / or interior (e.g., the dielectric portion) of the aerosol-generating article inserted into the insertion space, the characteristics of the current sensed by the inductive sensor (e.g., frequency, current value, voltage value, inductance value, impedance value, etc. of alternating current) when the aerosol-generating article is inserted into the insertion space may vary depending on the type of aerosol-generating article inserted into the insertion space. The processor 170 may detect the authenticity and / or type of the inserted aerosol-generating article based on the characteristics of the current output from or sensed by the inductive sensor.

[0110] Cigarette identification sensors are not limited to the examples above and can be implemented using various sensors used to sense whether an aerosol-generating article is genuine and / or to sense the type of aerosol-generating article. Additionally, cigarette identification sensors can include any combination of the examples above.

[0111] According to one embodiment, the cartridge sensing sensor can sense the installation and / or removal of the cartridge. For example, the cartridge sensing sensor may include an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, a Hall effect sensor (HAL IC), and / or an optical sensor.

[0112] According to one embodiment, a cap sensing sensor can sense the installation and / or removal of a cap. For example, the cap sensing sensor may include an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, a contact sensor, a Hall effect sensor (HAL IC), and / or an optical sensor. The cap may include a structure that covers at least a portion of a cartridge mounted or inserted into the aerosol generating device 1, or covers at least a portion of the housing of the aerosol generating device 1. If the cap is installed in or removed from the housing, the cap sensing sensor may output a signal corresponding to the installation or removal, and the processor 170 may sense the installation or removal of the cap based on the signal corresponding to the installation or removal.

[0113] According to one embodiment, a motion sensing sensor can sense the motion of the aerosol generating device 1. The motion sensing sensor can be implemented using at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope sensor.

[0114] According to one embodiment, in addition to the sensors described above, the sensor unit may also include at least one of a humidity sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, a position sensor (Global Positioning System (GPS)), or a proximity sensor. Those skilled in the art can intuitively understand the function of each sensor based on its name; therefore, a detailed description is omitted here.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the output unit can output information about the status of the aerosol generating device 1. The output unit may include a display, a haptic unit, and / or an audio output unit. For example, the information about the aerosol generating device 1 may include the charging / discharging status of the power supply 130, the operating status of the source unit 20 or the radiation unit 30, the insertion / removal status of the aerosol generating article and / or cartridge, the installation and / or removal status of the cap, or a status where the use of the aerosol generating device 1 is restricted (e.g., an abnormal object is detected). The display can visually provide the user with information about the status of the aerosol generating device 1. For example, the display may include a light-emitting diode (LED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), etc. If the display includes a touchpad, the display can also be used as an input unit. The haptic unit can tactilely provide the user with information about the status of the aerosol generating device 1. For example, the tactile component may include a vibration motor, a piezoelectric element, an electrical stimulation device, etc. The sound output component can provide the user with auditory information about the aerosol generating device 1. For example, the sound output component can convert electrical signals into audio signals and output them to the outside.

[0116] According to one embodiment, the input unit can receive information input by a user. For example, the input unit may include a touch panel, buttons, a keyboard, a dome switch, a jog wheel, a jog switch, etc.

[0117] According to one embodiment, the memory, as hardware storing various data processed within the aerosol generating apparatus 1, can store data processed by the processor 170 and data to be processed. For example, the memory may include at least one type of storage medium selected from flash memory, hard disk, multimedia card micro, card-type memory (e.g., SD (Secure Digital) or XD (Extreme Digital) memory), random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), magnetic storage, magnetic disk, and optical disk. For example, the memory may store data regarding the operating time of the aerosol generating apparatus 1, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and the user's smoking pattern.

[0118] According to one embodiment, the communication unit may include at least one component for communicating with other electronic devices (e.g., portable electronic devices). For example, the communication unit may include a Bluetooth communication unit, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication unit, a Near Field Communication unit, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) communication unit, a Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) communication unit, an Ultra Wideband (UWB) communication unit, an Ant+ (Adaptive Network Topology) communication unit, a Cellular Network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, a Computer Network (e.g., a Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN)) communication unit, etc.

[0119] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the temperature of the insertion space or aerosol-generating article by controlling the amplification factor of the source unit 20 (e.g., power amplifier 230). The processor 170 can control the amplification factor of the source unit 20 (e.g., power amplifier 230) based on the temperature of the insertion space or aerosol-generating article sensed using a temperature sensor. The processor 170 can also control the amplification factor of the source unit 20 (e.g., power amplifier 230) based on temperature profiles and / or power profiles stored in memory.

[0120] Additionally, the processor 170 can control the temperature of the cartridge heater by controlling the power supply from the power source 130 to the cartridge heater. The processor 170 can control the temperature of the cartridge heater and / or the power supplied to the cartridge heater based on the temperature of the cartridge heater sensed using a temperature sensor. The processor 170 can also control the temperature of the cartridge heater and / or the power supplied to the cartridge heater based on temperature and / or power curves stored in memory.

[0121] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can prevent overheating of the insertion space, the aerosol generating article, and / or the cartridge heater. For example, the processor 170 can control the operation of the power conversion circuit based on whether the temperature of the insertion space, the aerosol generating article, and / or the cartridge heater exceeds a preset limit temperature, so as to reduce the power supplied to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater, or stop the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater.

[0122] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on the results sensed by the sensor unit.

[0123] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on whether the aerosol generating article is inserted into and / or removed from the insertion space. For example, if the insertion sensing sensor determines that the aerosol generating article has been inserted into the insertion space, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater. If the insertion sensing sensor determines that the aerosol generating article has been removed from the insertion space, the processor 170 can cut off the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater. If the temperature of the insertion space or the aerosol generating article is above a limit temperature, or if the slope of the temperature change of the insertion space or the aerosol generating article is at a set slope, the processor 170 can determine that the aerosol generating article has been removed from the insertion space.

[0124] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply time and / or power supply amount to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on the state of the aerosol generating article. For example, if the processor 170 determines that the aerosol generating article is in an over-humid state using an over-humidity sensing sensor, the processor 170 can increase the power supply time to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater (e.g., preheating time).

[0125] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on whether the aerosol generating article has been reused. For example, if it is determined that the aerosol generating article has been used, the processor 170 can cut off the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater.

[0126] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on whether the cartridge is attached and / or removed. For example, if the cartridge sensing sensor determines that the cartridge is removed, the processor 170 can stop supplying power to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater, or control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater to be stopped.

[0127] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on whether the aerosol-generating material of the cartridge is depleted. For example, during the preheating of the cartridge heater (i.e., during the preheating period), if it is determined that the temperature of the cartridge heater exceeds a limit temperature, the processor 170 can determine that the aerosol-generating material of the cartridge is depleted. If it is determined that the aerosol-generating material of the cartridge is depleted, the processor 170 can cut off the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater.

[0128] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on whether the cartridge is available or not. For example, if it is determined based on data stored in the memory that the current number of puffs exceeds the maximum number of puffs set for the cartridge, the processor 170 can determine that the cartridge is no longer usable. Alternatively, if the total heating time of the cartridge heater exceeds a preset maximum time or the total power supplied to the cartridge heater exceeds a preset maximum power, the processor 170 can determine that the cartridge is unusable. In this case, the processor 170 can stop supplying power to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater, or control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater to be stopped.

[0129] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater based on the user's inhalation. For example, the processor 170 can use an inhalation sensor to determine whether an inhalation has occurred and / or the intensity of the inhalation. If the number of inhalations reaches a preset maximum number of inhalations and / or no inhalation is detected within a preset time period, the processor 170 can cut off the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater. When an inhalation is detected, the processor 170 can also control the power supply to the source unit 20 or the cartridge heater.

[0130] According to one embodiment, processor 170 can control the power supply to source unit 20 or cartridge heater based on the authenticity and / or type of the aerosol-generating article (or cartridge). For example, processor 170 can utilize a cigarette identification sensor to detect the authenticity and / or type of the aerosol-generating article (or cartridge). For example, if the aerosol-generating article (or cartridge) is detected as counterfeit, processor 170 can cut off the power supply to source unit 20 or cartridge heater. If the aerosol-generating article (or cartridge) is detected as genuine, processor 170 can control (e.g., start) the power supply to source unit 20 or cartridge heater. As another example, processor 170 can control the power supply to source unit 20 or cartridge heater differently depending on the type of aerosol-generating article (or cartridge). More specifically, if an aerosol-generating article (or cartridge) is detected as a first aerosol-generating article (or first cartridge), the processor 170 can control the amplification factor of the source unit 20 or the temperature and / or power of the cartridge heater based on a first temperature curve (or first power curve). If an aerosol-generating article (or cartridge) is detected as a second aerosol-generating article (or second cartridge), the processor 170 can control the amplification factor of the source unit 20 or the temperature and / or power of the cartridge heater based on a second temperature curve (or second power curve).

[0131] According to an embodiment, the processor 170 can control the output unit based on the results sensed by the sensor unit. For example, if the number of puffs counted by the puff sensor reaches a preset number, the processor 170 can control the output unit to provide visual, tactile, and / or audible information indicating that the aerosol generating device 1 is about to terminate operation. For example, the processor 170 can control the output unit to provide visual, tactile, and / or audible information about the temperature of the insertion space, the aerosol generating article, or the cartridge heater.

[0132] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can store and update a history of events in memory based on the occurrence of predetermined events. For example, an event may include operations performed in the aerosol generating device 1 such as: sensing the insertion of an aerosol generating article, starting heating the aerosol generating article, sensing inhalation, terminating inhalation, sensing overheating, sensing overvoltage applied to the cartridge heater, terminating heating of the aerosol generating article, switching the power supply of the aerosol generating device 1 on / off, starting charging the power supply 130, sensing overcharging of the power supply 130, and terminating charging the power supply 130. For example, the history of events may include the date and time of the event, log data corresponding to the event, etc. For example, if the predetermined event is sensing the insertion of an aerosol generating article, the log data corresponding to the event may include data regarding the detection value of the insertion sensing sensor, etc. For example, if the predetermined event is sensing overheating of the cartridge heater, the log data corresponding to the event may include data regarding the temperature of the cartridge heater, the voltage applied to the cartridge heater, the current flowing through the cartridge heater, etc.

[0133] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can control the communication unit to form a communication link with an external device such as a user's mobile terminal.

[0134] According to one embodiment, if authentication data is received from an external device via a communication link, the processor 170 can remove restrictions on the use of at least one function (e.g., heating function) of the aerosol generating device 1. For example, the authentication data may include the user's date of birth, the user's unique identification number, and whether the user has completed authentication.

[0135] According to one embodiment, the processor 170 can transmit data regarding the status of the aerosol generating apparatus 1 (e.g., remaining capacity of the power supply 130, operating mode, etc.) to an external device via a communication link. The transmitted data can be output via a display or the like on the external device.

[0136] According to one embodiment, if a location search request for the aerosol generating device 1 is received from an external device via a communication link, the processor 170 can control the output unit to perform an operation corresponding to the location search. For example, the processor 170 can control the tactile unit to vibrate, or control the display to output content corresponding to the location search and search termination.

[0137] According to one embodiment, if firmware data is received from an external device via a communication link, the processor 170 can perform a firmware update.

[0138] According to one embodiment, processor 170 can transmit data about the detection values ​​of at least one sensor unit to an external server (not shown) via a communication link, and receive and store a learning model generated by learning the detection values ​​using machine learning (such as deep learning) from the server. Processor 170 can use the learning model received from the server to perform operations such as determining the user's inhalation pattern and generating a temperature profile.

[0139] Although Figure 1 Not shown, but the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may also include a power protection circuit. The power protection circuit may include at least one switching element and may disconnect the current path to the power supply 130 in response to overcharging and / or over-discharging of the power supply 130.

[0140] The aerosol generating articles mentioned in this disclosure may include at least one aerosol generating rod (e.g., a medium section) and at least one filter rod. A radiating section 30 may be arranged corresponding to at least one aerosol generating rod and may be designed differently depending on the arrangement order and / or position of the aerosol generating rod and the filter rod. The aerosol generating rod may include at least one of nicotine, an aerosol generating substance, and additives. For example, the aerosol generating substance may include glycerol (e.g., vegetable glycerin (VG)) and / or propylene glycol (PG), in addition to various other substances. For example, additives may include flavoring agents and / or organic acids, in addition to various other substances. For example, the aerosol generating rod may include an aerosol generating substrate (e.g., a sheet) impregnated with a liquid non-tobacco substance (e.g., an aerosol generating substance and / or nicotine), and / or may include a solid tobacco substance (e.g., tobacco leaves, reconstituted tobacco, etc.). The tobacco substance may be included in the aerosol generating rod in various forms such as shredded, granulated, or powdered. According to one embodiment, the additives in the aerosol generating rod may include an alkaline substance. Based on the alkaline substance, the nicotine of the tobacco material included in the aerosol generating rod may have an alkaline pH (e.g., pH 7.0 or higher). In this case, freebase nicotine can be released from the aerosol generating rod even at low temperatures. According to one embodiment, the aerosol generating rod may include two or more aerosol generating rods, wherein the two or more aerosol generating rods may each include tobacco material and / or non-tobacco material. Additionally, although not shown, at least one aerosol generating rod and at least one filter rod may be individually and / or integrally wrapped by at least one wrapping component. In this disclosure, the aerosol generating article may also be referred to as a stick.

[0141] The cartridges mentioned in this disclosure may contain an aerosol-generating substance in any of the following states: liquid, solid, gaseous, or gel. The aerosol-generating substance may include a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition may be a liquid containing tobacco-containing substances, including volatile tobacco flavor components, or the liquid composition may be a liquid containing non-tobacco substances. The cartridge may include a storage portion containing the aerosol-generating substance and / or a liquid delivery member impregnated with (containing) the aerosol-generating substance. For example, the liquid delivery member may include a wick such as cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or porous ceramic. The cartridge heater may be included in the cartridge in the form of a coil surrounding (or winding) the liquid delivery member or in a structure contacting one side of the liquid delivery member. Alternatively, the cartridge heater may also be included in an aerosol-generating device 1 that can be separated from the cartridge.

[0142] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0143] Reference Figure 2 The aerosol generating device 1 includes, in addition to the reference... Figure 1 In addition to the described components (e.g., power supply 130, radiating section 30, etc.), it may also include a first circuit board 1010, a second circuit board 1020, and a heat dissipation section 40. However, those skilled in the art will understand that, according to the design of the aerosol generating apparatus 1, these components may be omitted. Figure 2 Some of the constituent elements shown, or new constituent elements may be added.

[0144] The first circuit board 1010 may refer to a printed circuit board (PCB) on which circuit elements for controlling the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 1 are mounted. For example, the first circuit board 1010 may include reference... Figure 1 At least one of the configurations of the described control unit 10 (e.g., processor 170, etc.). Since the circuit elements mounted on the first circuit board 1010 do not handle high-frequency signals (e.g., signals with frequencies above 3 MHz), even if the first circuit board 1010 has limitations in terms of high-frequency characteristics, the first circuit board 1010 can preferably be an inexpensive and easy-to-handle PCB. In one example, the first circuit board 1010 may be an FR4 (Flame Retardant 4) PCB, but it is not necessarily limited to this.

[0145] The second circuit board 1020 may refer to a PCB on which circuit elements for generating and / or amplifying RF signals are mounted. For example, the second circuit board 1020 may include reference... Figure 1At least one of the components described in the source unit 20 (e.g., RF signal generation circuit 210, drive amplifier 220, power amplifier 230, etc.). Since the circuit elements mounted on the second circuit board 1020 process high-frequency signals (e.g., RF signals), it is preferable to use a PCB made of materials optimized for high-frequency and high-speed signal transmission. For example, the second circuit board 1020 may be made of a low-dielectric material to minimize signal loss at high frequencies. In addition, since a large amount of heat may be generated during the process of amplifying the RF signal, it is preferable that the second circuit board 1020 has better temperature stability than the first circuit board 1010. In one example, the second circuit board 1020 may be a Rogers PCB, but it is not limited thereto.

[0146] The second circuit board 1020 may be arranged spaced apart from the first circuit board 1010. Since the second circuit board 1020 is used to transmit the generated RF signal and / or amplified RF signal to the radiating section 30, the second circuit board 1020 may be arranged closer to the radiating section 30 than the first circuit board 1010. For example, when... Figure 2 When viewed in cross-sectional view from the front of the aerosol generating device 1, the second circuit board 1020 can be arranged above the first circuit board 1010 and spaced apart from the first circuit board 1010 along the same axis. The second circuit board 1020 can be physically separated from the first circuit board 1010, but can be electrically connected to the first circuit board 1010. The second circuit board 1020 can be electrically connected to the first circuit board 1010 through connecting components such as connectors, flexible PCBs, wiring, and cables.

[0147] As described above, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to this disclosure may include: a first circuit board 1010, on which circuit elements for controlling the overall operation of the aerosol generating apparatus 1 are mounted; and a second circuit board 1020, on which circuit elements for generating and / or amplifying RF signals are mounted. In other words, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 can appropriately allocate circuit elements corresponding to each function to circuit boards more suitable for implementing each function by distinguishing the circuit elements according to their functions and mounting them on different circuit boards. Therefore, the circuit elements used to achieve dielectric heating can operate more stably.

[0148] Meanwhile, if the power supply 130 is charged and / or discharged above a certain threshold temperature, it may not operate normally or its lifespan may be reduced. Therefore, it is preferable to prevent heat generated from the second circuit board 1020 from being transferred to the power supply 130 as much as possible during the generation and / or amplification of the RF signal. To this end, the second circuit board 1020 may be arranged so as not to overlap with the power supply 130 in any of the left-right, front-back, and up-down directions. Therefore, the distance between the heat source of the second circuit board 1020 and the power supply 130 can be increased, and the area where heat transfer occurs can be reduced, thereby minimizing the heat transferred to the power supply 130.

[0149] Additionally, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may include a heat dissipation section 40 for effectively releasing or dispersing heat generated from the second circuit board 1020, thereby minimizing heat transfer from the second circuit board 1020 to the power supply 130. The heat dissipation section 40 may be arranged to contact or be adjacent to at least one surface of the second circuit board 1020. Figure 2 As shown, the heat dissipation portion 40 can be arranged to be flush with the rear surface of the second circuit board 1020 (i.e., Figure 2 The surfaces facing to the left in the cross-sectional view are adjacent. At this time, circuit elements for generating and / or amplifying RF signals can be arranged on the front surface of the second circuit board 1020 (i.e., the surface facing left in the cross-sectional view). Figure 2 The surface facing to the right in the cross-sectional view). Therefore, from the circuit element (e.g., Figure 1 The heat generated by the drive amplifier 220 and / or power amplifier 230 can be transferred to the power supply 130 through the second circuit board 1020, thereby reducing heat transfer. However, due to Figure 2 This is merely an example; therefore, the heat dissipation portion 40 may be arranged on the front surface of the second circuit board 1020, or it may be arranged on both the front and rear surfaces of the second circuit board 1020. Additionally, the heat dissipation portion 40 may be in contact with or bonded to at least one surface of the second circuit board 1020.

[0150] The heat dissipation unit 40 may include at least one of a heat sink, a fan, and a heat pipe. The heat sink may include a highly thermally conductive material to absorb heat and have a relatively large surface area to effectively dissipate heat into the atmosphere. In examples, the heat sink may include, but is not limited to, graphite sheets. The heat sink may include a metallic material such as copper or aluminum, or may include fins or wing structures to increase the surface area. The fan can rapidly move heat through air circulation and promote heat exchange with the atmosphere. The heat pipe may have a structure in which a refrigerant is included within an external material, including at least one of a metallic material, a ceramic material, and a carbon material. When heat is applied to one end of the heat pipe, the refrigerant inside the heat pipe evaporates, causing heat energy to move to the other end of the heat pipe. The heat pipe can effectively dissipate heat. Due to the heat dissipation unit 40, stable operation of the power supply 130 can be ensured, and the lifespan of the power supply 130 can be increased.

[0151] Although Figure 2 Only the first circuit board 1010 and the second circuit board 1020 are shown in the diagram, but the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may also include other circuit boards. For example, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may also include modular PCBs and / or functional PCBs such as sensor PCBs, button PCBs (e.g., RGB-KEY PCBs), etc. The number of modular PCBs and / or functional PCBs included in the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may be determined appropriately according to the application. Reference will be made below. Figures 3 to 7 The first circuit board 1010 and the second circuit board 1020 are described in detail.

[0152] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing a surface of a first circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0153] Reference Figure 3 The reference is shown. Figure 1 An example of a charging circuit 120, a first power converter 140, a second power converter 150, a third power converter 160, and a processor 170 arranged on a first circuit board 1010. Figure 3 This is equivalent to an example describing a preferred arrangement method of circuit elements mounted on the first circuit board 1010. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that other examples not contradicting this arrangement method may also be included in various embodiments of this disclosure. Furthermore, although not explicitly stated... Figure 3 As shown in the image, but refer to... Figure 1 The power connector 110 described may also be arranged on the first circuit board 1010.

[0154] Within the first circuit board 1010, a digital region 310, which houses digital circuitry including a processor 170, and an analog region 320, which houses analog circuitry including at least one power conversion circuit (e.g., a first power converter 140, a second power converter 150, and a third power converter 160), are electrically and physically separable.

[0155] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, with the digital region 310 arranged on the underside of the first circuit board 1010, the analog region 320 can be arranged in the remaining region excluding the digital region 310, thus the digital region 310 and the analog region 320 can be physically separated. Furthermore, the digital region 310 and the analog region 320 may each include a ground terminal. For example, the first circuit board 1010 may each include a digital ground 3010 connected to the digital circuit and an analog ground 3020 connected to the analog circuit. Therefore, the digital region 310 and the analog region 320 can be electrically separated from each other.

[0156] Analog circuits, including at least one power conversion circuit, can process continuous signals and utilize relatively large voltages and / or currents. Digital circuits, including processor 170, can process discrete signals and utilize relatively small voltages and / or currents. As described above, since analog and digital circuits process signals with different characteristics, connecting them to a common ground may lead to performance degradation and signal interference due to noise. Therefore, it is preferable to separate digital ground 3010 and analog ground 3020 from each other to prevent noise and signal interference.

[0157] Digital ground 3010 and analog ground 3020 can be isolated from each other, but are electrically connected at only a single location via noise reduction element 3015. Therefore, digital ground 3010 and analog ground 3020 can provide a common reference potential while minimizing noise and signal interference. Noise reduction element 3015 may include at least one of a zero-ohm resistor and a ferrite bead. The ferrite bead, as a type of inductor, can block electromagnetic waves or remove or absorb high-frequency noise.

[0158] The charging circuit 120 is equivalent to a hybrid circuit operating in a combination of analog and digital circuitry. However, since the charging circuit 120 performs the function of controlling voltage and / or current, it is preferable that the charging circuit 120 be arranged in the analog region 320. Each of the first power converter 140, the second power converter 150, and the third power converter 160 can be arranged in a manner that excludes sides facing each other, in order to minimize the influence on each other (e.g., heat transfer, noise, etc.). For example, as Figure 3As shown, the first power converter 140, the second power converter 150 and the third power converter 160 may be arranged along a diagonal line passing through the center of the simulation region 320 so that they do not overlap with each other, but are not limited thereto.

[0159] Figure 3 This can be the front surface of the first circuit board 1010 (i.e., Figure 2 The diagram shows the surface facing to the right in a cross-sectional view. Since the power conversion circuit also generates heat during the power conversion process, the power conversion circuit can be arranged on the surface of the first circuit board 1010 that does not face the heat-sensitive power supply 130. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0160] The first circuit board 1010 can be a double-sided circuit board or a multilayer circuit board. When the first circuit board 1010 is a multilayer circuit board, in addition to the two side surfaces, the first circuit board 1010 may also include one or more inner layers (e.g., ground layers). When the first circuit board 1010 is a multilayer circuit board that includes at least one ground layer internally, digital ground 3010 and analog ground 3020 may also be formed in at least one ground layer. Referring below... Figure 4 This describes the case where the first circuit board 1010 is a multilayer circuit board.

[0161] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the ground layer of a first circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0162] Reference Figure 4 The image shows a ground layer 1012 inside the first circuit board 1010. Digital ground 4010 and analog ground 4020 may be arranged in physically separate regions within the ground layer 1012. For example, digital ground 4010 may be arranged in a digital region (e.g., where digital circuitry including a processor 170 is mounted on the front surface of the first circuit board 1010) adjacent to a digital region on which digital circuitry including a processor 170 is mounted. Figure 3 The analog ground 4020 may be arranged at a position corresponding to the digital area 310. Additionally, the analog ground 4020 may be arranged in the analog area (e.g., where an analog circuit including at least one power conversion circuit (e.g., a first power converter 140, a second power converter 150, and a third power converter 160) is mounted on the front surface of the first circuit board 1010. Figure 3 The position corresponding to the simulated region 320.

[0163] Digital circuits mounted on the front surface of the first circuit board 1010 can be connected to digital ground 4010 via connecting members such as vias. Similarly, analog circuits mounted on the front surface of the first circuit board 1010 can be connected to analog ground 4020 via connecting members such as vias. Therefore, digital and analog circuits can be electrically isolated from each other. Since a larger area for the grounding terminal is preferable, therefore... Figure 4 The shapes of digital ground 4010 and analog ground 4020 are shown in a very simplified manner. However, if a component sensitive to heat or noise generated from the ground terminal is arranged on at least one of the two surfaces of the first circuit board 1010, the ground terminal may not be formed at a location corresponding to (e.g., overlapping with) the area where the component is arranged. Additionally, it is preferable that the area of ​​analog ground 4020 is larger than the area of ​​digital ground 4010.

[0164] Digital ground 4010 and analog ground 4020 can be electrically connected to each other at a single location via noise reduction element 4015 to provide a common reference potential while minimizing noise and signal interference. Noise reduction element 4015 may include at least one of a zero-ohm resistor and a ferrite bead. The ferrite bead, as a type of inductor, can block electromagnetic waves or remove or absorb high-frequency noise.

[0165] Additionally, refer to Figure 3 An example of forming a ground terminal on the front surface of the first circuit board 1010 is described, and reference is made to... Figure 4 An example of forming a ground terminal in ground layer 1012 is described. However, the ground terminal may be formed on multiple surfaces and / or layers in both sides of the first circuit substrate 1010 and at least one ground layer. In this case, digital grounds (e.g., digital ground 3010 and digital ground 4010) formed on different layers or surfaces may be connected to each other, and analog grounds (e.g., analog ground 3020 and analog ground 4020) formed on different layers or surfaces may also be connected to each other. However, it is preferable that the connection between digital ground and analog ground is only in one of the multiple surfaces and / or layers by means of a noise reduction element (e.g., Figure 3 Noise reduction element 3015 or Figure 4 It is formed by the noise reduction element 4015.

[0166] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing a surface of a second circuit board according to one embodiment.

[0167] Reference Figure 5 The reference is shown. Figure 1 An example of an RF signal generation circuit 210, a drive amplifier 220, a power amplifier 230, and a temperature sensing circuit 250 arranged on a second circuit board 1020. Figure 5 This can be the front surface of the second circuit board 1020 (i.e., Figure 2 The cross-sectional view of the surface facing to the right. Figure 5 This is equivalent to an example describing a preferred arrangement method for circuit elements mounted on a second circuit board 1020. Therefore, those skilled in the art to which this embodiment relates will understand that other examples not contradicting this arrangement method may also be included in various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0168] Within the second circuit board 1020, a first region 510 housing an RF signal generation circuit 210 and a second region 520 housing at least one amplifier (e.g., a driver amplifier 220 and / or a power amplifier 230) can be physically separated. For example, as Figure 5 As shown, with the first region 510 arranged on the underside of the second circuit board 1020, the second region 520 can be arranged in the remaining region excluding the first region 510, so that the first region 510 and the second region 520 can be physically separated from each other. Since at least one amplifier may generate a lot of heat during the amplification of the RF signal, it is preferable to arrange the RF signal generation circuit 210 and the at least one amplifier as far apart as possible to ensure the stable operation of the RF signal generation circuit 210.

[0169] The RF signal generation circuit 210 and at least one amplifier can be arranged near two opposite edges or corners of the second circuit board 1020, respectively, with reference to the center of the second circuit board 1020. For example, as Figure 5 As shown, the RF signal generation circuit 210 can be arranged closer to the lower left corner of the second circuit board 1020, while the power amplifier 230 can be arranged closer to the upper right corner of the second circuit board 1020. Here, arranging circuit elements close to the edge or corner may mean that the distance between the circuit element and the edge or corner is shorter than the distance between the circuit element and the center of the second circuit board 1020, but it is not necessarily limited to this.

[0170] The second circuit board 1020 may include a first ground 5010 connected to the RF signal generation circuit 210 and a second ground 5020 arranged separately from the first ground 5010 and connected to at least one amplifier. Although both the RF signal generation circuit 210 and the at least one amplifier correspond to analog circuits, given that the power (e.g., voltage and / or current) used by the at least one amplifier is much greater than that used by the RF signal generation circuit 210, it is preferable that the first ground 5010 connected to the RF signal generation circuit 210 and the second ground 5020 connected to the at least one amplifier be separated to ensure stable operation of the RF signal generation circuit 210. The first ground 5010 and the second ground 5020 may be electrically connected at a single location via a noise reduction element 5015. The noise reduction element 5015 may include at least one of a zero-ohm resistor and a ferrite bead. The ferrite bead, as a type of inductor, can block electromagnetic waves or remove or absorb high-frequency noise.

[0171] Temperature sensing circuit 250 can be arranged adjacent to power amplifier 230. Temperature sensing circuit 250 can be used to prevent the second circuit board 1020 from overheating. The second circuit board 1020 receives the most heat from power amplifier 230. Therefore, temperature sensing circuit 250 can be arranged as close as possible to power amplifier 230 to sensitively measure temperature changes in the second circuit board 1020. Processor (e.g., Figure 1 or Figure 3 The processor 170 can stop the operation of at least one of the RF signal generation circuit 210 and at least one amplifier in response to a determination that the temperature measured by the temperature sensing circuit 250 exceeds a preset threshold. Therefore, overheating of the second circuit board 1020 can be prevented.

[0172] The second circuit board 1020 can be a double-sided circuit board or a multilayer circuit board. When the second circuit board 1020 is a multilayer circuit board, in addition to the two side surfaces, the second circuit board 1020 may also include one or more inner layers (e.g., ground layers). When the second circuit board 1020 is a multilayer circuit board that includes at least one ground layer internally, the first ground 5010 and the second ground 5020 may also be formed in at least one ground layer. Referring below... Figure 6 The following describes the case where the second circuit board 1020 is a multilayer circuit board.

[0173] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the ground layer of the second circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0174] Reference Figure 6 The diagram shows a ground layer 1022 inside the second circuit board 1020. The first ground 6010 and the second ground 6020 can be arranged in physically separate regions within the ground layer 1022. For example, the first ground 6010 can be arranged at a position corresponding to a first region 510 on the front surface of the second circuit board 1020 where an RF signal generation circuit 210 is mounted. Conversely, the second ground 6020 can be arranged at a position corresponding to a second region 520 on the front surface of the second circuit board 1020 where at least one amplifier (e.g., a driver amplifier 220 and / or a power amplifier 230) is mounted.

[0175] The RF signal generation circuit 210 mounted on the front surface of the second circuit board 1020 can be connected to the first ground 6010 via a connecting member such as a via. Additionally, at least one amplifier mounted on the front surface of the second circuit board 1020 can be connected to the second ground 6020 via a connecting member such as a via. Therefore, the first ground 6010 to which the RF signal generation circuit 210 is connected and the second ground 6020 to which at least one amplifier is connected can be separated. Since a larger area of ​​the ground terminal is preferable, therefore... Figure 6The shapes of the first ground 6010 and the second ground 6020 are shown in a very simplified manner. However, if an element sensitive to heat or noise generated from the ground terminal is disposed on at least one of the two surfaces of the second circuit board 1020, the ground terminal may not be formed at a position corresponding to (e.g., overlapping with) the area where the element is disposed. Additionally, it is preferable that the area of ​​the second ground 6020 is larger than the area of ​​the first ground 6010.

[0176] The first ground 6010 and the second ground 6020 can be electrically connected to each other at a single location via a noise reduction element 6015 to provide a common reference potential while minimizing noise and signal interference. The noise reduction element 6015 may include at least one of a zero-ohm resistor and a ferrite bead. The ferrite bead, as a type of inductor, can block electromagnetic waves or remove or absorb high-frequency noise.

[0177] Additionally, refer to Figure 5 An example of forming a ground terminal on the front surface of the second circuit board 1020 is described, and reference is made to... Figure 6 An example of forming a ground terminal in ground layer 1022 is described. However, ground terminals may be formed on both sides of the second circuit substrate 1020 and on multiple surfaces and / or layers in at least one ground layer. In this case, first grounds (e.g., first ground 5010 and first ground 6010) formed on different layers or surfaces may be connected to each other, and second grounds (e.g., second ground 5020 and second ground 6020) formed on different layers or surfaces may be connected to each other. However, it may be preferable that the connection between the first ground and the second ground may be formed only on one of the multiple surfaces and / or layers by means of a noise reduction element (e.g., noise reduction element 5015 or noise reduction element 6015).

[0178] Figure 7 This is a diagram used to describe the arrangement of a directional coupler according to one embodiment.

[0179] Reference Figure 7 The second circuit board 1020 may also include a directional coupler 240, which connects the amplified RF signal to the radiating element (e.g., Figure 1 or Figure 2 The reflected electromagnetic waves radiated by the radiating section 30 are separated from the reflected electromagnetic waves reflected from the insertion space and received separately. In order for the directional coupler 240 to accurately detect the reflected electromagnetic waves corresponding to relatively small signals, the directional coupler 240 is preferably arranged as far away as possible from at least one amplifier (e.g., drive amplifier 220 and / or power amplifier 230) that outputs relatively large signals.

[0180] The directional coupler 240 and at least one amplifier may be arranged in regions defined by a vertical line VL passing through the center CP of the second circuit board 1020. For example, as Figure 7 As shown, with the directional coupler 240 arranged in the left region, the drive amplifier 220 and / or the power amplifier 230 may be arranged in the right region. However, but not necessarily limited to this, the directional coupler 240 and at least one amplifier may be arranged in regions separated by a horizontal line (not shown) passing through the center CP of the second circuit board 1020.

[0181] Additionally, the directional coupler 240 and at least one amplifier may be arranged near two edges or corners of the second circuit board 1020 that face each other with reference to the center CP of the second circuit board 1020. For example, as Figure 7 As shown, the directional coupler 240 may be arranged near the left edge of the second circuit board 1020, and conversely, the drive amplifier 220 and / or the power amplifier 230 may be arranged near the right edge of the second circuit board 1020. Here, arranging circuit elements near an edge or corner may mean that the distance between the circuit element and the edge or corner is shorter than the distance between the circuit element and the center of the second circuit board 1020, but it is not necessarily limited to this.

[0182] According to one embodiment, the directional coupler 240 and at least one amplifier may be arranged on different surfaces of the second circuit board 1020. For example, if at least one amplifier is arranged on the front surface of the second circuit board 1020, the directional coupler 240 may be arranged on the rear surface of the second circuit board 1020. In this case, the directional coupler 240 and at least one amplifier may be arranged so that they do not overlap when viewed from either the front or rear surface of the second circuit board 1020. Even in the example where the directional coupler 240 and at least one amplifier are arranged on different surfaces of the second circuit board 1020, the directional coupler 240 may be arranged as far away from the at least one amplifier as possible.

[0183] For reference Figures 3 to 7 As described in the aerosol generating apparatus 1 of this disclosure, circuit elements mounted on the same circuit board can be arranged in an appropriate manner considering their respective operating conditions and / or operating characteristics. Therefore, stable operation of the circuit elements that achieve dielectric heating can be ensured.

[0184] Figure 8 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating apparatus according to another embodiment.

[0185] Reference Figure 8 The aerosol generating device 1 includes, in addition to the reference... Figure 1In addition to the described components (e.g., power supply 130, radiating section 30, etc.), the device may also include a first circuit board 1010, a second circuit board 1020, and a heat dissipation section 40. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that, according to the design of the aerosol generating apparatus 1, these components may be omitted. Figure 8 This can be a subset of the components shown, or new components can be added.

[0186] The first circuit board 1010 may refer to a printed circuit board (PCB) on which circuit elements for controlling the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 1 are mounted. For example, the first circuit board 1010 may include reference... Figure 1 At least one of the components of the described control unit 10 (e.g., processor 170, etc.). Since the first circuit board 1010 needs to mount most of the circuit elements included in the aerosol generating apparatus 1, the first circuit board 1010 is preferably an inexpensive and easy-to-manufacture PCB. In one example, the first circuit board 1010 can be a flame retardant 4 (FR4) PCB, but it is not necessarily limited to this.

[0187] Since the first circuit board 1010 is relatively inexpensive but has limited high-frequency performance, it is preferable that circuit elements that do not process high-frequency signals (e.g., signals with frequencies of 3 MHz or higher) can be mounted on the first circuit board 1010. However, even if a circuit element processes high-frequency signals, it can be mounted on the first circuit board 1010 as long as the circuit element ensures normal operation on the first circuit board 1010 or does not negatively affect other circuit elements. For example, refer to... Figure 1 The described RF signal generation circuit 210 generates a high-frequency signal but only outputs low power, so the RF signal generation circuit 210 can be mounted on the first circuit board 1010.

[0188] The second circuit board 1020 may refer to a PCB on which circuit elements for amplifying RF signals are mounted. For example, the second circuit board 1020 may include reference... Figure 1At least one amplifier (e.g., driver amplifier 220, power amplifier 230, etc.) is described in the components of the source section 20. Since the circuit elements mounted on the second circuit board 1020 handle high-frequency signals and / or high-power signals, the second circuit board 1020 is preferably a PCB made of materials optimized for high-frequency and high-speed signal transmission. For example, the second circuit board 1020 may be made of a low-dielectric material to minimize signal loss at high frequencies. Furthermore, since a significant amount of heat may be generated during RF signal amplification, the second circuit board 1020 is preferably designed to have better temperature stability than the first circuit board 1010. In one example, the second circuit board 1020 may be a Rogers PCB, but it is not necessarily limited to this.

[0189] As described above, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to this disclosure can ensure the normal operation of each circuit element without significantly increasing manufacturing costs by distinguishing the circuit elements according to operating conditions and / or operating characteristics and mounting the circuit elements on different circuit boards.

[0190] The second circuit board 1020 can be directly mounted on the surface of the first circuit board 1010. As described above, the aerosol generation apparatus 1 according to the present disclosure can utilize surface mount technology (SMT) to directly mount another circuit board on the surface of one circuit board, thereby achieving miniaturization of the overall circuit board portion while achieving mass production and low cost through automated assembly processes.

[0191] Meanwhile, if the power supply 130 is charged and / or discharged above a certain threshold temperature, it may fail to operate normally or its lifespan may be reduced. Therefore, it is preferable to prevent heat generated from the second circuit board 1020 from being transferred to the power supply 130 as much as possible during the amplification of the RF signal. To this end, the second circuit board 1020 may be arranged so that it does not overlap with the power supply 130 in any of the left-right, front-back, and up-down directions.

[0192] In one example, the power supply 130 and the first circuit board 1010 may be arranged parallel to each other, and the first circuit board 1010 may include a portion extending beyond one end of the power supply 130. A second circuit board 1020 may be mounted on the surface of this extension. Additionally, the second circuit board 1020 may be mounted on one of the side surfaces of the first circuit board 1010 that does not face the power supply 130. Therefore, as the distance between the location of heat generation on the second circuit board 1020 and the power supply 130 increases and the area of ​​heat transfer decreases, the heat transferred to the power supply 130 can be minimized.

[0193] Additionally, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may include a heat dissipation section 40 for effectively releasing or dispersing heat generated from the second circuit board 1020, thereby minimizing heat transfer from the second circuit board 1020 to the power supply 130. The heat dissipation section 40 may be arranged to contact or be adjacent to at least one surface of the second circuit board 1020. Figure 8 As shown, the heat sink 40 can be arranged adjacent to the portion of the second circuit board 1020 mounted on the rear surface of the first circuit board 1010. Circuit elements for amplifying RF signals can be arranged on the front surface of the second circuit board 1020 (i.e., Figure 8 The surface facing to the right in the cross-sectional view). Therefore, from the circuit element (e.g., Figure 1 The heat generated by the drive amplifier 220 and / or power amplifier 230 can be transferred to the power supply 130 through the first circuit board 1010, the second circuit board 1020 and / or the heat sink 40, thus reducing heat transfer. However, due to Figure 8 This is merely an example; therefore, the heat dissipation portion 40 may be arranged to contact or be adjacent to the front surface of the second circuit board 1020, or it may be arranged to be adjacent to both the front and rear surfaces of the second circuit board 1020.

[0194] The heat dissipation unit 40 may include at least one of a heat sink, a fan, and a heat pipe. The heat sink may include a highly thermally conductive material to absorb heat and have a relatively large surface area to effectively dissipate heat into the atmosphere. In the example, the heat sink may be, but is not limited to, a graphite sheet. The heat sink may include a metallic material such as copper or aluminum, or may include fins or wing structures to increase the surface area. The fan can rapidly move heat through air circulation and promote heat exchange with the atmosphere. The heat pipe may have a structure in which a refrigerant is included within an external material, including at least one of a metallic material, a ceramic material, and a carbon material. When heat is applied to one end of the heat pipe, the refrigerant inside the heat pipe evaporates, causing heat energy to move to the other end of the heat pipe. The heat pipe can effectively dissipate heat. Due to the heat dissipation unit 40, stable operation of the power supply 130 can be ensured, and the lifespan of the power supply 130 can be increased.

[0195] In addition, although Figure 8 Only the first circuit board 1010 and the second circuit board 1020 are shown in the diagram, but the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may also include other circuit boards. For example, the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may also include modular PCBs and / or functional PCBs such as sensor PCBs, button PCBs (e.g., RGB-KEY PCBs), etc. The number of modular PCBs and / or functional PCBs included in the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may be determined appropriately according to the application. See below for reference. Figures 9 to 12 The first circuit board 1010 and the second circuit board 1020 are described in detail.

[0196] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing a surface of each of a first circuit board and a second circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0197] Reference Figure 9 It is shown that a reference is mounted on the first circuit board 1010. Figure 1 The described charging circuit 120, first power converter 140, second power converter 150, third power converter 160, processor 170, and RF signal generation circuit 210 are mounted on the second circuit board 1020. Figure 1 An example of the described drive amplifier 220, power amplifier 230, directional coupler 240, and temperature sensing circuit 250. Figure 9 This is equivalent to an example describing a preferred arrangement method of circuit elements mounted on the first circuit board 1010 and the second circuit board 1020. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that other examples not contradicting this arrangement method may also be included in various embodiments of this disclosure. Furthermore, although not explicitly stated... Figure 9 As shown in the image, but refer to... Figure 1 The power connector 110 described may also be arranged on the first circuit board 1010.

[0198] Within the first circuit board 1010, a first region 910 containing digital circuitry including a processor 170 and a second region 920 containing analog circuitry including at least one power conversion circuit (e.g., a first power converter 140, a second power converter 150, and a third power converter 160) are electrically and physically separable.

[0199] For example, such as Figure 9 As shown, when the second circuit board 1020 is mounted on the upper side of the first circuit board 1010 and the first region 910 is arranged on the lower side of the first circuit board 1010, the second region 920 can be arranged in the remaining region other than the region where the second circuit board 1020 is mounted and the first region 910, thus the first region 910 and the second region 920 can be physically separated. Furthermore, the first region 910 and the second region 920 may each include a ground terminal. For example, the first circuit board 1010 may include: a first ground 9010, connected to the circuit elements arranged in the first region 910; and a second ground 9020, connected to the circuit elements arranged in the second region 920. Therefore, the circuit elements arranged in the first region 910 and the circuit elements arranged in the second region 920 can be electrically isolated from each other.

[0200] Analog circuits, including at least one power conversion circuit, can process continuous signals and utilize relatively large voltages and / or currents. Digital circuits, including processor 170, can process discrete signals and utilize relatively small voltages and / or currents. As described above, since analog and digital circuits process signals with different characteristics, connecting them to a common ground may lead to performance degradation and signal interference due to noise. Therefore, it is preferable to separate digital ground 9010 and analog ground 9020 from each other to prevent noise and signal interference.

[0201] The first ground 9010 and the second ground 9020 can be separated from each other, but are electrically connected to each other at only a single location via the noise reduction element 9015. Therefore, the first ground 9010 and the second ground 9020 can provide a common reference potential while minimizing the occurrence of noise and signal interference. The noise reduction element 9015 may include at least one of a zero-ohm resistor and a ferrite bead. A ferrite bead, as a type of inductor, is an inductor that blocks electromagnetic waves or removes or absorbs high-frequency noise.

[0202] Furthermore, the RF signal generation circuit 210 is equivalent to an analog circuit, but compared to a power conversion circuit, the RF signal generation circuit 210 handles relatively small amounts of power. Therefore, it is preferable that the RF signal generation circuit 210 is arranged in the first region 910. Also, the charging circuit 120 is equivalent to a hybrid circuit operating in a combination of analog and digital circuitry. However, since the charging circuit 120 performs the function of controlling voltage and / or current, it is more preferable that the charging circuit 120 is arranged in the second region 920. Therefore, the RF signal generation circuit 210 can be connected to the first ground 9010, and the charging circuit 120 can be connected to the second ground 9020.

[0203] Each of the first power converter 140, the second power converter 150, and the third power converter 160 may be arranged in a manner that excludes facing side surfaces to minimize their influence on each other (e.g., heat transfer, noise, etc.). For example, as Figure 9 As shown, the first power converter 140, the second power converter 150 and the third power converter 160 may be arranged along a diagonal line passing through the center of the second region 920 so that they do not overlap with each other, but are not limited thereto.

[0204] in addition, Figure 9 This can be the front surface of the first circuit board 1010 (i.e., Figure 8 The diagram shows the surface facing to the right in a cross-sectional view. Since the power conversion circuit may generate a certain amount of heat during the power conversion process, the power conversion circuit can be arranged on the surface of the first circuit board 1010 that does not face the heat-sensitive power supply 130. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0205] The second circuit board 1020 may include a third ground 9030 connected to at least one amplifier (e.g., driver amplifier 220 and / or power amplifier 230). The third ground 9030 may be directly connected to the second ground 9020, but it can also be connected to the first ground 9010 via a noise reduction element (e.g., noise reduction element 9015). Direct connection between the third ground 9030 and the second ground 9020 can mean that they are connected to each other without using a noise reduction element. Since the second ground 9020 and the third ground 9030 are directly connected to each other, they can be considered as the same ground terminal. The second ground 9020 and the third ground 9030 can only be electrically connected to the first ground 9010 via the noise reduction element 9015.

[0206] The second circuit board 1020 may further include a directional coupler 240, which can separate the amplified RF signal from the radiating part (e.g., Figure 1 and Figure 8 The radiating section 30) receives reflected electromagnetic waves after they are radiated from the insertion space. In order for the directional coupler 240 to accurately detect reflected electromagnetic waves corresponding to relatively small signals, the directional coupler 240 is preferably arranged as far away as possible from at least one amplifier that outputs relatively large signals.

[0207] The directional coupler 240 and at least one amplifier may be arranged near two edges or corners of the second circuit board 1020, facing each other with reference to the center of the second circuit board 1020. For example, as Figure 9 As shown, the directional coupler 240 may be arranged near the left edge of the second circuit board 1020, and conversely, the drive amplifier 220 and / or the power amplifier 230 may be arranged near the right edge of the second circuit board 1020. Here, arranging circuit elements near an edge or corner may mean that the distance between the circuit element and the edge or corner is shorter than the distance between the circuit element and the center of the second circuit board 1020, but it is not necessarily limited to this.

[0208] The temperature sensing circuit 250 can be arranged adjacent to the power amplifier 230. The temperature sensing circuit 250 can be used to prevent the second circuit board 1020 from overheating. The second circuit board 1020 generates the most heat. Therefore, the temperature sensing circuit 250 can be arranged as close as possible to the power amplifier 230 to sensitively measure temperature changes in the second circuit board 1020. The processor 170 can stop the operation of at least one of the RF signal generation circuit 210 and at least one amplifier in response to determining that the temperature measured by the temperature sensing circuit 250 exceeds a preset threshold. Therefore, overheating of the second circuit board 1020 can be prevented.

[0209] The first circuit board 1010 and / or the second circuit board 1020 can be double-sided circuit boards or multilayer circuit boards. When the first circuit board 1010 and / or the second circuit board 1020 are multilayer circuit boards, in addition to the two side surfaces, the first circuit board 1010 and / or the second circuit board 1020 may also include one or more inner layers (e.g., ground layers). When the first circuit board 1010 and / or the second circuit board 1020 are multilayer circuit boards that include at least one ground layer internally, the first ground 9010, the second ground 9020, and / or the third ground 9030 may also be formed in at least one ground layer. (Refer to...) Figure 10 and Figure 11 A description will be given of the case where the first circuit board 1010 and / or the second circuit board 1020 are multilayer circuit boards.

[0210] Figure 10 This is a diagram showing the ground layer of a first circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0211] Reference Figure 10 The diagram shows a ground layer 1012 inside a first circuit board 1010. A first ground 10010 and a second ground 10020 may be arranged in physically separated regions within the ground layer 1012. For example, the first ground 10010 may be arranged in a region adjacent to the area on the front surface of the first circuit board 1010 where digital circuitry including a processor 170 is mounted (e.g., ...). Figure 9 The second ground 10020 may be arranged in the region corresponding to the first region 910 on the front surface of the first circuit board 1010, where an analog circuit including at least one power conversion circuit (e.g., first power converter 140, second power converter 150, and third power converter 160) is mounted. Figure 9 The second region 920) and / or the position corresponding to the region on which the second circuit board 1020 is mounted.

[0212] Circuit elements mounted on the front surface of the first circuit board 1010 can be connected to the first ground 10010 or the second ground 10020 via connecting members such as vias. For example, the processor 170 and the RF signal generation circuit 210 can be connected to the first ground 10010, and the charging circuit 120, the first power converter 140, the second power converter 150, and the third power converter 160 can be connected to the second ground 10020. In one example, the drive amplifier 220, the power amplifier 230, and the temperature sensing circuit 250 mounted on the second circuit board 1020 can also be connected to the second ground 10020.

[0213] At the same time, since the larger the land area, the better, therefore... Figure 10The shapes of the first ground 10010 and the second ground 10020 are shown in a very simplified manner. However, if an element sensitive to heat or noise generated from the ground terminal is disposed on at least one of the two side surfaces of the first circuit board 1010 and / or the second circuit board 1020, the ground terminal may not be formed at a position corresponding to (e.g., overlapping with) the area where the element is disposed. Additionally, it is preferable that the area of ​​the second ground 10020 is larger than the area of ​​the first ground 10010.

[0214] The first ground 10010 and the second ground 10020 can be electrically connected to each other at only a single location via a noise reduction element 10015 to provide a common reference potential while minimizing the occurrence of noise and signal interference. The noise reduction element 10015 may include at least one of a zero-ohm resistor and a ferrite bead. The ferrite bead, as a type of inductor, can block electromagnetic waves or remove or absorb high-frequency noise.

[0215] Figure 11 This is a diagram showing the ground layer of a second circuit board according to an embodiment.

[0216] Reference Figure 11 The diagram shows a ground layer 1022 inside the second circuit board 1020. A third ground 11030 may be formed in the ground layer 1022. The third ground 11030 may be arranged at a location corresponding to an area on the front surface of the second circuit board 1020 where at least one amplifier (e.g., a driver amplifier 220 and / or a power amplifier 230) is mounted.

[0217] At least one amplifier mounted on the front surface of the second circuit board 1020 can be connected to the third ground 11030 via a connecting member such as a via. Therefore, it is connected to the RF signal generation circuit (e.g., Figure 1 and Figure 9 The first ground of the RF signal generation circuit 210 (e.g., Figure 9 First place 9010 or Figure 10 The first ground 10010 and the third ground 11030 connected to at least one amplifier are separable. Although both the RF signal generation circuit and the at least one amplifier correspond to analog circuits, considering that the at least one amplifier uses much more power (e.g., voltage and / or current) than the RF signal generation circuit, to ensure stable operation of the RF signal generation circuit, it is preferable that the first ground connected to the RF signal generation circuit and the third ground 11030 connected to the at least one amplifier are separable. The first ground and the third ground 11030 can be separated by noise reduction elements (e.g., Figure 9 Noise reduction element 9015 or Figure 10The noise reduction elements (10015) are electrically connected to each other at a single location. The noise reduction elements may include at least one of a zero-ohm resistor and a ferrite bead. The ferrite bead, as a type of inductor, can block electromagnetic waves or remove or absorb high-frequency noise.

[0218] At the same time, since the larger the area of ​​the grounding terminal, the better, therefore... Figure 11 The shape of the third ground 11030 is shown in a very simplified manner, but in the case where at least one of the two side surfaces of the second circuit board 1020 is arranged with an element that is sensitive to heat or noise generated from the ground terminal, the node segment may not be formed in a position corresponding to (e.g., overlapping) the area where the element is arranged.

[0219] Additionally, refer to Figure 9 An example is described in which a ground terminal is formed on the front surface of the first circuit board 1010 and the second circuit board 1020, with reference to Figure 10 An example is described where a ground terminal is formed on the ground layer 1012 of the first circuit board 1010, and reference is made to... Figure 11 An example is described where a ground terminal is formed on the ground layer 1022 of the second circuit substrate 1020. However, the ground terminal may be formed on multiple surfaces and / or layers, including both sides of the first circuit substrate 1010 and / or the second circuit substrate 1020 and at least one ground layer. In this case, the first grounds (e.g., first ground 9010 and first ground 10010) formed on different layers or surfaces may be connected to each other, and the second and / or third grounds (e.g., second ground 9020, third ground 9030, second ground 10020 and third ground 11030) formed on different layers or surfaces may be connected to each other. However, it is preferable that the connection between the first ground and the second and / or third ground is only in one of the multiple surfaces and / or layers by means of a noise reduction element (e.g., Figure 9 Noise reduction element 9015 or Figure 10 It is formed by noise reduction element 10015.

[0220] Figure 12 This is a diagram used to describe a shielding portion according to one embodiment.

[0221] Reference Figure 12 The second circuit board 1020 may include a shield 60 arranged to surround at least one amplifier (e.g., a driver amplifier 220 and / or a power amplifier 230) on the second circuit board 1020. The shield 60 protects circuit elements sensitive to electromagnetic interference (EMI) by preventing electromagnetic waves generated from the at least one amplifier from being emitted to the outside.

[0222] The shielding portion 60 may include at least one of a metal shielding cover (or cap), a shielding plate, and EMI shielding foam. The metal shielding cover (or cap), as a metal cap (or cap) surrounding the circuit element, may be made of a metal such as aluminum, copper, or iron. The metal shielding cover (or cap) may be designed to cover the upper end of at least one amplifier and surround its sides. The shielding plate may have a planar structure disposed on the second circuit board 1020 and covering at least one amplifier. The EMI shielding foam may be a conductive foam and softly and gently wrap around at least one amplifier. The shielding portion 60 may be connected to a third ground 9030 to enhance the shielding effect and improve the stability of the entire circuit board.

[0223] For reference Figures 9 to 12 As described, in the aerosol generating apparatus 1 according to this disclosure, circuit elements mounted on the same circuit board can be arranged in an appropriate manner considering their respective operating conditions and / or operating characteristics. Therefore, stable operation of the circuit elements that achieve dielectric heating can be ensured.

[0224] The embodiments or other embodiments of this disclosure described above are not exclusive or different from each other. In the embodiments or other embodiments of this disclosure described above, various components or functions may be used in combination with each other.

[0225] For example, component A, described in a particular embodiment and / or figure, and component B, described in another embodiment and / or figure, can be combined with each other. In other words, connections can be made even when the connection between components is not directly described, unless the connection is described as infeasible.

[0226] The above description should not be construed as limiting in all respects, but should be considered illustrative. The scope of this disclosure should be determined by a logical interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of this disclosure are included within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating apparatus, comprising: power supply; The first circuit board has a processor mounted on it; A second circuit board is arranged to be spaced apart from the first circuit board, and a radio frequency signal generation circuit and at least one amplifier are mounted on the second circuit board. The radio frequency signal generation circuit is used to generate a radio frequency signal using power supplied from the power source, and the at least one amplifier is used to amplify the generated radio frequency signal. as well as The radiating section radiates the amplified radio frequency signal in the form of electromagnetic waves into the insertion space where the aerosol generating article is inserted, thereby heating the aerosol generating article. The processor is configured to control the radio frequency signal generation circuit and the at least one amplifier.

2. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, Within the second circuit board, a first region where the radio frequency signal generation circuit is mounted and a second region where the at least one amplifier is mounted are physically separated.

3. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The radio frequency signal generation circuit and the at least one amplifier are arranged to be located near two opposite edges or corners of the second circuit board, with reference to the center of the second circuit board.

4. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The second circuit board includes a first ground connected to the radio frequency signal generation circuit and a second ground arranged separately from the first ground and connected to the at least one amplifier. The first and second locations are electrically connected at a single point via noise reduction elements.

5. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The noise reduction element includes at least one of a zero-ohm resistor and a magnetic bead.

6. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, In the case where the second circuit board is a multilayer circuit board that includes at least one ground layer inside, the first ground and the second ground are respectively arranged in physically separated areas within the at least one ground layer.

7. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one amplifier includes: A driver amplifier is used to amplify the level of the generated radio frequency signal; and, A power amplifier for amplifying the power of the radio frequency signal received from the drive amplifier.

8. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: The temperature sensing circuit is mounted on the second circuit board. The temperature sensing circuit is arranged adjacent to the power amplifier.

9. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, The processor stops the operation of at least one of the radio frequency signal generation circuit and the at least one amplifier in response to determining that the temperature measured by the temperature sensing circuit exceeds a preset threshold.

10. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: The heat dissipation section is used to effectively release or disperse the heat generated from the second circuit board in order to minimize the transfer of heat generated from the second circuit board to the power supply.

11. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, The second circuit board is arranged so that it does not overlap with the power supply in any direction—left-right, front-back, or up-down—and The heat dissipation portion is arranged to be in contact with or adjacent to at least one surface of the second circuit board.

12. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A directional coupler separates and receives the amplified radio frequency signal and the reflected electromagnetic wave radiated by the radiating element and reflected from the insertion space.

13. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The directional coupler and the at least one amplifier are arranged close to two opposite edges or corners of the second circuit board, with reference to the center of the second circuit board.

14. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The directional coupler and the at least one amplifier are arranged on different surfaces of the second circuit board.

15. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: At least one power conversion circuit is mounted on the first circuit board and is used to convert the power supplied from the power source into power suitable for each of the processor, the radio frequency signal generation circuit, and the at least one amplifier. Within the first circuit board, the area where the digital circuitry including the processor is mounted and the area where the analog circuitry including the at least one power conversion circuit is mounted are electrically and physically separated.

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