Aerosol Heater Coil Control Using Segmented Voltage Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol generating devices lack precise heater control, leading to potential delays and inaccuracies in measuring heater coil and battery voltages, which affects the efficiency and accuracy of power output to the heater.
Innovation Solution
A control device with a main control unit that performs execution loops to separately measure heater coil and off-load battery voltages, allowing for accurate calculation of an updated power output by pausing between measurements and using pulse width modulation to minimize processing interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If heater coil and battery voltages are measured continuously without separation, then measurement speed is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to inability to measure off-load battery voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement process is segmented into distinct phases: heater coil voltage measurement phase and off-load battery voltage measurement phase. The control device separates these measurements in time by switching off the heater coil between measurements, allowing each voltage to be measured under its optimal conditions without interference from the other, thus resolving the contradiction between speed and accuracy.
2Device complexity
If processing calculations are performed in the same execution loop, then device complexity is reduced, but processing time increases causing delays
Solution Approach 1:
The control device segments processing into separate execution loops: one loop dedicated to voltage measurements and another loop dedicated to power output calculations. This separation allows measurements to be completed quickly without being delayed by complex calculations, while the calculations can proceed independently with full processing resources, resolving the time delay issue.
3Productivity
If heater coil remains on during battery voltage measurement, then heating efficiency is improved, but battery voltage measurement accuracy deteriorates due to load effects
Solution Approach 1:
The control device employs periodic action by switching the heater coil on and off at specific intervals. The heater is activated during heating phases to maintain efficiency, then switched off during off-load battery voltage measurement phases to ensure accurate measurements without load interference. This periodic switching pattern resolves the contradiction between heating efficiency and measurement accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device of an aerosol generating device includes a main control unit, and is connectable to a battery and a heater coil. The main control unit is configured to carry out one or more execution loops, a first execution loop includes applying a first power output to the heater coil for a first number of steps, disabling the first power output and thereby switching off the heater coil in a second number of steps, measuring a first heater coil voltage of the heater coil in a third number of steps, pausing with the heater coil switched off for a fourth number of steps, and measuring a first off-load battery voltage of the battery in a fifth number of steps. The main control unit is further configured to calculate an updated power output based upon the first heater coil voltage and first off-load battery voltage.