Aerosol generating device and method for controlling an aerosol generating device

Abstract

The aerosol generating device and the method for controlling the aerosol generating device include, when a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device, using a heater assembly to heat the cigarette for aerosol generation during a pre-heating section and a smoking section following the pre-heating section, detecting the temperature of the heater assembly during the pre-heating section and the smoking section using a temperature sensor, identifying the cigarette type of the cigarette based on the trend of temperature change detected within a predetermined temperature range in the pre-heating section using a control unit, and controlling heating of the heater assembly during the smoking section according to a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device and a method for controlling an aerosol generating device, and more particularly to determining the type of cigarette inserted into the aerosol generating device and controlling the heating of a heater with a temperature profile corresponding to the type of cigarette inserted. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing demand for alternative methods to overcome the shortcomings of conventional cigarettes. For example, there has been an increasing demand for methods that generate aerosol by heating an aerosol-generating material, rather than by burning a cigarette. Accordingly, research into heated aerosol generators has been actively conducted. Meanwhile, in order to provide users with a more suitable smoking experience, research is being conducted into various methods for controlling heater heating optimized by the cigarette inserted into the aerosol generator. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] The technical problem of the present invention is to provide an aerosol generator and a method for controlling an aerosol generator that determine the type of cigarette inserted into the aerosol generator and control heating of the heater with a temperature profile corresponding to the type of cigarette inserted, in order to solve the problem that, when a heater is controlled with a single temperature profile without taking the type of cigarette into consideration, heating is not optimized depending on the type of cigarette, and a user may experience an unsatisfactory smoking experience. The technical problem of the present invention is not limited to the above, and further technical problems can be inferred from the following embodiments. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] According to one aspect, the aerosol generating device includes: a heater assembly that, when a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device, heats the cigarette for generating aerosol during a pre-heating section and a smoking section following the pre-heating section; a temperature sensor that senses the temperature of the heater assembly in the pre-heating section and the smoking section; and a control unit that identifies the cigarette type of the cigarette based on a trend of temperature change sensed within a predetermined temperature range in the pre-heating section, and controls heating of the heater assembly during the smoking section using a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type.

[0005] According to another aspect, a method for controlling an aerosol generating device includes controlling preheating of a heater assembly in a preheating section when a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device; sensing the temperature of the heater assembly within a predetermined temperature range in the preheating section; identifying the cigarette type of the cigarette based on the trend of the sensed temperature change within the predetermined temperature range; and controlling heating of the heater assembly during a smoking section using a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] As described above, the aerosol generating device can identify the cigarette type without any separate user input and control the heating of the heater assembly according to a temperature profile in which a target temperature customized for each cigarette type is set, thereby providing the user with an optimized smoking experience for each cigarette type. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1A] 1 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generation system according to one embodiment. [Figure 1B] 1 is a diagram showing an aerosol generating system according to another embodiment. [Figure 2A] 1 is a diagram illustrating different types of cigarettes according to an embodiment. [Figure 2B]1 is a diagram illustrating different types of cigarettes according to an embodiment. [Figure 2C] 1 is a diagram illustrating different types of cigarettes according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a diagram illustrating a temperature profile for controlling heating of a heater assembly according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a diagram illustrating a method for identifying a cigarette type within a predetermined temperature range in a preheating section according to an embodiment; [Figure 6] 10 is a diagram illustrating a method for calculating a gradient value corresponding to a temperature change tendency within a predetermined temperature range in a preheating section according to an embodiment; [Figure 7] 10 is a diagram illustrating that different cigarette types have different gradient values ​​within a predetermined temperature range in a preheating section, according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a diagram illustrating a method for identifying a cigarette type using a gradient value corresponding to a temperature change trend according to an embodiment; [Figure 9] 10 is a diagram illustrating controlling heating of a heater assembly during a smoking interval using a temperature profile corresponding to an identified cigarette type, according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] 1 is a detailed flowchart of a method for controlling an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 11] 1 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] According to one aspect, the aerosol generating device includes: a heater assembly that, when a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device, heats the cigarette for generating aerosol during a pre-heating section and a smoking section following the pre-heating section; a temperature sensor that senses the temperature of the heater assembly in the pre-heating section and the smoking section; and a control unit that identifies the cigarette type of the cigarette based on a trend of temperature change sensed within a predetermined temperature range in the pre-heating section, and controls heating of the heater assembly during the smoking section using a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type.

[0009] The terms used in the embodiments are currently commonly used terms, and have been selected as much as possible while taking into consideration the functions of the present embodiment. However, this may vary depending on the intentions of engineers in the field, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, in certain cases, the applicant may arbitrarily select terms, and in such cases, the meanings thereof will be described in detail in the relevant description. Therefore, the terms used in the present embodiment should be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present embodiment, rather than simply the names of the terms.

[0010] Throughout the specification, when a part "includes" a certain component, it does not mean that it excludes other components and may further include other components, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, terms such as "... unit" and "... module" used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and may be realized by hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0011] As used herein, when a phrase such as "at least one of" precedes an element in a sequence, it modifies the entire element and not each individual element in the sequence. For example, the phrase "at least one of a, b, and c" should be interpreted as including a, b, c, or a and b, a and c, b and c, or a, b, and c.

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can easily understand and practice the present invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0013] Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0014] FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generating system according to one embodiment.

[0015] 1A, an aerosol generating system 1 may include an aerosol generating device 10 and an aerosol product 20. Hereinafter, the aerosol product 20 may also be referred to as a cigarette.

[0016] The aerosol generating device 10 includes a cavity 11, which is an insertion space (or storage space) into which an aerosol producing product 20 is inserted, and can generate an aerosol by heating the aerosol producing product 20 inserted into the cavity 11. The aerosol producing product 20 is a type of aerosol-generating substrate and can contain an aerosol-generating substance.

[0017] The aerosol generating device 10 may include a battery 110, a control unit 120, and a heating unit 130. The heating unit 130 may also be referred to as a heater assembly. The heating unit 130 may correspond to a heater assembly that heats the aerosol product 20 using various heating methods, such as a resistance heating method, an induction heating method, a dielectric heating method, or an ultrasonic method. When the heating unit 130 heats the aerosol product 20 using an induction heating method, the heating unit 130 may include a susceptor 131 and an induction coil 132. Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the heating unit 130 heats the aerosol product 20 using an induction heating method will be described, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0018] Meanwhile, the internal structure and arrangement of the aerosol generating device 10 are not limited to those shown in Fig. 1. Those skilled in the art will understand that, depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 10, some of the hardware components shown in Fig. 1 may be omitted or new components may be added, and each hardware component may be arranged in various ways.

[0019] The aerosol generating device 10 may generate an aerosol by heating the aerosol product 20 accommodated in the aerosol generating device 10 using an induction heating method. The induction heating method may refer to a method of applying an alternating magnetic field, the direction of which is periodically changed, to a magnetic material that generates heat due to an external magnetic field, thereby causing the magnetic material to heat up.

[0020] When a variable magnetic field is applied to a magnetic body, energy loss occurs in the magnetic body due to eddy current loss and hysteresis loss, and the lost energy can be released from the magnetic body as thermal energy. The greater the amplitude or frequency of the variable magnetic field applied to the magnetic body, the more thermal energy can be released from the magnetic body. The aerosol generation device 10 applies a variable magnetic field to the magnetic body, causing the magnetic body to release thermal energy and transferring the thermal energy released from the magnetic body to the aerosol product 20.

[0021] The magnetic material that generates heat due to an external magnetic field is also called a susceptor material. The susceptor 131 is provided in the aerosol generation device 10 in the form of a piece, a thin piece, a strip, or the like. For example, at least a portion of the susceptor 131 disposed inside the aerosol generation device 10 may be made of a susceptor material.

[0022] At least a portion of the susceptor material may be made of a ferromagnetic substance. For example, the susceptor material may include metal or carbon. The susceptor material may include at least one of ferrite, ferromagnetic alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum (Al). The susceptor material may also include at least one of graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, niobium, nickel alloy, metal film, ceramic such as zirconia, transition metal such as nickel (Ni) or cobalt (Co), and metalloid such as boron (B) or phosphorus (P).

[0023] The susceptor 131 may be tubular or cylindrical and may be disposed outside the susceptor 131 so as to surround the cavity 11 into which the aerosol product 20 is inserted. Therefore, once the aerosol product 20 is inserted into the cavity 11 of the aerosol generating device 10, the susceptor 131 may be disposed outside the aerosol product 20 so as to surround the aerosol product 20. This may increase the temperature of the aerosol-generating material in the aerosol product 20 due to heat transferred from the susceptor 131.

[0024] The induction coil 132 may apply a variable magnetic field to the susceptor 131. When power is supplied to the induction coil 132 from the aerosol generating device 10, a magnetic field may be formed inside the induction coil 132. When an alternating current is applied to the induction coil 132, the direction of the magnetic field formed inside the induction coil 132 may be continuously changed. When the susceptor 131 is positioned inside the induction coil 132 and exposed to the variable magnetic field whose direction periodically changes, the susceptor 131 may generate heat, and the aerosol product 20 contained in the cavity 11 may be heated.

[0025] The induction coil 132 may be wound along the outer surface of the susceptor 131. Alternatively, the induction coil 132 may be wound along the inner surface of the outer housing of the aerosol generating device 10. The susceptor 131 may be located in an internal space formed by the winding of the induction coil 132. When power is supplied to the induction coil 132, a variable magnetic field generated by the induction coil 132 may be applied to the susceptor 131.

[0026] The induction coil 132 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generation device 10. The induction coil 132 may extend to any suitable length along the longitudinal direction. For example, the induction coil 132 may extend to a length corresponding to the length of the susceptor 131, or may extend to a length longer or shorter than the length of the susceptor 131.

[0027] The induction coil 132 may be disposed at a position suitable for applying a variable magnetic field to the susceptor 131. The efficiency with which the variable magnetic field of the induction coil 132 is applied to the susceptor 131 may vary depending on the size, length, or location of the induction coil 132.

[0028] When the amplitude or frequency of the variable magnetic field generated by the induction coil 132 is changed, the degree of heating of the susceptor 131 (e.g., the temperature of the susceptor 131) is changed, and thus the degree to which the aerosol product 20 is heated by the susceptor 131 can also be changed. Because the amplitude or frequency of the magnetic field generated by the induction coil 132 can be changed by the power applied to the induction coil 132, the aerosol generation device 10 can control the heating of the aerosol product 20 by adjusting the power applied to the induction coil 132. For example, the aerosol generation device 10 can control the amplitude and frequency of the alternating current applied to the induction coil 132.

[0029] As an example, the induction coil 132 may be embodied as a solenoid. The induction coil 132 may be a solenoid wound along the inner surface of the outer housing of the aerosol generation device 10, and the susceptor 131 and the aerosol product 20 may be located in the internal space of the solenoid. The material of the conductor constituting the solenoid may be copper (Cu). However, the material is not limited thereto, and the conductor constituting the solenoid may also be any one of silver (Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni), or an alloy containing at least one of them.

[0030] The battery 110 may provide power to the induction coil 132. The battery 110 may be, but is not limited to, a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery. For example, the battery 110 may be a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) battery, a lithium titanate battery, a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, etc.

[0031] The control unit 120 may control the power supplied to the induction coil 132 and control the overall function and operation of the aerosol generation device 10. The control unit 120 may control the adjustment of the power supplied from the battery 110 to the induction coil 132. For example, the control unit 120 may control the power supplied to the induction coil 132 so that the susceptor 131 reaches or maintains a target temperature on the temperature profile.

[0032] 1A and 1B, the aerosol generating device 10 may form a system together with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle may be used to charge the battery 110 of the aerosol generating device 10. Alternatively, the induction coil 132 may be heated when the cradle and the aerosol generating device 10 are coupled together.

[0033] FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an aerosol generating system according to another embodiment.

[0034] The aerosol-generating device 15 in FIG. 1B is provided with a heating unit 135 that uses a different heating method compared to the aerosol-generating device 10 in FIG. 1A.

[0035] The heating unit 135 is also an external heating type heater assembly that is heated by power supplied from the battery 110 when the aerosol product 20 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 15, thereby heating the outside of the aerosol product 20. Therefore, the heating unit 135 may be embodied as a tubular or cylindrical structure.

[0036] The heating unit 135 may be implemented as an electrical resistance heater. For example, the heating unit 135 may include a conductive track, and the heating unit 135 may be heated by passing a current through the conductive track.

[0037] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an example of an aerosol generating device having an external heating type heater assembly that heats the outside of an aerosol product (i.e., a cigarette). The present embodiment described below can be easily implemented by modifying the aerosol generating devices 10 and 15 of FIGS. 1A and 1B. Meanwhile, the present embodiment can also be implemented as an aerosol generating device employing an external heating type other than the type described in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0038] 2A to 2C are diagrams illustrating different types of cigarettes according to an embodiment.

[0039] 2A through 2C, cigarette 21, 22, or 23 may correspond to aerosol-producing article 20 of Figures 1A and 1B. Cigarette 21, 22, or 23 is divided into first portion 201, second portion 212, 222, or 232, third portion 203, and fourth portion 204, and first portion 201, second portion 212, 222, or 232, third portion 203, and fourth portion 204 may include an aerosol-generating element, a tobacco medium element, a cooling element, and a filter element, respectively. Specifically, first portion 201 may contain an aerosol-generating material, second portion 212, 222, or 232 may contain a tobacco material and a humectant, third portion 203 may contain a means for cooling the airflow passing through first portion 201 and second portion 212, 222, or 232, and fourth portion 204 may contain a filter material.

[0040] The first portion 201, the second portion 212, 222, or 232, the third portion 203, and the fourth portion 204 may be sequentially aligned based on the longitudinal direction of the cigarette 21, 22, or 23. Here, the longitudinal direction is the direction in which the length of the cigarette 21, 22, or 23 extends, and also the direction from the first portion 201 to the fourth portion 204. As a result, aerosol generated in at least one of the first portion 201 and the second portion 212, 222, or 232 passes sequentially from the first portion 201 to the fourth portion 204 to form an airflow, and thus the user may inhale the aerosol from the fourth portion 204.

[0041] The first portion 201 may include an aerosol-generating component, such as a flavoring agent, a humectant, and / or other additives, such as an organic acid, and may include a flavoring liquid, such as menthol or a moisturizer. The aerosol-generating component may include, for example, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol.

[0042] The first portion 201 may include a crimped sheet, and the aerosol-generating element may be contained in the first portion 201 by being impregnated into the crimped sheet. Furthermore, other additives and flavoring liquids, such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids, may be contained in the first portion 201 by being absorbed into the crimped sheet. The crimped sheet is a sheet made of a polymeric material. For example, the polymeric material may include at least one of paper, cellulose acetate, lyocell, and polylactic acid. For example, the crimped sheet may be a paper sheet that does not generate an unpleasant odor even when heated to a high temperature. However, the crimped sheet is not limited thereto.

[0043] The first portion 201 may extend from the end of the cigarette 21, 22, or 23 to a point about 7 to 20 mm, and the second portion 212, 222, or 232 may extend from the end of the first portion 201 to a point about 7 to 20 mm. However, these numerical ranges are not necessarily limited, and the extension lengths of the first portion 201 and the second portion 212, 222, or 232 may be appropriately adjusted within a range that can be easily changed by a skilled artisan.

[0044] The second portion 212, 222, or 232 may include a tobacco medium element. Cigarette types may be classified according to what tobacco medium is included in the second portion 212, 222, or 232.

[0045] 2A, the second portion 212 of the cigarette 21 may include a filter material impregnated with nicotine liquid. Here, the nicotine liquid may be a nicotine solution containing a tobacco-containing substance including a volatile tobacco flavor component, or a solution to which nicotine salt has been added. The filter material may be a fiber bundle of cellulose acetate fiber strands bound together or a wound paper sheet. In other words, the cigarette 21 is a type of cigarette that includes a tobacco medium in which the second portion 212 is impregnated with nicotine liquid.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 2B, the second portion 222 of the cigarette 22 may include a plurality of tobacco granules. The plurality of tobacco granules may be embedded among a filter material. The filter material may be, for example, a fiber bundle of cellulose acetate fiber strands bound together, or a rolled paper sheet. The plurality of tobacco granules may be disposed in a form uniformly dispersed among the cellulose fibers, or the plurality of tobacco granules may be uniformly dispersed within the rolled paper sheet. In other words, the cigarette 22 corresponds to a cigarette type in which the second portion 222 includes a tobacco medium of tobacco granules.

[0047] 2C, the second portion 232 of the cigarette 23 may include shredded tobacco, tobacco particles, a tobacco sheet, etc. That is, the cigarette 23 corresponds to a cigarette type in which the second portion 232 includes a solid tobacco material such as tobacco leaves, tobacco veins, expanded tobacco, shredded tobacco, flat shredded tobacco, or reconstituted tobacco.

[0048] The third section 203 may include a means for cooling the airflow passing through the first section 201 and the second section 212, 222, or 232. The third section 203 may be made of a polymeric material or a biodegradable polymeric material and have a cooling function. For example, the third section 203 may be made of, but is not limited to, polylactic acid (PLA) fiber. Alternatively, the third section 203 may be made of a cellulose acetate filter having a plurality of holes formed therein. However, the third section 203 is not limited to the above examples and may be made of any material that performs the function of cooling the aerosol. For example, the third section 203 may be a hollow tube filter or a paper tube filter.

[0049] The fourth portion 204 may include a filter material. For example, the fourth portion 204 may be a cellulose acetate filter. However, the shape of the fourth portion 204 is not limited. For example, the fourth portion 204 may be a cylindrical rod, a tubular rod with a hollow interior, or a recessed rod. If the fourth portion 204 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the multiple segments may be formed in a different shape.

[0050] The fourth portion 204 may be configured to release a flavor. For example, a flavoring liquid may be sprayed onto the fourth portion 204, and additional fibers coated with the flavoring liquid may be inserted into the fourth portion 204.

[0051] Cigarette 21, 22, or 23 may include a wrapper 250 that surrounds at least a portion of first portion 201 through fourth portion 204. Cigarette 21, 22, or 23 may also include a wrapper 250 that surrounds all of first portion 201 through fourth portion 204. Wrapper 250 is located at the outermost portion of cigarette 21, 22, or 23, and wrapper 250 may be a single wrapper or a combination of multiple wrappers.

[0052] The wrapper 250 may include a thermally conductive material. For example, the thermally conductive material may be a metal foil such as, but not limited to, silver foil (Ag), aluminum foil (Al), or copper foil (Cu). The thermally conductive material provided in the wrapper 250 may uniformly distribute heat transferred to the first portion 201 to the second portion 212, 222, or 232, improving thermal conductivity and thereby improving the tobacco taste. The thermally conductive material provided in the wrapper 250 may also function as a susceptor.

[0053] Meanwhile, the thermally conductive material of the wrapper 250 is used as an electromagnetic inductor for cigarette sensing. The thermally conductive material of the wrapper 250 can change the inductance of the cigarette sensing means. Based on the sensed inductance change, the aerosol generating device (10 in FIG. 1) can determine whether a cigarette 21, 22, or 23 has been inserted into or extracted from the aerosol generating device 10.

[0054] In this embodiment, the three types of cigarettes shown in Figures 2A to 2C are used as examples, but various cigarettes other than the cigarette types including the tobacco medium elements described in Figures 2A to 2C can be used in the aerosol generating system 1. Also, in this embodiment, the cigarette 21, 22, or 23 is described as having a structure separated into four parts, but is not limited thereto, and the cigarette can also be embodied by various cigarette structures including the tobacco medium element.

[0055] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0056] 3, the aerosol generating apparatus 10 may include a battery 110, a control unit 120, a susceptor 131, an induction coil 132, a temperature sensor 140, and a memory 150. The aerosol generating apparatus 10 is illustrated with components according to the present embodiment. However, a person skilled in the art will understand that the aerosol generating apparatus 10 may further include other general components in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 3. Meanwhile, the operation of the aerosol generating apparatus 10 described with reference to FIG. 1 may be directly applied to the aerosol generating apparatus 10 of FIG. 3.

[0057] The battery 110 supplies power used to operate the aerosol generating device 10. That is, the battery 110 may supply power to the induction coil 132 so that the susceptor 131 is heated. The battery 110 may also supply power necessary for the operation of other components provided in the aerosol generating device 10, namely, the control unit 120, the heater assembly 310, the temperature sensor 140, and the memory 150. The battery 110 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery.

[0058] The control unit 120 is a hardware configuration including at least one processor, and controls the overall operation of the aerosol generation device 10.

[0059] The heater assembly 310 includes a susceptor 131 and an induction coil 132. The heater assembly 310 generates aerosol using the susceptor 131, which is arranged to inductively heat the periphery of the aerosol product 20 (or the cigarettes 21, 22, or 23 in FIGS. 2A to 2C) housed in the aerosol generating device 10. In this case, the control unit 120 may control the power supplied to the heater assembly 310 using a pulse width modulation (PWM) method or the like. In one example, the control unit 120 may include a separate heating integrated circuit (IC) for controlling only the power supply to the induction coil 132.

[0060] The temperature sensor 140 may sense the temperature of the heater assembly 310 (specifically, the susceptor 131). The temperature sensor 140 may be in direct contact with the susceptor 131 to measure the temperature of the susceptor 131. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 140 may be disposed around the susceptor 131 to sense the ambient temperature of the susceptor 131, thereby indirectly measuring the temperature of the susceptor 131. For example, the temperature sensor 140 may be implemented using various temperature measurement means, such as a resistance measurement device, a current measurement device, a thermocouple, a thermistor (NTC), or a thermocouple.

[0061] Meanwhile, the temperature sensor 140 may be arranged to sense the temperature of the cigarette 21, 22, or 23, rather than the temperature of the heater assembly 310. In the following embodiment, the temperature sensor 140 is described as operating by sensing the temperature of the heater assembly 310, but is not limited thereto, and the following embodiment may be modified and applied so that the temperature sensor 140 operates by sensing the temperature of the cigarette 21, 22, or 23.

[0062] The control unit 120 may control the temperature of the susceptor 131 based on the temperature information sensed by the temperature sensor 140. The control unit 120 may control the power supplied to the induction coil 132 to maintain the temperature of the susceptor 131 at a target temperature according to a preset temperature profile.

[0063] The memory 150 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generating device 10, and may store data processed by the control unit 120 and data to be processed by the control unit 120. The memory 150 may be implemented in various types, such as a random access memory (RAM) such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or a static random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

[0064] The memory 150 may store various data used to operate the aerosol generating device 10, such as various analytical data for identifying the type of aerosol product 20, temperature profiles corresponding to the type of aerosol product 20, etc.

[0065] The aerosol generating device 10 may further include a cigarette sensing means. The cigarette sensing means may sense whether an aerosol product 20 has been inserted into the aerosol generating device 10 (i.e., the cavity 11). Alternatively, the cigarette sensing means may sense the extraction of the aerosol product 20. The cigarette sensing means may be embodied as an inductive sensor, a capacitance sensor, an optical sensor, a resistance sensor, or the like. If the controller 120 senses the insertion of the aerosol product 20, the controller 120 may control the aerosol generating device 10 to automatically start heating without any additional external input. However, this embodiment is not limited thereto. The aerosol generating device 10 may not include a cigarette sensing means. In this case, the controller 120 may control the aerosol generating device 10 to start heating only when there is an additional external user input.

[0066] Meanwhile, the aerosol generating device 10 according to this embodiment can identify the cigarette type of the cigarette 21, 22, or 23 inserted into the aerosol generating device 10 and control the heating of the heater assembly 310 using a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type. For example, the cigarette types available for the aerosol generating device 10 are also the cigarettes 21, 22, and 23 described in Figures 2A to 2C. However, such cigarette types are merely examples, and other cigarette types may also be used.

[0067] Cigarettes 21, 22, and 23 contain different types of tobacco medium elements, which may cause the vaporization temperatures of the respective tobacco medium elements to differ from one another. Therefore, the optimized heating temperature ranges for aerosol generation to provide an appropriate smoking experience for each of cigarettes 21, 22, and 23 may differ from one another. That is, the optimized temperature profiles for each cigarette type may differ.

[0068] The aerosol generation device 10 according to this embodiment grasps the temperature change characteristics in the preheating section on the temperature profile in order to identify the cigarette type.

[0069] Specifically, the control unit 120 determines the temperature change trend based on the time it takes for the temperature of the heater assembly 310 to rise from the first temperature to the second temperature in the preheating section. Here, the temperature change trend may be distinguished according to the type of tobacco medium element contained in the cigarette 21, 22, or 23. The control unit 120 then identifies the cigarette type by determining to which gradient range the gradient value corresponding to the temperature change trend belongs, among a plurality of gradient ranges divided according to the cigarette type.

[0070] When the cigarette type is identified, the control unit 120 controls the heating of the heater assembly 310 during the smoking section after the pre-heating section using a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type. As a result, the aerosol generating device 10 according to the present embodiment can generate aerosol by performing heating using a temperature profile optimized for each cigarette type, thereby providing the user with an optimized smoking experience.

[0071] A method for identifying a cigarette type in the aerosol generating device 10 and applying a customized temperature profile to the identified cigarette type will be described in more detail below.

[0072] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a temperature profile for controlling heating of a heater assembly according to an embodiment.

[0073] 4, a temperature profile 400 shows the temperature change of the heater assembly 310 from the start of heating of the heater assembly 310 to the end of heating of the heater assembly 310. The temperature change defined in the temperature profile 400 is a preset value, and the control unit 120 controls the actual temperature of the heater assembly 310 to match the temperature on the temperature profile 400.

[0074] The temperature profile 400 includes a preheating zone 410 and a smoking zone 420 .

[0075] In the preheating section 410, after the heater assembly 310 starts heating, a large amount of power is instantly supplied from the battery 110 to the heater assembly 310, so that the temperature of the heater assembly 310 reaches the preheating target temperature T Pre-target Therefore, in the preheating section 410, the temperature of the heater assembly 310 is controlled to reach the preheating target temperature T Pre-target A rapid temperature change occurs until the temperature reaches

[0076] The smoking section 420 refers to a section in which a user can smoke by performing a series of puffs after preheating (ie, after the preheating section).

[0077] The manner in which the temperature is changed in the preheating section 410 and the smoking section 420 of the temperature profile 400 shown in Fig. 4 is merely an example and is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the temperature change in the smoking section 420 may not be a gradual decrease, but may decrease for a specific time and then increase again. In other words, this embodiment is not limited to the temperature profile 400 of Fig. 4, and temperature profiles including other temperature changes may also be used.

[0078] Meanwhile, the control unit 120 may identify the cigarette type based on the tendency of temperature change of the heater assembly 310 in the preheating section 410 within a predetermined temperature range 450 sensed by the temperature sensor 140. Here, the predetermined temperature range 450 is a range from a lower limit temperature T Lower and upper limit temperature T Upper The temperature range is between the upper limit temperature T Upper is the preheating target temperature T Pre-target This applies to lower temperatures.

[0079] The predetermined temperature range 450 is the preheating target temperature T Pre-target For example, the upper limit temperature T Upper is the preheating target temperature T Pre-targetIt is desirable to set the temperature range 450 to be about 5°C to 10°C lower than the preheating temperature, but it is not necessarily limited to this range. Furthermore, it is desirable to set the preheating temperature range 450 to a range that includes the temperature after a certain time (e.g., 30 seconds, 60 seconds, etc.) has elapsed since the preheating started. This is because the temperature rises rapidly immediately after the preheating starts, and the temperature change trends are not distinguishable between cigarette types.

[0080] The control unit 120 identifies the cigarette type by determining the trend of temperature change within the predetermined temperature range 450 during the preheating section 410, and controls the heating of the heater assembly 310 using a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type during the smoking section 420.

[0081] Meanwhile, the control unit 120 sets the upper limit temperature T Upper , the preheating of the heater assembly 310 is controlled by supplying a predetermined power to the heater assembly 310 regardless of the cigarette type.

[0082] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a method for identifying a cigarette type within a predetermined temperature range in a preheating section according to an embodiment.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 5, the predetermined temperature range is defined as a lower limit temperature T Lower and upper limit temperature T Upper For example, the lower limit temperature T Lower is approximately 200°C, and the upper limit temperature T Upper is also about 270°C. The preheating target temperature T Pre-target is approximately 285°C, the upper limit temperature T Upper is the preheating target temperature T Pre-target However, the lower limit temperature T Lower , upper limit temperature T Upper and preheating target temperature T Pre-target The values ​​are merely examples, and the present embodiment is not limited thereto, and each temperature value can be variously changed according to the temperature profile to be used.

[0084] Within a predetermined temperature range in the preheating section, the temperature change tendency may differ depending on the cigarette type. In Figure 5, a first type cigarette, a second type cigarette, and a third type cigarette, which are different types from one another, are compared and explained as an example.

[0085] Specifically, when preheating is performed with the first type cigarette 501 inserted, the temperature of the heater assembly 310 reaches the lower limit temperature T Lower Once the upper limit temperature T Lower Next, when preheating is performed with the second type cigarette 502 inserted, the temperature of the heater assembly 310 reaches the lower limit temperature T Lower Once the upper limit temperature T Lower The time required for the temperature of the heater assembly 310 to reach the lower limit temperature T is longer than when the first type cigarette 501 is inserted. Finally, when preheating is performed with the third type cigarette 503 inserted, Lower Once the upper limit temperature T Lower The time it takes to reach this point is relatively the longest.

[0086] For example, the first type of cigarette 501 is also a cigarette type provided with a tobacco medium element including a filter material impregnated with nicotine liquid as illustrated in Figure 2A, the second type of cigarette 502 is also a cigarette type provided with a tobacco medium element including tobacco granules as illustrated in Figure 2B, and the third type of cigarette 503 is also a cigarette type provided with a tobacco medium element including a solid tobacco material as illustrated in Figure 2C. In this way, cigarette types are distinguished by the type of tobacco medium element included therein.

[0087] The temperature change trend within a predetermined temperature range in the preheating section can be distinguished depending on the type of tobacco medium element. That is, the gradient value indicating the temperature change trend within a predetermined temperature range in the preheating section can vary depending on the type of tobacco medium element contained in the cigarette. This is because the heating rate of the heater assembly 310 differs depending on whether the tobacco medium element is closer to a liquid medium or a solid medium. Therefore, this embodiment utilizes the principle of temperature change differences depending on cigarette type, making it possible to identify the type of cigarette currently inserted into the aerosol generating device 10.

[0088] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method for calculating a gradient value corresponding to a temperature change tendency within a predetermined temperature range in a preheating section according to an embodiment.

[0089] 6, the control unit 120 determines whether the temperature 600 of the heater assembly 310 is lower than the lower limit temperature T Lower Then, as the preheating continues, the control unit 120 determines whether the temperature 600 of the heater assembly 310 reaches the upper limit temperature T Lower When the times t1 and t2 are determined, the control unit 120 calculates the gradient value Δ using the following Equation 1.

[0090]

number

[0091] The gradient value Δ calculated by Equation 1 is a value indicating the tendency of temperature change within a specific temperature range within the preheating section depending on the material properties of the tobacco medium element contained in the cigarette, and can be used as a criterion for identifying the cigarette type.

[0092] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating that different cigarette types have different gradient values ​​within a predetermined temperature range in a preheating section, according to an embodiment.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 7, the lower limit temperature T Lower and upper limit temperature T Upper The graph shows a gradient Δ1 for a first type of cigarette 501, a gradient Δ2 for a second type of cigarette 502, and a gradient Δ3 for a third type of cigarette 503, calculated over a predetermined temperature range between 0°C and 10°C. Here, the gradient values ​​for each cigarette type are different from one another, and have a relationship such as Δ1>Δ2>Δ3.

[0094] The control unit 120 can identify the cigarette type by determining to which gradient range the gradient value corresponding to the temperature change tendency belongs, among a plurality of gradient ranges divided according to the cigarette type.

[0095] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a method for identifying a cigarette type using a gradient value corresponding to a temperature change trend according to an embodiment.

[0096] 8, the control unit 120 may determine which of three cigarette types the cigarette belongs to based on the currently calculated gradient value Δ. The control unit 120 determines which gradient range the cigarette belongs to among a plurality of gradient ranges divided according to the cigarette type.

[0097] For example, a first gradient range corresponding to a first type of cigarette 810 containing Medium 1 has a gradient Δ first_lower and Δ first_upper The second gradient range corresponding to the second type of cigarette 820 containing Medium 2 is a range including gradient values ​​between Δ second_lower and Δ second_upper The third gradient range, corresponding to the third type of cigarette 830 containing Medium 3, is a range including gradient values ​​between Δ third_lower and Δ third_upper Here, the first to third gradient ranges are also ranges that do not overlap with each other.

[0098] 8, a first type of cigarette 810 including Medium 1 is also a cigarette type having a tobacco medium element including a filter material impregnated with nicotine liquid as described in FIG. 2A, a second type of cigarette 820 including Medium 2 is also a cigarette type having a tobacco medium element including tobacco granules as described in FIG. 2B, and a third type of cigarette 830 including Medium 3 is also a cigarette type having a tobacco medium element including a solid tobacco material as described in FIG. 2C. Thus, the third gradient range may include gradient values ​​smaller than the second gradient range, and the second gradient range may include gradient values ​​smaller than the first gradient range.

[0099] The control unit 120 determines which of the first to third gradient ranges the currently calculated gradient value Δ belongs to. If the gradient value Δ belongs to the first gradient range, the control unit 120 identifies the inserted cigarette as a first type cigarette.

[0100] In such a manner, the control unit 120 may identify the cigarette type by determining the gradient range to which the gradient value falls.

[0101] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the cigarette type is identified using cigarettes 21, 22, and 23 in Figures 2A to 2C. However, as another example, this embodiment may be embodied to identify the cigarette type among two types of cigarettes (e.g., liquid-medium cigarettes and solid-medium cigarettes) or among four or more types of cigarettes. Alternatively, this embodiment may be embodied as a method for identifying cigarettes containing other solid tobacco materials, such as cut tobacco medium, flat leaf shred tobacco medium, or reconstituted tobacco medium, even if they are the same solid-medium cigarettes. That is, according to this embodiment, the cigarette type can be identified for cigarettes containing different tobacco medium elements by determining the trend (i.e., gradient) of temperature change within a predetermined specific temperature range within the preheating section.

[0102] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating controlling the heating of a heater assembly during a smoking interval using a temperature profile corresponding to an identified cigarette type, according to one embodiment.

[0103] The control unit 120 controls the heating of the heater assembly 310 during the smoking section 420 using a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type. That is, the heating of the heater assembly in the smoking section 420 can be controlled using different temperature profiles for each cigarette type. Here, the temperature profiles for each cigarette type are pre-stored in the memory 150, and the control unit 120 can read the required temperature profile from the memory 150 and control the heating of the heater assembly 310.

[0104] 9 illustrates a comparison of different cigarette types controlled by different temperature profiles in the smoking section 420. For example, a first type of cigarette may have the heating of the heater assembly 310 controlled using a first temperature profile 901, a second type of cigarette may have the heating of the heater assembly 310 controlled using a second temperature profile 902, and a third type of cigarette may have the heating of the heater assembly 310 controlled using a third temperature profile 903. For example, during the smoking section 420, the target temperature of the first temperature profile 901 is lower than the target temperature of the third temperature profile 903. This is because, assuming that the first type of cigarette is a cigarette type equipped with a tobacco medium element including a filter material impregnated with nicotine liquid and the third type of cigarette is a cigarette type equipped with a tobacco medium element including a solid tobacco material, the vaporization temperature of the liquid is lower than that of the solid.

[0105] That is, according to this embodiment, during the smoking section, the heating of the heater assembly can be controlled under heating conditions of a temperature profile in which a target temperature optimized for each cigarette type is set, thereby satisfying the smoking experience desired by the user for each cigarette type.

[0106] Meanwhile, the control unit 120 determines a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type before the temperature of the heater assembly 310 reaches the pre-heating target temperature of the pre-heating section. Accordingly, as described in FIG. 9 , the temperature profile after the start of the smoking section 420 may be applied differently for each cigarette type. However, without being limited thereto, the control unit 120 may also apply a temperature profile differently for each cigarette type in the remaining pre-heating section after the cigarette type has been identified. For example, the time period during which the temperature is maintained constant before the start of the smoking section after the pre-heating target temperature has been reached may be different for each cigarette type. That is, in this embodiment, once the cigarette type has been identified, control may be performed to apply a different temperature profile for each cigarette type to at least one of the pre-heating section and the smoking section thereafter.

[0107] FIG. 10 is a detailed flowchart of a method for controlling an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0108] The control method of Fig. 10 corresponds to the steps that are processed in time series in the aerosol generating device 10 described in the previous drawings. Therefore, even if the following content is omitted, the content described in the previous drawings can also be applied to the control method of Fig. 10.

[0109] In step 1001, the control unit 120 preheats the heater assembly 310 to generate aerosol from a cigarette inserted into the aerosol generating device 10. The preheating may be initiated when the cigarette detection means detects the insertion of a cigarette, or may be initiated by an external user input.

[0110] The preheating of the heater assembly 310 can be achieved by instantly supplying a large amount of power from the battery 110 to the heater assembly 310 .

[0111] In step 1002, the temperature sensor 140 senses the temperature of the heater assembly 310, which is changed in the preheating section.

[0112] In step 1003, the control unit 120 determines whether the temperature of the heater assembly 310 is lower than the lower limit temperature T Lower If it is determined that the temperature of the heater assembly 310 is equal to or lower than the first temperature, step 1002 is performed again. However, if it is determined that the temperature of the heater assembly 310 has reached the first temperature, step 1004 is performed.

[0113] In step 1004, the control unit 120 determines the time t1 at which the first temperature is reached.

[0114] In step 1005, the control unit 120 determines whether the temperature of the heater assembly 310 is equal to or lower than the upper limit temperature T Upper If it is determined that the temperature of the heater assembly 310 is equal to or lower than the second temperature, the temperature sensor 140 continues to monitor the temperature of the heater assembly 310. However, if it is determined that the temperature of the heater assembly 310 has reached the second temperature, the process proceeds to step 1006.

[0115] In operation 1006, the control unit 120 determines the time t2 at which the second temperature is reached, and calculates a gradient corresponding to the trend of temperature change within a predetermined temperature range in the preheating section. In this case, the gradient may be calculated using Equation 1 described above.

[0116] In step 1007, the control unit 120 identifies the cigarette type by determining which gradient range the gradient belongs to among a plurality of gradient ranges classified by cigarette type. For example, assume a case in which it is determined which cigarette type it is among three types of cigarettes. If it is determined that the calculated gradient belongs to a first gradient range corresponding to a first type of cigarette, the control unit 120 determines that the cigarette type is a first type of cigarette and performs step 1008. If it is determined that the calculated gradient belongs to a second gradient range corresponding to a second type of cigarette, the control unit 120 determines that the cigarette type is a second type of cigarette and performs step 1009. If it is determined that the calculated gradient belongs to a third gradient range corresponding to a third type of cigarette, the control unit 120 determines that the cigarette type is a third type of cigarette and performs step 1010.

[0117] If the cigarette is identified as the first type in step 1008, the control unit 120 controls the heating of the heater assembly 310 according to the first temperature profile during the smoking interval for the first type cigarette.

[0118] If the cigarette is identified as the second type in step 1009, the control unit 120 controls the heating of the heater assembly 310 with a second temperature profile during the smoking interval for the second type cigarette.

[0119] If the cigarette is identified as a third type in step 1010, the control unit 120 controls the heating of the heater assembly 310 with a third temperature profile during the smoking interval for the third type cigarette.

[0120] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0121] The control method of Fig. 11 corresponds to the steps that are processed in time series in the aerosol generating device 10 described in the previous drawings. Therefore, even if the following content is omitted, the content described in the previous drawings may also be applied to the control method of Fig. 11.

[0122] In step 1101, when a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, the control unit 120 controls the preheating of the heater assembly 310 in the preheating section.

[0123] In step 1102, the temperature sensor 140 senses the temperature of the heater assembly 310 within a predetermined temperature range in the preheating section.

[0124] In operation 1103, the control unit 120 identifies the cigarette type of the cigarette based on the trend of the sensed temperature change within a predetermined temperature range.

[0125] In step 1104, the control unit 120 controls the heating of the heater assembly 310 during the smoking interval using a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type.

[0126] The above-described methods can be created as a computer-executable program and can be implemented by a general-purpose digital computer that runs the program using a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium. Furthermore, the data structures used in the above-described methods can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium by various means. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic recording media (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), RAM, USB, floppy disk, hard disk, etc.) and optical recording media (e.g., CD-ROM, DVD, etc.).

[0127] Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be embodied in various modified forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the above description. Therefore, the disclosed method should be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not the foregoing description, and all variations within the scope of the claims should be construed as being within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. In the aerosol generating device, a heater assembly for heating the cigarette during a preheating section and a smoking section after the preheating section when the cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device to generate aerosol; a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the heater assembly in the preheating section and the smoking section; a control unit that identifies the cigarette type of the cigarette based on a trend of temperature change sensed within a predetermined temperature range of the preheating section, and controls heating of the heater assembly during the smoking section using a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type.

2. the control unit determines a trend of the temperature change based on a time taken for the temperature of the heater assembly to rise from a first temperature to a second temperature in the preheating section; The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the second temperature is lower than a preheating target temperature of the preheating section.

3. The control unit The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein the cigarette type is identified by determining to which gradient range the gradient value corresponding to the temperature change trend belongs among a plurality of gradient ranges divided by cigarette type.

4. The control unit If the gradient value corresponding to the temperature change trend belongs to a first gradient range, the cigarette is identified as a first type of cigarette; if the gradient value belongs to a second gradient range, the cigarette is identified as a second type of cigarette; and if the gradient value belongs to a third gradient range, the cigarette is identified as a third type of cigarette; 2. The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein the first type of cigarette is a cigarette type having a tobacco medium element including a filter material impregnated with nicotine liquid, the second type of cigarette is a cigarette type having a tobacco medium element including tobacco granules, and the third type of cigarette is a cigarette type having a tobacco medium element including a solid tobacco material.

5. the third gradient range includes gradient values ​​smaller than the second gradient range; The aerosol generating device of claim 4 , wherein the second gradient range includes gradient values ​​that are smaller than the first gradient range.

6. The control unit 2. The aerosol generating device of claim 1, further comprising: determining a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type before the temperature of the heater assembly reaches the preheating target temperature of the preheating section.

7. The control unit The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein preheating of the heater assembly is controlled by supplying a predetermined power to the heater assembly regardless of the cigarette type until the upper limit temperature of the predetermined temperature range is reached in the preheating section.

8. The cigarette types are distinguished by the type of tobacco medium element contained within the cigarette; The aerosol generating device of claim 1 , wherein the temperature change tendency is differentiated depending on the type of the tobacco medium element.

9. The control unit The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the heating of the heater assembly is controlled in the smoking section with different temperature profiles depending on the cigarette type.

10. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined temperature range includes a temperature range of 200° C. to 270° C.

11. 1. A method for controlling an aerosol generating device, comprising: controlling preheating of a heater assembly in a preheating section when a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device; sensing the temperature of the heater assembly within a predetermined temperature range of the preheating section; identifying a cigarette type of the cigarette based on the trend of the sensed temperature change within the predetermined temperature range; and controlling heating of the heater assembly during a smoking interval using a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type.

12. determining a temperature change trend based on a time taken for the temperature of the heater assembly to rise from a first temperature to a second temperature in the preheating section; The method of claim 11 , wherein the second temperature is less than a preheat target temperature for the preheat zone.

13. The identifying step comprises: The method according to claim 11, wherein the cigarette type is identified by determining to which gradient range the gradient value corresponding to the temperature change tendency belongs, among a plurality of gradient ranges divided by cigarette type.

14. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a temperature profile corresponding to the identified cigarette type before the temperature of the heater assembly reaches a preheat target temperature for the preheat zone.

15. The cigarette types are distinguished by the type of tobacco medium element contained within the cigarette; The temperature change tendency is differentiated depending on the type of the tobacco medium element; If the gradient value corresponding to the temperature change trend belongs to a first gradient range, the cigarette is identified as a first type of cigarette; if the gradient value belongs to a second gradient range, the cigarette is identified as a second type of cigarette; and if the gradient value belongs to a third gradient range, the cigarette is identified as a third type of cigarette; The method of claim 11 , wherein the third slope range includes slope values ​​that are smaller than the second slope range, and the second slope range includes slope values ​​that are smaller than the first slope range.

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