Electronic equipment and programs

Abstract

This electronic device has a control unit and a first battery, and is provided with a second battery in a cover member attached to a device body. When the residual amount of the second battery is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference value, the control unit performs switching of power supply, from the first battery to the second battery, to a portion of electronic components provided in the device body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Many portable electronic devices operate on a battery built into the main body. The battery used may be a primary battery or a secondary battery. For an electronic device that operates on a primary battery, a lid or other cover member that can be attached and detached by the user is attached. In addition, for an electronic device that operates on a secondary battery, a USB terminal or other power supply terminal for charging the secondary battery from the outside is provided. Recently, there are also electronic devices that can charge a secondary battery wirelessly without providing a power supply terminal.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, recent portable electronic devices consume a lot of power while also requiring long-term use. As a countermeasure against these conflicting demands, increasing the capacity of the built-in battery and reducing the power consumption of the electronic device have been attempted. However, each effort has its limits.

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present disclosure provides a technology that enables a more diverse power supply than when only the battery built into the electronic device is used as a power source.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] As one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided having a control unit and a first battery, wherein a second battery is provided in a cover member attached to the main body of the device, and when the remaining charge of the second battery is above a predetermined reference value, the control unit switches the power supply to some of the electronic components provided in the main body of the device from the first battery to the second battery.

[0007] The control unit may switch the power supply to some of the electronic components that operate using the same system power supply as the control unit from the first battery to the second battery.

[0008] If the first information display unit is provided on the cover member, the control unit may stop supplying power to the second information display unit provided on the main body of the device.

[0009] If the first information display unit is provided on the cover member, the control unit may stop supplying power to the second information display unit if the user is unable to see the information displayed by the second information display unit provided on the main body of the device due to the attachment of the cover member.

[0010] In this case, the control unit may switch from the presentation of information by the second presentation unit to the presentation of information by the first presentation unit.

[0011] The second battery may be charged by power supplied from the main unit of the device.

[0012] Some of the electronic components may also be heating elements that heat the aerosol source.

[0013] In this case, the attachment of the cover member to the main body of the device may be one of the conditions that enable the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit.

[0014] The cover component may allow the user to operate the switch on the main unit of the device by pressing it while it is attached to the main unit.

[0015] The control unit may receive information about operations performed on the operating section provided on the cover member from the cover member.

[0016] The cover member attached to the main body of the device may form an integrated appearance with the uncovered part of the main body of the device.

[0017] As one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a program for causing a computer provided in an electronic device having a first battery to implement a function of switching the power supply to a part of the electronic components provided in the main body of the device from the first battery to a second battery provided in a cover member attached to the main body of the device when the second battery is provided in the cover member attached to the main body of the device.

Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to enable a more diverse power supply than in the case where only the battery built in the electronic device is used as the power source.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a view observing the front side of the aerosol generating device obliquely from above. [Figure 2] It is a view observing the front side of the aerosol generating device obliquely from below. [Figure 3] It is a view observing the aerosol generating device with the shutter removed from above. [Figure 4] It is a view observing the main body device with the front panel removed from the front. [Figure 5] It is a view observing the back surface of the front panel removed from the main body device. [Figure 6] It is a view schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 1. [Figure 7] It is a view schematically showing the connection relationship of the power supply circuit of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 1. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart for explaining an example of the attachment detection operation executed by the control unit of the main body device. [Figure 9]It is a flowchart for explaining the switching process of the system power supply by the control unit of Embodiment 1. [Figure 10] It is a view for observing the front side of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 2 from obliquely above. [Figure 11] It is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 2. [Figure 12] It is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship of the power supply circuit of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 2. [Figure 13] It is a flowchart for explaining the switching process of power supply by the control unit of Embodiment 2. [Figure 14] It is a view for observing the front side of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 3 from obliquely above. [Figure 15] It is a flowchart for explaining the switching process of power supply by the control unit of Embodiment 3. [Figure 16] It is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship of the power supply circuit of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment ④. [Figure 17] It is a flowchart for explaining the switching process of power supply executed by the control unit of Embodiment 4. [Figure 18] It is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 5. [Figure 19] It is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship of the power supply circuit of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 5. [Figure 20] It is a flowchart for explaining an example of the USB charging operation executed by the control unit of Embodiment 5. [Figure 21] It is a diagram for explaining the USB charging operation. [Figure 22] It is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship of the power supply circuit of the aerosol generating device used in Embodiment 6.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Embodiments relating to this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0021] <Terminology> Each embodiment of the aerosol generating device is a form of e-cigarette. In the following explanation, the substance produced by an aerosol generator is referred to as an aerosol. An aerosol is a mixture of tiny liquid or solid particles suspended in a gas and air or other gas. Each embodiment describes an aerosol generating apparatus that generates aerosols without combustion. In the following explanation, the act of a user inhaling aerosols generated by an aerosol generator is referred to as "inhalation" or "puffing." Each embodiment describes an aerosol generating device capable of attaching a solid aerosol source. The container for housing the solid aerosol source is referred to as either a "capsule" or a "stick-type substrate" depending on the product form. Capsules and stick-type substrates are consumables. Therefore, guidelines for replacement are established for capsules and stick-type substrates.

[0022] <Embodiment 1> <Example of exterior> First, an example of the appearance of the aerosol generating device 1 used in Embodiment 1 will be described. Figure 1 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generator 1, observed from an oblique angle above. Figure 2 shows the front side of the aerosol generator 1, viewed from a diagonal downward angle. Figure 3 shows the aerosol generator 1 with the shutter 30 removed, viewed from above. Figure 4 shows the main unit 20 viewed from the front with the front panel 10 removed. Figure 5 shows the back surface of the front panel 10 after it has been removed from the main unit 20.

[0023] The aerosol generator 1 used in this embodiment is sized to be held in one hand by the user. The aerosol generator 1 comprises a main unit 20, a front panel 10 mounted on the front of the main unit 20, and a shutter 30 positioned on the top surface of the main unit 20 and capable of sliding along the top surface. The main unit 20 here is an example of the main body of the device. The front panel 10 is a component that can be attached to and detached from the main unit 20. Here, the front panel 10 is an example of a cover component. The user is responsible for attaching and detaching the front panel 10.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front panel 10 attached to the main unit 20 covers the front portion of the main unit 20. In other words, even after the front panel 10 is attached, the parts of the main unit 20 other than the front portion can still be observed from the outside. For example, the sides, back, top, and bottom of the main unit 20 can still be observed from the outside even after the front panel 10 is attached. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front panel 10 attached to the main unit 20 is seamlessly connected to the side, top, and bottom surfaces of the main unit 20, forming a unified appearance. Thus, one of the roles of the front panel 10 is decorative. The sides, top, and bottom of the main unit 20 are examples of parts that are not covered by the front panel 10.

[0025] The front panel 10 is provided with a window 10B. The window 10B is positioned to face the light-emitting element on the main unit 20. In the first embodiment, an LED (=Light Emitting Diode) 20A (see Figure 4) is used as the light-emitting element. In Embodiment 1, the window 10B is made of a light-transmitting material. However, the window 10B may also be a slit that penetrates from the front surface to the back surface. The illumination and blinking of the light-emitting element represent the operating status of the aerosol generator 1, etc. The operating status includes errors. The illumination and blinking of the light-emitting element are controlled by the control unit 206 (see Figure 6), which will be described later.

[0026] In addition to its decorative role, the front panel 10 also serves to buffer the transfer of heat emitted from the main unit 20. Therefore, in this embodiment, aerosol generation is permitted only when the front panel 10 is attached to the main unit 20. In other words, the front panel 10 attached to the main unit 20 forms an integrated appearance with the main unit 20 in a state where aerosol generation is possible. Furthermore, the front panel 10 serves to protect the main unit 20 from dirt, scratches, and other damage. Furthermore, the front panel 10 can be deformed by the user pressing a position below the window 10B with their fingertip, and returns to its original shape when the user stops pressing.

[0027] A primary battery 101 is installed inside the front panel 10 used in this embodiment. When the front panel 10 with the primary battery 101 installed is attached to the main unit 20, the total amount of power available to the aerosol generator 1 can be increased compared to when the front panel 10 without the primary battery 101 is attached to the main unit 20. The primary battery 101 attached to the front panel 10 is an example of a second battery. Hereafter, the battery attached to the front panel 10 will be referred to as a "sub-battery".

[0028] The primary battery 101 attached to the front panel 10 is used as an auxiliary power source to compensate for insufficient power in the main unit 20. The primary battery 101 is detachable from the back of the front panel 10. In other words, a primary battery 101 that has run out of capacity or whose capacity has decreased can be replaced with a new primary battery 101. In this embodiment, the front panel 10 is an example of a cover member. The main body panel 10A that forms the appearance of the front panel 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is an example of the main body.

[0029] The primary battery 101 can be, for example, a film type, coin type, or chip type battery. In any case, the primary battery 101 must be thin so as not to interfere with the mounting of the front panel 10 to the main unit 20. The front panel 10, where the primary battery 101 is mounted, is also provided with electrodes and connectors (not shown) used for supplying power to the main unit 20. However, the electrodes for power supply are only for contact-type power supply to the main unit 20; for contactless power supply (i.e., wireless power supply), a loop coil (not shown) is added as an electronic component. The standards for contactless power supply used here include electromagnetic induction methods such as the Qi standard and the NFC (Near Field Communication) standard, as well as electric field induction methods.

[0030] A Type-C USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector 21 is provided on the bottom side of the main unit 20. The shape and type of the USB connector 21 are just examples. In other words, the USB connector 21 may be a USB other than Type-C. In the first embodiment, the USB connector 21 is used, for example, to charge the power supply unit 201 (see Figure 6) built into the main unit 20. The upper surface of the main unit 20 is provided with a hole 22 for inserting a stick-shaped substrate 210 (see Figure 6) containing an aerosol source.

[0031] In this embodiment, the stick-type substrate 210 contains a solid aerosol source housed in a paper tube molded into a substantially cylindrical shape. The hole 22 is exposed when the shutter 30 is slid to the open position and concealed when the shutter 30 is slid to the closed position. In Embodiment 1, the hole 22 is cylindrical in shape, almost identical to that of the stick-type base material 210. The diameter of the opening of the hole 22 is such that the stick-type base material 210 can be inserted into it. In other words, the diameter of the stick-type base material 210 is such that it can be inserted into the hole 22.

[0032] A magnet, for example, is attached to the back of the shutter 30. Meanwhile, a Hall IC is mounted on the main unit 20 within the movable range of the shutter 30. A Hall IC is a magnetic sensor composed of a Hall element and an operational amplifier, and it outputs a voltage corresponding to the strength of the magnetic field passing through the Hall element. In this embodiment, the opening and closing of the shutter 30 is detected by the change in voltage output from the Hall IC as the shutter 30 slides. In other words, it is detected whether the shutter 30 is in the open position or the closed position.

[0033] Button 20B is located approximately in the center of the front of the main unit 20. As mentioned above, button 20B can be operated even with the front panel 10 attached. Button 20B is used, for example, to turn the main unit's power on and off, to turn the power supply to the heating unit 207 (see Figure 6) that heats the aerosol source on and off, and to give Bluetooth® pairing instructions. Furthermore, if the front panel 10 is detached from the main unit 20, pressing and holding button 20B (for example, for 5 seconds or more) will activate the reset function. In this embodiment, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) is used as the Bluetooth technology.

[0034] Magnets 20C, used for attaching the front panel 10, are positioned at the top and bottom of the front of the main unit 20. The magnets 20C are positioned opposite the magnets 10C located inside the front panel 10. For example, if the magnets 10C on the front panel 10 are north poles, the magnets 20C on the main unit 20 are south poles. The front panel 10 is detachably attached to the main unit 20 by the attractive force between the magnets.

[0035] Note that either magnet 10C or 20C may be a piece of iron or other magnetic metal. Incidentally, the attachment of the front panel 10 to the main unit 20 is detected by a Hall IC provided on the main unit 20. In addition, the main unit 20 incorporates various electronic components necessary for aerosol generation. In this sense, the main unit 20 is an example of electronic equipment specifically designed for aerosol generation. More precisely, the main unit 20 is referred to as an aerosol generator.

[0036] <Internal structure> <Configuration of Functional Units> Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generator 1 used in Embodiment 1. Figure 6 shows the main unit 20 with the stick-type substrate 210 attached. With the stick-type substrate 210 held by the holding part 209, the user performs aerosol suction. Furthermore, the internal configuration shown in Figure 6 is intended to explain the electronic components installed in the main unit 20 and their positional relationships. For this reason, the appearance of the electronic components shown in Figure 6 does not necessarily match the external view described above.

[0037] The front panel 10 is equipped with a primary battery 101 and a power supply circuit (not shown). For example, in the case of contact power supply, the power supply circuit uses spring-loaded electrode pins (pogo pins), connectors, etc. In the case of contactless power supply, the power supply circuit uses loop coils, etc. Standards for contactless power supply include electromagnetic induction methods such as the Qi standard and NFC (=Near Field Communication) standard. The primary battery 101 stores power using, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery or a capacitor.

[0038] The main unit 20 is equipped with a power supply unit 201, a sensor unit 202, a notification unit 203, a storage unit 204, a communication unit 205, a control unit 206, a heating unit 207, a heat insulation unit 208, and a holding unit 209. The power supply unit 201 is a unit that supplies power to the main unit 20. The sensor unit 202 is an electronic component that detects various types of information related to the main unit 20. The sensor unit 202 includes, for example, a pressure sensor such as a microphone condenser and a flow sensor. As a sensor, the sensor unit 202 outputs the detected information to the control unit 206. For example, if it detects a change in air pressure or airflow associated with suction, the sensor unit 202 outputs a numerical value representing the user's suction to the control unit 206.

[0039] The sensor unit 202 includes, for example, an input device that receives input from the user. The input device may be, for example, a button or a switch. In this embodiment, a button 20B (see Figure 4) is used as the input device. Button 20B is used to switch the main power on and off, and to switch the start and stop of power supply to the heating unit 207 (i.e., the start and stop of aerosol generation), etc. The user's instructions are output from the sensor unit 202 to the control unit 206. Note that button 20B is not only an example of a button, but also an example of a switch.

[0040] In addition, the sensor unit 202 contains a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heating unit 207. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of the heating unit 207 based, for example, on the electrical resistance value of the conductive track of the heating unit 207. The detected electrical resistance value is output from the sensor unit 202 to the control unit 206. The control unit 206 then calculates the temperature of the heating unit 207 based on the electrical resistance value. In other words, the control unit 206 calculates the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 210 held in the holding unit 209.

[0041] In addition, the sensor unit 202 includes a sensor that detects whether or not a sub-battery is attached to the front panel 10 mounted on the front of the main unit 20 (i.e., whether or not the front panel 10 with a sub-battery is attached). For example, if predetermined structural characteristics are detected from the installed front panel 10 through the sensor unit 202, the installed front panel 10 is determined to be a front panel 10 with a sub-battery. Also, if current or voltage is detected in the power line used for power supply from the front panel 10, the installed front panel 10 is determined to be a front panel 10 with a sub-battery.

[0042] In addition, the sensor unit 202 includes a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, a pressure sensor, etc., which detect the insertion of the stick-type substrate 210 into the holding unit 209 or the approach of the target part through changes in capacitance. The sensor unit 202 also includes an optical color sensor for individual identification of the stick-shaped substrate 210 by color, an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) reader, an NFC (Near Field Communication) reader, and the like. The sensor unit 202 also includes a biosensor for measuring the user's heart rate, a fingerprint sensor used for unlocking, and the like. The sensor unit 202 also includes an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and other sensors to detect user movements.

[0043] The notification unit 203 is an electronic component that notifies the user of various information regarding the main unit 20. The notification unit 203 includes an LED 20A (see Figure 4) and other light-emitting devices. For example, the LED 20A lights up in different patterns when the power supply unit 201 needs charging, when the power supply unit 201 is charging, and when an abnormality occurs in the main unit 20. The patterns here include differences in color, differences in the timing of turning on / off, etc.

[0044] The notification unit 203 may be configured together with or in place of the aforementioned light-emitting device with a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates the main unit 20, etc. The light-emitting device, display device, sound output device, vibration device, etc. are also examples of notification units that notify information. In addition, the notification unit 203 may notify the user when it becomes possible to inhale the aerosol. This notification is given when the temperature of the stick-type substrate 210 heated by the heating unit 207 reaches a predetermined temperature.

[0045] The memory unit 204 is an electronic component that stores various information related to the operation of the main unit 20. The memory unit 204 is composed of a non-volatile storage medium, such as flash memory. The information stored in the memory unit 204 includes, for example, the OS (Operating System), FW (Firmware), and other programs. The memory unit 204 also stores the heating profile used to heat the stick-type substrate 210, which is the aerosol source. The heating profile is a data file that defines the time change of the target temperature after heating has started.

[0046] In this embodiment, one heating profile is stored in the storage unit 204. The heating profile is also called the "control profile" or "control sequence." In addition, the information stored in the memory unit 204 includes, for example, information related to the control of electronic components. This control information includes user suction information such as the number of suctions, suction times, and cumulative suction time. In other words, the memory unit 204 records the history of the user's suction actions and operations.

[0047] The communication unit 205 is an electronic component that enables communication between the main unit 20 and other devices. The communication unit 205 is also called a communication interface. The communication unit 205 communicates with other devices using a method compliant with any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of communication standards include wireless LAN, wired LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark). For example, the communication unit 205 transmits information about the user's suction to a smartphone. Furthermore, the communication unit 205 downloads updates and profiles that define the temperature changes of the heating unit 207 in heating mode from the server.

[0048] The control unit 206 functions as an arithmetic processing unit and control unit, and is an electronic component that controls the operation of the main unit 20 according to various programs. The transmission of control signals is performed through signal lines separate from the power lines. For example, serial communication methods such as I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit), SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), and UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) are used for communication within the main unit 20.

[0049] The control unit 206 is implemented by electronic circuits such as a CPU (=Central Processing Unit), MPU (=Micro Processing Unit), GPU (=Graphical Processing Unit), ASIC (=application specific integrated circuit), FPGA (=Field Programmable Gate Array), and DSP (=Digital Signal Processor). The control unit 206 may include a ROM (=Read Only Memory) for storing programs and calculation parameters, and a RAM (=Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing parameters that change as needed.

[0050] The control unit 206 performs various processes and controls through the execution of a program. The processing and control here include, for example, rewriting the heating profile, supplying power from the power supply unit 201 to other electronic components, charging the power supply unit 201, detecting information by the sensor unit 202, notifying information by the notification unit 203, storing and reading information by the storage unit 204, and sending and receiving information by the communication unit 205. In addition, the control unit 206 also controls the switching of power sources for electronic components. Furthermore, the control unit 206 also has a function to determine whether the front panel 10 attached to the main unit 20 is a front panel 10 with a sub-battery, and to perform processing and control according to the determination result.

[0051] The holding portion 209 is a generally cylindrical container. In this embodiment, the space inside the holding portion 209, defined by the inner wall and bottom surface, is called the internal space 209A. The internal space 209A is generally columnar. The holding portion 209 is provided with an opening 209B that connects the internal space 209A to the outside. The stick-shaped base material 210 is inserted into the internal space 209A through this opening 209B. The stick-shaped base material 210 is inserted until its tip touches the bottom portion 209C. Only a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is housed in the internal space 209A. The state in which the stick-shaped substrate 210 is housed in the internal space 209A is referred to as the stick-shaped substrate 210 being held in the internal space 209A.

[0052] The holding portion 209 is formed such that its inner diameter in at least a portion of its axial direction is smaller than the outer diameter of the stick-shaped base material 210. Therefore, the outer surface of the stick-shaped base material 210 inserted into the internal space 209A is subjected to pressure from the inner wall of the holding portion 209. This pressure holds the stick-shaped base material 210 in the internal space 209A. The holding portion 209 also has the function of defining the airflow path through the stick-shaped substrate 210. The air inlet, which is the air entrance to the flow path, is located, for example, at the bottom portion 209C. The opening 209B is the air outlet, which is the air exit.

[0053] In this embodiment, only a portion of the stick-shaped base material 210 is held by the holding portion 209, while the rest protrudes outward from the housing. Hereinafter, the portion held by the holding portion 209 will be referred to as the base material portion 210A, and the portion protruding from the housing will be referred to as the suction nozzle portion 210B. At least the base material 210A houses an aerosol source. The aerosol source is a substance that is atomized when heated, generating an aerosol. Aerosol sources include not only shredded tobacco, but also processed products made by molding tobacco raw materials into granules, sheets, or powders, and other tobacco-derived substances.

[0054] Furthermore, the aerosol source may also contain non-tobacco-derived substances made from plants other than tobacco, such as mint or herbs. For example, the aerosol source may contain flavoring components such as menthol. If the main unit 20 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source may contain medication for the patient to inhale. The aerosol source is not limited to a solid; for example, it may be a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin or propylene glycol, or a liquid such as water.

[0055] At least a portion of the suction port 210B is held in the user's mouth during suction. When a user places the mouthpiece 210B in their mouth and inhales, air flows into the internal space 209A through the air inlet. The incoming air passes through the internal space 209A and the base material 210A and reaches the user's mouth. The air that reaches the user's mouth contains aerosols generated in the base material 210A.

[0056] The heating element 207 is an electronic component composed of a heater or other heat-generating element. The heating element 207 is made of any material such as metal or polyimide. The heating element 207 is, for example, made in the form of a film and attached to the outer circumferential surface of the holding element 209. The heat generated by the heating unit 207 heats and atomizes the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 210. The atomized aerosol source is mixed with air or other substances to generate an aerosol. In the case of Figure 6, the outer periphery of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is heated first, and the heated area gradually moves towards the center.

[0057] Therefore, atomization of the aerosol source begins near the outer edge of the stick-type substrate 210 and gradually moves towards the center. The heating unit 207 generates heat through power supply from the power supply unit 201. For example, when a predetermined user input is detected through the sensor unit 202, power supply to the heating unit 207 is permitted. User input here includes operations on the shutter 30 (see Figure 1) or button 20B (see Figure 4). However, power supply to the heating unit 207 is contingent on the front panel 10 (see Figure 1) being attached to the main unit 20. By attaching the front panel 10, it is possible to lower the temperature transmitted to the user's hand compared to when the front panel 10 is not attached.

[0058] When the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 210, heated by the heating unit 207, reaches a predetermined temperature, the user can begin suctioning. The user's suction of the aerosol is detected by the flow sensor in the sensor unit 202 and stored in the memory unit 204. Subsequently, when a predetermined user input is detected by the sensor unit 202, power supply to the heating unit 207 is stopped. Alternatively, a system may be adopted in which power is supplied to the heating unit 207 while user suction is detected by the sensor unit 202, and power supply to the heating unit 207 is stopped when user suction is no longer detected by the sensor unit 202.

[0059] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 6, the heating element 207 is located outside the stick-shaped substrate 210. However, the heating element 207 may be a blade-shaped metal piece inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 210, or a metal piece built into the stick-shaped substrate 210. If the metal piece acting as the heating element 207 is built into the stick-shaped substrate 210, an induction heating coil should be placed around the holding part 209. An induction heating coil is an example of an electronic component.

[0060] The heat insulating portion 208 is a component that reduces the propagation of heat generated in the heating portion 207 to the surroundings. For this reason, the heat insulating portion 208 is arranged to cover at least the outer surface of the heating portion 207. The insulation section 208 is composed of, for example, vacuum insulation material, aerogel insulation material, etc. Vacuum insulation material is an insulation material in which heat conduction by gas is brought as close to zero as possible by wrapping, for example, glass wool and silica (silicon powder) in a resin film and creating a high vacuum state.

[0061] <Power supply circuit of the main unit> Figure 7 schematically shows the connection relationship of the power supply circuit of the aerosol generator 1 used in Embodiment 1. In Figure 7, the primary battery 101 is shown attached to the main body of the front panel 10. As shown in Figure 7, the power supply unit 201 is equipped with a secondary battery 201A, a boost DC / DC circuit 201B, a power supply unit 201C, boost / buck DC / DC circuits 201D and 201E, power switches 201F and 201G, a reverse current prevention circuit 201H, and electronic components 220.

[0062] The secondary battery 201A may be a lithium-ion secondary battery or a capacitor, for example. The secondary battery 201A is a battery that stores the power necessary for the operation of the main unit 20. The secondary battery 201A is an example of the first battery. In the following, the secondary battery 201A will also be referred to as the "main battery." The secondary battery 201A can be charged from an external power source. In this embodiment, the external power source is assumed to be, for example, a commercial power supply or a mobile battery.

[0063] The boost DC / DC circuit 201B is a circuit that supplies a constant voltage (e.g., 5V) to the power line to which the heating unit 207 is connected, regardless of the output voltage of the secondary battery 201A. The power supply unit 201C is a circuit that handles the distribution of power to power lines supplying, for example, 3.3V (i.e., "system power"), and the voltage conversion of power supplied from an external power source (e.g., commercial power).

[0064] When no external power supply is connected, the power supply unit 201C outputs the output voltage of the secondary battery 201A to the step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 201D. On the other hand, when an external power supply is connected, the power supply unit 201C steps down the external power supply to 4.2V and outputs it to the secondary battery 201A and the step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 201D. The step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 201D is composed of, for example, a switching regulator. Furthermore, the power supply unit 201C outputs, for example, a 5V power supply Vcc5 to the power line (not shown) to which the LED20A (see Figure 4) is connected. External power sources here include commercial power supplies, mobile batteries, and the primary battery 101 on the front panel 10. Since USB cables are used for power supply from commercial power sources and mobile batteries, the corresponding power supply terminals are represented as VUSB in Figure 7.

[0065] The buck-boost DC / DC circuit 201D is a circuit that converts the voltage supplied from the power supply unit 201C into a 3.3V system power supply Vsys. For example, if the output voltage of the secondary battery 201A is supplied from the power supply unit 201C, the buck-boost DC / DC circuit 201D boosts or bucks the output voltage to generate a 3.3V system power supply Vsys. As is well known, the output voltage of the secondary battery 201A fluctuates depending on the remaining capacity and degree of degradation, but it is converted to 3.3V by the buck-boost DC / DC circuit 201D. On the other hand, when an output voltage from an external power supply is supplied from the power supply unit 201C, the step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 201D steps down the output voltage to generate a 3.3V system power supply Vsys.

[0066] The buck-boost DC / DC circuit 201E is a circuit that converts the output voltage of the primary battery 101 on the front panel 10 into a 3.3V system power supply Vsys. The output voltage of the primary battery 101 also fluctuates depending on the remaining capacity and degree of degradation, but the buck-boost DC / DC circuit 201E generates a 3.3V system power supply Vsys by boosting or lowering the output voltage. The buck-boost DC / DC circuit 201E is also composed of, for example, a switching regulator. The power switch 201F is a circuit that switches the supply of system power Vsys to the electronic components 220 between supply from the primary battery 101 on the front panel 10 and supply from the secondary battery 201A on the main unit 20. The switching of the power switch 201F is instructed by the control unit 206.

[0067] When supplying system power Vsys, derived from the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20, to the electronic component 220, the power switch 201F is controlled to be ON. On the other hand, when supplying system power Vsys, derived from the primary battery 101 of the front panel 10, to the electronic component 220, the power switch 201F is controlled to be OFF. In the case of Figure 7, the power switch 201F is located on the power line to which the system power supply Vsys, which originates from the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20, is applied.

[0068] In the case of Figure 7, the electronic component 220 is a general term for the electronic components built into the main unit 20 that are used by switching the system power supply Vsys. For example, the sensor unit 202, notification unit 203, memory unit 204, and communication unit 205 are examples of electronic components 220. Incidentally, the control unit 206 operates only with the system power supply Vsys derived from the secondary battery 201A. However, it is also possible to include the control unit 206 as part of the electronic component 220. Furthermore, only a portion of the aforementioned sensor unit 202, notification unit 203, memory unit 204, and communication unit 205 (for example, the sensor unit 202 and notification unit 203) may be treated as electronic components 220. In other words, the other electronic components may be supplied only with the system power supply Vsys derived from the secondary battery 201A.

[0069] Note that the units included in the electronic component 220, which can switch power sources, are not limited to the functional classification shown in Figure 6 (e.g., sensor unit 202, notification unit 203), but may also be individual component units. For example, a pressure sensor, which is an example of a sensor unit 202, is included in the electronic component 220, but a temperature sensor, which is another example of a sensor unit 202, may be excluded from the electronic component 220. In this embodiment, LED20A (see Figure 4) requires a 5V power supply. Therefore, LED20A, which is an example of the notification unit 203 (see Figure 4), is not included in electronic component 220. However, in the case of an LED that operates with a 3.3V system power supply Vsys, it may be included in electronic component 220.

[0070] The power switch 201G is a circuit that switches the supply of system power Vsys to the electronic components 220 between supply from the primary battery 101 on the front panel 10 and supply from the secondary battery 201A on the main unit 20. The control unit 206 also instructs the switching of the power switch 201G. In the case of Figure 7, the power switch 201G is located on the power line to which the system power supply Vsys originating from the primary battery 101 of the front panel 10 is applied. Therefore, when the system power supply Vsys originating from the primary battery 101 of the front panel 10 is supplied to the electronic component 220, the power switch 201G is controlled to be ON. When the system power supply Vsys originating from the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 is supplied to the electronic component 220, the power switch 201G is controlled to be OFF.

[0071] The reverse current prevention circuit 201H is a so-called protection circuit. In Figure 7, the reverse current prevention circuit 201H is a diode and is located on the power line connected to the GND terminal and the external power supply terminal. However, the reverse current prevention circuit 201H could also be a FET (Field Effect Transistor).

[0072] <Example of processing operation> The following describes an example of processing operations performed by the control unit 206 (see Figure 6) of the main unit 20 (see Figure 6).

[0073] <Wear detection operation> Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the attachment detection operation performed by the control unit 206 of the main unit 20. This operation is performed not only before heating of the heating unit 207 (see Figure 6) begins, but also after heating begins, and is always performed in the background. In the figure, the symbol S stands for step. First, the control unit 206 determines whether the front panel 10 (see Figure 1) is attached to the main unit 20 (see Figure 1) (Step 1).

[0074] If the front panel 10 is attached to the main unit 20, a positive result is obtained in step 1. On the other hand, if the front panel 10 is removed from the front of the main unit 20, a negative result is obtained in step 1. The attachment or detachment of the front panel 10 is determined based on the output signal of the Hall IC. If a positive result is obtained in step 1, the control unit 206 releases the prohibition state for heating the aerosol source by the heating unit 207 (step 2).

[0075] However, the release of the heating prohibition state is separate from the commencement of heating. Heating of the stick-type substrate 210 (see Figure 6), which is the aerosol source, is started by pressing and holding button 20B (see Figure 4) on the front panel 10 for more than 1 second. If a negative result is obtained in step 1, the control unit 206 controls the heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit 207 to a prohibited state (step 3). This prevents heating of the aerosol source when the front panel 10 is not attached. When step 2 or step 3 is executed, the control unit 206 returns to step 1 and repeats the determination of whether or not the front panel 10 is attached to the main unit 20. This attachment detection function prevents the user from directly touching the main unit 20 while it is heating.

[0076] <Switching the system power> Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the system power supply Vsys switching process by the control unit 206 (see Figure 6) of Embodiment 1. The process shown in Figure 9 is activated, for example, when the installation of the front panel 10 is detected by the output signal of the Hall IC. Alternatively, the process shown in Figure 9 may be activated when a specific operation by the user is received. Specific operations include, for example, opening and closing the shutter 30 multiple times in succession (e.g., twice), pressing the button 20B multiple times in succession (e.g., twice), or resetting by pressing and holding the button 20B (e.g., for 5 seconds or more).

[0077] When the process shown in Figure 9 begins, the control unit 206 determines whether or not the front panel 10 with a sub-battery is installed (step 11). In this embodiment, it is not necessary to determine the type of sub-battery. That is, the difference between whether the sub-battery is a primary battery 101 or a secondary battery 101A (see Figure 19) as described in Embodiment 5 is not considered. It is possible to detect whether the front panel 10 has a sub-battery by, for example, detecting structural features provided on the back surface of the front panel 10 (the surface attached to the front surface of the main unit 20), detecting current and voltage appearing in the power line receiving power from the front panel 10, or by information notified from the front panel 10 to the main unit 20.

[0078] If the front panel 10 with a sub-battery is installed, a positive result is obtained in step 11. In this case, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the sub-battery (primary battery 101) is above a reference value (step 12). Here, "remaining capacity" refers to the remaining capacity of the battery. The remaining capacity may be expressed as, for example, the capacity when unused (hereinafter also referred to as "initial capacity") as 100%, or it may be expressed in mAh. In this embodiment, the sub-battery is a primary battery, but if the sub-battery is a secondary battery, the fully charged capacity at the time of use may be expressed as 100%.

[0079] The reference value is an example of a threshold value that is set so that the remaining charge does not reach 0% while power is being supplied from the primary battery 101. In this embodiment, the reference value is set to 10% of the initial capacity of the primary battery 101. However, even with the same button-type sub-battery, the initial capacity may differ depending on the manufacturer, so a specific value [mAh] may be used. Furthermore, if there are multiple types of maximum capacities for the sub-batteries installed in the front panel 10 (for example, if there is a front panel 10 with one 1.5V battery installed and a front panel 10 with two 1.5V batteries installed), the control unit 206 detects the capacity of the sub-batteries installed in the front panel 10 through the aforementioned structural features, etc.

[0080] In addition, the sensor unit 202 (see Figure 6) of the main unit 20 may be provided with a remaining charge detection sensor for detecting the remaining charge of the sub-battery mounted on the front panel 10. This remaining charge detection sensor is placed, for example, on the power line between the step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 201E and the reverse current prevention circuit 201H. However, the remaining charge detection sensor may be provided inside the front panel 10, and the detected values ​​of current and voltage, as well as the remaining charge value, may be notified to the control unit 206.

[0081] If the remaining charge of the auxiliary battery is above the standard value, a positive result is obtained in step 12. In this case, the control unit 206 sets the system power supply Vsys supplied to some electronic components (i.e., electronic components 220 in Figure 7) to the auxiliary battery (step 13). That is, the source of the system power supply Vsys for electronic components 220 is switched from the main battery to the auxiliary battery. After this switchover, power from the main battery (secondary battery 201A) is supplied to the control unit 206, the heating unit 207, the LED 20A (not shown, see Figure 4), and all electronic components except for electronic component 220. As a result, the power consumption of the main battery is reduced compared to before the switchover. Therefore, the main battery lasts longer than when power is supplied from the main battery to all electronic components (including electronic component 220) in the main unit 20. In other words, the usable time of the aerosol generator 1 on a single charge is extended, and the number of stick-type substrates 210 that can be aspirated also increases.

[0082] If a negative result is obtained in step 11 or step 12, the control unit 206 proceeds to step 14. In this case, a negative result is obtained in step 11 when the front panel 10 without the auxiliary battery is attached to the main unit 20. Furthermore, a negative result is obtained in step 12 if the remaining charge of the sub-battery in the front panel 10 attached to the main unit 20 is below the standard value. In step 14, the control unit 206 sets the system power supply Vsys, which is supplied to some electronic components (i.e., electronic components 220 in Figure 7), to the main battery (secondary battery 201A). As a result, all power consumed by the main unit 20 is supplied by the main battery. After step 13 or 14 is executed, the control unit 206 returns to the determination in step 11.

[0083] In other words, the switching of the system power supply Vsys is performed as follows: First, if the front panel 10 does not have a sub-battery, the control unit 206 proceeds to step 14, supplying power from the main battery to all electronic components in the main unit 20. On the other hand, if the front panel 10 is equipped with a sub-battery and the remaining charge of the sub-battery is above the standard value, the control unit 206 proceeds to step 13 and switches the power supply to some electronic components (i.e., electronic components 220 in Figure 7) from the main battery to the sub-battery. If the remaining charge of the sub-battery falls below the standard value during use, the power supply to some electronic components (i.e., electronic components 220 in Figure 7) switches from the sub-battery to the main battery.

[0084] <Summary> In this embodiment, the aerosol generator 1 (main unit 20) is provided with a power line that allows switching between a system power supply Vsys derived from the main battery and a system power supply Vsys derived from the sub-battery. Furthermore, the control unit 206 controls the switching of the system power supply Vsys according to the remaining charge of the sub-battery attached to the front panel 10. As a result, the aerosol generator 1 in this embodiment can achieve a more diverse power supply than when the main battery is used as the power source alone.

[0085] Furthermore, the total amount of power available to the main unit 20 with the front panel 10 equipped with a sub-battery increases compared to when the main battery of the main unit 20 is used as the power source. Therefore, the usable time on a single charge of the main battery (secondary battery 201A) and the number of stick-type substrates 210 that can be used to generate aerosols on a single charge can be increased compared to when power is supplied solely by the secondary battery 201A.

[0086] <Embodiment 2> This embodiment describes a case where a display is attached to the front panel 10 with a sub-battery. <Example of exterior> Figure 10 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generator 1 used in Embodiment 2, observed from an oblique angle above. Figure 10 is denoted with reference numerals corresponding to the parts in Figure 1. A display 40 is mounted on the main panel 10A of the front panel 10 shown in Figure 10. The display 40 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (=Electro Luminescence) display, or a segment-type display consisting of a fixed electrode pattern. The display 40 here is an example of a "first display unit" that presents information.

[0087] Liquid crystal displays, organic EL displays, and other dot-matrix displays can display any information. On the other hand, segment-type displays can only display information defined by electrode patterns. The display 40 shown in Figure 10 is roughly square in shape and is positioned near the center of the front panel 10. Note that the display 40 does not have a window 10B (see Figure 1). Therefore, when the front panel 10 shown in Figure 10 is installed, the illumination of the LED 20A (see Figure 4) on the main unit 20 cannot be confirmed from the outside. Here, LED 20A is an example of a "second display unit". However, the front panel 10 assumed in this embodiment may also be provided with both a display 40 and a window 10B.

[0088] <Internal structure> <Configuration of Functional Units> Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generator 1 used in Embodiment 2. Figure 11 is denoted with reference numerals corresponding to the parts that correspond to those in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 11, the hardware configuration of the main unit 20 is basically the same as in Embodiment 1. On the other hand, the front panel 10 is equipped with a primary battery 101, as well as a display 40 and a communication unit 102. In Figure 11, the display is referred to as "DSP". Figure 12 schematically shows the connection relationships of the power supply circuit of the aerosol generator 1 used in Embodiment 2. Note that Figure 12 is denoted with reference numerals corresponding to the parts in Figure 7.

[0089] The main unit 20 shown in Figure 12 includes an LED 20A and a power switch 201K that controls the on / off supply of a 5V power supply Vcc5 to the LED 20A. The other configurations of the main unit 120 are the same as in Figure 7. The front panel 10 shown in Figure 12 includes a step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 103, a display 40, and a communication unit 102. The step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 103 converts the output voltage of the primary battery 101 into system power Vsys and supplies it to the display 40 and the communication unit 102 through the power line.

[0090] In other words, the front panel 10 used in this embodiment receives power from the primary battery 101 to operate the electronic components installed on the front panel 10. To put it another way, the main battery (secondary battery 201A) of the main unit 20 does not supply power to the electronic components on the front panel 10. However, it is possible to supply the system power supply Vsys generated by the main unit 20 to the electronic components of the front panel 10. However, this would increase the power consumption of the main battery (secondary battery 201A). In addition, the communication unit 102 receives information to be displayed on the display 40 from the communication unit 205 of the main unit 20. The received information is displayed on the display 40.

[0091] <Switching power supply> Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating the power supply switching process by the control unit 206 (see Figure 11) of Embodiment 2. In Figure 13, parts corresponding to those in Figure 9 are indicated by corresponding reference numerals. The process shown in Figure 13 is also activated, for example, when the installation of the front panel 10 is detected by the output signal of the Hall IC. Alternatively, the process shown in Figure 13 may be activated when a specific operation by the user is received. These specific operations include, for example, opening and closing the shutter 30 (see Figure 1) multiple times in succession (e.g., twice), pressing the button 20B (see Figure 4) multiple times in succession (e.g., twice), or resetting by pressing and holding the button 20B (e.g., for 5 seconds or more).

[0092] When the process shown in Figure 13 begins, the control unit 206 executes steps 11 to 14, similar to the first embodiment. The differences from Figure 9 will be explained below. After step 13 is executed (i.e., when a system power supply Vsys derived from the sub-battery is supplied to a specific electronic component 220), the control unit 206 determines whether or not the front panel 10 is equipped with a display 40 (step 15). The determination here is whether or not the display 40 is equipped with a display, and does not depend on whether or not the LED 20A is hidden by the display 40, as in Embodiment 3 described later.

[0093] Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 206 does not distinguish between the front panel 10 with the external configuration shown in Figure 10 and the front panel 10 with the external configuration shown in Figure 14, which will be described later, and the display 40. If the front panel 10 with the sub-battery does not have a display 40, a negative result is obtained in step 15. In this case, it is the same as in Embodiment 1. In this case, the control unit 206 returns to the determination in step 11.

[0094] In contrast, if the front panel 10 with a sub-battery is equipped with a display 40, a positive result is obtained in step 15. In this case, the control unit 206 stops supplying the 5V power supply Vcc5 to the LED 20A of the main unit (step 16). Specifically, it controls the power switch 201K (see Figure 12) to the off state. As a result, the LED 20A is forcibly turned off.

[0095] Next, the control unit 206 begins to display information on the display 40 of the front panel 10 (step 17). For example, the display 40 displays information such as failures or abnormalities of electronic components (not limited to electronic components 220), abnormal body temperature, remaining main battery level, and remaining sub-battery level using characters, symbols, diagrams, etc. Displaying information using characters, symbols, diagrams, etc. is easier for the user to understand than lighting or flashing the LED 20A. After step 17 is executed, the control unit 206 returns to the determination in step 11.

[0096] <Summary> In this embodiment, when a display 40 is provided on the front panel 10 with a sub-battery, the power supply to the LED 20A is stopped and the display of information on the display 40 is started. In other words, the information is presented solely on the display 40. As a result, it becomes possible to stop the power supply from the main battery (secondary battery 201A) to the LED 20A, which has a high power consumption. That is, it becomes possible to supply power according to the form of information presentation.

[0097] On the other hand, the information displayed by the display 40 is more visible than that displayed by the LED 20A. Furthermore, if the display 40 is a dot-matrix type display, the amount of information that can be displayed increases compared to the LED 20A. As a result, it becomes possible to convey more information to the user in an easily understandable way.

[0098] <Embodiment 3> In this embodiment, we will describe a configuration in which the power supply to the LED 20A is controlled by also determining the positional relationship between the display 40 (see Figure 10) and the LED 20A (see Figure 4) provided on the front panel 10. The basic hardware and functional configurations are the same as in Embodiment 2. Figure 14 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generator 1 used in Embodiment 3, observed from an oblique angle above. Figure 14 is denoted with reference numerals corresponding to the parts that correspond to those in Figure 10.

[0099] In Figure 14, the front panel 10 is provided with a window 10B and a display 40. Therefore, the user can observe not only the information displayed on the display 40 but also the illumination status of the LED 20A through the window 10B. However, the main unit 20 can be fitted with not only the front panel 10 with the external configuration shown in Figure 14, but also the front panel 10 with the external configuration shown in Figure 10.

[0100] Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating the power supply switching process by the control unit 206 (see Figure 11) of Embodiment 3. In Figure 15, parts corresponding to those in Figure 13 are indicated by corresponding reference numerals. The process shown in Figure 15 is also activated, for example, when the installation of the front panel 10 is detected by the output signal of the Hall IC. Alternatively, the process shown in Figure 15 may be activated when a specific operation by the user is received. These specific operations include, for example, opening and closing the shutter 30 (see Figure 1) multiple times in succession (e.g., twice), pressing the button 20B (see Figure 4) multiple times in succession (e.g., twice), or resetting by pressing and holding the button 20B (e.g., for 5 seconds or more).

[0101] When the process shown in Figure 15 begins, the control unit 206 executes the processes in steps 11 to 15, similar to the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the control unit 206 determines between step 15 and step 16 whether or not the LED 20A of the main unit 20 is hidden by the display 40 (step 21). The control unit 206 obtains the information necessary for the determination, for example, by detecting the structural features of the mounted front panel 10 or by communicating with the communication unit 102 of the front panel 10.

[0102] For example, the control unit 206 identifies the positional relationship between the display 40 and the LED 20A based on the number of protrusions provided on the back surface of the front panel 10. In other words, it identifies the type of front panel 10. For example, if there is one protrusion, the control unit 206 determines that the LED 20A is hidden by the display 40, and if there are two protrusions, the control unit 206 determines that the LED 20A is not hidden by the display 40. Incidentally, the situation where LED20A is hidden by display 40 is an example of "a situation where the user cannot see the information presented by LED20A."

[0103] When acquiring information necessary for determination via communication, the control unit 206 identifies the positional relationship between the display 40 and the LED 20A, for example, by whether a specific flag is "1" or "0", or by a multi-digit code. For example, if a specific flag is set to "1", the control unit 206 determines that the LED 20A is hidden by the display 40, and if the specific flag is set to "0", the control unit 206 determines that the LED 20A is not hidden by the display 40. The code also includes, for example, the manufacturing number or serial number of the front panel 10.

[0104] If the LED 20A of the main unit 20 is hidden by the display 40 on the front panel 10, a positive result is obtained in step 21. In this case, the control unit 206 executes steps 16 and 17 in order. That is, it stops supplying the 5V power supply Vcc5 to the LED 20A and starts displaying information on the display 40. In contrast, if the LED 20A of the main unit 20 is not obscured by the display 40 of the front panel 10, a negative result is obtained in step 21. In this case, the control unit 206 presents information using both the LED 20A and the display 40 (step 22).

[0105] Incidentally, the information presented through display 40 and the information presented through LED 20A may overlap. For example, the remaining battery level (either the primary battery 101 or the secondary battery 201A) may be displayed using both the display 40 and the LED 20A. However, the remaining battery level may be indicated by the number of LEDs 20A that light up or by the speed of their blinking, while the remaining battery level may be indicated by the number of unit blocks displayed or by a numerical value (e.g., 30%). After step 17 or step 22 is executed, the control unit 206 returns to the determination in step 11.

[0106] <Summary> In this embodiment, the aerosol generator 1 (main unit 20) can switch between displaying information using only the display 40 and displaying information using both the LED 20A and the display 40, depending on the positional relationship between the display 40 provided on the front panel 10 with a sub-battery and the LED 20A provided on the main unit 20. In other words, it becomes possible to supply electricity according to the format in which information is presented.

[0107] <Embodiment 4> In this embodiment, we will describe a case where the power supply source for the heating unit 207 is switched between a main battery and a sub-battery. The basic hardware and functional configurations are the same as in Embodiment 2. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationships of the power supply circuit of the aerosol generator 1 used in Embodiment 4. Figure 16 is denoted with reference numerals corresponding to the parts that correspond to those in Figure 12.

[0108] In this embodiment, the system power supply Vsys of the main unit 20 is derived solely from the main battery (secondary battery 201A). Therefore, the main unit 20 shown in Figure 16 is not equipped with a step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 201E (see Figure 12), power switches 201F and 201G (see Figure 12). On the other hand, as a configuration unique to this embodiment, the main unit 20 is provided with a boost DC / DC circuit 201M that raises the output voltage of the sub-battery (primary battery 101) to a constant voltage (for example, 5V), and power switches 201N and 201L that control the on / off supply of power to the heating unit 207.

[0109] Of these, the power switch 201N is controlled to be ON when power is supplied from the sub-battery and OFF when power is supplied from the main battery. On the other hand, the power switch 201L is controlled to be ON when power is supplied from the main battery and OFF when power is supplied from the sub-battery. In this embodiment as well, the front panel 10 is provided with a display 40. Therefore, the front panel 10 shown in Figure 16 has the same circuit configuration as in Embodiment 3. However, a front panel 10 without a display 40, as in Embodiment 1, may be attached to the main unit 20.

[0110] Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating the power supply switching process performed by the control unit 206 (see Figure 6) of Embodiment 4. Figure 17 is denoted by reference numerals corresponding to the parts that correspond to those in Figure 13. The process shown in Figure 17 is also activated, for example, when the installation of the front panel 10 is detected by the output signal of the Hall IC. Alternatively, the process shown in Figure 17 may be activated when a specific operation by the user is received. These specific operations include, for example, opening and closing the shutter 30 (see Figure 1) multiple times in succession (e.g., twice), pressing the button 20B (see Figure 4) multiple times in succession (e.g., twice), or resetting by pressing and holding the button 20B (e.g., for 5 seconds or more).

[0111] When the process shown in Figure 17 begins, the control unit 206 determines whether or not the front panel 10 with the sub-battery is installed (step 11). If a negative result is obtained in step 11, the control unit 206 determines whether or not it has detected a request for aerosol generation (step 33). As long as a negative result is obtained in step 33, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 33. If a negative result is obtained in step 33, the control unit 206 may return to step 11.

[0112] If a positive result is obtained in step 33, the control unit 206 supplies power to the heating unit 207 from the main battery (secondary battery 201A) (step 34). In this case, the control unit 206 controls the power switch 201L (see Figure 16) to the ON state (connected state) and the power switch 201N (see Figure 16) to the OFF state (disconnected state).

[0113] In response to this, if a positive result is obtained in step 11, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the sub-battery is above a reference value (step 12). If a negative result is obtained in step 12, the control unit 206 proceeds to step 33. On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 12, the control unit 206 determines whether or not it has detected a request for aerosol generation (step 31). As long as a negative result is obtained in step 31, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 31. If a negative result is obtained in step 31, the control unit 206 may return to step 11.

[0114] If a positive result is obtained in step 31, the control unit 206 supplies power to the heating unit 207 from the sub-battery (primary battery 101) (step 32). In this case, the control unit 206 controls the power switch 201N (see Figure 16) to the ON state (connected state) and the power switch 201L (see Figure 16) to the OFF state (disconnected state).

[0115] In the case of Figure 17, when step 32 is performed, the control unit 206 performs step 15. If a negative result is obtained in step 15 (i.e., the display 40 is not provided on the front panel 10) or if step 34 is performed, the control unit 206 returns to the determination in step 11. On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 15 (if a display 40 is provided on the front panel 10), the control unit 206 stops supplying 5V power to the LED 20A of the main unit 20 (step 16), and then starts displaying information on the display 40 of the front panel 10 (step 17). After step 17 is executed, the control unit 206 returns to the determination in step 11. However, the process shown in steps 15-17 may be placed before the execution of steps 31-32 or 33-34.

[0116] <Summary> In this embodiment of the aerosol generator 1 (main unit 20), if the remaining charge of the sub-battery (primary battery 101) located on the front panel 10 is above a standard value, power is supplied to the heating unit 207 from the sub-battery. On the other hand, if the sub-battery is not located on the front panel 10, or if the remaining charge of the sub-battery located on the front panel 10 is below a standard value, power is supplied to the heating unit 207 from the main battery. In this way, as long as the remaining charge of the auxiliary battery is above the standard value, power can be supplied from the auxiliary battery to the heating unit 207, which consumes a lot of power. Therefore, the depletion of the main battery can be suppressed.

[0117] In this embodiment as well, the total amount of power available to the main unit 20 with the front panel 10 equipped with a sub-battery is greater than when power is supplied solely from the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20. Therefore, the usable time per charge of the secondary battery 201A and the number of stick-type substrates 210 that can be used to generate aerosols per charge can be increased compared to when power is supplied solely by the secondary battery 201A.

[0118] <Embodiment 5> In this embodiment, we will describe the case where the sub-battery attached to the front panel 10 is a secondary battery. Therefore, the basic hardware configuration and functional configuration in this embodiment are the same as in Embodiment 1. However, in this embodiment, the connection relationships of the power supply circuit differ from those in Embodiment 1. Figure 18 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generator 1 used in Embodiment 5. Figure 18 is denoted with reference numerals corresponding to the parts that correspond to those in Figure 6. The difference between Figure 18 and Figure 6 is that the sub-battery attached to the front panel 10 is a secondary battery 101A.

[0119] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationships of the power supply circuit of the aerosol generator 1 used in Embodiment 5. In Figure 19, parts corresponding to those in Figure 7 are indicated by corresponding reference numerals. In Figure 19, a power line for charging the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is added to the power supply unit 201. The charging of the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is performed by the power supply unit 201C. The other configurations are the same as those of the power supply unit 201 described in Figure 7.

[0120] In this embodiment, the control unit 206 performs the processing operations described in Embodiment 1. The following describes the processing operations specific to this embodiment, namely the charging operation of the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10. Figure 20 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a USB charging operation performed by the control unit 206 of Embodiment 5. First, the control unit 206 determines whether or not a USB connection has been detected (step 41).

[0121] If no USB connection is detected, a negative result is obtained in step 41. In this case, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 41. On the other hand, if a USB connection is detected, a positive result is obtained in step 41. In this case, the control unit 206 determines whether or not a secondary battery is installed on the front panel 10 (step 42).

[0122] If a secondary battery is installed in the front panel 10, a positive result is obtained in step 42. In this case, the control unit 206 starts charging the secondary battery of the main unit 20 and the secondary battery of the front panel 10 (step 43A). In actual charging, a method may be adopted in which either the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 or the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is charged to full capacity first, and then the other is charged to full capacity. However, charging of the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 and the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 may be performed in parallel. Next, the control unit 206 determines whether both secondary batteries are fully charged (step 44A). If either battery is not fully charged, a negative result is obtained in step 44A. On the other hand, if both secondary batteries are fully charged, a positive result is obtained in step 44A.

[0123] If a negative result is obtained in step 44A, the control unit 206 determines whether or not the USB cable has been removed (step 45A). If the USB cable remains connected, a negative result is obtained in step 45A. In this case, the control unit 206 returns to step 44A. On the other hand, if the USB cable is disconnected during charging, a positive result is obtained in step 45A. If a positive result is obtained in step 44A, or if a positive result is obtained in step 45A, the control unit 206 stops charging the secondary battery of the main unit 20 and the secondary battery of the front panel 10 (step 46A). Subsequently, the control unit 206 terminates the USB charging operation.

[0124] Return to the judgment in step 42. If the secondary battery 101A is not installed on the front panel 10 (this includes not only cases where no auxiliary battery is installed, but also cases where the installed auxiliary battery is the primary battery 101), a negative result is obtained in step 42. In this case, the control unit 206 starts charging the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 (step 43B). Next, the control unit 206 determines whether the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 is fully charged or not (step 44B). If the secondary battery 201A is not fully charged, a negative result is obtained in step 44B. On the other hand, if the secondary battery 201A is fully charged, a positive result is obtained in step 44B.

[0125] If a negative result is obtained in step 44B, the control unit 206 determines whether or not the USB cable has been removed (step 45B). If the USB cable remains connected, a negative result is obtained in step 45B. In this case, the control unit 206 returns to step 44B. On the other hand, if the USB cable is disconnected during charging, a positive result is obtained in step 45B. If a positive result is obtained in step 44B, or if a positive result is obtained in step 45B, the control unit 206 stops charging the secondary battery of the main unit 20 (step 46B). Subsequently, the control unit 206 terminates the USB charging operation.

[0126] Figure 21 is a diagram illustrating the USB charging operation. In the diagram, the horizontal axis represents time, the upper half of the vertical axis represents the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20, and the lower half of the vertical axis represents the remaining charge of the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10. In Figure 21, both the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 and the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 are fully charged in the initial state T1. At time point T2, the remaining charge levels of both the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 and the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 are reduced from full charge. When a USB cable is connected in this state, USB charging begins. At the end of USB charging (T3), both the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 and the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 are fully charged.

[0127] <Summary> The front panel 10 to which the secondary battery 101A described in this embodiment is attached can be applied to any of the embodiments 1 to 4 described above. Furthermore, as described in this embodiment, when the secondary battery 101A is attached to the front panel 10, the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is charged together with the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20.

[0128] <Embodiment 6> This embodiment will describe another configuration example of Embodiment 4. Figure 22 is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationships of the power supply circuit of the aerosol generator 1 used in Embodiment 6. Figure 22 is denoted with reference numerals corresponding to the parts that correspond to those in Figure 16. The aerosol generator 1 shown in Figure 22 and the aerosol generator 1 shown in Figure 16 differ in that the power supply to the heating unit 207 is switched by one boost DC / DC circuit 201B and one power switch 201P.

[0129] In Figure 22, one of the two input terminals of the power switch 201P is connected to the primary battery 101 (or secondary battery 101A) on the front panel 10 via a power line, and the other is connected to the secondary battery 201A on the main unit 20 via a power line. Switching this power switch 201P switches the power supply connected to the boost DC / DC circuit 201B. By adopting the circuit configuration shown in Figure 22, it is possible to reduce the number of components compared to Embodiment 4.

[0130] <Other Embodiments> (1) Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. It is clear from the claims that various modifications or improvements to the embodiments described above are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0131] (2) In the above-described embodiment, the case in which the joint between the front panel 10 and the main unit 20 is continuously connected without any steps and forms an integrated appearance was explained. However, as long as there is an appearance of integration with the main unit 20, there may be steps or notches at the joint.

[0132] (3) In the embodiments described above, the case in which the aerosol source is solid was explained, but the aerosol source may also be liquid. When the aerosol source is liquid, a method is employed in which the aerosol source is guided into a thin tube called a wick using capillary action, and the aerosol source is evaporated by heating the coil wrapped around the wick.

[0133] (4) In the embodiments described above, an aerosol generating apparatus was described in which a solid aerosol source is heated to generate an aerosol. However, an aerosol generating apparatus may also be described in which a solid aerosol source and a liquid aerosol source are heated separately to generate an aerosol. This type of aerosol generating apparatus is also called a hybrid aerosol generating apparatus.

[0134] (5) In the above-described embodiment, an aerosol generator 1 (main unit 20) to which the front panel 10 is attached was described as an example of an electronic device. However, any electronic device that can be used with the cover member or panel member attached, such as a remote control, game console, music player, video camera, digital camera, electronic dictionary, or calculator, is also acceptable, as long as it is a cover member (including a main unit cover and protective cover) or panel member that can be attached to or removed from the main unit.

[0135] (6) In Embodiment 5 described above, the case in which the sub-battery of the front panel 10 in Embodiment 1 is changed to a secondary battery 101A was explained, but the sub-battery of the front panel 10 in Embodiments 2 to 4 may also be changed to a secondary battery 101A. When a secondary battery 101A is assumed to be installed as the sub-battery of the front panel 10 in Embodiments 2 to 4, the processing operation described in Embodiment 5 is also used in each embodiment.

[0136] (7) In the above-described embodiment, an example was given in which aerosol generation is permitted when the front panel 10 is attached to the main unit 20. However, the main unit 20 may also be capable of generating aerosols even when the front panel 10 is not attached. In this case, attaching the front panel 10 to the main unit 20 is used to expand the functions that can be performed by the main unit 20. For example, the main unit 20 with the front panel 10 removed operates only on the built-in secondary battery 201A (see Figure 7), while the main unit 20 with the front panel 10 with a secondary battery attached enables functions that use power from the front panel 10's battery (primary battery 101, secondary battery 101A).

[0137] (8) In the above-described embodiment, an example was given in which the front panel 10, which is attached to the main unit 20, is pressed to deform it and the button 20B provided on the main unit 20 is operated. However, instructions to the main unit 20 may be input by methods other than deforming the front panel 10. For example, a touch panel may be provided on the front panel 10, and information indicating user operation on the touch panel may be sent to the control unit 206 (see Figure 6) of the main unit 20 using a communication unit (not shown). Alternatively, for example, switches or buttons may be placed on the front panel 10, and the control unit 206 (see Figure 6) of the main unit 20 may be notified of whether or not these have been operated. The touch panel and switches mentioned here are just examples of operation units. Furthermore, a heat-shielding structure is employed in the surface material and the interior of this type of main unit 20.

[0138] <Summary> This disclosure includes the following components. (1) An electronic device having a control unit and a first battery, wherein a second battery is provided in a cover member attached to the main body of the device, and when the remaining charge of the second battery is above a predetermined standard value, the control unit switches the power supply to some of the electronic components provided in the main body of the device from the first battery to the second battery. (2) The electronic device described in (1), wherein the control unit switches the power supply to some of the electronic components that operate on the same system power supply as the control unit from the first battery to the second battery. (3) If the first display unit for displaying information is provided on the cover member, the control unit shall stop supplying power to the second display unit provided on the main body side, as described in (1) or (2) above. electronic equipment . (4) The electronic device described in (1) or (2), wherein the first information display unit is provided on the cover member, and the control unit stops supplying power to the second information display unit provided on the main body of the device if the user is unable to confirm the information display by the second information display unit provided on the main body of the device due to the attachment of the cover member. (5) The control unit switches the presentation of information by the second presentation unit to the presentation of information by the first presentation unit, as described in (4). (6) The second battery is an electronic device as described in any one of (1) to (5), which is charged by power supplied from the main unit of the device. (7) An electronic device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein part of the electronic component is a heating unit that heats an aerosol source. (8) An electronic device according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the attachment of the cover member to the main body of the device is one of the conditions for enabling heating of the aerosol source by the heating unit. (9) The electronic device described in any one of (1) to (8), wherein the cover member allows the user to operate the switch on the main body of the device when pressed by the user while attached to the main body of the device. (10) The control unit is an electronic device according to any one of (1) to (8) that receives information on the operation of an operating section provided on the cover member from the cover member. (11) The electronic device described in any one of (1) to (10), wherein the cover member attached to the main body of the device forms an integral appearance with the uncovered part of the main body of the device. (12) A program for realizing a function in which a computer provided in an electronic device having a first battery has a second battery provided in a cover member attached to the main body of the device, which switches the power supply to some of the electronic components provided in the main body of the device from the first battery to the second battery. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0139] 1…Aerosol generator, 10…Front panel, 10A…Main panel, 10B…Window, 10C, 20C…Magnet, 20…Main unit, 20A…LED, 20B…Button, 21…USB connector, 22…Hole, 30…Shutter, 40…Display, 101…Primary battery, 101A…Secondary battery, 102…Communication unit, 201A…Secondary battery, 201…Power supply unit, 201B, 201M… Step-up DC / DC circuit, 201C…Power supply unit, 201D, 201E…Step-up / Step-down DC / DC circuit, 201F, 201G, 201K, 201L, 201N…Power switch, 201H…Backflow prevention circuit, 202…Sensor unit, 203…Notification unit, 204…Storage unit, 205…Communication unit, 206…Control unit, 207…Heating unit, 208…Insulation unit, 209…Holding unit, 210…Stick-type substrate

Claims

1. An electronic device having a control unit and a first battery, A second battery is provided in a cover member that can be attached to the main body of the device, and when the remaining charge of the second battery in the cover member attached to the main body of the device is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard value, the control unit switches the power supply to some of the electronic components provided in the main body of the device from the first battery to the second battery. The second battery is charged by power supplied from the device body while the cover member is attached to the device body. electronic equipment.

2. The control unit switches the power supply to some of the electronic components that operate using the same system power supply as the control unit from the first battery to the second battery. The electronic device according to claim 1.

3. If a first information display unit is provided on the cover member, The control unit, The power supply to the second display unit located on the main unit of the device is stopped. The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. If a first information display unit is provided on the cover member, The control unit, If the user is unable to see the information displayed by the second display unit on the main body of the device due to the attachment of the cover member, the power supply to the second display unit will be stopped. The electronic device according to claim 1.

5. The control unit, Switching from the presentation of information by the second presentation unit to the presentation of information by the first presentation unit. The electronic device according to claim 3.

6. A part of the aforementioned electronic component is a heating unit that heats the aerosol source. The electronic device according to claim 1.

7. The attachment of the cover member to the main body of the device is one of the conditions under which the heating unit can heat the aerosol source. The electronic device according to claim 6.

8. The cover member, when attached to the device body, allows the user to press it, thereby enabling operation of the switch on the device body. The electronic device according to claim 1.

9. The control unit, Information regarding the operation of the operating section provided on the cover member is received from the cover member. The electronic device according to claim 1.

10. The cover member attached to the main body of the device forms an appearance that is integrated with the uncovered portion of the main body of the device. The electronic device according to claim 1.

11. A computer installed in an electronic device having a first battery, A second battery is provided in a cover member that can be attached to the main body of the device, and when the remaining charge of the second battery in the cover member attached to the main body of the device exceeds a predetermined standard value, the power supply to some of the electronic components provided in the main body of the device is switched from the first battery to the second battery. The second battery has a function to be charged by power supplied from the main unit of the device while the cover member is attached to the main unit of the device, A program to achieve this.

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