RTC Time Recovery for Aerosol Device Warranty Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The management of warranty periods for aerosol generating devices is challenging due to prolonged manufacturing to sale periods and diverse sales channels, leading to difficulties in maintaining warranty records.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a real-time clock (RTC) with a non-volatile memory and processor to store and restore time information, allowing accurate tracking of device usage without additional power sources or circuits, thus maintaining warranty information efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate auxiliary power source (e.g., coin battery) is added to continuously supply power to the RTC, then the RTC can prevent resetting and maintain time information, but the manufacturing cost of the aerosol generating device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the RTC power supply with the existing main battery system by using the battery's power through the processor, eliminating the need for a separate auxiliary power source. The RTC is integrated into the existing power distribution architecture rather than requiring an independent power path.
Solution Approach 2:
The main battery serves multiple functions: powering the heating element for aerosol generation and simultaneously powering the RTC for time tracking. This multi-functional use of the battery eliminates the need for dedicated auxiliary power sources while maintaining RTC operation throughout the device lifecycle.
2Ease of manufacture
If a separate circuit (e.g., regulator) for step-down is added to connect the battery directly to the RTC, then the battery can directly power the RTC, but the manufacturing cost of the aerosol generating device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processor acts as an intermediary between the battery and the RTC, managing power distribution. Instead of directly connecting the battery to the RTC with additional regulation circuits, the processor mediates the power flow, simplifying the overall circuit architecture while enabling direct battery power utilization.
3Ease of operation
If the RTC is initialized during processor reset or booting, then the processor can restart normally, but the time information is lost and the number of days of use cannot be accurately obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by continuously maintaining RTC operation through dedicated power supply paths that remain active during processor reset or booting sequences. This ensures time information is preserved before any potential loss could occur, allowing the processor to restart without affecting RTC continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by providing redundant power paths or backup power mechanisms that protect the RTC from power interruption during processor reset or booting. This cushioning measure ensures that even if the main processor power cycle affects the system, the RTC maintains its time information through protected power supply.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an aerosol generating device including a real-time clock (RTC) configured to output time information measured from a reference time; a non-volatile memory; and a processor configured to: store the time information in the non-volatile memory when a preset operation is performed, when the RTC is initialized, restore the time information by correcting the reference time based on an initial reference time and an accumulated elapsed time from the initial reference time, and when the preset operation is performed again, store updated time information reflecting an elapsed time from the corrected reference time in the non-volatile memory.