Cover member

Abstract

In the present invention, a cover member detachable from an electronic device that operates using a built-in first battery is provided with: a second battery; a power supply circuit that supplies power from the second battery to the electronic device; and a notification unit that gives notification of the total value of the remaining charge of the first battery and the remaining charge of the second battery.

Description

Cover material

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cover member.

[0002] Many portable electronic devices run on batteries built into the device itself. The batteries used may be primary or secondary batteries. Electronic devices that run on primary batteries are equipped with a lid or other cover that can be attached or removed by the user. Electronic devices that run on secondary batteries are equipped with a USB terminal or other power supply terminal for externally charging the secondary battery. Recently, some electronic devices have been developed that do not have a power supply terminal and can wirelessly charge the secondary battery.

[0003] Special table 2019-512245 publication

[0004] Today's portable electronic devices consume a lot of power, but are also required to last for long periods of time. To address these conflicting demands, portable batteries (hereinafter referred to as "mobile batteries") are available to power electronic devices. However, current specifications display the remaining charge of the battery built into the electronic device and the remaining charge of the mobile battery separately.

[0005] In view of the above-described problems, the present disclosure provides a technique that makes it easier for a user to grasp the amount of power that can be used by the entire electronic device to which a cover member is attached.

[0006] As one form of the present disclosure, there is provided a cover member that can be attached and detached to an electronic device that operates using a built-in first battery, the cover member having a second battery, a power supply circuit that supplies power from the second battery to the electronic device, and a notification unit that notifies the total remaining charge of the first battery and the second battery.

[0007] The notification unit may notify the total value calculated using the remaining capacity of the second battery corrected according to the efficiency of power supply from the second battery to the electronic device.

[0008] The cover member may further include a charging circuit that receives power from the electronic device and charges the second battery.

[0009] The notification unit may notify the user of the remaining charge of the first battery and the remaining charge of the second battery separately in response to a user operation.

[0010] The cover member may further include a control unit that calculates the total value and displays it on the notification unit.

[0011] The notification unit may display the total value obtained through communication with the electronic device.

[0012] The main body attached to the electronic device may cover a part of the surface of the electronic device.

[0013] When the main body is attached to the electronic device, the user may press the main body to operate a switch on the electronic device that is provided in a position facing the main body.

[0014] The electronic device may further include an operation unit that receives a user operation and notifies the electronic device of the operation.

[0015] The body attached to the electronic device may form an integrated appearance with the parts of the electronic device not covered by the body.

[0016] The electronic device may be an aerosol generating device having a heating unit that heats the aerosol source, and attachment of the main body unit to the aerosol generating device may be one of the conditions that enable the heating unit to heat the aerosol source.

[0017] If the remaining charge of the first battery is less than the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source, but the sum of the remaining charge of the first battery and the remaining charge of the second battery exceeds the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source, the notification unit may notify that it is possible to use up one unused aerosol source by utilizing the remaining charge of the second battery.

[0018] If the remaining charge of the first battery is less than the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source, but the remaining charge of the second battery is more than the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source, the notification unit may notify that it is possible to use up one unused aerosol source by utilizing the remaining charge of the second battery.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a user can easily grasp the amount of power that can be used by the entire electronic device to which the cover member is attached.

[0020] 1 is a diagram showing the front side of the aerosol generation device observed from diagonally above. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the front side of the aerosol generation device observed from diagonally below. FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining an example of the configuration of a notification unit provided on the front panel. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the aerosol generation device observed from above with the shutter removed. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the main device observed from the front with the front panel removed. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the back side of the front panel removed from the main device. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the connection relationship between the power supply circuits in the front panel and the main device. FIG. 9 is a flowchart explaining an example of the front panel attachment detection operation performed by the control unit. FIG. 10 is a diagram explaining an example of the processing operation related to the function of displaying the total value of the remaining charge of the primary battery in the front panel and the remaining charge of the secondary battery in the main device. FIG. 11 is a diagram explaining an example of the remaining charge of the battery that can be used in the entire aerosol generation device. FIG. 12 is a diagram explaining the operation of charging the secondary battery in the main device using the primary battery in the front panel. FIG. 13 is a diagram explaining auxiliary charging using the primary battery in the front panel as an external power source. FIG. 14 is a flowchart explaining an example of the USB charging operation performed by the control unit. FIG. 15 is a diagram explaining the USB charging operation. 1 is a diagram explaining the amount of power that can be used in the entire aerosol generation device 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram explaining the relationship between the remaining charge of the primary battery on the front panel used as an auxiliary power source and the remaining charge that can be used in the main body device. FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining another example of processing operations related to the function of displaying the sum of the remaining charge of the primary battery on the front panel and the remaining charge of the secondary battery in the main body device. FIG. 4 is a diagram explaining an example of display of the remaining charge of the battery that can be used in the entire aerosol generation device. FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining auxiliary charging using the primary battery on the front panel as an external power source. FIG. 6 is a diagram explaining another example of the configuration of the notification unit provided on the front panel. FIG. 7 is a diagram explaining another example of the configuration of the notification unit provided on the front panel. FIG. 8 is a diagram explaining an example of display when the entire notification unit is configured with a liquid crystal display or the like. FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device. FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship of the power supply circuits in the front panel and the main body device. FIG. 11 is a flowchart explaining an example of USB charging operation executed by the control unit. FIG. 12 is a diagram explaining the USB charging operation. FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device used in embodiment 5.FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the power supply circuitry in the front panel and main body device used in embodiment 5. FIG. 11 is a flowchart explaining an example of a processing operation example in embodiment 6. FIG. 12 is a diagram explaining an example of information display by a notification unit. FIG. 13 is a diagram explaining auxiliary charging using a battery on the front panel as an external power source. FIG. 14 is a flowchart explaining an example of a processing operation example in embodiment 7. FIG. 15 is a flowchart explaining an example of a processing operation example in embodiment 8. FIG. 16 is a flowchart explaining an example of a processing operation example in embodiment 9.

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0022] <Terminology> The aerosol generating device according to each embodiment is a form of electronic cigarette. In the following description, the substance generated by the aerosol generating device is referred to as aerosol. Aerosol refers to a mixture of tiny liquid or solid particles suspended in a gas and air or other gases. In each embodiment, an aerosol generating device that generates aerosol without combustion is described. In the following description, the user's inhalation of the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating device is referred to as "inhalation" or "puffing." In each embodiment, an aerosol generating device to which a solid aerosol source can be attached is described. Note that the container that stores 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. For this reason, guidelines for replacement are set for capsules and stick-type substrates.

[0023] <First Embodiment> <External Appearance Example> First, an external appearance example of the aerosol generation device used in the first embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generation device 1 observed from diagonally above. Fig. 2 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generation device 1 observed from diagonally below. Fig. 3 is a view explaining an example of the configuration of the notification unit 103 provided on the front panel 10. Fig. 4 is a view of the aerosol generation device 1 observed from above with the shutter 30 removed. Fig. 5 is a view of the main device 20 observed from the front with the front panel 10 removed. Fig. 6 is a view of the back side of the front panel 10 removed from the main device 20.

[0024] The aerosol generation device 1 used in this embodiment has a size that allows the user to hold it in one hand. The aerosol generation device 1 has a main body device 20, a front panel 10 attached to the front of the main body device 20, and a shutter 30 that is arranged on the top surface of the main body device 20 and can be slid along the top surface. The front panel 10 is a member that can be attached to and detached from the main body device 20. The front panel 10 is attached and detached by the user.

[0025] The front panel 10 attached to the main unit 20 covers the front portion of the main unit 20, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In other words, even after the front panel 10 is attached, the main unit 20 can be observed from the outside except for the front portion. For example, the side, back, top, and bottom surfaces of the main unit 20 can be observed from the outside even after the front panel 10 is attached. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front panel 10 attached to the main unit 20 is continuously connected to the side, top, and bottom surfaces of the main unit 20 without any steps, forming a unified appearance. Thus, one of the roles of the front panel 10 is decoration. Note that the side, top, and bottom surfaces of the main unit 20 are examples of parts not covered by the front panel 10.

[0026] The front panel 10 is provided with a notification unit 103. In this embodiment, the notification unit 103 is a segment display that indicates the remaining charge of a battery built into the front panel 10 or the main device 20. In this embodiment, the notification unit 103 is composed of 10 segments. Each segment is composed of an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and the lighting and extinguishing of each LED is controlled by a switch SW connected in series to the LED. A transistor, for example, is used for the switch SW. The lighting and blinking of the LED represent the operating status of the main device 20, etc. The operating status also includes errors. The lighting and blinking of the LED are controlled by a control unit 206 (see FIG. 7 ), which will be described later.

[0027] In addition to its decorative role, the front panel 10 also serves to buffer the propagation of heat emitted from the main unit 20. For this reason, in the present 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 in which aerosol generation is possible.

[0028] Furthermore, the front panel 10 serves to protect the main device 20 from dirt, scratches, etc. The battery-equipped front panel 10 serves to increase the amount of power available to the entire aerosol generation device 1. The front panel 10 used in this embodiment is deformed when the user presses a position below the notification unit 103 with their fingertip, and restores its original shape when the user stops pressing.

[0029] The inside of the front panel 10 used in this embodiment is fitted with a power supply unit 101 capable of discharging electricity, a power supply circuit 102 that supplies the power stored in the power supply unit 101 to the main device 20, a communication unit 104 that is capable of communicating with at least the main device 20, and a fuel gauge 105 that measures the remaining amount of power stored in the power supply unit 101. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 101 is assumed to be, for example, a film-type primary battery, a coin-type primary battery, or a chip-type primary battery. These batteries are detachable from the front panel 10.

[0030] 6 is an example of the arrangement of the power supply unit 101, power supply circuit 102, communication unit 104, and fuel gauge 105. Also, a plurality of power supply units 101 may be attached to the front panel 10. The front panel 10 in this embodiment is an example of a cover member. The main body panel 10A that forms the exterior of the front panel 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an example of a main body.

[0031] A Type C USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector 21 is provided on the bottom side of the main device 20. The shape and type of the USB connector 21 are merely examples. In other words, the USB connector 21 may be a USB connector other than Type C. In the case of the first embodiment, the USB connector 21 is used, for example, to charge a power supply unit 201 (see FIG. 7 ) built into the main device 20.

[0032] A hole 22 is provided on the top surface of the main device 20 for inserting a stick-shaped substrate 210 (see FIG. 7 ) that houses an aerosol source. The stick-shaped substrate 210 used in this embodiment houses a solid aerosol source in a paper tube formed into a substantially cylindrical shape. The hole 22 is exposed by sliding the shutter 30 to the open position, and is concealed by sliding the shutter 30 to the closed position. In the case of embodiment 1, the hole 22 has substantially the same cylindrical shape as the stick-shaped substrate 210. The diameter of the opening of the hole 22 is a dimension that allows the stick-shaped substrate 210 to be inserted. In other words, the diameter of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is a dimension that allows it to be inserted into the hole 22.

[0033] A magnet, for example, is attached to the back surface of the shutter 30. Meanwhile, a Hall IC is attached to the main device 20 within the movable range of the shutter 30. The Hall IC is a magnetic sensor comprised of a Hall element and an operational amplifier, etc., and outputs a voltage according to the strength of the magnetic field that crosses the Hall element. In this embodiment, the opening and closing of the shutter 30 is detected from 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 or closed position.

[0034] A button 20B is located approximately in the center of the front of the main device 20. As described above, the button 20B can be operated with the front panel 10 attached. The button 20B is used, for example, to turn the power of the main device on and off, turn on and off the power supply to the heating unit 207 (see FIG. 7 ) that heats the aerosol source, and issue a Bluetooth (registered trademark) pairing command. Note that if the button 20B is pressed and held (for example, for 5 seconds or more) with the front panel 10 detached from the main device 20, a reset function is activated. In this embodiment, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) is used as Bluetooth.

[0035] Magnets 20C used to attach the front panel 10 are located at the top and bottom of the front of the main unit 20. The magnets 20C are positioned opposite the magnet 10C located inside the front panel 10. For example, if the magnet 10C on the front panel 10 has a north pole, the magnet 20C on the main unit 20 has a south pole. The front panel 10 is detachably attached to the main unit 20 by the attractive force between the magnets. Note that either the magnets 10C or 20C may be a piece of iron or other magnetic metal. Attachment of the front panel 10 to the main unit 20 is detected by a Hall IC located on the main unit 20. The main unit 20 also contains various electronic components necessary for aerosol generation. In this sense, the main unit 20 is an example of an electronic device specialized for aerosol generation. In a narrow sense, the main unit 20 is referred to as an aerosol generating device. An LED 20A is also located on the front of the main unit 20. The LED 20A is used to display the operating status of the main unit 20.

[0036] <Internal Configuration> Fig. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device 1. Fig. 7 also illustrates a state in which the stick-shaped substrate 210 is attached to the main device 20. The internal configuration shown in Fig. 7 is intended to explain the components provided on the front panel 10 and the main device 20 and their positional relationship. For this reason, the appearance of the components, etc. shown in Fig. 7 does not necessarily match the appearance diagram described above. Fig. 8 is a diagram schematically illustrating the connection relationship of the power supply circuits in the front panel 10 and the main device 20.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 7 , the front panel 10 is provided with a power supply unit 101 that stores electricity, a power supply circuit 102 that supplies power from the power supply unit 101 to the main device 20 and other devices, a notification unit 103 that notifies the remaining battery charge of the entire aerosol generation device 1, a communication unit 104 that notifies the main device 20 of the remaining battery charge of the power supply unit 101, and a remaining battery gauge 105 that measures the remaining battery charge of the power supply unit 101. In FIG. 8 , the power supply unit 101 is shown as having a primary battery 101A. The primary battery 101A here is, for example, a lithium battery or an alkaline battery. The primary battery 101A is an example of a second battery. The primary battery 101A functions as a secondary battery or auxiliary battery for the secondary battery 201A on the main device 20 side.

[0038] The power supply circuit 102 is configured, for example, by a step-up DC / DC circuit. The power supply circuit 102 supplies a constant voltage (e.g., 5 V) to the main device 20 regardless of the output voltage of the power supply unit 101. The power supply circuit 102 is provided with a circuit for preventing reverse current flow. Incidentally, power supply from the power supply circuit 102 to the main device 20 may be contact or non-contact. Contact power supply may be achieved, for example, by mechanical contact of electrodes, mechanical contact using spring-loaded electrode pins (pogo pins), or by connector coupling. Contactless power supply may be achieved, for example, by electromagnetic induction, such as the Qi standard or the NFC (Near Field Communication) standard, or by electric field induction.

[0039] The communication unit 104 is a communication interface for communicating with the main device 20. In this embodiment, the communication unit 104 notifies the main device 20 of the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A. The communication unit 104 also receives control data for the notification unit 103 from the main device 20. The control data includes, for example, the number and position of segments to be lit by the notification unit 103 and the number and position of segments to be extinguished. The control data also includes instructions for LED blinking and the color of light emitted. The communication unit 104 communicates with the main device 20 using a method compliant with any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of communication standards include wireless LAN (Local Area Network), serial signal line, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark). In this embodiment, communication with the user's smartphone or server is performed by the communication unit 205 of the main device 20. However, the communication unit 104 of the front panel 10 may also be provided with a function for communicating with devices other than the main device 20.

[0040] The fuel gauge 105 is a circuit that calculates the remaining capacity of the primary battery 101A based on the power supply current IBAT and power supply voltage VBAT that appear on the power supply line of the primary battery 101A. The calculation of the remaining capacity by the fuel gauge 105 may be performed, for example, at a predetermined cycle or timing, or may be performed only when instructed by the control unit 206 of the main unit 20. The calculated remaining capacity is transmitted to the main unit 20 via the communication unit 104. The system power supply Vsys required for the operations of the notification unit 103, communication unit 104, and fuel gauge 105 is supplied from the step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 101B.

[0041] The step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 101B is a voltage conversion circuit that generates a 3.3 V system power supply Vsys from the output voltage of the primary battery 101A and supplies it to the notification unit 103, communication unit 104, and fuel gauge 105. Therefore, all of the power required for the operation of the notification unit 103 and other units is supplied from the primary battery 101A of the front panel 10. In other words, the power required for the operation of the notification unit 103 and other units provided on the front panel 10 does not need to be supplied from the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20.

[0042] Meanwhile, the main device 20 has a power supply unit 201, a sensor unit 202, a notification unit 203, a memory unit 204, a communication unit 205, a control unit 206, a heating unit 207, a heat insulating unit 208, and a holding unit 209. As described above, Fig. 7 shows a state in which the stick-shaped substrate 210 is held by the holding unit 209. In this state, the user inhales the aerosol.

[0043] The power supply unit 201 in this embodiment is a unit that supplies power to the main device 20. The power supply unit 201 stores power using, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery or a capacitor. FIG. 8 shows an example in which power is stored in a secondary battery 201A. The secondary battery 201A is an example of a first battery. The secondary battery 201A can be charged from an external power source. In this embodiment, the external power source may be, for example, a commercial power source, a mobile battery, or the primary battery 101A of the front panel 10.

[0044] In addition, the power supply section 201 is provided with a power supply unit 201B. The power supply unit 201B switches the power supply path and converts the voltage level depending on the operating mode. The power supply unit 201B outputs, for example, 3.3 V (i.e., "system power") to a power supply line to which the sensor section 202, the notification section 203 (excluding the LED 20A), the storage section 204, the communication section 205, and the control section 206 are connected. The power supply unit 201B also outputs, for example, 5 V to the power supply line to which the LED 20A is connected, and outputs, for example, 4.2 V to the power supply line to which the heating section 207 is connected.

[0045] Furthermore, when charging the secondary battery 201A with an external power supply, the power supply unit 201B outputs, for example, 4.2 V to the power supply line to which the secondary battery 201A is connected. The external power supply here includes a commercial power supply, a mobile battery, and also the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10. A USB cable is used to supply power from the commercial power supply or the mobile battery, and therefore the power supply terminal corresponding to these is represented by VUSB in FIG. 8.

[0046] The sensor unit 202 is an electronic component that detects various types of information related to the main device 20. The sensor unit 202 includes, for example, a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor and a flow rate sensor. The sensor unit 202 as a sensor outputs the detected information to the control unit 206. For example, when the sensor unit 202 detects a change in air pressure or air flow caused by inhalation, it outputs a numerical value representing the user's inhalation to the control unit 206.

[0047] The sensor unit 202 has an input device that accepts input from, for example, a user. The input device may be, for example, a button or a switch. In this embodiment, a button 20B (see FIG. 5) is used as the input device. The button 20B is used to switch the main power supply on and off, and to start and stop the supply of power to the heating unit 207 (i.e., start and stop the generation of aerosol). The content of the user's instruction is output from the sensor unit 202 to the control unit 206. Note that the button 20B is not only an example of a button, but also an example of a switch.

[0048] In addition, the sensor unit 202 has a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heating unit 207. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of the heating unit 207 based on, for example, 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 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 by the holding unit 209.

[0049] The sensor unit 202 also includes a capacitance sensor, an optical sensor, a pressure sensor, etc. that detect the insertion of the stick-shaped substrate 210 into the holding unit 209. The sensor unit 202 also includes an optical color sensor and an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) reader, etc. that identify the individual stick-shaped substrate 210. The sensor unit 202 also includes a biosensor that measures the user's heart rate, etc., and a fingerprint sensor used for unlocking. The sensor unit 202 also includes an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, etc. that detect the user's movement.

[0050] The notification unit 203 is an electronic component that notifies the user of various information related to the main device 20. The notification unit 203 includes an LED 20A and other light-emitting devices. For example, the LED 20A emits light in different patterns when the power supply unit 201 needs to be charged, when the power supply unit 201 is charging, and when an abnormality occurs in the main device 20. The patterns include different colors and different timings for turning on and off the light. However, when the front panel 10 with the notification unit shown in FIG. 1 is attached to the main device 20, the LED 20A is controlled to be off. This is because the notification unit 103 can replace the function of the LED 20A. This is also to reduce power consumption. However, when a front panel 10 with a light-transmitting window or slit facing the LED 20A is attached to the main device 20, the LED 20A is controlled to be on.

[0051] The notification unit 203 may be configured with a display device that displays images, a sound output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates the main body device 20, or the like, in addition to or instead of the light-emitting device described above. The light-emitting device, display device, sound output device, vibration device, etc. are also examples of a notification unit that notifies information. In addition, the notification unit 203 may notify the user that it is now possible to inhale the aerosol. This notification is given when the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 210 heated by the heating unit 207 reaches a predetermined temperature.

[0052] The storage unit 204 stores various information related to the operation of the main device 20. The storage unit 204 is configured with a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. The information stored in the storage unit 204 includes, for example, an OS (Operating System), FW (Firmware), and other programs. The information stored in the storage unit 204 also includes, for example, information related to the control of electronic components. The control information includes information related to the user's suction, such as the number of suctions, the suction time, and the cumulative suction time.

[0053] The communication unit 205 is a communication interface for enabling communication between the main device 20 and other devices. The communication unit 205 communicates with other devices in accordance with any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of communication standards include wireless LAN (=Local Area Network), wired LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark). For example, the communication unit 205 transmits information about the user's inhalation to a smartphone. The communication unit 205 also downloads update programs and profiles that define the temperature change of the heating unit 207 in heating mode from a server. The communication unit 205 also transmits signals to the power supply circuit 102 to start or stop power supply.

[0054] The control unit 206 functions as an arithmetic processing unit or control device, and controls the operation of the main unit 20 in accordance with various programs. The control unit 206 may also control the operation of the power supply circuit 102 provided in the front panel 10. Control signals are transmitted via a signal line different from the power supply line. For example, serial communication methods such as I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) communication, SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communication, and UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) communication are used for communication within the main unit 20. The SPI communication method or UART communication method is used for communication with the power supply circuit 102 of the front panel 10. BLE, for example, is used as the communication line.

[0055] The control unit 206 is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphical Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), etc. The control unit 206 may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs, calculation parameters, etc., and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores parameters that change as appropriate.

[0056] The control unit 206 executes various processes and controls through the execution of programs. The processes and controls here include, for example, power supply from the power supply unit 201 to other electronic components, charging of the power supply unit 201, detection of information by the sensor unit 202, notification of information by the notification unit 203, storage and reading of information by the memory unit 204, and transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 205. Note that communication by the communication unit 205 also includes communication with the front panel 10. In addition, the control unit 206 also controls input of information to electronic components, processing based on information output from electronic components, and the like.

[0057] The holding part 209 is a roughly cylindrical container. In this embodiment, the space inside the holding part 209, which is defined by the inner wall and the bottom surface, is referred to as the internal space 209A. The internal space 209A is roughly columnar. The holding part 209 is provided with an opening 209B that connects the internal space 209A to the outside. The stick-shaped substrate 210 is inserted into the internal space 209A from this opening 209B. The stick-shaped substrate 210 is inserted until its tip hits the bottom 209C. Only a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is accommodated in the internal space 209A. A state in which the stick-shaped substrate 210 is accommodated in the internal space 209A is referred to as the stick-shaped substrate 210 being held in the internal space 209A.

[0058] The holding part 209 is formed so that the inner diameter of at least a portion of its axial direction is smaller than the outer diameter of the stick-shaped substrate 210. For this reason, the outer peripheral surface of the stick-shaped substrate 210 inserted into the internal space 209A is subjected to pressure from the inner wall of the holding part 209. This pressure holds the stick-shaped substrate 210 in the internal space 209A. The holding part 209 also has the function of defining the flow path of air passing through the stick-shaped substrate 210. An air inlet, which is the entrance of air to the flow path, is located, for example, in the bottom part 209C. Note that the opening 209B corresponds to an air outlet, which is the air outlet.

[0059] In the present embodiment, only a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is held in the holding portion 209, with the remainder protruding from the housing. Hereinafter, the portion held in the holding portion 209 will be referred to as the substrate portion 210A, and the portion protruding from the housing will be referred to as the mouthpiece portion 210B. At least the substrate portion 210A houses an aerosol source. The aerosol source is a substance that is atomized by heating to generate an aerosol. Aerosol sources include shredded tobacco, as well as processed products in which tobacco raw materials are formed into granules, sheets, or powder, and other tobacco-derived substances.

[0060] Furthermore, the aerosol source may include non-tobacco-derived substances made from plants other than tobacco, such as mint or herbs. For example, the aerosol source may include a flavoring component such as menthol. If the main device 20 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source may include a medication for inhalation by the patient. Note that the aerosol source is not limited to solids and may be, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin or propylene glycol, or a liquid such as water.

[0061] At least a portion of suction mouth portion 210B is held in the user's mouth when inhaling. When the user holds suction mouth portion 210B in their mouth and inhales, air flows into internal space 209A through the air inlet hole. The inflowing air passes through internal space 209A and base portion 210A and reaches the user's mouth. The air that reaches the user's mouth contains aerosol generated in base portion 210A.

[0062] The heating unit 207 is composed of a heater or other heat generating element. The heating unit 207 is composed of any material such as metal or polyimide. The heating unit 207 is, for example, in the form of a film, and is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the holding unit 209. The aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 210 is heated and atomized by the heat generated by the heating unit 207. The atomized aerosol source is mixed with air or the like to generate an aerosol. In the case of FIG. 7 , the area near the periphery of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is heated first, and the heated range gradually moves toward the center.

[0063] Therefore, atomization of the aerosol source begins near the periphery of the stick-shaped substrate 210 and gradually moves toward the center. The heating unit 207 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 201. For example, when a predetermined user input is detected via the sensor unit 202, power supply to the heating unit 207 is permitted. The user input here includes operation of the shutter 30 (see FIG. 1) or button 20B (see FIG. 5). However, power supply to the heating unit 207 is premised on the front panel 10 (see FIG. 1) being attached to the main device 20. By attaching the front panel 10, it is possible to reduce the temperature transmitted to the user's hand compared to when the front panel 10 is not attached.

[0064] When the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 210 heated by the heating unit 207 reaches a predetermined temperature, the user becomes able to inhale. The inhalation of the aerosol by the user is detected by a flow rate sensor or the like of the sensor unit 202 and stored in the storage unit 204. Thereafter, when a predetermined user input is detected by the sensor unit 202, power supply to the heating unit 207 is stopped. It is also possible to employ a system in which power is supplied to the heating unit 207 while the sensor unit 202 detects inhalation by the user, and power supply to the heating unit 207 is stopped when inhalation by the user is no longer detected by the sensor unit 202.

[0065] 7, the heating unit 207 is disposed outside the stick-shaped substrate 210, but the heating unit 207 may be a blade-shaped metal piece that is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 210, or a metal piece built into the stick-shaped substrate 210. When a metal piece that functions as the heating unit 207 is built into the stick-shaped substrate 210, a coil for induction heating may be disposed around the holding unit 209.

[0066] The heat insulating section 208 is a member that reduces the propagation of heat generated in the heating section 207 to the surrounding area. For this reason, the heat insulating section 208 is arranged so as to cover at least the outer peripheral surface of the heating section 207. The heat insulating section 208 is made of, for example, a vacuum insulation material, an aerogel insulation material, or the like. A vacuum insulation material is an insulation material in which, for example, glass wool and silica (silicon powder) are wrapped in a resin film and placed in a high vacuum state, thereby reducing the thermal conduction of gases to as close to zero as possible.

[0067] <Example of Processing Operation> An example of processing operation executed by the control unit 206 (see FIG. 7) will be described below. <Attachment Detection Operation> FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the front panel attachment detection operation executed by the control unit 206. This operation is executed not only before heating by the heating unit 207 (see FIG. 7) starts but also after heating starts, and is always executed in the background. Note that the symbol S in the figure indicates a step. First, the control unit 206 determines whether the front panel 10 (see FIG. 1) is attached to the main unit 20 (see FIG. 1) (step 1).

[0068] If the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20, a positive result is obtained in step 1. On the other hand, if the front panel 10 is detached from the front of the main device 20, a negative result is obtained in step 1. Attachment and 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 cancels the prohibition on heating the aerosol source by the heating unit 207 (step 2).

[0069] However, lifting the prohibition on heating is separate from starting heating. Heating of the stick-shaped substrate 210 (see FIG. 7), which is the aerosol source, is started by pressing and holding the button 20B (see FIG. 5) from above the front panel 10 for at least one second. If a negative result is obtained in step 1, the control unit 206 controls the heating unit 207 to prohibit heating of the aerosol source (step 3). After step 2 or step 3 is executed, the control unit 206 returns to step 1 and repeatedly determines whether the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20. This pre-attachment detection operation prevents the user from directly touching the main device 20 during the heating operation.

[0070] <Displaying the Total Remaining Amount> Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the processing operation related to the function of displaying the total remaining amount of the primary battery 101A (see Figure 8) in the front panel 10 and the secondary battery 201A (see Figure 8) in the main body device 20. In this embodiment, the display of the total amount by the notification unit 103 (see Figure 8) in the front panel 10 is realized through processing by the control unit 206 (see Figure 8) in the main body device 20. First, the control unit 206 determines whether or not an operation to display the remaining amount of the battery has been detected (step 11). Examples of such operations include opening the shutter 30 (see Figure 1), double-pressing the button 20B, or receiving an instruction from a smartphone.

[0071] If the operation to be detected is not detected, a negative result is obtained in step 11. In this case, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 11. If the operation to be detected is detected, a positive result is obtained in step 11. In this case, the control unit 206 acquires the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 (step 12). The remaining charge here can be acquired from a fuel gauge (not shown) provided in the main unit 20. The configuration of the fuel gauge may be the same as that of the fuel gauge 105 provided on the front panel 10.

[0072] Next, the control unit 206 acquires the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 (step 13). Specifically, the control unit 206 acquires, via communication, information on the remaining charge calculated by the fuel gauge 105 provided in the front panel 10. Next, the control unit 206 calculates the total remaining charge of the batteries available in the entire device (step 14). Note that the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 is converted into the unit of the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A in the main body device 20. In this embodiment, for simplicity, it is assumed that the power amount of the primary battery 101A and the power amount of the secondary battery 201A when fully charged are the same. In this case, the total remaining battery charge can be calculated by adding the two remaining charges.

[0073] Once the total value is calculated, the control unit 206 notifies the front panel 10 of the total remaining battery power (step 15). In this embodiment, the total remaining battery power is notified to the notification unit 103 (see FIG. 7) in the form of the number and position of lit segments. Simultaneously with the notification in step 15, the control unit 206 also starts measuring the elapsed time. Upon receiving the notification, the front panel 10 displays the total remaining battery power (step 16). This display is achieved by lighting up the segments that make up the notification unit 103. Thereafter, the control unit 206 determines whether a certain period of time has elapsed (step 17). This certain period of time is predetermined as the time for displaying the total remaining battery power.

[0074] If the certain time has not elapsed, a negative result is obtained in step 17. In this case, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 17. In contrast, if the passage of the certain time is detected, a positive result is obtained in step 17. In this case, the control unit 206 instructs the front panel 10 to turn off the lights (step 18). Upon receiving this instruction, the front panel 10 ends the display of the total value (step 19). Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the display of the remaining battery capacity usable in the entire aerosol generation device 1. In Figure 11, five segments are lit. A user who sees this display can recognize that the remaining battery capacity is half of what it would be when fully charged.

[0075] In this embodiment, the remaining battery power displayed by notification unit 103 is the sum of the remaining power of secondary battery 201A in main unit 20 and the remaining power of primary battery 101A in front panel 10. Incidentally, in the case of FIG. 11, the remaining power of secondary battery 201A in main unit 20 is equivalent to one segment, and the remaining power of primary battery 101A in front panel 10 is equivalent to four segments. Therefore, five segments are lit. In the case of FIG. 11, the breakdown of the remaining power of each battery is not displayed.

[0076] <Auxiliary Charging Operation> FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the operation of charging the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 using the primary battery 101A of the front panel 10 (i.e., auxiliary charging). The supplementary charging operation is also constantly performed in the background. The control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 is less than a threshold V1 (step 21). The threshold V1 here is an example of a predetermined criterion. If the remaining charge is equal to or greater than the threshold V1, a negative result is obtained in step 21. If a negative result is obtained in step 21, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 21. On the other hand, if the remaining charge is less than the threshold V1, a positive result is obtained in step 21. In this case, the control unit 206 starts supplying power from the primary battery 101A of the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 (step 22).

[0077] In this embodiment, the control unit 206 instructs the power supply circuit 102 of the front panel 10 to start supplying power. As a result, a boosted voltage, for example, 5V, is supplied from the output terminal of the power supply circuit 102 to the power supply unit 201B (see FIG. 8 ) of the main unit 20. The power supply unit 201B also converts the 5V voltage supplied from the primary battery 101A (as an external power source) to 4.2V DC / DC and supplies the 4.2V voltage to the power line connected to the secondary battery 201A. This starts charging the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20. Next, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 is greater than a threshold V2 (>V1) (step 23). If the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A is equal to or less than the threshold V2, a negative result is obtained in step 23. On the other hand, if the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A is greater than the threshold V2, a positive result is obtained in step 23.

[0078] If a negative result is obtained in step 23, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 is less than a threshold V3 (step 24). The threshold V3 here defines the timing for stopping power supply from the front panel 10 to the main unit 20. If the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 is equal to or greater than the threshold V3, a negative result is obtained in step 24. On the other hand, if the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 is less than the threshold V3, a positive result is obtained in step 24. If a negative result is obtained in step 24, the control unit 206 returns to step 23 and repeats the determination in step 23. Note that if a positive result is obtained in step 23 or if a positive result is obtained in step 24, the control unit 206 stops power supply from the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 (step 25).

[0079] A positive result in step 23 means that the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 has recovered to the target level. On the other hand, a positive result in step 24 means that the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 is low. The control unit 206 then terminates charging of the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 using the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 as an external power source. Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating auxiliary charging using the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 as an external power source. The horizontal axis in the diagram represents time, the upper half of the vertical axis represents the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20, and the lower half of the vertical axis represents the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10.

[0080] In the example shown in Figure 13, both the primary battery 101A and the secondary battery 201A are fully charged in the initial state T11. Time point T12 in Figure 13 represents a state in which the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 has fallen below threshold V1. The primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 remains fully charged. However, the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 may also be decreasing. Auxiliary charging begins at time T12. As a result of auxiliary charging, the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 decreases, while the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 increases. In the example shown in Figure 13, the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 has not reached threshold V2, but charging of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 as an external power source has stopped because its remaining charge has fallen below threshold V3.

[0081] <USB Charging Operation> Incidentally, the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 can also be charged by connecting a USB cable. FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the USB charging operation executed by the control unit 206. The USB charging operation is also constantly executed in the background. First, the control unit 206 determines whether a USB connection has been detected (step 31). If a USB cable is not connected to the USB connector 21, a negative result is obtained in step 31. In this case, the control unit 206 repeatedly executes the determination in step 31.

[0082] On the other hand, if a USB cable is connected to the USB connector 21 (see FIG. 2), a positive result is obtained in step 31. In this case, the control unit 206 starts charging the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 (step 32). Next, the control unit 206 determines whether the secondary battery 201A of the main device is at a full charge voltage (step 33).

[0083] If the secondary battery 201A has not reached the full charge voltage, a negative result is obtained in step 33. On the other hand, if the secondary battery 201A has reached the full charge voltage, a positive result is obtained in step 33. If a negative result is obtained in step 33, the control unit 206 determines whether the USB cable has been removed (step 34). If the USB cable remains connected, a negative result is obtained in step 34. On the other hand, if the USB cable is removed during charging, a positive result is obtained in step 34. If a negative result is obtained in step 34, the control unit 206 returns to step 33 and repeats the determination in step 33.

[0084] If a positive result is obtained in step 33 or if a positive result is obtained in step 34, the control unit 206 stops charging the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 (step 35). The control unit 206 then terminates the USB charging operation. Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating the USB charging operation. The horizontal axis in the diagram 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 primary battery 101A in the front panel 10.

[0085] In the example shown in FIG. 15, in the initial state T21, neither the primary battery 101A nor the secondary battery 201A is fully charged. In particular, the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 is nearly empty. Time point T22 represents a state in which the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 is low. The remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A is almost empty. When a USB cable is connected in this state, USB charging begins. As a result, by the end of USB charging at T23, the secondary battery 201A has returned to a fully charged state. Note that in this embodiment, since the battery in the front panel 10 is the primary battery 101A, power recovery by USB charging is not performed. To restore power to the front panel 10, the primary battery 101A must be replaced.

[0086] <Summary> As described above, the main device 20 (see FIG. 1) described in this embodiment can be fitted with a front panel 10 incorporating a primary battery 101A. Furthermore, when the front panel 10 incorporating a primary battery 101A is fitted to the main device 20, it becomes possible to charge the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 using the primary battery 101A as an external power source. As a result, the operating time of the main device 20 is longer than when a front panel 10 not incorporating a primary battery 101A is fitted.

[0087] Fig. 16 is a diagram illustrating the amount of power available for the entire aerosol generation device 1. The vertical axis in the diagram represents the amount of power available for the entire aerosol generation device 1. As shown in Fig. 16, it can be seen that the amount of power available increases when the front panel 10 incorporating the primary battery 101A is attached to the main device 20 compared to when only the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is used.

[0088] Furthermore, a user who attaches a battery-equipped front panel 10 to the main device 20 is primarily interested in the current battery consumption and remaining charge of the aerosol generation device 1 as a whole, with the breakdown of remaining charge for each battery being secondary. To address this user's interest, the front panel 10 of this embodiment is provided with a notification unit 103 (see FIG. 1) that expresses the total remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A (see FIG. 8) of the main device 20 and the primary battery 101A (see FIG. 8) of the front panel 10 as the number of segments. This allows the user to easily grasp the total remaining charge of the batteries available for use in the entire aerosol generation device 1.

[0089] <Embodiment 2> In this embodiment, a correction function for the available power amount, i.e., the remaining battery charge, depending on the difference in the power supply path from the front panel 10 to the main device 20 will be described. The internal and external configurations of the aerosol generation device 1 are the same as those of embodiment 1. Fig. 17 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A of the front panel 10 used as an auxiliary power source and the remaining charge that can be used by the main device 20.

[0090] The diagram in Figure 17 shows the power supply path for wired and wireless connections. However, only one of wired and wireless connections is used for power supply between the front panel 10 and the main unit 20. Therefore, the memory unit 204 and control unit 206 of the main unit 20 only need to store the relationship according to the power supply path to be used. Basically, the power supply efficiency of a wired connection is higher than that of a wireless connection, and loss on the power supply path can be almost negligible.

[0091] 17, if the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 is A [Wh], the equivalent value of the power available to the main device 20 is A0 (<A) [Wh]. For example, A0 is approximately 90% of A. On the other hand, in the case of a wireless connection, even if the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 is A [Wh], the equivalent value of the power available to the main device 20 is B (<A0) [Wh]. The equivalent value B here depends on the power supply efficiency. For example, in the case of an electromagnetic induction system or an electric field coupling system, the power supply efficiency is approximately 90% or less. In addition, in the case of a magnetic field resonance system, the power supply efficiency is approximately 60% or less.

[0092] Figure 18 is a diagram illustrating another example of the processing operation related to the function of displaying the total remaining charge of the primary battery 101A (see Figure 8) in the front panel 10 and the secondary battery 201A (see Figure 8) in the main unit 20. In Figure 18, parts corresponding to those in Figure 10 are assigned the same reference numerals. Note that the processing operation shown in Figure 18 is only necessary when, for example, a wireless connection is used to supply power from the front panel 10 to the main unit 20. However, the processing operation shown in Figure 18 may be executed when accurately calculating the remaining charge even with a wired connection.

[0093] In the processing operation shown in FIG. 18 , the control unit 206 corrects the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 between steps 13 and 14 (step 13A). From step 14 onward, the corrected remaining charge is used to calculate the total remaining charge of the batteries, which is then displayed on the notification unit 103. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display of the remaining charge of the batteries available in the entire aerosol generation device 1. In FIG. 19 , parts corresponding to those in FIG. 11 are denoted with corresponding reference numerals. In the case of FIG. 19 , the corrected remaining charge is used as the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10. Specifically, the corrected remaining charge is represented by three segments. Therefore, a total of four segments, including one segment representing the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20, are lit in the notification unit 103.

[0094] Figure 20 is a diagram illustrating auxiliary charging using the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 as an external power source. In Figure 20, parts corresponding to those in Figure 13 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In Figure 20, the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A in the front panel 10 at time T12 when auxiliary charging is performed is equivalent to four segments. However, when auxiliary charging is performed, a loss equivalent to one segment occurs in the power supply path from the front panel 10 to the main unit 20. Therefore, the increase in the remaining charge at time T13 when auxiliary charging is completed is limited to three segments.

[0095] In this embodiment, the remaining battery capacity of the primary battery 101A on the front panel 10 is corrected to the amount of power available after power is supplied to the main device 20, and the remaining battery capacity available for the entire aerosol generation device 1 is displayed, so that the actual remaining battery capacity is not displayed as being overstated. As a result, the user who checks the remaining capacity display is not led to make an erroneous judgment. In other words, it is possible to display the net remaining capacity available.

[0096] <Embodiment 3> In this embodiment, another example of the notification unit 103 will be described. The internal and external configurations of the aerosol generation device 1 are the same as those of embodiment 1. Fig. 21 is a diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of the notification unit 103 provided on the front panel 10. The notification unit 103 in this embodiment differs from the configuration assumed in embodiments 1 and 2 in that, in addition to a display field 103B showing the remaining battery charge, an explanation 103A is provided. The notification unit 103 shown in Fig. 21 has a configuration in which a display field for explanation 103A that displays a fixed phrase such as "Total remaining battery charge of the main body device and the front panel" is added to the notification unit 103 configured as shown in Fig. 3.

[0097] However, notification unit 103 may be a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, a micro LED (Light Emitting Diode) display, or other display device, and may display an image notified from main device 20. When notification unit 103 is entirely made up of a liquid crystal display or the like, it is possible to display information other than the remaining battery power.

[0098] FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating another example configuration of the notification unit 103 provided on the front panel 10. The notification unit 103 shown in FIG. 22 is configured with a liquid crystal display 103C and a display 103D consisting of 10 segments. The configuration of the display 103D is the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 22 shows an example in which, by utilizing the ability to change the display of explanatory text, a display mode that displays the "remaining battery charge of the front panel" using the number of segments, a display mode that displays the "remaining battery charge of the main device" using the number of segments, and a display mode that displays the "total remaining battery charge of the main device battery and the front panel battery."

[0099] The display mode switching here may be performed, for example, by opening and closing the shutter 30. It may also be performed by double-pressing the button 20B. It may also be performed by an instruction from a smartphone. In the case of FIG. 22, after three types of remaining amounts are displayed in sequence, the display switches to the second round of remaining amounts. That is, after the total value is displayed, the remaining amount on the front panel 10 is displayed. If a specific remaining amount to be displayed is specified from a smartphone or the like, the specified remaining amount may be displayed regardless of the previous display. Incidentally, if the entire notification unit 103 is configured from a liquid crystal display or the like, the remaining amount is switched by switching the image notified by the control unit 206.

[0100] FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating a display example when the entire notification unit 103 is configured using a liquid crystal display or the like. In FIG. 23 , the "remaining battery charge of the front panel," the "remaining battery charge of the main unit," and the "total remaining charge of the two batteries" are displayed on a single screen. A user viewing the display shown in FIG. 23 can simultaneously grasp not only the total remaining charge of the batteries available in the entire aerosol generation device 1, but also the breakdown of the remaining charge of the two batteries. In the example of FIG. 23 , the user can see that the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 is low and that USB charging will be required soon. Furthermore, if the remaining charge of the primary battery 101A of the front panel 10 is low, the user can know that the primary battery 101A will need to be replaced soon. The notification unit 103 shown in FIG. 23 may also be realized by combining the structures shown in FIG. 21 .

[0101] <Embodiment 4> In this embodiment, a case where a rechargeable secondary battery is provided on the front panel 10 will be described. The external configuration of the aerosol generation device 1 is the same as that of embodiment 1. Fig. 24 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device 1. In Fig. 24, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 7 are assigned with corresponding reference numerals. In Fig. 24, a charging circuit 106 is added to the front panel 10. The other configuration is the same as that of the front panel 10 shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 25 is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship between the front panel 10 and the power supply circuit in the main device 20. In Fig. 25, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 8 are assigned with reference numerals.

[0102] In the case of FIG. 25 , the power supply unit 101 is provided with a secondary battery 101C. Here, the secondary battery 101C is, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery. The secondary battery 101C is an example of a second battery. This secondary battery 101C also functions as a secondary battery or auxiliary battery for the secondary battery 201A on the main device 20 side. The charging circuit 106 is a circuit for charging the secondary battery 101C of the power supply unit 101 with power supplied from the main device 20 side. In this embodiment, the charging circuit 106 is formed, for example, by a step-up DC / DC circuit. When power is supplied from the main device 20, the charging circuit 106 supplies a voltage of, for example, 4.2 V to the secondary battery 101C. The charging circuit 106 is also provided with a circuit for preventing backflow of current.

[0103] Power is fed from the main device 20 to the charging circuit 106 using the same method as power is fed from the power feed circuit 102 to the main device 20. That is, contact power feeding or contactless power feeding. The operation of the charging circuit 106 is controlled by the control unit 206 of the main device 20. The SPI communication method or the UART communication method is used to send control signals. Note that the communication line uses, for example, BLE.

[0104] In the present embodiment, the same processing operations as those in the first embodiment are executed, but there is a difference in the USB charging operation. Fig. 26 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the USB charging operation executed by the control unit 206. In Fig. 26, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 14 are assigned the same reference numerals. First, the control unit 206 determines whether a USB connection has been detected (step 31). If a negative result is obtained in step 31, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 31.

[0105] On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 31, the control unit 206 starts charging the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 and the secondary battery 101C in the front panel 10 (step 32A). Note that the actual charging may be performed by first charging one of the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 or the secondary battery 101C in the front panel 10 to full capacity, and then charging the other to full capacity. However, the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 and the secondary battery 101C in the front panel 10 may be charged in parallel. Next, the control unit 206 determines whether both secondary batteries 101C and 201A are at full charge voltage (step 33A).

[0106] If either one of the batteries has not reached the full charge voltage, a negative result is obtained in step 33A. On the other hand, if both of the two secondary batteries 101C and 201A have reached the full charge voltage, a positive result is obtained in step 33A. If a negative result is obtained in step 33A, the control unit 206 determines whether the USB cable has been removed (step 34). If the USB cable remains connected, a negative result is obtained in step 34. On the other hand, if the USB cable is removed during charging, a positive result is obtained in step 34. If a negative result is obtained in step 34, the control unit 206 returns to step 33A and repeats the determination in step 33A.

[0107] If a positive result is obtained in step 33A or if a positive result is obtained in step 34, the control unit 206 stops charging the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 and the secondary battery 101C in the front panel 10 (step 35A). The control unit 206 then terminates the USB charging operation. FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating the USB charging operation. In FIG. 27, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 15 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The remaining battery levels at time T21 and time T22 in FIG. 27 are the same as those in the example of FIG. 15. However, in this embodiment, since the battery in the front panel is the secondary battery 101C, at time T23 after USB charging, not only the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 but also the secondary battery 101C in the front panel 10 have recovered to a fully charged state.

[0108] <Embodiment 5> In this embodiment, a front panel 10 with a control unit will be described. Fig. 28 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device 1 used in embodiment 5. In Fig. 28, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 24 are assigned the same reference numerals. A control unit 107 has been added to the front panel 10 shown in Fig. 28. The other configurations are the same as those of the front panel 10 shown in Fig. 24.

[0109] Here, control unit 107 can communicate with communication unit 205 of main body device 20, a smartphone, etc., via communication unit 104. For example, control unit 107 of front panel 10 acquires the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A provided in main body device 20 through communication with control unit 206 of main body device 20. In this case, control unit 107 calculates the sum of the remaining charge of secondary battery 101C provided in front panel 10 and the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A provided in main body device 20, and displays the calculated sum of the remaining charges.

[0110] FIG. 29 is a diagram schematically illustrating the connection relationship between the power supply circuits in the front panel 10 and the main unit 20 used in the fifth embodiment. In FIG. 29, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 25 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the case of FIG. 29, the control unit 107 is supplied with the system power supply Vsys from the secondary battery 101C of the front panel 10 via the step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 101B. Therefore, even if the control unit 107 is provided in the front panel 10, power from the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 is not consumed. The front panel 10 in this embodiment includes the secondary battery 101C, the communication unit 104, and the control unit 107, and therefore can operate autonomously even when detached from the main unit 20. The control unit 107 is provided with semiconductor memory required for executing its functions.

[0111] Sixth Embodiment In this embodiment, a function will be described that determines whether the remaining charge of the battery that can be used in the aerosol generation device 1 is sufficient to use up an unused stick-shaped substrate 210 (see FIG. 7 ), and notifies the user of this. An unused stick-shaped substrate 210 here refers to a stick-shaped substrate 210 that has never been heated. Therefore, if a stick-shaped substrate 210 has been inserted into the hole 22 of the main device 20 but has never been heated, it is an unused stick-shaped substrate 210. In other words, an unused stick-shaped substrate 210 refers to a brand new stick-shaped substrate 210.

[0112] Furthermore, "the remaining battery charge is sufficient to use up an unused stick-shaped substrate 210" means, for example, that the amount of power remaining is sufficient to generate an estimated amount of aerosol from an unused stick-shaped substrate 210. The estimated amount here may be determined, for example, based on the amount of aerosol source contained in the unused stick-shaped substrate 210, or based on the control profile of the heating unit 207, or may be determined according to the version or component configuration of the main device 20. The control profile determines the timing of heating and the change in target temperature after heating begins.

[0113] In addition, if multiple control profiles are provided in the main device 20 and the user can select which control profile to use to generate aerosol, the estimated amount is determined according to the control profile or heating mode selected by the user. For example, if a heating mode (hereinafter referred to as "high mode") that generates a higher amount of aerosol but consumes more power and a heating mode (hereinafter referred to as "normal mode") that generates a standard amount of aerosol but consumes less power are provided, the estimated amount is determined according to the currently selected heating mode. In addition, if the remaining battery power is insufficient to generate the estimated amount in the high mode, but sufficient to generate the estimated amount in the normal mode, the notification unit 103 may display this information.

[0114] FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing operation in the sixth embodiment. The processing operation shown in FIG. 30 is executed by the control unit 206 of the main device 20 (see FIG. 7) or the control unit 107 of the front panel 10 (see FIG. 29). The processing operation of the control unit 206 will be described below. First, the control unit 206 determines whether or not an aerosol generation request has been detected (step 41). The generation request here is detected, for example, when the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20 and button 20B is pressed and held for one second or longer with the shutter 30 open. Pressing and holding button 20B requires an operation of pressing and deforming the front panel 10 attached to the main device 20 with a finger.

[0115] If a request for aerosol generation is not 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 request for aerosol generation is detected, a positive result is obtained in step 41. In this case, the control unit 206 acquires the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main body device 20 (step 42). Next, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main body device 20 is below a capacity sufficient to use up unused stick-shaped substrates 210 (step 43).

[0116] If the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A exceeds the reference capacity, a negative result is obtained in step 43. In this case, control unit 206 supplies power to heating unit 207 from secondary battery 201A of main unit 20 (step 52). That is, aerosol generation using secondary battery 201A of main unit 20 is initiated. On the other hand, if the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A is below the reference capacity, a positive result is obtained in step 43. In this case, control unit 206 acquires the remaining charge of the battery of front panel 10 (step 44). The battery here may be primary battery 101A or secondary battery 101C, depending on the type of attached front panel 10. It is desirable to convert the remaining charge here into a remaining charge that can actually be used by main unit 20, as described in embodiment 2.

[0117] Next, the control unit 206 determines whether the total remaining charge of the two batteries exceeds the capacity determined in step 43 (step 45). If the total remaining charge of the two batteries is less than the capacity determined in step 43, a negative result is obtained in step 45. In this case, the control unit 206 ends the process without starting heating. On the other hand, if the total remaining charge of the two batteries exceeds the capacity determined in step 43, a positive result is obtained in step 45. In this case, the control unit 206 displays the total remaining charge of the two batteries (step 46). Next, the control unit 206 displays a message that the unused stick-shaped substrate can be used up by utilizing the secondary battery of the front panel 10 (step 47).

[0118] Fig. 31 is a diagram illustrating an example of information displayed by the notification unit 103. In Fig. 31, the parts corresponding to those in Fig. 21 are assigned the same reference numerals. In addition to explanation 103A that indicates that the total remaining charge of two batteries is being displayed and a display field 103B for the total remaining charge of the two batteries, notification unit 103 shown in Fig. 31 also displays explanation 103E that indicates that the remaining charge of the front panel battery can be utilized, a "Use" button 103F, and a "Do not utilize" button 103G.

[0119] In the example of FIG. 31 , the explanation 103E reads, "The remaining battery charge of the main device is quite low, but by utilizing the remaining battery charge in the front panel, it is possible to use up the unused stick-shaped substrates." This explanation 103E allows the user to decide whether to utilize the remaining battery charge in the front panel 10. Next, the control unit 206 determines whether to utilize the remaining battery charge in the front panel 10 (step 48). Because heating of the stick-shaped substrate 210 does not begin while the secondary battery 201A is charging, the control unit 206 prompts the user to make a selection. If an instruction not to utilize the remaining battery charge in the front panel 10 is received, a negative result is obtained in step 48. In this case, the control unit 206 ends the process without starting heating by the heating unit 207.

[0120] If an instruction to utilize the remaining battery power of the front panel 10 is received, a positive result is obtained in step 48. In this case, the control unit 206 starts supplying power from the battery of the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 (step 49). Note that in FIG. 30, the secondary battery 201A is switched between charging and not charging after user confirmation, but after executing step 47, the process may proceed directly to step 49. Next, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining power of the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 has recovered the capacity determined in step 43 (step 50). If the recovery of capacity is not confirmed, a negative result is obtained in step 50. In this case, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 50.

[0121] On the other hand, if capacity recovery is confirmed, a positive result is obtained in step 50. In this case, the control unit 206 stops supplying power from the battery in the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 (step 51). FIG. 32 is a diagram illustrating auxiliary charging using the battery in the front panel 10 as an external power source. The horizontal axis in the diagram 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 battery in the front panel 10. As mentioned above, the battery in the front panel 10 may be either the primary battery 101A or the secondary battery 101C. At time T31, both the battery in the front panel 10 and the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 are fully charged.

[0122] Time point T32 in Figure 32 represents a state in which the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A in main device 20 has fallen below the capacity required to fully use up an unused stick-shaped substrate 210. The battery in front panel 10 remains fully charged. However, the remaining charge of the battery in front panel 10 may also be low. In either case, by utilizing the remaining charge of the battery in front panel 10, it is possible to recover the remaining charge of secondary battery 201A in main device 20.

[0123] Auxiliary charging begins at time T32. As a result of auxiliary charging, the remaining battery charge in the front panel 10 decreases, while the remaining charge in the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 increases. At time T33, charging stops when the remaining charge in the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 has recovered to the capacity required to use up the unused stick-shaped substrate 210. Thereafter, the control unit 206 supplies power to the heating unit 207 from the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 (step 52).

[0124] In the present embodiment, even when the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is less than the capacity required to use up the unused stick-shaped substrate 210, the battery of the front panel 10 is utilized to restore the capacity of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20, so that even when heating is started, it is possible to use up the unused stick-shaped substrate 210. Furthermore, if the capacity of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 cannot be restored even when the battery of the front panel 10 is utilized, heating of the heating unit 207 is not initiated, so that heating ends before the unused stick-shaped substrate 210 is used up, and it is possible to prevent a situation in which the stick-shaped substrate 210 has to be discarded.

[0125] Seventh Embodiment In this embodiment, an example will be described in which a determination is made as to whether secondary battery 201A of main device 20 is low in charge, regardless of an aerosol generation request, and if a low charge is predicted, charging of secondary battery 201A is initiated in preparation for future inhalation. FIG. 33 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing operation in the seventh embodiment. In FIG. 33, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 30 are assigned the same reference numerals. The processing operation shown in FIG. 33 is also executed by control unit 206 of main device 20 (see FIG. 7) or control unit 107 of front panel 10 (see FIG. 29). Below, it will be described as a processing operation of control unit 206. Control unit 206 of main device 20 determines whether it is a predetermined timing (step 41A).

[0126] Examples of predetermined timing include when the number of stick-shaped substrates 210 sucked in after the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is fully charged reaches a reference value (e.g., 10), when a predetermined number of heating start operations are detected, when a time set by a timer (e.g., 6:00 a.m. every morning), or when the user has not been sucked in a period of time identified by machine learning. Note that another condition for the predetermined timing may be that the difference ΔC (=FC1−FC2) between the full charge capacity FC1 of the secondary battery 201A on the main device 20 side and the full charge capacity FC2 of the secondary battery 101C on the front panel 10 side is greater than the current capacity C of the secondary battery 201A on the main device 20 side.

[0127] If the determination in step 41A shows that the predetermined timing has not occurred, the control unit 206 on the main device 20 side obtains a negative result in step 41A. In this case, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 41A. On the other hand, if the determination in step 41A shows that the predetermined timing has occurred, the control unit 206 on the main device 20 side obtains a positive result in step 41A. In this case, the control unit 206 acquires the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 regardless of a generation request from the user (step 42).

[0128] Next, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is below a capacity sufficient to use up the unused stick-shaped substrate 210 (step 43). If a negative result is obtained in step 43, there is no need to charge the secondary battery 201A. Therefore, the control unit 206 ends the process. On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 43, the control unit 206 obtains the remaining charge of the battery of the front panel 10 (step 44).

[0129] Next, the control unit 206 determines whether the total remaining charge of the two batteries exceeds the capacity determined in step 43 (step 45). If the total remaining charge of the two batteries is less than the capacity determined in step 43, a negative result is obtained in step 45. In this case, the control unit 206 terminates the process because charging will not restore the power required for the secondary battery 201A. The control unit 206 may notify the user of the need for charging. On the other hand, if the total remaining charge of the two batteries exceeds the capacity determined in step 43, a positive result is obtained in step 45. In this case, the control unit 206 displays the total remaining charge of the two batteries (step 46). Next, the control unit 206 displays a message that the unused stick-shaped substrate can be used up by utilizing the battery in the front panel 10 (step 47).

[0130] In this embodiment, step 49 is initiated without inquiring of the user about the utilization of the remaining battery power of the front panel 10. That is, the control unit 206 starts supplying power from the battery of the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 (step 49). Next, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining power of the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 has recovered the capacity determined in step 43 (step 50). If the recovery of the capacity is not confirmed, a negative result is obtained in step 50. In this case, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 50.

[0131] On the other hand, if the recovery of capacity is confirmed, a positive result is obtained in step 50. In this case, control unit 206 stops supplying power from the battery in front panel 10 to secondary battery 201A in main unit 20 (step 51). In this manner, in this embodiment, the remaining charge shortage in secondary battery 201A in main unit 20 is resolved before the user requests aerosol generation. As a result, the user can start inhaling aerosol at the time of their choice.

[0132] Eighth Embodiment In this embodiment, an example will be described in which charging of secondary battery 201A of main unit 20 is started regardless of whether the remaining battery charge of front panel 10 is excessive or insufficient. Fig. 34 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing operation in the eighth embodiment. In Fig. 34, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 30 are assigned the same reference numerals. The processing operation shown in Fig. 34 is also executed by control unit 206 of main unit 20 (see Fig. 7) or control unit 107 of front panel 10 (see Fig. 29). Below, it will be described as the processing operation of control unit 206.

[0133] First, the control unit 206 determines whether or not an aerosol generation request has been detected (step 41). If a negative result is obtained in step 41, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 41. On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 41, the control unit 206 acquires the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main body device 20 (step 42). Next, the control unit 206 determines whether or not the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main body device 20 is below a capacity sufficient to use up unused stick-shaped substrates 210 (step 43).

[0134] If a negative result is obtained in step 43, the control unit 206 supplies power to the heating unit 207 from the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 (step 52). That is, aerosol generation using the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is initiated. On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 43, the control unit 206 acquires the remaining charge of the battery of the front panel 10 (step 44). Next, the control unit 206 displays the total remaining charge of the two batteries (step 46). In the present embodiment, since step 45 is not executed, there is no guarantee that the capacity of the unused stick-shaped substrate 210 will be fully used up, but the control unit 206 starts supplying power from the battery of the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 (step 49).

[0135] Thereafter, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 has recovered to the capacity of step 43 (step 50). If a negative result is obtained in step 50, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining charge of the battery in the front panel 10 is less than a threshold value V3 (step 61). If the remaining charge of the battery in the front panel 10 is equal to or greater than the threshold value V3, a negative result is obtained in step 61. In this case, the control unit 206 returns to step 50.

[0136] If the remaining battery charge of the front panel 10 is less than the threshold V3, a positive result is obtained in step 61. In this case, the control unit 206 proceeds to step 52. However, in this case, the start of heating is insufficient to provide enough power to use up the unused stick-shaped substrate 210. However, this can meet the user's need to inhale aerosol to the extent possible even before the secondary battery 201A is fully charged. Return to the explanation of step 50. If a positive result is obtained in step 50, the control unit 206 stops supplying power from the battery of the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 (step 51). Thereafter, the control unit 206 proceeds to step 52. In this case, it is possible to use up the unused stick-shaped substrate 210.

[0137] In this embodiment, before checking whether the sum of the remaining charge of the battery in the front panel 10 and the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 is greater than or equal to the capacity required to fully use up the unused stick-shaped substrate 210, the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 is charged using the remaining charge of the battery in the front panel 10. As a result, if the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A recovers the capacity required to fully use up the unused stick-shaped substrate 210, the unused stick-shaped substrate 210 can be used without waste. Furthermore, even if the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A does not recover the capacity required to fully use up the unused stick-shaped substrate 210, the remaining charges of the two batteries can be maximized to generate aerosol.

[0138] <Embodiment 9> In this embodiment, aerosol generation by a battery in the front panel 10 will be described. Fig. 35 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing operation in embodiment 9. In Fig. 35, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 30 are assigned the same reference numerals. The processing operation shown in Fig. 35 is also executed by the control unit 206 of the main unit 20 (see Fig. 7) or the control unit 107 of the front panel 10 (see Fig. 29). Below, it will be described as the processing operation of the control unit 206.

[0139] First, the control unit 206 determines whether or not a request for aerosol generation has been detected (step 41). If a negative result is obtained in step 41, the control unit 206 repeats the determination in step 41. On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 41, the control unit 206 acquires the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main body device 20 (step 42). Next, the control unit 206 determines whether or not the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main body device 20 is below a capacity sufficient to use up the stick-shaped substrate 210 (step 43).

[0140] If a negative result is obtained in step 43, the control unit 206 supplies power to the heating unit 207 from the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 (step 52). That is, aerosol generation using the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20 is initiated. On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 43, the control unit 206 acquires the remaining charge of the battery of the front panel 10 (step 44). Next, the control unit 206 displays the total remaining charge of the two batteries (step 46).

[0141] Thereafter, the control unit 206 determines whether the remaining battery charge of the front panel 10 exceeds the capacity of step 43 (step 71). If the remaining battery charge of the front panel 10 is less than the capacity of step 43, the control unit 206 ends the process without heating the heating unit 207. On the other hand, if the remaining battery charge of the front panel 10 exceeds the capacity of step 43, the control unit 206 displays a message that the unused stick-shaped substrate 210 can be used up by utilizing the battery of the front panel (step 47), and supplies power to the heating unit 207 from the battery of the front panel 10 (step 72).

[0142] In the present embodiment, even if the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20 is insufficient, if the remaining charge of the battery of the front panel 10 exceeds the capacity required to use up the unused stick-shaped substrate 210, the remaining charge of the battery of the front panel 10 is used to start heating the stick-shaped substrate 210. In this case, aerosol can be generated without further reducing the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20.

[0143] <Other Embodiments> (1) Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope described in the above-described embodiments. It is clear from the claims that various modifications or improvements to the above-described embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0144] (2) In the above-described embodiment, the joint between the front panel 10 and the main device 20 is continuously connected without any steps, forming a unified appearance. However, the joint may have steps or notches as long as the appearance is unified with the main device 20.

[0145] (3) In the above embodiment, the aerosol source is described as a solid, but the aerosol source may be a liquid. In the case where the aerosol source is a liquid, a method is adopted in which the aerosol source is guided into a thin tube called a wick by using capillary action, and the aerosol source is evaporated by heating a coil wound around the wick.

[0146] (4) In the above embodiment, the aerosol generator generates an aerosol by heating a solid aerosol source. However, the aerosol generator may generate an aerosol by separately heating a solid aerosol source and a liquid aerosol source. This type of aerosol generator is also called a hybrid aerosol generator.

[0147] (5) In the above-described embodiments 1-3, the control unit 206 of the main device 20 controls the calculation and display of the total remaining battery capacity. However, a control unit that controls the calculation and display of the total remaining battery capacity may be provided in the front panel 10. The control unit here may be, for example, an ASIC, DSP, or FPGA. The calculation of the total capacity here is performed as a hardware-defined calculation. Note that if the front panel 10 is provided with a CPU, MPU, GPU, or the like, the calculation of the total remaining battery capacity, etc., may be performed through the execution of a program.

[0148] (6) In the above embodiment, the power from the battery in the front panel 10 and the power from the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 are output to a common power line via the power supply unit 201B (see FIG. 8 ). However, the power supplied from the battery in the front panel 10 to the main unit 20 may be supplied to each component of the main unit 20 via dedicated power lines. When supplying power via dedicated power lines, a step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit for generating a voltage suitable for each power line is provided in the front panel 10 or the main unit 20. When supplying power from the front panel 10 only to specific electronic components, a dedicated power line may be provided only for the specific electronic components.

[0149] (7) In the above-described embodiments 4 and 5, the charging circuit 106 is provided on the front panel 10, but it is also possible to adopt a configuration without the charging circuit 106. In that case, the power supply unit 201B of the main device 20 functions as the charging circuit 106 and charges the secondary battery 101C.

[0150] (8) In the above embodiment, a battery is provided on the front panel 10 of the aerosol-generating main unit 20. However, the electronic device using the battery-equipped panel is not limited to the aerosol-generating device 1 (main unit 20). That is, the battery-equipped panel may be attached to a remote control, a game console, a music player, a car navigation system, a video camera, a digital camera, an electronic dictionary, a calculator, or other electronic device. The battery-equipped panel here is an example of a cover member. Furthermore, the battery-equipped panel here is not limited to a front panel.

[0151] (9) In the above embodiment, a film-type lithium battery or a capacitor was assumed as the battery provided in the front panel 10, but a coin-shaped or chip-shaped battery may also be used.

[0152] (10) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which aerosol generation was permitted when the front panel 10 was attached to the main device 20. However, the main device 20 may be capable of generating aerosol even when the front panel 10 is not attached. In this case, attaching the front panel 10 to the main device 20 is used to expand the functions executable by the main device 20. For example, when the front panel 10 is removed, the main device 20 operates solely on the built-in secondary battery 201A (see FIG. 8 ), while when the main device 20 is attached to a battery-equipped front panel 10, functions that use power from the batteries (primary battery 101A, secondary battery 101C) of the front panel 10 are enabled.

[0153] (11) In the above-described embodiment, a state in which aerosol generation is possible has been described as an example of an operable aerosol generation device 1 (main unit 20). However, this is not limited to this. For example, even if aerosol generation is not possible due to a power shortage, the aerosol generation device 1 (main unit 20) is operable as long as other functions are operating. Examples of other functions include a function to check and display the remaining charge of the secondary battery 201A, etc., a function to acquire and display the inhalation history, and a function to communicate with an external terminal.

[0154] (12) In the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which the front panel 10 attached to the main device 20 was pressed and deformed to operate the buttons 20B provided on the main device 20. However, instructions to the main device 20 may be input using methods other than deformation of the front panel 10. For example, a touch panel may be provided on the front panel 10, and information indicating a user's operation on the touch panel may be communicated to the control unit 206 (see FIG. 7) of the main device 20 via the communication unit 104 (see FIG. 7). Alternatively, for example, switches or buttons may be provided on the front panel 10, and the presence or absence of an operation on these may be communicated to the control unit 206 (see FIG. 7) of the main device 20 via the communication unit 104 (see FIG. 7). The touch panel, switches, etc. here are examples of an operation unit. Note that a heat-shielding structure is employed on the surface and interior of this type of main device 20.

[0155] (13) In the sixth and eighth embodiments, step 43 (see FIG. 30) is executed based on the detection of a request for aerosol generation, and in the seventh embodiment, step 43 (see FIG. 33) is executed based on the detection of a predetermined timing. However, other events may also be detected. Examples of other events include the shutter 30 being slid to the open position and the remaining battery power being displayed (including when instructed by the user).

[0156] (14) In the aforementioned sixth and eighth embodiments, etc., an example was described in which power supply from the battery on the front panel 10 to the secondary battery 201A on the main device 20 is initiated when a request for aerosol generation is received, provided that certain conditions are further satisfied. However, it may take a long time for the secondary battery 201A on the main device 20 to recover a capacity sufficient to completely use up the stick-shaped substrate 210. Therefore, the control unit 206 may be provided with a function to notify the user of the charging progress and current capacity of the battery 201A on the main device 20 via the LED 20A (see FIG. 5 ) or a notification unit provided on the front panel 10, or a function to notify a smartphone or the like. Furthermore, the control unit 206 may be provided with a function to notify the user that aerosol generation or heating of the aerosol source is possible, or a function to notify a smartphone or the like, when it is detected that a capacity sufficient to completely use up the stick-shaped substrate 210 has been recovered. The inclusion of these functions can improve the user's predictability.

[0157] <Summary> The present disclosure includes the following configurations. (1) A cover member detachable from an electronic device powered by a built-in first battery, the cover member having a second battery, a power supply circuit that supplies power from the second battery to the electronic device, and a notification unit that notifies the total value of the remaining charges of the first battery and the second battery. (2) The cover member described in (1), in which the notification unit notifies the total value calculated using the remaining charge of the second battery corrected according to the efficiency of power supply from the second battery to the electronic device. (3) The cover member described in (1) or (2), further including a charging circuit that receives power from the electronic device and charges the second battery. (4) The cover member described in any one of (1) to (3), in which the notification unit individually notifies the remaining charges of the first battery and the second battery in response to a user operation. (5) The cover member described in any one of (1) to (4), further including a control unit that calculates the total value and displays it on the notification unit. (6) The cover member according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the notification unit displays a total value acquired through communication with the electronic device. (7) The cover member according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the main body unit attached to the electronic device covers a portion of the surface of the electronic device. (8) The cover member according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the main body unit, when attached to the electronic device, allows a user to press the main body unit to operate a switch on the electronic device that is located opposite the main body unit. (9) The cover member according to any one of (1) to (7), further comprising an operation unit that receives a user operation and notifies the electronic device. (10) The cover member according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the main body unit attached to the electronic device forms an appearance that is integrated with the portion of the electronic device that is not covered by the main body unit. (11) A cover member described in any one of (1) to (10), wherein the electronic device is an aerosol generating device having a heating unit that heats the aerosol source, and attachment of the main body unit to the aerosol generating device is one of the conditions that enables the heating unit to heat the aerosol source.(12) The cover member according to (11), wherein, when the remaining charge of the first battery is less than the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source but the sum of the remaining charges of the first battery and the second battery exceeds the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source, the notification unit notifies that it is possible to use up the one unused aerosol source by utilizing the remaining charge of the second battery. (13) The cover member according to (11), wherein, when the remaining charge of the first battery is less than the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source but the remaining charge of the second battery exceeds the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source, the notification unit notifies that it is possible to use up the one unused aerosol source by utilizing the remaining charge of the second battery.

[0158] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Aerosol generating device, 10...Front panel, 10A...Main body panel, 10C, 20C...Magnet, 20...Main body device, 20B...Button, 20A...LED, 21...USB connector, 22...Hole, 30...Shutter, 101, 201...Power supply unit, 101A...Primary battery, 101B...Step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit, 101C, 201A...Secondary battery, 102...Power supply circuit, 103, 203...Notification unit, 104, 205...Communication unit, 105...Fuel gauge, 106...Charging circuit, 107...Control unit, 202...Sensor unit, 204...Memory unit, 206...Control unit, 207...Heating unit, 208...Insulating unit, 209...Holding unit, 210...Stick-shaped substrate

Claims

1. A cover member that can be attached to and detached from an electronic device that is operated by a built-in first battery, A second battery; and a power supply circuit that supplies power from the second battery to the electronic device; a notification unit that notifies a total value of a remaining charge of the first battery and a remaining charge of the second battery; A cover member having

2. the notification unit notifies the total value calculated using a remaining charge of the second battery corrected according to an efficiency of power supply from the second battery to the electronic device. The cover member according to claim 1 .

3. a charging circuit that receives power from the electronic device and charges the second battery; The cover member according to claim 1 , further comprising:

4. the notification unit notifies the user of the remaining charge of the first battery and the remaining charge of the second battery individually in response to a user operation. The cover member according to claim 1 .

5. A control unit that calculates the total value and displays it on the notification unit. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the notification unit displays the total value acquired through communication with the electronic device. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. The main body attached to the electronic device covers a part of a surface of the electronic device. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. When the main body is attached to the electronic device, a user can press the main body to operate a switch on the electronic device that is provided at a position facing the main body. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

9. The electronic device further includes an operation unit that receives an operation from a user and notifies the electronic device of the operation. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

10. The main body attached to the electronic device forms an appearance that is integrated with the part of the electronic device that is not covered by the main body. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

11. The electronic device is an aerosol generating device having a heating unit that heats an aerosol source, Attaching the main body to the aerosol generation device is one of the conditions that enables the heating unit to heat the aerosol source. The cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

12. When the remaining charge of the first battery is less than the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source, but the sum of the remaining charge of the first battery and the remaining charge of the second battery is greater than the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source, The notification unit notifies that it is possible to use up one unused aerosol source by utilizing the remaining charge of the second battery. A cover member according to claim 11.

13. If the first battery has a remaining capacity less than the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source, but the second battery has a remaining capacity greater than the capacity required to use up one unused aerosol source, The notification unit notifies that it is possible to use up one unused aerosol source by utilizing the remaining charge of the second battery. A cover member according to claim 11.