Information processing method, aerosol generation system and program

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a biometric authentication mechanism that allows for a further increase in user convenience. [Solution] An information processing method comprising: acquiring biometric information of a user; acquiring a predetermined request from the user; performing biometric authentication on the basis of the biometric information acquired before the acquisition of the predetermined request; and controlling operation of an aspiration device, which generates an aerosol to be aspirated by the user, on the basis of the result of the biometric authentication.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing method, an aerosol generating system, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Inhalation devices that generate a substance to be inhaled by a user, such as electronic cigarettes and nebulizers, are widely used. For example, an inhalation device generates an aerosol imparted with a flavor component using a substrate that includes an aerosol source for generating an aerosol and a flavor source for imparting a flavor component to the generated aerosol. A user can taste the flavor by inhaling the aerosol imparted with the flavor component generated by the inhalation device. The action of a user inhaling an aerosol is also referred to as a puff or a puffing action below.

[0003] In recent years, it has been considered to equip the suction device with a biosensor that detects bioinformation. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technology for authenticating a user based on bioinformation detected by a biosensor equipped in the suction device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 175846 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 has only recently been developed, and there is room for improvement in various respects.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a biometric authentication mechanism that can further improve user convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, an information processing method is provided, which includes acquiring biometric information of a user, acquiring a specified request from the user, performing biometric authentication based on the biometric information acquired before the specified request was acquired, and controlling operation of an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by the user based on a result of the biometric authentication.

[0008] Acquiring the biometric information may include repeatedly acquiring the biometric information at a predetermined period, and performing the biometric authentication may include performing the biometric authentication based on the last acquired biometric information among the repeatedly acquired biometric information.

[0009] Performing the biometric authentication may include performing the biometric authentication based on the biometric information that was last acquired among the repeatedly acquired biometric information, and that was acquired within a specified time from the timing when the specified request was acquired.

[0010] When the last of the repeatedly acquired biometric information is acquired outside a specified time from the timing at which the specified request is acquired, the information processing method may include acquiring the biometric information anew, and performing the biometric authentication based on the newly acquired biometric information instead of the biometric authentication based on the biometric information acquired before the specified request is acquired.

[0011] The biometric authentication may be performed based on a plurality of types of biometric information.

[0012] Controlling the operation of the inhalation device may include permitting or prohibiting execution of a process that generates the aerosol.

[0013] The predetermined requirement may be obtained by the suction device.

[0014] The predetermined request may be acquired by a terminal device that is associated in advance with the suction device.

[0015] The biological information may be acquired by a wearable device worn by the user.

[0016] The biometric authentication may be performed by the aspiration device.

[0017] The biometric authentication may be performed by a terminal device that is associated in advance with the suction device.

[0018] The biometric authentication may be performed by a server located on the internet.

[0019] In addition, in order to solve the above problem, according to another aspect of the present invention, an aerosol generating system is provided, comprising: a request acquisition unit that acquires a specified request from a user; an authentication unit that performs biometric authentication based on biometric information of the user acquired before the specified request is acquired; and a device control unit that controls the operation of an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by the user based on the result of the biometric authentication.

[0020] The inhalation device generates the aerosol using a substrate including at least one of an aerosol source which is a source of generation of the aerosol or a flavor source which is a source of generation of a flavor to be imparted to the aerosol, and the aerosol generation system may include the substrate.

[0021] In addition, in order to solve the above problem, according to another aspect of the present invention, a program is provided for causing a computer to perform biometric authentication based on biometric information of a user acquired before a specified request from the user is acquired, and to control the operation of an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by the user based on the result of the biometric authentication. Effect of the Invention

[0022] As described above, according to the present invention, a biometric authentication mechanism capable of further improving user convenience is provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a first configuration example of a suction device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second configuration example of the suction device. [Diagram 3] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a flow of processing executed in the system according to the embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a flow of processing executed in the system according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 8] 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a flow of processing executed in the system according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 10] 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a flow of processing executed in the system according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device according to first to fourth embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0025] <1. Example of suction device configuration> The inhalation device is a device that generates a substance to be inhaled by a user. In the following description, the substance generated by the inhalation device is described as an aerosol. Alternatively, the substance generated by the inhalation device may be a gas.

[0026] (1) First configuration example FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first configuration example of an inhalation device. As shown in FIG. 1, an inhalation device 100A according to this configuration example includes a power supply unit 110, a cartridge 120, and a flavoring cartridge 130. The power supply unit 110 includes a power supply section 111A, a sensor section 112A, a notification section 113A, a memory section 114A, a communication section 115A, and a control section 116A. The cartridge 120 includes a heating section 121A, a liquid guiding section 122, and a liquid storage section 123. The flavoring cartridge 130 includes a flavor source 131 and a mouthpiece 124. An air flow path 180 is formed in the cartridge 120 and the flavoring cartridge 130.

[0027] Power supply unit 111A accumulates power. Power supply unit 111A supplies power to each component of suction device 100A under the control of control unit 116A. Power supply unit 111A may be configured with, for example, a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery.

[0028] The sensor unit 112A acquires various information related to the suction device 100A. As an example, the sensor unit 112A is configured with a pressure sensor such as a condenser microphone, a flow rate sensor, a temperature sensor, or the like, and acquires values ​​associated with suction by the user. As another example, the sensor unit 112A is configured with an input device that accepts information input from the user, such as a button or a switch.

[0029] Notification unit 113A notifies the user of information. Notification unit 113A is configured, for example, by a light emitting device that emits light, a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that outputs sound, or a vibration device that vibrates.

[0030] Storage unit 114A stores various types of information for the operation of suction device 100 A. Storage unit 114A is configured with, for example, a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory.

[0031] The communication unit 115A is a communication interface capable of performing communication in compliance with any wired or wireless communication standard, such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0032] The control unit 116A functions as an arithmetic processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation within the suction device 100A in accordance with various programs. The control unit 116A is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a microprocessor.

[0033] The liquid storage unit 123 stores the aerosol source. The aerosol source is atomized to generate the aerosol. The aerosol source is a liquid such as polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin and propylene glycol, and water. The aerosol source may contain tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor components. When the inhalation device 100A is a medical inhaler such as a nebulizer, the aerosol source may contain a medicine.

[0034] The liquid guide unit 122 guides and holds the aerosol source, which is a liquid stored in the liquid storage unit 123, from the liquid storage unit 123. The liquid guide unit 122 is, for example, a wick formed by twisting a fiber material such as glass fiber or a porous material such as porous ceramic. In this case, the aerosol source stored in the liquid storage unit 123 is guided by the capillary effect of the wick.

[0035] The heating unit 121A heats the aerosol source to atomize the aerosol source and generate an aerosol. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the heating unit 121A is configured as a coil and is wound around the liquid guide unit 122. When the heating unit 121A generates heat, the aerosol source held in the liquid guide unit 122 is heated and atomized, and an aerosol is generated. The heating unit 121A generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111A. As an example, power may be supplied when the sensor unit 112A detects that the user has started inhaling and / or that predetermined information has been input. Then, power supply may be stopped when the sensor unit 112A detects that the user has stopped inhaling and / or that predetermined information has been input.

[0036] The flavor source 131 is a component for imparting flavor components to the aerosol. The flavor source 131 may include tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor components.

[0037] The air flow path 180 is a flow path for air inhaled by the user. The air flow path 180 has a tubular structure with an air inlet hole 181, which is an inlet for air into the air flow path 180, and an air outlet hole 182, which is an outlet for air from the air flow path 180, at both ends. In the middle of the air flow path 180, the liquid guide section 122 is disposed on the upstream side (the side closer to the air inlet hole 181), and the flavor source 131 is disposed on the downstream side (the side closer to the air outlet hole 182). The air that flows in from the air inlet hole 181 as the user inhales is mixed with the aerosol generated by the heating section 121A, and is transported to the air outlet hole 182 through the flavor source 131 as shown by the arrow 190. When the mixed fluid of the aerosol and the air passes through the flavor source 131, the flavor components contained in the flavor source 131 are imparted to the aerosol.

[0038] Mouthpiece 124 is a member that is held in the mouth of a user when inhaling. Air outlet hole 182 is arranged in mouthpiece 124. By holding mouthpiece 124 in the mouth and inhaling, the user can take in a mixed fluid of aerosol and air into the oral cavity.

[0039] The above describes an example of the configuration of the suction device 100A. Of course, the configuration of the suction device 100A is not limited to the above, and various configurations such as those exemplified below may be used.

[0040] As an example, the inhalation device 100A may not include the flavoring cartridge 130. In that case, the cartridge 120 is provided with the mouthpiece 124.

[0041] As another example, the inhalation device 100A may include multiple types of aerosol sources. Multiple types of aerosols generated from the multiple types of aerosol sources may be mixed in the air flow path 180 and undergo a chemical reaction to generate yet another type of aerosol.

[0042] Furthermore, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to heating by the heating unit 121 A. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source may be vibration atomization or induction heating.

[0043] (2) Second configuration example 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second configuration example of the suction device. As shown in FIG. 2, the suction device 100B according to this configuration example includes a power supply unit 111B, a sensor unit 112B, a notification unit 113B, a storage unit 114B, a communication unit 115B, a control unit 116B, a heating unit 121B, a holding unit 140, and a heat insulating unit 144.

[0044] Each of power supply unit 111B, sensor unit 112B, notification unit 113B, memory unit 114B, communication unit 115B, and control unit 116B is substantially the same as the corresponding components included in suction device 100A according to the first configuration example.

[0045] The holding part 140 has an internal space 141, and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150 while accommodating a part of the stick-shaped substrate 150 in the internal space 141. The holding part 140 has an opening 142 that connects the internal space 141 to the outside, and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 from the opening 142. For example, the holding part 140 is a cylindrical body with the opening 142 and the bottom part 143 as the bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141. The holding part 140 also has a function of defining a flow path for air to be supplied to the stick-shaped substrate 150. An air inlet hole that is an entrance of air to such a flow path is arranged in the bottom part 143, for example. On the other hand, an air outlet hole that is an exit of air from such a flow path is the opening 142.

[0046] The stick-type substrate 150 includes a substrate portion 151 and a suction mouth portion 152. The substrate portion 151 includes an aerosol source. In this configuration example, the aerosol source is not limited to a liquid, and may be a solid. When the stick-type substrate 150 is held by the holder 140, at least a part of the substrate portion 151 is accommodated in the internal space 141, and at least a part of the suction mouth portion 152 protrudes from the opening 142. When the user holds the suction mouth portion 152 protruding from the opening 142 in his / her mouth and inhales, air flows into the internal space 141 from an air inlet hole (not shown) and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151.

[0047] The heating unit 121B has a configuration similar to that of the heating unit 121A according to the first configuration example. However, in the example shown in Fig. 2, the heating unit 121B is configured in a film shape and is arranged so as to cover the outer periphery of the holding unit 140. When the heating unit 121B generates heat, the substrate unit 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 is heated from the outer periphery, and an aerosol is generated.

[0048] The heat insulating section 144 prevents heat transfer from the heating section 121B to other components. For example, the heat insulating section 144 is made of a vacuum heat insulating material, an aerogel heat insulating material, or the like.

[0049] The above describes an example of the configuration of the suction device 100B. Of course, the configuration of the suction device 100B is not limited to the above, and various configurations such as those exemplified below may be used.

[0050] As one example, the heating unit 121B may be configured in a blade shape and disposed so as to protrude from the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140 into the internal space 141. In this case, the blade-shaped heating unit 121B is inserted into the substrate 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 and heats the substrate 151 of the stick-shaped substrate 150 from the inside. As another example, the heating unit 121B may be disposed so as to cover the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140. Furthermore, the heating unit 121B may be configured as a combination of two or more of a first heating unit covering the outer periphery of the holding unit 140, a blade-shaped second heating unit, and a third heating unit covering the bottom 143 of the holding unit 140.

[0051] As another example, the holding unit 140 may include an opening and closing mechanism such as a hinge that opens and closes a part of the outer shell that forms the internal space 141. The holding unit 140 may then open and close the outer shell to clamp the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141. In this case, the heating unit 121B may be provided at the clamping location in the holding unit 140, and may heat the stick-shaped substrate 150 while pressing it.

[0052] Furthermore, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to heating by the heating unit 121B. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source may be induction heating.

[0053] Furthermore, the inhalation device 100B may further include the heating unit 121A, the liquid guide unit 122, the liquid storage unit 123, and the air flow path 180 according to the first configuration example, and the air outlet hole 182 of the air flow path 180 may also serve as an air inlet hole to the internal space 141. In this case, the mixed fluid of the aerosol and air generated by the heating unit 121A flows into the internal space 141 and is further mixed with the aerosol generated by the heating unit 121B, and reaches the oral cavity of the user.

[0054] <2. Technical features> <2.1. First embodiment> Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the system 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the system 1 according to the present embodiment includes, as physical components, a suction device 100, a terminal device 200, and a wearable terminal 300. The suction device 100 and the terminal device 200, and the terminal device 200 and the wearable terminal 300 are capable of communicating with each other.

[0055] The system 1 according to this embodiment includes, as logical components, a biometric information acquisition unit 10, a request acquisition unit 20, an authentication unit 30, and a device control unit 40. As shown in FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the terminal device 200 includes the request acquisition unit 20, the authentication unit 30, and the device control unit 40, and the wearable terminal 300 includes the biometric information acquisition unit 10.

[0056] (1) Physical components The inhalation device 100 may take any of the first and second configuration examples described above. The inhalation device 100 generates an aerosol using a substrate including at least one of an aerosol source, which is a source of aerosol generation, or a flavor source, which is a source of flavor imparted to the aerosol. The cartridge 120, flavor imparting cartridge 130, and stick-type substrate 150 described above are examples of substrates in this embodiment. In the first configuration example, the combination of the power supply unit 110, the cartridge 120, and the flavor imparting cartridge 130 may be regarded as one aerosol generating system in that the aerosol can be generated by combining the power supply unit 110, the cartridge 120, and the flavor imparting cartridge 130. Similarly, in the second configuration example, the combination of the inhalation device 100 and the stick-type substrate 150 may be regarded as one aerosol generating system in that the aerosol can be generated by combining the inhalation device 100 and the stick-type substrate 150. Furthermore, the entire system 1 may be regarded as an aerosol generating system.

[0057] The terminal device 200 is a device used by a user of the suction device 100. The terminal device 200 is configured by any information processing device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. The terminal device 200 is pre-associated with the suction device 100. For example, the terminal device 200 is pre-paired with the suction device 100, and controls the operation of the suction device 100 via wireless communication, and acquires and stores the operation history of the suction device 100. Note that, depending on the communication standard of the wireless communication between the suction device 100 and the terminal device 200, the terminal device 200 does not necessarily need to be pre-associated with the suction device 100.

[0058] The wearable terminal 300 is a device worn by a user of the suction device 100. The wearable terminal 300 may take any form, such as a wristwatch type, a necklace type, or a contact lens type. The wearable terminal 300 is pre-associated with the terminal device 200. For example, the terminal device 200 is pre-paired with the wearable terminal 300, and controls the operation of the wearable terminal 300 via wireless communication, and acquires and stores the operation history of the wearable terminal 300. The wearable terminal 300 may also be pre-associated with the suction device 100. As an example, the wearable terminal 300 may be directly paired with the suction device 100. As another example, the wearable terminal 300 may be indirectly associated with the suction device 100 via the terminal device 200 by being paired with the terminal device 200 paired with the suction device 100. Depending on the communication standard of wireless communication, the wearable terminal 300 and the terminal device 200 or the suction device 100 do not necessarily need to be associated with each other in advance.

[0059] (2) Logical components -Biometric information acquisition unit 10 The biometric information acquiring unit 10 acquires biometric information of a user. Biometric information is information indicating a physical characteristic or a behavioral characteristic of a living body. Examples of information indicating a physical characteristic include a fingerprint, a heart rate, a pulse rate, an iris, a face, a blood vessel, a body temperature, and a voiceprint. Examples of information indicating a behavioral characteristic include handwriting and a gait pattern. The biometric information acquiring unit 10 acquires at least one of these pieces of biometric information.

[0060] In particular, the biometric information acquiring unit 10 repeatedly acquires biometric information at a predetermined cycle. For example, the biometric information acquiring unit 10 acquires biometric information periodically for reasons such as taking a life log. When the biometric information acquiring unit 10 acquires the biometric information, it transmits the acquired biometric information to the authentication unit 30. At that time, the biometric information acquiring unit 10 may transmit information indicating the timing (e.g., time) at which the biometric information was acquired to the authentication unit 30 together with the biometric information. Alternatively, the authentication unit 30 may treat the timing at which the biometric information was received as the timing at which the biometric information was acquired. Note that the biometric information acquiring unit 10 does not necessarily acquire biometric information at a predetermined cycle, and may acquire the biometric information according to a predetermined condition. Examples of the predetermined condition include a request from a user, detection of a predetermined action or a predetermined movement by the user, and the like.

[0061] The biometric information acquiring unit 10 according to this embodiment is mounted on the wearable terminal 300. The biometric information acquiring unit 10 acquires biometric information using a biometric sensor included in the wearable terminal 300. Examples of the biometric sensor include a fingerprint sensor, a heart rate sensor, a pulse sensor, a blood pressure sensor, a respiration sensor, a temperature sensor, an electromyographic sensor, a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a camera, and a microphone.

[0062] -Request acquisition unit 20 The request acquisition unit 20 acquires a predetermined request from a user. When the request acquisition unit 20 acquires the predetermined request, it transmits information indicating that the predetermined request has been acquired to the authentication unit 30. At that time, the request acquisition unit 20 may transmit information indicating the timing (e.g., time) at which the predetermined request was acquired to the authentication unit 30 together with the information indicating that the predetermined request has been acquired. Alternatively, the authentication unit 30 may treat the timing at which the information indicating that the predetermined request has been acquired is received as the timing at which the predetermined request was acquired.

[0063] The predetermined request is a request for a predetermined operation to be performed in the inhalation device 100. An example of the predetermined request is a request for releasing a lock placed on the inhalation device 100. The inhalation device 100 prohibits or permits the generation of aerosol. The inhalation device 100 can generate aerosol only in a situation where the generation of aerosol is permitted. For example, the inhalation device 100 can supply power to the means for atomizing the aerosol source in response to a user operation only in a situation where the generation of aerosol is permitted. The prohibition of the generation of aerosol in the inhalation device 100 is also referred to as the inhalation device 100 being locked. On the other hand, the permission of the generation of aerosol in the inhalation device 100 is also referred to as the unlocking. That is, the predetermined request may be a request for permission to generate aerosol. Hereinafter, the predetermined request is also referred to as a request to release the lock.

[0064] Furthermore, the specified request may be a request for accepting a user operation on the suction device 100. The suction device 100 prohibits or permits the acceptance of a user operation. The suction device 100 accepts the user operation only in a situation in which acceptance of the user operation is permitted. For example, when acceptance of a user operation is permitted, the suction device 100 can accept the start of suction by the user or the input of specified information by the user. Prohibition of acceptance of a user operation on the suction device 100 may be referred to as the suction device 100 being locked. On the other hand, permission to accept a user operation on the suction device 100 may be referred to as the lock being released.

[0065] The request acquisition unit 20 according to this embodiment is mounted on the terminal device 200. Therefore, the unlock request is acquired by the terminal device 200. For example, the unlock request is acquired as a user input to an input device such as a button or a touch panel provided on the terminal device 200. Alternatively, the unlock request may be acquired as a voice input or a gesture input.

[0066] -Authentication section 30 The authentication unit 30 performs biometric authentication based on the biometric information acquired by the biometric information acquisition unit 10. The authentication unit 30 performs authentication by comparing the biometric information acquired by the biometric information acquisition unit 10 with biometric information previously registered as the biometric information of the user of the suction device 10. For example, the authentication unit 30 determines that the authentication is successful when the degree of agreement between the two pieces of biometric information is equal to or greater than a threshold, and determines that the authentication is unsuccessful when the degree of agreement is not equal to or greater than a threshold.

[0067] The authentication unit 30 may perform biometric authentication based on multiple types of biometric information. For example, the authentication unit 30 performs biometric authentication using different types of biometric information, such as a heartbeat and a fingerprint. This configuration makes it possible to improve authentication accuracy.

[0068] The authentication unit 30 executes biometric authentication when it receives information indicating that an unlock request has been acquired from the request acquisition unit 20. Then, the authentication unit 30 transmits information indicating the result of the biometric authentication to the device control unit 40. The information indicating the result of the biometric authentication here is information indicating the success or failure of the biometric authentication.

[0069] Here, the authentication unit 30 performs biometric authentication based on biometric information acquired before the unlock request is acquired. More specifically, the authentication unit 30 stores the biometric information received from the biometric information acquisition unit 10 for at least a predetermined period of time. Then, when the authentication unit 30 receives the unlock request, it performs biometric authentication based on the stored biometric information. With this configuration, biometric authentication can be completed earlier than when biometric information is acquired after the unlock request is acquired. Therefore, the time lag from when the user inputs the unlock request to when the lock is actually released can be shortened. In this way, the usability of the suction device 100 can be improved.

[0070] The authentication unit 30 executes biometric authentication based on the last acquired biometric information among the repeatedly acquired biometric information. With this configuration, it is possible to execute biometric authentication based on the latest biometric information.

[0071] Furthermore, the authentication unit 30 executes biometric authentication based on the biometric information that was last acquired among the repeatedly acquired biometric information and that was acquired within a predetermined time from the timing of acquiring the unlock request. With this configuration, it is possible to execute biometric authentication based on the most recent biometric information.

[0072] However, there may be cases where the last biometric information acquired among the repeatedly acquired biometric information was acquired outside a predetermined time period from the timing when the unlock request was acquired. In such a case, the authentication unit 30 requests the biometric information acquisition unit 10 to acquire biometric information. Upon receiving such a request, the biometric information acquisition unit 10 acquires new biometric information and transmits it to the authentication unit 30. Then, the authentication unit 30 executes biometric authentication based on the newly acquired biometric information instead of the biometric authentication based on the biometric information acquired before the unlock request was acquired. With this configuration, it is possible to avoid a situation where biometric authentication is executed based on old biometric information.

[0073] -Device control unit 40 The device control unit 40 controls the operation of the suction device 100 based on the result of the biometric authentication. Specifically, the device control unit 40 permits or prohibits the suction device 100 from executing a process of generating an aerosol. That is, the device control unit 40 locks the suction device 100 or releases a lock placed on the suction device 100. For example, the device control unit 40 permits the generation of aerosol when the biometric authentication is successful, and prohibits the generation of aerosol when the biometric authentication is unsuccessful.

[0074] When the device control unit 40 receives information indicating the result of the biometric authentication from the authentication unit 30, the device control unit 40 controls the operation of the suction device 100 based on the received result of the biometric authentication. Specifically, the device control unit 40 transmits information indicating whether to permit or prohibit the generation of aerosol to the suction device 100. That is, the device control unit 40 transmits a signal instructing the suction device 100 to unlock or lock. When the generation of aerosol is permitted, the suction device 100 can generate aerosol in response to a user operation. For example, when the generation of aerosol is permitted, the suction device 100 executes power supply to the means for atomizing the aerosol source in response to a user operation. On the other hand, when the generation of aerosol is prohibited, the suction device 100 does not generate aerosol. For example, when the generation of aerosol is prohibited, the suction device 100 does not execute power supply to the means for atomizing the aerosol source in response to a user operation. Furthermore, when the reception of user operations is permitted, the suction device 100 receives various user operations for the suction device 100. On the other hand, when the acceptance of user operations is prohibited, the suction device 100 does not accept various user operations on the suction device 100.

[0075] (3) Processing flow 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a flow of processing executed in the system 1 according to this embodiment. The suction device 100, the terminal device 200, and the wearable terminal 300 are involved in this sequence.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 4, first, the wearable terminal 300 acquires biological information (step S102).

[0077] Next, the wearable terminal 300 transmits the acquired biological information to the terminal device 200 (step S104).

[0078] Upon receiving the biometric information, the terminal device 200 stores the received biometric information (step S106).

[0079] The terminal device 200 and the wearable terminal 300 repeatedly execute the processes of steps S102 to S106 at a predetermined cycle.

[0080] Next, the terminal device 200 receives a request to release the lock (step S108).

[0081] Next, the terminal device 200 determines whether or not the acquisition timing of the last acquired biometric information is within a predetermined time from the acquisition timing of the unlock request (step S110).

[0082] If it is determined that the acquisition timing of the last acquired biometric information is within a predetermined time from the acquisition timing of the unlock request (step S110: YES), the terminal device 200 performs biometric authentication based on the last acquired biometric information (step S112).

[0083] On the other hand, if it is determined that the timing of the last acquired biometric information is outside the predetermined time from the timing of the acquisition of the unlock request (step S110: NO), the terminal device 200 transmits a signal to the wearable terminal 300 requesting that the biometric information be acquired (step S114).

[0084] When the wearable terminal 300 receives the signal requesting to acquire biological information, it acquires the biological information (step S116).

[0085] Next, the wearable terminal 300 transmits the acquired biological information to the terminal device 200 (step S118).

[0086] Then, upon receiving the newly acquired biometric information, the terminal device 200 executes biometric authentication based on the newly acquired biometric information (step S120).

[0087] It is assumed that the biometric authentication is successful in step S112 or step S120. In this case, the terminal device 200 transmits a signal requesting the release of the lock to the suction device 100 (step S122).

[0088] When the inhalation device 100 receives the signal requesting unlocking, the inhalation device 100 unlocks the lock (step S124). After that, the inhalation device 100 generates aerosol in response to a user operation.

[0089] (4) Supplementary information In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the request acquisition unit 20 is included in the terminal device 200, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. For example, the request acquisition unit 20 may be included in the suction device 100. In that case, when the suction device 100 acquires a request to release the lock, the suction device 100 transmits information indicating that the request to release the lock has been acquired to the terminal device 200. Other processes are as described above.

[0090] <2.2. Second embodiment> (1) Composition Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a system 1 according to a second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the system 1 according to the present embodiment includes, as physical components, a suction device 100, a terminal device 200, a wearable terminal 300, and a server 400. The suction device 100 and the terminal device 200, the terminal device 200 and the wearable terminal 300, and the terminal device 200 and the server 400 are capable of communicating with each other.

[0091] The suction device 100, the terminal device 200, and the wearable terminal 300 are as described above. The server 400 is a device located on the Internet. For example, the server 400 may be a so-called cloud server.

[0092] The system 1 according to this embodiment includes, as logical components, a biometric information acquisition unit 10, a request acquisition unit 20, a first authentication unit 30A, a second authentication unit 30B, and a device control unit 40. The biometric information acquisition unit 10, the request acquisition unit 20, and the device control unit 40 are as described above.

[0093] The first authentication unit 30A has all the functions except for the function of performing biometric authentication among the functions described above for the authentication unit 30. That is, the first authentication unit 30A repeatedly receives and stores biometric information from the biometric information acquisition unit 10. Then, when the first authentication unit 30A receives information indicating that a request to release the lock has been acquired from the request acquisition unit 20, it transmits the biometric information to be used for biometric authentication to the second authentication unit 30B, and causes the second authentication unit 30B to perform the biometric authentication.

[0094] At that time, the first authentication unit 30A transmits to the second authentication unit 30B the last biometric information acquired from the repeatedly acquired biometric information, which is acquired within a predetermined time from the timing when the unlock request was acquired. However, there may be cases where the last biometric information acquired from the repeatedly acquired biometric information was acquired outside the predetermined time from the timing when the unlock request was acquired. In such a case, the first authentication unit 30A requests the biometric information acquisition unit 10 to acquire biometric information, and transmits the newly acquired biometric information to the second authentication unit 30B.

[0095] The second authentication unit 30B has a function of performing biometric authentication among the functions described above for the authentication unit 30. In detail, the second authentication unit 30B performs biometric authentication based on the biometric information received from the first authentication unit 30A.

[0096] In this embodiment, the terminal device 200 includes a request acquisition unit 20, a first authentication unit 30A and a device control unit 40, the wearable terminal 300 includes a biometric information acquisition unit 10, and the server 400 includes a second authentication unit 30B.

[0097] (2) Processing flow 6 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a flow of processing executed in the system 1 according to this embodiment. The suction device 100, the terminal device 200, the wearable terminal 300, and the server 400 are involved in this sequence.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 6, first, the wearable terminal 300 acquires biological information (step S202).

[0099] Next, the wearable terminal 300 transmits the acquired biological information to the terminal device 200 (step S204).

[0100] Upon receiving the biometric information, the terminal device 200 stores the received biometric information (step S206).

[0101] The terminal device 200 and the wearable terminal 300 repeatedly execute the processes of steps S202 to S206 at a predetermined cycle.

[0102] Next, the terminal device 200 receives a request to release the lock (step S208).

[0103] Next, the terminal device 200 determines whether the acquisition timing of the last acquired biometric information is within a predetermined time from the acquisition timing of the unlock request (step S210).

[0104] If it is determined that the acquisition timing of the last acquired biometric information is within a predetermined time from the acquisition timing of the unlock request (step S210: YES), the terminal device 200 transmits the last acquired biometric information to the server 400 (step S212).

[0105] On the other hand, if it is determined that the timing of the last acquired biometric information is outside the predetermined time from the timing of the acquisition of the unlock request (step S210: NO), the terminal device 200 transmits a signal to the wearable terminal 300 requesting that the biometric information be acquired (step S214).

[0106] When the wearable terminal 300 receives the signal requesting to acquire biological information, it acquires the biological information (step S216).

[0107] Next, the wearable terminal 300 transmits the acquired biological information to the terminal device 200 (step S218).

[0108] Next, upon receiving the newly acquired biometric information, the terminal device 200 transfers the newly acquired biometric information to the server 400 (step S220).

[0109] When the server 400 receives the biometric information in step S212 or step S220, the server 400 executes biometric authentication based on the received biometric information (step S222). Here, it is assumed that the biometric authentication is successful.

[0110] Next, the server 400 transmits information indicating that the biometric authentication has been successful to the terminal device 200 (step S224).

[0111] When the terminal device 200 receives the information indicating that the biometric authentication has been successful, the terminal device 200 transmits a signal requesting the release of the lock to the suction device 100 (step S226).

[0112] When the inhalation device 100 receives the signal requesting unlocking, the inhalation device 100 unlocks the lock (step S228). After that, the inhalation device 100 generates aerosol in response to a user operation.

[0113] <2.3. Third embodiment> Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a system 1 according to a third embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7, the system 1 according to this embodiment includes, as physical components, a suction device 100 and a wearable terminal 300. The suction device 100 and the wearable terminal 300 are capable of communicating with each other.

[0114] The suction device 100 and the wearable terminal 300 are as described above. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the suction device 100 includes a request acquisition unit 20, an authentication unit 30, and a device control unit 40.

[0115] The request acquisition unit 20 according to this embodiment is mounted on the suction device 100. Therefore, the request to release the lock is acquired by the suction device 100. For example, the request to release the lock is acquired as a user input to an input device such as a button or a touch panel provided on the suction device 100. Alternatively, the request to release the lock may be acquired as a voice input or a gesture input. Note that, when a certain request is a request to accept a user operation on the suction device 100, the acceptance of the user operation means the acceptance of various user operations other than the user input as a request to release the lock.

[0116] 8 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a flow of processing executed in the system 1 according to this embodiment. The suction device 100 and the wearable terminal 300 are involved in this sequence.

[0117] As shown in FIG. 8, first, the wearable terminal 300 acquires biological information (step S302).

[0118] Next, the wearable terminal 300 transmits the acquired biological information to the suction device 100 (step S304).

[0119] Upon receiving the biological information, the suction device 100 stores the received biological information (step S306).

[0120] The suction device 100 and the wearable terminal 300 repeatedly execute the processes of steps S302 to S306 at a predetermined cycle.

[0121] Next, the suction device 100 receives a request to release the lock (step S308).

[0122] Next, the suction device 100 determines whether the acquisition timing of the last acquired biological information is within a predetermined time from the acquisition timing of the unlock request (step S310).

[0123] If it is determined that the timing of the last acquired biometric information is within a predetermined time from the timing of the acquisition of the unlock request (step S310: YES), the suction device 100 performs biometric authentication based on the last acquired biometric information (step S312).

[0124] On the other hand, if it is determined that the timing of the last acquired biometric information is outside the specified time from the timing of the acquisition of the unlock request (step S310: NO), the suction device 100 transmits a signal to the wearable terminal 300 requesting that the biometric information be acquired (step S314).

[0125] When the wearable terminal 300 receives the signal requesting acquisition of biological information, it acquires the biological information (step S316).

[0126] Next, the wearable terminal 300 transmits the acquired biological information to the suction device 100 (step S318).

[0127] Then, upon receiving the newly acquired biometric information, the suction device 100 performs biometric authentication based on the newly acquired biometric information (step S320).

[0128] It is assumed that the biometric authentication is successful in step S312 or step S320. In this case, the inhalation device 100 releases the lock (step S322). After that, the inhalation device 100 generates aerosol in response to a user operation.

[0129] <2.4. Fourth embodiment> Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a system 1 according to a fourth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9, the system 1 according to this embodiment includes, as physical components, a suction device 100, a wearable terminal 300, and a server 400. The suction device 100 and the wearable terminal 300, and the suction device 100 and the server 400 are capable of communicating with each other.

[0130] The suction device 100, the wearable terminal 300, and the server 400 are as described above. This embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the suction device 100 includes a request acquisition unit 20, a first authentication unit 30A, and a device control unit 40.

[0131] 10 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the flow of processing executed in the system 1 according to this embodiment. The suction device 100, the wearable terminal 300, and the server 400 are involved in this sequence.

[0132] As shown in FIG. 10, first, the wearable terminal 300 acquires biological information (step S402).

[0133] Next, the wearable terminal 300 transmits the acquired biological information to the suction device 100 (step S404).

[0134] Upon receiving the biological information, the suction device 100 stores the received biological information (step S406).

[0135] The suction device 100 and the wearable terminal 300 repeatedly execute the processes of steps S402 to S406 at a predetermined cycle.

[0136] Next, the suction device 100 receives a request to release the lock (step S408).

[0137] Next, the suction device 100 determines whether the acquisition timing of the last acquired biological information is within a predetermined time from the acquisition timing of the unlock request (step S410).

[0138] If it is determined that the acquisition timing of the last acquired biometric information is within a predetermined time from the acquisition timing of the unlock request (step S410: YES), the suction device 100 transmits the last acquired biometric information to the server 400 (step S412).

[0139] On the other hand, if it is determined that the timing of the last acquired biometric information is outside the specified time from the timing of the acquisition of the unlock request (step S410: NO), the suction device 100 transmits a signal to the wearable terminal 300 requesting that the biometric information be acquired (step S414).

[0140] When the wearable terminal 300 receives the signal requesting to acquire biological information, it acquires the biological information (step S416).

[0141] Next, the wearable terminal 300 transmits the acquired biological information to the suction device 100 (step S418).

[0142] Next, upon receiving the newly acquired biological information, the suction device 100 transfers the newly acquired biological information to the server 400 (step S420).

[0143] When the server 400 receives the biometric information in step S412 or step S420, the server 400 executes biometric authentication based on the received biometric information (step S422). Here, it is assumed that the biometric authentication is successful.

[0144] Next, the server 400 transmits information indicating that the biometric authentication has been successful to the aspirating device 100 (step S424).

[0145] When the inhalation device 100 receives the information indicating that the biometric authentication has been successful, the inhalation device 100 releases the lock (step S426). After that, the inhalation device 100 generates an aerosol in response to a user operation.

[0146] In this embodiment, an example in which the second authentication unit 30B is included in the server 400 has been described. However, the second authentication unit 30B may be included in the terminal device 200 instead of the server 400.

[0147] <3. Hardware configuration example> Finally, the hardware configuration of the information processing device according to each of the above embodiments will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device according to the present embodiment. Note that the information processing device 900 shown in Fig. 11 may realize, for example, the terminal device 200, the wearable terminal 300, or the server 400 shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 5, Fig. 7, or Fig. 9. Information processing by the terminal device 200, the wearable terminal 300, or the server 400 according to the present embodiment is realized by cooperation between software and hardware described below.

[0148] 11, the information processing device 900 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 901, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 902, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 903, and a host bus 904a. The information processing device 900 also includes a bridge 904, an external bus 904b, an interface 905, an input device 906, an output device 907, a storage device 908, and a communication device 909.

[0149] The CPU 901 functions as an arithmetic processing device and a control device, and controls the overall operation of the information processing device 900 in accordance with various programs. The information processing device 900 may have an electric circuit such as a microprocessor, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) instead of or in addition to the CPU 901. The ROM 902 stores programs and arithmetic parameters used by the CPU 901. The RAM 903 temporarily stores parameters that change as appropriate when the CPU 901 executes the programs. The CPU 901 may form, for example, the authentication unit 30, the first authentication unit 30A, the second authentication unit 30B, or the device control unit 40.

[0150] The CPU 901, ROM 902, and RAM 903 are connected to one another by a host bus 904a including a CPU bus, etc. The host bus 904a is connected to an external bus 904b such as a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect / Interface) bus via a bridge 904. Note that the host bus 904a, bridge 904, and external bus 904b do not necessarily need to be configured separately, and these functions may be implemented on a single bus.

[0151] The input device 906 is a device into which information is input by a user. Examples of such devices include a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, a button, a switch, and a lever. The input device 906 may also include a microphone that accepts voice input, or a camera that accepts gesture input. A user of the information processing device 900 can input various data to the information processing device 900 or instruct the information processing device 900 to execute processing by operating the input device 906.

[0152] In addition, the input device 906 may include a device that detects information about the user. For example, the input device 906 may include various sensors such as a depth sensor (e.g., a stereo camera), an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, a light sensor, a sound sensor, a biosensor, a distance sensor, and a force sensor. The input device 906 may also acquire information about the state of the information processing device 900 itself, such as the attitude and moving speed of the information processing device 900, and information about the surrounding environment of the information processing device 900, such as the brightness and noise around the information processing device 900. The input device 906 may also include a GNSS module that receives a GNSS signal from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellite (e.g., a GPS signal from a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite) to measure location information including the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the device. Regarding the location information, the input device 906 may transmit and receive a wireless signal to and from another device and detect a relative position based on the other device. The input device 906 may form, for example, the bioinformation acquisition unit 10 or the request acquisition unit 20.

[0153] The output device 907 is a device that outputs information to a user. Examples of such devices include devices that output visual information such as a display and a projector, devices that output auditory information such as a speaker, and devices that output tactile information such as an eccentric motor. The output device 907 outputs, for example, results obtained by various processes performed by the information processing device 900. In each of the above embodiments, the output device 907 may output biometric information acquired by the biometric information acquisition unit 10, or information indicating that an unlock request has been acquired by the request acquisition unit 20. In addition, the output device 907 may output information indicating the progress or result of a process performed by the authentication unit 30, the first authentication unit 30A, the second authentication unit 30B, or the device control unit 40.

[0154] The storage device 908 is a device that stores data. Examples of such devices include a magnetic storage device such as an HDD, a semiconductor storage device, an optical storage device, and a magneto-optical storage device. The storage device 908 may include a storage medium, a recording device that records data in the storage medium, a reading device that reads data from the storage medium, and a deleting device that deletes data recorded in the storage medium. The storage device 908 may store, for example, biometric information acquired by the biometric information acquiring unit 10.

[0155] The communication device 909 is a device that communicates with other devices in a wired or wireless manner. The communication device 909 performs communication in compliance with any communication standard, such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), LTE (Long Term Evolution), LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), NFC (Near Field Communication), or USB (Universal Serial Bus). The communication device 909 communicates with the suction device 100, the terminal device 200, the wearable terminal 300, or the server 400.

[0156] An example of a hardware configuration capable of realizing the functions of the information processing device 900 according to this embodiment has been described above. Each of the above components may be realized using general-purpose components, or may be realized by hardware specialized for the function of each component. Therefore, the hardware configuration to be used can be changed as appropriate depending on the technical level at the time of implementing this embodiment.

[0157] <4. Supplementary Information> Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to such an example. It is clear that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can conceive of various modified or altered examples within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0158] For example, which of the suction device 100, the terminal device 200, the wearable terminal 300, and the server 400 each of the biometric information acquiring unit 10, the request acquiring unit 20, the authentication unit 30, the first authentication unit 30A, the second authentication unit 30B, and the device control unit 40 is installed in is not limited to the above-described embodiments. That is, each of the biometric information acquiring unit 10, the request acquiring unit 20, the authentication unit 30, the first authentication unit 30A, the second authentication unit 30B, and the device control unit 40 may be installed in which of the suction device 100, the terminal device 200, the wearable terminal 300, and the server 400. For example, the biometric information acquiring unit 10 may be included in the suction device 100 or the terminal device 200.

[0159] For example, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which biometric authentication is performed based on the last biometric information acquired within a predetermined time period among the repeatedly acquired biometric information, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. For example, biometric information may be acquired spontaneously at a timing other than the periodic acquisition of biometric information due to an instruction from a user or the like. Then, if the spontaneously acquired biometric information is acquired within a predetermined time period from the timing when the unlock request is acquired, biometric authentication may be performed based on the spontaneously acquired biometric information.

[0160] For example, in the above embodiment, a request to release the lock is given as an example of a predetermined request from a user, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. The predetermined request may be a request to the suction device 100 to perform some operation. If the biometric authentication is successful, the device control unit 40 controls the suction device 100 to perform the requested operation. For example, the predetermined request may be a request to the suction device 100 to transmit an operation log. In that case, the device control unit 40 controls the suction device 100 to transmit the operation log if the biometric authentication is successful.

[0161] The series of processes performed by each device described in this specification may be realized using software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. The programs constituting the software are stored in advance, for example, in a recording medium (non-transitory medium) provided inside or outside each device. Each program is read into a RAM when executed by a computer that controls each device described in this specification, and is executed by a processor such as a CPU. The recording medium is, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a flash memory, etc. The computer program may also be distributed, for example, via a network, without using a recording medium.

[0162] Furthermore, a part or all of the processes executed by the terminal device 200 may be executed by the server 400 or another server (not shown) using Progressive Web Apps (PWA).

[0163] In addition, the processes described in this specification using flowcharts and sequence diagrams do not necessarily have to be performed in the order shown in the drawings. Some processing steps may be performed in parallel. In addition, additional processing steps may be employed, and some processing steps may be omitted.

[0164] The following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. (1) Acquiring biometric information of a user; Obtaining a predetermined request from the user; performing biometric authentication based on the biometric information acquired before the predetermined request is acquired; Controlling the operation of an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by the user based on a result of the biometric authentication; An information processing method comprising: (2) acquiring the biological information includes repeatedly acquiring the biological information at a predetermined cycle; performing the biometric authentication includes performing the biometric authentication based on the last acquired biometric information among the repeatedly acquired biometric information; The information processing method according to (1) above. (3) performing the biometric authentication includes performing the biometric authentication based on the biometric information that is last acquired among the repeatedly acquired biometric information and that is acquired within a predetermined time from the timing when the predetermined request is acquired. The information processing method according to (2) above. (4) When the last acquired biometric information among the repeatedly acquired biometric information is acquired outside a predetermined time period from the timing of acquiring the predetermined request, The information processing method includes: newly acquiring the biometric information; performing the biometric authentication based on newly acquired biometric information instead of the biometric authentication based on the biometric information acquired before the predetermined request is acquired; and Including, The information processing method according to (2) or (3) above. (5) The biometric authentication is performed based on a plurality of types of biometric information. The information processing method according to any one of (1) to (4) above. (6) Controlling the operation of the suction device comprises: Allowing or prohibiting execution of a process that generates the aerosol; The information processing method according to any one of (1) to (5) above. (7) The predetermined request is obtained by the suction device. The information processing method according to any one of (1) to (6) above. (8) The predetermined request is acquired by a terminal device that is associated with the suction device in advance. The information processing method according to any one of (1) to (6) above. (9) The biological information is acquired by a wearable terminal worn by the user. The information processing method according to any one of (1) to (8) above. (10) The biometric authentication is performed by the suction device. The information processing method according to any one of (1) to (9) above. (11) The biometric authentication is performed by a terminal device that is associated with the suction device in advance. The information processing method according to any one of (1) to (9) above. (12) The biometric authentication is performed by a server located on the Internet. The information processing method according to any one of (1) to (9) above. (13) a request acquisition unit that acquires a predetermined request from a user; an authentication unit that performs biometric authentication based on biometric information of the user acquired before the predetermined request is acquired; A device control unit that controls an operation of an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by the user based on a result of the biometric authentication; An aerosol generating system comprising: (14) The inhalation device generates the aerosol using a substrate including at least one of an aerosol source which is a source of generation of the aerosol and a flavor source which is a source of generation of a flavor to be imparted to the aerosol; The aerosol generating system comprises the substrate. The aerosol generation system described in (13). (15) On the computer, performing biometric authentication based on biometric information of the user acquired before a predetermined request from the user is acquired; Controlling the operation of an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by the user based on a result of the biometric authentication; A program for executing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0165] 1 System 100 Suction device 110 Power supply unit 111 Power supply section 112 Sensor section 113 Notification Department 114 Storage section 115 Communications Department 116 Control Unit 120 Cartridge 121 Heating section 122 Liquid guiding part 123 Liquid storage unit 124 Mouthpiece 130 Flavoring cartridge 140 Holding part 141 Interior Space 142 Aperture 143 Bottom 150 Stick-type substrate 151 Base material part 152 Mouthpiece 180 Air flow path 181 Air inlet 182 Air outlet 200 Terminal Equipment 300 Wearable Devices 400 Servers 10 Biometric information acquisition unit 20 Request acquisition section 30 Authentication Section 30A First Certification Section 30B Second Certification Section 40 Device control section

Claims

1. Repeatedly acquiring biometric information of a user at a predetermined interval; Obtaining a predetermined request from the user; performing biometric authentication based on the biometric information that was last acquired among the repeatedly acquired biometric information and that was acquired before the predetermined request was acquired; When the last acquired biometric information among the repeatedly acquired biometric information is acquired outside a predetermined time from the timing when the predetermined request is acquired, newly acquiring the biometric information, and executing the biometric authentication based on the newly acquired biometric information instead of the biometric authentication based on the biometric information acquired before the predetermined request is acquired; Controlling the operation of an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by the user based on a result of the biometric authentication; An information processing method comprising:

2. performing the biometric authentication includes performing the biometric authentication based on the biometric information that is last acquired among the repeatedly acquired biometric information and that is acquired within a predetermined time from the timing when the predetermined request is acquired. The information processing method according to claim 1 .

3. The biometric authentication is performed based on a plurality of types of biometric information.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Controlling the operation of the suction device comprises: Allowing or prohibiting execution of a process that generates the aerosol; The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The predetermined request is obtained by the suction device. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The predetermined request is acquired by a terminal device that is associated with the suction device in advance. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. The biological information is acquired by a wearable terminal worn by the user. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The biometric authentication is performed by the suction device. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The biometric authentication is performed by a terminal device that is associated with the suction device in advance. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. The biometric authentication is performed by a server located on the Internet. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

11. a request acquisition unit that acquires a predetermined request from a user; an authentication unit that performs biometric authentication based on the biometric information of the user that is last acquired among biometric information repeatedly acquired at a predetermined cycle, the biometric information being acquired before the predetermined request is acquired; A device control unit that controls an operation of an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by the user based on a result of the biometric authentication; Equipped with when the last acquired biometric information among the repeatedly acquired biometric information is acquired outside a predetermined time period from the timing when the predetermined request is acquired, the authentication unit executes the biometric authentication based on the newly acquired biometric information instead of the biometric authentication based on the biometric information acquired before the predetermined request is acquired. Aerosol generation systems.

12. The inhalation device generates the aerosol using a base material including at least one of an aerosol source which is a source of generation of the aerosol and a flavor source which is a source of generation of a flavor to be imparted to the aerosol; The aerosol generating system comprises the substrate.

12. The aerosol generating system of claim 11.

13. On the computer, performing biometric authentication based on the biometric information of the user that was last acquired among biometric information repeatedly acquired at a predetermined period, the biometric information being acquired before a predetermined request from the user is acquired; When the last acquired biometric information among the repeatedly acquired biometric information is acquired outside a predetermined time period from the timing when the predetermined request is acquired, the biometric authentication is performed based on the newly acquired biometric information instead of the biometric authentication based on the biometric information acquired before the predetermined request is acquired; Controlling the operation of an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by the user based on a result of the biometric authentication; A program for executing the above.

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