Patent Application
20250113869
The following embodiments relate to an aerosol generating device, and specifically, to a technique for controlling an electronic device to which a cartridge equipped with a tag is connected.
The demand for electronic cigarettes has recently been on the rise. In addition, as the demand for electronic cigarettes increases, functions related to electronic cigarettes are continuously being developed. Especially, functions related to the types and characteristics of electronic cigarettes are continuously being developed.
An embodiment may provide a method of controlling an electronic device to which a cartridge equipped with a tag is connected.
An embodiment may provide an aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol.
According to an embodiment, an aerosol generating method performed by an electronic device includes obtaining unique information of a cartridge connected to the electronic device from a tag of the cartridge, using short-range wireless communication, performing authentication of the cartridge based on the unique information of the cartridge, and when the cartridge is authenticated, generating an aerosol by vibrating an aerosol generating material included in the cartridge based on information on a natural vibration frequency of a vibrator included in the cartridge which is obtained from the tag.
The aerosol generating method may further include transmitting use information on the electronic device to the tag.
The use information may include a number of puffs, usage time, or reuse information.
The tag may be embedded inside the cartridge in a form of a near-field communication (NFC) module, or attached to an outside of the cartridge in a form of a sticker.
The aerosol generating material may be aerosolized by an ultrasonic vibration generated by the vibrator included in the cartridge.
The aerosol generating method may further include obtaining the information on the natural vibration frequency of the vibrator from the tag and calibrating a driving circuit to which the vibrator is connected, based on the information on the natural vibration frequency.
According to an embodiment, an electronic device includes a controller configured to execute a program for authenticating a cartridge connected to the electronic device, wherein the controller is configured to obtain unique information of the cartridge connected to the electronic device from a tag of the cartridge, using short-range wireless communication, perform authentication of the cartridge based on the unique information of the cartridge, and when the cartridge is authenticated, generate an aerosol by vibrating an aerosol generating material included in the cartridge based on information on a natural vibration frequency of a vibrator included in the cartridge which is obtained from the tag.
The controller may be further configured to transmit use information on the electronic device to the tag.
The use information may include a number of puffs, usage time, or reuse information.
The tag may be embedded inside the cartridge in a form of an NFC module, or attached to an outside of the cartridge in a form of a sticker.
The aerosol generating material may be aerosolized by an ultrasonic vibration generated by the vibrator included in the cartridge.
The controller may be further configured to obtain the information of the natural vibration frequency of the vibrator from the tag and calibrate a driving circuit to which the vibrator is connected, based on the information on the natural vibration frequency.
According to an embodiment, a method of controlling an electronic device to which a cartridge equipped with a tag is connected may be provided.
According to an embodiment, an aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol may be provided.
The following structural or functional descriptions of embodiments described herein are merely intended for the purpose of describing the embodiments described herein and may be implemented in various forms. Thus, an actual form of implementation is not construed as limited to the embodiments described herein and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, and replacements within the idea and the technical scope of the disclosure.
Although terms of “first,” “second,” and the like are used to explain various components, the components are not limited to such terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another component. For example, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, the second component may be referred to as the first component.
When it is mentioned that one component is “connected,” “coupled,” or “joined” to another component, it may be understood that the one component is directly connected, coupled, or joined to another component or that still other component may be interposed between the two components.
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components or a combination thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms used herein including technical or scientific terms have the same meanings as those generally understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Terms defined in dictionaries generally used should be construed to have meanings matching contextual meanings in the related art and are not to be construed as an ideal or excessively formal meaning unless otherwise defined herein.
Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When describing the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals refer to like components and a repeated description related thereto will be omitted.
According to an embodiment, an aerosol generating device 100 of
The sensing unit 120 may sense a state of the aerosol generating device 100 or a state of an environment around the aerosol generating device 100 and transmit sensing information obtained through the sensing to the controller 110. Based on the sensing information, the controller 110 may control the aerosol generating device 100 to control operations of the atomizer 150, restrict smoking, determine whether an aerosol generating article (e.g., an aerosol generating article, a cartridge, etc.) is inserted, display a notification, and perform other functions.
The sensing unit 120 may include at least one of a temperature sensor 122, an insertion detection sensor 124, or a puff sensor 126. However, embodiments are not limited thereto.
The temperature sensor 122 may sense a temperature of the atomizer 150 (or an aerosol generating material). The aerosol generating device 100 may include a separate temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the atomizer 150, or the atomizer 150 itself may perform a function of a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 122 may be disposed around the battery 140 to monitor a temperature of the battery 140.
The insertion detection sensor 124 may sense whether the aerosol generating article is inserted and/or removed. The insertion detection sensor 124 may include, for example, at least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, or an infrared sensor, which may sense a signal change by the insertion and/or removal of the aerosol generating article.
The puff sensor 126 may sense a puff by a user based on various physical changes in an airflow path or airflow channel. The puff sensor 126 may sense the puff by the user based on, for example, any one of a temperature change, a flow change, a voltage change, and a pressure change.
The sensing unit 120 may further include at least one of a temperature/humidity sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a position sensor (e.g., a global positioning system (GPS)), a proximity sensor, or a red, green, blue (RGB) sensor (e.g., an illuminance sensor), in addition to the sensors (122 to 126) described above. A function of each sensor may be intuitively inferable from its name by one of ordinary skill in the art, and thus, a more detailed description thereof is omitted here.
The output unit 130 may output information about the state of the aerosol generating device 100 and provide the information to the user. The output unit 130 may include at least one of a display 132, a haptic portion 134, or a sound outputter 136. However, embodiments are not limited thereto. When the display 132 and a touchpad are provided in a layered structure to form a touchscreen, the display 132 may be used as an input device in addition to an output device.
The display 132 may visually provide information about the aerosol generating device 100 to the user. The information about the aerosol generating device 100 may include, for example, a charging/discharging state of the battery 140 of the aerosol generating device 100, a state of the atomizer 150, an insertion/removal state of the aerosol generating article, a limited usage state (e.g., an abnormal article detected) of the aerosol generating device 100, or the like, and the display 132 may externally output the information. The display 132 may be, for example, a liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel, an organic light-emitting display (OLED) panel, or the like. The display 132 may also be in the form of a light-emitting diode (LED) element.
The haptic portion 134 may provide the information about the aerosol generating device 100 to the user in a haptic way by converting an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus or an electrical stimulus. The haptic portion 134 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.
The sound outputter 136 may provide the information about the aerosol generating device 100 to the user in an auditory way. For example, the sound outputter 136 may convert an electrical signal into a sound signal and externally output the sound signal.
The battery 140 may supply power to be used to operate the aerosol generating device 100. The battery 140 may supply power to operate the atomizer 150. In addition, the battery 140 may supply power required for operations of the other components (e.g., the sensing unit 120, the output unit 130, the user input unit 160, the memory 170, and the communication unit 180) included in the aerosol generating device 100. The battery 140 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. The battery 140 may be, for example, a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery. However, embodiments are not limited thereto.
The atomizer 150 may receive power from the battery 140 to atomize the aerosol generating material. Although not shown in
The controller 110, the sensing unit 120, the output unit 130, the user input unit 160, the memory 170, and the communication unit 180 may receive power from the battery 140 to perform functions. Although not shown in
In an embodiment, the atomizer 150 may include a vibrator that generates ultrasonic vibrations by an applied signal (e.g., power). For example, a material of the vibrator may include a piezoelectric ceramic. However, embodiments are not limited thereto. The vibrator may include a piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body according to an embodiment may be a conversion element that may convert electrical energy into mechanical energy and may generate an ultrasonic vibration under the control of the controller 110. In an embodiment, when AC power is applied to a piezoelectric body that received poling treatment, the piezoelectric body may repeatedly expand and contract. As a signal is applied to the vibrator, a short high-frequency vibration may be generated, and the generated vibration may break the aerosol generating material into small particles and atomize the aerosol generating material into an aerosol.
The user input unit 160 may receive information input from the user or may output information to the user. For example, the user input unit 160 may include a keypad, a dome switch, a touchpad (e.g., a contact capacitive type, a pressure resistive film type, an infrared sensing type, a surface ultrasonic conduction type, an integral tension measurement type, a piezo effect method, etc.), a jog wheel, a jog switch, or the like. However, embodiments are not limited thereto. In addition, although not shown in
The memory 170, which is hardware for storing various pieces of data processed by the aerosol generating device 100, may store data processed by the controller 110 and data to be processed by the controller 110. The memory 170 may include at least one type of storage medium of a flash memory type memory, a hard disk type memory, a multimedia card micro type memory, a card type memory (e.g., an SD or XD memory), random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk. The memory 170 may store an operating time of the aerosol generating device 100, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, data associated with a smoking pattern of the user, or the like.
The communication unit 180 may include at least one component for communicating with another electronic device. For example, the communication unit 180 may include a short-range wireless communication unit 182 and a wireless communication unit 184.
The short-range wireless communication unit 182 may include a Bluetooth communication unit, a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication unit, a near field communication unit, a wireless local area network (WLAN) (wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi)) communication unit, a ZigBee communication unit, an infrared data association (IrDA) communication unit, a Wi-Fi direct (WFD) communication unit, an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit, an Ant+ communication unit, and the like. However, embodiments are not limited thereto.
The wireless communication unit 184 may include a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, a computer network (e.g., a local area network (LAN) or a wide-area network (WAN)) communication unit, and the like. However, embodiments are not limited thereto. The wireless communication unit 184 may use subscriber information (e.g., international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) to identify and authenticate the aerosol generating device 100 in a communication network.
The controller 110 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 100. In an embodiment, the controller 110 may include at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of a plurality of logic gates or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program executable by the microprocessor is stored. In addition, it is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that the processor may be implemented in other types of hardware.
The controller 110 may control an operation of the atomizer 150 by controlling the supply of power from the battery 140 to the atomizer 150. For example, the controller 110 may control the supply of power by controlling switching of a switching element of a driving circuit 138 positioned between the battery 140 and the atomizer 150.
The controller 110 may analyze a sensing result obtained through the sensing by the sensing unit 120 and control subsequent processes to be performed. For example, the controller 110 may control power to be supplied to the atomizer 150 to start or end an operation of the atomizer 150, based on the sensing result obtained through the sensing by the sensing unit 120. In another example, the controller 110 may control the amount of power to be supplied to the atomizer 150 and the time for which the power is to be supplied, such that the atomizer 150 may vibrate at a predetermined frequency or maintain a desired vibration frequency, based on the sensing result obtained through the sensing by the sensing unit 120.
The controller 110 may control the output unit 130 based on the sensing result obtained through the sensing by the sensing unit 120. For example, when the number of puffs counted through the puff sensor 126 reaches a preset number, the controller 110 may inform the user that the aerosol generating device 100 is to be ended soon through at least one of the display 132, the haptic portion 134, or the sound outputter 136.
In an embodiment, the controller 110 may control a power supply time and/or a power supply amount for the atomizer 150 by controlling the driving circuit 138 according to a state of the aerosol generating article sensed by the sensing unit 120. For example, the controller 110 may control a vibration frequency of the vibrator of the atomizer 150 according to the type or remaining amount of the aerosol generating article.
An embodiment may be implemented in the form of a recording medium including instructions executable by a computer, such as a program module executable by the computer. A computer-readable medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer and includes all of a volatile medium, a non-volatile medium, a removable medium, and a non-removable medium. In addition, the computer-readable medium may include both a computer storage medium and a communication medium. The computer storage medium includes all of a volatile medium, a non-volatile medium, a removable medium, and a non-removable medium implemented by any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. The communication medium typically includes computer-readable instructions, data structures, other data in modulated data signals such as program modules, or other transmission mechanisms and includes any information transfer medium.
Referring to
The cartridge 220 of the aerosol generating device 200 may be coupled to the body 210 while accommodating the aerosol generating material therein. For example, as at least a portion of the cartridge 220 is inserted into the body 210, the cartridge 220 and the body 210 may be coupled. In another example, as at least a portion of the body 210 is inserted into the cartridge 220, the cartridge 220 and the body 210 may be coupled.
The cartridge 220 and the body 210 may be coupled by at least one of a snap-fit method, a screw coupling method, a magnetic coupling method, or an interference fit method, but the coupling method of the cartridge 220 and the body 210 is not limited to the above examples.
According to an embodiment, the cartridge 220 may include a housing 222, a mouthpiece 224, a storage portion 230, a transfer portion 240, a vibrator 250, and an electrical terminal 260.
The housing 222 of the aerosol generating device 200 may form the overall appearance of the cartridge 220 together with the mouthpiece 224, and components for an operation of the cartridge 220 may be disposed inside the housing 222. For example, the housing 222 may be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but the shape of the housing 222 is not limited to the embodiment described above. According to an embodiment, the housing 222 may be formed in the shape of a polygonal column (e.g., a triangular column or a pentagonal column) or a cylindrical column.
The mouthpiece 224 of the aerosol generating device 200 may be disposed in one area of the housing 222 and may include an outlet 224e for discharging an aerosol generated from an aerosol generating material to the outside. For example, the mouthpiece 224 may be disposed in an area opposite to another area of the cartridge 220 coupled to the body 210, and the user may receive an aerosol from the cartridge 220 as the user brings the mouth into contact with the mouthpiece 224 and inhales the aerosol.
A pressure difference may occur between the outside of the cartridge 220 and the inside of the cartridge 220 due to a user's inhalation or puff operation, and an aerosol generated in the cartridge 220 may be discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220 through the outlet 224e due to the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the cartridge 220. That is, the user may receive the aerosol discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220 through the outlet 224e as the user brings the mouth into contact with the mouthpiece 224 and inhales the aerosol.
The storage portion 230 of the aerosol generating device 200 may be positioned in an inner space of the housing 222 and may contain an aerosol generating material. In the present disclosure, the expression “the storage portion contains the aerosol generating material” may mean that the storage portion 230 performs a function of simply containing an aerosol generating material, such as the use of a container, and that the storage portion 230 includes an element that impregnates (contains) an aerosol generating material, such as a sponge, cotton, cloth, or porous ceramic structure therein. In addition, the above expression may be used to mean the same below.
The storage portion 230 may contain an aerosol generating material in one of a liquid state, a solid state, a gaseous state, and a gel state.
In an embodiment, the aerosol generating material may include a liquid composition. The liquid composition may be, for example, a liquid including a tobacco-containing material that includes a volatile tobacco flavor component or may be a liquid including a non-tobacco material.
The liquid composition may include, for example, one of water, a solvent, ethanol, a plant extract, a fragrance, a flavoring agent, and a vitamin mixture, or a mixture of these ingredients. The fragrance may include, for example, menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, various fruit-flavored ingredients, and the like. However, embodiments are not limited thereto.
The flavoring agent may include ingredients that provide a user with a variety of flavors or scents. The vitamin mixture may be a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, or vitamin E. However, embodiments are not limited thereto. The liquid composition may also include an aerosol former such as glycerin and propylene glycol.
The liquid composition may include, for example, glycerin and propylene glycol in any weight ratio, to which nicotine salts are added. The liquid composition may also include two or more types of nicotine salts. Nicotine salts may be formed by adding a suitable acid including an organic acid or an inorganic acid to nicotine. The nicotine may be either naturally generated nicotine or synthetic nicotine and may have a concentration of any appropriate weight relative to the total solution weight of the liquid composition.
The acid for forming the nicotine salts may be appropriately selected considering an absorption rate of nicotine in the blood, an operating temperature of the aerosol generating device 200, a flavor or taste, solubility, and the like. For example, the acid for forming the nicotine salts may include a single acid selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, lauric acid, sorbic acid, levulinic acid, pyruvic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, citric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, phenylacetic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, saccharic acid, malonic acid, or malic acid, or a mixture of two or more acids selected from the above group. However, embodiments are not limited thereto.
The transfer portion 240 of the aerosol generating device 200 may absorb an aerosol generating material. For example, the aerosol generating material stored or contained in the storage portion 230 may be transferred from the storage portion 230 to the vibrator 250 through the transfer portion 240, and the vibrator 250 may generate an aerosol by atomizing the aerosol generating material of the transfer portion 240 or the aerosol generating material received from the transfer portion 240. Here, the transfer portion 240 may include at least one of cotton fibers, ceramic fibers, glass fibers, or porous ceramics, but the transfer portion 240 is not limited to the embodiment described above.
According to an embodiment, the transfer portion 240 may be disposed adjacent to the storage portion 230 to receive a liquid aerosol generating material from the storage portion 230. For example, the aerosol-generating material stored in the storage portion 230 may be discharged to the outside of the storage portion 230 through a liquid supply port formed in one area of the storage portion 230 facing toward the transfer portion 240, and the transfer portion 240 may absorb at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material discharged from the storage portion 230 to absorb the aerosol-generating material discharged from the storage portion 230.
According to an embodiment, the cartridge 220 may further include an absorber that is disposed to cover at least a portion of the vibrator 250 where an aerosol is generated, and transfers the aerosol generating material absorbed by the transfer portion 240 to the vibrator 250. The absorber may be made of a material capable of absorbing an aerosol generating material. For example, the absorber may include at least one material of SPL 30(H), SPL 50(H)V, NP 100(V8), SPL 60(FC), or melamine. As the cartridge 220 further includes the absorber, the aerosol generating material may be absorbed not only in the transfer portion 240 but also in the absorber, so that the amount of aerosol generating material being absorbed may improve.
The vibrator 250 of the aerosol generating device 200 may be positioned inside the housing 222 and may generate an aerosol by converting the phase of the aerosol generating material stored in the cartridge 220. For example, the vibrator 250 may generate an aerosol by heating or vibrating an aerosol generating material.
In addition, as the absorber is disposed to cover at least a portion of the vibrator 250, the absorber may function as a physical barrier to prevent “spitting” by which particles that are not sufficiently atomized during the aerosol generating process are discharged directly to the outside of the aerosol generating device 200. Here, “spitting” may indicate that particles of an aerosol generating material having relatively large sizes because they are not sufficiently atomized are discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220. As the cartridge 220 further includes the absorber, the possibility of spitting may be reduced, and the smoking satisfaction of the user may improve.
In an embodiment, the absorber may be positioned between one surface of the vibrator 250 where an aerosol is generated and the transfer portion 240, and may transfer the aerosol supplied to the transfer portion 240 to the vibrator 250. For example, one area of the absorber may contact one area of the transfer portion 240 facing the −z direction, and another area of the absorber may contact one area of the vibrator 250 facing the +z direction. That is, the absorber may be positioned on the top surface (e.g., in the +z direction) of the vibrator 250 and supply the aerosol generating material absorbed by the transfer portion 240 to the vibrator 250.
According to an embodiment, the vibrator 250 of the aerosol generating device 200 may change the phase of the aerosol generating material by using an ultrasonic vibrating method that atomizes the aerosol generating material with ultrasonic vibration. For example, the vibrator 250 may generate vibration of a short period, and the vibration generated from the vibrator 250 may be ultrasonic vibration. The frequency of the ultrasonic vibration may be in a range of about 100 kilohertz (kHz) to about 10 megahertz (MHz) (preferably, a range of about 100 kHz to about 3.5 MHz). However, embodiments are not limited thereto. As the vibrator 250 generates ultrasonic vibration of the frequency band described above, the vibrator 250 may vibrate in the longitudinal direction (e.g., the z-axis direction) of the cartridge 220 or the housing 222. However, embodiments are not limited to the direction in which the vibrator 250 vibrates, and the direction in which the vibrator 250 vibrates may be changed to various directions (e.g., one of the x-axis direction, the y-axis direction, and the z-axis direction or a combination thereof). The aerosol generating material supplied from the storage portion 230 to the vibrator 250 by the vibration of the short period generated from the vibrator 250 may be vaporized and/or change into particles to be atomized into an aerosol.
For example, the vibrator 250 may include a piezoelectric ceramic, and the piezoelectric ceramic may be a functional material capable of converting power and a mechanical force therebetween by generating power (a voltage) by a physical force (pressure) and generating vibration (a mechanical force) when the power is applied thereto. That is, as power is applied to the vibrator 250, the vibration of the short period (the physical force) may be generated, and the generated vibration may break the aerosol generating material into small particles and atomize the aerosol generating material into an aerosol.
The vibrator 250 may be electrically connected to other components of the aerosol generating device 200 through the electrical terminal 260. The electrical terminal 260 may be positioned on one surface of the cartridge 220. For example, the electrical terminal 260 may be positioned on a coupling surface of the cartridge 220, where the cartridge 220 is coupled to the body 210 of the aerosol generating device 20. The electrical terminal 260 may be positioned on one surface of the housing 222 opposite the mouthpiece 224.
According to an embodiment, the vibrator 250 may be electrically connected to at least one of a driving circuit 212, a controller 214, or a battery 216 of the body 210 through the electrical terminal 260 positioned inside the housing 222 of the cartridge 220.
For example, the vibrator 250 may be electrically connected to the electrical terminal 260 positioned inside the cartridge 220 through a first conductor, and the electrical terminal 260 may be electrically connected to the driving circuit 212 of the body 210 through a second conductor. That is, the vibrator 250 may be electrically connected to components of the body 210 through the electrical terminal 260.
The vibrator 250 may generate ultrasonic vibration by receiving power from the battery 216 of the body 210 through the electrical terminal 260. In addition, the vibrator 250 may be electrically connected to the controller 214 of the body 210 through the electrical terminal 260, and the controller 214 may control the operation of the vibrator 250 through the driving circuit 212.
For example, the electrical terminal 260 may include at least one of a pogo pin, a wire, a cable, a printed circuit board (PCB), a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), or a C-clip. However, the electrical terminal 260 is not limited to the above examples.
In an embodiment, the vibrator 250 may be implemented as a mesh-shaped or plate-shaped vibration accommodation portion that performs both a function of absorbing an aerosol generating material and maintaining the aerosol generating material in an optimal state to be converted into an aerosol and a function of transferring vibration to the aerosol generating material to generate an aerosol, without using the separate transfer portion 240.
The aerosol generated by the vibrator 250 may be discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220 through an airflow path 223 and supplied to the user.
According to an embodiment, the airflow path 223 may be positioned inside the cartridge 220 and may be connected to the vibrator 250 and the outlet 224e of the mouthpiece 224. Accordingly, the aerosol generated by the vibrator 250 may flow along the airflow path 223 and may be discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220 or the aerosol generating device 200 through the outlet 224e. The user may receive the aerosol as the user brings the mouth into contact with the mouthpiece 224 and inhales the aerosol discharged from the outlet 224e.
Although not shown in the drawings, the airflow path 223 may include at least one inlet through which air outside of the cartridge 220 is introduced into the cartridge 220. The inlet may be positioned on at least a portion of the housing 222 of the cartridge 220. For example, the inlet may be positioned on the coupling surface (e.g., a bottom surface) of the cartridge 220, where the cartridge 220 and the body 210 are coupled.
Since at least one gap may be formed in a portion where the cartridge 220 and the body 210 are coupled, external air may be introduced through the gap between the cartridge 220 and the body 210 and move into the cartridge 220 through the inlet.
The airflow path 223 may be connected from the inlet to a space where an aerosol is generated by the vibrator 250 and may be connected from the corresponding space to the outlet 224e.
Accordingly, the air introduced through the inlet may be transferred to the vibrator 250, and the transferred air may move to the outlet 224e together with the aerosol generated by the vibrator 250, thereby circulating the air inside the cartridge 220.
According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the airflow path 223 may be surrounded by the storage portion 230 in the housing 222. In another example, at least a portion of the airflow path 223 may be disposed between an inner wall of the housing 222 and an outer wall of the storage portion 230. The disposition structure of the airflow path 223 is not limited to the above examples, and the airflow path 223 may be disposed in various structures to circulate airflow between the inlet, the vibrator 250, and the outlet 224e.
According to an embodiment, the cartridge 220 may selectively include a first tag 272 that is attached to the outside of the cartridge 220 in a form of a sticker and/or a second tag 274 that is embedded inside the cartridge 220 in a form of a near-field communication (NFC) module.
The first tag 272 and the second tag 274 may include an NFC integrated circuit (IC) and an antenna. The NFC IC may modulate and demodulate a wireless signal and process and store data. The antenna may transmit and receive radio waves. The first tag 272 and the second tag 274 may have a high operating frequency (e.g., 13.56 MHz). The first tag 272 and the second tag 274 may have a communication range of a short distance (e.g., about 10 cm).
The first tag 272 and the second tag 274 may store unique information on the cartridge 220 and information on a natural vibration frequency of the vibrator 250 included in the cartridge 220. The unique information on the cartridge 220 may indicate information for identifying the cartridge 220, such as activation information (e.g., a serial number) of the cartridge 220. The information on the natural vibration frequency of the vibrator 250 included in the cartridge 220 may indicate a natural vibration frequency determined by a physical characteristic of the vibrator 250. As the frequency of the signal supplied to the vibrator 250 approaches the natural vibration frequency, stronger resonance may occur.
When the body 210 and the cartridge 220 of the aerosol generating device 200 are coupled, the aerosol generating device 200 may communicate with the first tag 272 or the second tag 274 using a short-range wireless communication unit (e.g., the short-range wireless communication unit 182 described with reference to
According to an embodiment, the body 210 may include the driving circuit 212, the controller 214, and the battery 216 therein, and one end portion of the body 210 may be connected to one end portion of the cartridge 220. For example, the body 210 may be coupled to the bottom surface or the coupling surface of the cartridge 220.
When the vibrator 250 of the cartridge 220 is electrically connected to the driving circuit 212 through the electrical terminal 260, the driving circuit 212 may supply power to the vibrator 250. For example, the magnitude of power supplied to the vibrator 250 may be determined by the controller 214. A vibration frequency of the vibrator 250 and the like may be controlled by the magnitude of the power. The driving circuit 212 according to an embodiment may be in the form of a Class-E power amplifier circuit, a half bridge circuit, or a full bridge circuit. However, embodiments are not limited thereto.
The controller 214 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 200. For example, the controller 214 may control the amount of aerosol generated by the vibrator 250 by controlling power supplied from the battery 216 to the vibrator 250. For example, the controller 214 may control power supplied to the vibrator 250 so that the vibrator 250 may vibrate at a predetermined frequency.
The controller 214 may be implemented as an array of a plurality of logic gates or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program executable by the microprocessor is stored. In addition, it is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains that the controller 214 may be implemented in other types of hardware.
The controller 214 may analyze a sensing result obtained through the sensing by at least one sensor included in the aerosol generating device 200 and control subsequent processes to be performed. For example, the controller 214 may control power to be supplied to the vibrator 250 to start or end an operation of the vibrator 250, based on the sensing result obtained through the sensing by the at least one sensor. In addition, the controller 214 may control the amount of power to be supplied to the vibrator 250 and the time for which the power is to be supplied, such that the vibrator 250 may generate an appropriate amount of aerosol, based on the sensing result obtained through the sensing by the at least one sensor.
The battery 216 may supply power to be used to operate the aerosol generating device 200. For example, when the body 210 is electrically coupled to the cartridge 220, the battery 216 may supply power to the vibrator 250.
The battery 216 may supply power required for operations of the other hardware components (e.g., a sensor, a user interface, a memory, and the controller 214) included in the aerosol generating device 200. The battery 216 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery.
The battery 216 may include, for example, a nickel-based battery (e.g., a nickel-metal hydride battery or a nickel-cadmium battery) or a lithium-based battery (e.g., a lithium-cobalt battery, a lithium-phosphate battery, a lithium-titanate battery, a lithium-ion battery, or a lithium-polymer battery).
In an embodiment, the shape of a cross-section of the aerosol generating device 200 in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the cartridge 220 and/or the body 210 may be circular, elliptical, square, rectangular, or various polygonal shapes. However, it is not to be understood that the shape of the cross-section of the cartridge 220 and/or the body 210 is limited to the above shapes or is limited to a shape that linearly extends when the aerosol generating device 200 extends in the longitudinal direction.
In an embodiment, the shape of the cross-section of the aerosol generating device 200 may extend long to be curved in a streamlined shape or bent in a particular area at a predetermined angle to make it easier for the user to hold the aerosol generating device 200 with the hand, and the shape of the cross-section of the aerosol generating device 200 may change in the longitudinal direction.
An aerosol generating device 300 according to an embodiment shown in
Referring to
The cartridge 220-1 may include a mouthpiece 10m that may move between an open position and a closed position. For example, the mouthpiece 10m may be opened and closed by rotating between the open position and the closed position.
A body portion 10b of the cartridge 220-1 may be coupled to the mouthpiece 10m through a rotation shaft. In an example, the mouthpiece 10m may be positioned at the open position. The open state of the mouthpiece 10m may refer to a state in which the mouthpiece 10m is stretched in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge 220-1 to make it easier for the user to bring the mouth into contact with the mouthpiece 10m. Here, the longitudinal direction may refer to a direction in which the cartridge 220-1 extends the longest among several directions. In another example, the mouthpiece 10m may be positioned at the closed position. The closed state of the mouthpiece 10m may refer to a state in which the mouthpiece 10m is folded in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the cartridge 220-1 so that the mouthpiece 10m is accommodated in the body 210-1 of the aerosol generating device 300.
The cartridge 220-1 may include the body portion 10b including various components required to generate an aerosol and discharge the generated aerosol. For example, the body portion 10b may include at least a portion of the storage portion, the vibrator, and the airflow path.
The body 210-1 may include a coupling portion 20a to which the cartridge 220-1 is able to be coupled. For example, the body 210-1 may include an accommodation groove 20a-1 in which at least a portion of the cartridge 220-1 may be accommodated. The body portion 10b of the cartridge 220-1 may be inserted into the accommodation groove 20a-1. For example, the body portion 10b of the cartridge 220-1 may have a substantially rectangular column shape, and corners of the rectangular column may be chamfered or rounded. However, the shape of the body portion 10b of the cartridge 220-1 is not limited to the above examples and may be a cylindrical or polygonal column shape.
As described above with reference to
The body 210-1 may include a button 20b. The button 20b may be positioned on one surface of the body 210-1. For example, the button 20b may be positioned on one surface of the body 210-1 corresponding to one end 20c-1 of a cover 20c. The user may control the operation of the aerosol generating device 300 using the button 20b when using the aerosol generating device 300.
The body 210-1 may further include an accommodation portion 20s capable of accommodating the mouthpiece 10m of the cartridge 220-1 when the mouthpiece 10m moves to the closed position. The accommodation portion 20s may be positioned on one surface of the body 210-1 and may have a shape or size corresponding to that of the mouthpiece 10m.
As shown in
In an embodiment, the body 210-1 may further include the cover 20c coupled to a portion of the body 210-1. The cover 20c may be coupled to at least one surface of the body 210-1. For example, the cover 20c may be coupled to one side of the body 210-1 where the coupling portion 20a is positioned. Also, the cover 20c may be coupled to one side of the body 210-1 where the accommodation portion 20s is positioned.
The cover 20c may include an opening 20c-o. The cover 20c may include the opening 20c-o having a size corresponding to that of the mouthpiece 10m. For example, the opening 20c-o may have a predetermined length and width. Here, the width of the opening 20c-o may be less than or equal to that of a body of the cartridge 220-1 and may be greater than or equal to that of the mouthpiece 10m. The length of the opening 20c-o may be greater than or equal to that of the mouthpiece 10m.
The cover 20c may extend from one end 20c-1 to the other end 20c-2 and be disposed on a seating portion 20c′ of the body 210-1. For example, the seating portion 20c′ may have a size and shape corresponding to those of the cover 20c. The seating portion 20c′ may be provided in the form of a recess with a predetermined depth that extends in both directions from an inlet side of the coupling portion 20a and the accommodation portion 20s so that the cover 20c is able to be coupled thereto.
When the cartridge 220-1 is coupled to the body 210-1, the cover 20c may be coupled to the body 210-1 after the cartridge 220-1 is coupled to the body 210-1. The cover 20c may be coupled to one side of the body 210-1 by at least one of a snap-fit method, an interference fit method, or a magnetic coupling method. However, embodiments are not limited thereto.
Since the cover 20c includes the opening 20c-o through which the mouthpiece 10m may pass, it is possible to protect the cartridge 220-1 without interfering with the opening and closing motion of the mouthpiece 10m in a state in which the cartridge 220-1 is coupled to the body 210-1 and maintain the coupling of the cartridge 220-1 and the body 210-1.
In order to separate the cartridge 220-1 from the body 210-1, the cover 20c may be first separated from the body 210-1 and then the cartridge 220-1 may be separated from the body 210-1. As described above, the cover 20c and the cartridge 220-1 may be sequentially separated from the body 210-1 or sequentially coupled to the body 210-1.
Operations 510 to 530 described below may be performed by an electronic device (e.g., the aerosol generating device 100 of
In operation 510, the electronic device may obtain unique information of a cartridge connected to the electronic device from a tag (e.g., the first tag 272 or the second tag 274 of
According to an embodiment, the tag may be stored inside the cartridge in the form of an NFC module or attached to the outside of the cartridge in the form of a sticker. The tag may include an NFC IC and an antenna.
The tag may store unique information on the cartridge. The unique information on the cartridge may indicate information (hereinafter referred to as activation information) for identifying the cartridge such as a serial number of the cartridge.
When the electronic device and the cartridge are coupled, the electronic device may communicate with the tag using a short-range wireless communication unit.
In operation 520, the electronic device may perform authentication of the cartridge based on the unique information. For example, activation information of a cartridge compatible with the electronic device may be pre-stored in the electronic device, the electronic device may perform authentication of the cartridge by comparing the unique information and the activation information.
When the cartridge is authenticated, the electronic device may generate an aerosol in operation 530 by vibrating an aerosol generating material included in the cartridge based on information on a natural vibration frequency of a vibrator (e.g., the vibrator 250 of
The tag may store information on a natural vibration frequency of the vibrator included in the cartridge. The information on the natural vibration frequency of the vibrator included in the cartridge may indicate a natural vibration frequency determined by a physical characteristic of the vibrator. As the frequency of the signal supplied to the vibrator approaches the natural vibration frequency, stronger resonance may occur.
According to an embodiment, the information on the natural vibration frequency of the vibrator included in the cartridge may be obtained from the tag together with the unique information of the cartridge.
According to an embodiment, the information on the natural vibration frequency of the vibrator included in the cartridge may be obtained from the tag, when the cartridge is authenticated based on the unique information of the cartridge.
According to an embodiment, the aerosol generating material in the cartridge may be aerosolized by an ultrasonic vibration generated by the vibrator included in the cartridge.
According to an embodiment, operation 610 below may be performed after operation 530 described above with reference to
In operation 610, the electronic device may transmit use information of the electronic device to the tag.
According to an embodiment, the use information may include the number of puffs of a user of the electronic device coupled with the cartridge (e.g., the cartridge 220 of
According to an embodiment, the number of puffs and the usage time may indicate the number of puffs and usage time while the user activates the electronic device and smokes once. Alternatively, the number of puffs and the usage time may indicate a cumulative number of puffs and usage time since the user activated the electronic device. The reuse information may indicate, for example, information on the number of times the cartridge has been reused. That is, in an embodiment, the user may reuse the cartridge by refilling the cartridge with the aerosol generating material when the aerosol generating material in the cartridge is exhausted. The electronic device may refer to the reuse information stored in the tag, and may stop operation when the reuse information exceeds a predetermined threshold number.
According to an embodiment, the use information stored in the tag may be referred to for managing the history of the cartridge.
According to an embodiment, the use information stored in the tag may be referred to for managing the usage pattern of the user in a database.
According to an embodiment, operations 710 and 720 may be performed in parallel with operations 510 and 520 of
In operation 710, the electronic device may obtain information on a natural vibration frequency of a vibrator (e.g., the vibrator 250 of
According to an embodiment, the information on the natural vibration frequency of the vibrator included in the cartridge may be obtained from the tag together with the unique information of the cartridge.
According to an embodiment, the information on the natural vibration frequency of the vibrator included in the cartridge may be obtained from the tag, when the cartridge is authenticated based on the unique information of the cartridge.
In operation 720, the electronic device may calibrate a driving circuit to which the vibrator is connected, based on the information on the natural vibration frequency. The electronic device may perform optimized control on the authenticated cartridge based on the information on the natural vibration frequency.
According to an embodiment, the electronic device may calibrate the driving circuit using a capacitor, an inductor, or a switching element. Components for the optimized control on the cartridge, such as a monitoring circuit, a converter, or an amplifier, may be included in the driving circuit.
According to an embodiment, the electronic device may control the vibration frequency of the driving circuit to match the natural vibration frequency of the vibrator, by connecting at least one capacitor to the vibrator in parallel. When resonance occurs due to the above, the vibration efficiency of the vibrator may be increased and overheating may be prevented. The driving circuit may include at least one capacitor, and the at least one capacitor may be positioned in the driving circuit to be connected to the vibrator in parallel when the vibrator of the cartridge is connected to the driving circuit. The capacitor(s) may be connected to a switch in series. By turning on/off the switch, a capacitor connected to the switch in series may or may not be connected to the vibrator in parallel.
According to an embodiment, the electronic device may control the vibration frequency of the driving circuit to match the natural vibration frequency of the vibrator by using an inductor included in the driving circuit. For example, the inductor may be connected between an electrical contact where the vibrator of the cartridge is connected to the driving circuit and a power supply supplying a signal to the vibrator.
According to an embodiment, the electronic device may supply a test signal having a test frequency to the driving circuit. The test frequency may be within a range preset similar to the natural frequency of the vibrator. When a response of the driving circuit to the test signal does not satisfy the preset driving condition, the electronic device may calibrate the driving circuit to which the vibrator is connected, based on the information on the natural vibration frequency.
According to an embodiment, operation 530 described above with reference to
The embodiments described herein may be implemented using hardware components, software components, or a combination thereof. For example, a device, a method, and a component described in the embodiments may be implemented using one or more general-purpose or special purpose computers, such as, for example, a processor, a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic unit (PLU), a microprocessor, or any other device capable of responding to and executing instructions in a defined manner. The processing device may run an operating system (OS) and one or more software applications that run on the OS. The processing device may also access, store, manipulate, process, and create data in response to execution of the software. For purpose of simplicity, the description of a processing device is used as singular. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processing device may include multiple processing elements and multiple types of processing elements. For example, the processing device may include multiple processors or a processor and a controller. In addition, different processing configurations are possible, such as parallel processors.
The software may include a computer program, a piece of code, an instruction, or some combination thereof, to independently or collectively instruct or configure the processing device to operate as desired. Software and/or data may be stored in any type of machine, component, physical or virtual equipment, a computer storage medium or device, or in a propagated signal wave capable of providing instructions or data to or being interpreted by the processing device. The software may also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the software is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. The software and data may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium.
The method according to the above-described embodiments may be recorded in non-transitory computer-readable media including program instructions to implement various operations which may be performed by a computer. The media may also include the program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like alone or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the media may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the embodiments, or they may be of the kind well-known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD ROM discs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and perform program instructions, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include both machine code, such as code produced by a compiler, and files containing higher-level code that may be executed by the computer using an interpreter.
The above-described hardware devices may be configured to act as one or more software modules in order to perform the operations of the above-described embodiments, or vice versa.
While this disclosure includes embodiments illustrated with reference to limited drawings, one of ordinary skill in the art may apply various technical modifications and variations based thereon. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order, and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents.
Therefore, the scope of the disclosure is defined not by the detailed description, but by the claims and their equivalents, and all variations within the scope of the claims and their equivalents are to be construed as being included in the disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2022-0117237 | Sep 2022 | KR | national |
| 10-2023-0004915 | Jan 2023 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2023/012309 | 8/21/2023 | WO |
