Control device, suction device, and control method

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a mechanism capable of further improving the quality of a user's inhalation experience. [Solution] This control device is equipped with a control part that selects a heating setting to be used by an inhalation device for generating an aerosol to be inhaled by a user by heating an aerosol source according to said heating setting, on the basis of inhalation-related information which is information pertaining the state of the user and / or the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device, a suction device, and a control method. [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, various technologies related to suction devices have been developed to enrich the suction experience of users. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technology that allows a user to select the temperature at which the suction device heats the substrate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 061906 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the user is required to take the trouble of selecting the temperature at which the suction device heats the substrate.

[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 mechanism that can further improve the quality of the user's inhalation experience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, a control device is provided that includes a control unit that selects the heating setting used by an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by a user by heating an aerosol source based on a heating setting, based on inhalation-related information, which is information regarding at least one of the user's condition or the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol.

[0008] The control unit may select the heating setting associated with a predetermined condition satisfied by the suction-related information.

[0009] The control unit may select the heating setting based on the number of predetermined conditions that are satisfied by the suction-related information, out of a plurality of predetermined conditions.

[0010] The control unit may select the heating setting based on a total value of scores set for the predetermined conditions satisfied by the suction-related information, among a plurality of predetermined conditions.

[0011] The control unit may select which of the plurality of predetermined conditions to use for selecting the heating setting based on an instruction from the user.

[0012] The control unit may select which of the plurality of predetermined conditions is to be used to select the heating setting based on the suction-related information.

[0013] The control unit may select the heating setting based on the suction-related information obtained periodically.

[0014] The control unit may select the heating setting based on the suction-related information acquired as a trigger when the suction device executes heating based on the heating setting.

[0015] The control unit may switch the heating setting used by the suction device during a period when the suction device is not performing heating based on the heating setting.

[0016] The control unit may switch the heating setting used by the suction device while the suction device is performing heating based on the heating setting.

[0017] The suction-related information regarding the user's condition may include at least one of the user's biometric information, information indicating an action performed by the user, information indicating an action the user is currently performing, or information indicating an action the user plans to perform.

[0018] The inhalation-related information regarding the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol may include at least one of information regarding date and time, information regarding location, information regarding weather, information regarding the usage status of the inhalation device, or information regarding other inhalation devices present around the user.

[0019] The suction device may generate the aerosol using a substrate containing the aerosol source, and the control unit may select the heating setting based on the type of substrate used by the suction device.

[0020] The control unit may select the heating setting from a plurality of heating settings that differ in at least one of a parameter related to a temperature at which the aerosol source is heated or a parameter related to a time at which the aerosol source is heated.

[0021] In addition, in order to solve the above problem, according to another aspect of the present invention, an inhalation device is provided that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by a user by heating an aerosol source based on a heating setting, and the inhalation device is equipped with a control unit that selects the heating setting based on inhalation-related information, which is information regarding at least one of the user's condition or the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol, and controls the aerosol source to be heated based on the selected heating setting.

[0022] In addition, in order to solve the above problem, according to another aspect of the present invention, a control method is provided that includes selecting a heating setting used by an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by a user by heating an aerosol source based on a heating setting, based on inhalation-related information, which is information regarding at least one of the user's condition or the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol. Effect of the Invention

[0023] As described above, according to the present invention, a mechanism is provided that can further improve the quality of the user's inhalation experience. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [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] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the terminal device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a flow of processing executed by the system according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] 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.

[0026] <1. Configuration example> <1.1. 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.

[0027] (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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] The communication unit 115A is a communication interface capable of performing communication conforming to any wired or wireless communication standard, such as a standard using Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC (Near Field Communication), or LPWA (Low Power Wide Area).

[0033] 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 an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor.

[0034] 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, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin and propylene glycol, or water. The aerosol source may include a tobacco-derived or non-tobacco-derived flavor component. When the inhalation device 100A is a medical inhaler such as a nebulizer, the aerosol source may include a medicine.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] (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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] The holding part 140 has an internal space 141, and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150 while accommodating a portion 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 through the opening 142. For example, the holding part 140 is a cylindrical body having the opening 142 and a bottom part 143 as its bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141. An air flow path that supplies air to the internal space 141 is connected to the holding part 140. An air inlet hole, which is an air inlet to the air flow path, is, for example, a suction device 100. B An air outlet hole, which is an outlet for air from the air flow path to the internal space 141, is disposed in the bottom 143, for example.

[0047] 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 via an air flow path (not shown) and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151.

[0048] 2, the heating unit 121B is configured in a film shape and is disposed 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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. In that case, the suction device 100B has at least an electromagnetic induction source such as a coil that generates a magnetic field, instead of the heating unit 121B. A susceptor that generates heat by induction heating may be provided in the suction device 100B, or may be included in the stick-shaped substrate 150.

[0054] Furthermore, the suction 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 flow path 180 may supply air 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.

[0055] (3) Supplementary Information In the first configuration example, the power supply unit 110, the cartridge 120, and the flavoring cartridge 130 work together to generate an aerosol to be inhaled by the user. Therefore, the combination of the power supply unit 110, the cartridge 120, and the flavoring cartridge 130 may be regarded as an aerosol generating system. Similarly, the inhalation device 100B according to the second configuration example works together with the stick-type substrate 150 to generate an aerosol to be inhaled by the user. Therefore, the combination of the inhalation device 100B and the stick-type substrate 150 may be regarded as an aerosol generating system.

[0056] When there is no need to particularly distinguish between the inhalation device 100A and the inhalation device 100B, the alphabet at the end of the reference numeral is omitted, and they are also collectively referred to as the inhalation device 100. Similarly, when there is no need to particularly distinguish between the components of the inhalation device 100A and the components of the inhalation device 100B, the alphabet at the end of the reference numeral is omitted. Furthermore, when there is no need to particularly distinguish between the cartridge 120, the flavoring cartridge 130, and the stick-type substrate 150, they are also collectively referred to as the substrate.

[0057] <1.2. System configuration example> Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 3, the system 1 includes a suction device 100 and a terminal device 200. The configuration of the suction device 100 is as described above.

[0058] The terminal device 200 is a device used by a user of the suction device 100. For example, the terminal device 200 is configured with any information processing device such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a wearable device. Alternatively, the terminal device 200 may be a charger that houses the suction device 100 and charges the housed suction device 100. As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal device 200 includes an input unit 210, an output unit 220, a detection unit 230, a communication unit 240, a storage unit 250, and a control unit 260.

[0059] The input unit 210 has a function of accepting input of various information. The input unit 210 may include an input device that accepts input of information from a user. Examples of the input device include a button, a keyboard, a touch panel, and a microphone. In addition, the input unit 210 may include various sensors such as an image sensor.

[0060] The output unit 220 has a function of outputting information. The output unit 220 may include an output device that outputs information to a user. Examples of the output device include a display device that displays information, a light-emitting device that emits light, a vibration device that vibrates, and a sound output device that outputs sound. An example of a display device is a display. An example of a light-emitting device is an LED (Light Emitting Diode). An example of a vibration device is an eccentric motor. An example of a sound output device is a speaker. The output unit 220 notifies the user of the information by outputting the information input from the control unit 260.

[0061] The detection unit 230 has a function of detecting information related to the terminal device 200. The detection unit 230 may detect position information of the terminal device 200. For example, the detection unit 230 receives a GNSS signal from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellite (for example, a GPS signal from a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite) to detect position information consisting of the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the device. The detection unit 230 may detect the movement of the terminal device 200. For example, the detection unit 230 includes a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor, and detects angular velocity and acceleration.

[0062] The communication unit 240 is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving information between the terminal device 200 and other devices. The communication unit 240 performs communication in compliance with any wired or wireless communication standard. As such a communication standard, for example, a standard using USB (Universal Serial Bus), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC (Near Field Communication), or LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) can be adopted. For example, the communication unit 240 communicates with the suction device 100.

[0063] The storage unit 250 stores various types of information and is configured, for example, with a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory.

[0064] The control unit 260 functions as an arithmetic processing unit or control unit, and controls the overall operation of the terminal device 200 according to various programs. The control unit 260 is realized by an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor. In addition, the control unit 260 may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores the programs to be used and arithmetic parameters, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores parameters that change as appropriate. The terminal device 200 executes various processes based on the control of the control unit 260. The processing of information input by the input unit 210, the output of information by the output unit 220, the detection of information by the detection unit 230, the transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 240, and the storage and reading of information by the storage unit 250 are examples of processes controlled by the control unit 260. Other processes executed by the terminal device 200, such as the input of information to each component and the processing based on the information output from each component, are also controlled by the control unit 260.

[0065] The functions of the control unit 260 may be realized by using an application. The application may be pre-installed or may be downloaded. The functions of the control unit 260 may be realized by PWA (Progressive Web Apps).

[0066] <2. Technical features> (1) Heating settings The inhalation device 100 generates an aerosol to be inhaled by a user by heating the aerosol source based on a heating setting. The heating setting is information that specifies a control sequence of the heating unit 121. The heating setting may include a parameter related to the temperature at which the aerosol source is heated. The heating setting may also include a parameter related to the time at which the aerosol source is heated. An example of a parameter related to the temperature at which the aerosol source is heated is a target value of the temperature of the heating unit 121 (hereinafter also referred to as a target temperature). The heating setting is typically designed so that the flavor tasted by the user when the user inhales the aerosol generated from the base material is optimized. Therefore, by generating an aerosol based on the heating setting, the flavor tasted by the user can be optimized.

[0067] The heating setting used by the suction device 100A may include information specifying a target temperature and a time period for maintaining the target temperature. In this case, when a user operation to start heating is detected, the suction device 100A may maintain the temperature of the heating unit 121A at the target temperature for the time period specified in the heating setting.

[0068] On the other hand, the heating setting used by the suction device 100B may include information that specifies the time series transition of the target temperature. In this case, the suction device 100B may start heating when a user operation instructing the start of heating is detected, and may cause the temperature of the heating unit 121B to change in the same manner as the time series transition of the target temperature specified in the heating setting.

[0069] An example of a user operation that instructs the inhalation device 100 to start heating is an operation on the inhalation device 100, such as operating a switch or the like provided on the inhalation device 100. An example of a user operation that instructs the inhalation device 100 to start heating is puffing. Another example of a user operation that instructs the inhalation device 100B to start heating is inserting the stick-type substrate 150 into the inhalation device 100B. The insertion of the stick-type substrate 150 into the inhalation device 100B can be detected by a capacitance-type proximity sensor that detects the capacitance of the space near the opening 142, a pressure sensor that detects the pressure in the internal space 141, or the like.

[0070] The control unit 116 can control the temperature of the heating unit 121 based on the difference between the current temperature (hereinafter also referred to as the actual temperature) of the heating unit 121 and the target temperature. The temperature control of the heating unit 121 can be realized by, for example, known feedback control. The feedback control may be, for example, a proportional-integral-differential controller (PID) control. The control unit 116 can supply power from the power supply unit 111 to the heating unit 121 in the form of a pulse by pulse width modulation (PWM) or pulse frequency modulation (PFM). In this case, the control unit 116 can control the temperature of the heating unit 121 by adjusting the duty ratio or frequency of the power pulse in the feedback control. Alternatively, the control unit 116 may perform simple on / off control in the feedback control. For example, the control unit 116 may execute heating by the heating unit 121 until the actual temperature reaches the target temperature, stop heating by the heating unit 121 when the actual temperature reaches the target temperature, and execute heating again by the heating unit 121 when the actual temperature becomes lower than the target temperature. Additionally, the control unit 116 may adjust the voltage in a feedback control.

[0071] The temperature of the heating unit 121 can be quantified, for example, by measuring or estimating the electrical resistance value of the heating unit 121 (more precisely, the heating resistor that constitutes the heating unit 121). This is because the electrical resistance value of the heating resistor changes depending on the temperature. The electrical resistance value of the heating resistor can be estimated, for example, by measuring the amount of voltage drop in the heating resistor. The amount of voltage drop in the heating resistor can be measured by a voltage sensor that measures the potential difference applied to the heating resistor. In another example, the temperature of the heating unit 121 can be measured by a temperature sensor such as a thermistor installed near the heating unit 121.

[0072] Note that the parameter defining the temperature to which the aerosol source is heated, which is included in the heating setting, may be a target value of the electrical resistance of heating unit 121 in addition to the target temperature.

[0073] (2) Select the heating setting The terminal device 200 selects the heating setting to be used by the inhalation device 100 based on the inhalation-related information. The inhalation-related information is information related to at least one of the user's condition and the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol (hereinafter also referred to as the inhalation environment). In particular, the terminal device 200 selects the heating setting to be used by the inhalation device 100 based on the inhalation-related information automatically, i.e., without the user's selection. With this configuration, the heating setting according to the user's condition or the user's inhalation environment is automatically selected. Therefore, it is possible to provide the user with a comfortable inhalation experience in which the user can enjoy an appropriate aerosol without the trouble of selecting a heating setting.

[0074] An example of the suction-related information will be described below.

[0075] The suction-related information on the user's condition may include bioinformation of the user. The bioinformation may include information detected by so-called biosensors, such as pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, blood oxygen saturation, and respiratory rate. These pieces of information may be detected by biosensors mounted on the suction device 100, the terminal device 200, or a wearable device such as a smart watch worn by the user. In addition, the bioinformation may include information obtained by processing information detected by the biosensors, such as a stress level and a relaxation level estimated from the pulse and respiratory rate.

[0076] The suction-related information on the user's state may include information indicating an action that the user has taken, is taking, or is scheduled to take. Examples of the user's actions include moving, standing still, exercising, sleeping, and getting up. The user's actions may be estimated based on the position information, acceleration, and angular velocity of the terminal device 200, or the user's biological information, etc.

[0077] The suction-related information on the user's suction environment may include information on date and time. The information on date and time may include information indicating characteristics of the date and time, such as weekday / holiday, day of the week, time period, or morning / afternoon / evening. The information on date and time may also include information on the user's schedule, such as during work / private time, during / before / after an event such as a meeting, etc. The information on the user's schedule may be acquired by referring to information registered in a schedule application installed in the terminal device 200.

[0078] The suction-related information on the suction environment of the user may include information on the location. The information on the location may include the user's position information. The user's position information may be detected by the terminal device 200. The information on the location may also include information indicating the type of the user's position, such as indoors / outdoors, inside / outside the car, or home / workplace / store. The information indicating the type of the user's position may be obtained by combining the user's position information with other information, such as map information or the user's moving speed.

[0079] The suction-related information on the suction environment of the user may include meteorological information. The meteorological information may include temperature, weather such as sunny / rainy / cloudy, humidity, wind speed, etc. The meteorological information may be detected by a sensor mounted on the suction device 100 or the terminal device 200. Alternatively, the meteorological information may be acquired from a server on the Internet, etc.

[0080] The suction-related information on the user's suction environment may include information on the usage state of the suction device 100. Examples of the information on the usage state of the suction device 100 include the remaining battery level of the suction device 100, the frequency of use, the puff interval, and the amount of suction. The frequency of use of the suction device 100 may be the number of stick-type substrates 150 used or the number of puffs in the most recent predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes, or from when the power of the suction device 100 is turned on to the present). The amount of suction may be the amount of suction per puff, or the total amount of suction in the most recent predetermined time. The information on the usage state of the suction device 100 may be stored in the storage unit 114 every time the suction device 100 is used, and may be appropriately reported to the terminal device 200.

[0081] The suction-related information on the suction environment of the user may include information on other suction devices 100 present around the user. The information on other suction devices 100 present around the user may include the number, distance, or density of other suction devices 100 present around the user. The information on other suction devices 100 present around the user may be acquired by short-range wireless communication between the suction devices 100, or may be acquired from a server that manages the position information of the suction devices 100.

[0082] An example of the suction-related information has been described above.

[0083] The terminal device 200 selects a heating setting from a plurality of heating settings that differ in at least one of a parameter related to the temperature at which the aerosol source is heated or a parameter related to the time at which the aerosol source is heated. The higher the target temperature, the greater the amount of aerosol and flavor components delivered to the user per inhalation. Also, the longer the time the target temperature is maintained, the longer the user can enjoy the flavor. In this regard, this configuration makes it possible to provide an inhalation experience that corresponds to the user's condition or the user's inhalation environment. The heating settings include, for example, three heating settings: a high heating mode with a high heating temperature (i.e., a target temperature), a normal mode with a medium heating temperature, and a low heating mode with a low heating temperature.

[0084] The terminal device 200 selects a heating setting based on the suction-related information and predetermined conditions (hereinafter also referred to as selection conditions).

[0085] As an example, the terminal device 200 may select a heating setting associated with a selection condition satisfied by the suction-related information. In this case, the selection condition is associated with a heating setting to be selected when the selection condition is satisfied. As an example, a high heating mode may be associated with a first selection condition, a normal mode may be associated with a second selection condition, and a low heating mode may be associated with a third selection condition. In this case, the terminal device 200 selects the high heating mode when the first selection condition is satisfied, selects the normal mode when the second selection condition is satisfied, and selects the low heating mode when the third selection condition is satisfied.

[0086] The terminal device 200 may select which of the multiple selection conditions is to be used for selecting a heating setting based on an instruction from a user. For example, each of the multiple selection conditions is enabled or disabled by the user. The enabled selection condition is then used for selecting a heating setting. The user instruction may be obtained via a display screen displayed on the terminal device 200. An example of the display screen will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0087] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on terminal device 200 according to this embodiment. Display screen 10 shown in Fig. 4 displays selection conditions 11A to 11C associated with the high heating mode, and switches 12A to 12C for selecting whether to enable (ON) or disable (OFF) selection conditions 11A to 11C. A user can enable / disable selection conditions 11A to 11C by selecting switches 12A to 12C on display screen 10. In the example shown in Fig. 4, selection conditions 11A and 11B are enabled, and selection condition 11C is disabled.

[0088] The "puff upon waking" shown in the selection condition 11A is satisfied when the suction-related information indicates that the user has just woken up. That is, when the selection condition 11A is enabled, the high heating mode is selected if the user has just woken up. The "puff with high stress" shown in the selection condition 11B is satisfied when the suction-related information indicates that the stress level is high. That is, when the selection condition 11B is enabled, the high heating mode is selected if the stress level is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. The "first puff after returning home" shown in the selection condition 11C is satisfied when the suction-related information indicates that the user will use the suction device 100 for the first time after returning home. That is, when the selection condition 11C is enabled, the high heating mode is selected if the user will use the suction device 100 for the first time after returning home. Note that the selection conditions 11A to 11C may be OR conditions for selecting the high heating mode. In this case, the high heating mode is selected if one or more of the enabled selection conditions are satisfied, and the normal mode is selected if none of them are satisfied. The user can enjoy a comfortable suction experience by enabling / disabling these selection conditions 11A to 11C according to preference.

[0089] Of course, the correspondence between the selection conditions and the heating settings is not limited to the example described above. Another example is shown in Table 1 below.

[0090] [Table 1]

[0091] In the above Table 1, an example of the selection conditions associated with each of the high heating mode and the normal mode is shown. According to the example shown in Table 1, the high heating mode may be selected in the morning or daytime, and the normal mode may be selected in the evening or night. Also, when there are many other suction devices 100 around the suction device 100, the high heating mode may be selected, and when there are few other suction devices 100 around the suction device 100, the normal mode may be selected. In addition, in the above Table 1, an example in which one selection condition is associated with one heating setting has been described, but multiple selection conditions may be associated with one heating setting. For example, a selection condition related to the time period and a selection condition related to the temperature may be combined, and when it is the morning time period and the temperature is less than 25°C, the high heating mode may be selected. On the other hand, when it is the evening or night time period, or when it is 20°C or higher, the low heating mode may be selected.

[0092] The terminal device 200 may select a heating setting based on periodically acquired suction-related information. For example, the suction-related information may be acquired at a predetermined time interval. With this configuration, the terminal device 200 can select a heating setting while constantly tracking the user's condition or the user's suction environment. That is, the terminal device 200 may select a heating setting based on a time series transition of the suction-related information. This makes it possible to select a heating setting suitable for a change in the user's condition or the user's suction environment.

[0093] In addition, since pulse rate and blood pressure are acquired at different intervals, the information constituting the suction-related information may be acquired separately. period The acquisition cycles of the information acquired by the suction device 100, the information acquired by the terminal device 200, and the information acquired from an external source such as a server on the Internet may be different.

[0094] The terminal device 200 causes the inhalation device 100 to use the selected heating setting. For example, the terminal device 200 transmits information indicating the selected heating setting to the inhalation device 100. The inhalation device 100 stores the heating setting indicated by the received information, and thereafter heats the aerosol source based on the stored heating setting.

[0095] The terminal device 200 may switch the heating setting used by the suction device 100 during a period when the suction device 100 is not performing heating based on the heating setting. For example, the terminal device 200 may transmit information indicating the selected heating setting to the suction device 100 during a period when the suction device 100 is not performing heating based on the heating setting. The suction device 100 may then store the heating setting indicated by the received information and heat the aerosol source based on the new heating setting from the next time. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the processing load of the suction device 100 compared to a case where the heating setting used by the suction device 100 is switched while the suction device 100 is performing heating based on the heating setting.

[0096] (3) Processing flow 5 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the system 1 according to this embodiment. The suction device 100 and the terminal device 200 are involved in this sequence.

[0097] 5, first, the suction device 100 acquires suction-related information (step S102). For example, the suction device 100 detects biological information from a finger of a user holding the suction device 100, or reads information related to the use history of the suction device 100 from the storage unit 114.

[0098] Next, the suction device 100 transmits the suction-related information acquired in step S102 to the terminal device 200 (step S104).

[0099] Next, the terminal device 200 acquires suction-related information (step S106). For example, the terminal device 200 acquires information related to date and time by referring to information registered in a schedule application, acquires information related to a place based on position information, or acquires information related to weather from a server on the Internet.

[0100] Next, the terminal device 200 selects a heating setting based on the selection condition satisfied by the suction-related information received in step S104 or acquired in step S106 (step S108). For example, the terminal device 200 selects the high heating mode if the selection condition associated with the high heating mode is satisfied, and selects the normal mode if not.

[0101] Next, the terminal device 200 transmits information indicating the selected heating setting (step S110).

[0102] Then, the inhalation device 100 heats the aerosol source based on the received heating setting (step S112). For example, the inhalation device 100 stores the heating setting indicated by the information received in step S110. Then, when a user operation is performed to instruct the start of heating, the inhalation device 100 heats the aerosol source based on the stored heating setting.

[0103] <3. Modifications> (1) First Modification The terminal device 200 may select a heating setting based on the number of selection conditions satisfied by the suction-related information among the multiple selection conditions. For example, the terminal device 200 selects a heating setting according to the number of selection conditions satisfied by the suction-related information among the selection conditions associated with the high heating mode shown in Table 1 above. An example of the correspondence between the number of selection conditions satisfied by the suction-related information and the heating setting is shown in Table 2 below.

[0104] [Table 2]

[0105] According to the example shown in Table 2, the terminal device 200 selects the high heating mode if the suction-related information satisfies 6 or more of the selection conditions associated with the high heating mode shown in Table 1, selects the normal mode if the number of selection conditions is 2 to 5, and selects the low heating mode if the number of selection conditions is 1 or less. Note that the relationship between the number of selection conditions satisfied by the suction-related information and the heating setting, an example of which is shown in Table 2, may be set by the user.

[0106] (2) Second modified example The terminal device 200 may select a heating setting based on the total score set for the selection conditions that are satisfied by the suction-related information among the multiple selection conditions. An example of the scores set for the selection conditions is shown in Table 3 below. Also, an example of the heating setting corresponding to the total score is shown in Table 4.

[0107] [Table 3]

[0108] [Table 4]

[0109] According to the examples shown in Tables 3 and 4, the terminal device 200 selects the high heating mode if the total value of the scores set in the selection conditions satisfied by the suction-related information is 30 or more, selects the normal mode if the total value is 10 to 29, and selects the low heating mode if the total value is 9 or less. Note that the scores set in the selection conditions, an example of which is shown in Table 3, may be set by the user. Also, the heating setting corresponding to the total value of the scores, an example of which is shown in Table 4, may be set by the user.

[0110] (3) Third modified example The terminal device 200 may select a heating setting based on the suction-related information acquired when the suction device 100 executes heating based on the heating setting as a trigger. For example, the suction-related information may be acquired when a user operation to instruct the start of heating is performed as a trigger. Here, the suction-related information may be acquired during the period from when a user operation to instruct the start of heating is performed to when heating actually starts. Then, the suction device 100 may start heating using the heating setting selected based on the acquired suction-related information. With this configuration, it is possible to select a heating setting suitable for the user's condition or the user's suction environment immediately before the start of heating.

[0111] (4) Fourth modified example The terminal device 200 may switch the heating setting used by the suction device 100 while the suction device 100 is performing heating based on the heating setting. For example, the terminal device 200 may transmit information indicating the selected heating setting to the suction device 100 while the suction device 100 is performing heating based on the heating setting. The suction device 100 may then store the heating setting indicated by the received information and switch to a new heating setting during heating. With this configuration, it becomes possible to instantly apply a heating setting suitable for the user even during heating.

[0112] (5) Fifth Variation The terminal device 200 may select the heating setting further based on the type of substrate used by the inhalation device 100. The type of substrate used by the inhalation device 100A according to the first configuration example is the brand of the cartridge 120 and the flavoring cartridge 130 attached to the power supply unit 110. The type of substrate used by the inhalation device 100B according to the second configuration example is the brand of the stick-type substrate 150 inserted into the inhalation device 100B. The type of substrate can be identified by image recognition of the appearance of the substrate, such as the color of the substrate or a two-dimensional code such as a barcode attached to the substrate. As an example, the terminal device 200 may switch the selection conditions used to select the heating setting based on the type of substrate used by the inhalation device 100. As another example, when the high heating mode is selected, the terminal device 200 may select a heating setting according to the type of substrate used by the inhalation device 100 from a plurality of heating settings belonging to the high heating mode. It is considered that the appropriate heating setting may differ for each type of substrate, and according to such a configuration, it is possible to further improve the quality of the inhalation experience of the user.

[0113] (6) Sixth Modification The terminal device 200 may select which of the multiple selection conditions to use for selecting a heating setting based on the suction-related information. As an example, the selection conditions used for selecting a heating setting in the morning or daytime may be different from the selection conditions used for selecting a heating setting in the evening or night. This configuration can reduce the user's effort compared to when the user selects which of the multiple selection conditions to use for selecting a heating setting by himself / herself.

[0114] <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.

[0115] For example, in the above embodiment, an example in which the terminal device 200 functions as a control device that selects a heating setting has been described, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. As an example, the suction device 100 may function as a control device that selects a heating setting. In this case, the suction device 100 may select a heating setting based on suction-related information acquired by the suction device 100 itself. Of course, the suction device 100 may select a heating setting based on suction-related information received from the terminal device 200 together with or instead of the suction-related information acquired by the suction device 100 itself. In addition, the suction device 100 may receive suction-related information acquired by a server on the Internet directly from the server or indirectly via the terminal device 200. As another example, an external device such as a server on the Internet may function as a control device that selects a heating setting.

[0116] The series of processes by each device described in this specification may be realized using any of software, hardware, and a combination of software and hardware. The programs constituting the software are stored in advance, for example, in a recording medium (more specifically, a non-transient storage medium readable by a computer) provided inside or outside each device. Then, each program is read into a RAM when executed by a computer that controls each device described in this specification, and executed by a processing circuit such as a CPU. The recording medium is, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a flash memory, etc. In addition, the above computer program may be distributed, for example, via a network without using a recording medium. In addition, the above computer may be an application-specific integrated circuit such as an ASIC, a general-purpose processor that executes a function by reading a software program, or a computer on a server used for cloud computing. In addition, the series of processes by each device described in this specification may be distributed and processed by multiple computers.

[0117] 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.

[0118] The following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. (1) a control unit that selects a heating setting to be used by an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by a user by heating an aerosol source based on a heating setting, based on inhalation-related information that is information regarding at least one of a state of the user or an environment in which the user inhales the aerosol; A control device comprising: (2) The control unit selects the heating setting associated with a predetermined condition satisfied by the suction-related information. The control device described in (1). (3) The control unit selects the heating setting based on the number of predetermined conditions that the suction-related information satisfies among a plurality of predetermined conditions. The control device described in (1). (4) The control unit selects the heating setting based on a total value of scores set for the predetermined conditions satisfied by the suction-related information among a plurality of predetermined conditions. The control device described in (1). (5) The control unit selects which of the plurality of predetermined conditions is to be used for selecting the heating setting based on an instruction from the user. The control device according to any one of (2) to (4). (6) The control unit selects which of the plurality of predetermined conditions is to be used for selecting the heating setting based on the suction-related information. The control device according to any one of (2) to (4). (7) The control unit selects the heating setting based on the suction-related information periodically acquired. The control device according to any one of (1) to (6). (8) the control unit selects the heating setting based on the suction-related information acquired as a trigger when the suction device executes heating based on the heating setting. The control device according to any one of (1) to (6). (9) The control unit switches the heating setting used by the suction device during a period when the suction device is not performing heating based on the heating setting. The control device according to any one of (1) to (8). (10) The control unit switches the heating setting used by the suction device while the suction device is performing heating based on the heating setting. The control device according to any one of (1) to (8). (11) The suction-related information regarding the state of the user includes at least one of biometric information of the user, information indicating an action performed by the user, information indicating an action being performed by the user, or information indicating an action that the user plans to perform. The control device according to any one of (1) to (10) above. (12) The inhalation-related information regarding the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol includes at least one of information regarding date and time, information regarding a location, information regarding weather, information regarding a history of use of the inhalation device, or information regarding other inhalation devices present around the user. The control device according to any one of (1) to (11) above. (13) The inhalation device generates the aerosol using a substrate containing the aerosol source; The control unit selects the heating setting based on the type of substrate used by the suction device. The control device according to any one of (1) to (12) above. (14) The control unit selects the heating setting from a plurality of heating settings that are different in at least one of a parameter related to a temperature at which the aerosol source is heated or a parameter related to a time at which the aerosol source is heated. The control device according to any one of (1) to (13) above. (15) 1. An inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by a user by heating an aerosol source based on a heating setting, comprising: a control unit that selects the heating setting based on inhalation-related information that is information about at least one of the user's state or the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol, and controls the aerosol source to heat based on the selected heating setting; A suction device comprising: (16) Selecting a heating setting used by an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by a user by heating an aerosol source based on a heating setting, based on inhalation-related information that is information regarding at least one of a state of the user or an environment in which the user inhales the aerosol; A control method comprising: [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 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 131 Flavor source 140 Holding part 141 Interior Space 142 Aperture 143 Bottom 144 Insulation section 150 Stick-type substrate 151 Base material part 152 Mouthpiece 180 Air flow path 181 Air inlet 182 Air outlet 200 Terminal Equipment 210 Input section 220 Output section 230 Detection Unit 240 Communications Department 250 Storage section 260 Control Unit

Claims

1. a control unit that selects a heating setting to be used by an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by a user by heating an aerosol source based on a heating setting, based on the number of predetermined conditions satisfied by inhalation-related information, which is information regarding at least one of the user's state or the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol, among a plurality of predetermined conditions; A control device comprising:

2. The control unit selects which of the plurality of predetermined conditions is to be used for selecting the heating setting based on an instruction from the user. The control device according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit selects which of the plurality of predetermined conditions is to be used for selecting the heating setting based on the suction-related information. The control device according to claim 1 .

4. The control unit selects the heating setting based on the suction-related information periodically acquired. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the control unit selects the heating setting based on the suction-related information acquired as a trigger when the suction device executes heating based on the heating setting. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The control unit switches the heating setting used by the suction device during a period when the suction device is not performing heating based on the heating setting. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The control unit switches the heating setting used by the suction device while the suction device is performing heating based on the heating setting. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. The suction-related information regarding the state of the user includes at least one of biometric information of the user, information indicating an action performed by the user, information indicating an action being performed by the user, or information indicating an action planned to be performed by the user. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The inhalation-related information regarding the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol includes at least one of information regarding date and time, information regarding a location, information regarding weather, information regarding a usage state of the inhalation device, or information regarding other inhalation devices present around the user. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The inhalation device generates the aerosol using a substrate containing the aerosol source; The control unit selects the heating setting based on the type of substrate used by the suction device. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The control unit selects the heating setting from a plurality of heating settings that are different in at least one of a parameter related to a temperature at which the aerosol source is heated or a parameter related to a time at which the aerosol source is heated. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. 1. An inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by a user by heating an aerosol source based on a heating setting, comprising: a control unit that selects the heating setting based on the number of predetermined conditions satisfied by inhalation-related information, which is information regarding at least one of the user's state or the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol, among a plurality of predetermined conditions, and controls the aerosol source to be heated based on the selected heating setting; A suction device comprising:

13. selecting a heating setting used by an inhalation device that generates an aerosol to be inhaled by a user by heating an aerosol source based on a heating setting, based on the number of predetermined conditions satisfied by inhalation-related information, which is information regarding at least one of the user's state or the environment in which the user inhales the aerosol, among a plurality of predetermined conditions; A method for controlling a computer, comprising:

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