Smoking-relevant information management system

Abstract

This smoking-relevant information management system is equipped with: a cover, when attached to a main body having a heating unit that heats a base material containing an aerosol source, permitting heating of the heating unit by the main body, and having a transmitter that transmits electromagnetic waves; a receiver that is provided at a smoking-relevant site and receives the electromagnetic waves emitted from the transmitter; and a management server connected to the receiver. The receiver transmits, to the management server, identification information of the transmitter of the cover, and the start date and time and the end date and time of the reception of the electromagnetic waves emitted from the transmitter. The management server has a storage unit that stores the identification information of the transmitter, and the start date and time and the end date and time of the reception of the electromagnetic waves, in an associated manner.

Description

Smoking-related information management system

[0001] The present invention relates to a smoking-related information management system.

[0002] Conventionally, devices have been proposed that have a function of notifying the congestion status of smoking areas. For example, the device described in Patent Document 1 includes a determination means capable of determining the congestion status of a smoking area and an output means capable of outputting information related to the determination result by the determination means, and the determination means is provided, for example, for an ashtray placed in the smoking area, and is capable of determining the congestion status of the smoking area based on the detection result by a detection means capable of detecting smokers based on the distance from the object.

[0003] Furthermore, conventionally, aerosol generating devices have been proposed that generate aerosol from a smoking article containing an aerosol source without combustion. For example, the aerosol generating device described in Patent Document 2 includes a cylindrical heater that can heat the outer periphery of the smoking article, a control unit that controls the heater, and a battery that stores power supplied to the heater and the control unit.

[0004] JP 2021-115259 A International Publication No. 2020 / 084775

[0005] It may be difficult to obtain the behavioral history of smokers who use aerosol generating devices in smoking areas using existing technologies. For example, smokers who use aerosol generating devices that generate aerosol without combustion do not necessarily smoke near an ashtray. Therefore, with the device described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to grasp the number of users of aerosol generating devices in smoking areas.

[0006] The present disclosure aims to provide a system that can understand the behavior of users of aerosol generating devices in smoking-related areas.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a smoking-related information management system including: a cover that is attached to a main body having a heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source, thereby allowing the main body to heat the heating unit and that has a transmitter that emits electromagnetic waves; a receiver that is installed in a smoking area and receives the electromagnetic waves emitted from the transmitter; and a management server connected to the receiver, wherein the receiver transmits identification information of the transmitter of the cover and the dates and times when reception of the electromagnetic waves emitted from the transmitter began and ended to the management server, and the management server has a memory unit that stores the transmitter identification information and the dates and times when reception of the electromagnetic waves began and ended in association with each other. In this smoking-related information management system, the management server may be configured to have a calculation unit that calculates the number of transmitters that have started receiving the electromagnetic waves but have not yet finished receiving them. In this smoking-related information management system, the management server may be configured to have a notification unit that notifies the number calculated by the calculation unit. In this smoking-related information management system, the memory unit of the management server stores identification information of external devices other than the cover in association with identification information of the transmitter, and the management server may be configured to have a transmission unit that transmits information granting a benefit to the external device stored in association with the identification information of the transmitter that emits the electromagnetic waves when the time from the start to the end of reception of the electromagnetic waves exceeds a predetermined time.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a system can be provided that can grasp the behavior of users of aerosol generating devices in smoking-related areas.

[0009] 10(A) and 10(B) are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a smoking-related information management system to which the present embodiment is applied; FIG. 10(A) is a diagram showing the front side of an aerosol generation device as viewed from diagonally above; FIG. 10(B) is a diagram showing the front side of an aerosol generation device as viewed from diagonally below; FIG. 10(B) is a diagram showing the aerosol generation device as viewed from above with the shutter removed; FIG. 10(B) is a diagram showing the front side of an aerosol generation device as viewed from diagonally below; FIG. 10(C) is a diagram showing the back side of the front panel removed from the main device; FIG. 10(D) is a diagram showing the internal configuration of an aerosol generation device; FIG. 10(D) is a diagram showing the connection relationship of the power supply circuits in the front panel and the main device; FIG. 10(D) is a diagram showing the configuration of a monitoring device; FIG. 10(A) is a diagram showing the state of monitoring by a monitoring device, where FIG. 10(A) shows the state of the monitoring device detecting an aerosol generation device, and FIG. 10(B) is a diagram showing the detection area of ​​the monitoring device; FIG. 11(A) is a diagram showing a case where the detection area of ​​one monitoring device covers the entire smoking area, and FIG. 11(B) is a diagram showing a case where the detection area of ​​two monitoring devices covers the entire smoking area; FIG. 11(B) is a diagram showing the configuration of a management server; and FIG. 11(C) is a diagram showing an example of a management table of device information stored in a memory unit. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a web screen that notifies information about smoking areas.

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. <System Configuration> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a smoking-related information management system to which this embodiment is applied. The smoking-related information management system 100 comprises an aerosol-generating device 1, a monitoring device 40, and a management server 50. The aerosol-generating device 1 is carried by a user. The user uses the aerosol-generating device 1 in a smoking area 200. The monitoring device 40 is installed in a smoking-related location. The management server 50 is connected to the monitoring device 40 via a network 60.

[0011] A smoking-related area is a location used in the smoking-related information management system 100 to obtain information about users who possess the aerosol generation device 1. A smoking-related area may include not only smoking areas where smoking is permitted, but also locations where smoking goods are sold, vending machines are installed, and the like, and specifically, is a location where a monitoring device 40 is installed. Below, a smoking area 200 is targeted as an example of a smoking-related area, and a case where the behavior of users of the aerosol generation device 1 in the smoking area 200 is explained as an example. The smoking area 200 is a space that is operated as a smoking-allowed space and is separated, for example, by walls or partitions. Even a space that is not separated by walls or partitions may be set as a smoking-allowed space, and the smoking area 200 will be explained as a range, centered on the monitoring device 40, within which electromagnetic waves emitted by a transmitter of the aerosol generation device 1 (described later) can reach.

[0012] The aerosol generator 1 is a form of electronic cigarette. The substance generated by the aerosol generator 1 is an aerosol. An aerosol is a mixture of air or other gases and minute liquid or solid particles suspended in a gas. The aerosol generator 1 also includes a transmitter that emits radio waves, as will be described in more detail below.

[0013] The monitoring device 40 includes a receiver that receives radio waves transmitted from the transmitter of the aerosol generation device 1, and identifies the aerosol generation device 1 that is the source of the received radio waves. The monitoring device 40 also transmits information indicating the start and end of reception of the radio waves transmitted from the aerosol generation device 1 to the management server 50 via the network 60.

[0014] The management server 50 manages the number of users in the smoking area 200 based on the information received from the monitoring device 40. The management server 50 also notifies information such as the number of users in each smoking area 200 by means of posting the information on a website or the like.

[0015] The network 60 is not particularly limited in type or specification as long as it is a network used for data communication between the monitoring device 40 and the management server 50, and may be, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, etc. The communication line may be either wired or wireless, or a mixture of these. Furthermore, a configuration may be adopted in which devices are connected via multiple networks or communication lines using relay devices such as gateway devices or routers.

[0016] <Configuration of aerosol generation device 1> Fig. 2 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generation device as seen from diagonally above. Fig. 3 is a view of the front side of the aerosol generation device as seen from diagonally below. Fig. 4 is a view of the aerosol generation device as seen from above with the shutter removed. Fig. 5 is a view of the main device as seen from the front with the front panel removed. Fig. 6 is a view showing the back side of the front panel removed from the main device.

[0017] The aerosol generating device 1 is sized so that a user can hold it in one hand. The aerosol generating device 1 includes 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 disposed 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.

[0018] The front panel 10 attached to the main device 20 covers the front portion of the main device 20, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In other words, even after the front panel 10 is attached, the front panel 10 does not cover any portion of the main device 20 other than the front portion. Therefore, the sides, back, top, and bottom of the main device 20 remain visible from the outside, even after the front panel 10 is attached. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the front panel 10 attached to the main device 20 is continuously connected to the sides, top, and bottom of the main device 20 without any steps, creating a unified appearance.

[0019] The front panel 10 is an example of a cover. When attached to the main unit 20 as described above, the front panel 10 has an appearance that is continuous with the main unit 20, and serves as decoration. The front panel 10 also serves to buffer the transmission of heat emitted from the main unit 20. Furthermore, the front panel 10 serves to protect the main unit 20 from dirt, scratches, and the like.

[0020] Attached to the inside of the front panel 10 are a power supply unit 101 capable of charging and discharging electricity, a charging circuit 102 that charges the power supply unit 101 with power supplied from the main device 20, and a power supply circuit 103 that supplies the power stored in the power supply unit 101 to the main device 20. The power supply unit 101 may be, for example, a film-type lithium-ion secondary battery or a capacitor. Note that the arrangement of the power supply unit 101, charging circuit 102, and power supply circuit 103 in FIG. 6 is merely an example and is not limited to the arrangement shown. Furthermore, multiple power supply units 101 may be attached to the front panel 10.

[0021] A connector 21 for charging a power supply unit 201 (see FIG. 7) built into the main device 20 is provided on the bottom side of the main device 20. The type of connector 21 is not particularly limited, and as an example, a type C USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector may be used.

[0022] A hole 22 is provided on the top surface of the main device 20 for inserting a stick-shaped substrate 210 (see FIG. 7 ) that houses an aerosol source. The stick-shaped substrate 210 used in this embodiment houses a solid aerosol source in a paper tube formed into a substantially cylindrical shape. The hole 22 is exposed by sliding the shutter 30 to the open position, and is concealed by sliding the shutter 30 to the closed position. The hole 22 has a cylindrical shape that is substantially the same as that of the stick-shaped substrate 210. The diameter of the opening of the hole 22 is a dimension that allows the insertion of a stick-shaped substrate 210 that has a circular cross section.

[0023] 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 corresponding to the strength of the magnetic field that crosses the Hall element. Whether the shutter 30 is in the open position or the closed position is detected from the change in voltage output from the Hall IC as the shutter 30 slides.

[0024] A button 20B is located approximately in the center of the front of the main device 20. When the front panel 10 is attached to the main device 20 and a position on the front panel 10 corresponding to the button 20B is pressed, the front panel 10 deforms and the button 20B is pressed. This allows the button 20B to be operated while the front panel 10 is attached. The button 20B is used, for example, to turn the power of the main device on and off, turn on and off the power supply to the heating unit 207 (see FIG. 7 ) that heats the aerosol source, and issue a Bluetooth® pairing command. Note that if the button 20B is pressed and held (e.g., for 5 seconds or more) while the front panel 10 is detached from the main device 20, a reset function is activated. For example, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) is used as the Bluetooth.

[0025] 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 the magnets 10C located inside the front panel 10. The magnets 20C of the main unit 20 and the magnets 10C of the front panel 10 have polarities that attract each other. For example, if the magnet 10C of 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. Note that either the magnet 10C or the magnet 20C may be a piece of iron or other magnetic metal. Attachment of the front panel 10 to the main unit 20 is detected by a Hall IC located on the main unit 20 side.

[0026] In addition, various electronic components necessary for generating aerosol are built into the main device 20. In this sense, the main device 20 is an example of an electronic device specialized for generating aerosol. In a narrow sense, the main device 20 is called an aerosol generating device.

[0027] <Internal Configuration of Aerosol Generating Device 1> Fig. 7 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the aerosol generating device 1. Fig. 8 is a diagram schematically showing the connection relationship of the power supply circuits in the front panel 10 and the main device 20. Note that Fig. 7 shows a state in which the stick-shaped substrate 210 is attached to the main device 20. The internal configuration shown in Fig. 7 is intended to explain the components provided on the front panel 10 and the main device 20 and their positional relationship. For this reason, the appearance of the components, etc. shown in Fig. 7 does not necessarily match the appearance diagram described above.

[0028] The front panel 10 is provided with a power supply unit 101 that stores electricity, a charging circuit 102 that charges the power supply unit 101 with power supplied from the main unit 20, a power supply circuit 103 that supplies power from the power supply unit 101 to the main unit 20, etc., a transmitter 104, a communication unit 105, and a control unit 106.

[0029] The power supply unit 101 is realized by a secondary battery 101A and further includes a step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 101B. The secondary battery 101A may be, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery. In the power supply unit 101, the step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit 101B generates a 3.3V power supply Vsys from the output voltage of the secondary battery 101A and supplies the power supply Vsys to the transmitter 104, the communication unit 105, and the control unit 106.

[0030] The charging circuit 102 is configured, for example, by a step-up DC / DC circuit. The charging circuit 102 is a circuit that supplies a voltage of, for example, 4.2 V to the secondary battery 101A when power is supplied from the main device 20. The charging circuit 102 is also provided with a circuit that prevents reverse current flow.

[0031] The power supply circuit 103 is configured, for example, by a step-up DC / DC circuit. The power supply circuit 103 is a circuit that supplies a constant voltage (for example, 5 V) to the main device 20 regardless of the output voltage of the power supply unit 101. The power supply circuit 103 is provided with a circuit that prevents backflow of current.

[0032] The power supply from the main device 20 to the charging circuit 102 and the power supply from the power supply circuit 103 to the main device 20 may be contact or non-contact. Contact power supply may be achieved, for example, by mechanical contact of electrodes, mechanical contact using spring-loaded electrode pins (pogo pins), or by connector coupling. Contactless power supply may be achieved, for example, by electromagnetic induction, such as the Qi standard or the NFC (Near Field Communication) standard, or by electric field induction.

[0033] The transmitter 104 is a beacon transmitter that periodically and continuously transmits a radio wave signal. The signal transmitted by the transmitter 104 includes identification information of the transmitter 104. The identification information of the transmitter 104 can also be used to identify the front panel 10 on which the transmitter 104 is provided and the aerosol generation device 1 to which the front panel 10 is attached. Therefore, hereinafter, the identification information of the transmitter 104 may be referred to as the identification information of the front panel 10, the identification information of the aerosol generation device 1, etc.

[0034] The communication standard used for transmitting a signal by the transmitter 104 is, for example, BLE or Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The following description will be given assuming that a BLE beacon is used. The strength of the radio wave transmitted by the transmitter 104 is predetermined, and it is assumed that the signal can be received within a specified range (for example, a 5 m radius).

[0035] The communication unit 105 is a communication interface for communicating with the main device 20 and other devices. The communication unit 105 is used to acquire status information from the main device 20 and to connect to other devices such as the management server 50 under the control of the control unit 106 to exchange data. Communication by the communication unit 105 can be performed using a method that complies with any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of communication standards include wireless LAN (Local Area Network), serial signal line, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth, etc.

[0036] The control unit 106 is a device that loads and executes programs to perform various types of arithmetic processing and control in the front panel 10. The control unit 106 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), and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The control unit 106 may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs, arithmetic parameters, etc., and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores parameters that change as needed.

[0037] The control unit 106 controls, for example, communication with the main device 20, communication with other devices such as a smartphone, charging of the secondary battery 101A of the power supply unit 101 via the charging circuit 102 and the power supply circuit 103, and power supply to each electronic component. The control unit 106 also inputs information to each electronic component on the front panel 10 and performs processing based on information output from each electronic component. It is assumed that the secondary battery 101A will be charged via a USB cable. It may also be possible to charge from the secondary battery 201A of the main device 20.

[0038] In controlling the front panel 10, internal communication between the control unit 106 and each unit uses a serial communication method such as I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) communication, SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communication, or UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) communication. Communication between the control unit 106 and the main unit 20 uses, for example, the SPI communication method or the UART communication method.

[0039] The main device 20 is provided with 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. Fig. 7 shows a state in which a stick-shaped substrate 210 is held by the holding unit 209, and in this state, the user inhales the aerosol.

[0040] The power supply unit 201 is a unit that supplies power to the front panel 10 and the main unit 20. The power supply unit 201 stores power using, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery or a capacitor. In the example shown in FIG. 8 , power is stored in a secondary battery 201A. The secondary battery 201A can be charged from an external power source. Examples of external power sources that can be used include a commercial power source, a mobile battery, and the secondary battery 101A of the front panel 10.

[0041] The power supply unit 201 is also provided with a power supply unit 201B. The power supply unit 201B switches the power supply path and converts the voltage level depending on the operating mode. The power supply unit 201B outputs, for example, 3.3 V to the power supply line to which the sensor unit 202, the notification unit 203, the storage unit 204, the communication unit 205, and the control unit 206 are connected. The power supply unit 201B also outputs, for example, 4.2 V to the power supply line to which the heating unit 207 is connected. When charging the secondary battery 201A with an external power supply, the power supply unit 201B outputs, for example, 4.2 V to the power supply line to which the secondary battery 201A is connected. A USB cable is used to supply power from a commercial power supply or a mobile battery as an external power supply. In FIG. 8, the power supply terminals corresponding to these external power supplies are designated as "VUSB."

[0042] Sensor unit 202 is an electronic component that detects various types of information related to main device 20. Examples of sensors that make up sensor unit 202 include a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor and a flow sensor. Sensor unit 202 outputs the detected information to control unit 206. For example, when sensor unit 202 detects a change in air pressure or air flow associated with inhalation, it outputs a numerical value representing the user's inhalation to control unit 206.

[0043] The sensor unit 202 has, for example, an input device that accepts input from a user. The input device is realized by, for example, a button or a switch. The button 20B shown in FIG. 5 is an example of the input device. The button 20B is used to switch the main power supply on and off, start and stop power supply to the heating unit 207 (in other words, start and stop aerosol generation), etc. The content of the user's instruction is output from the sensor unit 202 to the control unit 206.

[0044] 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.

[0045] The notification unit 203 is an electronic component that notifies the user of various types of information related to the main device 20. The notification unit 203 may be configured, for example, by a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), a display device that displays images, a sound output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates the main device 20, or the like. The notification unit 203 may notify the user that inhalation of the aerosol is now possible. This notification is given when the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 210 heated by the heating unit 207 reaches a predetermined temperature.

[0046] The storage unit 204 stores various information related to the operation of the main device 20. The storage unit 204 is configured, for example, with a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. The information stored in the storage unit 204 includes, for example, an operating system (OS), firmware (FW), and other programs. The information stored in the storage unit 204 also includes, for example, information related to the control of electronic components. The control information includes, for example, information related to suction by the user, such as the number of suctions, the suction time, and the cumulative suction time.

[0047] 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 using a method that complies with any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of communication standards include wireless LAN, serial signal line, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. For example, the communication unit 205 transmits information about the user's inhalation to a smartphone. The communication unit 205 also downloads update programs and profiles that define the temperature change of the heating unit 207 in heating mode from a server. The communication unit 205 also transmits commands to start and stop power supply to the power supply circuit 103.

[0048] The control unit 206 functions as an arithmetic processing unit or a control unit and controls the operation of the main unit 20 according to various programs. The control unit 206 may also control the operation of the charging circuit 102 and the power supply circuit 103 provided in the front panel 10. Control signals are transmitted via a signal line different from the power supply line. For example, serial communication methods such as I2C, SPI, and UART are used for communication within the main unit 20. SPI and UART communication methods are used for communication between the control unit 206 and the charging circuit 102 and the power supply circuit 103 of the front panel 10. BLE, for example, is used for the communication line. The control unit 206 is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU, MPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, and DSP. The control unit 206 may include a ROM for storing programs, calculation parameters, etc., and a RAM for temporarily storing parameters, etc.

[0049] The control unit 206 executes various processes and controls by executing programs. Specifically, the control unit 206 performs functions such as supplying power from the power supply unit 201 to other electronic components, charging the power supply unit 201, detecting information using the sensor unit 202, notifying information using the notification unit 203, storing and reading information using the storage unit 204, and sending and receiving information using the communication unit 205. Note that communication by the communication unit 205 also includes communication with the front panel 10. The control unit 206 also controls input of information to electronic components and processing based on information output from the electronic components.

[0050] The holding part 209 is a roughly cylindrical container. The space inside the holding part 209, defined by the inner wall and bottom surface of the container, is called 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 said to be that the stick-shaped substrate 210 is held in the internal space 209A.

[0051] 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. The opening 209B corresponds to an air outlet, which is the air outlet.

[0052] The holding portion 209 holds a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 210, with the remaining portion of the stick-shaped substrate 210 protruding from the housing of the main device 20. Hereinafter, the portion held by 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. Examples of aerosol sources include tobacco shreds, processed tobacco raw materials formed into granules, sheets, or powder, and other tobacco-derived substances. 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 contain a flavoring component such as menthol. When the main device 20 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source may contain a medication to be inhaled by the patient. The aerosol source is not limited to a solid; for example, it may be a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin or propylene glycol, or a liquid such as water.

[0053] 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.

[0054] The heating unit 207 is composed of a heater or other heating 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 example shown in FIG. 7 , the area near the periphery of the stick-shaped substrate 210 is heated first, and the heated range gradually moves toward the center.

[0055] 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. 2) or the button 20B (see FIG. 5). However, power supply to the heating unit 207 is premised on the front panel 10 (see FIG. 2) 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.

[0056] When the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 210 heated by the heating unit 207 reaches a predetermined temperature, the user is 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 information related to the detected inhalation is 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. Note that a system may be employed 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.

[0057] 7, the heating unit 207 is disposed outside the stick-shaped substrate 210, but the heating unit 207 may be a blade-shaped metal piece that is inserted into the stick-shaped substrate 210, or a metal piece that is 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, an induction heating coil may be disposed around the holding unit 209.

[0058] 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, silica (silicon powder), or the like is 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.

[0059] <Configuration of monitoring device 40> Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of the monitoring device 40. The monitoring device 40 is placed in a smoking area 200 and monitors the aerosol generation device 1 that enters and leaves the smoking area 200. Because the aerosol generation device 1 is carried by a user, the aerosol generation device 1 carried by the user also enters and leaves the smoking area 200 together with the user. The monitoring device 40 includes a receiver 41, a communication control unit 42, and a communication interface 43.

[0060] The receiver 41 receives radio waves transmitted from the transmitter 104 provided on the front panel 10 of the aerosol generation device 1. The radio waves received by the receiver 41 correspond to the transmitter 104, and for example, in the case of a BLE beacon transmitter, the receiver 41 is capable of receiving BLE radio waves transmitted by the transmitter 104. When the receiver 41 receives the radio waves, the monitoring device 40 acquires identification information of the transmitter 104 that transmitted the radio waves.

[0061] The communication control unit 42 determines the start and end of reception for each transmitter 104 based on the radio wave reception status of the receiver 41, and identifies the date and time when reception started (hereinafter referred to as the "reception start date and time") and the date and time when reception ended (hereinafter referred to as the "reception end date and time"). The communication control unit 42 transmits the identified reception start date and time and reception end date and time to the management server 50.

[0062] The communication control unit 42 determines whether to start reception, for example, when a signal transmitted from one transmitter 104 (in other words, a signal containing one piece of identification information) has been continuously received a certain number of times. The communication control unit 42 determines whether to end reception, for example, when a periodically transmitted signal transmitted from one transmitter 104 (in other words, a signal containing one piece of identification information) has not been received a certain number of times at the timing of the periodic reception. The reception start date and time and reception end date and time are specified, for example, using a clock function (not shown) built into the monitoring device 40.

[0063] The communication control unit 42 is realized by a processor such as a CPU, an MPU, a GPU ASIC, an FPGA, a DSP, etc. The communication control unit 42 may also include a ROM for storing programs, calculation parameters, etc., and a RAM for temporarily storing parameters, etc., that change as appropriate depending on the execution of processing.

[0064] The communication interface 43 is an interface for connecting to the management server 50 via the network 60. After the communication control unit 42 specifies the reception start date and time for one transmitter 104 as described above, it uses the communication interface 43 to transmit the identification information of the transmitter 104 and the specified reception start date and time to the management server 50. Furthermore, after the communication control unit 42 specifies the reception end date and time for one transmitter 104 as described above, it uses the communication interface 43 to transmit the identification information of the transmitter 104 and the specified reception end date and time to the management server 50.

[0065] Figure 10 is a diagram showing monitoring by the monitoring device 40, with Fig. 10(A) showing how the monitoring device 40 detects the aerosol generation device 1, and Fig. 10(B) showing the detection area of ​​the monitoring device 40. Figure 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between the detection area of ​​the monitoring device 40 and the smoking area 200, with Fig. 11(A) showing a case where the detection area of ​​one monitoring device 40 covers the entire smoking area 200, and Fig. 11(B) showing a case where the detection areas of two monitoring devices 40 cover the entire smoking area 200.

[0066] As described above, the radio waves transmitted from the transmitter 104 provided on the front panel 10 of the aerosol generation device 1 can be received within a specified range. The range R around the aerosol generation device 1 shown in FIG. 10A is defined as the range within which the receiver 41 of the monitoring device 40 can receive the radio waves transmitted from the transmitter 104. The range R is a substantially circular range centered on the transmitter 104. As shown in FIG. 10A, when the user carrying the aerosol generation device 1 is away from the monitoring device 40 and the monitoring device 40 is outside the range R, the receiver 41 of the monitoring device 40 cannot receive the radio waves transmitted from the transmitter 104, and the monitoring device 40 cannot detect the transmitter 104. When the user moves closer to the monitoring device 40 and the monitoring device 40 enters the range R, the receiver 41 of the monitoring device 40 receives the radio waves transmitted from the transmitter 104, and the monitoring device 40 detects the transmitter 104.

[0067] As described above, inside range R, receiver 41 of monitoring device 40 can receive radio waves transmitted from transmitter 104. This means that, as shown in FIG. 10(B), when transmitter 104 is located inside a certain area A centered on monitoring device 40, receiver 41 of monitoring device 40 can receive the radio waves transmitted by transmitter 104. Area A is a substantially circular area centered on receiver 41 and has the same radius as range R. Therefore, the size of area A depends on the strength of the radio waves transmitted by transmitter 104.

[0068] Incidentally, when detecting the number of smokers (users of the aerosol generating device 1) in a smoking area 200, it is desirable that the entire smoking area 200 be contained within area A, as shown in FIG. 11(A). However, while the size of area A is based on the radio wave strength of the transmitter 104, smoking areas 200 vary in size and shape. Therefore, if area A of a single monitoring device 40 cannot cover the entire smoking area 200, multiple monitoring devices 40 may be arranged, as shown in FIG. 11(B), so that the combined areas A of the monitoring devices 40 cover the smoking area 200. In this embodiment, regardless of the presence or absence of a partition, area A in which the monitoring devices 40 arranged in the smoking area 200 can receive radio waves from the transmitter 104 is treated as the smoking area 200.

[0069] <Configuration of management server 50> Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the configuration of the management server 50. The management server 50 is a server that manages the entry and exit of people into the smoking area 200 based on monitoring information from the monitoring device 40. The management server 50 is a server connected to the network 60, and may be configured as a single server machine, or the functions of the management server 50 may be distributed across multiple server machines. It may also be realized as a cloud server constructed using resources available in a so-called cloud environment. The management server 50 comprises a communication interface 51, a processing unit 52, a memory unit 53, and an output unit 54.

[0070] The communication interface 51 is an interface for connecting to the network 60. The management server 50 uses the communication interface 51 to acquire information on the reception start date and time and reception end date and time for each transmitter 104 provided on the front panel 10 of the aerosol generation device 1 from the monitoring device 40 via the network 60. The management server 50 also uses the communication interface 51 to connect to websites and mail servers on the Internet via the network 60 and notify the number of smokers for each smoking area 200 calculated by the processing unit 52.

[0071] The processing unit 52 manages the usage status of the smoking area 200 in which the monitoring device 40 is installed. Specifically, the processing unit 52 calculates the number of smokers present in the smoking area 200 based on the identification information of the aerosol generation device 1 acquired from the monitoring device 40 and the reception start and end information for each aerosol generation device 1 identified by this identification information. As described above, when a user possessing an aerosol generation device 1 enters the smoking area 200 and the monitoring device 40 receives radio waves transmitted from the transmitter 104, a reception start date and time is identified for that aerosol generation device 1. Furthermore, when the user possessing the aerosol generation device 1 leaves the smoking area 200 and the monitoring device 40 no longer receives the radio waves transmitted from the transmitter 104, a reception end date and time is identified for that aerosol generation device 1. Therefore, if the reception start date and time has been identified for an aerosol generation device 1 identified by identification information but the reception end date and time has not been identified, it can be determined that the user possessing that aerosol generation device 1 is present in the smoking area 200 in which the monitoring device 40 that detected that aerosol generation device 1 is located. Then, based on this determination result, the processing unit 52 calculates the current number of smokers for each smoking area 200. If multiple monitoring devices 40 are installed in one smoking area 200 as described above, the aerosol generation device 1 detected by any of the monitoring devices 40 is recognized as the aerosol generation device 1 present in that smoking area 200.

[0072] The processing unit 52 also manages users of the aerosol generation devices 1 in the smoking areas 200. Specifically, the processing unit 52 measures the time spent in each smoking area 200 for each aerosol generation device 1 and stores the measured time. This makes it possible to hold events based on the history of users' stays in the smoking area 200, for example. As an example, the processing unit 52 may identify an aerosol generation device 1 that has exceeded a predetermined threshold (e.g., 5 minutes) in the smoking area 200, and may grant a special benefit to the user of the identified aerosol generation device 1. The special benefit may be, for example, points or stamps that can be exchanged for products such as smoking articles. In the case of points, the points may be exchanged for products corresponding to the accumulated points. In the case of stamps, a different stamp may be granted for each smoking area 200, and collecting a certain number of stamps may be exchanged for products.

[0073] The processing unit 52 is realized by one or more processors. Examples of the processor include a CPU, an MPU, a GPU ASIC, an FPGA, a DSP, etc. The processing unit 52 may also include a ROM for storing programs, calculation parameters, etc., and a RAM for temporarily storing parameters, etc., that change as appropriate depending on the execution of processing.

[0074] The memory unit 53 stores information regarding the identification information of the transmitter 104 of the aerosol generation device 1, the reception start date and time, and the reception end date and time, which are obtained from the monitoring device 40 via the communication interface 51, in association with the smoking area 200. Hereinafter, this information for each aerosol generation device 1 will be referred to as "device information." The memory unit 53 also stores information regarding the number of smokers calculated by the processing unit 52 in association with the smoking area 200. Hereinafter, this information regarding the usage status of the smoking area 200 will be referred to as "smoking area usage information." The memory unit 53 is realized, for example, by a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory, a magnetic disk device, or the like.

[0075] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a management table of device information stored in the storage unit 53. The management table 531 shown in FIG. 13 records the identification information (referred to as "transmitter number" in the figure) of the transmitter 104 received by the monitoring device 40, the reception start date and time, and the reception end date and time. The illustrated management table 531 is device information acquired from one monitoring device 40. The storage unit 53 stores a management table 531 such as the one shown for each monitoring device 40. Note that device information may be managed not for each monitoring device 40, but for each smoking area 200 in which the monitoring device 40 is located. In this case, if multiple monitoring devices 40 are located in one smoking area 200, the device information acquired from the multiple monitoring devices 40 located in the same smoking area 200 may be managed together in a single management table 531. Note that, although an example is shown in which the transmitter number is used as the identification information of the transmitter 104, the identification information may be any information that can identify the transmitter 104 and is not limited to a number (numeric).

[0076] In the illustrated example, for example, for the transmitter 104 with transmitter number "1111111," the reception start date and time "202204131350" and reception end date and time "202204131400" are recorded. This reception start date and time represents 13:50 on April 13, 2022. Similarly, this reception end date and time represents 14:00 on April 13, 2022. From this information, it can be seen that the user of the aerosol generation device 1 having the transmitter 104 with transmitter number "1111111" stayed in the smoking area 200 where the monitoring device 40 corresponding to the illustrated management table 531 is located, for 10 minutes from 13:50 to 14:00 on April 13, 2022. Furthermore, for the transmitter 104 with transmitter number "9999997," the reception start date and time "202204131400" is recorded, but the reception end date and time is not recorded. From this information, it can be seen that the user of the aerosol generation device 1 having the transmitter 104 with transmitter number "9999997" entered the smoking area 200 where the monitoring device 40 corresponding to the illustrated management table 531 is located at 14:00 on April 13, 2022, and has not left this smoking area 200 since then (in other words, is currently staying in this smoking area 200).

[0077] The following describes the stay history of the smoking area 200. As described above, the processing unit 52 of the management server 50 acquires and manages the stay history of users of the aerosol generation device 1 in the smoking area 200. In the above example, an event was described in which a user of the aerosol generation device 1 is awarded a special benefit based on the amount of time spent in a smoking area 200 by the user. However, historical data, such as the frequency and trends of visits by users of the aerosol generation device 1 and the length of stay, can be accumulated for each smoking-related location where a monitoring device 40 is installed, such as a specific smoking area 200, smoking article retailer, or vending machine. This information can be used, for example, to provide services that improve user convenience or to hold events that award special benefits, based on the trends of users who frequently visit a specific smoking area 200 or other smoking-related locations or who spend long periods of time there. The memory unit 53 stores the identification information of the information terminal held by the user to be notified, in association with the identification information of the transmitter 104 provided on the front panel 10 of the user's aerosol generation device 1, in order to notify the user when a special benefit is awarded. An information terminal carried by a user is an example of an external device. As identification information of the information terminal, a telephone number, an email address, or the like may be used as information that can be used to identify and notify the information terminal.

[0078] The output unit 54 reports information obtained by the processing of the processing unit 52 or notifies users of specific aerosol generating devices. Specifically, for example, information such as the number of users of the aerosol generating device 1 in the smoking area 200 is displayed on a website. Furthermore, for example, using email or notification application software, the output unit 54 notifies users of the aerosol generating device 1 of information such as the user's behavior history managed for each transmitter 104 and their history of visits to smoking-related areas. When displaying information on a website, the output unit 54 creates a web screen containing the information to be displayed and uploads it to a web server (not shown). When notifying specific users of information using email, the output unit 54, for example, accepts inquiries from users via email and notifies the users by responding to the inquiries via email. When notifying specific users of information using notification application software, the output unit 54 notifies a message via the software when notification conditions set by the application software are met. Examples of notification conditions include when the software receives an inquiry from a user or when the user receives a benefit based on their history of visits to the smoking area 200. When a user acquires a benefit based on the user's stay history in the smoking area 200, the identification information of the information terminal associated with the identification information of the transmitter 104 provided on the front panel 10 of the aerosol generating device 1 of the user who acquired the benefit is read from the memory unit 53 and a notification is sent.

[0079] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a web screen that notifies information about a smoking area 200. The diagram shown in FIG. 14 is an example of a web screen that notifies the number of users of the aerosol generation device 1 in the smoking area 200. In the illustrated example, the web screen is displayed on a mobile terminal 70 such as a smartphone. The illustrated web screen displays a text message 71 that notifies information about the number of users and a map 72 that shows the location of the smoking area 200. In the illustrated example, the text message 71 displays the text "There are currently three users." The information displayed in the text message 71 is a message about the smoking area 200 shown on the map 72. In the illustrated example, the location of one smoking area 200 is displayed on the map 72, but if there are multiple smoking areas 200 nearby, the information about the number of users for each smoking area 200 may be displayed side by side or in a switchable manner. In Figure 14, information on the location of the smoking area 200 and the number of users is displayed on a web screen, but it is also possible to display other smoking-related locations (sales outlets and vending machines) where monitoring devices 40 are installed on a map, and display a text message indicating the number of users of the aerosol generation device 1 at each location.

[0080] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiments, a configuration was described in which the usage status of the smoking area 200 and user history information are notified via website notifications or email. As described with reference to FIG. 14 , this assumes that the user of the aerosol generation device 1 accesses the information using a mobile terminal 70 such as a smartphone. Alternatively, the aerosol generation device 1 or its front panel 10 may be provided with a display means such as an LCD display, and the management server 50 may transmit notification information to the communication unit 105 of the front panel 10 or the communication unit 205 of the main device 20, which then displays the notification information on the display means. Various other modifications and alternative configurations that do not deviate from the scope of the technical concept of the present invention are also included in the present invention.

[0081] <Summary> The present disclosure includes the following configurations. (1) A smoking-related information management system including: a cover that is attached to a main body having a heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source to allow the main body to heat the heating unit and that has a transmitter that emits electromagnetic waves; a receiver that is provided in a smoking area and receives the electromagnetic waves emitted from the transmitter; and a management server connected to the receiver, wherein the receiver transmits identification information of the transmitter of the cover and the dates and times when reception of the electromagnetic waves emitted from the transmitter started and ended to the management server, and the management server has a memory unit that stores the identification information of the transmitter and the dates and times when reception of the electromagnetic waves started and ended in association with each other. (2) The cover described in (1), wherein the management server has a calculation unit that calculates the number of transmitters that have started receiving the electromagnetic waves but have not finished receiving them. (3) The cover described in (2), wherein the management server has a notification unit that notifies the number calculated by the calculation unit. (4) A cover as described in (1), in which the memory unit of the management server stores identification information of external devices other than the cover in association with identification information of the transmitter, and the management server has a transmission unit that transmits information granting a benefit to the external device stored in association with the identification information of the transmitter that emits the electromagnetic waves when the time from the start of reception of the electromagnetic waves to the end of reception exceeds a predetermined time.

[0082] 1...aerosol generating device, 10...front panel, 10C, 20C...magnet, 20...main body device, 101A, 201A...secondary battery, 20B...button, 21...connector, 22...hole, 30...shutter, 40...monitoring device, 41...receiver, 42...communication control unit, 43...communication interface, 50...management server, 51...communication interface, 52...processing unit, 53...memory unit, 54...output unit, 101, 201...power supply unit, 101B...step-up / step-down DC / DC circuit, 102...charging circuit, 103...power supply circuit, 104...transmitter, 105...communication unit, 106...control unit, 201B...power supply unit, 202...sensor unit, 203...notification unit, 204...memory unit, 205...communication unit, 206...control unit, 207...heating unit, 208...heat insulation unit, 209...holding unit, 210...stick-shaped substrate

Claims

1. A smoking-related information management system comprising: a cover that is attached to a main body having a heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source, thereby allowing the main body to heat the heating unit and that has a transmitter that emits electromagnetic waves; a receiver that is installed in a smoking area and receives the electromagnetic waves emitted from the transmitter; and a management server connected to the receiver, wherein the receiver transmits to the management server identification information of the transmitter in the cover, the date and time when reception of the electromagnetic waves emitted from the transmitter began and the date and time when reception ended, and the management server has a memory unit that stores the identification information of the transmitter and the date and time when reception of the electromagnetic waves began and the date and time when reception ended in association with each other.

2. A smoking-related information management system as described in claim 1, wherein the management server has a calculation unit that calculates the number of transmitters that have started receiving the electromagnetic waves but have not finished receiving them.

3. The smoking-related information management system according to claim 2, wherein the management server has a notification unit that notifies the number calculated by the calculation unit.

4. A smoking-related information management system as described in claim 1, wherein the memory unit of the management server stores identification information of external devices other than the cover in association with identification information of the transmitter, and the management server has a transmission unit that transmits information granting a benefit to the external device stored in association with the identification information of the transmitter that emits the electromagnetic waves when the time from the start to the end of reception of the electromagnetic waves exceeds a predetermined time.