Cover, and aerosol generation device

Abstract

This cover is mounted to a main body having a heating section that heats a base material including an aerosol source, the cover being provided with: a sensor that detects external information other than internal information related to a state of the main body and internal information related to a state of the cover; a communication section that performs communication; and an output section that outputs the external information detected by the sensor to an external device other than the cover via the communication section.

Description

Cover, aerosol generating device

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

[0002] Conventionally, suction devices capable of detecting a user's biological information have been proposed. For example, a suction device described in Patent Literature 1 includes an operation unit that accepts operations by a user and a biological information detection unit that detects the user's biological information, and the biological information detection unit is disposed on or near the operation unit.

[0003] International Publication No. 2021 / 240617

[0004] From the viewpoint of user convenience, it is desirable to be able to check not only biometric information but also other external information other than information related to the status of the aerosol generating device. The present disclosure aims to provide a cover or the like that allows the user to check external information.

[0005] The present disclosure, which has been completed with this objective in mind, provides a cover to be attached to a main body having a heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source. The cover includes a sensor that detects internal information related to the state of the main body and external information other than the internal information related to the state of the cover, a communication unit for communication, and an output unit that outputs the external information detected by the sensor to an external device other than the cover via the communication unit. Here, the sensor may be provided at either end in a centerline direction of a columnar holding unit formed on the main body to accommodate a portion of the substrate. The cover may further include a plurality of connecting units that connect to the main body, and the sensor may be provided closer to the opening of the holding unit than the plurality of connecting units in a centerline direction of the columnar holding unit formed on the main body to accommodate a portion of the substrate. The sensor may detect temperature or humidity, and the output unit may output to the external device, based on the temperature or humidity detected by the sensor, that the temperature or humidity is appropriate for storing the substrate. If the sensor fails, the output unit may output a signal indicating that the sensor has failed to the external device. The aerosol generating device may further include a plurality of sensors, each of which includes a memory unit configured to store, for each sensor, whether or not a notification is required when the sensor fails. When one of the sensors fails, the output unit outputs a signal to the external device if the memory unit stores information indicating that a notification is required when the sensor fails, and does not output a signal to the external device if the memory unit stores information indicating that a notification is not required when the sensor fails. The communication unit may be capable of communicating via a plurality of wireless communications having different communication distances, and one of the plurality of antennas used for each of the plurality of wireless communications may be provided at one end of a columnar holder formed on the main body to accommodate a portion of a substrate that holds an aerosol source, and the other antenna may be provided at the other end. From another perspective, the present disclosure provides an aerosol generating device comprising: a main body having a heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source; and the cover disclosed above that is attached to the main body.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, a cover or the like that allows external information to be confirmed can be provided.

[0007] 1 is an example of a view of the aerosol generation device as seen from diagonally above the front. FIG. 2 is an example of a view of the aerosol generation device as seen from diagonally below the front. FIG. 3 is an example of a view of the main body with the cover removed as seen from the front. FIG. 4 is an example of a view of the cover as seen from the rear. FIG. 5 is an example of a view schematically showing an example of the configuration of the main body. FIG. 6 is an example of a view schematically showing the configuration of the cover. FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of a state in which the generation device is held in the right hand. FIG. 8 is a view showing an example of a state in which the generation device is held in the left hand. FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of information stored in a memory unit. FIG. 10 is a view showing an example of information output by an output unit to a portable terminal. FIG. 11 is a view showing an example of information output by an output unit to a portable terminal. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of heating control processing performed by a control unit. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of on / off control processing performed by a control unit. FIG. 14 is a view showing an example of information output by an output unit to a portable terminal. FIG. 15 is a view showing an example of the correspondence between sensors and whether or not output to the portable terminal is required.

[0008] FIG. 1 is an example of a view of the aerosol generation device 1 as viewed from diagonally above the front. FIG. 2 is an example of a view of the aerosol generation device 1 as viewed from diagonally below the front. FIG. 3 is an example of a view of the main body 100 as viewed from the front side with the cover 10 removed. FIG. 4 is an example of a view of the cover 10 as viewed from the rear side. FIG. 5 is an example of a view schematically showing an example of the configuration of the main body 100. FIG. 6 is an example of a view schematically showing the configuration of the cover 10. The aerosol generation device 1 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the "generation device 1") has a main body 100 having a heating unit 170 that heats a substrate 500 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the "substrate 500") containing an aerosol source, and a cover 10 that is detachable from the main body 100.

[0009] The main body 100 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 101 that houses the heating unit 170 and other components. The cover 10 covers one surface of the housing 101. Hereinafter, of the six surfaces of the housing 101, the surface to which the cover 10 is attached will be referred to as the front surface 102, the left side surface as viewed from the front surface 102 will be referred to as the left side surface 103, the right side surface as viewed from the front surface 102 will be referred to as the right side surface 104, the upper surface as the top surface 105, and the lower surface as the bottom surface 106. Furthermore, of the six surfaces of the housing 101, the surface that is connected to the left side surface 103, the right side surface 104, the top surface 105, and the bottom surface 106 and is different from the front surface 102 will be referred to as the back surface 107. The cover 10 covers the front surface 102 of the housing 101, and the left side surface 103, the right side surface 104, the top surface 105, the bottom surface 106, and the back surface 107 are exposed to the outside when the cover 10 is attached.

[0010] (Main body 100) As shown in Fig. 5, the main body 100 includes a power supply unit 110, a sensor unit 120, a notification unit 130, a memory unit 140, a communication unit 150, a control unit 160, a heating unit 170, a heat insulating unit 180, and a holding unit 190. The power supply unit 110, the sensor unit 120, the notification unit 130, the memory unit 140, the communication unit 150, the control unit 160, the heating unit 170, and the heat insulating unit 180 are housed in a housing 101. The main body 100 also has a shutter 194 (see Fig. 1) that is disposed on an upper surface 105 and can be slid along the upper surface 105. Each component will be described below in order.

[0011] ((Power Supply Unit 110)) The power supply unit 110 has a battery 111 that stores power and a power supply unit 112 that supplies power. The battery 111 can be, for example, a rechargeable battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. The battery 111 may be charged by being connected to an external power source via a cable or the like connected to a USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal 113. The battery 111 may also be charged using wireless power transmission technology while not being connected to a power transmitting device. Alternatively, the battery 111 may be removable from the main unit 100 and may be replaceable with a new battery 111.

[0012] The power supply unit 112 supplies power to each component of the main body 100 under the control of the control unit 160. The power supply unit 112 also supplies power to the cover 10. The power supply unit 112 supplies power to the cover 10, for example, by contactless power transmission. An example of contactless power transmission is power transmission by short-range wireless communication. This makes it possible to supply power to the cover 10 with a simple configuration.

[0013] (Sensor Unit 120) The sensor unit 120 detects various pieces of information related to the main body 100. The sensor unit 120 then outputs the detected information to the control unit 160. As an example, the sensor unit 120 is configured with a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor, a flow rate sensor, or a temperature sensor. When the sensor unit 120 detects a value associated with inhalation by the user, it outputs information indicating that the user has inhaled to the control unit 160. As another example, the sensor unit 120 is configured with an input device such as a button or a switch that accepts information input from the user. In particular, the sensor unit 120 may include a button that instructs the start / stop of aerosol generation. The sensor unit 120 then outputs the information input by the user to the control unit 160. As a button, the sensor unit 120 has an operation button 121 that instructs the start of aerosol generation. As shown in FIG. 3, the operation button 121 is provided so as to be exposed from the front surface 102 of the housing 101.

[0014] (Notification unit 130) The notification unit 130 notifies the user of information. As an example, the notification unit 130 is configured with a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode). In this case, the notification unit 130 emits light in different light-emitting patterns when the battery 111 of the power supply unit 110 needs to be charged, when the battery 111 is being charged, when an abnormality has occurred in the main body 100, etc. The light-emitting pattern here is a concept that includes color, timing of turning on / off, etc. The notification unit 130 may be configured with a display device that displays images, a sound output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates, etc., together with or instead of the light-emitting device.

[0015] A display window 108 is formed on the front surface 102 of the housing 101, and transmits light emitted by a light-emitting device such as an LED as an example of the notification unit 130. The light-emitting device is provided behind the display window 108.

[0016] ((Storage unit 140)) The storage unit 140 stores various information for the operation of the generation device 1. The storage unit 140 is configured, for example, by a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. One example of the information stored in the storage unit 140 is information about the OS (Operating System) of the generation device 1, such as the control details of various components by the control unit 160. Another example of the information stored in the storage unit 140 is information about suction by the user, such as the number of suctions, the time of suction, and the cumulative suction time.

[0017] ((Communication Unit 150)) The communication unit 150 is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving information between the generating device 1 and other devices. The communication unit 150 performs communication in accordance with any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of such communication standards that can be adopted include a wireless local area network (LAN), a wired LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark). As one example, the communication unit 150 transmits information about the user's inhalation to another device (e.g., the portable terminal 600 described below) in order to display the information about the user's inhalation on the other device. As another example, the communication unit 150 receives new OS information from a server in order to update the OS information stored in the storage unit 140.

[0018] (Control Unit 160) The control unit 160 functions as an arithmetic processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the generation device 1 in accordance with various programs. The control unit 160 is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a microprocessor. The control unit 160 may also include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores the programs to be used, calculation parameters, etc., and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores parameters that change as needed. The generation device 1 executes various processes under the control of the control unit 160. Examples of processes controlled by the control unit 160 include power supply from the power supply unit 110 to the other components, charging of the power supply unit 110, detection by the sensor unit 120, notification of information by the notification unit 130, storage and reading of information by the memory unit 140, and transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 150. Other processes executed by the generation device 1, such as input of information to each component and processing based on information output from each component, are also controlled by the control unit 160.

[0019] (Heating unit 170) The heating unit 170 generates an aerosol by heating the aerosol source and atomizing the aerosol source. The heating unit 170 is made of any material, such as metal or polyimide. For example, the heating unit 170 is configured in a film shape and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the holding unit 190. When the heating unit 170 generates heat, the aerosol source contained in the substrate 500 is heated from the outer periphery of the substrate 500 and atomized, thereby generating an aerosol. When power is supplied from the power supply unit 110, the heating unit 170 generates heat and heats the substrate 500. When the temperature of the substrate 500 heated by the heating unit 170 reaches a predetermined temperature, the user can inhale the aerosol. Thereafter, when the sensor unit 120 detects that a predetermined user input has been made, the power supply may be stopped.

[0020] ((Thermal insulation section 180)) The thermal insulation section 180 prevents heat transfer from the heating section 170 to other components of the generating device 1. The thermal insulation section 180 is arranged so as to cover at least the outer periphery of the heating section 170. For example, the thermal insulation section 180 is made of a vacuum insulation material, an aerogel insulation material, or the like. Note that 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.

[0021] ((Holding portion 190)) The holding portion 190 has a columnar internal space 191 provided inside the housing 101 and an opening 192 formed on the upper surface 105 of the housing 101 to connect the internal space 191 to the outside. The internal space 191 is a cylindrical body having a bottom 193 as its bottom surface. The holding portion 190 is configured so that the inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the substrate 500 in at least a portion of the height direction of the cylindrical body, and can hold the substrate 500 by compressing the substrate 500 inserted into the internal space 191 from the opening 192 from the outer periphery. The holding portion 190 also has the function of defining an air flow path through the substrate 500. An air inlet, which is an entrance for air into this flow path, is located in, for example, the bottom 193. On the other hand, an air outlet, which is an exit for air from this flow path, is the opening 192. The opening 192 is exposed by sliding the shutter 194 to the open position, and is hidden by sliding the shutter 194 to the closed position.

[0022] (Shutter 194) The shutter 194 has a magnet on its back surface. Meanwhile, a magnetic sensor (not shown) that the sensor unit 120 has is attached to the top surface 105 of the housing 101 within the movable range of the shutter 194. The magnetic sensor is a Hall IC composed 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 control unit 160 detects whether the shutter 194 is open or closed from a change in the voltage output from the magnetic sensor as the shutter 194 slides.

[0023] ((Substrate 500)) The substrate 500 is a stick-shaped member. The substrate 500 includes a substrate portion 501 and a mouthpiece portion 502. The substrate portion 501 includes an aerosol source. The aerosol source is atomized by heating, generating an aerosol. The aerosol source may be derived from tobacco, such as a processed product obtained by molding cut tobacco or tobacco raw material into granules, sheets, or powder. The aerosol source may also include a non-tobacco-derived aerosol source made from plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint and herbs). As an example, the aerosol source may include a flavoring component such as menthol. When the generator 1 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source may include a medication to be inhaled by the patient. The aerosol source is not limited to a solid, but may also be a liquid such as polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin and propylene glycol, or water. At least a portion of the substrate part 501 is accommodated in the internal space 191 of the holder 190 when the substrate 500 is held by the holder 190 .

[0024] Suction mouthpiece 502 is a member that is held in the user's mouth when inhaling. At least a portion of suction mouthpiece 502 protrudes from opening 192 when substrate 500 is held by holding portion 190. When the user holds suction mouthpiece 502 protruding from opening 192 in their mouth and inhales, air flows into holding portion 190 through an air inlet hole (not shown). The inflowing air passes through internal space 191 of holding portion 190, i.e., passes through substrate 501, and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from substrate 501.

[0025] ((Example of External Configuration of Main Body 100)) As shown in FIG. 3 , main body 100 is provided so as to be exposed from front surface 102 of housing 101, and has two magnets, an upper magnet 195 and a lower magnet 196, which are used for connecting with cover 10. Upper magnet 195 and lower magnet 196 are cylindrical and have a circular shape when viewed from the front. Upper magnet 195 and lower magnet 196 are arranged so that the centers of the circles are aligned in the direction of the center line of base material 500 by holder 190 (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as the "center line direction"), and upper magnet 195 is provided at the top of main body 100, and lower magnet 196 is provided at the bottom of main body 100.

[0026] The main body 100 has an operation button 121 provided in the center in the center line direction so as to be exposed from the front surface 102 of the housing 101. In other words, the operation button 121 is disposed between the upper magnet 195 and the lower magnet 196.

[0027] The main body 100 has a display window 108 above the operation button 121, between the upper magnet 195 and the operation button 121, which allows light from a light-emitting device such as an LED to pass through to a display window 74 (described later) of the cover 10. The display window 108 is a window provided at a position corresponding to the position of the light-emitting device arranged inside the housing 101 of the main body 100, and allows light from the light-emitting device to pass through to the display window 74 of the cover 10. This allows the user to see the light from the outer surface of the cover 10.

[0028] The main body 100 has a magnetic sensor 122. The magnetic sensor 122 detects a magnetic force based on a magnetic field applied from a magnet 75 (described later) of the cover 10. For example, the magnetic sensor 122 is preferably a Hall sensor configured using a Hall element. This makes it possible to detect whether the cover 10 is attached to the main body 100.

[0029] (Cover 10) The cover 10 will now be described in detail. As shown in Fig. 6 , the cover 10 includes a cover body 11, a power supply unit 20, a sensor unit 30, a storage unit 40, a communication unit 50, and a control unit 60.

[0030] (Cover body 11) The cover body 11 is formed into a plate shape using a light-transmitting material, covers the front surface 102 of the housing 101 of the main body 100, and is formed so that there are no steps with the left side surface 103, right side surface 104, top surface 105, and bottom surface 106 of the housing 101. As a result, the cover 10 forms an appearance that is integrated with the left side surface 103, right side surface 104, top surface 105, and bottom surface 106 of the housing 101, and has a decorative function. The cover 10 also has a function of suppressing the propagation of heat released from the main body 100. The power supply unit 20, sensor unit 30, memory unit 40, communication unit 50, and control unit 60 are attached to the cover body 11.

[0031] (Power supply unit 20) The power supply unit 20 has a battery 21 that stores power, a power supply unit 22 that supplies power to each component of the cover 10, and a power receiving unit 23 that receives power from the power supply unit 112 of the power supply unit 110 of the main body 100.

[0032] The battery 21 may be, for example, a rechargeable battery such as a film-shaped lithium-ion secondary battery. The battery 21 is charged by power supplied to the cover 10 from the power supply unit 112 of the power supply unit 110 of the main body 100.

[0033] The power supply unit 22 supplies power from the battery 21 to each component of the cover 10. The power supply unit 22 also supplies power received by the power receiving unit 23 to each component of the cover 10. As a result, each component of the cover 10, including the sensor unit 30, can be operated by the power supplied from the main body 100 to the cover 10.

[0034] When the power supply unit 112 of the main body 100 supplies power to the cover 10 by non-contact power transmission such as near-field wireless communication, the power receiving unit 23 is configured to include an NFC (Near Field Communication) reader / writer module, an NFC antenna, etc.

[0035] (Sensor unit 30) The sensor unit 30 has an ambient air sensor that detects information about the air around the generation device 1. The air information can be, for example, temperature and humidity. That is, the sensor unit 30 has, as an example of an ambient air sensor, a temperature sensor that can detect the temperature around the generation device 1 (e.g., room temperature), and a humidity sensor that can detect the ambient humidity. The air information may also be air pressure, and the sensor unit 30 may have, as an example of an ambient air sensor, an air pressure sensor that can detect the air pressure around the generation device 1.

[0036] The sensor unit 30 may also include a vital sensor that detects the user's biological information. The vital sensor may be, for example, a sensor that can detect the user's body temperature, heart rate, pulse rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood flow, or COHb (carbon monoxide hemoglobin). The sensor that detects the user's body temperature may be, for example, a sensor that converts infrared rays emitted from the forehead or the like into body temperature. The sensor that detects at least one of the heart rate, pulse rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood flow, or COHb may be, for example, an optical sensor that includes a light-emitting element that irradiates light onto the human body and a light-receiving element that receives the light irradiated by the light-emitting element through the user's body, and outputs information related to the light received by the light-receiving element. The light-emitting element is a light source, such as an LED. The light-receiving element is, for example, a photodiode. The light received by the light-receiving element is, for example, reflected light from the human body. This reflected light includes light that is scattered and reflected within the human body (i.e., scattered light).

[0037] The vital sensor may be a sensor capable of detecting the alcohol concentration in the user's breath. Additionally, the sensor unit 30 may include a distance sensor capable of detecting the distance between the generation device 1 and an object, or a color sensor capable of detecting the color of the object.

[0038] The sensor unit 30 also has a touch sensor 35 that detects whether the user is touching the cover 10. Since the user can start suction by touching the touch sensor 35, Fig. 1 and other figures show an example in which the touch sensor 35 is disposed in the center of the center line direction of the generation device 1. However, the position of the touch sensor 35 is not limited to the position shown in Fig. 1 and other figures.

[0039] Hereinafter, to distinguish it from the touch sensor 35, a sensor that detects external information other than information related to the state of the main body 100 and information other than information related to the state of the cover 10, in other words, external information other than information related to the state of the generation device 1, may be referred to as an "external sensor 31." The external sensor 31 is a collective term for sensors that detect external environmental information of the generation device 1, such as a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, and air pressure sensor, as well as vital sensors, distance sensors, and color sensors that detect biometric information of the user. The external information includes biometric information such as body temperature, heart rate, pulse rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood flow rate, COHb, and alcohol concentration, as well as external environmental information such as temperature and humidity.

[0040] ((Memory Unit 40)) The memory unit 40 stores various information for the operation of the cover 10. The memory unit 40 is configured, for example, with a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. One example of information stored in the memory unit 40 is information about the OS (Operating System) of the cover 10, such as the control details of various components by the control unit 60. The memory unit 40 also stores information acquired from the sensor unit 30. The memory unit 40 also stores a predetermined temperature range and a predetermined humidity range, which will be described later.

[0041] ((Communication Unit 50)) The communication unit 50 is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving information between the cover 10 and an external device other than the cover 10. The communication unit 50 performs communication in accordance with any wired or wireless communication standard. Such a communication standard may be, for example, a wireless local area network (LAN), a wired LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0042] The external device is a device other than the main body 100 or the generating device 1. Examples of devices other than the generating device 1 include a portable terminal 600 such as a multi-function mobile phone (a so-called "smartphone"; hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "mobile phone") owned by a user, and a server (not shown). The portable terminal 600 may also be a tablet terminal, a tablet PC, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a notebook PC. For example, the communication unit 50 transmits information detected by the sensor unit 30 to the mobile phone. The communication unit 50 also receives new OS information from a server to update the OS information stored in the storage unit 40.

[0043] Furthermore, the communication unit 50 may communicate with the main body 100 via, for example, short-range wireless communication. As described above, by supplying power from the main body 100 to the cover 10 via short-range wireless communication and having the communication unit 50 communicate with the main body 100 via short-range wireless communication, communication and power transmission between the main body 100 and the cover 10 can be efficiently achieved, and the configurations of the main body 100 and the cover 10 can be simplified. Note that, when power is supplied from the main body 100 to the cover 10 via short-range wireless communication and the communication unit 50 communicates with the main body 100 via short-range wireless communication, the communication unit 50 may be realized by the same NFC reader / writer module and NFC antenna as the power receiving unit 23. Note that, when the main body 100 and the cover 10 are connected via a physical power supply interface, the communication unit 50 may communicate with the main body 100 via this power supply interface.

[0044] (Control Unit 60) The control unit 60 functions as an arithmetic processing unit and a control device, and controls the overall operation within the cover 10 in accordance with various programs. The control unit 60 is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU and a microprocessor. The control unit 60 may also include a ROM for storing the programs to be used and calculation parameters, etc., and a RAM for temporarily storing parameters that change as appropriate. The cover 10 executes various processes under the control of the control unit 60. Power supply from the power supply unit 20 to the other components, charging of the power supply unit 20, detection by the sensor unit 30, storage and readout of information by the memory unit 40, and transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 50 are examples of processes controlled by the control unit 60. Other processes executed by the cover 10, such as input of information to each component and processing based on information output from each component, are also controlled by the control unit 60.

[0045] The control unit 60 also transmits and receives data to and from the control unit 160 of the main body 100 via the communication unit 50. The control unit 60 transmits, for example, a detection value of the sensor unit 30 to the control unit 160 of the main body 100. The control unit 60 also receives, for example, information from the control unit 160 of the main body 100 that the heating unit 170 has started heating or stopped heating.

[0046] (Magnet) As shown in Figure 4, the cover 10 has an upper magnet 71 and a lower magnet 72 on the back surface 13 of the cover main body 11, which is the surface facing the main body 100. The upper magnet 71 and the lower magnet 72 are cylindrical in shape when viewed from the rear, and are provided in positions corresponding to the upper magnet 195 and the lower magnet 196 provided on the main body 100, respectively. In other words, the upper magnet 71 and the lower magnet 72 are aligned in the center line direction, with the upper magnet 71 provided at the top of the cover 10 and the lower magnet 72 provided at the bottom of the cover 10.

[0047] For example, if the upper magnet 71 and the lower magnet 72 of the cover 10 are north poles, the upper magnet 195 and the lower magnet 196 of the main body 100 are south poles. The cover 10 is attached to the main body 100 by the mutual attraction of the magnets. Note that either the magnets provided on the cover 10 (upper magnet 71, lower magnet 72) or the magnets provided on the main body 100 (upper magnet 195, lower magnet 196) may be iron or other magnetic metal pieces. Furthermore, the cover 10 is not limited to being attached to the main body 100 by the mutual attraction of the magnets. For example, the cover 10 and the main body 100 may be physically fitted together. An example of a physically fitted structure is a structure in which a fitting tab provided on one of the cover 10 or the main body 100 (e.g., the cover 10) fits into a hole or recess formed in the other member (e.g., the main body 100).

[0048] 1 and 4, the above-described touch sensor 35 is provided midway between the upper magnet 71 and the lower magnet 72, in other words, in the center of the cover 10 in the direction of the center line. However, the position of the touch sensor 35 is not limited. Furthermore, the touch sensor 35 may be provided in multiple locations.

[0049] A display window 74 is formed in the cover body 11 between the upper magnet 71 and the lower magnet 72 and above the touch sensor 35. The display window 74 is provided at a position corresponding to a display window 108 provided in the main body 100. The cover body 11 is made of a light-transmitting material. This allows light emitted from a light-emitting element provided in the main body 100 to pass through to the front surface 12 of the cover body 11.

[0050] 4, the cover 10 has a magnet 75 to the left of the line connecting the upper magnet 71 and the lower magnet 72. The magnet 75 is provided at a position corresponding to a magnetic sensor 122 provided on the main body 100, and attachment of the cover 10 to the main body 100 is detected by the magnetic sensor 122 provided on the main body 100.

[0051] ((Positioning of external sensor 31)) The external sensor 31 of the sensor unit 30 is preferably provided at either end of the cover 10 in the center line direction, in other words, at either the first region R1 located above the upper magnet 71 or the second region R2 located below the lower magnet 72, as shown in Figure 4.

[0052] For example, if the external sensor 31 is an optical sensor, it is configured with a light-emitting element that irradiates light onto a finger or the like placed in front of the front surface 12 of the cover body 11, and a light-receiving element that receives the light irradiated by the light-emitting element through the finger or the like, so if dirt is attached to the area through which light passes, it becomes difficult to detect it accurately.

[0053] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the generator 1 is held in the right hand. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the generator 1 is held in the left hand. For example, FIG. 4 shows an example in which the external sensor 31 is provided in the first region R1. By providing the external sensor 31 in the first region R1, it is difficult for the user to touch the external sensor 31. In other words, as shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8, even if the generator 1 is held in the right hand or left hand when attracting the external sensor 31, the opening 192 side (upper side) of the holding unit 190 is less likely to be covered by the hand than the upper magnet 71, and therefore the area where the external sensor 31 is located is less likely to be touched by the hand.

[0054] In the cover 10 according to this embodiment, the external sensor 31 is positioned in an area that is difficult for the user to touch, and dirt is less likely to adhere to the front surface 12 of the cover 10, making it possible to perform detection with high accuracy.

[0055] Furthermore, by providing the external sensor 31 in the first region R1, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of the user applying stress to the external sensor 31. The external sensor 31 may also be provided in the second region R2 below the lower magnet 72. This is because even in the second region R2, the position corresponds to the little finger when the generator 1 is held in the right or left hand to perform suction with the generator 1, and the user is less likely to apply stress to the external sensor 31.

[0056] Furthermore, even if the external sensor 31 is a sensor other than an optical sensor (for example, a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor), by placing it in the first region R1 or the second region R2, it is possible to make it less susceptible to stress from the user, thereby making the external sensor 31 less likely to malfunction.

[0057] ((Output of External Sensor 31)) The control unit 60 has an output unit 61 (see FIG. 6 ) that outputs information detected by the external sensor 31 of the sensor unit 30 to an external device via the communication unit 50. The output unit 61 outputs, for example, the temperature and humidity detected by a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, which are examples of the external sensor 31, to the portable terminal 600. This allows the user to check information about the surrounding air on the portable terminal 600.

[0058] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the storage unit 40. Figs. 10 and 11 are diagrams showing an example of information output by the output unit 61 to the portable terminal 600. The output unit 61 outputs to the portable terminal 600 that the temperature or humidity is appropriate for storing the substrate 500, based on the temperature or humidity detected by the temperature sensor or humidity sensor.

[0059] For example, as shown in Fig. 9, the memory unit 40 stores a predetermined temperature range (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "predetermined temperature range") as a temperature range appropriate for storing the substrate 500. Then, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is within the predetermined temperature range, the output unit 61 outputs to the portable terminal 600 the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and a message indicating that the temperature is appropriate for storage. As a result, as shown in Fig. 10, the display unit 601 of the portable terminal 600 displays that the temperature is appropriate for storage. The predetermined temperature range can be, for example, 10°C to 28°C, preferably 17°C to 21°C.

[0060] 9, the memory unit 40 stores a predetermined humidity range (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "predetermined humidity range") as a humidity range appropriate for storing the substrate 500. When the humidity detected by the humidity sensor is within the predetermined humidity range, the output unit 61 outputs the humidity detected by the humidity sensor and a message indicating that the humidity is appropriate for storage to the portable terminal 600. As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, the display unit 601 of the portable terminal 600 displays that the humidity is appropriate for storage. The predetermined humidity range can be, for example, 66% to 74%, and preferably 68% to 72%.

[0061] The memory unit 40 stores a predetermined temperature range as a temperature range appropriate for storing the substrate 500, and stores a predetermined humidity range as a humidity range appropriate for storing the substrate 500. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is within the predetermined temperature range and the humidity detected by the humidity sensor is within the predetermined humidity range, the output unit 61 may output to the portable terminal 600 the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the humidity detected by the humidity sensor, as well as information that the temperature and humidity are appropriate for storage.

[0062] Additionally, the output unit 61 outputs information detected by a vital sensor included in the sensor unit 30 to the portable terminal 600. For example, if the vital sensor detects at least one of the user's body temperature, heart rate, pulse rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood flow rate, COHb, and alcohol concentration, the output unit 61 outputs at least one of the user's body temperature, heart rate, pulse rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood flow rate, COHb, and alcohol concentration detected by the vital sensor to the portable terminal 600. FIG. 11 shows an embodiment in which the sensor unit 30 has a vital sensor that detects the user's body temperature and heart rate, the output unit 61 outputs the body temperature and heart rate detected by the vital sensor to the portable terminal 600, and the body temperature and heart rate are displayed on the display unit 601 of the portable terminal 600. This display allows the user to check information about their own body on the portable terminal 600.

[0063] (Heating Control) The control unit 160 of the main body 100 permits the generation of aerosol when the cover 10 is attached. That is, the control unit 160 permits the heating unit 170 to heat when the cover 10 is attached to the main body 100. In other words, when the cover 10 is attached to the main body 100, the control unit 160 permits the main body 100 to heat the heating unit 170. As described above, the control unit 160 can determine that the cover 10 is attached to the main body 100 by using the output value of the Hall sensor.

[0064] Furthermore, the control unit 160 of the main body 100 may control the heating of the heating unit 170 based on the output of the sensor unit 30 of the cover 10. This makes it possible to operate the generation device 1 appropriately according to the state of the user.

[0065] The quality of the inhalation experience (e.g., smoking experience) that a user can experience by using the generator 1 may be affected by the user's physical condition. Therefore, even if the aerosol source or flavor source matches the user's preferences, if the user is not in good physical condition, the user may not be able to obtain a high-quality inhalation experience. Thus, generating aerosol using the generator 1 even when the user is in a state where they cannot obtain a high-quality inhalation experience is undesirable because it will result in a waste of the aerosol source or flavor source.

[0066] In view of the above, the generating device 1 may be configured to not permit heating by the heating unit 170 when the value detected by the vital sensor of the sensor unit 30 is outside a predetermined range, even if the cover 10 is attached to the main body 100. Hereinafter, the predetermined range of the detected value of the vital sensor that permits heating by the heating unit 170 may be referred to as the "predetermined permitted range."

[0067] For example, if the vital sensor is a sensor capable of detecting the user's body temperature, the predetermined allowable range can be 38°C or less. If the vital sensor is a sensor capable of detecting the user's heart rate, the predetermined allowable range can be 65 to 85 bpm (beats per minute). If the vital sensor is a sensor capable of detecting the user's pulse rate, the predetermined allowable range can be 65 to 100 bpm (beats per minute). If the vital sensor is a sensor capable of detecting blood oxygen saturation, the predetermined allowable range can be 96% or more. If the vital sensor is a sensor capable of detecting blood flow, the predetermined allowable range can be 20 to 60 ml / min / 100g. If the vital sensor is a sensor capable of detecting COHb, the predetermined allowable range can be less than 2%. If the vital sensor is an alcohol sensor capable of detecting the alcohol concentration in breath, the predetermined allowable range can be 0.20 mg or less.

[0068] In the generating device 1, the storage unit 140 stores a predetermined allowable range for each piece of biometric information. The control unit 160 of the main body 100 acquires the detection value of the vital sensor from the cover 10, and may not allow the heating unit 170 to heat if the detection value is outside the predetermined allowable range.

[0069] An example of the heating control process performed by the control unit 160 of the main body 100 in which heating by the heating unit 170 is permitted when the detection value of the vital sensor is within a predetermined permitted range will be described below using a flowchart. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the heating control process performed by the control unit 160. The control unit 160 repeatedly executes this process at predetermined intervals (e.g., 1 millisecond).

[0070] The control unit 160 determines whether a heating command has been issued (S1201). An example of a heating command is when the touch sensor 35 is continuously touched for a predetermined period of time (e.g., three seconds). If a heating command has been issued (YES in S1201), the control unit 160 determines whether the cover 10 is attached (S1202). This process determines whether the magnetic sensor 122 has detected a magnetic force.

[0071] If the cover 10 is attached (YES in S1202), the control unit 160 determines whether the value detected by the vital sensor is within a predetermined allowable range (S1203). If the value is within the predetermined allowable range (YES in S1203), the control unit 160 starts heating with the heating unit 170 (S1204). The control unit 160 also transmits a notification to the control unit 60 of the cover 10 that the heating unit 170 has started heating. The control unit 160 then heats the heating unit 170 in accordance with a control sequence that specifies the temporal change in the target temperature of the heating unit 170 when heating the heating unit 170, which is stored in the memory unit 140 of the main body 100, and then stops heating. After stopping heating with the heating unit 170, the control unit 160 transmits a notification to the control unit 60 of the cover 10 that the heating unit 170 has stopped heating.

[0072] On the other hand, if there is no heating instruction (NO in S1201), if the cover 10 is not attached (NO in S1202), or if the value detected by the vital sensor is not within the predetermined allowable range (NO in S1203), the control unit 160 does not start heating the heating unit 170 (S1205).

[0073] In this way, the control unit 160 of the main body 100 allows the heating unit 170 to heat when the detection value of the vital sensor is within a predetermined allowable range, thereby allowing the user to have a high-quality inhalation experience and preventing waste of aerosol sources, etc.

[0074] However, the control unit 160 may permit heating by the heating unit 170 without being based on the detection value of the vital sensor. As an example of a heating control process that is not based on the detection value of the vital sensor, the control unit 160 may start heating by the heating unit 170 when the cover 10 is attached (YES in S1202) without making the determination in S1203 of FIG.

[0075] Furthermore, the control unit 160 may permit the heating unit 170 to heat even when the cover 10 is not attached. As an example of the heating control process that permits the heating unit 170 to heat even when the cover 10 is not attached, the control unit 160 may start heating by the heating unit 170 when the detection value of the vital sensor is within a predetermined permitted range (YES in S1203) without making the determination in S1202 of FIG.

[0076] (On / Off Control of Sensor of Sensor Unit 30) Next, the timing at which the sensor switch of the sensor unit 30 is turned on and off will be described. Hereinafter, when the sensor switch is on, it may be referred to as the sensor being on, and when the sensor switch is off, it may be referred to as the sensor being off. The switch of the touch sensor 35 is always on, and outputs an on signal to the control unit 60 when the user is touching the cover 10. The external sensor 31 is switched on when an on signal is output from the touch sensor 35, in other words, when the user is touching the cover 10. When the external sensor 31 is on, it performs detection every fixed time (for example, every second).

[0077] However, the switch of the touch sensor 35 may be off when the heating unit 170 of the main body 100 is performing heating. Then, when the heating unit 170 of the main body 100 is performing heating, the touch sensor 35 may be turned off, and an on signal may no longer be output from the touch sensor 35, thereby turning off the external sensor 31. In this way, by turning off the touch sensor 35 and the external sensor 31 when the heating unit 170 of the main body 100 is performing heating, it is possible to conserve energy.

[0078] An example of the on / off control process of the sensor of the sensor unit 30 performed by the control unit 60 of the cover 10 will be described below using a flowchart. Fig. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the on / off control process performed by the control unit 60. The control unit 60 is activated, for example, when the touch sensor 35 detects that the user is touching the cover 10, and repeatedly executes the process illustrated in Fig. 13 every preset period of time (for example, 1 millisecond).

[0079] First, the control unit 60 notifies the control unit 160 of the main body 100 that the control unit 60 has been started (S1301). Then, the control unit 60 turns on the switch of the external sensor 31 (S1302) and transmits the detection value of the external sensor 31 to the control unit 160 of the main body 100 (S1303). Thereafter, the control unit 60 determines whether the heating unit 170 of the main body 100 has started heating (S1304). This is processing in which the control unit 60 determines whether it has received a notification from the control unit 160 of the main body 100 that the heating unit 170 has started heating.

[0080] If heating has started (YES in S1304), the control unit 60 turns off the switch of the touch sensor 35 (S1305). If the touch sensor 35 is off, the touch sensor 35 no longer outputs an ON signal, and the control unit 60 turns off the external sensor 31 (S1306). Thereafter, the control unit 60 determines whether the heating unit 170 of the main body 100 has stopped heating (S1307). If heating has not stopped (NO in S1307), the control unit 60 waits until heating stops.

[0081] If heating has been stopped (YES in S1307), the control unit 60 turns on the switch of the touch sensor 35 (S1308). Thereafter, the control unit 60 determines whether the touch sensor 35 has detected that the user is touching the cover 10 (S1309). If the touch sensor 35 has detected that the user is touching the cover 10 (YES in S1309), the control unit 60 performs the processes from S1302 onward. On the other hand, if the touch sensor 35 has not detected that the user is touching the cover 10 (NO in S1309), the control unit 60 transmits a command to the control unit 160 of the main body 100 to turn off the power (S1310), and turns off the power (S1311). On the other hand, if heating has not been started (NO in S1304), the control unit 60 performs the processes from S1309 onward.

[0082] (Notification in the Event of a Failure of the Sensor of the Sensor Unit 30) Next, a process in the event of a failure of the sensor of the sensor unit 30 will be described. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of information output by the output unit 61 to the portable terminal 600. When a failure occurs in the external sensor 31 of the sensor unit 30, the output unit 61 of the control unit 60 outputs to the portable terminal 600 a notification that the external sensor 31 has failed. For example, when a humidity sensor has failed, the output unit 61 outputs a notification that the humidity sensor has failed to the portable terminal 600. As a result, as shown in FIG. 14 , the display unit 601 of the portable terminal 600 displays a message that the humidity sensor has failed. Examples of failures of the external sensor 31 include a broken wire and a short circuit. The control unit 60 can determine that the external sensor 31 has failed when it is unable to obtain an output value from the external sensor 31.

[0083] The output unit 61 may output to the portable terminal 600 depending on the type of the external sensor 31. For example, the output unit 61 may output to the portable terminal 600 when the vital sensor, the temperature sensor, and the humidity sensor fail, and may not output to the portable terminal 600 when the air pressure sensor, the distance sensor, and the color sensor fail.

[0084] The reason why the vital sensor malfunctions and outputs the signal to the portable terminal 600 is that heating of the heating unit 170 is not permitted unless the detection value of the vital sensor is within a predetermined permitted range, and therefore the user may not be able to inhale aerosol if the vital sensor malfunctions. Furthermore, the reason why the temperature sensor and humidity sensor malfunctions and outputs the signal to the portable terminal 600 is that the user cannot be notified that the temperature and humidity are within the predetermined range. However, the types of external sensors 31 that output signals to the portable terminal 600 when they malfunction and the types of external sensors 31 that do not output signals to the portable terminal 600 even when they malfunction are not particularly limited. They may be set arbitrarily.

[0085] 15 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between sensors and whether or not output to the portable terminal 600 is required. The storage unit 40 stores, for each external sensor 31 included in the sensor unit 30, whether or not to output to the portable terminal 600 that the external sensor 31 has failed. In the example shown in FIG. 15 , the storage unit 40 stores information indicating that if the vital sensor, temperature sensor, or humidity sensor has failed, it is necessary to output to the portable terminal 600, and that if the air pressure sensor, distance sensor, or color sensor has failed, it is not necessary to output to the portable terminal 600.

[0086] When any of the multiple sensors fails, the output unit 61 outputs to the portable terminal 600 if it is stored in the memory unit 40 that it is necessary to notify when the sensor fails, and does not output to the portable terminal 600 if it is stored in the memory unit 40 that it is not necessary to notify when the sensor fails.

[0087] 15 , for example, if it is stored that when a vital sensor fails, it is necessary to notify the user that the vital sensor has failed, the output unit 61 outputs information that the vital sensor has failed to the portable terminal 600. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 15 , for example, if it is stored that it is not necessary to notify the user that the barometric pressure sensor has failed, the output unit 61 does not output information that the barometric pressure sensor has failed to the portable terminal 600.

[0088] As described above, the cover 10 is attached to the main body 100 having the heating unit 170 that heats the substrate 500 containing the aerosol source. The cover 10 includes an external sensor 31 as an example of a sensor that detects internal information related to the state of the main body 100 (e.g., the temperature of the heating unit 170) and external information other than the internal information related to the state of the cover 10, a communication unit 50 that performs communication, and an output unit 61 that outputs the external information detected by the external sensor 31 to an external device other than the cover 10 (e.g., a portable terminal 600) via the communication unit 50. The cover 10 configured in this manner allows the user to check biological information such as body temperature, heart rate, pulse rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood flow rate, COHb, and alcohol concentration, as well as external environmental information such as temperature and humidity, on, for example, the portable terminal 600, thereby improving user convenience.

[0089] The external sensor 31 is preferably provided at either end in the center line direction of a columnar holding portion 190 formed on the main body 100 so as to accommodate a part of the base material 500. This makes it less likely for the user to apply load to the external sensor 31, making it less likely to break down.

[0090] The cover 10 further has an upper magnet 71 and a lower magnet 72 as examples of multiple connecting parts that connect to the main body 100, and the external sensor 31 is preferably provided in the direction of the center line of a columnar holding part 190 formed on the main body 100 so as to accommodate a part of the substrate 500, closer to the opening 192 of the holding part 190 than the upper magnet 71 and the lower magnet 72. The area closer to the opening 192 (upper side) than the upper magnet 71 is an area that is unlikely to be touched by the user even when the generator 1 is held with the right or left hand during suction, and therefore dirt is unlikely to adhere to the front surface 12 of the cover 10, enabling highly accurate detection.

[0091] Furthermore, the external sensor 31 detects the temperature or humidity, and the output unit 61 outputs to an external device (e.g., the portable terminal 600) that the temperature or humidity is appropriate for storing the substrate 500 based on the temperature or humidity detected by the external sensor 31. With the cover 10 configured in this manner, the user can check, for example, on the portable terminal 600, the appropriate location for storing the substrate 500, thereby improving user convenience. Furthermore, it becomes possible to store the substrate 500 in an appropriate location.

[0092] Furthermore, when the external sensor 31 fails, the output unit 61 outputs a signal indicating that the external sensor 31 has failed to an external device (for example, the portable terminal 600). This makes it possible to notify the user that the external sensor 31 has failed.

[0093] The cover 10 includes multiple sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, vital signs sensors, etc.) and further includes a memory unit 40 that stores, for each sensor, whether or not a notification is required when the sensor malfunctions. When one of the multiple sensors malfunctions, the output unit 61 outputs a notification to an external device (e.g., a portable terminal 600) if the memory unit 40 stores information indicating that the sensor malfunctions and does not store information indicating that the sensor malfunctions. This allows the output unit 61 to selectively notify or not notify the user of a malfunction depending on the type of sensor, thereby providing the user with only the information they truly need, thereby enhancing convenience. Furthermore, this configuration also allows for greater energy savings compared to a configuration in which all sensor malfunctions are output to an external device.

[0094] (Arrangement of Antennas) Next, the arrangement of the antennas of the communication unit 50 of the cover 10 will be described. The first Wi-Fi (registered trademark) antenna 51 and the second Bluetooth (registered trademark) antenna 52, which the cover 10 uses for communication with an external device, are attached at separate locations. Because the frequency bands used by Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and Bluetooth (registered trademark) overlap, this is to prevent radio waves from interfering with each other when Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and Bluetooth (registered trademark) are used simultaneously, which could result in a decrease in communication speed or disconnection.

[0095] For example, one of the two antennas is provided at one end of both ends in the center line direction, and the other antenna is provided at the other end of both ends in the center line direction. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the first Wi-Fi (registered trademark) antenna 51 is provided in a first region R1 above the upper magnet 71, and the second Bluetooth (registered trademark) antenna 52 is provided in a second region R2 below the lower magnet 72.

[0096] In this way, the communication unit 50 of the cover 10 can communicate via multiple wireless communications (Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark)) with different communication distances. Among the multiple antennas used for each of the multiple wireless communications, a first antenna 51 (an example of one antenna) is provided at either end of the columnar holding portion 190 formed on the main body 100 in the center line direction so as to accommodate a portion of the substrate 500 that holds the aerosol source, and a second antenna 52 (an example of another antenna) is provided at the other end. This makes it possible to prevent radio waves from interfering with each other when multiple wireless communications are used simultaneously, resulting in a decrease in communication speed or disconnection.

[0097] As described above, the cover 10 configured as described above has the battery 21, and therefore the external sensor 31 can detect temperature, humidity, biological information, etc. and output the information to the portable terminal 600 even when the cover 10 is not attached to the main body 100. Therefore, the user does not need to carry the main body 100 around when searching for a suitable place to store the substrate 500.

[0098] Furthermore, by providing a battery 21 in the cover 10, even if the power supply from the main body 100 to the cover 10 becomes unstable due to some factor, stable power can be supplied from the battery 21 to each component of the cover 10, thereby stabilizing the operation of these components.

[0099] Furthermore, since the amount of power per unit time that can be supplied from the power supply unit 112 of the main body 100 to the cover 10 by non-contact power transmission such as short-range wireless communication is small, the components (e.g., external sensor 31) that can be mounted on the cover 10 are limited using only non-contact power transmission. However, by providing a battery 21, the degree of freedom in the components that can be mounted on the cover 10 can be improved.

[0100] However, it is also possible to not provide a battery 21 in the cover 10, and have the cover 10 operate only with power supplied from the main body 100 via contactless power transmission when the cover 10 is attached to the main body 100 or when the cover 10 is present in the vicinity of the main body 100.

[0101] Furthermore, in the covers 10 configured as described above, the type of sensor included in the external sensor 31 may differ for each type of cover 10. For example, one cover 10 may have only a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and an air pressure sensor, while another cover 10 may have only a vital sensor. This allows the user to change the functions provided by the generator 1 by replacing the cover 10. Furthermore, by making the cover 10 replaceable, the appearance of the generator 1 can be changed by replacing the cover 10. Therefore, the user can customize the appearance and functions of the generator 1 to suit, for example, their own preferences. As a result, the merchantability of the generator 1 can be improved.

[0102] Furthermore, by configuring the cover 10 to be detachable from the main body 100, for example, if the main body 100 breaks down, it is possible to replace only the main body 100 while continuing to use the cover 10. Since the cover 10 has a storage unit 40, when only the main body 100 is replaced, the information stored in the storage unit 140 of the main body 100 can be transferred to the storage unit 40 of the cover 10. Examples of information stored in the storage unit 140 of the main body 100 include the heating control process described with reference to FIG. 12 and a control sequence program that defines the temporal change in the target temperature of the heating unit 170 when heating the heating unit 170. Information can be transferred by contactless power transmission such as near-field wireless communication, or by providing a USB terminal on the cover 10 and connecting a cable between the USB terminal and the USB terminal 113 of the main body 100.

[0103] In the cover 10, whether or not a heating command has been issued for the heating unit 170 is determined by touching the touch sensor 35 provided in the center, but this is not a limitation. For example, a protrusion protruding from the back surface 13 toward the main body 100 may be provided at a position between the upper magnet 71 and the lower magnet 72 corresponding to the operation button 121 of the main body 100, and the operation button 121 may be pressed by the protrusion by elastically deforming the cover 10, and whether or not a heating command has been issued may be determined when the operation button 121 is operated in a predetermined manner (for example, pressed continuously for three seconds). Even in this configuration, the touch sensor 35 may be provided on the cover 10 to detect whether the user is touching the cover 10, and the external sensor 31 may be switched on when the user is touching the cover 10.

[0104] <Summary> The present disclosure includes the following configurations: (1) A cover to be attached to a main body having a heating unit that heats a substrate including an aerosol source, the cover comprising: a sensor that detects internal information related to the state of the main body and external information other than the internal information related to the state of the cover; a communication unit that performs communication; and an output unit that outputs the external information detected by the sensor to an external device other than the cover via the communication unit. (2) The cover described in (1), in which the sensor is provided at either end in a center line direction of a columnar holding unit formed on the main body to accommodate a portion of the substrate. (3) The cover described in (1), further comprising a plurality of connecting units that connect to the main body, the sensor being provided closer to the opening of the holding unit than the plurality of connecting units in a center line direction of a columnar holding unit formed on the main body to accommodate a portion of the substrate. (4) The cover described in any one of (1) to (3), in which the sensor detects temperature or humidity, and the output unit outputs to the external device that the temperature or humidity is appropriate for storing the substrate based on the temperature or humidity detected by the sensor. (5) The cover according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the output unit outputs a signal indicating that the sensor has failed to the external device when the sensor has failed. (6) The cover according to (5), wherein the cover includes a plurality of sensors and a memory unit that stores, for each sensor, whether or not an alert is required when the sensor has failed, and the output unit outputs a signal to the external device when any of the plurality of sensors has failed if the memory unit stores that an alert is required when the sensor has failed, and does not output a signal to the external device if the memory unit stores that an alert is not required when the sensor has failed. (7) The cover according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the communication unit is capable of communicating via a plurality of wireless communications having different communication distances, and one antenna of a plurality of antennas used for each of the plurality of wireless communications is provided at one end of either end in a center line direction of a columnar holder formed on the main body so as to accommodate a portion of a substrate that holds an aerosol source, and the other antenna is provided at the other end.(8) An aerosol generating device comprising a main body having a heating section for heating a substrate containing an aerosol source, and a cover described in any one of (1) to (7) attached to the main body.

[0105] 1... aerosol generating device, 10... cover, 30... sensor unit, 31... external sensor (an example of a sensor), 35... touch sensor, 40... memory unit, 50... communication unit, 51... first antenna (an example of one antenna), 52... second antenna (an example of another antenna), 60... control unit, 61... output unit, 71... upper magnet (an example of a connecting unit), 72... lower magnet (an example of a connecting unit), 100... main body (an example of an external device), 170... heating unit, 190... holding unit, 192... opening, 500... substrate, 600... portable terminal (an example of an external device)

Claims

1. A cover attached to a body having a heating portion for heating a substrate including an aerosol source, a sensor for detecting external information other than internal information related to the state of the main body and internal information related to the state of the cover; A communication unit for performing communication; an output unit that outputs the external information detected by the sensor to an external device other than the cover via the communication unit; A cover comprising:

2. The sensor is provided at either one of both ends in a center line direction of a columnar holding portion formed on the main body so as to accommodate a part of the base material. The cover of claim 1.

3. The device further includes a plurality of connecting portions that are connected to the main body, The sensor is provided on the main body in a center line direction of a columnar holding portion formed on the main body so as to accommodate a portion of the base material, and is provided on an opening side of the holding portion relative to the plurality of connecting portions. The cover of claim 1.

4. The sensor detects temperature or humidity, The output unit outputs to the external device that the temperature or humidity is appropriate for storing the base material based on the temperature or humidity detected by the sensor. A cover according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. When the sensor fails, the output unit outputs information indicating that the sensor has failed to the external device. A cover according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The sensor includes a plurality of sensors, a storage unit that stores, for each of the sensors, whether or not it is necessary to notify when the sensor breaks down; the output unit outputs to the external device when any of the plurality of sensors has failed and when it is stored in the storage unit that it is necessary to notify the external device when the sensor has failed, and does not output to the external device when it is stored in the storage unit that it is not necessary to notify the external device when the sensor has failed. The cover according to claim 5.

7. the communication unit is capable of performing communication via a plurality of wireless communication methods having different communication distances; one of the plurality of antennas used for each of the plurality of wireless communications is provided at one end of both ends in a center line direction of a columnar holding portion formed on the main body so as to accommodate a part of a base material for holding an aerosol source, and the other antenna is provided at the other end. A cover according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. A body having a heating portion for heating a substrate including an aerosol source; A cover according to claim 1 attached to the main body; An aerosol generating device comprising: