Supplemental member that can be attached to and detached from aerosol generation device

Abstract

In the present invention, a supplemental member that can be attached to and detached from an aerosol generation device comprising a control unit, a battery, and a heating unit for heating an aerosol source is provided with a storage unit that stores a control sequence for specifying heating by the heating unit.

Description

Additional member that can be attached to and detached from the aerosol generating device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an additional member that can be attached to and detached from an aerosol generating device.

[0002] The aerosol generator generates aerosol by heating an aerosol source containing a fragrance, etc., and uses a secondary battery built into the main body as its power source. A cover member may be attached to the aerosol generator for design reasons, etc.

[0003] International Publication No. 2019-084161 Patent Publication No. 2014-73135

[0004] Currently, a profile used to heat the aerosol source (hereinafter referred to as a "heating profile") is predetermined. Although some aerosol generating devices have two heating modes that generate different amounts of aerosol, a user can only select one of the predetermined modes.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present disclosure provides a technique that enables the selection of a mode other than the modes pre-prepared in an aerosol generating device.

[0006] As one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an additional component that can be attached and detached to an aerosol generating device having a control unit, a battery, and a heating unit that heats an aerosol source, and that has a memory unit that stores a control sequence that specifies heating by the heating unit.

[0007] The storage unit may store a second control sequence that is different from the control sequence stored in the aerosol generation device.

[0008] If the memory unit is rewritable, a second control sequence downloaded from an external terminal or an aerosol generating device may be written to the memory unit.

[0009] The device may further include a communication unit that communicates with an external terminal or an aerosol generation device to acquire the second control sequence.

[0010] The attached body may cover part of the surface of the aerosol generating device.

[0011] Attaching the main body to the aerosol generation device may be one of the conditions that allows the heating part to heat the aerosol source.

[0012] A switch provided on the aerosol generating device may be operable by a user's pressing.

[0013] The main body attached to the aerosol generation device may form an integrated appearance with the part of the aerosol generation device that is not covered by the main body when the aerosol generation device is in a state where it can generate aerosol.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to select a mode other than the modes pre-prepared in the aerosol generating device.

[0015] 1 is a diagram of the front side of the aerosol generation device observed from diagonally above. FIG. 2 is a diagram of the front side of the aerosol generation device observed from diagonally below. FIG. 3 is a diagram of the aerosol generation device observed from above with the shutter removed. FIG. 4 is a diagram of the main body device observed from the front with the front panel removed. FIG. 5 is a diagram of the back side of the front panel removed from the main body device. FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device. FIG. 7 is a flowchart explaining an example of a front panel attachment detection operation performed by the control unit of the main body device. FIG. 8 is a flowchart explaining an example of a heating profile update process performed by the control unit of the main body device in embodiment 1. FIG. 9 is a diagram explaining updating of a heating profile due to replacement of the front panel. FIG. 10 is a flowchart explaining an example of a heating profile storage process performed by the control unit of the main body device in embodiment 2. FIG. 11 is a diagram explaining addition of a heating profile due to replacement of the front panel. FIG. 12 is a flowchart explaining an example of a heating profile replacement process performed by the control unit of the main body device in embodiment 3. FIG. 13 is a diagram explaining replacement of a heating profile due to replacement of the front panel. FIG. 14 is a flowchart explaining an example of a heating profile replacement process performed by the control unit of the main body device in embodiment 4. FIG. 15 is a diagram explaining switching of a heating profile due to replacement of the front panel. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a heating profile replacement process executed by the control unit of the main device in embodiment 5. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating replacement of a heating profile by replacing a front panel. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of an aerosol generation device used in embodiment 6. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of an electrical circuit configuration of a front panel used in embodiment 6. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a use of the front panel in embodiment 6. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of an aerosol generation device used in embodiment 7. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an electrical connection relationship between the front panel and the main device used in embodiment 7. FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a USB charging operation executed by the control unit. FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a USB charging operation.

[0016] 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.

[0017] <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.

[0018] <First Embodiment> <External Appearance Example> First, an external appearance example of the aerosol generation device 1 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 of the aerosol generation device 1 observed from above with the shutter 30 removed. Fig. 4 is a view of the main device 20 observed from the front with the front panel 10 removed. Fig. 5 is a view of the back side of the front panel 10 removed from the main device 20.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] The front panel 10 is provided with a window 10B. The window 10B is provided in a position facing the light-emitting element on the main device 20 side. In the case of embodiment 1, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) 20A (see Figure 4) is used as the light-emitting element. The window 10B in embodiment 1 is made of a light-transmitting material. However, the window 10B may also be a slit that penetrates from the front to the back. The lighting and blinking of the light-emitting element represent the operating status of the aerosol generation device 1, etc. The operating status also includes errors. The lighting and blinking of the light-emitting element is controlled by the control unit 206 (see Figure 6), which will be described later.

[0022] 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.

[0023] Furthermore, the front panel 10 serves to protect the main unit 20 from dirt, scratches, and the like. The front panel 10 used in this embodiment is deformed when the user presses a position below the window 10B with their fingertip, and returns to its original shape when the user stops pressing. A storage unit 101 that stores a heating profile is attached to the inside of the front panel 10 used in this embodiment. The heating profile here is an example of a control sequence that defines heating.

[0024] The storage unit 101 is configured, for example, with a non-volatile semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory here may be, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a flash memory. The inside of the front panel 10 is also provided with terminals and wiring patterns that enable the control unit 206 (see FIG. 6 ) to access the storage unit 101 through terminals on the main unit 20 when the front panel 10 is attached to the main unit 20. Hereinafter, the storage unit 101 is also referred to as an external memory.

[0025] However, similar to a contactless IC (Integrated Circuit) card, the main device 20 may be able to read the heating profile stored in the storage unit 101 by contactless power supply such as electromagnetic induction. The front panel 10 in this embodiment is an example of an additional member. The main panel 10A that forms the exterior of the front panel 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is an example of a main body.

[0026] 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. 6 ) built into the main device 20.

[0027] A hole 22 is provided on the top surface of the main device 20 for inserting a stick-shaped substrate 210 (see FIG. 6 ) 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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. 6 ) 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, pressed 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.

[0030] 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 located opposite magnets 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 side has a south pole. The front panel 10 is detachably attached to the main unit 20 by the attractive force between the magnets.

[0031] Either one of the magnets 10C and 20C may be a piece of iron or other magnetic metal. The attachment of the front panel 10 to the main device 20 is detected by a Hall IC provided on the main device 20. The main device 20 also incorporates various electronic components necessary for generating aerosol. In this sense, the main device 20 is an example of an electronic device specialized for generating aerosol. In a narrower sense, the main device 20 is referred to as an aerosol generating device.

[0032] <Internal Configuration> Fig. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device 1. Fig. 6 also illustrates a state in which the stick-shaped substrate 210 is attached to the main device 20. The internal configuration illustrated in Fig. 6 is intended to explain the electronic components provided on the front panel 10 and the main device 20 and their positional relationship. For this reason, the appearance of the electronic components, etc., illustrated in Fig. 6 does not necessarily match the appearance diagram described above.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 6 , the front panel 10 is provided with a memory unit 101 that stores a heating profile. The power required to read the heating profile is supplied from the main device 20 via contact or non-contact power supply. 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. Non-contact power supply may be achieved by electromagnetic induction, such as the Qi standard or the NFC (Near Field Communication) standard, or by electric field induction. Incidentally, power may be supplied from the main device 20 only when the heating profile is read from the front panel 10, in order to reduce power consumption of the battery that constitutes the power supply unit 201.

[0034] 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. 6 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.

[0035] In this embodiment, the power supply unit 201 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. The secondary battery 201A (see FIG. 20) can be charged from an external power source. In this embodiment, the external power source is assumed to be, for example, a commercial power source or a mobile battery. The sensor unit 202 is an electronic component that detects various 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 sensor. The sensor unit 202 as a sensor outputs the detected information to the control unit 206. For example, when detecting a change in air pressure or air flow due to inhalation, the sensor unit 202 outputs a numerical value representing the user's inhalation to the control unit 206.

[0036] 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. 4) 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), etc. 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] Notification unit 203 is an electronic component that notifies the user of various types of information related to main device 20. Notification unit 203 includes LED 20A and other light-emitting devices. For example, LED 20A emits light in different patterns when power supply unit 201 needs to be charged, when power supply unit 201 is being charged, and when an abnormality has occurred in main device 20. The patterns here include different colors, different timings for turning on and off, etc.

[0040] 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.

[0041] The memory unit 204 stores various information related to the operation of the main device 20. The memory unit 204 is configured with a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. Information stored in the memory unit 204 includes, for example, an OS (Operating System), FW (Firmware), and other programs. The memory unit 204 also stores a heating profile used to heat the stick-shaped substrate 210, which is the aerosol source. The heating profile is a data file that specifies the change in target temperature over time after heating begins. In the case of embodiment 1, one heating profile is stored in the memory unit 204. Other information stored in the memory unit 204 includes, for example, information related to the control of electronic components. The control information includes information related to the user's inhalation, such as the number of suctions, the time of suction, and the cumulative suction time.

[0042] 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, 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 reads out heating profiles from the memory unit 101 of the front panel 10.

[0043] 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. In this embodiment, the control unit 206 also controls the reading operation of the heating profile from the storage unit 101 of the front panel 10. The control signal is transmitted via a signal line different from the power supply line. For example, a serial communication method such as an I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) communication method, an SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communication method, or a UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) communication method is used for communication within the main unit 20.

[0044] 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 for storing programs, calculation parameters, etc., and a RAM (Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing parameters that change as appropriate.

[0045] The control unit 206 executes various processes and controls through the execution of programs. The processes and controls here include, for example, rewriting of the heating profile, 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. 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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. 6 , the area near the periphery of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is heated first, and the heated range gradually moves toward the center.

[0052] 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. 4). 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 6, 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] <Example of Processing Operation> An example of processing operation executed by the control unit 206 (see FIG. 6) of the main device 20 (see FIG. 6) will be described below. <Attachment Detection Operation> FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the attachment detection operation of the front panel 10 executed by the control unit 206 of the main device 20. This operation is executed not only before heating by the heating unit 207 (see FIG. 6) 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 device 20 (see FIG. 1) (step 1).

[0057] 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).

[0058] However, lifting the prohibition on heating is different from starting heating. Heating of the stick-shaped substrate 210 (see FIG. 6), which is the aerosol source, is started by pressing and holding the button 20B (see FIG. 4) 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 attachment detection operation prevents the user from directly touching the main device 20 during the heating operation.

[0059] <Heating Profile Update> FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a heating profile update process executed by the control unit 206 (see FIG. 6) of the main unit 20 (see FIG. 6) in the first embodiment. The heating profile update process is initiated, for example, by a specific operation by the user. Examples of the specific operation include restarting the device with the front panel 10 attached, restarting the device with the front panel 10 removed, removing and attaching the front panel multiple times, or pressing the button 20B a predetermined number of times with the front panel 10 attached. The heating profile update process may also be initiated when an instruction is received from a smartphone or other device paired with the main unit 20, when a program-scheduled time is detected, or when a specific event is detected.

[0060] First, the control unit 206 determines whether a heating profile is stored in the external memory (step 11). In other words, the control unit 206 determines whether a heating profile exists in the external memory recognized by the device manager. Here, the external memory refers to a storage medium that is not built into the main unit 20. In this embodiment, the external memory is assumed to be the storage unit 101 of the front panel 10. If the front panel 10 does not have a storage unit 101 or if a heating profile is not stored in the storage unit 101, a negative result is obtained in step 11. In this case, the control unit 206 terminates the initiated update process.

[0061] On the other hand, if a heating profile is stored in the external memory, a positive result is obtained in step 11. In this case, the control unit 206 determines whether or not a heating profile that is not stored in the storage unit 204 of the main unit 20 exists in the external memory (step 12). If a heating profile different from the heating profile on the main unit 20 side does not exist in the external memory, such as when the two heating profiles are the same, a negative result is obtained in step 12. In this case, the control unit 206 terminates the initiated update process. On the other hand, if a heating profile different from the heating profile on the main unit 20 side exists in the external memory, a positive result is obtained in step 12. In this case, the control unit 206 determines whether or not to update the currently used heating profile to the heating profile in the external memory (step 13).

[0062] The heating profile is updated, for example, in accordance with an instruction from the user. Note that, prior to receiving the instruction from the user, the user is notified that the heating profile can be updated. If the main device 20 is provided with a display panel capable of displaying text, etc., a question such as "The heating profile currently in use is a standard profile, but it can be updated to a heating profile that generates a higher amount of aerosol. Do you want to update?" is displayed on the display panel.

[0063] In addition, if a display panel is not provided on the main unit 20, the control unit 206 may notify the user that the heating profile can be updated by illuminating or flashing LED 20A (see Figure 4), may notify the user that the heating profile can be updated by a buzzer or voice, or may notify the user that the heating profile can be updated by vibration.

[0064] For example, if an instruction to update is not detected through the operation of button 20B (see FIG. 4 ) or if an instruction to avoid updating is detected, a negative result is obtained in step 13. Note that if an instruction to update is not detected within a predetermined time (e.g., within 10 seconds) after the notification, it may be considered as an instruction to avoid updating, because updating the heating profile is an infrequent process.

[0065] If a negative result is obtained in step 13, the control unit 206 terminates the started update process. On the other hand, if the execution of the update process is instructed by the user, a positive result is obtained in step 13. In this case, the control unit 206 reads the heating profile from the external memory and overwrites and saves it in the storage unit 204 of the main unit 20 (see FIG. 6) (step 14).

[0066] This overwriting ends the heating profile update process. As a result, from the next time aerosol is inhaled, the stick-shaped substrate 210 will be heated according to the updated heating profile. Note that the attachment of the front panel 10, whose heating profile is stored in the storage unit 101, to the main device 20 can also be considered as an instruction from the user to update the heating profile. In this case, if a positive result is obtained in step 12, step 14 is automatically started.

[0067] 9 is a diagram illustrating updating of the heating profile due to replacement of the front panel 10. The memory unit 101 is not attached to the front panel 10 before replacement. Also, "heating profile 1" is stored in the memory unit 204 of the main unit 20. "heating profile 1" here is, for example, a standard heating profile (hereinafter also referred to as "standard profile") provided at the time of sale. The heating mode based on the standard profile is referred to as "standard mode."

[0068] In this state, the front panel 10 attached to the main device 20 is removed and replaced with a front panel 10 having "heating profile 2" stored in the memory unit 101. "Heating profile 2" is a heating profile that generates more aerosol than, for example, the standard profile. The heating mode using this "heating profile 2" is called "high mode." High mode consumes more power than standard mode, but can generate more aerosol during one inhalation than standard mode.

[0069] When the heating profile is updated after installing a new front panel 10, the heating profile stored in the storage unit 204 of the main device 20 is overwritten with "Heating Profile 2." This allows aerosol generation in high mode, which is different from standard mode. However, if the heating profile currently in use is "Heating Profile 2," installing a front panel 10 that stores "Heating Profile 1" (i.e., the standard profile) can also return the heating mode from high mode to standard mode.

[0070] Furthermore, if a front panel 10 storing a heating profile different from "heating profile 1" or "heating profile 2" is attached to the main device 20, the user can select a heating profile according to their preference by replacing the front panel 10. For example, it becomes possible to select a long-lasting mode that allows more suctions on one stick-shaped substrate 210 than in the standard mode, or an economy mode that consumes less power.

[0071] <Embodiment 2> In this embodiment, a case where multiple heating profiles can be stored in the main device 20 will be described. Note that the hardware configuration and functional configuration of the main device 20 are the same as those in embodiment 1. Fig. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a heating profile storage process executed by the control unit 206 of the main device 20 in embodiment 2. Note that parts in Fig. 10 that correspond to those in Fig. 8 are assigned reference numerals. In the case of Fig. 10, if a positive result is obtained in step 11, it is determined whether or not a heating profile that is not stored in the storage unit 204 of the main device 20 exists in the external memory (step 12).

[0072] If the heating profile stored in the external memory is stored in the storage unit 204 of the main body device 20, a negative result is obtained in step 12. In this case, the control unit 206 terminates the initiated update process. On the other hand, if the heating profile stored in the external memory is not stored in the storage unit 204 of the main body device 20, a positive result is obtained in step 12. In this case, the control unit 206 determines whether to add the heating profile in the external memory to the storage unit 204 of the main body device 20 (step 21).

[0073] Addition of a heating profile is also performed according to, for example, an instruction from the user. In this case, too, the user must be notified of the existence of a heating profile that can be added as a prerequisite for the instruction. If the main unit 20 is provided with a display panel capable of displaying text, etc., a question such as "A new heating profile has been found on the front panel. Would you like to add it to the main unit?" is displayed on the display panel.

[0074] If the main body 20 does not have a display panel, the control unit 206 may notify the user of the discovery of a new heating profile by illuminating or blinking the LED 20A (see FIG. 4), or may notify the user of the discovery of a new heating profile by sounding a buzzer or using a voice. For example, if an instruction to add is not detected through the operation of the button 20B (see FIG. 4) or the like, or if an instruction to avoid adding is detected, a negative result is obtained in step 21.

[0075] If no additional instruction is detected within a predetermined time (e.g., within 10 seconds) after the notification, this may be considered an instruction to avoid additional operation. If a negative result is obtained in step 21, the control unit 206 terminates the initiated update process. On the other hand, if the user instructs execution of additional processing, a positive result is obtained in step 21. In this case, the control unit 206 reads the target heating profile from the external memory and adds it to the storage unit 204 of the main unit 20 (see FIG. 6) (step 22).

[0076] If multiple heating profiles that are not stored in the storage unit 204 of the main device 20 are found on the front panel 10 and only some of the found heating profiles can be added to the storage unit 204 of the main device 20, a function is provided to inquire the user about the heating profiles to be added. For example, the user can be prompted to specify the heating profiles to be added via a display. This function makes it possible to avoid adding heating profiles that the user will not use to the main device 20.

[0077] This addition completes the process of adding a heating profile. This allows the main device 20 to select a heating profile from the next time aerosol is inhaled. Note that if a heating profile that does not exist in the storage unit 204 of the main device 20 is found in the storage unit 101 of the front panel 10, the control unit 206 may automatically add the new heating profile to the storage unit 204 of the main device 20 without waiting for the determination in step 21.

[0078] 11 is a diagram illustrating the addition of a heating profile by replacing the front panel 10. Note that FIG. 11 assumes that multiple heating profiles can be stored in the storage unit 204 of the main unit 20. The storage unit 101 is not attached to the front panel 10 before replacement. Also, only "heating profile 1" is stored in the storage unit 204 of the main unit 20.

[0079] In this state, the front panel 10 attached to the main device 20 is removed and replaced with a front panel 10 having "heating profile 2" stored in the memory unit 101. The "heating profile 2" stored in the replaced front panel 10 is a heating profile that does not exist in the memory unit 204 of the main device 20.

[0080] 11 , the newly discovered "heating profile 2" has been added to the storage unit 204 of the main device 20. As a result, "heating profile 1" and "heating profile 2" are stored in the storage unit 204 of the main device 20. In this way, by storing multiple heating profiles in the main device 20, the user can select a heating profile to use for generating aerosol from multiple heating profiles, including the standard profile, each time they inhale.

[0081] <Embodiment 3> In the case of embodiment 2, when a new heating profile is discovered on the front panel 10, the discovered heating profile is added to the storage unit 204 of the main device 20, but it is conceivable that there is a limit to the number of heating profiles that can be stored in the storage unit 204. Therefore, in this embodiment, a method will be described that makes it possible to use a new heating profile even when there is a limit to the number of heating profiles that can be stored in the storage unit 204 of the main device 20.

[0082] The hardware configuration and functional configuration of the main device 20 are the same as those in the first embodiment. However, the storage unit 101 in the front panel 10 is a rewritable non-volatile semiconductor memory. For example, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) is used as the semiconductor memory here. If rewritable RAM is used in the control unit 206 of the main device 20, a flash memory can also be used as the storage unit 101.

[0083] Fig. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a heating profile replacement process executed by the control unit 206 of the main body device 20 in embodiment 3. Note that Fig. 12 uses the same reference numerals as those in Fig. 10 to indicate parts corresponding to those in Fig. 10. In the case of Fig. 12, the processing operations up to the time when a positive result is obtained in step 21 are the same as those in embodiment 2. Therefore, only the differences will be described below. If a positive result is obtained in step 21, the control unit 206 determines whether the number of heating profiles stored in the memory unit 204 of the main body device 20 has reached an upper limit (step 31).

[0084] If the number of stored heating profiles has not reached the upper limit, a negative result is obtained in step 31. In this case, for example, the number of heating profiles that can be stored in the storage unit 204 of the main device 20 may be two, but the number of heating profiles actually stored may be one. In this case, the control unit 206 reads out the target heating profile from the external memory and adds it to the storage unit 204 of the main device 20 (step 22).

[0085] On the other hand, if the number of stored heating profiles has reached the upper limit, a positive result is obtained in step 31. In this case, a positive result is obtained in step 31. In this case, the control unit 206 moves one of the heating profiles stored in the storage unit 204 of the main unit 20 to the external memory (step 32). The heating profile to be moved is designated, for example, by the user. The designation of the heating profile to be moved is received, for example, via the display.

[0086] If the transfer of the standard profile is blocked, heating profiles other than the standard profile are moved to the storage unit 101 of the front panel 10. This provides free space in the storage unit 204 of the main unit 20 for storing new heating profiles. Furthermore, the heating profiles stored in the storage unit 204 of the main unit 20 are stored in the storage unit 101 of the front panel 10, so that the heating profiles currently in use are not lost.

[0087] Alternatively, the heating profile stored in the memory unit 204 with the older date and time may be moved to the front panel 10, or conversely, the heating profile stored in the memory unit 204 with the newer date and time may be moved to the front panel 10. When a new heating profile found on the front panel 10 is to be overwritten and saved in the memory unit 204 of the main unit 20, the heating profile to be replaced may be "copied" rather than "moved."

[0088] Next, the control unit 206 stores a heating profile different from the moved heating profile in the memory unit 204 of the main device 20 (step 33). By executing step 22 or step 33, the heating profile replacement process is completed. This enables the main device 20 to select a new heating profile from the next aerosol inhalation. Note that, if multiple heating profiles are found in step 12, a function is provided to prompt the user to select a heating profile to be saved, as described above. On the other hand, if a heating profile that does not exist in the memory unit 204 of the main device 20 is found in the memory unit 101 of the front panel 10, the new heating profile may be automatically replaced with the heating profile stored in the memory unit 204 of the main device 20 without waiting for the determination in step 21.

[0089] In operation, when step 32 is executed, it may happen that the free space in the external memory is insufficient to write a new heating profile. For this reason, a process for determining whether the free space in the external memory is insufficient may be provided before executing step 32. Incidentally, if there is insufficient free space in the external memory, the addition of a heating profile from the front panel 10 to the main unit 20 may be stopped. In other words, steps 32 and 33 may not be executed. In this case, the user may be notified that the heating profile will not be written to the main unit 20. For example, a message such as "The heating profile update will be stopped due to insufficient capacity of the external memory" may be displayed on the display.

[0090] However, if there is insufficient free space in the external memory, step 32 may be skipped, and instead of step 33, the heating profile in the memory unit 204 of the main device 20 may be overwritten with one of the heating profiles that is not stored in the main device 20. In this case, one of the heating profiles in use will be lost, but the user will be able to enjoy heating the aerosol source with the new heating profile by attaching the front panel 10.

[0091] In addition, among the heating profiles stored in the external memory, the heating profile with the oldest version, the heating profile stored the oldest, the heating profile used least frequently, etc., excluding the heating profiles to be saved in the main device 20, may be overwritten with the heating profile to be moved from the main device 20. In this case, the overwritten and saved heating profile will be lost, so a mechanism may be adopted in which the user confirms in advance the heating profile to be overwritten. For example, a list of heating profiles stored in the front panel 10 may be displayed on the display, and the user may be able to select the heating profile to be moved to the main device 20 and the heating profile to be overwritten and saved.

[0092] Alternatively, the heating profile in the external memory may be swapped with the heating profile in the main device 20. Specifically, the heating profile in the external memory may be saved in the storage unit 204 of the main device 20 while the heating profile to be moved to the external memory is temporarily saved in the RAM of the main device 20, and then the heating profile in the external memory that was moved to the main device 20 may be overwritten with the heating profile that was temporarily saved in the RAM of the main device 20. This prevents the loss of the heating profile currently in use even if the capacity of the external memory is insufficient to write a new heating profile.

[0093] Fig. 13 is a diagram illustrating the replacement of heating profiles due to replacement of the front panel 10. Note that Fig. 13 uses the same reference numerals as in Fig. 11 to indicate corresponding parts. In Fig. 13, before the replacement of the heating profiles, "heating profile 1" and "heating profile 2" are stored in the storage unit 204 of the main unit 20. Meanwhile, "heating profile 1" and "heating profile 5" are stored in the storage unit 101 of the front panel 10. In this case, "heating profile 5" and "heating profile 2" are to be replaced.

[0094] After the replacement, "Heating Profile 1" and "Heating Profile 5" are stored in the memory unit 204 of the main unit 20. Meanwhile, "Heating Profile 1," "Heating Profile 2," and "Heating Profile 5" are stored in the memory unit 101 of the front panel 10. As such, due to the limitation on the number of heating profiles that can be stored, even when one of the heating profiles stored in the main unit 20 is replaced with a heating profile stored in the memory unit 101 of the front panel 10, "Heating Profile 2" that was deleted from the main unit 20 is saved in the memory unit 101 of the front panel 10.

[0095] Therefore, if the front panel 10 is removed from the main unit 20 and then reattached, it becomes possible to replace "heating profile 2" with "heating profile 5" of the main unit 20. In this embodiment, the front panel 10 can be used to store heating profiles used by the user.

[0096] Fourth Embodiment In this embodiment, a case will be described in which aerosol generation is controlled using a heating profile stored in the storage unit 101 of the front panel 10. The hardware configuration and functional configuration of the main unit 20 are the same as those in the first embodiment. Incidentally, the storage unit 101 of the front panel 10 does not need to be rewritable as long as it is a non-volatile semiconductor memory.

[0097] Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a heating profile replacement process executed by the control unit 206 of the main body device 20 in embodiment 4. Note that parts in Figure 14 that correspond to parts in Figure 8 are assigned the same reference numerals. In the case of Figure 14, the processing operations up to the point where a positive result is obtained in step 12 are the same as in embodiment 1. Therefore, only the differences will be described below. If a positive result is obtained in step 12, the control unit 206 asks the user whether or not to use the heating profile in the external memory for heating (step 41).

[0098] If the main device 20 is provided with a display panel capable of displaying text, etc., a query such as "The heating profile currently in use is the standard profile, but the front panel has a heating profile that generates a large amount of aerosol. Do you want to switch the heating profile?" is displayed on the display panel. If the main device 20 is not provided with a display panel, the control unit 206 may ask by voice whether to switch the heating profile. Next, the control unit 206 determines whether or not to use the heating profile in the external memory to generate aerosol (step 42).

[0099] This determination is made in accordance with the user's instructions. For example, if a switching instruction is not detected through the operation of button 20B (see FIG. 4) or the like, or if a switching avoidance instruction is detected, a negative result is obtained in step 42. Note that if a switching instruction is not detected within a predetermined time (for example, within 10 seconds) after the notification, it may be considered as an instruction to avoid switching. If a negative result is obtained in step 42, the control unit 206 terminates the started switching process.

[0100] On the other hand, if the user instructs the execution of the switching process, a positive result is obtained in step 42. In this case, the control unit 206 switches the heating profile used to generate aerosol to the external memory (step 43). As a result of this switching, the heating profile stored in the memory unit 101 of the front panel 10 is read and used for the next and subsequent aerosol generation. Note that if the replacement of the front panel 10 can be considered to be an intended replacement of the heating profile, such as when there is a one-to-one correspondence between the front panel 10 and the heating profile, step 43 may be automatically executed if a positive result is obtained in step 12.

[0101] Although this embodiment is based on the premise that a heating profile is stored in the main device 20, it is also possible to assume that a heating profile is not stored in the main device 20. That is, a heating profile may be stored only in the front panel 10, and when the front panel 10 is attached, the heating profile stored in the front panel 10 may be read into the main device 20 and used to generate aerosol. In this case, steps 41 to 43 may be skipped.

[0102] 15 is a diagram illustrating switching of the heating profile due to replacement of the front panel 10. The front panel 10 before replacement does not have the memory unit 101 attached. Also, "heating profile 1" is stored in the memory unit 204 of the main unit 20. In this state, the front panel 10 attached to the main unit 20 is removed and replaced with a front panel 10 having "heating profile 2" stored in the memory unit 101.

[0103] Even if the heating profile is switched by attaching a new front panel 10, the heating profile stored in the memory unit 204 of the main device 20 remains "heating profile 1." Then, when inhaling the aerosol, the heating profile of the front panel 10 is read by the main device 20 and used to control the heating of the stick-shaped substrate 210. According to this embodiment, even if rewriting the heating profile in the memory unit 204 of the main device 20 is prohibited or adding a new heating profile is prohibited, the front panel 10 can be used to increase the number of heating profiles that the user can select.

[0104] Fifth Embodiment In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the heating profile of the front panel 10 and the heating profile of the main body device 20 are swapped. The hardware configuration and functional configuration of the main body device 20 are the same as those in the first embodiment. Fig. 16 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a heating profile swap process executed by the control unit 206 of the main body device 20 in the fifth embodiment. In Fig. 16, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 8 are assigned the same reference numerals.

[0105] In the case of Figure 16, the processing operations up to the time when a positive result is obtained in step 13 are the same as those in embodiment 1. Therefore, the following will explain the differences. If a positive result is obtained in step 13, the control unit 206 copies the heating profile stored in the storage unit 204 of the main unit 20 to the RAM (step 51). In this embodiment, the RAM is part of the control unit 206. However, the RAM may be provided in the storage unit 204 of the main unit 20 as an area separate from the non-volatile storage area in which the heating profile is stored.

[0106] Next, the control unit 206 reads the heating profile from the external memory and overwrites and saves it in the storage unit 204 of the main device 20 (see FIG. 6) (step 14). The control unit 206 then overwrites and saves the heating profile stored in RAM in the external memory (step 52). By executing step 52, the heating profile replacement process is completed. That is, the heating profile stored in the storage unit 101 of the front panel 10 is replaced with the heating profile stored in the storage unit 204 of the main device 20. This allows the main device 20 to select a new heating profile from the next time aerosol is inhaled.

[0107] Fig. 17 is a diagram for explaining the replacement of heating profiles due to replacement of the front panel 10. In Fig. 17, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The front panel 10 before replacement does not have the memory unit 101 attached. In addition, only "heating profile 1" is stored in the memory unit 204 of the main unit 20.

[0108] In this state, the front panel 10 attached to the main device 20 is removed and replaced with a front panel 10 having "heating profile 2" stored in the memory unit 101. The "heating profile 2" stored in the replaced front panel 10 is a heating profile that does not exist in the memory unit 204 of the main device 20.

[0109] 17, the newly discovered "heating profile 2" is stored in the memory unit 204 of the main unit 20, and "heating profile 1" of the main unit 20 is stored in the memory unit 101 of the front panel 10. In other words, "heating profile 1" and "heating profile 2" are swapped between the front panel 10 and the main unit 20. This swap prevents the existing heating profile from being lost when a new heating profile is stored in the main unit 20. In other words, the user can return to the heating profile before the swap at any time.

[0110] <Embodiment 6> In this embodiment, a configuration that can operate with the front panel 10 detached from the main device 20 will be described. Fig. 18 is a diagram that schematically shows the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device 1 used in embodiment 6. Note that in Fig. 18, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 6 are assigned the same reference numerals. The difference between Fig. 18 and Fig. 6 is that the front panel 10 is provided with a communication unit 102 and a power supply unit 103 in addition to a storage unit 101. Only the differences will be described below. The communication unit 102 in this embodiment is capable of wireless communication with other external terminals in addition to communication with the main device 20.

[0111] The communication unit 102 in this embodiment has at least the functions of transmitting a heating profile to the main device 20, receiving a heating profile from the main device 20, and receiving a heating profile from an external terminal. For example, the communication unit 102 uses a wired or wireless communication method conforming to any communication standard for communication. Examples of communication standards include wireless LAN (=Local Area Network), serial signal line, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark). The power supply unit 103 is a battery that supplies power to the memory unit 101 and communication unit 102 of the front panel 10. The power supply unit 103 may be a primary battery or a secondary battery. For example, a lithium battery or an alkaline battery is used as the primary battery. For example, a lithium-ion secondary battery or a capacitor is used as the secondary battery.

[0112] 19 is a diagram schematically illustrating the electrical circuit configuration of the front panel 10 used in the sixth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 19, the power supply unit 103 is composed of a battery 103A and a step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 103B. The step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 103B is a circuit that generates a 3.3 V system power supply Vsys regardless of the output voltage of the battery 103A and supplies it to the storage unit 101 and the communication unit 102. As described above, with the front panel 10 of this embodiment, the storage unit 101 and the communication unit 102 can operate using the supplied power even when the front panel 10 is detached from the main unit 20.

[0113] FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of how the front panel 10 according to the sixth embodiment is used. The diagram illustrates the front panel 10 detached from the main body device 20 (see FIG. 1 ), a server 300 that distributes heating profiles, a smartphone 310A used by a user A of the front panel 10, and a smartphone 310B used by another user B. The server 300 shown in FIG. 20 stores six heating profiles. User A downloads "heating profile 6" from the server 300 to the smartphone 310A via the network N. The downloaded "heating profile 6" is then written to the front panel 10.

[0114] This mechanism allows the user to download a preferred heating profile from the server 300 and write it to the front panel 10, thereby switching the heating profile used to heat the stick-shaped substrate 210 using any of the methods described in Embodiments 1 to 4. Furthermore, by using this mechanism, businesses that provide the stick-shaped substrate 210 can also distribute a heating profile suitable for heating a new stick-shaped substrate 210 from the server 300 to user A's smartphone 310A.

[0115] Furthermore, user A can have a "heating profile 10" that he does not own written to his own front panel 10 from user B's smartphone 310B. In this way, in the present embodiment, even if the main device 20 is not at hand, a new heating profile can be written to the front panel 10. As a result, it becomes possible to update the heating profile of the main device 20 via the front panel 10.

[0116] Seventh Embodiment In this embodiment, a secondary battery is used as the power supply unit 103 (see FIG. 16 ) of the front panel 10. FIG. 21 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device 1 used in the seventh embodiment. Note that in FIG. 21 , parts corresponding to those in FIG. 18 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The difference between FIG. 21 and FIG. 18 is that a charging circuit 104 that charges the power supply unit 103 with power supplied from the main device 20 and a fuel gauge 105 that measures the remaining amount of power stored in the power supply unit 103 are provided on the front panel 10. Only the differences will be described below.

[0117] Fig. 22 is a diagram schematically illustrating the electrical connection relationship between the front panel 10 and the main unit 20 used in the seventh embodiment. In Fig. 22, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 19 are assigned the same reference numerals. Fig. 22 shows a secondary battery 201A and a power supply unit 201B as components of the power supply section 201 of the main unit 20.

[0118] The power supply unit 201B is a circuit component that 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 of system power to a power supply line to which the sensor unit 202 (see FIG. 21), the notification unit 203 (see FIG. 21) excluding the LED 20A (see FIG. 4), the memory unit 204 (see FIG. 21), the communication unit 205 (see FIG. 21), and the control unit 206 (see FIG. 21) 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 unit 207 is connected.

[0119] 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 line to which the secondary battery 201A is connected. The external power supply here is assumed to be a commercial power supply or a mobile battery. A USB cable is used to supply power from the commercial power supply or mobile battery, so in Figure 20, the power supply terminal corresponding to these is represented by VUSB.

[0120] Meanwhile, the front panel 10 is provided with a memory unit 101, a communication unit 102, a power supply unit 103, a charging circuit 104, and a fuel gauge 105. The charging circuit 104 here is a circuit for charging the secondary battery 103C of the power supply unit 103 with power supplied from the main device 20. In the present embodiment, the charging circuit 104 is formed, for example, by a step-up DC / DC circuit. When power is supplied from the main device 20, the charging circuit 104 supplies a voltage of, for example, 4.2 V to the secondary battery 103C. The charging circuit 104 is also provided with a circuit for preventing backflow of current.

[0121] Power is supplied from the main device 20 to the charging circuit 104 using contact or non-contact power supply. Contact power supply uses, for example, a method based on mechanical contact of electrodes, a method based on mechanical contact using spring-loaded electrode pins (pogo pins), or a method based on connector coupling. Contactless power supply uses, for example, electromagnetic induction methods such as the Qi standard and NFC (Near Field Communication) standard, or electric field induction methods. The operation of the charging circuit 104 is controlled by the control unit 206 of the main device 20. Control signals are transmitted using SPI communication or UART communication. Note that the communication line uses, for example, BLE.

[0122] Fuel gauge 105 is a circuit that calculates the remaining capacity of secondary battery 103C based on the power supply current IBAT and power supply voltage VBAT that appear on the power supply line of secondary battery 103C. Note that the calculation of the remaining capacity by fuel gauge 105 may be performed, for example, at a predetermined cycle or timing, or may be performed only when instructed by control unit 206 of main unit 20. The calculated remaining capacity is transmitted to main unit 20, for example, via communication unit 102. Note that system power supply Vsys required for operation of storage unit 101, communication unit 102, and fuel gauge 105 is supplied from step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 103B.

[0123] The following describes a charging operation of the secondary battery 103C in the front panel 10 that is unique to this embodiment. FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a USB charging operation performed by the control unit 206. First, the control unit 206 determines whether a USB connection has been detected (step 61). If a negative result is obtained in step 61, the control unit 206 repeatedly executes the determination in step 61. On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step 61, the control unit 206 starts charging the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 and the secondary battery 103C in the front panel 10 (step 62). Note that the actual charging may be performed by first fully charging either the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 or the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10, and then fully charging the other battery. However, the secondary battery 201A in the main unit 20 and the secondary battery 101A in the front panel 10 may be charged in parallel. Next, the control unit 206 determines whether or not both of the two secondary batteries 103C and 201A are at full charge voltage (step 63).

[0124] If either one of the batteries has not reached the full charge voltage, a negative result is obtained in step 63. On the other hand, if both of the two secondary batteries 103C and 201A have reached the full charge voltage, a positive result is obtained in step 63. If a negative result is obtained in step 63, the control unit 206 determines whether the USB cable has been removed (step 64). If the USB cable remains connected, a negative result is obtained in step 64. On the other hand, if the USB cable is removed during charging, a positive result is obtained in step 64. If a negative result is obtained in step 64, the control unit 206 returns to step 63 and repeats the determination in step 63.

[0125] If a positive result is obtained in step 63 or if a positive result is obtained in step 64, the control unit 206 stops charging the secondary battery 201A in the main device 20 and the secondary battery 103C in the front panel 10 (step 65). The control unit 206 then terminates the USB charging operation. FIG. 24 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 device 20, and the lower half of the vertical axis represents the remaining charge of the secondary battery 103C in the front panel 10.

[0126] In the example of Figure 24, in the initial state T1, both secondary battery 103C and secondary battery 201A are fully charged. Time point T2 represents a state in which the remaining power levels of secondary battery 103C in front panel 10 and secondary battery 201A in main unit 20 are low. When a USB cable is connected in this state, USB charging begins. As a result, at the end of USB charging time T3, not only secondary battery 201A in main unit 20 but also secondary battery 103C in front panel 10 have recovered to a fully charged state.

[0127] In this manner, in the present embodiment, the secondary battery 103C of the front panel 10 can be charged simultaneously with the secondary battery 201A of the main unit 20. As a result, the user can download and write heating profiles using the front panel 10 without being particularly aware of the need to replace the battery in the front panel 10.

[0128] <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.

[0129] (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.

[0130] (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.

[0131] (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.

[0132] (5) In the first embodiment, the front panel 10 has been described as having the storage unit 101 . However, the additional component may be a USB memory that can be attached to the USB connector 21 of the main unit 20 .

[0133] (6) 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. 20 ), and when a front panel 10 with a secondary battery is attached to the main device 20, functions that use power from the battery (primary battery, secondary battery 103C) of the front panel 10 are enabled.

[0134] (7) 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.

[0135] (8) In the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which the front panel 10 attached to the main device 20 was pressed to deform it, thereby operating the buttons 20B provided on the main device 20. However, instructions may be input to the main device 20 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 transmitted to the control unit 206 (see FIG. 6 ) of the main device 20 via a communication unit (not shown). 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 transmitted to the control unit 206 (see FIG. 6 ) of the main device 20 via a communication unit (not shown). The touch panel, switches, etc. 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.

[0136] <Summary> The present disclosure includes the following configurations. (1) An additional component detachable from an aerosol generation device having a control unit, a battery, and a heating unit that heats an aerosol source, the additional component having a memory unit that stores a control sequence that defines heating by the heating unit. (2) The additional component described in (1), in which a second control sequence different from the control sequence stored in the aerosol generation device is stored in the memory unit. (3) The additional component described in (1) or (2), in which, if the memory unit is rewritable, a second control sequence downloaded from an external terminal or the aerosol generation device is written to the memory unit. (4) The additional component described in (3), further having a communication unit that communicates with the external terminal or the aerosol generation device to acquire the second control sequence. (5) The additional component described in any one of (1) to (4), in which the attached main body unit covers a portion of the surface of the aerosol generation device. (6) An additional member according to any one of (1) to (5), in which attachment of the main body to the aerosol generation device is one of the conditions that enables the heating unit to heat the aerosol source. (7) An additional member according to any one of (1) to (6), in which a switch provided in the aerosol generation device can be operated by a user's pressing. (8) An additional member according to any one of (1) to (7), in which the main body attached to the aerosol generation device forms an appearance that is integrated with the part of the aerosol generation device that is in a state where it is capable of generating aerosol and that is not covered by the main body.

[0137] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Aerosol generating device, 10...Front panel, 10A...Main body panel, 10B...Window, 10C, 20C...Magnet, 20...Main body device, 20A...LED, 20B...Button, 21...USB connector, 22...Hole, 30...Shutter, 101, 204...Memory unit, 102, 205...Communication unit, 103, 201...Power supply unit, 103A...Battery, 103B...Step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit, 103C, 201A...Secondary battery, 104...Charging circuit, 105...Fuel gauge, 202...Sensor unit, 203...Notification unit, 206...Control unit, 207...Heating unit, 208...Insulating unit, 209...Holding unit, 210...Stick-shaped substrate

Claims

1. An additional member that can be attached to and detached from an aerosol generating device having a control unit, a battery, and a heating unit that heats an aerosol source, A storage unit that stores a control sequence that defines heating by the heating unit; An additional member having

2. The storage unit stores a second control sequence different from the control sequence stored in the aerosol generating device. The additional member according to claim 1 .

3. When the storage unit is rewritable, a second control sequence downloaded from an external terminal or the aerosol generating device is written to the storage unit. An additional member according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A communication unit that communicates with the external terminal or the aerosol generating device to acquire the second control sequence. An additional member according to claim 3.

5. The attached main body covers a part of the surface of the aerosol generating device. The additional member according to claim 1 .

6. 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 additional member according to claim 1 .

7. A switch provided in the aerosol generating device can be operated by a user's pressing. The additional member according to claim 1 .

8. The main body attached to the aerosol generation device forms an integrated appearance with a portion of the aerosol generation device that is not covered by the main body when the aerosol generation device is in a state where it can generate aerosol. The additional member according to claim 1 .

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