Electronic device and aerosol generation device

Abstract

Provided is an electronic device comprising a body which includes a simple display unit which executes simple display, a cover which includes a detailed display unit for executing detailed display and does not hide the simple display unit even when the cover is mounted to the body, and a control unit which executes such control that simple information is displayed on the simple display unit and detailed information obtained by detailing the simple information is displayed on the detailed display unit.

Description

Electronic devices and aerosol generating devices

[0001] The present disclosure relates to electronic devices and aerosol generating devices.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an aerosol generating device in which, when a notification unit receives an error signal generated by a control unit based on data in response to a malfunction in a power supply unit, the notification unit outputs, for example, light and / or sound in accordance with the error signal. It is also described that the notification unit may be, for example, a light-emitting device such as an LED. Patent Document 2 discloses an aerosol generating device in which a control unit generates an error signal based on the content and cause of an abnormal state and causes the notification unit to issue a notification in response to the error signal. It is also described that the notification unit may be, for example, a light-emitting diode.

[0003] JP 2020-68762 A JP 2020-68690 A

[0004] A cover may be attached to a main body having a simple display unit that displays information in a simple manner for the purpose of protecting the unit. The cover may also have a detailed display unit that displays information in detail, and may not hide the simple display unit even when attached to the main body. In this case, displaying the detailed display unit when it would be sufficient to display the simple information on the simple display unit results in wasted power. On the other hand, detailed information that is more detailed than the simple information may not be displayed on the simple display unit.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide simple information to a user while reducing power consumption, and also to provide detailed information to a user.

[0006] To this end, the present disclosure provides an electronic device including a main body having a simplified display unit that displays simplified information; a cover having a detailed display unit that displays detailed information and that does not hide the simplified display unit even when attached to the main body; and a control unit that controls the simplified information to be displayed on the simplified display unit and the detailed information that is a more detailed version of the simplified information to be displayed on the detailed display unit. The control unit may control the simplified information to be displayed on a portion of the simplified display unit to indicate that detailed information corresponding to the simplified information is available. The detailed display unit may be a non-transparent display that is positioned so as not to overlap the simplified display unit when the cover is attached to the main body. The detailed display unit may be a transparent display that is positioned so as to overlap the simplified display unit when the cover is attached to the main body. In this case, the control unit may control the detailed information to be displayed on the detailed display unit in association with the simplified information displayed on the simplified display unit. The simplified information may be information indicating that an error has occurred, and the detailed information may be information indicating the reason for the error.

[0007] The present disclosure also provides an aerosol generating device including: a heating unit that heats a substrate including an aerosol source by receiving power from a power source; a main body having a simple display unit that displays a simple display; a cover that has a detailed display unit that displays a detailed display and does not hide the simple display unit even when attached to the main body; and a control unit that controls the simple information to be displayed on the simple display unit and the detailed information to be displayed on the detailed display unit, the simple information being information indicating the number of times the substrate has been smoked, and the detailed information being information indicating the smoking history of the substrate. The power source is a battery, the simple information being information indicating the charge level of the battery, and the detailed information being information indicating the time until charging of the battery is complete. The simple information being information indicating the temperature of the heating unit, and the detailed information being information indicating a heating profile of the heating unit.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, simplified information can be provided to a user while reducing power consumption, and detailed information can also be provided to a user.

[0009] 1 is an overall perspective view of the aerosol generation device according to the present embodiment, viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view of the aerosol generation device according to the present embodiment, viewed obliquely from below. FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of another example of the aerosol generation device according to the present embodiment, viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view of another example of the aerosol generation device according to the present embodiment, viewed obliquely from below. FIG. 5 is an external view of the inner surface of the front cover of the aerosol generation device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is an external view of the outer surface of the main body housing of the aerosol generation device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an example of the internal configuration of the aerosol generation device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a view showing an example of the display of the aerosol generation device when a front cover is attached that has a liquid crystal display provided in a position that does not overlap with the LED when attached to the main body. FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of the display of the aerosol generation device when a front cover is attached that has a liquid crystal display provided in a position that does not overlap with the LED when attached to the main body. FIG. 10 is a view showing a first example of simple information. FIG. 11 is a view showing a first example of detailed information. FIG. 12 is a view showing a second example of simple information. FIG. 13 is a view showing a second example of detailed information. FIG. 14 is a view showing a third example of simple information. FIG. 15 is a view showing a third example of detailed information. 9A is a diagram showing an example of the display of an aerosol generating device when a front cover having a liquid crystal display mounted in a position that overlaps with an LED when attached to the main body. FIG. 9B is a diagram showing an example of the display of an aerosol generating device when a front cover having a liquid crystal display mounted in a position that overlaps with an LED when attached to the main body. FIG. 9C is a diagram showing an example of the simple information and detailed information displayed in FIG. 9B. FIG. 9D is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the control unit of the aerosol generating device in this embodiment.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] [Example of the Appearance of the Aerosol Generator] Figures 1A and 1B are overall perspective views of the aerosol generator 1 according to the present embodiment. Figure 1A shows an overall perspective view from diagonally above, and Figure 1B shows an overall perspective view from diagonally below. As shown, the aerosol generator 1 includes a front cover 10, a main body housing 20 to which the front cover 10 is detachable, and a shutter 50. The front cover 10 and the main body housing 20 are separate components. The front cover 10 includes a display window 60 and a display device 70 on its surface. It is preferable that the outer surface of each type of front cover 10 be designed with different patterns and colors, and made of different materials. Users can select the type of front cover that best suits their preferences. The main body housing 20 houses the main body 30 of the aerosol generator 1. The main body housing 20 also includes an external connection terminal 80, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type C connector.

[0012] The front cover 10 is attached to the main housing 20 to form the outermost housing 40 of the aerosol generation device 1. Attaching a front cover 10 with a design that matches the user's preferences can improve the fashionability of the aerosol generation device 1. Furthermore, by including the front cover 10, the aerosol generation device 1 can buffer heat released to the outside even when the main body 30 generates heat. In other words, the front cover 10 functions to insulate heat generated from the heating section of the main body 30. Furthermore, the front cover 10 is formed so that its surface is approximately curved. When attached to the main housing 20, the front cover 10, together with the surface of the main housing 20, defines an internal space.

[0013] The housing 40 is preferably sized to fit in a user's hand. The user holds the aerosol generation device 1 in one hand with their fingertip in contact with the surface of the front cover 10. When the user presses the surface of the front cover 10 with their fingertip, the front cover 10 deforms to form a recess toward the main body housing 20. As a result of this deformation of the front cover 10, a protrusion on the front cover 10 comes into contact with an operation button on the surface of the main body housing 20, thereby pressing the operation button. In other words, the portion of the surface of the front cover 10 that is pressed with the fingertip forms a button area 15.

[0014] To deform the front cover 10, a user must simultaneously press the button area 15 using multiple fingers. This requires a greater pressing force than, for example, a user pressing a single button protruding from the surface of the housing with a single finger. That is, the aerosol generation device 1 of this embodiment is advantageous in that it can prevent unintended user operation, including accidentally pressing an operation button while in a bag. Furthermore, the button area 15 of the front cover 10 cannot be easily pressed with the pressing force of a child, which is inappropriate for a user of the aerosol generation device 1, and is therefore advantageous in terms of child resistance.

[0015] The main body housing 20 has an opening through which the stick-shaped substrate is inserted, and in Figures 1A and 1B, the shutter 50 is shown closing the opening. The shutter 50 has a sliding mechanism and is movable along the surface of the outer shell between a first position that closes the opening and a second position that opens the opening. The opening and closing of the opening can be detected by providing a sensor (not shown) near the first position and / or the second position. For example, a magnet is provided in the shutter 50, and the opening and closing of the opening are detected by the magnetic sensor.

[0016] The user places their finger on the shutter 50 and slides it along the side, opening the opening. This allows the user to insert the stick-shaped substrate. After inserting the stick-shaped substrate, the user presses their finger against the surface of the front cover 10 and presses the operation button, thereby powering on the aerosol generation device 1.

[0017] The display window 60 is made of a transparent material and, as will be described later, allows light from one or more LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) arranged inside the main body 30 to pass through. The display device 70 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, or the like, and is provided in a position that does not overlap the display window 60. The display device 70 displays status information and the like of the main body 30 in the form of text or images. The display device 70 may be a non-transparent display or a transparent display.

[0018] 2A and 2B are overall perspective views of another example of the aerosol generation device 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2A shows an overall perspective view from diagonally above, and FIG. 2B shows an overall perspective view from diagonally below. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, the display device 70 is provided in a position on the front cover 10 that does not overlap the display window 60, but in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the display device 70 is provided in a position on the front cover 10 that overlaps the display window 60. Here, the display device 70 is a transparent display. In this case, light from the LED passes through the display window 60, allowing the user to view the light, so the display window 60 is provided.

[0019] [Examples of Appearance of Front Cover and Main Housing] Figures 3A and 3B are external views of the front cover 10 and main housing 20 of the aerosol generation device 1. Figure 3A shows an external view of the inner surface of the front cover 10, and Figure 3B shows an external view of the outer surface of the main housing 20. When the front cover 10 is attached to the main housing 20, the inner surface of the front cover 10 and the outer surface of the main housing 20 face each other.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 3A, magnet 11, protrusion 12, magnet 13, and magnet 14 are arranged along the longitudinal direction on the inner surface of front cover 10. When front cover 10 is attached to main body housing 20, magnet 11 and magnet 14 are attracted to main body housing 20 by their magnetic force (magnetic attraction). This holds front cover 10 to main body housing 20. Protrusion 12 presses operation button 22 provided on the surface of main body housing 20. Magnet 13 is configured as a magnetic field application unit for the sensor unit of main body 30. In other words, the front cover 10 is detected by having magnetic sensor 23 of main body housing 20 detect the magnetic force of the magnetic field applied by magnet 13.

[0021] 3B , the magnet 21, the passage hole 25, the operation button 22, and the magnet 24 are arranged on the outer surface of the main body housing 20 along the longitudinal direction from the shutter 50 side. Furthermore, the magnetic sensor 23 is arranged on the inner surface of the main body housing 20 (more precisely, on a substrate that is substantially zero distance from the inner surface) at a position between the operation button 22 and the magnet 24 along the longitudinal direction. The magnet 21, the operation button 22, the magnetic sensor 23, and the magnet 24 of the main body housing 20 correspond to the magnet 11, the protrusion 12, the magnet 13, and the magnet 14 of the front cover 10, respectively. In other words, when the front cover 10 is attached to the main body housing 20, the magnet 21, the operation button 22, the magnetic sensor 23, and the magnet 24 are aligned with and face the magnet 11, the protrusion 12, the magnet 13, and the magnet 14, respectively.

[0022] The magnets 21 and 24 of the main body housing 20 are attracted to the magnets 11 and 14 of the front cover 10, respectively, by their magnetic force (magnetic attraction). In other words, the magnets 11 and 21, and the magnets 14 and 24 attract each other, thereby holding the front cover 10 in a mountable state to the main body housing 20. It is preferable that the magnets 11 and 14 of the front cover 10 and the magnets 21 and 24 of the main body housing 20 be made of permanent magnets.

[0023] The operation button 22 is provided on the surface to which the front cover 10 is attached. That is, when the front cover 10 is attached to the main body housing 20, the operation button 22 is covered by the front cover 10 and is pressed by the protrusion 12 of the front cover 10. This allows, for example, the aerosol generation device 1 to be powered on and off.

[0024] The magnetic sensor 23 detects the magnetic force based on the magnetic field applied from the magnet 13 in the front cover 10. For example, the magnetic sensor 23 is preferably a Hall sensor configured using a Hall element, which makes it possible to detect whether the front cover 10 is attached to the main body housing 20.

[0025] The magnetic sensor 23 of the main body housing 20 is disposed so as to face the magnet 13 of the front cover 10 across the inner surface of the main body housing 20 when the front cover 10 is attached to the main body housing 20. In other words, when the front cover 10 is attached to the main body housing 20, the distance between the magnetic sensor 23 of the main body housing 20 and the magnet 13 of the front cover 10 is minimized.

[0026] Furthermore, the magnetic sensor 23 of the main housing 20 is configured so as not to detect the magnetic fields generated by the two magnets 21 and 24 of the main housing 20. Specifically, it is preferable to position the magnetic sensor 23 on the inner surface of the main housing 20, at a position separated from the two magnets 21 and 24 on the outer surface of the main housing 20. This makes it possible to reduce the influence of the magnetic fields from the two magnets 21 and 24 on the magnetic sensor 23 to approximately zero.

[0027] Furthermore, it is preferable to configure the main body housing 20 so that the distance between the magnetic sensor 23 and the magnet 24 (or magnet 21) is greater than the distance between the magnet 13 and the magnetic sensor 23 when the front cover 10 is attached to the main body housing 20. This allows the magnetic sensor 23 to appropriately consider only the influence of the magnetic field applied from the magnet 13, without considering the influence of the magnetic field of the magnet 24, when detecting the attachment of the front cover 10 to the main body housing 20.

[0028] The through hole 25 is an opening aligned with one or more LEDs arranged in the main body 30, and allows light from the LEDs to pass through to the display window 60 in the front cover 10. This allows the user to see the light from the outer surface of the front cover 10.

[0029] [Example of Internal Configuration of Aerosol Generator] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the aerosol generator 1. In the aerosol generator 1, for example, a stick-shaped substrate 90 having an aerosol source, which is a source of inhaled components, and a flavor-generating substrate such as a filler containing a flavor source, is inserted. Note that the aerosol source is not limited to a liquid, but may also be a solid. The inserted stick-shaped substrate 90 is heated from its outer periphery to generate an aerosol containing a flavor.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4 , the front cover 10 includes a notification unit 101 , a storage unit 102 , and a communication unit 103 .

[0031] The notification unit 101 notifies the user of information. In this embodiment, the notification unit 101 is a display device 70 such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display, but it may also be an audio output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates, or the like. The notification unit 101 may notify the user of information using a different notification means than the notification unit 303 of the main body 30, as long as it notifies the user of information in more detail than the notification unit 303 of the main body 30. For example, if the notification unit 303 of the main body 30 is an LED, the notification unit 101 may notify the user of information in more detail than the LED using multiple vibration patterns. Furthermore, the notification unit 101 may be a non-transparent display when provided in a position that does not overlap the display window 60 of the front cover 10, or a transparent display when provided in a position that overlaps the display window 60 of the front cover 10. The notification unit 101 is an example of a detailed display unit that displays detailed information. In addition, the notification unit 101 is an example of a non-transparent display that is positioned so as not to overlap with the simplified display unit when attached to the main body of the cover, or a transparent display that is positioned so as to overlap with the simplified display unit when attached to the main body of the cover.

[0032] The memory unit 102 stores information about the front cover 10. The information about the front cover 10 includes information indicating whether the front cover 10 has a display device 70. If the front cover 10 has a display device 70, the information about the front cover 10 includes information indicating the position of the display device 70 on the front cover 10 and information indicating whether the display device 70 is a transparent display or a non-transparent display. If the communication unit 103 uses near field communication (NFC) as the short-range wireless communication standard, the memory unit 102 is realized by the storage function of an NFC tag. An NFC tag is a tag that includes an antenna for communication using NFC and an IC (Integrated Circuit) chip that performs processing for communication using NFC. Alternatively, the memory unit 102 may be realized by a read-only memory (ROM).

[0033] The communication unit 103 is a communication interface capable of performing communication in accordance with any short-range wireless communication standard. Examples of such short-range wireless communication standards include NFC and Bluetooth (registered trademark). When NFC is used as the short-range wireless communication standard, the communication unit 103 is realized by the communication function of an NFC tag. Alternatively, the communication unit 103 may perform communication by, for example, mechanical contact of electrodes, mechanical contact using spring-loaded electrode pins (pogo pins), or connector coupling.

[0034] The front cover 10 in this embodiment is an example of a cover that does not hide the simplified display unit even when attached to the main body.

[0035] The main body 30 also includes a control unit 300 , a power supply unit 301 , a sensor unit 302 , a notification unit 303 , a storage unit 304 , a communication unit 305 , a holding unit 310 , a heating unit 311 , and a heat insulating unit 312 .

[0036] The control unit 300 functions as an arithmetic processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the aerosol generation device 1 according to various programs. The control unit 300 is realized by an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microprocessor.

[0037] The power supply unit 301 stores electric power and supplies electric power to each component of the aerosol generating device 1 under the control of the control unit 300. The power supply unit 301 may be configured by, for example, a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery.

[0038] The sensor unit 302 acquires various information related to the aerosol generating device 1. As an example, the sensor unit 302 is configured with a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor, a flow rate sensor, a temperature sensor, or the like, and acquires values ​​associated with inhalation by the user. As another example, the sensor unit 302 is configured with an input device such as a button or a switch that accepts information input from the user.

[0039] The sensor unit 302 also detects the attachment of the front cover 10 to the main body housing 20. For example, the sensor unit 302 is configured with a magnetic sensor 23. The sensor unit 302 then detects that the front cover 10, which includes a magnetic field application unit (for example, a magnet and / or a magnetic material) that applies a magnetic field to the magnetic sensor 23, is in the vicinity of the sensor unit 302.

[0040] The notification unit 303 notifies the user of information. In this embodiment, the notification unit 303 is a display unit made up of light-emitting elements such as LEDs, but it may also be a sound output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates, or the like. The notification unit 303 may notify the user of information by a different notification means than the notification unit 101 of the front cover 10, as long as it notifies the user of information more easily than the notification unit 101 of the front cover 10. For example, if the notification unit 101 of the front cover 10 is a liquid crystal display, the notification unit 303 may notify the user of information more easily than the liquid crystal display by using a small number of vibration patterns. The notification unit 303 is an example of a simple display unit that simply displays information.

[0041] For example, the LED emits light in a predetermined light emission mode to notify the user of operation information of the aerosol generation device 1. Specifically, the LED emits light to notify the user of whether the aerosol generation device 1 is powered on, the progress of preheating, the suction status (remaining time available for suction, etc.), and the current operation mode of the aerosol generation device 1 (for example, suction mode and / or communication mode, etc.).

[0042] The storage unit 304 stores various information for the operation of the aerosol generation device 1. The storage unit 304 is configured, for example, by a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. The storage unit 304 also stores programs such as firmware in addition to computer-executable instructions for operating the aerosol generation device 1.

[0043] The communication unit 305 is a communication interface capable of performing communication conforming to any wired or wireless communication standard. For wireless communication, such communication standards as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be adopted. For wired communication, a data communication cable, for example, is connected via the external connection terminal 80. This allows input / output of data related to the operation of the aerosol generation device 1 to and from an external device.

[0044] The communication unit 305 may activate its communication function when the opening 314 of the shutter 50 is opened, and start communication with an external terminal using Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like. Also, the communication with the external terminal that is currently communicating may be terminated when the opening 314 of the shutter 50 is closed. The Bluetooth (registered trademark) connection between the communication unit 305 and the external terminal is preferably a connection using BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).

[0045] The communication unit 305 is a communication interface that can communicate with the front cover 10 in accordance with any short-range wireless communication standard. Examples of such short-range wireless communication standards include NFC and Bluetooth (registered trademark). Alternatively, the communication unit 305 may communicate by, for example, mechanical contact of electrodes, mechanical contact using spring-loaded electrode pins (pogo pins), or connector coupling.

[0046] The holding part 310 has an internal space 313 and holds the stick-shaped substrate 90 while accommodating a portion of the stick-shaped substrate 90 in the internal space 313. The holding part 310 has an opening 314 that connects the internal space 313 to the outside, and holds the stick-shaped substrate 90 inserted into the internal space 313 through the opening 314. For example, the holding part 310 is a cylindrical body with the opening 314 and a bottom 315 as its bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 313. In this specification, the direction in which the stick-shaped substrate 90 is inserted into the internal space 313 is referred to as the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generation device 1.

[0047] The holding part 310 has a pressing part and a non-pressing part (neither of which are shown) along the longitudinal direction on the inner wall of the internal space 313. When the internal space 313 receives the stick-shaped substrate 90, the pressing part presses the stick-shaped substrate 90 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The stick-shaped substrate 90 is then clamped by the holding part 310 while being pressed and deformed by the pressing part. As a result, the stick-shaped substrate 90 is heated from the outer periphery by the heating part 311 while being pressed.

[0048] On the other hand, a gap (not shown) is formed between the non-pressure portion and the stick-shaped substrate 90. As a result, the opening 314 and the bottom 315 communicate with each other through the gap.

[0049] The holding portion 310 also functions to define a flow path for air to be supplied to the stick-shaped substrate 90. Air inlet hole 316, which is the entrance of air to this flow path, is opening 314. More precisely, air inlet hole 316 is the gap between the non-pressure portion and the stick-shaped substrate 90. Air that flows in from air inlet hole 316 as the user inhales is transported along the dotted arrow through the stick-shaped substrate 90 to air outlet hole 317, which is the exit for air from the flow path.

[0050] The stick-type substrate 90 includes a substrate portion 91 and a mouthpiece portion 92. The substrate portion 91 includes an aerosol source. When the stick-type substrate 90 is held in the holder 310, at least a portion of the substrate portion 91 is contained in the internal space 313, and at least a portion of the mouthpiece portion 92 protrudes from the opening 314. When a user holds the mouthpiece portion 92 protruding from the opening 314 in their mouth and inhales, air flows into the internal space 313 through the air inlet hole 316 and is transported along the dotted arrow to the air outlet hole 317 of the mouthpiece portion 92 via the bottom portion 315, and reaches the user's oral cavity together with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 91. The stick-type substrate 90 is an example of a substrate that includes an aerosol source.

[0051] The heating unit 311 generates aerosol by heating the aerosol source and atomizing the aerosol source. The heating unit 311 is configured in a film shape and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the holding unit 310. When the heating unit 311 generates heat, the substrate unit 91 of the stick-shaped substrate 90 is heated from the outer periphery, generating aerosol. The heating unit 311 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 301. As an example, the heating unit 311 may be supplied with power when the sensor unit 302 detects that the user has started inhaling, that a predetermined user input operation has been received, and / or that predetermined information has been input. The supply of power may be stopped when the sensor unit 302 detects that the user has stopped inhaling, that a predetermined user input operation has been received, and / or that predetermined information has been input. The heating unit 311 is an example of a heating unit that heats the substrate by power supplied from a power source.

[0052] The heat insulating section 312 prevents heat transfer from the heating section 311 to other components. For example, the heat insulating section 312 is made of a vacuum heat insulating material, an aerogel heat insulating material, or the like.

[0053] The above describes an example of the configuration of the aerosol generation device 1. Of course, the configuration of the aerosol generation device 1 is not limited to the above, and various configurations such as those exemplified below may be used.

[0054] As one example, the heating unit 311 may be configured in a blade shape and disposed so as to protrude from the bottom 315 of the holding unit 310 into the internal space 313. In this case, the blade-shaped heating unit 311 is inserted into the substrate 91 of the stick-shaped substrate 90 and heats the substrate 91 of the stick-shaped substrate 90 from the inside. As another example, the heating unit 311 may be disposed so as to cover the bottom 315 of the holding unit 310. Furthermore, the heating unit 311 may be configured as a combination of two or more of a first heating unit covering the outer periphery of the holding unit 310, a blade-shaped second heating unit, and a third heating unit covering the bottom 315 of the holding unit 310.

[0055] Furthermore, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to heating by the heating unit 311. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source may be induction heating.

[0056] [Outline of Display Control of Aerosol Generating Device] In the aerosol generating device 1 described above, in this embodiment, the control unit 300 controls the display of simple information on the notification unit 303 of the main body 30, and detailed information that is a more detailed version of the simple information on the notification unit 101 of the front cover 10. In the following, a liquid crystal display will be used as an example of the notification unit 101 of the front cover 10, and an LED will be used as an example of the notification unit 303 of the main body 30.

[0057] [Specific Example of Display of Aerosol Generator] First, a display example of the aerosol generation device 1 when the front cover 10 is attached, which has a liquid crystal display disposed in a position that does not overlap with the LED when attached to the main body 30, will be described. FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams showing a display example of the aerosol generation device 1 in this case. Similar to FIG. 1A, FIGS. 5A and 5B show an overall perspective view of the aerosol generation device 1 from diagonally above. A display window 60 is provided on the outer surface of the front cover 10, and a display device 70 is provided in a position that does not overlap with the display window 60. The display window 60 transmits light from an LED disposed in the main body 30, and the display device 70 is a non-transparent liquid crystal display in this case. The aerosol generation device 1 displays information using LEDs, as indicated by dotted hatching within the display window 60 in the figure. However, initially, the aerosol generation device 1 does not display information using a liquid crystal display, as indicated by the absence of diagonal hatching within the display device 70 in FIG. 5A. Instead, the aerosol generation device 1 displays on a portion of the LEDs that detailed information corresponding to the simple information is available. For example, the aerosol generation device 1 may flash a portion of the LEDs to indicate that detailed information corresponding to the simple information is available. An example of a portion of the LEDs is the topmost LED in a vertical row of multiple LEDs. When the user presses a button (not shown) in this state, the aerosol generation device 1 displays information on the liquid crystal display, as shown by the hatched area in the display device 70 in FIG. 5B.

[0058] The aerosol generation device 1 may be configured to display the simple information on the LED and the detailed information on the LCD simultaneously. However, in the following description, the aerosol generation device 1 will be described as displaying the simple information on the LED and then displaying the detailed information on the LCD in response to a user operation.

[0059] Here, specific examples of the simple information and detailed information will be described. In the following, we will take an example of eight LEDs arranged in a vertical row, and these eight LEDs will be referred to as LED #8, LED #7, ..., LED #1 from top to bottom.

[0060] 6A and 6B are diagrams showing a first example of the simple information and detailed information. In this first example, the simple information and detailed information are information about smoking the stick-shaped substrate 90.

[0061] FIG. 6A shows simplified information regarding smoking of the stick-shaped substrate 90. Here, the simplified information is information indicating the number of stick-shaped substrates 90 smoked. As shown in the figure, initially, the display of LEDs #1 to #8 is as shown in state 321a. That is, LEDs #1 to #8 are turned off as shown by the white background within the thin solid line frame. When the user performs an operation to display the number of cigarettes smoked in this state, the display of the number of cigarettes smoked begins. Then, when two stick-shaped substrates 90 have been smoked, the control unit 300 changes the display of LEDs #1 to #8 to state 322a. That is, the control unit 300 turns on LED #1 as shown by the dotted hatching within the thick solid line frame. Furthermore, when two more stick-shaped substrates 90 have been smoked, the control unit 300 changes the display of LEDs #1 to #8 to state 323a. That is, the control unit 300 further turns on LED #2 as shown by the dotted hatching within the thick solid line frame. Thereafter, each time two stick-shaped substrates 90 are smoked, the control unit 300 changes the display of LEDs #1 to #8 to states 324a, 325a, 326a, 327a, 328a, and 329a. In other words, the control unit 300 sequentially lights up LEDs #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, and #8 as shown by dotted hatching within a thick solid line frame.

[0062] Although no mention has been made here of a display indicating that detailed information corresponding to the simplified information is available, the control unit 300 may display such information by, for example, rapidly blinking LED #8. LED #8 is used here because it does not light up until state 329a is reached, but if LEDs #1 to #8 light up in a different pattern, another LED may be used.

[0063] 6B shows detailed information related to smoking of the stick-shaped substrate 90. Here, the detailed information is information indicating the smoking history of the stick-shaped substrate 90. As shown in the figure, the control unit 300 displays a graph 700a representing the smoking history for one day as the detailed information. The graph 700a includes a horizontal axis 710a representing the time of day and a vertical axis 720a representing the number of cigarettes of the stick-shaped substrate 90 smoked. Furthermore, this detailed information assumes that one cigarette was smoked at 8:00, two cigarettes at 10:00, one cigarette at 1:00, and two cigarettes at 15:00. Therefore, in the graph 700a, a graph element 731a representing one cigarette, a graph element 732a representing two cigarettes, a graph element 733a representing one cigarette, and a graph element 734a representing two cigarettes are displayed for 8:00, 10:00, 1:00, and 15:00 on the horizontal axis 710a, respectively.

[0064] Note that only detailed information representing a smoking history at a certain point in time is shown here. Specifically, the detailed information in Fig. 6B is detailed information that is displayed when the user presses a button (not shown) when the simplified information is in the state 324a in Fig. 6A. When the user presses a button (not shown) when the simplified information is in another state in Fig. 6A, detailed information representing a different history is displayed.

[0065] 7A and 7B are diagrams showing a second example of the simple information and the detailed information. In this second example, the simple information and the detailed information are information related to charging of the power supply unit 301.

[0066] FIG. 7A shows simplified information related to charging of the power supply unit 301. Here, the simplified information indicates the charge level of the power supply unit 301. As shown in the figure, initially, LEDs #1 to #8 are displayed as shown in state 321b. That is, LEDs #1 to #8 are turned off as shown by the white background within the thin solid line frame. When the user inserts the USB cable into the external connection terminal 80 in this state, charging of the power supply unit 301 begins. Then, when the charge level of the power supply unit 301 reaches 12.5%, the control unit 300 changes the display of LEDs #1 to #8 to state 322b. That is, the control unit 300 causes LED #1 to flash as shown by the dotted hatching within the thick dashed line frame. Furthermore, when the charge level of the power supply unit 301 reaches 25%, the control unit 300 changes the display of LEDs #1 to #8 to state 323b. That is, the control unit 300 causes LED #2 to flash again as shown by the dotted hatching within the thick dashed line frame. Thereafter, each time the charge amount of the power supply unit 301 increases by 12.5%, the control unit 300 changes the display of LEDs #1 to #8 to states 324b, 325b, 326b, 327b, 328b, and 329b. In other words, the control unit 300 causes LEDs #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, and #8 to flash in sequence as shown by dotted hatching within a thick dashed frame.

[0067] Although no mention has been made here of a display indicating that detailed information corresponding to the simple information is available, the control unit 300 may display such information by, for example, rapidly blinking LED #8. LED #8 is used here because it does not blink until it reaches state 329b, but if LEDs #1 to #8 blink in a different pattern, another LED may be used.

[0068] 7B shows detailed information regarding the charging of the power supply unit 301. Here, the detailed information indicates the time remaining until charging of the power supply unit 301 is complete. As shown in the figure, the control unit 300 displays, as the detailed information, a message 700b informing the user of the time remaining until charging of the power supply unit 301 is complete. The message 700b includes a message 710b indicating the time remaining until charging is complete. Here, the time remaining until charging is complete may be the time until a sufficient amount of charge is obtained to enable smoking of a sufficient number of stick-shaped substrates 90. In other words, a fully charged state may be another charge state for the power supply unit 301. Therefore, the message 700b may further include a message 720b indicating the time remaining until the power supply unit 301 is fully charged.

[0069] Note that only detailed information indicating the time remaining until charging is completed at a certain point in time is shown here. Specifically, the detailed information in Fig. 7B is detailed information that is displayed when the user presses a button (not shown) when the simplified information is in state 324b in Fig. 7A. When the user presses a button (not shown) when the simplified information is in another state in Fig. 7A, detailed information indicating a different time is displayed.

[0070] 8A and 8B are diagrams showing a third example of the simple information and the detailed information. In this third example, the simple information and the detailed information are information about the temperature of the heating unit 311.

[0071] FIG. 8A shows simplified information regarding the temperature of the heating unit 311. Here, the simplified information indicates the temperature of the heating unit 311. As shown in the figure, initially, the display of LEDs #1 to #8 is as shown in state 321c. That is, LEDs #1 to #8 are off as shown in the thin solid-line frame with a white background. When the user presses and holds the button area 15 in this state, preheating by the heating unit 311 begins. Then, if the temperature of the heating unit 311 has not reached 250°C, the control unit 300 changes the display of LEDs #1 to #8 to state 322c. That is, the control unit 300 blinks LED #1 as shown by dotted hatching in the thick dashed-line frame and lights up LEDs #2 to #8 as shown by dotted hatching in the thick solid-line frame. Furthermore, when the temperature of the heating unit 311 reaches 250°C, 265°C, and 280°C, the control unit 300 changes the display of LEDs #1 to #8 to states 323c, 324c, and 325c. That is, the control unit 300 sequentially blinks LEDs #2, #3, and #4 as shown by dotted hatching within a thick dashed frame. Thereafter, when the temperature of the heating unit 311 reaches 295°C, the control unit 300 changes the display of LEDs #1 to #8 to states 326c, 327c, 328c, and 329c every certain time. That is, the control unit 300 sequentially blinks LEDs #5, #6, #7, and #8 every certain time as shown by dotted hatching within a thick dashed frame. Here, the certain time may be the time obtained by dividing the time from when the temperature of the heating unit 311 reaches 295°C to when the preheating period is completed by four.

[0072] Although no mention has been made here of a display indicating that detailed information corresponding to the simple information is available, the control unit 300 may display such information by, for example, rapidly blinking LED #8. LED #8 is used here because it does not blink until it reaches state 329c, but if LEDs #1 to #8 blink in a different pattern, another LED may be used.

[0073] 8B shows detailed information about the temperature of the heating unit 311. Here, the detailed information is information indicating the heating profile of the heating unit 311. As shown in the figure, the control unit 300 displays, as the detailed information, a graph 700c indicating the heating profile of the heating unit 311. The graph 700c includes a horizontal axis 710c indicating time within the preheating period and a vertical axis 720c indicating the temperature of the heating unit 311. The graph 700c also includes a graph element 731c indicating that the temperature of the heating unit 311 increases linearly until it reaches 295°C and then maintains this temperature for a certain period of time. The graph 700c further includes a graph element 732c indicating the current temperature on the graph element 731c.

[0074] Note that only detailed information indicating the temperature of the heating unit 311 at a certain point in time is shown here. Specifically, the detailed information in Fig. 8B is detailed information that is displayed when the user presses a button (not shown) when the simple information is in the state 324c in Fig. 8A. When the user presses a button (not shown) when the simple information is in another state in Fig. 8A, detailed information indicating a different temperature is displayed.

[0075] Next, a display example of the aerosol generation device 1 when the front cover 10 is attached, which has a liquid crystal display provided in a position that overlaps the LED when attached to the main body 30, will be described. FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams showing a display example of the aerosol generation device 1 in this case. Similar to FIG. 1A, FIGS. 9A and 9B show an overall perspective view of the aerosol generation device 1 from diagonally above. A display window 60 is provided on the outer surface of the front cover 10, and a display device 70 is provided in a position overlapping the display window 60. The display window 60 transmits light from the LEDs arranged in the main body 30, and the display device 70 is a transparent liquid crystal display in this case. The aerosol generation device 1 displays information using LEDs, as indicated by dotted hatching in the display window 60 in the figure. However, initially, the aerosol generation device 1 does not display information using a liquid crystal display, as indicated by the absence of diagonal hatching in the display device 70 in FIG. 9A. Instead, the aerosol generation device 1 displays information on a portion of the LEDs indicating that detailed information corresponding to the simplified information is available. For example, the aerosol generation device 1 may blink some of its LEDs to indicate that detailed information corresponding to the simple information is available. An example of such a part of the LED is the topmost LED in a vertical row of multiple LEDs. When the user presses a button (not shown) in this state, the aerosol generation device 1 displays information on the liquid crystal display, as shown by the hatched area in the display device 70 in FIG. 9B .

[0076] The aerosol generation device 1 may be configured to display the simple information on the LED and the detailed information on the LCD simultaneously. However, in the following description, the aerosol generation device 1 will be described as displaying the simple information on the LED and then displaying the detailed information on the LCD in response to a user operation.

[0077] Here, a specific example of the simple information and detailed information displayed in Fig. 9B will be described. Note that, hereinafter, an example of eight LEDs arranged in a vertical row will be used, and these eight LEDs will be referred to as LED #8, LED #7, ..., LED #1 from top to bottom.

[0078] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the simple information and detailed information displayed in FIG. 9B . In this example, the simple information and detailed information are information about an error occurring in the aerosol generation device 1. Here, the simple information is information indicating that an error has occurred, and the detailed information is information indicating the reason for the error. As shown in the figure, the control unit 300 displays LEDs #1 to #8 in the display window 60 as simple information in a pattern corresponding to the error that has occurred. Here, LEDs #1, #3, #5, and #7 are lit, and LEDs #2, #4, #6, and #8 are off. The control unit 300 also displays a message 711 in a speech bubble 710 and a message 721 in a speech bubble 720 as detailed information. The message 711 indicates the error indicated by the display of LEDs #1 to #8, and the message 721 indicates the reason for the error. The control unit 300 that performs such a display is an example of a control unit that controls detailed information to be displayed in the detailed display unit in association with the simple information displayed in the simple display unit.

[0079] Although no mention has been made here of a display indicating that detailed information corresponding to the simple information is available, the control unit 300 may display such information by, for example, rapidly flashing LED #8.

[0080] [Details of Operation of Aerosol Generating Apparatus] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the control unit 300 of the aerosol generating apparatus 1 in this embodiment.

[0081] As shown in the figure, first, the control unit 300 determines whether information to be displayed has been generated (step 351). For example, the control unit 300 determines whether an operation has been performed to display information about smoking the stick-shaped substrate 90, information about charging the power supply unit 301, or information about the temperature of the heating unit 311. Alternatively, the control unit 300 determines whether an error has occurred that requires display of information about the error. Here, if the control unit 300 determines that information to be displayed has not been generated, it repeats step 351; if it determines that information to be displayed has been generated, it controls the LED of the main body 30 to display simple information (step 352).

[0082] Next, the control unit 300 determines whether detailed information corresponding to the simple information exists (step 353). For example, the storage unit 304 may store the simple information and detailed information for each piece of information to be displayed, and the control unit 300 may refer to the storage unit 304 to determine whether detailed information exists corresponding to the piece of information to be displayed that was determined to have occurred in step 351. If it is determined that detailed information exists corresponding to the simple information, the control unit 300 controls some of the LEDs of the main unit 30 to blink (step 354).

[0083] Next, the control unit 300 determines whether an operation to display the detailed information determined to exist in step 353 has been performed (step 355). For example, the control unit 300 determines whether an operation to display the detailed information has been performed by pressing a button (not shown). If the control unit 300 determines that an operation to display the detailed information has not been performed, it repeats step 355. If the control unit 300 determines that an operation to display the detailed information has been performed, it controls the LCD display of the front cover 10 to display the detailed information (step 356). In this case, if the LCD display of the front cover 10 is a transparent LCD display that overlaps with the LED when attached to the main body 30, the control unit 300 may control the LCD display to display the detailed information in association with the simplified information of the LED. Here, the control unit 300 may determine whether the LCD display of the front cover 10 is a transparent LCD display that overlaps with the LED when attached to the main body 30, for example, as follows. That is, the control unit 300 receives information indicating the position of the liquid crystal display and information indicating whether the liquid crystal display is transparent or non-transparent, which are stored in the memory unit 102 of the front cover 10, from the communication unit 103 of the front cover 10 via the communication unit 305. Then, based on this received information, the control unit 300 determines whether the liquid crystal display of the front cover 10 is a transparent liquid crystal display that will overlap with the LED when attached to the main body 30.

[0084] On the other hand, if it is determined in step 353 that there is no detailed information corresponding to the simplified information, the control unit 300 ends the process without displaying the detailed information on the liquid crystal display.

[0085] [Modifications] While the above description has been given of the application of this embodiment to a heated tobacco product, the present invention is not limited to this. This embodiment can be applied to various aerosol generating devices for inhaling aerosol, such as electronic cigarettes and nebulizers. Furthermore, the generated inhaled components may include gases such as invisible vapors in addition to aerosols. Furthermore, this embodiment may also be applied to general electronic devices other than aerosol generating devices.

[0086] [Effects of the Present Embodiment] In the aerosol generation device 1 of the present embodiment, simple information is displayed on the simple display unit, and detailed information, which is a more detailed version of the simple information, is displayed on the detailed display unit. As a result, in the present embodiment, it is possible to provide the user with the simple information while reducing power consumption, and also provide the user with the detailed information.

[0087] [Summary] The present disclosure includes the following configurations. (1) An electronic device comprising: a main body having a simplified display unit that displays information in a simplified manner; a cover having a detailed display unit that displays information in detail and that does not obscure the simplified display unit even when attached to the main body; and a control unit that controls the simple information to be displayed on the simplified display unit and the detailed information that is a more detailed version of the simplified information to be displayed on the detailed display unit. (2) The electronic device described in (1), in which the control unit controls the simple display unit to display, in a portion of the simplified display unit, an indication that detailed information corresponding to the simplified information is available. (3) The electronic device described in (1) or (2), in which the detailed display unit is a non-transparent display that is positioned so as not to overlap the simplified display unit when the cover is attached to the main body. (4) The electronic device described in (1) or (2), in which the detailed display unit is a transparent display that is positioned so as to overlap the simplified display unit when the cover is attached to the main body. (5) The electronic device described in (4), in which the control unit controls the detailed information to be displayed on the detailed display unit in association with the simplified information displayed on the simplified display unit. (6) The electronic device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the simple information is information indicating that an error has occurred, and the detailed information is information indicating a reason for the error. (7) An aerosol generation device comprising: a main body having a heating unit that heats a substrate including an aerosol source by power supply from a power source and a simple display unit that displays a simple display; a cover having a detailed display unit that displays a detailed display and that does not hide the simple display unit even when attached to the main body; and a control unit that controls the simple information to be displayed on the simple display unit and the detailed information, which is a more detailed version of the simple information, to be displayed on the detailed display unit. (8) The aerosol generation device according to (7), wherein the simple information is information indicating the number of times the substrate has been smoked, and the detailed information is information indicating the smoking history of the substrate. (9) The aerosol generation device according to (7), wherein the power source is a battery, the simple information is information indicating the charge level of the battery, and the detailed information is information indicating the time until charging of the battery is complete. (10) The aerosol generation device according to (7), wherein the simple information is information indicating the temperature of the heating unit, and the detailed information is information indicating a heating profile of the heating unit.

[0088] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Aerosol generating device, 10...Front cover, 20...Main body housing, 30...Main body, 40...Housing, 50...Shutter, 60...Display window, 70...Display device, 80...External connection terminal, 101...Notification unit, 102...Storage unit, 103...Communication unit, 300...Control unit, 301...Power supply unit, 302...Sensor unit, 303...Notification unit, 304...Storage unit, 305...Communication unit, 310...Holding unit, 311...Heating unit, 312...Insulation unit

Claims

1. a main body having a simple display unit for simple display; a cover having a detailed display section for displaying details and not hiding the simplified display section even when attached to the main body; a control unit that controls the display of simplified information on the simplified display unit and the display of detailed information obtained by further elaborating the simplified information on the detailed display unit; An electronic device comprising:

2. the control unit controls the simplified display unit to display, in a part of the simplified display unit, a message indicating that the detailed information corresponding to the simplified information is available. The electronic device according to claim 1 .

3. the detailed display unit is a non-transparent display provided at a position that does not overlap with the simplified display unit when the cover is attached to the main body, 3. The electronic device according to claim 1.

4. the detailed display unit is a transparent display provided at a position overlapping the simplified display unit when the cover is attached to the main body, 3. The electronic device according to claim 1.

5. the control unit controls the detailed information to be displayed on the detailed display unit in association with the simplified information displayed on the simplified display unit.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4.

6. the simplified information is information indicating that an error has occurred, The detailed information is information indicating the reason why the error occurred. The electronic device according to claim 1 .

7. a main body having a heating unit that heats a substrate containing an aerosol source by power supply from a power source and a simple display unit that displays information in a simple manner; a cover having a detailed display section for displaying detailed information and not hiding the simplified display section even when attached to the main body; a control unit that controls the display of simplified information on the simplified display unit and the display of detailed information obtained by further elaborating the simplified information on the detailed display unit; An aerosol generating device comprising:

8. The simplified information is information indicating the number of times the substrate has been smoked, The detailed information is information indicating the smoking history of the substrate. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7.

9. the power source is a battery; the simplified information is information indicating a charge amount of the battery, The detailed information is information indicating the time remaining until charging of the battery is completed. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7.

10. the simplified information is information indicating the temperature of the heating unit, The detailed information is information indicating a heating profile of the heating unit. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7.