Method for generating aerosol using ultrasonic vibrator and electronic device for performing the method

Abstract

An aerosol generation method performed by an electronic device is disclosed, which measures the temperature of a vibrator of a cartridge connected to the electronic device, determines physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge based on the measured temperature, determines a control factor for the vibrator in response to the determined physical properties, and generates an aerosol by controlling the vibrator based on the control factor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] A method for generating an aerosol using an ultrasonic vibrator and an electronic device for performing the method are disclosed.

Background Art

[0002] Cartridges connected to an aerosol generating device are generally of the same type, and control optimized for the liquid contained in the cartridges of that type is required. However, if necessary, cartridges containing different types of liquids can be connected to the aerosol generating device to generate an aerosol. As a result, different controls may be required depending on the physical properties of the liquid. The background art described above is what the inventor retained or acquired in the process of deriving the disclosure of this specification, and it cannot necessarily be said to be a publicly known technique that was publicly disclosed to the general public before this application.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] One embodiment is to provide an aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol using an ultrasonic vibrator.

[0004] One embodiment is to provide an aerosol generating device that controls a vibrator according to the physical properties of a liquid in a cartridge.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] An aerosol generation method executed by an electronic device according to one embodiment includes an operation of measuring the temperature of a vibrator of a cartridge connected to the electronic device, an operation of determining the physical properties of a liquid in the cartridge based on the measured temperature, an operation of determining a control factor of the vibrator according to the determined physical properties, and an operation of generating the aerosol by controlling the vibrator based on the control factor.

[0006] The operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator can include an operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator using a temperature sensor built in the electronic device or the cartridge.

[0007] The operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator can include an operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator after a preset time has elapsed since the start of heating of the electronic device.

[0008] The physical properties of the liquid may be the composition ratio of one or more substances constituting the liquid.

[0009] The operation of determining the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge based on the measured temperature can include an operation of referring to a memory storing liquid physical property information for various temperatures of the vibrator and acquiring the physical properties of the liquid corresponding to the measured temperature, and an operation of determining the acquired physical properties of the liquid as the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge.

[0010] The control factors of the vibrator can include at least one of an initial preheating time, a vibrator driving frequency, a vibrator driving voltage, a vibrator driving current, or a duty cycle of a vibrator driving signal.

[0011] An electronic device according to another embodiment includes a memory storing liquid physical property information for various temperatures of a vibrator of a cartridge connected to the electronic device, and a processor controlling the electronic device. The processor performs an operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator, an operation of determining the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge based on the measured temperature, an operation of setting control factors of the vibrator according to the determined physical properties, and an operation of generating an aerosol by controlling the vibrator based on the control factors.

[0012] The operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator can include an operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator using a temperature sensor built in the electronic device or the cartridge.

[0013] The operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator can include the operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator after a preset time has elapsed since the start of heating of the electronic device.

[0014] The physical properties of the liquid may be the composition ratio of one or more substances constituting the liquid.

[0015] The operation of determining the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge based on the measured temperature can include the operation of referring to the memory that stores the liquid property information for various temperatures of the vibrator and obtaining the physical properties of the liquid corresponding to the measured temperature, and the operation of determining the obtained physical properties of the liquid as the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge.

[0016] The control factor of the vibrator can include at least one of an initial preheating time, a vibrator driving frequency, a vibrator driving voltage, a vibrator driving current, or a duty cycle of a vibrator driving signal.

Advantages of the Invention

[0017] According to one embodiment, the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge can be determined by the temperature of the vibrator.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the aerosol amount can be adjusted with optimized vibrator control according to the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Specific structural or functional descriptions of the embodiments are disclosed for illustrative purposes only and can be changed into various forms. Therefore, the embodiments are not limited to the specific disclosed forms, and the scope of this specification includes changes, equivalents, or alternatives included in the technical idea.

[0021] Terms such as first or second may be used to describe a plurality of components, but such terms must be interpreted only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, the first component can be named the second component, and similarly, the second component can also be named the first component.

[0022] When any component is referred to as being "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it is directly connected or connected to the other component, but there may be other components in between.

[0023] Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly gives a different meaning. In this specification, terms such as "including" or "having" indicate the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should not be understood as precluding the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0024] Unless otherwise defined, technical or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this embodiment belongs. Commonly used predefined terms should be construed to have a meaning consistent with the meaning they have in the context of the relevant art and are not to be construed in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein.

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When describing with reference to the drawings, the same components are given the same reference numerals regardless of the drawing symbols, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0027] According to an embodiment, the aerosol generating device 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a control unit 110, a detection unit 120, an output unit 130, a battery 140, an atomization unit 150, a user input unit 160, a memory 170, and a communication unit 180. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 100 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1. That is, those of ordinary skill in the technical field related to this embodiment will understand that, depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 100, some of the configurations shown in FIG. 1 may be omitted or new configurations may be added.

[0028] The detection unit 120 detects the state of the aerosol generating device 100 or the state around the aerosol generating device 100 and transmits the detected information to the control unit 110. Based on the detected information, the control unit 110 can control the aerosol generating device 100 to execute various functions such as operation control of the atomization unit 150, smoking restriction, determination of the presence or absence of insertion of an aerosol generating article (for example, an aerosol generating article, a cartridge, etc.), and notification display.

[0029] The detection unit 120 includes at least one of a temperature sensor 122, an insertion detection unit 124, and a puff sensor 126, but is not limited thereto.

[0030] The temperature sensor 122 detects the temperature of the atomizing unit 150 (or the aerosol generating substance). The aerosol generating device 100 may include a separate temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the atomizing unit 150, or the atomizing unit 150 itself may serve as the temperature sensor. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 122 may be arranged around the battery 140 so as to monitor the temperature of the battery 140.

[0031] The insertion detection sensor 124 detects the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol generating article. For example, the insertion detection sensor 124 includes at least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared sensor, and detects a signal change due to the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol generating article.

[0032] The puff sensor 126 detects the user's puff based on various physical changes in the air flow path or air flow channel. For example, the puff sensor 126 may detect the user's puff based on any one of a temperature change, a flow change, a voltage change, and a pressure change.

[0033] In addition to the aforementioned sensors 122 to 126, the detection unit 120 may further include at least one of a temperature / humidity sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a position sensor (e.g., GPS), a proximity sensor, and an RGB sensor (illuminance sensor). Since the functions of each sensor can be intuitively inferred by an ordinary technician from its name, specific descriptions are omitted.

[0034] The output unit 130 outputs information regarding the state of the aerosol generating device 100 and provides it to the user. The output unit 130 includes, but is not limited to, at least one of a display unit 132, a haptic unit 134, and an acoustic output unit 136. When the display unit 132 and the touch pad form a layer structure and are configured as a touch screen, the display unit 132 is used not only as an output device but also as an input device.

[0035] The display unit 132 visually provides information regarding the aerosol generating device 100 to the user. For example, the information regarding the aerosol generating device 100 means various information such as the charge / discharge state of the battery 140 of the aerosol generating device 100, the state of the atomizing unit 150, the insertion / removal state of the aerosol generating article, or the state in which the use of the aerosol generating device 100 is restricted (for example, detection of an abnormal article), and the display unit 132 outputs the information to the outside. The display unit 132 is, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), an organic light emitting display panel (OLED), or the like. Further, the display unit 132 may be in the form of an LED light emitting element.

[0036] The haptic unit 134 converts an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus or an electrical stimulus and tactually provides information regarding the aerosol generating device 100 to the user. For example, the haptic unit 134 includes a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0037] The acoustic output unit 136 aurally provides information regarding the aerosol generating device 100 to the user. For example, the acoustic output unit 136 may convert an electrical signal into an acoustic signal and output it to the outside.

[0038] The battery 140 can supply the power used for the operation of the aerosol generating device 100. The battery 140 supplies power so that the atomizing unit 150 operates. Further, the battery 140 supplies the power necessary for the operation of other components (for example, the detection unit 120, the output unit 130, the user input unit 160, the memory 170, and the communication unit 180) provided in the aerosol generating device 100. The battery 140 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, the battery 140 may be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.

[0039] The atomizing unit 150 is supplied with power from the battery 140 and atomizes the aerosol generating substance. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device 100 may further include a power conversion circuit (for example, a DC / DC converter) that converts the power of the battery 140 and supplies it to the atomizing unit 150. Further, when the aerosol generating device 100 generates an aerosol by an ultrasonic vibration method, the aerosol generating device 100 may further include a DC / AC converter that converts the DC power source of the battery 140 into an AC power source.

[0040] The control unit 110, the detection unit 120, the output unit 130, the user input unit 160, the memory 170, and the communication unit 180 may be supplied with power from the battery 140 and function. Although not shown in FIG. 1, a power conversion circuit that converts the power of the battery 140 and supplies it to each component, for example, an LDO (low dropout) circuit or a voltage regulator circuit, may be further included.

[0041] In one embodiment, the atomization unit 150 includes a vibrator that causes ultrasonic vibration by an applied signal (e.g., power). For example, the material of the vibrator includes, but is not limited to, piezoelectric ceramics. The vibrator includes a piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body according to one embodiment may generate ultrasonic vibration under the control of the control unit 110 as a conversion element that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. In one embodiment, when an AC power supply is applied to the polarized piezoelectric body, the piezoelectric body can repeat expansion and contraction. Due to the repeated expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric body, the vibrator vibrates at a characteristic frequency. When a signal is applied to the vibrator, short high-frequency vibrations are generated, and the generated vibrations can break the aerosol product substance into small particles and atomize it into an aerosol.

[0042] The user input unit 160 may receive information input from the user or output information to the user. For example, the user input unit 160 includes, but is not limited to, a keypad, a dome switch, a touch pad (capacitive touch method, pressure resistive film method, infrared detection method, surface acoustic wave conduction method, integral tension measurement method, piezoelectric effect method, etc.), a jog wheel, a jog switch, etc. Also, although not shown in FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device 100 further includes a connection interface such as a USB (universal serial bus) interface, and can be connected to other external devices via a connection interface such as a USB interface to transmit and receive information or charge the battery 140.

[0043] Memory 170 is hardware that stores various types of data processed within aerosol generating device 100, and stores data processed by control unit 110 and data to be processed. Memory 170 includes at least one type of storage medium such as a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory, etc.), a RAM (random access memory), an SRAM (static random access memory), a ROM (read-only memory), an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), a PROM (programmable read-only memory), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk. Memory 170 can store data related to the operation time of aerosol generating device 100, the maximum puff count, the current puff count, at least one temperature profile, and the smoking pattern of the user, etc.

[0044] Communication unit 180 includes at least one component for communication with other electronic devices. For example, communication unit 180 may include a short-range communication unit 182 and a wireless communication unit 184.

[0045] Short-range wireless communication unit 182 includes, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication unit, a BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy) communication unit, a Near Field Communication unit, a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication unit, a Zigbee (registered trademark) communication unit, an infrared (IrDA, infrared Data Association) communication unit, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication unit, a UWB (ultra wideband) communication unit, an Ant+ communication unit, etc.

[0046] The wireless communication unit 184 includes, but is not limited to, a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN) communication unit, etc. The wireless communication unit 184 can also confirm and authenticate the aerosol generating device 100 within the communication network using subscriber information (e.g., the International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)).

[0047] The control unit 110 controls the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 100. In one embodiment, the control unit 110 may include at least one processor. The processor may be embodied as an array of multiple logic gates, or may be embodied as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable by this microprocessor. Also, it may be embodied in other forms of hardware, which would be understandable to those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which this embodiment belongs.

[0048] The control unit 110 controls the operation of the atomizing unit 150 by controlling the supply of power from the battery 140 to the atomizing unit 150. For example, the control unit 110 can control the power supply by controlling the switching of the switching element in the drive corridor 138 located between the battery 140 and the atomizing unit 150.

[0049] The control unit 110 analyzes the results detected by the detection unit 120 and controls the subsequent processes. For example, the control unit 110 controls the power supplied to the atomizing unit 150 so that the operation of the atomizing unit 150 starts or ends based on the results detected by the detection unit 120. As another example, the control unit 110 can control the amount of power supplied to the atomizing unit 150 and the time during which the power is supplied so that the atomizing unit 150 vibrates at a predetermined frequency or maintains an appropriate vibration frequency based on the results detected by the detection unit 120.

[0050] Based on the results detected by the detection unit 120, the control unit 110 controls the output unit 130. For example, when the number of puffs counted via the puff sensor 126 reaches a preset number, the control unit 110 can notify the user that the aerosol generating device 100 will end immediately via at least one of the display unit 132, the haptic unit 134, and the acoustic output unit 136.

[0051] In one embodiment, the control unit 110 can control the power supply time and / or the power supply amount to the atomization unit 150 by controlling the drive circuit 138 according to the state of the aerosol generating article detected by the detection unit 120. For example, according to the type or the remaining amount of the aerosol generating article, the control unit 110 can control the vibration frequency of the vibrator of the atomization unit 150.

[0052] One embodiment is also embodied in the form of a recording medium including computer-executable instructions such as program modules executed by a computer. The computer-readable medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer, including all volatile and non-volatile media, and all separable and non-separable media. Also, the computer-readable medium may include all computer storage media and communication media. The computer storage media includes all volatile and non-volatile, separable and non-separable media embodied in any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. The communication media typically includes modulated data signals such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data, or other transmission mechanisms, and includes any information transmission medium.

[0053] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an example.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 2, the aerosol generating device 200 (e.g., the aerosol generating device 100 shown in FIG. 1) includes a cartridge 220 that holds an aerosol generating substance and a body portion 210 coupled to the cartridge 220.

[0055] The cartridge 220 of the aerosol generating device 200 can be coupled to the body portion 210 while accommodating the aerosol generating substance therein. For example, at least a part of the cartridge 220 is inserted into the body portion 210, whereby the cartridge 200 and the body portion 210 are coupled. As a different example, at least a part of the body portion 210 is inserted into the cartridge 220, whereby the cartridge 220 and the body portion 210 are coupled.

[0056] The cartridge 220 and the body portion 210 may be coupled by at least one of a snap-fit method, a screwing method, a magnetic coupling method, or a forced fitting method, but the coupling method of the cartridge 220 and the body portion 210 is not limited to the above-described examples.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the cartridge 220 includes a housing 222, a mouthpiece 224, a storage portion 230, a transmission portion 230, a vibrator 250, and electrical terminals 260.

[0058] The housing 222 of the aerosol generating device 200 forms the overall appearance of the cartridge 220 together with the mouthpiece 224, and components for the operation of the cartridge 220 are arranged inside the housing 222. For example, the housing 222 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, but the shape of the housing 222 is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Depending on the embodiment, the housing 222 may be formed in the shape of a polygonal column (e.g., a triangular column, a pentagonal column) or a cylindrical shape.

[0059] The mouthpiece 224 of the aerosol generating device 200 is disposed in a region of the housing 222 and includes an outlet 224e for discharging the aerosol generated from the aerosol generating substance to the outside. For example, the mouthpiece 224 is disposed in another region located in the opposite direction to a region of the cartridge 220 coupled to the body portion 210, and the user can inhale by bringing the mouth into contact with the mouthpiece 224, so that the aerosol from the cartridge 220 can be supplied.

[0060] Due to the inhalation or puffing operation of the user, a pressure difference is generated between the outside and the inside of the cartridge 220, and the aerosol generated inside the cartridge 220 due to the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the cartridge 220 is discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220 through the outlet 224e. That is, the user can inhale by bringing the mouth into contact with the mouthpiece 224, so that the aerosol discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220 through the outlet 224e can be supplied.

[0061] The storage unit 230 of the aerosol generating device 200 is located in the internal space of the housing 222 and can store the aerosol generating substance. In the present disclosure, the expression "the storage unit stores the aerosol generating substance" means that the storage unit 230 simply performs the function of putting the aerosol generating substance like a container, and includes an element impregnated (containing) with the aerosol generating substance, such as sponge cotton, cloth, or a porous ceramic structure, inside the storage unit 230. Also, the above-mentioned expression is used with the same meaning hereinafter.

[0062] The storage unit 230 can store an aerosol generating substance having any one state such as a liquid state, a solid state, a gaseous state, or a gel state.

[0063] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating substance includes a liquid phase composition. The liquid phase composition may be a liquid containing a tobacco-containing substance containing a volatile tobacco fragrance component, or may be a liquid containing a non-tobacco substance.

[0064] The liquid composition may be any one component of, for example, water, a solvent, ethanol, a plant extract, a fragrance, a flavoring agent, and a vitamin mixture, or may contain a mixture of these components. The fragrance may include, but is not limited to, menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, and fragrance components of various fruits.

[0065] The flavoring agent may include components that provide various fragrances or flavors to the user. The vitamin mixture may be a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E, but is not limited thereto. Further, the liquid composition may contain an aerosol-forming agent such as glycerin and propylene glycol.

[0066] For example, the liquid composition may contain a glycerin and propylene glycol solution in any weight ratio to which a nicotine salt is added. The liquid composition may contain two or more kinds of nicotine salts. The nicotine salt may be formed by adding an appropriate acid containing an organic acid or an inorganic acid to nicotine. Nicotine may be natural nicotine or synthetic nicotine and may have any appropriate weight concentration relative to the total solution weight of the liquid composition.

[0067] The acid for forming the nicotine salt may be appropriately selected in consideration of the blood nicotine absorption rate, the operating temperature of the aerosol generating device 200, the fragrance or flavor, the solubility, etc. For example, the acid for forming the nicotine salt may be a single acid selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, lauric acid, sorbic acid, levulinic acid, pyruvic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, citric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, phenylacetic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, saccharic acid, malonic acid, or malic acid, or a mixture of two or more acids selected from the said group, but is not limited thereto.

[0068] The transmission unit 240 of the aerosol generator 200 can absorb the aerosol product substance. For example, the aerosol product substance stored or accommodated in the storage unit 230 is transmitted from the storage unit 230 to the vibrator 250 via the transmission unit 240, and the vibrator 250 can atomize the aerosol product substance in the transmission unit 240 or the aerosol product substance transmitted from the transmission unit 240 to generate an aerosol. At this time, the transmission unit 240 may include at least one of cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, and porous ceramic, but the transmission unit 240 is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0069] According to an embodiment, the transmission unit 240 is disposed adjacent to the storage unit 230 and a liquid-phase aerosol product substance is supplied from the storage unit 230. For example, the aerosol product substance stored in the storage unit 230 is discharged to the outside of the storage unit 230 through a liquid-phase supply port formed in a region where the storage unit 230 faces the transmission unit 240, and the transmission unit 240 can absorb the aerosol product substance from the storage unit 230 by absorbing at least a part of the aerosol product substance discharged from the storage unit 230.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the cartridge 210 is disposed to cover at least a part of the vibrator 250 where the aerosol is generated, and may further include an absorber (not shown) that transmits the aerosol product substance absorbed by the transmission unit 240 to the vibrator 250. The absorber may be made of a material that can absorb the aerosol product substance. For example, the absorber includes at least one of SPL30(H), SPL50(H)V, NP100(V8), SPL60(FC), and Melamine. By further including the absorber in the cartridge 220, the aerosol product substance is absorbed not only by the transmission unit 240 but also by the absorber, so that the absorption amount of the aerosol product substance can be improved.

[0071] The vibrator 250 of the aerosol generating device 200 is located inside the housing 222 and can convert the phase of the aerosol generating substance stored inside the cartridge 220 to generate an aerosol. For example, the vibrator 250 can generate an aerosol by heating or vibrating the aerosol generating substance.

[0072] Also, by arranging the absorber so as to cover at least a part of the vibrator 250, the absorber serves as a physical barrier to prevent "liquid splashing" in which particles that are not sufficiently atomized during the aerosol generation process are immediately discharged outside the aerosol generating device 200. Here, "liquid splashing" means that particles of the aerosol generating substance that are not sufficiently atomized and have a relatively large size are discharged outside the cartridge 220. The inclusion of the absorber in the cartridge 220 reduces the occurrence of liquid splashing and improves the user's smoking satisfaction.

[0073] In one embodiment, the absorber is located between one surface of the vibrator 250 where the aerosol is generated and the transmission part 240, and can transmit the aerosol supplied to the transmission part 240 to the vibrator 250. For example, one region of the absorber may contact one region of the transmission part 240 facing the -z direction, and another region of the absorber may contact one region of the vibrator 250 facing the +z direction. That is, the absorber is located on the upper end surface (for example, +z direction) of the vibrator 250 and can supply the aerosol generating substance absorbed by the transmission part 240 to the vibrator 250.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the vibrator 250 of the aerosol generating device 200 can convert the phase of the aerosol generating substance by using an ultrasonic vibration method that atomizes the aerosol generating substance by ultrasonic vibration. For example, the vibrator 250 may generate vibrations with a short period, and the vibrations generated from the vibrator 250 may be ultrasonic vibrations. The frequency of the ultrasonic vibration is within the range of about 100 kHz to about 10 MHz (preferably, within the range of about 100 kHz to 3.5 MHz), but is not limited thereto. By generating ultrasonic vibrations in the above-described frequency band, the vibrator vibrates along the longitudinal direction (for example, the z-axis direction) of the cartridge 220 or the housing 222. However, the embodiment is not limited by the direction in which the vibrator vibrates, and the direction in which the vibrator vibrates may be changed to various directions (for example, any one of the x-axis direction, the y-axis direction, and the z-axis direction, or a combination of those directions). Due to the short-period vibrations generated from the vibrator 250, the aerosol generating substance supplied from the storage unit 230 to the vibrator 250 can be vaporized and / or atomized into an aerosol by being broken into small particles.

[0075] For example, the vibrator 250 may include a piezoelectric ceramic, and the piezoelectric ceramic may be a functional material that can mutually convert electric power and mechanical force by generating electric power (voltage) by a physical force (pressure) and generating vibrations (mechanical force) when electric power is applied conversely. That is, when electric power is applied to the vibrator 250, vibrations with a short period (physical force) are generated, and the generated vibrations can break the aerosol generating substance into small particles and atomize it into an aerosol.

[0076] The vibrator 250 is electrically connected to other components of the aerosol generating device 200 via the electrical terminal 260. The electrical terminal 500 may be disposed on one surface of the cartridge 220. For example, the electrical terminal 260 may be disposed on the coupling surface of the cartridge 220 where the cartridge 220 is coupled to the body portion 210 of the aerosol generating device 20. The electrical terminal 260 may be disposed on one surface of the housing 222 facing the mouthpiece 224.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the vibrator 250 may be electrically connected to at least one of the drive circuit 212, the control unit 214, and the battery 216 of the body unit 210 via an electrical terminal 260 located inside the housing 222 of the cartridge 220.

[0078] For example, the vibrator 250 may be electrically connected to an electrical terminal 260 located inside the cartridge 220 via a first conductor, and the electrical terminal 260 may be electrically connected to the drive circuit 212 of the body unit 210 via a second conductor. That is, the vibrator 250 can be electrically connected to the components of the body unit 210 through the electrical terminal 260.

[0079] The vibrator 250 can receive power supply from the battery 216 of the body unit 210 via the electrical terminal 260 and generate ultrasonic vibrations. Also, the vibrator 250 is electrically connected to the control unit 214 of the body unit 210 via the electrical terminal 260, and the control unit 214 can control the operation of the vibrator 250 via the drive circuit 212.

[0080] For example, the electrical terminal 260 includes at least one of a Pogo Pin, a wire, a cable, a printed circuit board (PCB), a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), and a C-clip, but the electrical terminal 260 is not limited to the above-described examples.

[0081] In one embodiment, the vibrator 250 does not use a separate transmission unit 240, and can be realized in a mesh shape or a plate shape vibration accommodating portion that performs all of the function of maintaining an optimal state for absorbing an aerosol product substance and converting it into an aerosol, and the function of transmitting vibration to the aerosol product substance to generate an aerosol.

[0082] The aerosol generated by the vibrator 250 is discharged outside the cartridge 220 through the air flow path 223 and can be supplied to the user.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the air flow path 223 may be located inside the cartridge 220 and connected to the outlet 224e of the vibrator 250 and the mouthpiece 224. Therefore, the aerosol generated by the vibrator 250 flows along the air flow path 223 and is discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220 or the aerosol generating device 200 through the outlet 224e. The user can supply the aerosol by bringing the mouth into contact with the mouthpiece 224 and inhaling the aerosol discharged from the outlet 224e.

[0084] Although not shown in the drawings, the air flow path 223 may include at least one inlet for the outside air of the cartridge 220 to flow into the inside of the cartridge 220. The inlet is disposed on at least a part of the housing 222 of the cartridge 220. For example, the inlet may be disposed on the joint surface (for example, the bottom surface) of the cartridge 220 where the cartridge 220 and the body portion 210 are joined.

[0085] Since at least one gap may be formed in the portion where the cartridge 220 and the body portion 210 are joined, the outside air can flow in through the gap between the cartridge 220 and the body portion 210 and move into the inside of the cartridge 220 through the inlet.

[0086] The air flow path 223 is connected to the space where the aerosol is generated by the vibrator 250 at the inlet and connected to the outlet 224e in the corresponding space.

[0087] Therefore, the air flowing in through the inlet is transmitted to the vibrator 250, and the transmitted air can move to the outlet 224e together with the aerosol generated by the vibrator 250 to circulate the air flow inside the cartridge 220.

[0088] According to one example, at least a part of the air flow path 223 may be arranged such that the outer peripheral surface is surrounded by the storage portion 230 inside the housing 222. According to a different example, at least a part of the air flow path 223 may be arranged between the inner wall of the housing 222 and the outer wall of the storage portion 230. The arrangement structure of the air flow path 223 is not limited to the above-described examples, and the air flow path 223 can be arranged in various structures that circulate the air flow between the inlet, the vibrator 250, and the outlet 224e.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the body portion 210 includes a drive circuit 212, a control portion 214, and a battery 216 inside, and one end portion of the body portion 210 can be coupled to one end portion of the cartridge 220. For example, the body portion 210 may be coupled to the bottom surface or the coupling surface of the cartridge 220.

[0090] When the vibrator 250 of the cartridge 220 is electrically connected to the drive circuit 212 via the electrical terminal 260, the drive circuit 212 supplies power to the vibrator 250. For example, the size of the power supplied to the vibrator 250 may be determined by the control portion 214. The vibration frequency of the vibrator 250 and the like are controlled according to the size of the power. The form of the drive circuit 212 according to one embodiment may be in the form of a class E power amplifier circuit, a half-bridge circuit, or a full-bridge circuit, and is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0091] The control portion 214 controls the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 200. For example, the control portion 214 can control the power supplied from the battery 216 to the vibrator 250 and control the generation amount of the aerosol generated by the vibrator 250. For example, the control portion 214 may control the power supplied to the vibrator so that the vibrator 250 can vibrate at a predetermined frequency.

[0092] The control unit 214 may be implemented by an array of a plurality of logic gates, or may be implemented by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executed by the microprocessor. Also, those skilled in the art to which the present embodiment belongs will be able to understand that the control unit 214 may be implemented in other forms of hardware.

[0093] The control unit 214 analyzes the results detected by at least one sensor included in the aerosol generator 200 and controls the subsequent processes to be executed. For example, the control unit 214 can control the power supplied to the vibrator 250 based on the results detected by at least one sensor so that the operation of the vibrator 250 is started or terminated. Also, the control unit 214 can control the amount of power supplied to the vibrator 250 and the time for which the power is supplied based on the results detected by at least one sensor so that the vibrator 250 generates an appropriate amount of aerosol.

[0094] The battery 216 supplies the power used for the aerosol generator 200 to operate. For example, the battery 216 can supply power to the vibrator 250 if the body unit 210 is electrically coupled to the cartridge 220.

[0095] The battery 216 supplies the power necessary for the operation of other hardware elements (for example, sensors, user interfaces, memories, and the control unit 214) provided in the aerosol generator 200. The battery 216 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery.

[0096] For example, the battery 216 may include a nickel-based battery (for example, nickel-metal hydride battery, nickel-cadmium battery), or a lithium-based battery (for example, lithium-cobalt battery, lithium-phosphate battery, lithium titanate battery, lithium-ion battery, or lithium-polymer battery).

[0097] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the cartridge 220 and / or the body portion 210 of the aerosol generating device 200 may be a circular, elliptical, square, rectangular, or polygonal cross-sectional shape in various forms. However, the shape of the cross-section of the cartridge 220 and / or the body portion 210 is not limited to the above-described shapes, nor does the aerosol generating device 200 have to be formed from a structure that necessarily extends linearly when extending in the longitudinal direction.

[0098] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the aerosol generating device 200 may be curved in a streamlined shape that is easy for the user to grip, or bent at a predetermined angle in a specific region and extend long, and the cross-sectional shape of the aerosol generating device 200 may change along the longitudinal direction.

[0099] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cartridge and a body portion of an aerosol generating device according to an example, separated from each other, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cartridge and a body portion of an aerosol generating device according to an example, combined with each other.

[0100] The aerosol generating device 300 according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is an example in which the aerosol generating device 200 shown in FIG. 2 (or the aerosol generating device 100 in FIG. 1) is deformed. Each of the cartridge 220-1 and the body portion 210-1 according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is an example in which the cartridge 220 and the body portion 210 shown in FIG. 2 are deformed, and the overlapping content will be omitted below.

[0101] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the cartridge 220-1 can be detachably coupled to the body portion 210-1. For example, at least a part of the cartridge 220-1 may be inserted into the body portion 210-1 to be coupled to the body portion 210-1.

[0102] The cartridge 220-1 includes a mouthpiece 10m that is movable between an open position and a closed position. For example, the mouthpiece 10m is opened and closed by rotating between the open position and the closed position.

[0103] The body portion 10b of the cartridge 220-1 can be coupled to the mouthpiece 10m via a rotating shaft. As an example, the mouthpiece 10m may be disposed in an open position. The state in which the mouthpiece 10m is open means a state in which the mouthpiece 10m extends in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge 220-1 so that it is easy for the user to bring it into contact with the mouth. Here, the longitudinal direction means the direction in which the cartridge 220-1 extends the longest among various directions. As another example, the mouthpiece 10m may be disposed in a closed position. The state in which the mouthpiece 10m is closed means a state in which the mouthpiece 10m is folded in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction of the cartridge 220-1 so as to be housed in the body portion 210-1 of the aerosol generating device 300.

[0104] The cartridge 220-1 includes a body portion 10b including a plurality of components necessary for generating an aerosol and discharging the generated aerosol. For example, the body portion 10b includes at least a part of a storage portion, a vibrator, and an air flow path.

[0105] The body portion 210-1 includes a coupling portion 20a to which the cartridge 220-1 can be coupled. For example, the body portion 210-1 includes a receiving groove 20a-1 in which at least a part of the cartridge 220-1 is received. The body portion 10b of the cartridge 220-1 may be inserted into the inside of the receiving groove 20a-1. For example, the body portion 10b of the cartridge 220-1 may be in the form of a substantially rectangular column, and the corners of the rectangular column may be subjected to C chamfering or R rounding treatment. However, the shape of the body portion 10b of the cartridge 220-1 is not limited to the above-described example, and it may be in the form of a cylindrical column or a polygonal column.

[0106] As described above with reference to FIG. 2, the cartridge 220-1 may be coupled to the body portion 210-1 by at least one of a snap-fit method, a screwing method, a magnetic coupling method, or a forced fitting method. For example, the cartridge 220-1 includes a first magnetic body, the body portion 210-1 includes a second magnetic body, and the cartridge 220-1 and the body portion 210-1 are magnetically coupled. However, the strengths of the first magnetic body and the second magnetic body may be designed in consideration of the ease of attachment and detachment of the cartridge 220-1 and the body portion 210-1 and / or the operational stability of the aerosol generating device 300.

[0107] The body portion 210-1 includes a button 20b. The button 20b is disposed on one surface of the body portion 210-1. For example, the button 20b may be disposed on one surface of the body portion 210-1 corresponding to one end 20c-1 of the cover 20c. The user can operate the operation of the aerosol generating device 300 using the button 20b when using the aerosol generating device 300.

[0108] The body portion 210-1 may further include a storage portion 20s that can store the mouthpiece 10m when the mouthpiece 10m of the cartridge 220-1 moves to the closed position. The storage portion 20s is located on one surface of the body portion 210-1 and has a shape or size corresponding to the mouthpiece 10m.

[0109] As shown in FIG. 4, the mouthpiece 10m that has moved to the closed position has a portion that protrudes outside the aerosol generating device 1 in the closed position, that is, the portability is improved by minimizing the portion that protrudes outward on the outer surface of the body portion 210-1.

[0110] In one embodiment, the body portion 210-1 further includes a cover 20c that couples to a part of the body portion 210-1. The cover 20c may be coupled to at least one surface of the body portion 210-1. For example, the cover 20c may be coupled to one side of the body portion 210-1 where the coupling portion 20a is located. Also, the cover 20c may be coupled to one side of the body portion 210-1 where the storage portion 20s is located.

[0111] The cover 20c includes an opening 20c-o. The cover 20c has an opening 20c-o sized to correspond to the mouthpiece 10m. For example, the opening 20c-o has a predetermined length and width. Here, the width of the opening 20c-o may be smaller than or the same as the body portion of the cartridge 220-1, and may also be larger than or the same as the mouthpiece 10m. The length of the opening 20c-o may be longer than or the same as the mouthpiece 10m.

[0112] The cover 20c extends from one end 20c-1 to the other end 20c-2 and is disposed on the placement portion 20c' of the body portion 210-1. For example, the placement portion 20c' has a size and shape corresponding to the cover 20c. The placement portion 20c' is a portion that extends in both side directions centering around the inlet side portion of the coupling portion 20a and the storage portion 20s so that the cover 20c can be coupled, and is recessed at a predetermined depth.

[0113] When the cartridge 220-1 is coupled to the body portion 210-1, the cover 20c can be coupled to the body portion 210-1 after the cartridge 220-1 is coupled to the body portion 210-1. The cover 20c is coupled to one side of the body portion 210-1 by at least one of a snap-fit method, a forced fitting method, or a magnetic coupling method, but is not limited thereto.

[0114] Since the cover 20c includes an opening 20c-o through which the mouthpiece 10m can pass, it does not interfere with the opening and closing operation of the mouthpiece 10m while protecting the cartridge 220-1 in a state where the cartridge 220-1 is coupled to the body portion 210-1, and can hold the coupling between the cartridge 220-1 and the body portion 210-1.

[0115] FIG. 4 shows an aerosol generating device 300 in which a cartridge 220-1 and a cover 20c are both coupled to a body portion 210-1, and a mouthpiece 10m is in a closed position. As shown, the body portion 210-1 includes a storage portion 20s having a size and shape corresponding to the mouthpiece 10m and a placement portion 20c' having a size and shape corresponding to the cover 20c. The cover 20c includes an opening 20c-o having a size and shape corresponding to the mouthpiece 10m, so that the overall finish of the aerosol generating device 300 is strong and smooth.

[0116] When separating the cartridge 220-1 from the body portion 210-1, the cover 20c may be separated from the body portion 210-1 first, and then the cartridge 220-1 may be separated from the body portion 210-1. In this way, the cover 20c and the cartridge 220-1 may be separated from the body portion 210-1 in order or coupled to the body portion 210-1 in order.

[0117] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an aerosol generation method according to an embodiment.

[0118] The following operations 510 to 540 are executed by an electronic device (for example, the aerosol generating device 100 in FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device 200 in FIG. 2, or the aerosol generating device 300 in FIG. 3).

[0119] In operation 510, the electronic device measures the temperature of a vibrator of a cartridge coupled to the electronic device (for example, the atomizing unit 150 shown in FIG. 1 or the vibrator 250 shown in FIG. 2). For example, the temperature measurement of the vibrator may include at least one of contact or non-contact temperature measurement methods.

[0120] According to one embodiment, the method for measuring the temperature of the vibrator is a method of measuring the signal of a drive circuit including a power source or the like connected to the vibrator in order to supply power to the vibrator. For example, the current of the drive circuit including the vibrator is measured, and the temperature of the vibrator is measured based on the measured current. As a different example, the voltage of the drive circuit including the vibrator (for example, the voltage across the vibrator) may be measured, and the temperature of the vibrator may be measured based on the measured voltage.

[0121] According to one embodiment, the temperature of the vibrator can be measured using a temperature sensor built into the electronic device. For example, the temperature of the vibrator of the cartridge may be measured in a non-contact manner by a temperature sensor built into the electronic device.

[0122] According to one embodiment, the temperature of the vibrator can be measured using an IR (infrared) temperature sensor built into the electronic device. For example, the IR temperature sensor may measure the temperature of the vibrator through a hole at the lower end of the cartridge connected to the electronic device.

[0123] According to one embodiment, the temperature of the vibrator can be measured using a temperature sensor built into the cartridge connected to the electronic device. For example, the temperature of the vibrator may be determined not only by the temperature of the vibrator itself, but also by further measuring at least one of the temperature of the transmission part (for example, the transmission part 240 in FIG. 2) or the temperature of the liquid (that is, the aerosol-forming base material) in the cartridge. As a different example, the temperature of the vibrator may be determined by measuring at least one of the temperature of the transmission element or the temperature of the liquid in the cartridge instead of measuring the temperature of the vibrator itself.

[0124] The temperature of the vibrator can be measured after a preset time has elapsed since the start of heating of the electronic device. For example, the temperature of the vibrator may be measured during the initial preheating of the electronic device or after the initial preheating is completed. As a different example, the temperature of the vibrator may be measured after the user's performance has been detected a preset number of times (for example, 1 time).

[0125] When measuring the temperature of the vibrator, the vibrator can be controlled based on test control factors. The test control factors of the vibrator refer to the control factors for initially controlling the vibrator before the vibrator is controlled based on the control factors of the vibrator determined according to the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge after the electronic device is driven. The test control factors of the vibrator are set in such a way as to maximize the atomization amount of glycerin among the substances constituting the liquid in the cartridge.

[0126] In operation 520, the electronic device determines the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge based on the measured temperature of the vibrator. The physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge include the composition ratio of one or more substances constituting the liquid.

[0127] In one embodiment, the liquid in the cartridge may be composed of a substance containing glycerin and water. For example, the composition ratios of glycerin and water can vary, such as 8:2 or 5:5. The substances and composition ratios mentioned are exemplary and not limited to this specification.

[0128] According to one embodiment, the electronic device can determine the composition ratio of the liquid corresponding to the temperature of the vibrator measured after a preset time has elapsed since the start of heating. For example, the temperatures of the vibrator corresponding to the composition ratios of various liquids may be stored in a database in the electronic device in advance.

[0129] In operation 530, the electronic device determines the control factors of the vibrator according to the determined physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge. For example, the control factors of the vibrator may include at least one of an initial preheating time, a vibrator driving frequency, a vibrator driving voltage, a vibrator driving current, or a duty cycle of the vibrator driving signal.

[0130] The preheating temperatures required for atomization (aerosolization) of the liquid may differ from each other depending on the physical properties (e.g., composition ratio) of the liquid in the cartridge. Therefore, an appropriate initial preheating time can be determined according to the physical properties of the liquid.

[0131] The liquid temperature rise rate and the atomization amount are adjusted according to the oscillator drive frequency. Since the required liquid temperature rise rates within the initial preheating time differ depending on the physical properties of the liquid, an appropriate oscillator drive frequency can be determined according to the physical properties of the liquid in order to achieve the target atomization amount.

[0132] The amount of electric power supplied to the oscillator and the time for which the power is supplied are controlled so that the liquid in the cartridge can be heated to a predetermined temperature or maintained at an appropriate temperature by the oscillator. Since the required amount of electric power and supply time for the oscillator differ depending on the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge, at least one of the oscillator drive voltage, oscillator drive current, or duty cycle of the oscillator drive signal can be appropriately determined.

[0133] In operation 540, the electronic device generates an aerosol by controlling the oscillator based on the control factor of the oscillator. Before operation 540 is executed, the test control factor of the oscillator may be set in such a way that the atomization amount of glycerin among the substances constituting the liquid in the cartridge can be maximized. When the control factor of the oscillator is determined according to the determined physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge, the greater the composition ratio of water to glycerin, the more the control factor is determined in such a way that the atomization amount can be reduced compared to the test control factor.

[0134] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an aerosol generation method according to an embodiment.

[0135] According to an embodiment, the electronic device includes a memory that stores information on the physical properties of the liquid with respect to various temperatures of the oscillator of the cartridge connected to the electronic device (for example, the aerosol generation device 100 in FIG. 1, the aerosol generation device 200 in FIG. 2, or the aerosol generation device 300 in FIG. 3). The information on the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge with respect to the oscillator temperature will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 7.

[0136] Operation 520 described above with reference to FIG. 5 includes the following operations 610 and 620.

[0137] In operation 610, the electronic device refers to the memory to obtain (or query or determine) the physical properties of the liquid corresponding to the measured temperature of the vibrator. For example, the physical properties of the liquid may be the composition ratio of one or more substances constituting the liquid.

[0138] In operation 620, the electronic device determines the obtained physical properties of the liquid as the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge.

[0139] In one embodiment, after the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge are determined, the corresponding property information is stored until all the liquid in the cartridge is consumed. For example, the property information may be retained while the connection of the cartridge is maintained. For example, when the cartridge is detached from the electronic device, the property information is initialized.

[0140] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing information on substances constituting the liquid in a cartridge according to one embodiment.

[0141] According to one embodiment, the property information of the liquid with respect to the vibrator temperature of the cartridge connected to an electronic device (for example, the aerosol generating device 100 in FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device 200 in FIG. 2, or the aerosol generating device 300 in FIG. 3) is stored in the memory included in the electronic device.

[0142] For example, the property information of the liquid in the cartridge stored in the memory is for the measured temperature of the vibrator when the vibrator is controlled based on the test control factor. That is, since the property information of the liquid in the cartridge stored in the memory is all the information when the vibrator is controlled by the same control factor (test control factor), it coincides with the property information of the liquid determined based on the temperature of the vibrator measured while the vibrator is controlled based on the test control factor.

[0143] For example, the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge may be the composition ratio of one or more substances constituting the liquid. For example, the liquid in the cartridge may be composed of a substance containing glycerin and water. This is not limited to this specification.

[0144] Referring to FIG. 7, the horizontal axis of the graph indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates the measured temperature of the oscillator. The graph shows the temperature of the oscillator over time when heating glycerin and water respectively. Since the specific heats of glycerin and water are different from each other, the amount of temperature change with respect to time, i.e., the slope of the graph, is different. When the oscillator is controlled by a test control factor, after obtaining the temperature of the liquid in the cartridge at a specific time, the composition ratio of the substances constituting the liquid in the cartridge can be calculated based on the specific heat information of each substance.

[0145] The point P shown in FIG. 7 exemplarily shows the temperature of the oscillator measured at time t1 for determining the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge. For example, if the y-axis value of point P is the intermediate value of the temperature of glycerin and the temperature of water measured at t1, the composition ratio of glycerin and water constituting the liquid in the cartridge may be determined to be 5:5.

[0146] The embodiments described above are implemented by hardware components, software components, or a combination of hardware components and software components. For example, the devices and components described in this embodiment can be implemented using one or more general-purpose computers or special-purpose computers, such as, for example, a processor, a controller, an ALU (arithmetic logic unit), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, an FPA (field programmable array), a PLU (programmable logic unit), a microprocessor, or different devices that execute and respond to instructions. The processing device executes an operating system (OS) and one or more software applications executed on the operating system. Further, the processing device accesses, stores, operates on, processes, and generates data in response to the execution of the software. For ease of understanding, the processing device may sometimes be described as being one, but those skilled in the art will understand that the processing device may include multiple processing elements and / or multiple types of processing elements. For example, the processing device may include multiple processors or one processor and one controller. Also, other processing configurations, such as a parallel processor, are possible.

[0147] Software includes a computer program, code, instructions, or a combination of one or more of them, and can configure a processing device to operate as desired or can command the processing device independently or in combination. Software and / or data can be permanently or temporarily embodied in any type of machine, component, physical device, virtual device, computer storage medium or device, or signal wave being transmitted. Software can be distributed on a computer system connected to a network and stored or executed in a distributed manner. Software and data can be stored in one or more computer-readable recording media.

[0148] The method according to this embodiment is embodied in the form of program instructions implemented via various computer means and recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The recording medium includes program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. The recording medium and the program instructions may be specially designed and configured for the purpose of the present invention, or may be known and usable to those skilled in the art of computer software technology. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy (registered trademark) disks, and magnetic tapes, optical recording media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions such as ROMs, RAMs, flash memories, etc. Examples of program instructions include not only machine language code generated by a compiler but also high-level language code executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

[0149] The hardware device described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to execute the operations shown in the present invention, and vice versa.

[0150] Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to the limited drawings, those of ordinary skill in the art can apply various technical modifications and variations based on the above description. For example, the described technology may be executed in an order different from the described method, and / or the components such as the described system, structure, device, circuit, etc. may be combined or assembled in a form different from the described method, and appropriate results can be achieved even if they are replaced or substituted by other components or equivalents.

[0151] Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims also fall within the scope of the claims described below.

Claims

1. An aerosol generation method executed by an electronic device includes: measuring the temperature of a vibrator of a cartridge connected to the electronic device; determining the physical properties of a liquid in the cartridge based on the measured temperature; determining a control factor of the vibrator according to the determined physical properties; generating an aerosol by controlling the vibrator based on the control factor; and the physical properties of the liquid are the composition ratios of one or more substances constituting the liquid, the aerosol generation method.

2. The operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator includes measuring the temperature of the vibrator using a temperature sensor built in the electronic device or the cartridge, the aerosol generation method according to claim 1.

3. The operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator includes measuring the temperature of the vibrator after a preset time has elapsed since the start of heating of the electronic device, the aerosol generation method according to claim 1.

4. The operation of determining the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge based on the measured temperature includes referring to a memory storing liquid physical property information for various temperatures of the vibrator and obtaining the physical properties of the liquid corresponding to the measured temperature; determining the obtained physical properties of the liquid as the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge; and, the aerosol generation method according to claim 1.

5. The control factor of the vibrator includes at least one of an initial preheating time, a vibrator driving frequency, a vibrator driving voltage, a vibrator driving current, or a duty cycle of a vibrator driving signal, the aerosol generation method according to claim 1.

6. The electronic device A memory for storing physical property information of a liquid with respect to various temperatures of a vibrator of a cartridge connected to the electronic device, A processor for controlling the electronic device, and includes The processor performs an operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator, an operation of determining the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge based on the measured temperature, an operation of setting a control factor of the vibrator according to the determined physical properties, and an operation of generating an aerosol by controlling the vibrator based on the control factor, and performs The physical properties of the liquid are the composition ratios of one or more substances constituting the liquid, an electronic device. **Claim 7** The operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator includes an operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator using a temperature sensor built in the electronic device or the cartridge. The electronic device according to claim 6. **Claim 8** The operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator includes an operation of measuring the temperature of the vibrator after a preset time has elapsed since the start of heating of the electronic device. The electronic device according to claim 6. **Claim 9** The operation of determining the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge based on the measured temperature includes referring to the memory that stores physical property information of the liquid with respect to various temperatures of the vibrator and obtaining the physical properties of the liquid corresponding to the measured temperature, and determining the obtained physical properties of the liquid as the physical properties of the liquid in the cartridge. The electronic device according to claim 6. **Claim 10** The control factor of the vibrator includes at least one of an initial preheating time, a vibrator driving frequency, a vibrator driving voltage, a vibrator driving current, or a duty cycle of a vibrator driving signal. The electronic device according to claim 6.

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