Aerosol generator

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device comprising: a heating unit that heats an aerosol-source-including substrate in accordance with a control sequence due to being supplied with electric power from a power supply; a detection unit that detects movement of the host device; and a control unit that, when first movement is detected by the detection unit of the host device while a connection to another aerosol-generating device is established, or when the first movement is detected by a detection unit of the other aerosol-generating device, performs control so that the control sequence is transmitted to the other aerosol-generating device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an aerosol delivery device that includes a motion sensor configured to detect a defined motion of an aerosol delivery device that occurs within a housing due to user interaction with the housing to perform a gesture, the motion sensor being configured to convert the defined motion into an electrical signal, wherein a microprocessor or the motion sensor receives the electrical signal and is configured to recognize the gesture and an operation associated with the gesture based on the electrical signal and control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device to perform the operation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a configuration where a control sequence is not transmitted to another aerosol generating device when the movement of the own device is detected, it is not possible to easily transmit the control sequence to another aerosol generating device.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to enable easy transmission of a control sequence to another aerosol generating device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] This disclosure provides an aerosol generating device comprising: a heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source according to a control sequence by power supply from a power source; a detection unit that detects the movement of the device itself; and a control unit that, when a connection is established with another aerosol generating device, transmits a control sequence to the other aerosol generating device when a first movement is detected by the detection unit of the device itself or by the detection unit of the other aerosol generating device. The heating unit heats the substrate according to one of a plurality of control sequences, and the control unit may control the transmission of a specific control sequence from the plurality of control sequences to the other aerosol generator when the detection unit of the device itself detects the first movement or when the detection unit of the other aerosol generator detects the first movement. In this case, the control unit may control the selection of a specific control sequence according to the predetermined order of a plurality of control sequences. Alternatively, the control unit may control the selection of a specific control sequence according to the type of first movement detected by the detection unit of the device itself or the detection unit of the other aerosol generator. The control unit may be configured to receive a control sequence from another aerosol generator that transmitted the control sequence when the detection unit of its own device detects the first movement or when the detection unit of the other aerosol generator detects the first movement. In this case, the control unit may be configured to prevent the heating unit from heating the substrate in accordance with the control sequence after the heating unit has heated the substrate once in accordance with the control sequence received from the other aerosol generator. In this case, the aerosol generator includes a first storage unit that stores control sequences used for heating two or more times by the heating unit, and a second storage unit that stores control sequences used for heating only once by the heating unit, and the control unit may be configured to store the control sequence received from the other aerosol generator, overwriting the control sequence stored in the second storage unit. The aerosol generating device further includes an opening / closing unit that opens or closes an opening into which a substrate is inserted, and the control unit may control the device so as not to transmit a control sequence to the other aerosol generating device if the opening / closing unit is open, even if the first movement is detected by the detection unit of the device itself or by the detection unit of another aerosol generating device. The control unit may be configured to establish a connection with other aerosol generators when a second movement is detected by the detection unit of its own device and the detection unit of other aerosol generators. In this case, the first movement and the second movement may be of the same type. Furthermore, the aerosol generator may further include an opening / closing unit that opens or closes an opening into which a substrate is inserted, and the control unit may be configured to prevent the establishment of a connection with other aerosol generators even when a second movement is detected by the detection unit of its own device and the detection unit of other aerosol generators, provided that the opening / closing unit is open. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, control sequences can be easily transmitted to other aerosol generating devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the front side of the aerosol generator, viewed from an oblique angle above. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the top surface of an aerosol generator viewed from above. [Figure 3] This diagram schematically shows the internal configuration of the main unit. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates how the sensor unit detects double-tap operations. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates how the sensor unit detects shaking motion. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates a first method for selecting a heating profile. [Figure 7] This figure illustrates a second method for selecting the heating profile. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the transmission and reception of heating profiles. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates how heating profiles are stored. [Figure 10]It is a flowchart showing a first operation example when the aerosol generation device selects a heating profile. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing a second operation example when the aerosol generation device selects a heating profile. [Figure 12] It is a flowchart showing an operation example when the aerosol generation device transmits a heating profile. [Figure 13] It is a flowchart showing an operation example when the aerosol generation device receives and stores a heating profile. [Figure 14] It is a flowchart showing an operation example when the aerosol generation device performs heating according to a heating profile. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing the establishment of a P2P connection. [Figure 16] It is a flowchart showing an operation example when the aerosol generation device establishes a P2P connection with another aerosol generation device.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The aerosol generation device of the embodiment is a form of an electronic cigarette. The substance generated by the aerosol generation device is an aerosol. An aerosol is a mixture of fine liquid or solid particles floating in a gas and air or other gases. In the embodiment, an aerosol generation device that generates an aerosol without combustion will be described. Further, in the embodiment, an aerosol generation device to which a solid aerosol source can be attached will be described.

[0010] ≪Embodiment 1≫ <Appearance Example> First, an appearance example of the aerosol generation device used in Embodiment 1 will be described. FIG. 1 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generation device 1 observed obliquely from above. FIG. 2 is a view of the upper surface of the aerosol generation device 1 observed from above. The aerosol generating device 1 is composed of a main body device 10 and a slide cover 20 that can be slid along the upper surface of the main body device 10. In FIG. 1, for the convenience of explanation, the state where the slide cover 20 is removed from the upper surface of the main body device 10 is shown.

[0011] In this embodiment, the surface on which the power button 11 is provided is referred to as the "front". Also, the surface on which the insertion port (hereinafter referred to as the "insertion port for the stick-shaped substrate") 13 into which the stick-shaped substrate is inserted is provided is referred to as the "upper surface". Note that the surface opposite to the upper surface is referred to as the "bottom surface", and the other three surfaces are referred to as the "side surfaces". On the front of the main body device 10, in addition to the power button 11, an LED lamp 12 is provided. On the upper surface of the main body device 10, in addition to the insertion port 13 for the stick-shaped substrate, an insertion port 14 for a USB (= Universal Serial Bus) cable is provided.

[0012] The power button 11 is used, for example, for instructing the start of heating of the stick-shaped substrate, resetting, and Bluetooth (registered trademark) pairing instructions. When the power button 11 is long-pressed (for example, pressed for 5 seconds or more), resetting is executed. In this embodiment, BLE (= Bluetooth Low Energy) is used as Bluetooth. The LED lamp 12 is used, for example, for notifying the operating state of the main body device 10 and the remaining amount of the secondary battery. In the case of this embodiment, the surface of the LED lamp 12 is covered with a material that transmits light, and the lighting state of the LED lamp 12 can be observed by the user. The operating state includes, for example, the progress of the heating cycle, the progress of charging, and errors.

[0013] In the case of notifying the progress of the heating cycle, the length of the lit portion of the LED lamp 12 indicates the remaining available time. Note that when the remaining time decreases, the LED lamp 12 blinks slowly. In the case of a charging progress notification, the LED lamp 12 blinks during charging, and the length of the blinking portion increases as the amount of electricity stored through charging increases. When charging is complete, the LED lamp 12 turns off or becomes lit.

[0014] In the case of displaying the remaining charge of the secondary battery, for example, when the slide cover 20 is opened or closed, the remaining battery level is displayed by the length of the illuminated portion of the LED lamp 12. Furthermore, if the rechargeable battery level is low, the LED lamp 12 will blink. Also, if the rechargeable battery level is so low that it cannot even draw up a single unused stick-type substrate, the LED lamp 12 will blink rapidly.

[0015] The slide cover 20 has dimensions that cover approximately half of the top surface. When the slide cover 20 is operated to the open position, it completely hides the USB cable port 14, and when the slide cover 20 is operated to the closed position, it completely hides the stick-type substrate port 13. In other words, the slide cover 20 alternately hides either the stick-type substrate port 13 or the USB cable port 14. Figure 2 shows the slide cover 20 in the open position. The stick-type substrate port 13 is an example of an opening into which the substrate is inserted, and the slide cover 20 is an example of an opening / closing mechanism that opens or closes the opening.

[0016] In this embodiment, the stick-type substrate contains a solid aerosol source housed in a paper tube molded into a roughly cylindrical shape. Therefore, in both Figure 1 and Figure 2, the shape of the insertion opening 13 of the stick-type substrate is represented as a circular shape that is approximately the same as the shape of the stick-type substrate. The diameter of the opening of the insertion opening 13 of the stick-type substrate is the size that allows the stick-type substrate to be inserted. In other words, the diameter of the stick-type substrate is the size that allows it to be inserted into the insertion opening 13 of the stick-type substrate. In this embodiment, the USB cable port 14 is compatible with Type-C. However, this does not mean that the shape of the terminal used for charging the secondary battery is limited to Type-C or USB. The terminal of the power cable used for charging the secondary battery may be of other types.

[0017] A magnet, for example, is attached to the back of the slide cover 20. Meanwhile, a Hall IC is mounted on the main unit 10 within the movable range of the slide cover 20. 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 slide cover 20 is detected by the change in voltage output from the Hall IC as the slide cover 20 slides. In other words, it is detected whether the slide cover 20 is in the open position or the closed position.

[0018] The aerosol generating device 1 in this embodiment is sized to be held in one hand by the user. The main unit 10 incorporates various electronic components necessary for aerosol generation. In this sense, the main unit 10 is an example of electronic equipment specifically designed for aerosol generation. More precisely, the main unit 10 is referred to as an aerosol generator.

[0019] <Internal structure> Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the main unit 10. Figure 3 shows the main unit 10 with the stick-type base material 30 attached. The internal configuration shown in Figure 3 is intended to explain the components installed in the main unit 10 and their positional relationships. Therefore, the appearance of the components shown in Figure 3 does not necessarily match the external view described above.

[0020] The main unit 10 consists of a power supply unit 101, a sensor unit 102, a notification unit 103, a storage unit 104, a communication unit 105, a control unit 106, a heating unit 107, a heat insulation unit 108, and a holding unit 109. As mentioned above, Figure 3 shows the stick-shaped substrate 30 being held by the holding part 109. In this state, the user can inhale the aerosol.

[0021] The power supply unit 101 is a unit that supplies power to each part. The power supply unit 101 stores power in, for example, a secondary battery. In this embodiment, a lithium-ion secondary battery is used. The rechargeable battery 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.

[0022] The sensor unit 102 is an electronic component that detects various types of information related to the main unit 10. The sensor unit 102 includes, for example, a pressure sensor such as a microphone condenser and a flow sensor. The sensor unit 102 outputs the detected information to the control unit 106. For example, if it detects a change in air pressure or airflow associated with suction, the sensor unit 102 outputs a numerical value to the control unit 106 indicating that the user is suctioning an aerosol.

[0023] The sensor unit 102 is provided in conjunction with, for example, a button or switch used to receive operations from the user. The button here is the power button 11 (see Figure 1) mentioned above. The switch is the slide cover 20 (see Figure 2) mentioned above. When the sensor unit 102 detects a user operation, it outputs the operation detection to the control unit 106. In addition, the sensor unit 102 contains a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heating unit 107. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of the heating unit 107 based, for example, on the electrical resistance value of the conductive track of the heating unit 107. The detected electrical resistance value is output from the sensor unit 102 to the control unit 106. The control unit 106 then calculates the temperature of the heating unit 107 based on the electrical resistance value. In other words, the control unit 106 calculates the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 30 held in the holding unit 109.

[0024] Furthermore, the sensor unit 102 includes a motion sensor that detects user movements by detecting the movement of the main unit 10. The motion sensor may include an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the main unit 10. An example of an acceleration sensor is a capacitive type acceleration sensor having a sensor element composed of a fixed electrode and a movable electrode made of silicon, and a spring or the like. In addition, the acceleration sensor may be a piezoresistive type or a thermal detection type acceleration sensor. Alternatively, the motion sensor may include a gyro sensor that detects the angular velocity of the main unit 10. In this case, the sensor unit 102 is an example of a detection unit that detects the movement of the device itself. The timing for turning on the motion sensor can be the same as the timing for turning on the control unit 106. Specifically, since the control unit 106 is powered on when the user deactivates the shipment mode of the aerosol generator 1 and starts using it, it is best to set the motion sensor to be powered on at the same time. Also, since the control unit 106 is powered on even in sleep mode, the motion sensor can sense even in sleep mode.

[0025] The notification unit 103 is an electronic component that notifies the user of various information regarding the main unit 10. The notification unit 103 includes, for example, an LED lamp 12 (see Figure 1). The LED lamp 12 lights up in different patterns when the power supply unit 101 needs charging, when the power supply unit 101 is charging, or when an abnormality occurs in the main unit 10. The patterns here include differences in color, differences in the timing of turning on / off, etc. Also, the LED lamp 12 contains multiple LEDs. Note that the LED lamp 12 is an example of a light-emitting device, and an LED is an example of a light-emitting element.

[0026] The notification unit 103 may include other devices used in conjunction with or in place of the light-emitting device. These types of devices include display devices that display characters, images, or other information, sound output devices that output sound, and vibration devices that vibrate the main unit 10. Light-emitting devices, display devices, sound output devices, vibration devices, etc., are examples of notification units that notify information. In addition, the notification unit 103 may notify the user when it becomes possible to inhale the aerosol. This notification indicates that the temperature of the stick-type substrate 30 heated by the heating unit 107 has reached a predetermined temperature.

[0027] The memory unit 104 stores various information related to the operation of the main unit 10. The memory unit 104 is composed of a non-volatile storage medium, such as flash memory. The information stored in the memory unit 104 includes, for example, the OS (Operating System), FW (Firmware), and other programs. Furthermore, the information stored in the memory unit 104 includes, for example, information related to the control of electronic components. This control information includes information related to user-induced suction, such as the remaining charge of the secondary battery, SOH (=State of Health), number of suctions, suction time, and cumulative suction time.

[0028] The communication unit 105 is a communication interface for enabling communication between the main unit 10 and other devices. The communication unit 105 communicates with other devices using a method compliant with any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of such communication standards include wireless LAN (=Local Area Network), serial signal lines, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark). For example, the communication unit 105 transmits information about the user's inhalation to the smartphone. The communication unit 105 also downloads update programs and heating profiles that define the temperature changes of the heating unit 107 in heating mode from the server.

[0029] The control unit 106 functions as a processing unit and control unit, and controls the operation of the main unit 10 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 10.

[0030] The control unit 106 is implemented by electronic circuits such as a CPU (=Central Processing Unit), MCU (=Micro Controller 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 106 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.

[0031] The control unit 106 performs various processes and controls through the execution of a program. The processing and control here include, for example, power supply by the power supply unit 101, charging of the power supply unit 101, detection of information by the sensor unit 102, notification of information using the notification unit 103, writing of information to or reading of information from the storage unit 104, and sending and receiving of information using the communication unit 105. In addition, the control unit 106 also controls the input of information to electronic components and the processing based on the information output from the electronic components.

[0032] The holding portion 109 is a generally cylindrical container. In this embodiment, the space inside the holding portion 109, defined by the inner wall and the bottom surface, is called the internal space 109A. The internal space 109A is generally columnar. The holding portion 109 is provided with an opening 109B that connects the internal space 109A to the outside. The stick-shaped base material 30 is inserted into the internal space 109A through this opening 109B. The opening 109B here corresponds to the insertion opening 13 of the stick-shaped base material in Figure 1. The stick-shaped base material 30 is inserted until its tip touches the bottom portion 109C. Only a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 30 is housed in the internal space 109A. The state in which the stick-shaped substrate 30 is housed in the internal space 109A is referred to as the stick-shaped substrate 30 being held in the internal space 109A.

[0033] The holding portion 109 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 30. Therefore, the outer surface of the stick-shaped base material 30 inserted into the internal space 109A is subjected to pressure from the inner wall of the holding portion 109. This pressure holds the stick-shaped base material 30 in the internal space 109A. The holding portion 109 also has the function of defining the airflow path through the stick-shaped substrate 30. The air inlet, which is the air entrance to the flow path, is located, for example, at the bottom portion 109C. The opening 109B is the air outlet, which is the air exit.

[0034] In this embodiment, only a portion of the stick-shaped base material 30 is held by the holding portion 109, while the rest protrudes outward from the housing. Hereinafter, the portion held by the holding portion 109 will be referred to as the base material portion 30A, and the portion protruding from the housing will be referred to as the suction nozzle portion 30B. At least the base material 30A 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.

[0035] 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 10 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.

[0036] At least a portion of the suction port 30B is held in the user's mouth during suction. When a user places the mouthpiece 30B in their mouth and inhales, air flows into the internal space 109A through the air inlet. The incoming air passes through the internal space 109A and the base material 30A and reaches the user's mouth. The air that reaches the user's mouth contains aerosols generated in the base material 30A.

[0037] The heating section 107 is composed of a heater or other heat-generating element. The heating section 107 is made of any material such as metal or polyimide. The heating section 107 is, for example, made in the form of a film and attached to the outer circumferential surface of the holding section 109. The heat generated by the heating unit 107 heats and atomizes the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 30. The atomized aerosol source is mixed with air or the like to generate an aerosol. In the case of Figure 3, the outer periphery of the stick-shaped substrate 30 is heated first, and the heated area gradually moves towards the center.

[0038] Therefore, atomization of the aerosol source begins near the outer edge of the stick-shaped substrate 30 and gradually moves towards the center. The heating unit 107 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 101. For example, when a predetermined operation by the user is detected by the sensor unit 102, power supply to the heating unit 107 is permitted. Predetermined user operations include operations on the slide cover 20 (see Figure 2) or the power button 11 (see Figure 1).

[0039] The heating unit 107 heats the stick-shaped substrate 30, which is an aerosol source, according to the heating profile stored in the storage unit 104. The heating profile is a data file that defines the time change of the target temperature after heating has started. The heating profile is an example of a control sequence that defines heating. Therefore, the heating unit 107 is an example of a heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source according to a control sequence by supplying power from a power source. In addition, multiple heating profiles may be stored in the storage unit 104. Therefore, the heating unit 107 is an example of a heating unit that heats a substrate according to any of multiple control sequences.

[0040] When the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 30, heated by the heating unit 107, reaches a predetermined temperature, the user can begin suctioning. The user's suction of the aerosol is detected by the flow sensor of the sensor unit 102 and stored in the storage unit 104. Subsequently, when a predetermined user operation is detected, power supply to the heating unit 107 is stopped. A predetermined user operation is closing the slide cover 20. Furthermore, even if no user operation is detected, power supply to the heating unit 107 is stopped when the heating time specified in the heating profile is completed. Alternatively, a method may be adopted in which power is supplied to the heating unit 107 while user suction is detected, and power is stopped when user suction is no longer detected.

[0041] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 3, the heating element 107 is located on the outer circumference of the stick-shaped substrate 30. However, the heating element 107 may be a blade-shaped metal piece inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 30, or a metal piece built into the stick-shaped substrate 30. If the metal piece acting as the heating element 107 is built into the stick-shaped substrate 30, then an induction heating coil should be arranged around the holding element 109.

[0042] The heat insulating portion 108 is a component that reduces the propagation of heat generated in the heating portion 107 to the surroundings. For this reason, the heat insulating portion 108 is arranged to cover at least the outer surface of the heating portion 107. The insulation section 108 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.

[0043] <Detecting user actions> Here, we will explain how the sensor unit 102 detects user actions. In this embodiment, we will explain using the double-tap operation of the aerosol generator 1 and the shake operation of the aerosol generator 1 as examples of user actions.

[0044] Figure 4 shows the method for detecting double-tap operation by the sensor unit 102. The sensor unit 102 detects the acceleration of the aerosol generator 1 and detects double-tap operation by performing the following processing based on this acceleration. (1) If the acceleration exceeds the upper threshold Th1 or falls below the lower threshold (-Th1), period T11 is started. (2) If the acceleration exceeds the upper threshold Th1 in (1), the first tap is detected when the acceleration falls below the upper threshold Th1 within period T11. If the acceleration falls below the lower threshold (-Th1) in (1), the first tap is detected when the acceleration exceeds the lower threshold (-Th1) within period T11. In the figure, the first tap is detected at point P11. (3) After the first tap is detected, period T12 is started. In other words, during the period when no tap is detected, processing similar to debouncing is performed. (4) Period T13 begins the moment period T12 ends. (5) If tap detections (1) and (2) occur again within period T13, the second tap is detected. In the diagram, the second tap is detected at point P12. This detects a double tap operation.

[0045] Figure 5 shows the method for detecting the shaking motion by the sensor unit 102. The sensor unit 102 detects the acceleration of the aerosol generator 1 and detects the shaking motion by performing the following processing based on this acceleration. (1) When the acceleration exceeds the threshold Th2, the force is launched for a period T2. (2) If the acceleration falls below the threshold Th2 within period T2, the power cycle for period T2 is restarted. (3) If the acceleration exceeds the threshold Th2 within period T2, a shaking motion is detected.

[0046] Furthermore, the control unit 106 only needs to send acceleration threshold information and detection period information to the sensor unit 102, and the process of detecting user movements shown in Figures 4 and 5 is completed within the sensor unit 102.

[0047] Furthermore, if the sensor unit 102 falsely detects user activity, the heating profile may be sent or received at a time unintended by the user, so a mechanism to prevent false detection is necessary. One possible mechanism to prevent such false detections is to collect threshold data for actions such as double-tapping and shaking from a certain number of users, and then use this data in the sensor unit 102 of all aerosol generators 1 of a specific model. This threshold data may not be adjusted for each user if the aerosol generator 1 is of the same model, or it may be adjusted for each user even if the aerosol generator 1 is of the same model.

[0048] <Outline of operation> The following describes the transmission and reception of heating profiles between aerosol generators 1. Here, the aerosol generator 1 transmitting the heating profile will be referred to as aerosol generator 1a, and the aerosol generator 1 receiving the heating profile will be referred to as aerosol generator 1b.

[0049] First, we will explain how to select the heating profile to be transmitted in the aerosol generator 1a. Figure 6 shows a first method for selecting a heating profile. In this first selection method, when the user performs a predetermined action, the aerosol generator 1a selects a heating profile stored in the memory unit 104 in a predetermined order. Here, the predetermined action is explained using a double-tap operation of the aerosol generator 1a as an example, but it is not limited to this. The predetermined action may be a shaking operation of the aerosol generator 1a, etc. Alternatively, if a P2P (peer-to-peer) connection is established between the aerosol generator 1a and the aerosol generator 1b, the predetermined action may be a similar operation of the aerosol generator 1b.

[0050] In the diagram, it is assumed that initially, heating profile No. 1 is selected as the heating profile to be transmitted. In this state, when the user performs a double-tap operation on the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 selects heating profile No. 2 as the heating profile to be transmitted. Subsequently, when the user performs a double-tap operation on the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 selects heating profile No. 3 as the heating profile to be transmitted. Subsequently, when the user performs a double-tap operation on the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 selects heating profile No. 4 as the heating profile to be transmitted. Note that when the user performs a double-tap operation on the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 returns the heating profile to be transmitted to heating profile No. 1. In this case, the control unit 106 of the aerosol generator 1a is an example of a control unit that controls the selection of a specific control sequence according to the order of a predetermined set of control sequences.

[0051] Here, the order of the heating profiles may be changed by connecting the aerosol generator 1a to a smartphone and using a smartphone app. However, even if the order of the heating profiles can be changed in this way, it may still result in many double-tap operations required to select the desired heating profile. For example, in Figure 6, if heating profile No. 1 is set and you want to select heating profile No. 4, if neither heating profiles No. 2 nor No. 3 are saved, you only need to double-tap the aerosol generator 1a once. However, if both heating profiles No. 2 and No. 3 are saved, you need to double-tap the aerosol generator 1a three times. Therefore, a second method for selecting heating profiles that does not increase the number of predetermined operations required to select the desired heating profile can be considered.

[0052] Figure 7 illustrates a second method for selecting a heating profile. In this second selection method, when a user performs an action, the aerosol generator 1a selects a heating profile stored in the memory unit 104 according to the type of action. Here, the action described is an example of a combination of a double-tap action and a shake action of the aerosol generator 1a, but it is not limited to this. The action may be a single action of the aerosol generator 1a, such as a double-tap action, a shake action, or any other action, or a combination of two or more of these actions. Alternatively, if a P2P connection is established between the aerosol generator 1a and the aerosol generator 1b, a similar action of the aerosol generator 1b may also be used.

[0053] In the diagram, it is assumed that heating profile No. 1 is selected as the heating profile to be transmitted in the initial state. In this state, if the user performs a double-tap operation on the aerosol generator 1a followed by a shake operation, the control unit 106 selects heating profile No. 2 as the heating profile to be transmitted. Furthermore, if the user performs a double-tap operation on the aerosol generator 1a after shaking it, the control unit 106 selects heating profile No. 3 as the heating profile to be transmitted. In addition, if the user performs a double-tap operation on the aerosol generator 1a twice in a row, the control unit 106 selects heating profile No. 4 as the heating profile to be transmitted. To return to heating profile No. 1 from the currently selected heating profile, for example, the user can repeat the operation that was performed when the currently selected heating profile was selected. In this case, aerosol generator 1a is an example of the own device, and aerosol generator 1b is an example of another aerosol generator. Furthermore, the control unit 106 of aerosol generator 1a is an example of a control unit that controls the device to select a specific control sequence according to the type of first movement detected by the detection unit of the own device or the detection unit of another aerosol generator.

[0054] In addition, in the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 may be configured not to switch the heating profile when the slide cover 20 is open. This is because when the slide cover 20 is open, it is assumed that heating is in progress according to the heating profile. In this case, the control unit 106 of the aerosol generator 1a is an example of a control unit that controls the system so as not to switch the control sequence even if the first movement is detected by the detection unit of its own device or by the detection unit of another aerosol generator, as long as the opening / closing unit is open.

[0055] Furthermore, in the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 may be configured not to send a heating profile to the aerosol generator 1b when BLE communication is in progress. This is because when the aerosol generator 1a is in BLE communication, it is assumed that it is sending and receiving heating profiles.

[0056] Next, we will explain the transmission and reception of heating profiles between the aerosol generator 1a and the aerosol generator 1b. Figure 8 illustrates the transmission and reception of heating profiles. In the figure, it is assumed that a P2P connection has already been established between aerosol generator 1a and aerosol generator 1b. In this state, when the user performs a predetermined action, the control unit 106 of aerosol generator 1a transmits a heating profile to aerosol generator 1b. The heating profile to be transmitted may be selected from a plurality of heating profiles using the selection method shown in Figure 6 or Figure 7. Here, the predetermined action is given as an example of a shake operation of aerosol generator 1a by the user of aerosol generator 1a, but it is not limited to this. The predetermined action may be a double-tap operation of aerosol generator 1a by the user of aerosol generator 1a, or a shake operation, double-tap operation, etc. of aerosol generator 1b by the user of aerosol generator 1b. In this case, aerosol generator 1a is an example of the own device, aerosol generator 1b is an example of another aerosol generator, and the movement of aerosol generator 1a or aerosol generator 1b due to a predetermined action by the user is an example of the first movement. Furthermore, the control unit 106 of aerosol generator 1a is an example of a control unit that controls the transmission of a control sequence to the other aerosol generator when the first movement is detected by the detection unit of the own device or by the detection unit of the other aerosol generator while a connection has been established with the other aerosol generator. Moreover, the control unit 106 of aerosol generator 1a is an example of a control unit that controls the transmission of a specific control sequence from among multiple control sequences to the other aerosol generator when the first movement is detected by the detection unit of the own device or by the detection unit of the other aerosol generator.

[0057] Furthermore, when a heating profile is selected, the notification unit 103 may notify the user of information that identifies the selected heating profile. For example, if the notification unit 103 is a vibration device, it may notify the user of information that identifies the selected heating profile by vibrating the main unit 10 a number of times equal to the selected heating profile number. Alternatively, if the notification unit 103 is an LED lamp 12, it may notify the user of information that identifies the selected heating profile by lighting up the number of LEDs equal to the selected heating profile number.

[0058] Furthermore, in the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 may be configured not to send a heating profile to the aerosol generator 1b when the slide cover 20 is open. This is because when the slide cover 20 is open, it is assumed that heating is in progress according to the heating profile. In this case, the control unit 106 of the aerosol generator 1a is an example of a control unit that, even if the first movement is detected by the detection unit of its own device or by the detection unit of another aerosol generator, does not transmit a control sequence to the other aerosol generator if the opening / closing unit is open.

[0059] Furthermore, in the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 may be configured not to send a heating profile to the aerosol generator 1b when BLE communication is in progress. This is because it is assumed that a heating profile is being sent and received when BLE communication is in progress.

[0060] On the other hand, when a heating profile is transmitted from the aerosol generator 1a by the user performing a predetermined action, the control unit 106 of the aerosol generator 1b receives the heating profile. In this case, aerosol generator 1b is an example of the own device, and aerosol generator 1a is an example of another aerosol generator. Furthermore, the control unit 106 of aerosol generator 1b is an example of a control unit that controls the device to receive a control sequence from another aerosol generator that has transmitted a control sequence when the detection unit of the own device detects a first movement or when the detection unit of the other aerosol generator detects a first movement.

[0061] Next, we will explain how the heating profile is stored in the aerosol generator 1b. Figure 9 shows a method for storing the heating profile. As shown in the figure, the storage unit 104 of the aerosol generator 1b includes a first storage unit 1041 and a second storage unit 1042.

[0062] The first storage unit 1041 stores heating profiles other than those received from other aerosol generators 1. Such heating profiles include heating profiles stored at the time of shipment of the aerosol generator 1b, and heating profiles downloaded from a server, smartphone, etc. after shipment of the aerosol generator 1b. Such heating profiles can be used any number of times for heating by the heating unit 107. In the figure, heating profiles No. 1 to No. 4 are shown as heating profiles stored in the first storage unit 1041. The first storage unit 1041 is an example of a first storage unit that stores control sequences used for heating two or more times by the heating unit.

[0063] The second storage unit 1042 stores the heating profile received from the other aerosol generator 1. Such a heating profile can only be used once for heating by the heating unit 107. That is, in the aerosol generator 1b, after the control unit 106 has heated the stick-type substrate 30 once using the heating profile stored in the second storage unit 1042, it is prevented from heating the stick-type substrate 30 again using that heating profile. In this case, the control unit 106 may store the heating profile received from the aerosol generator 1a, overwriting the heating profile stored in the second storage unit 1042. In the figure, heating profile No. 5 is shown as the heating profile stored in the second storage unit 1042. The second storage unit 1042 is an example of a second storage unit that stores a control sequence used for heating by the heating unit only once. Furthermore, the control unit 106 of the aerosol generator 1b is an example of a control unit that, after the heating unit has heated the substrate once according to a control sequence received from another aerosol generator, controls the heating unit so that it cannot heat the substrate according to the control sequence. In addition, the control unit 106 of the aerosol generator 1b is an example of a control unit that controls the system to store the control sequence received from another aerosol generator by overwriting the control sequence stored in the second storage unit.

[0064] <Operation details> Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating a first example of operation when the aerosol generator 1a selects a heating profile. Here, we will explain using the example of selecting a heating profile as shown in Figure 6.

[0065] As shown in the figure, in the aerosol generator 1a, first the control unit 106 determines whether or not an interrupt notification has been received (step 301). If step 301 determines that there was no interrupt notification, the control unit 106 repeats step 301. On the other hand, if step 301 determines that there was an interrupt notification, the control unit 106 reads the value of the status register of the sensor unit 102 and determines whether the user performed a double-tap operation on the aerosol generator 1a based on that value (step 302).

[0066] If step 302 determines that the user did not perform a double-tap operation on the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 returns the process to step 301. On the other hand, if step 302 determines that the user did perform a double-tap operation on the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 determines whether the slide cover 20 is closed or not (step 303). If step 303 determines that the slide cover 20 is not closed, the control unit 106 returns to step 301. On the other hand, if step 303 determines that the slide cover 20 is closed, the control unit 106 determines whether or not BLE communication is in progress (step 304).

[0067] If step 304 determines that BLE communication is in progress, the control unit 106 returns to step 301. On the other hand, if step 304 determines that BLE communication is not in progress, the control unit 106 identifies the heating profile to select (step 305). For example, if the control unit 106 has a heating profile stored in the sequence following the currently selected heating profile, it can identify the next heating profile as the heating profile to select. Alternatively, if the control unit 106 does not have a heating profile stored in the sequence following the currently selected heating profile, it can identify the currently selected heating profile as the heating profile to select.

[0068] Subsequently, the control unit 106 selects the heating profile identified in step 305 in place of the currently selected heating profile (step 306). At this time, the notification unit 103 may vibrate the main unit 10 the number of times corresponding to the selected heating profile number, or light up the LEDs the number of times corresponding to the selected heating profile number.

[0069] Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating a second example of operation when the aerosol generator 1a selects a heating profile. Here, we will explain using the example of selecting a heating profile as shown in Figure 7.

[0070] As shown in the figure, in the aerosol generator 1a, first the control unit 106 determines whether or not an interrupt notification has been received (step 321). If step 321 determines that there was no interrupt notification, the control unit 106 repeats step 321. On the other hand, if step 321 determines that there was an interrupt notification, the control unit 106 reads the value of the status register of the sensor unit 102 and determines, based on that value, whether the user performed a double-tap or shake operation on the aerosol generator 1a (step 322).

[0071] If step 322 determines that the user did not perform a double-tap or shake operation on the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 returns the process to step 321. On the other hand, if step 322 determines that the user did perform a double-tap or shake operation on the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 determines whether the slide cover 20 is closed or not (step 323). If step 323 determines that the slide cover 20 is not closed, the control unit 106 returns to step 321. On the other hand, if step 323 determines that the slide cover 20 is closed, the control unit 106 determines whether or not BLE communication is in progress (step 324).

[0072] If step 324 determines that BLE communication is in progress, the control unit 106 returns to step 321. On the other hand, if step 324 determines that BLE communication is not in progress, the control unit 106 determines whether there was another interrupt notification within the period T31 after determining in step 321 that an interrupt notification had been received (step 325). If step 325 determines that no interrupt notification was received during period T31, the control unit 106 returns to step 321. On the other hand, if step 325 determines that an interrupt notification was received during period T31, the control unit 106 reads the value of the status register of the sensor unit 102 and determines, based on that value, whether the user performed a double-tap or shake operation on the aerosol generator 1a (step 326).

[0073] If step 326 determines that the user did not perform a double-tap or shake operation on the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 returns the process to step 325. On the other hand, if step 326 determines that the user did perform a double-tap or shake operation on the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 determines whether the slide cover 20 is closed or not (step 327). If step 327 determines that the slide cover 20 is not closed, the control unit 106 returns to step 321. On the other hand, if step 327 determines that the slide cover 20 is closed, the control unit 106 determines whether or not BLE communication is in progress (step 328).

[0074] If step 328 determines that BLE communication is in progress, the control unit 106 returns to step 321. On the other hand, if step 328 determines that BLE communication is not in progress, the control unit 106 identifies the heating profile to select (step 329). For example, the control unit 106 can identify the heating profile to select based on the combination of the operation determined in step 322 and the operation determined in step 326. Also, in the example in Figure 7, if there is no heating profile corresponding to the combination of operations, such as when both the operation determined in step 322 and the operation determined in step 326 are shaking operations, the control unit 106 may return to step 325.

[0075] Subsequently, the control unit 106 selects the heating profile identified in step 329 in place of the currently selected heating profile (step 330). At this time, the notification unit 103 may vibrate the main unit 10 the number of times corresponding to the selected heating profile number, or light up the LEDs the number of times corresponding to the selected heating profile number.

[0076] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation when the aerosol generator 1a transmits a heating profile. Here, we will explain using the example of transmitting a heating profile as shown in Figure 8.

[0077] As shown in the figure, in the aerosol generator 1a, first, the control unit 106 establishes a P2P connection with the aerosol generator 1b (step 341). In this embodiment, the P2P connection may be established by any method. At that time, the notification unit 103, for example, vibrates the main unit 10 once for a long period of time and lights up the LED lamp 12 in blue.

[0078] Next, the control unit 106 determines whether or not the slide cover 20 has been opened (step 342). If step 342 determines that the slide cover 20 has been opened, the control unit 106 returns the process to step 341. At this time, the notification unit 103 vibrates the main unit 10 three times and flashes the LED lamp 12 three times in white. On the other hand, if step 342 determines that the slide cover 20 has not been opened, the control unit 106 determines whether or not an interrupt notification was received within the period T32 after the P2P connection was established (step 343).

[0079] If step 343 determines that no interrupt notification was received during period T32, the control unit 106 returns to step 341. At this time, the notification unit 103 vibrates the main unit 10 three times and flashes the LED lamp 12 three times in white. On the other hand, if step 343 determines that an interrupt notification was received during period T32, the control unit 106 reads the value of the status register of the sensor unit 102 and determines whether the user performed a shake operation on the aerosol generator 1a based on that value (step 344). If the control unit 106 determines in step 344 that the user did not perform the shaking operation of the aerosol generator 1a, it returns the process to step 343. On the other hand, if the control unit 106 determines in step 344 that the user did perform the shaking operation of the aerosol generator 1a, it starts transmitting the heating profile selected in Figure 10 or Figure 11 (step 345). At that time, the notification unit 103, for example, vibrates the main unit 10 once for a long time and flashes the LED lamp 12 in blue.

[0080] Next, the control unit 106 determines whether or not the slide cover 20 has been opened (step 346). If the control unit 106 determines in step 346 that the slide cover 20 has been opened, it returns the process to step 341. At this time, the notification unit 103 vibrates the main unit 10 three times and flashes the LED lamp 12 three times in white. On the other hand, if the control unit 106 determines in step 346 that the slide cover 20 has not been opened, it determines whether the transmission of the heating profile has been completed within the period T32 (step 347). If step 347 determines that the transmission of the heating profile was not completed within period T32, the control unit 106 returns the process to step 341. At this time, the notification unit 103 vibrates the main unit 10 three times and flashes the LED lamp 12 three times in white. On the other hand, if step 347 determines that the transmission of the heating profile was completed within period T32, the control unit 106 terminates the transmission of the heating profile (step 348). At this time, the notification unit 103 vibrates the main unit 10 once for a longer duration and turns off the LED lamp 12, which was lit in blue. Subsequently, the control unit 106 terminates the P2P communication (step 349).

[0081] Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation when the aerosol generator 1b receives and stores a heating profile. Here, we will explain using the example of receiving and storing a heating profile as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

[0082] As shown in the figure, in the aerosol generator 1b, first, the control unit 106 establishes a P2P connection with the aerosol generator 1a (step 361). In this embodiment, the P2P connection may be established by any method. At that time, the notification unit 103, for example, vibrates the main unit 10 once for a long period of time and lights up the LED lamp 12 in blue.

[0083] Next, the control unit 106 determines whether or not the slide cover 20 has been opened (step 362). If the control unit 106 determines in step 362 that the slide cover 20 has been opened, it returns the process to step 361. At this time, the notification unit 103 vibrates the main unit 10 three times and flashes the LED lamp 12 three times in white. On the other hand, if the control unit 106 determines in step 362 that the slide cover 20 has not been opened, it starts receiving the heating profile transmitted by the aerosol generator 1a (step 363). At this time, the notification unit 103 vibrates the main unit 10 once for a longer duration and flashes the LED lamp 12 in blue.

[0084] Next, the control unit 106 determines whether or not the slide cover 20 has been opened (step 364). If the control unit 106 determines in step 364 that the slide cover 20 has been opened, it returns the process to step 361. At this time, the notification unit 103 vibrates the main unit 10 three times and flashes the LED lamp 12 three times in white. On the other hand, if the control unit 106 determines in step 364 that the slide cover 20 has not been opened, it terminates the reception of the heating profile (step 365). At this time, the notification unit 103 vibrates the main unit 10 once for a longer duration and turns off the LED lamp 12, which was lit in blue. Next, the control unit 106 stores the heating profiles received in steps 363 to 365 in the second storage unit 1042 (step 366). Subsequently, the control unit 106 terminates the P2P communication (step 367).

[0085] Figure 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the aerosol generator 1b when it performs heating according to the heating profile.

[0086] As shown in the figure, in the aerosol generating device 1b, first the control unit 106 determines whether or not the slide cover 20 has been opened (step 381). If step 381 determines that the slide cover 20 is not open, the control unit 106 repeats step 381. On the other hand, if step 381 determines that the slide cover 20 is open, the control unit 106 determines whether or not the power button 11 has been pressed (step 382). If the control unit 106 determines in step 382 that the power button 11 has not been pressed, it repeats step 382. On the other hand, if the control unit 106 determines in step 382 that the power button 11 has been pressed, it starts supplying power from the power supply unit 101 to the heating unit 107 (step 383). The control unit 106 then causes the heating unit 107 to heat up according to the heating profile stored in the memory unit 104 (step 384).

[0087] Next, the control unit 106 determines whether the heating profile used for heating in step 384 is the heating profile received from the aerosol generator 1a (step 385). If step 385 determines that the heating profile used for heating in step 384 is the heating profile received from the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 sets the received heating profile so that it cannot be used again for heating by the heating unit 107 (step 386). Then, the control unit 106 switches the heating profile used for heating by the heating unit 107 to a heating profile other than the received heating profile (step 387). For example, in the example in Figure 9, if the control unit 106 has selected heating profile No. 1 and has received and used heating profile No. 5 from the aerosol generator 1a, it is advisable to select heating profile No. 1 again as the heating profile to be used for heating.

[0088] On the other hand, if step 385 determines that the heating profile used for heating in step 384 is not the heating profile received from the aerosol generator 1a, the control unit 106 terminates the process without executing steps 386 to 387.

[0089] <Effects> The aerosol generator 1 according to this embodiment is configured to send and receive control sequences defining heating between other aerosol generators 1 based on user actions. As a result, in this embodiment, it is possible to easily send and receive control sequences between other aerosol generators 1.

[0090] <Embodiment 2> In this embodiment, the establishment of a P2P connection between aerosol generator 1a and aerosol generator 1b is also performed by user action. The external appearance and internal configuration of the aerosol generating device 1 assumed in this embodiment are the same as those in Embodiment 1. Furthermore, the selection of the heating profile, transmission of the heating profile, reception and storage of the heating profile, and the operation of heating using the heating profile in this embodiment are all the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0091] Figure 15 illustrates the establishment of a P2P connection. When a user performs a predetermined action, the control unit 106 in aerosol generators 1a and 1b establishes a P2P connection between aerosol generator 1a and aerosol generator 1b. Here, the predetermined actions are, but not limited to, the shaking of aerosol generator 1a by the user of aerosol generator 1a and the shaking of aerosol generator 1b by the user of aerosol generator 1b. The predetermined actions may also be, for example, the double-tap action of aerosol generator 1a by the user of aerosol generator 1a and the double-tap action of aerosol generator 1b by the user of aerosol generator 1b. In this case, aerosol generator 1a is an example of the device itself, aerosol generator 1b is an example of another aerosol generator, and the movement of aerosol generator 1a and aerosol generator 1b due to a predetermined action by the user is an example of a second movement. Furthermore, the control unit 106 of aerosol generator 1a is an example of a control unit that controls the establishment of a connection with another aerosol generator when a second movement is detected by the detection unit of the device itself and the detection unit of the other aerosol generator.

[0092] In addition, in aerosol generators 1a and 1b, the control unit 106 may be configured not to establish a P2P connection when the slide cover 20 is open. This is because when the slide cover 20 is open, it is assumed that heating is in progress according to the heating profile. In this case, the control unit 106 of the aerosol generator 1a is an example of a control unit that, even if a second movement is detected by the detection unit of its own device and the detection unit of another aerosol generator, controls the opening / closing unit to prevent the establishment of a connection with the other aerosol generator as long as the opening is open.

[0093] Furthermore, in aerosol generators 1a and 1b, the control unit 106 may be configured not to establish a P2P connection when it is connected to a smartphone. This is because a P2P connection is already established between the device and the smartphone when it is connected to a smartphone.

[0094] Furthermore, while the user actions for establishing a P2P connection are the same as those for sending a heating profile, they may be different. In other words, the first and second actions may be of the same type or of different types.

[0095] Figure 16 is a flowchart illustrating an example of operation when aerosol generator 1a establishes a P2P connection with aerosol generator 1b. Here, we will explain using the example of establishing a P2P connection as shown in Figure 15.

[0096] As shown in the figure, in the aerosol generator 1a, first the control unit 106 determines whether or not an interrupt notification has been received (step 401). If step 401 determines that there was no interrupt notification, the control unit 106 repeats step 401. On the other hand, if step 401 determines that there was an interrupt notification, the control unit 106 reads the value of the status register of the sensor unit 102 and determines whether the user performed a shaking operation on the aerosol generator 1a based on that value (step 402).

[0097] If the control unit 106 determines in step 402 that the user did not perform the shaking operation of the aerosol generator 1a, it returns the process to step 401. On the other hand, if the control unit 106 determines in step 402 that the user did perform the shaking operation of the aerosol generator 1a, it determines whether the slide cover 20 is closed or not (step 403). If step 403 determines that the slide cover 20 is not closed, the control unit 106 returns to step 401. On the other hand, if step 403 determines that the slide cover 20 is closed, the control unit 106 determines whether or not it is connected to a smartphone (step 404).

[0098] If step 404 determines that a connection with a smartphone is in progress, the control unit 106 returns to step 401. On the other hand, if step 404 determines that a connection with a smartphone is not in progress, the control unit 106 starts transitioning to P2P mode (step 405). That is, the control unit 106 starts searching for an aerosol generator 1 nearby that is performing a shaking operation as a P2P connection partner. At that time, the notification unit 103, for example, vibrates the main unit 10 once for a longer period of time and flashes the LED lamp 12 in blue. Next, the control unit 106 determines whether or not the transition to P2P mode has been canceled (step 406). If the control unit 106 determines in step 406 that the transition to P2P mode has been canceled, it returns the process to step 401. At that time, the notification unit 103 vibrates the main unit 10 three times and flashes the LED lamp 12 three times in white. On the other hand, if the control unit 106 determines in step 406 that the transition to P2P mode has not been canceled, it determines whether a timeout has occurred (step 407).

[0099] If a timeout is determined in step 407, the control unit 106 returns the process to step 401. At that time, the notification unit 103 vibrates the main unit 10 three times and the LED lamp 12 flashes white three times. On the other hand, if a timeout is not determined in step 407, the control unit 106 determines whether the P2P connection partner is a smartphone application (step 408). If step 408 determines that the P2P connection partner is not a smartphone app, the control unit 106 completes the P2P connection with the aerosol generator 1b (step 409). On the other hand, if step 408 determines that the P2P connection partner is a smartphone application, the control unit 106 completes the P2P connection with that application (step 410).

[0100] <Effects> The aerosol generator 1 according to this embodiment is configured to establish a connection with other aerosol generators 1 through user action. This makes it possible to easily establish a connection with other aerosol generators 1 in this embodiment.

[0101] <Other Embodiments> (1) Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It is clear from the claims that embodiments with various modifications or improvements made to those described above are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. (2) 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. (3) 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.

[0102] Summary This disclosure includes the following components. (1) An aerosol generating device comprising: a heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source according to a control sequence by being powered from a power source; a detection unit that detects the movement of the device itself; and a control unit that, when a connection is established with another aerosol generating device, the detection unit of the device itself detects a first movement or the detection unit of the other aerosol generating device detects a first movement, the device controls the transmission of the control sequence to the other aerosol generating device. (2) The aerosol generating apparatus according to (1), wherein the heating unit heats the substrate according to one of a plurality of control sequences, and the control unit controls the transmission of a specific control sequence from the plurality of control sequences to the other aerosol generating apparatus when the detection unit of the apparatus itself detects the first movement or when the detection unit of the other aerosol generating apparatus detects the first movement. (3) The aerosol generating apparatus according to (2), wherein the control unit controls the selection of a specific control sequence according to the order of a predetermined number of control sequences. (4) The aerosol generating apparatus according to (2), wherein the control unit controls the device to select a specific control sequence according to the type of first movement detected by the detection unit of the device itself or the detection unit of another aerosol generating apparatus. (5) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the control unit controls the device to receive a control sequence from another aerosol generating device that has transmitted a control sequence when the detection unit of the device itself detects the first movement or when the detection unit of the other aerosol generating device detects the first movement. (6) The aerosol generating apparatus according to (5), wherein the control unit controls the heating unit so that it cannot heat the substrate once after the heating unit has heated the substrate once according to a control sequence received from another aerosol generating apparatus. (7) The aerosol generating apparatus according to (6), comprising a first storage unit for storing control sequences used for heating two or more times by a heating unit, and a second storage unit for storing control sequences used for heating only once by a heating unit, wherein the control unit controls the system to store control sequences received from other aerosol generating apparatus by overwriting the control sequences stored in the second storage unit. (8) The aerosol generating apparatus according to (1), further comprising an opening / closing unit for opening or closing an opening into which a substrate is inserted, wherein the control unit controls the opening / closing unit not to transmit a control sequence to the other aerosol generating apparatus if the opening / closing unit is open, even if the first movement is detected by the detection unit of the apparatus or by the detection unit of another aerosol generating apparatus. (9) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the control unit controls the device to establish a connection with other aerosol generating devices when a second movement is detected by the detection unit of the device itself and the detection unit of other aerosol generating devices. (10) The aerosol generating apparatus described in (9), wherein the first movement and the second movement are of the same type. (11) The aerosol generating apparatus according to (9), further comprising an opening / closing section for opening or closing an opening into which a substrate is inserted, wherein the control unit controls the opening / closing section not to establish a connection with the other aerosol generating apparatus even when a second movement is detected by the detection section of the apparatus and the detection section of the other aerosol generating apparatus, as long as the opening is open. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 1...Aerosol generator, 10...Main unit, 11...Power button, 12...LED lamp, 13...Insertion port for stick-type substrate, 14...USB cable port, 20...Slide cover, 101...Power supply unit, 102...Sensor unit, 103...Notification unit, 104...Storage unit, 105...Communication unit, 106...Control unit, 107...Heating unit, 108...Insulation unit, 109...Holding unit, 30...Stick-type substrate

Claims

1. A heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source according to a control sequence using power supplied from a power source, A detection unit that detects the movement of the device, A control unit that, when a connection is established with another aerosol generating device and a first movement is detected by the detection unit of the device itself or by the detection unit of the other aerosol generating device, controls the transmission of a specific control sequence from a plurality of control sequences to the other aerosol generating device. Equipped with, The control unit controls the selection of a specific control sequence according to the predetermined order of the plurality of control sequences in an aerosol generating apparatus.

2. A heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source according to a control sequence using power supplied from a power source, A detection unit that detects the movement of the device, A control unit that, when a connection is established with another aerosol generating device and a first movement is detected by the detection unit of the device itself or by the detection unit of the other aerosol generating device, controls the transmission of a specific control sequence from a plurality of control sequences to the other aerosol generating device. Equipped with, Aerosol generating device, wherein the control unit controls the device to select a specific control sequence according to the type of first movement detected by the detection unit of the device itself or the detection unit of the other aerosol generating device.

3. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit controls the other aerosol generating apparatus to receive the control sequence when the first movement is detected by the detection unit of the apparatus or when the first movement is detected by the detection unit of the other aerosol generating apparatus.

4. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the heating unit so that it cannot heat the substrate in accordance with the control sequence after the heating unit has heated the substrate once in accordance with the control sequence received from the other aerosol generating apparatus.

5. A first storage unit that stores the control sequence used for two or more heating cycles by the heating unit, A second storage unit that stores the control sequence used for heating by the heating unit only once, Equipped with, The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit controls the control sequence received from the other aerosol generating apparatus to be stored in the second storage unit, overwriting the control sequence stored in the second storage unit.

6. The system further includes an opening / closing mechanism for opening or closing the opening into which the substrate is inserted. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit controls the opening / closing unit not to transmit the control sequence to the other aerosol generating apparatus even if the first movement is detected by the detection unit of the apparatus itself or by the detection unit of the other aerosol generating apparatus, as long as the opening is open.

7. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit controls the other aerosol generating apparatus to establish a connection when a second movement is detected by the detection unit of the apparatus itself and the detection unit of the other aerosol generating apparatus.

8. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first movement and the second movement are of the same type.

9. The system further includes an opening / closing mechanism for opening or closing the opening into which the substrate is inserted. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit controls the opening / closing unit so as not to establish a connection with the other aerosol generating apparatus even when the second movement is detected by the detection unit of the apparatus and the detection unit of the other aerosol generating apparatus, provided that the opening / closing unit is open.

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