Control method for aerosol generating device, and aerosol generating device

Abstract

A control method for an aerosol generating device (20), and the aerosol generating device (20). The control method comprises the following steps: according to a first heating curve, heating an aerosol product (10) inserted into the aerosol generating device (20); when the aerosol product (10) is pulled out and then reinserted, determining the time interval between pulling out and reinserting; and on the basis of the time interval, determining whether to re-determine a heating curve of the aerosol generating device (20).

Description

Control method for aerosol generator and aerosol generator Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electronic atomization technology, specifically to a control method for an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the heating methods applicable to heating non-combustible cigarettes are nothing more than resistance heating, infrared heating, microwave heating, etc. One or more heating methods are used for heating, but most of them only embed a set of heating curves. Often, this set of curves cannot be compatible with all flavors of cigarette cartridges, which has limitations.

[0003] Even when cigarettes with the same cigarette structure are placed in the same type of heated tobacco product, the taste, aroma, smoke volume, and clump formation of different flavor formulas of the same brand of tobacco cartridges will vary greatly due to different heating curves. Therefore, the related technology uses a single curve to heat different cigarettes, which results in the cigarette flavor not being presented in a true way and a poor smoking experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a control method for an aerosol generator and an aerosol generator to solve the problem of poor suction experience in aerosol generators.

[0005] In one embodiment, a control method for an aerosol generating device is provided. The aerosol generating device has a receiving portion for inserting an aerosol article and a heating component for heating the aerosol article in the receiving portion. The control method includes the following steps: heating the aerosol article inserted into the aerosol generating device with a first heating curve; determining the time interval between the insertion and removal of the aerosol article when it is removed and then reinserted; and determining whether to re-determine the heating curve of the aerosol generating device based on the time interval.

[0006] In one embodiment, determining whether to re-determine the heating curve of the aerosol generator based on the time interval includes: determining whether the time interval is less than a set time interval; and re-determining the heating curve of the aerosol generator when the time interval is greater than or equal to the set time interval.

[0007] In one embodiment, the step of determining whether to re-determine the heating curve of the aerosol generator based on the time interval further includes: heating with the first heating curve when the time interval is less than a set time interval.

[0008] In one embodiment, the control method further includes issuing a warning message when the time interval is greater than or equal to a set time interval.

[0009] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device includes a wireless information reading module, and the aerosol product or its packaging box includes an identification module containing product information corresponding to the heating curve of the aerosol product. The wireless information reading module can read the product information when the identification module is near the aerosol generating device. The control method further includes reading the product information near the aerosol generating device.

[0010] In one embodiment, the product information includes product type information and its corresponding heating curve information; after reading the product information near the aerosol generator, the control method further includes: storing the read product information into the aerosol generator.

[0011] In one embodiment, the aerosol generator further includes an indicator module; the control method further includes displaying information of the heating curve stored in the aerosol generator on the indicator module.

[0012] In one embodiment, the aerosol generator includes an interactive interface; the control method further includes: determining the heating curve of the aerosol generator based on input instructions received from the interactive interface.

[0013] In one embodiment, the first heating curve is derived from the most recently stored product information.

[0014] In one embodiment, the step of re-determining the heating curve of the aerosol generator when the time interval is greater than or equal to a set time interval includes: rereading the product information near the aerosol generator; and using the heating curve corresponding to the reread product information as the re-determined heating curve.

[0015] In one embodiment, an aerosol generating device is also provided, including a memory, a processor, and control instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the control instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the steps of the control method for the aerosol generating device described in any of the above embodiments.

[0016] According to the control method and aerosol generator of the above embodiments, by determining that the time interval between the removal and reinsertion of the aerosol product is greater than or equal to a set time interval, it is possible to predict whether the user has changed to a different type of aerosol product. This allows for the re-determination of the heating curve after the change, thereby avoiding the defect of the aerosol generator heating different aerosol products with the same heating curve, which would result in a poor inhalation experience. It has the advantages of good heating effect, realistic presentation of the flavor of aerosol products, and excellent inhalation experience. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic flowchart of a control method for an aerosol generating device in one embodiment;

[0018] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating some steps of the control method for an aerosol generator in one embodiment;

[0019] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device in one embodiment;

[0020] Figure 4 is a structural block diagram of an aerosol generating device in one embodiment;

[0021] 10-Aerosol product, 20-Aerosol generating device, 21-Containing part, 22-Heating component, 23-Power supply, 24-Indicator module, 25-Interactive interface, 26-Memory, 27-Processor. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by related similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to facilitate a better understanding of the present application. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, certain operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of the present application with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, detailed description of these related operations is not necessary; they can fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.

[0023] Furthermore, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any suitable manner to form various embodiments. At the same time, the steps or actions in the method description can be rearranged or adjusted in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various orders in the specification and drawings are only for the clear description of a particular embodiment and do not imply a necessary order, unless otherwise stated that a particular order must be followed.

[0024] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are used only to distinguish the described objects and have no sequential or technical meaning. Unless otherwise specified, the terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this application include both direct and indirect connections (linkages).

[0025] This application addresses the issue of poor inhalation experience caused by using the same heating curve in aerosol generators. It predicts whether a user has changed to a different packaging or type of aerosol product by determining if the time interval between removing and reinserting the aerosol product is greater than or equal to a set time interval. After the change, the heating curve is redefined to match the different aerosol products. This method offers advantages such as better heating effect, accurate presentation of aerosol product flavor, and superior inhalation experience.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in one embodiment, a control method for an aerosol generating device is provided. The aerosol generating device includes a receiving portion for inserting an aerosol article and a heating element for heating the aerosol article within the receiving portion.

[0027] The control method includes the following steps:

[0028] S1: Heating the aerosol product inserted into the aerosol generator using the first heating curve.

[0029] S2: When an aerosol product is pulled out and then reinserted, determine the time interval between the pull-out and reinsertion.

[0030] S3: Determine whether to re-determine the heating curve of the aerosol generator based on the time interval.

[0031] Step S3 may include: S31: Determining whether the time interval is less than a set time interval. S32: If the time interval is greater than or equal to the set time interval, re-determining the heating curve of the aerosol generator.

[0032] By determining whether the time interval between removing and reinserting the aerosol product is greater than or equal to a set time interval, it can predict whether the user has changed to a different packaging or type of aerosol product. After the change, the heating curve is re-determined to match different aerosol products. It has the advantages of good heating effect, realistic presentation of aerosol product flavor, and excellent inhalation experience.

[0033] In one embodiment, step S3 may further include heating with a first heating curve when the time interval is less than a set time interval. When the time interval is less than the set time interval, it can be assumed that the user has not changed to a different packaging or type of aerosol product, and heating with the first heating curve can continue, avoiding unnecessary switching of the heating curve of the aerosol generator.

[0034] In some embodiments, step S2 includes: determining whether the aerosol product has been removed, and if so, recording the removal time; determining whether an aerosol product has been inserted, and if so, recording the insertion time; and calculating the time interval by the difference between the removal time and the insertion time.

[0035] In some embodiments, the insertion and removal of aerosol articles can be monitored by sensing elements of the aerosol generator. For example, the aerosol generator can detect the insertion or removal of the aerosol article by sensing the presence of a sensing element within the aerosol article; or, the insertion or removal of the aerosol article can be monitored by whether a sensing switch of the aerosol generator is triggered. Of course, the insertion or removal of aerosol articles can be achieved through various existing methods.

[0036] In some embodiments, the set time can be set to 8-12 seconds, such as 10 seconds. When the time interval between removal and insertion exceeds 10 seconds, it can be determined that the user may have changed to another aerosol product, and it is necessary to determine whether the heating curve needs to be updated. When the time interval between removal and insertion is less than 10 seconds, it can be assumed that the user is only using the same aerosol product, and there is no need to update the heating curve.

[0037] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device includes a wireless information reading module for wirelessly reading corresponding information from the aerosol product or its packaging.

[0038] The aerosol product or its packaging includes an identification module containing product information. A wireless information reading module can read the product information when the identification module is near the aerosol generator.

[0039] The control method also includes reading product information near the aerosol generator. Specifically, the wireless information reading module can read product information when an aerosol product or packaging box is near the aerosol generator.

[0040] In some embodiments, the wireless information reading module can be an NFC reading module; the identity module can be an NFC tag. The NFC tag can be attached to the aerosol product or its packaging, storing product information corresponding to the aerosol product. When the aerosol product or its packaging is brought close to the aerosol generator, the NFC reading module reads the product information from the NFC tag and then selects the corresponding heating curve based on the product information. It is understood that the wireless information reading module and the identity module can also be implemented using other wireless communication modules.

[0041] In other embodiments, the identity module may also be a magnetic strip, pattern, or other device for storing information, and the wireless information reading module may be a reader for reading magnetic strip information or an optical reading module such as a CCD (Charge-coupled Device) for reading pattern information.

[0042] In one embodiment, the product information includes product type information and its corresponding heating curve information. After reading the product information near the aerosol generator, the control method further includes storing the read product information into the aerosol generator. This allows for updating the stored product information not yet stored in the aerosol generator, enabling it to have an autonomous learning function.

[0043] The heating curves stored in the aerosol generator can be matched with the types of aerosol products. There are several ways to classify aerosol products. One is the form of the smoking material, such as flakes, granules, paste, tobacco, etc. For example, heating curve one corresponds to flake cigarettes; heating curve two corresponds to granule cigarettes; heating curve three corresponds to paste cigarettes, etc. Another way is the flavor of the cigarette, such as fruit flavor, tobacco flavor, herbal flavor, etc.

[0044] In some scenarios, such as when a completely new aerosol product is required, by adding a judgment when the aerosol generator is started, a new heating curve can be added to the aerosol generator and stored in the aerosol generator, giving it a pre-learning function.

[0045] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the aerosol generator further includes an indicator module 24. The aerosol generator stores several heating profiles. The indicator module 24 can be used to display information about the stored selectable heating profiles.

[0046] The control method also includes displaying the heating curve information stored in the aerosol generator on the indicator module 24, allowing the user to select the corresponding heating curve. The indicator module 24 makes the user's selection more intuitive. The heating curve information displayed by the indicator module 24 may include the product type information corresponding to the heating curve, the heating curve itself, or the heating curve's number, so that the user can select the appropriate heating curve as needed. For example, the indicator module 24 can be a display screen or an indicator light. When the indicator module 24 is an indicator light, different indicator lights can correspond to different product types, or different indicator light colors can correspond to different product types, to remind the user of the type of heating curve already stored in the aerosol generator.

[0047] In one embodiment, the aerosol generator includes an interface 25 for receiving input commands. The control method further includes determining the heating curve of the aerosol generator based on the input commands received through the interface 25. The interface allows for receiving input commands from mobile terminals or servers, making operation more convenient and intuitive for users and improving usability.

[0048] In some embodiments, the interaction interface 25 can be a wireless communication module, including but not limited to a Bluetooth communication module, a WIFI module, a ZigBee module, etc. The interaction interface 25 can also be a wired communication module, such as a USB module, a mini-USB module, a Type-C module, a Lightning module, etc. The interaction interface 25 can be presented in various forms such as a screen, keyboard, keys, buttons, etc. Taking Bluetooth wireless communication as an example, the mobile terminal and the aerosol generator are each equipped with a Bluetooth module. The two pair through the Bluetooth module to establish a wireless communication connection. After successful communication, the mobile terminal sends cloud data downloaded from the cloud server to the aerosol generator through the Bluetooth wireless transmission channel. The mobile terminal can be various mobile terminals, such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, PDAs, etc.

[0049] In one embodiment, the first heating curve is derived from the most recently stored product information, which can reduce the hassle of repeatedly selecting heating curves.

[0050] In one embodiment, the step of re-determining the heating curve of the aerosol generator when the time interval is greater than or equal to a set time interval includes: rereading the product information near the aerosol generator; and using the heating curve corresponding to the reread product information as the re-determined heating curve. When changing aerosol products, users can read the product information of the aerosol product or its packaging to re-determine the heating curve, making it easier to determine the heating curve more quickly and convenient to use.

[0051] In one embodiment, the control method further includes issuing a warning message when the time interval is greater than or equal to a set time interval. The warning message reminds the user whether the heating curve needs to be updated to match the corresponding aerosol product. Accordingly, the aerosol generating device may include a warning module 28, which can issue the warning message. For example, the warning module 28 may be a buzzer, a vibration motor, etc.

[0052] In one usage embodiment, the user can activate the aerosol generator. When a new aerosol product is needed, the NFC module of the aerosol generator can read the NFC information in the aerosol product and store the heating curve to be updated from the NFC information in the aerosol generator, setting it as the first heating curve. When using an aerosol product with an existing heating curve, the user can select the corresponding heating curve stored in the aerosol generator by tapping on the screen, pressing buttons, or inputting information via a mobile terminal, and set it as the first heating curve.

[0053] When a user inserts the aerosol product, the aerosol generator heats and atomizes the product according to a first heating curve to produce an aerosol for the user to inhale. During inhalation, the aerosol generator determines whether heating is complete based on the first heating curve. If not, it continues heating according to the first heating curve; if heating is complete, it stops heating. Simultaneously, a reminder can be issued to instruct the user to remove the aerosol product.

[0054] When a user removes an aerosol product, the aerosol generator records the removal time and determines whether an aerosol product was inserted. If an aerosol product is found to be inserted, the insertion time is recorded. The time interval is then calculated by subtracting the removal time from the insertion time.

[0055] If the time interval is greater than or equal to a set time interval, it is predicted that the user has replaced the aerosol product, and the heating curve of the aerosol generator is redefined. For example, the product information of the replaced aerosol product is read through the NFC module to obtain the corresponding heating curve, which is then determined as the current heating curve for heating.

[0056] If the time interval is less than the set time interval, it is predicted that the user has not replaced the aerosol product, and the newly inserted aerosol product will continue to be heated using the first heating curve.

[0057] In one embodiment, an aerosol generating device 20 is also provided, as shown in FIG3, including a receiving portion 21 for inserting an aerosol article 10, a heating element 22 for heating the aerosol article 10 in the receiving portion 21, and a power supply 23.

[0058] Figure 4 shows a structural block diagram of an aerosol generating device. The aerosol generating device includes a memory 26, a processor 27, and control instructions stored in the memory 26 and executable on the processor 27. When the control instructions are executed by the processor 27, they implement the control method of any of the above embodiments to control the operation of the heating component.

[0059] In some embodiments, processor 27 may be a central processing unit (CPU), controller, microcontroller, microprocessor, or other data processing chip. This processor is typically used to control the overall operation of an electronic device. In this embodiment, the processor is used to run program code stored in a readable storage medium or to process data.

[0060] The units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the components and steps of each example have been generally described in terms of functionality in the foregoing description. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Different methods can be used to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of the invention.

[0061] The steps of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented directly by hardware, a software module executed by a processor, or a combination of both. The software module can be located in random access memory (RAM), main memory, read-only memory (ROM), electrically programmable ROM, electrically erasable programmable ROM, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art.

Claims

1. A control method of an aerosol generating device having a receiving portion into which an aerosol generating article is inserted and a heating assembly that heats the aerosol generating article in the receiving portion, the control method comprising: determining whether the aerosol generating article is inserted into the receiving portion; and controlling the heating assembly to heat the aerosol generating article based on the determination. The control method comprises the following steps: heating an aerosol product inserted into the aerosol generating device according to a first heating curve; judging a time interval between the time when the aerosol product is pulled out and the time when the aerosol product is inserted again; determining whether to re-determine the heating curve of the aerosol generating device according to the time interval.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized by, The step of determining whether to re-determine the heating curve of the aerosol generating device according to the time interval comprises: judging whether the time interval is less than a set time interval; re-determining the heating curve of the aerosol generating device when the time interval is greater than or equal to the set time interval.

3. The control method according to claim 2, characterized by, The step of determining whether to re-determine the heating curve of the aerosol generating device according to the time interval comprises: heating according to the first heating curve when the time interval is less than the set time interval.

4. The control method according to claim 2, characterized by, The control method further comprises: issuing a warning information when the time interval is greater than or equal to the set time interval.

5. The control method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The aerosol generating device comprises a wireless information reading module, and the aerosol product or the packaging box of the aerosol product comprises an identity module, wherein the identity module comprises product information corresponding to the heating curve of the aerosol product; The wireless information reading module can read the product information when the identity module is close to the aerosol generating device; The control method further comprises: reading the product information close to the aerosol generating device.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized by The product information comprises product type information and corresponding heating curve information; After reading the product information close to the aerosol generating device, the control method further comprises: storing the read product information in the aerosol generating device.

7. The control method according to claim 6, characterized by The aerosol generating device further comprises an indication module; The control method further comprises: displaying the information of the heating curve stored in the aerosol generating device on the indication module.

8. The control method according to claim 7, characterized by The aerosol generating device comprises an interactive interface; The control method further comprises: determining the heating curve of the aerosol generating device according to the input instruction received by the interactive interface.

9. The control method according to claim 6, characterized by, The first heating curve is from the product information stored last time.

10. The control method according to claim 5, characterized by, The step of re-determining the heating curve of the aerosol generating device when the time interval is greater than or equal to the set time interval comprises: reading the product information close to the aerosol generating device again; using the heating curve corresponding to the product information read again as the re-determined heating curve.

11. An aerosol-generating device comprising: The control method comprises a memory, a processor and control instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the control instructions are executed by the processor to realize the steps of the control method of the aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1-10.

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