Aerosol generating device with residue detection

Abstract

Aerosol generating device configured to generate vapor and / or aerosols to be inhaled by a user, comprising: an oven disposed to receive a certain amount of aerosol precursor material; a power supply for supplying power to the oven to generate vapor and / or aerosols by heating the aerosol precursor material; a controller; and an image sensor disposed to acquire image data signals representing the optical appearance inside the oven, wherein the controller is configured to acquire image data signals from the optical appearance and determine a numerical value indicating the amount of residue inside the oven.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device which is preferably a small handheld device. More particularly, the present invention relates to aerosol generating devices in the form of electronic cigarettes, cigar-likes, e-cigarettes, vaporizers and related devices, and the aerosol generating device provides a function of detecting undesirable residues.

Background Art

[0002] In the art, there are several types and concepts of aerosol generating devices for a wide range of purposes including medical and therapeutic applications, and consumer devices for嗜好 such as electronic cigarettes. Such devices can generate an inhalation medium (aerosol, vapor, etc.) by heating a substance to release particles and / or droplets into the ambient air for inhalation. For this purpose, an aerosol generating device may be provided with an oven, also well known as a heating chamber, that is arranged to receive an amount of aerosol precursor material, i.e., a heatable chamber or housing. A power source can supply power to the oven to heat the aerosol precursor material to generate vapor and / or aerosol.

[0003] Existing aerosol generating devices often provide a cartridge-type consumable solution, in which a consumable article in the form of a cartridge or stick containing an aerosol precursor material can be removably inserted into the device's oven through an opening. When the cartridge or stick is consumed, or when the expiration date of the cartridge or stick has expired after all or a predetermined portion of the contained aerosol driving material has been used up, the cartridge or stick can be removed and replaced with another one. For this replacement, access to the oven is usually provided by the aforementioned opening that allows insertion and removal of the consumable article.

[0004] The possibility of inserting, removing, and replacing consumables makes such aerosol generating devices susceptible to the accumulation of undesirable residues within the device. In particular, ovens or other chambers, cavities, or housings that accept replaceable parts and elements may provide places where residues such as dust, parts of consumables or aerosol precursor materials contained within consumables, dirt, or any other unwanted matter may accumulate and adhere. Such unwanted objects may cause malfunctions and / or other reliability degradations and risks during the use or operation of the aerosol generating device. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for an improved aerosol generating device that improves the overall performance of the aerosol generating device in relation to undesirable residues, specifically in relation to replaceable consumables such as cartridges or sticks. Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved aerosol generating device that can address the shortcomings of conventional solutions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The aforementioned drawbacks are overcome by the subject matter of the independent claim. Further preferred embodiments of the present invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol generating device is provided, configured to generate vapor and / or aerosol to be inhaled by a user, comprising: an oven disposed to receive a certain amount of aerosol precursor material; a power supply for supplying power to the oven to generate vapor and / or aerosol by heating the aerosol precursor material; a controller; and an image sensor disposed to acquire image data signals representing the optical appearance inside the oven, wherein the controller is configured to acquire image data signals from the optical appearance and determine a numerical value indicating the amount of residue in the oven.

[0008] Therefore, advantages can be obtained, such as ensuring a cleaner and more stable heating environment within the oven, so that heat is applied to the aerosol precursor material in a more consistent, clearly defined, and predictable manner.

[0009] Preferably, the image sensor includes one of a charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, and an organic semiconductor image sensor. Thus, a cost-effective, space-efficient, and energy-efficient method for acquiring image data can be achieved.

[0010] Preferably, the aerosol generating device further includes an optical imaging system, preferably in the form of an imaging lens, positioned between the optical sensor and the inside of the oven. This facilitates the acquisition of image data.

[0011] Preferably, the aerosol generating device further includes a thermal barrier, preferably in the form of an infrared (IR) filter, which is at least partially transparent, positioned between the optical sensor and the inside of the oven. This can reduce the potential adverse effects of the heat inside the oven on image data acquisition.

[0012] Preferably, the aerosol generating device further includes a light source positioned to illuminate at least a portion of the inside of the oven. This facilitates the acquisition of image data.

[0013] Preferably, the controller is configured to perform image processing on the received image data signal in order to determine a numerical value indicating the amount of residue. This makes it easier to determine a numerical value indicating the amount of residue in the oven.

[0014] Preferably, the controller is configured to determine the number of pixels in the acquired image and compare the determined number of pixels with a predetermined threshold. This allows for the efficient determination of a numerical value indicating the amount of residue in the oven. Furthermore, the number of pixels in the acquired image may indicate the amount of residue.

[0015] Preferably, the aerosol generating device further includes an indicator element, and the controller is configured to drive the indicator element based on a determined numerical value indicating the amount of residue. This allows the user to be notified of the need for action, including cleaning the oven environment.

[0016] Preferably, the controller is configured to temporarily suspend the operation of the aerosol generating device based on a determined numerical value indicating the amount of residue. This allows the aerosol generating device to be kept in a safe state.

[0017] Preferably, the oven includes a chamber or cavity and one of a heating element, a resistance heating element, and an induction heating assembly. This allows for efficient heat delivery.

[0018] Preferably, the chamber or cavity includes a closed end on the distal side, and the image sensor is positioned to acquire a signal representing the internal optical appearance in the region of the closed end. This facilitates the acquisition of relevant image data.

[0019] Here, embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, which are presented for a better understanding of the concept of the present invention and should not be regarded as limiting the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generation device according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 1A] It is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generation device according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 1B] It is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generation device according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 2A] It shows a schematic diagram of details related to the observation of the optical appearance of a region of interest according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 2B] It shows a schematic diagram of details related to the observation of the optical appearance of a region of interest according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 2C] It shows a schematic diagram of details related to the observation of the optical appearance of a region of interest according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 3] It shows a schematic circuit diagram according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 4] It shows a schematic flowchart of image processing according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 5A] It shows representative but exemplary array values of input image data signals before and after filter processing according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 5B] It shows representative but exemplary array values of input image data signals before and after filter processing according to at least some embodiments of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Figure 1 shows a schematic view of an aerosol generating device according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. Specifically, an aerosol generating device 1 is shown which is generally configured to generate vapor and / or aerosol to be inhaled by a user. For example, such an aerosol generating device may be realized as an electronic handheld device (e-cigarette, cigalike, etc.) that provides the possibility for a user to inhale vapor and / or aerosol generated from an aerosol precursor material or an aerosol source. For this purpose, the aerosol generating device 1 includes an oven 11 arranged to receive a consumable article 100, such as in the form of a cartridge, capsule, or stick, containing an amount of aerosol precursor material. Accordingly, the oven 11 may be arranged on the outer surface or part of the aerosol generating device and be accessible from the outer surface or part, or be arranged to receive and accommodate the consumable article 100 through an opening 12 accessible to the user for inserting the consumable article by removing or opening a part of the aerosol generating device 1, and the replaceable article 100 holds that amount of aerosol driving material.

[0022] As used herein, the term "aerosol precursor material" is a label used to mean a medium that generates aerosol or vapor when heated. The aerosol precursor material may be synonymous with a vapor precursor material, an aerosol generating medium, a substrate or material. The aerosol precursor material typically includes a liquid or solid material that provides volatile components in the form of vapor or aerosol when heated. The aerosol precursor material may be a non-tobacco-containing material or a tobacco-containing material. The aerosol precursor material may include, for example, one or more of tobacco itself, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco extracts, homogenized tobacco or tobacco substitutes. The aerosol precursor material may also include other non-tobacco products which may or may not contain nicotine depending on the product. The aerosol precursor material may include one or more humectants such as glycerol or propylene glycol.

[0023] As used herein, vapor is a substance that is in the gaseous phase at temperatures below its critical temperature, meaning that vapor can be condensed into a liquid by increasing the pressure without decreasing the temperature. Aerosol, on the other hand, is a mixture of fine solid particles or droplets suspended in the air or another gas. However, it should be noted that in this specification, the terms “aerosol” and “vapor” may be used interchangeably, particularly with respect to the form of inhalable media produced for inhalation by the user.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1A, the oven 11 may further include a heating configuration 111 adapted to heat the oven 11, more specifically, to heat an amount of aerosol precursor material in a consumable article 100 inserted into the oven during use. The heating configuration 111 may include resistance heating and / or radiant heating, for example, a flexible film heater wrapped around the outer surface of the oven or integrated with the wall of the oven 11. Alternatively, or in addition, the oven 11 may include resistance heating elements and / or radiant heating elements 112 protruding into the oven along the longitudinal direction of the internal oven cavity, as shown in Figure 1B. Further alternatively, the heating configuration 111 may be an induction heating configuration adapted to heat a susceptor by applying an alternating magnetic field, the susceptor adapted to heat at least a certain amount of aerosol precursor material.

[0025] A suitable induction heating configuration 111 may include an induction coil and a drive circuit configured to guide an alternating current to the coil, which in turn generates an alternating magnetic field. This magnetic field can raise the temperature of the susceptor by inducing eddy currents in the susceptor and / or by utilizing the heat generated by changing the internal magnetization of the susceptor material. The susceptor may be provided as an integral part of the induction heating configuration 111, for example, as part of or as part of the oven wall, or as a protruding blade or pin member 112 in the oven cavity (as shown in Figure 1B). The susceptor may also be part of the consumable 100, for example, as at least one metal sheet, metal fiber, or metal rod positioned in contact with the aerosol precursor material in the consumable 100.

[0026] The aerosol generating device 1 further includes a power supply 14 that supplies power to the oven 11 for generating steam and / or aerosols by heating an aerosol precursor material in a consumable 100, at least partially inserted into the oven 11. Furthermore, the aerosol generating device 1 includes a controller 13 configured to perform all desired and necessary functions, preferably including, for example, controlling the operation of the aerosol generating device 1, providing an interface to the user of the aerosol generating device 1, controlling the power supply to the oven 11 to obtain a desired temperature, performing safety controls as is typically known in the prior art in the field of aerosol generating devices, and any one of other novel and original functions described or referred to in this disclosure.

[0027] The aerosol generating device 1 may also include a body 10 that houses all suitable components, specifically, an oven 11, a power supply 14, and a controller 13. The body further provides an opening 12 in the oven 11 so that a certain amount of aerosol precursor material can be inserted into the oven 11, for example by inserting the consumables 100 described above. Specifically, the opening may provide access to a chamber or cavity 18 that can at least partially receive and hold the consumables 100 during operation. In general, the aerosol generating device may include an oven with a chamber or cavity, which may include one of a heating element, a resistance heating element, and an induction heating assembly.

[0028] The aerosol generating device 1 further includes an image sensor 15 positioned to acquire image data signals representing the optical appearance inside the oven 11. The region of interest (ROI) may simultaneously form part of the cavity or chamber 18, which is a space that generally receives and / or holds at least a portion of the consumables 100 during operation. The image sensor can generally be a sensor that can acquire and provide image data signals representing the relevant optical appearance in the sense that it can distinguish between different sub-regions of the ROI. This may be in contrast to an optical sensor whose detection output also depends on the optical appearance of the ROI, but is necessarily an average of the ROI or the entire detection region because it is not distinguishable.

[0029] While a single averaged signal can be influenced by environmental factors such as ambient light and other operating conditions, image data signals can provide information about different regions, thus enabling comparative signal processing. For example, by considering image data signals, it may be possible to identify subregions of an ROI that have changed their optical appearance over past moments and points in time, while simultaneously identifying other subregions of an ROI that have not substantially changed their optical appearance. This can be interpreted as a reliable basis for determining whether or not residue may be accumulating.

[0030] In the aerosol generating device 1, the controller 13 is configured to acquire image data signals from the optical appearance and determine a numerical value indicating the amount of residue in the oven. This may include signal processing that specifically considers the optical appearance of different regions of the ROI in the form and extent of the relevant parts inside the oven 11. Generally, the controller 13 may be configured to determine that one or more parts of the ROI have changed their optical appearance at least to some extent, while other parts have not. Thus, the controller 13 can determine a numerical value indicating the amount of residue by considering, for example, the number of parts that have changed their appearance. If this number exceeds a predetermined threshold, further actions may be determined, ranging from warning the user that cleaning may be desirable to stopping the operation of the aerosol generating device. The position of the image sensor can be selected to be located generally on the distal end side of the oven 111 (as shown, for example in Figure 1), on the distal end of the induction heating configuration 111 (as shown, for example in Figure 1A), or at the base of the resistance heating and / or radiant heating configuration 112, respectively (as shown, for example in Figure 1B).

[0031] Figures 2A–2C show schematic diagrams of details related to the observation of the optical appearance of a region of interest according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. Generally, this description relates to embodiments in which the oven cavity 18 includes a closed end on the distal side opposite to the opening 12, and an image sensor is positioned to acquire a signal representing the internal optical appearance in the region of the closed end. Figure 2A illustrates an embodiment in which the field of view direction V1 of the image sensor is substantially the same as or parallel to the principal direction A of the aerosol generating device and / or the insertion direction A of the capsule or stick. The image sensor 15 is positioned at the distal end of the oven 11, or in other words, at the bottom 113 of the heater cup where dirt and residue accumulation is expected to occur. The oven 11 may be surrounded by induction coils 114 of an induction heating assembly 111.

[0032] In this embodiment, and as in any other embodiment, the image sensor may include any one of a charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, and an organic semiconductor image sensor. Furthermore, in this embodiment and any other embodiment, the device or image sensor may include an optical imaging system 131, preferably in the form of an imaging lens, positioned between the optical sensor and the interior of the oven. Also further, in this embodiment and any other embodiment, the device or image sensor may include a thermal barrier 132, preferably in the form of an infrared (IR) filter, which is at least partially transparent, positioned between the optical sensor and the interior of the oven. Overall, the extracted image data signal may represent the optical appearance in the form of an image and may be provided and / or processed in the form of a pixel array, as schematically shown in Figure 2C. In this exemplary scenario, the pixel array 200 may include individual pixels 201, where a first group 21 and a second group 22 of pixels 201 may indicate the presence of residues 91 and 92, respectively. In particular, when compared with the remaining 29 pixels (or pixel values), the residue can be identified, and a numerical value indicating the amount of residue in the oven can be determined.

[0033] Figure 2B illustrates an embodiment in which the field of view direction V2 of the image sensor is substantially perpendicular to the main direction A of the aerosol generating device and / or the insertion direction A of the consumable article 100. As shown, the image sensor 13 is positioned to cover at least a portion of the bottom 113 on the distal end side of the oven 11 as a region of interest. Thus, the residue 93 can be well captured by considering the corresponding features of the extracted image data signal. In this embodiment, however, as in exactly the same way as in any other embodiment, the aerosol generating device may include a light source 16 positioned to illuminate at least a portion of the interior of the oven 11. For example, the light source 16 is positioned substantially opposite the image sensor 13 and can therefore illuminate and cover the ROI of the image sensor 13.

[0034] Figure 3 shows a schematic circuit diagram according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. The controller may take the form of a microcontroller (or CPU, MCU) 1300 powered between a positive power supply Vdd and ground GND. A microcamera module 1500 may embody an image sensor as described elsewhere in this disclosure and may also be powered by Vdd and GND. By a series connection 1001, module 1500 may be coupled to the microcontroller 1300, which may include one or more signal lines and may use any suitable protocol such as I2C, SPI, or OneWire. A light source may be provided in the form of a light-emitting diode (LED) 1601 driven via a resistor 1602. Preferably, the light source is driven directly using the microcontroller 1300 (as shown). Thus, the light source can be optionally operated or driven by pulse width modulation (PWM) through the output port of the microcontroller 1300 and thus directly using a running control program.

[0035] Figure 4 shows a schematic flowchart of image processing according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. Generally, the controller of the aerosol generating device can be configured to perform image processing on the received image data signal in order to determine a numerical value indicating the amount of residue. Specifically, such processing may begin with an input image 401 in the form of pixel array data. Preprocessing 402 may consider image adjustments before any filters are applied, and such adjustments include any one of resizing, orientation, color correction, and contrast enhancement.

[0036] Such preprocessing may be even more advantageous in situations where machine / model learning is being performed, allowing artificial intelligence (AI) and / or neural networks to be trained to continuously learn what a clean heating chamber or oven environment should look like. For example, training may be based on appearances obtained before the product is shipped, before the product is used, or in the (initial) time immediately after the user begins using the product. Furthermore, this training may consider learning over time what a clean but aged oven looks like in order to further adjust and avoid situations where the user receives unnecessary instructions to clean the device (e.g., after cleaning, the user receives a further message immediately or shortly thereafter telling them to clean the oven again). In this context, the model can learn and adapt what a new clean state looks like (after a significant decrease in pixels has been recognized, e.g., by at least a threshold number). Note that in this context, preprocessing can improve model training, for example, by reducing training time without significantly degrading model performance.

[0037] During filtering 403, a visual-based stain detection and adaptive tiling scheme may be performed on the selective region range, thereby enabling the detection and segmentation of stained areas from any background using a multi-layer filtering framework including periodic pattern detection filters, edge detection, and noise filtering. It may further employ an adaptive tiling-based region range scheme to generate tetromino forms to cover the segmented regions.

[0038] Next, a pixel count 404 may be performed, which is an estimation of dirt / residue on a given surface (e.g., the bottom of the oven). This pixel count can be compared in 405 to a predetermined or configurable threshold to trigger a notification to the user 406 or any other appropriate action. The threshold can essentially already take action if at least one pixel indicates residue (i.e., the number of detected pixels > 0), and can also be potentially adjusted. For example, initial adjustment may be considered in that the number of pixels indicating potential residue when the device is new is added to a pre-programmed initial threshold. This can advantageously take advantage of the fact that, taking into account manufacturing variations and tolerances, the appearance of a new oven environment can be considered clean.

[0039] For example, if comparison 405 indicates that the number of pixels has exceeded a threshold for a given set of times (e.g., 5 times), the user may be prompted to clean the oven. For example, the aerosol generating device may include an indicator element, such as an optional indicator LED 17 in Figure 1. The controller may be configured to drive the indicator element based on a determined numerical value indicating the amount of residue. Similarly, the controller may be configured to pause the operation of the aerosol generating device after a first indicator stage, such as the activation of the indicator, has been triggered for a predetermined number of times or over a predetermined period of time, based on a determined numerical value indicating the amount of residue and / or without detecting an indication that the device has been cleaned. The process may then resume in step 401 for freshly retrieving the image data signal and / or image pixel array data. The process may also detect a cleaning event by considering a time profile of the number of pixels or a numerical value that roughly indicates the amount of residue in the oven.

[0040] Figures 5A and 5B show representative but exemplary array values ​​of input image data signals before and after filtering, according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. Generally, this relates to embodiments in which a controller is configured to determine the number of pixels in the acquired image and compare the determined number of pixels with a predetermined threshold. Figure 5A shows a grayscale display of an image having corresponding image pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array. Each pixel may have a corresponding pixel value representing color or brightness. This array data is extracted from the image data signal and processed, for example, as described in relation to Figure 4. As a result, individual pixels are filtered out, as shown in Figure 5B, and may then be subject to counting. In this way, a numerical value indicating the amount of residue in the oven can be obtained.

[0041] The advantages of embodiments of the present invention may include any one of the following: It is possible to provide an aerosol generating device that reliably prevents the residue of unwanted materials from remaining in an oven or heating chamber. Furthermore, it is possible to provide an aerosol generating device that provides more reliable and repeatable operation. Additionally, the controller of the aerosol generating device can determine that cleaning is necessary and then trigger appropriate action by the user. This can lead to the further advantage of avoiding unnecessary waste in the form of cleaning tissues, cotton swabs, etc., as the user is encouraged to perform cleaning only when necessary and tools are used and consumed only when needed.

[0042] While detailed embodiments have been described, these embodiments are intended to enhance the understanding of the invention as defined by the independent claims and should not be considered limiting.

Claims

1. an aerosol generating device (1) configured to generate vapors and / or aerosols that are inhaled by the user, An oven (11) arranged to accept a certain amount of aerosol precursor material, A power supply (14) for supplying power to the oven (11) in order to generate the steam and / or aerosol by heating the aerosol precursor material, Controller (13) and An image sensor (15) is positioned to acquire image data signals representing the optical appearance inside the oven (11), and Includes, The controller (13) is configured to acquire the image data signal from the optical appearance and determine a numerical value indicating the amount of residue in the oven (11), and is an aerosol generating device (1).

2. The aerosol generating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor (15) includes one of a charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, and an organic semiconductor image sensor.

3. The aerosol generating device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an optical imaging system (131) disposed between the optical sensor (15) and the interior of the oven (11).

4. The aerosol generating device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the optical imaging system (131) is in the form of an imaging lens.

5. The aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a thermal barrier (132) which is at least partially transparent and disposed between the optical sensor (15) and the interior of the oven (11).

6. The aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the thermal barrier (132) which is at least partially transparent is in the form of an infrared (IR) filter.

7. The aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a light source (16) arranged to illuminate at least a portion of the interior of the oven (11).

8. The aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the controller (13) is configured to perform image processing on the received image data signal in order to determine the numerical value indicating the amount of residue.

9. The aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the controller (13) is configured to determine the number of pixels in the acquired image and to compare the determined number of pixels with a predetermined threshold.

10. The aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising an indicator element (17), wherein the controller (13) is configured to drive the indicator element (17) based on a determined numerical value indicating the amount of residue.

11. The aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the controller (13) is configured to temporarily suspend the operation of the aerosol generating device (1) based on the determined numerical value indicating the amount of residue.

12. The aerosol generating device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the oven (11) includes a chamber or cavity (18) and one of a heating element, a resistance heating element, and an induction heating assembly.

13. The aerosol generating device (1) according to claim 12, wherein the chamber or cavity (18) includes a closed end on the distal side, and the image sensor (15) is arranged to acquire a signal representing the internal optical appearance in the region of the closed end.

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