EP4233598A1

EP4233598A1 - Aerosol forming method and electronic device for performing method

Info

Publication number: EP4233598A1
Application number: EP22893961.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: designation of the inventor has not yet been filed The
Original assignee: KT&G Corp
Current assignee: KT&G Corp
Priority date: 2021-12-29
Filing date: 2022-11-22
Publication date: 2023-08-30
Also published as: JP2024507609A; WO2023128286A1; KR20230101178A; CN116685223A

Abstract

According to an example, a temperature of a space in which an aerosol generating substrate is located may be monitored to heat the aerosol generating substrate, a current compensation value may be calculated based on a temperature change of the space when heating of a new second aerosol generating substrate inserted into the space is initiated, a compensation current profile may be generated by adjusting an initial current profile based on the current compensation value, and a current supplied to a heater may be controlled based on the compensation current profile.

Description

Technical Field

The following embodiments relate to a technology of generating an aerosol, and particularly, to a technology for generating heat based on a current.

Background Art

There has been an increasing demand for alternative ways to overcome disadvantages of general cigarettes in recent years. For example, the demand for a method of generating an aerosol by heating an aerosol generating substrate included in a cigarette rather than by burning the cigarette is increasing. Accordingly, research on a heating-type cigarette or a heating-type aerosol generating device is being actively conducted.

Disclosure of the Invention

Technical Goals

An embodiment may provide a method of generating an aerosol that may be performed by an electronic device.
An embodiment may provide an electronic device that may generate an aerosol.

Technical Solutions

According to an embodiment, an electronic device may include a controller configured to control an operation of the electronic device, a heater configured to heat an aerosol generating substrate inserted into the electronic device using a supplied current, and a sensing unit configured to measure a temperature of a space in which the aerosol generating substrate is located, wherein the controller may be configured to control the current supplied to the heater based on an initial current profile, and the controller may be configured to adjust the initial current profile based on a temperature change of the space caused by insertion of a new aerosol generating substrate.
Adjustment of the current profile may be performed when the new aerosol generating substrate is inserted following completion of smoking of a first aerosol generating substrate.
The controller may be configured to monitor a temperature change of the space using the sensing unit for a preset period of time when the smoking of the first aerosol generating substrate is completed.
The controller may be configured to calculate a current compensation value based on the temperature change when smoking of the new aerosol generating substrate is initiated, generate a compensation current profile by adjusting the initial current profile based on the current compensation value, and supply a current to the heater based on the compensation current profile.
The current compensation value may include a target time calculated for a target current value.
The controller may be configured to generate the compensation current profile such that a time of outputting the target current value in the initial current profile decreases by the target time.
According to an embodiment, a method of controlling an electronic device may include, after smoking of a first aerosol generating substrate inserted into the electronic device is completed, monitoring a temperature of a space in which the first aerosol generating substrate is located, when heating of a new second aerosol generating substrate inserted into the space is initiated, calculating a current compensation value based on a temperature change of the space, generating a compensation current profile by adjusting an initial current profile based on the current compensation value, and controlling a current supplied to a heater based on the compensation current profile.
The monitoring of the temperature of the space may include determining whether the first aerosol generating substrate is removed based on the monitoring.
The monitoring of the temperature of the space may include determining a first point in time at which the second aerosol generating substrate is inserted based on the monitoring.
The calculating of the current compensation value based on the temperature change of the space may include calculating the current compensation value based on the first point in time and a second point in time at which the heating of the second aerosol generating substrate is initiated. Effects
A method of generating an aerosol, performed by an electronic device, may be provided.
An electronic device for generating an aerosol may be provided.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 illustrates an electronic device according to an example.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic device according to an example.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a controller according to an embodiment.
FIG. 4 illustrates a temperature change in an initial current profile and a bobbin space according to an example.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a current supplied to a heater according to an embodiment.
FIG. 6 illustrates a temperature change in a compensation current profile and a bobbin space according to an example.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The following structural or functional descriptions of embodiments are merely intended for the purpose of describing the examples and the examples may be implemented in various forms. Accordingly, the embodiments are not to be construed as limited to the disclosure and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, or replacements within the idea and the technical scope of the disclosure.
Although terms of "first" or "second" are used to explain various components, the components are not limited to the terms. These terms should be 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.
It should be understood that if it is described that one component is "connected," "coupled," or "joined" to another component, a third component may be "connected," "coupled," and "joined" between the first and second components, although the first component may be directly connected, coupled, or joined to the second component.
The singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises/comprising" or "includes/including" when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components or combinations thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein including technical or scientific terms have the same meaning as those generally understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, are to be construed to have meanings matching with contextual meanings in the relevant art, and are not to be construed to have an ideal or excessively formal meaning unless otherwise defined herein.
Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the descriptions of the embodiments referring to the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals refer to like elements and any repeated description related thereto will be omitted.
FIG. 1 illustrates an electronic device according to an example.
According to an embodiment, an electronic device 100 may generate an aerosol by heating an aerosol generating substrate in a cigarette 2 inserted into the electronic device 100. A user may be able to inhale the generated aerosol to smoke. For example, the electronic device 100 may generate heat using a coil (e.g., an inductive coil) located around the cigarette 2 inserted into the electronic device 100 and employ a scheme of heating the aerosol generating substrate using the generated heat. The electronic device 100 may supply a current to the coil such that the coil generates heat.
According to an embodiment, an inductive heating scheme using a coil may be advantageous in instantaneous temperature-increasing and consume less power. For example, a heater of the electronic device 100 may include a susceptor. As another example, the heater of the electronic device 100 may not include the susceptor and may heat wrapping paper (e.g., a metal film) wrapping the aerosol generating substrate of the cigarette 2 by induction heating.
A method of supplying a current to a coil to generate an aerosol will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic device according to an embodiment.
According to an embodiment, the electronic device 100 may include a controller 210, a heater 220, an insertion portion 230, a sensing unit 240, and a battery 250. Although not shown, the electronic device 100 may further include general-purpose components. For example, the electronic device 100 may include a display (or an indicator) for outputting visual information and/or a motor for outputting tactile information. In addition, the electronic device 100 may further include at least one sensor (e.g., a puff detection sensor, a temperature detection sensor, a cigarette insertion detection sensor, etc.). Also, the electronic device 100 may be manufactured to have a structure that allows external air to be introduced or internal gas to be discharged even in a state in which the cigarette 2 is inserted.
The external air may be introduced through at least one air passage formed in the electronic device 100. For example, opening or closing and/or a size of an air path formed in the electronic device 100 may be adjusted by a user. Accordingly, an amount of atomization, a sense of smoking, or the like may be adjusted by the user. As another example, the external air may be introduced into an inside of the cigarette 2 through at least one hole formed on a surface of the cigarette 2.
According to an embodiment, although not shown, the electronic device 100 may also form a system along with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle may be used to charge the battery of the electronic device 100.
The controller 210 may control operations of the electronic device 100. The controller 210 will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 3.
The controller 210 may control a current supplied to the heater 220. For example, the controller 210 may control a magnitude and time of the current supplied to the heater 220.
The heater 220 may heat at least a portion of the cigarette 2 inserted through the insertion portion 230. For example, a coil of the heater 220 may heat an aerosol generating substrate of the cigarette 2 by generating heat based on the supplied current. The method by which the heater 220 heats an aerosol generating substrate is not limited to the embodiments described above.
According to an embodiment, when the heater 220 does not include a susceptor inserted into the aerosol generating substrate of the cigarette 2, a temperature of the aerosol generating substrate may not be directly measured. To monitor the temperature of the aerosol generating substrate or the insertion portion 230, a temperature sensor of the sensing unit 240 may be disposed on at least a portion of the insertion portion 230. For example, the temperature sensor may measure a temperature of a space (hereinafter, referred to as a bobbin space) into which the cigarette 2 is inserted. The controller 210 may control a current supplied to the heater 220 based on a temperature measured by the temperature sensor.
According to an embodiment, the controller 210 may supply a current to the heater 220 based on a preset initial current profile. The initial current profile will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 4.
According to an embodiment, the battery 250 may supply power to be used to operate the electronic device 100. The battery 250 may supply power through the controller 210 such that the coil of the heater 220 may be heated. In addition, the battery 250 may supply power required for operations of the other components (e.g., the controller 210 and the sensing unit 240) included in the electronic device 100. The battery 250 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. The battery 250 may be, for example, a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery. However, embodiments are not limited thereto.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a controller according to an embodiment.
According to an aspect, the controller 210 may include a communication unit 310, a processor 320, and a memory 330.
The communication unit 310 may be connected to the processor 320 and the memory 330 to transmit and receive data to and from the processor 320 and the memory 330. The communication unit 310 may be connected to another external device to transmit and receive data to and from the external device. Hereinafter, the expression "transmitting and receiving A" may be construed as transmitting and receiving "information or data indicating A."
The communication unit 310 may be implemented as circuitry in the controller 210. For example, the communication unit 310 may include an internal bus and an external bus. As another example, the communication unit 310 may be an element that connects the controller 210 and the external device. The communication unit 310 may be an interface. The communication unit 310 may receive data from the external device and transmit the data to the processor 320 and the memory 330.
The processor 320 may process the data received by the communication unit 310 and data stored in the memory 330. A "processor" may be a hardware-implemented data processing device having a physically structured circuit to execute desired operations. The desired operations may include, for example, code or instructions included in a program. For example, the hardware-implemented data processing device may include a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a processor core, a multi-core processor, a multiprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).
For example, the processor 320 may execute computer-readable code (e.g., software) stored in a memory (e.g., the memory 330) and instructions triggered by the processor 320.
The memory 330 may store the data received by the communication unit 310 and the data processed by the processor 320. For example, the memory 330 may store the program (or an application, or software). The program to be stored may be a set of syntaxes that are coded and executable by the processor 320 to control the electronic device 100.
According to an aspect, the memory 330 may include at least one volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, random-access memory (RAM), flash memory, a hard disk drive, and an optical disc drive.
The memory 330 may store an instruction set (e.g., software) for operating the controller 210. The instruction set for operating the controller 210 may be executed by the processor 320.
The communication unit 310, the processor 320, and the memory 330 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.
FIG. 4 illustrates a temperature change in an initial current profile and a bobbin space according to an example.
According to an embodiment, a user of the electronic device 100 may perform first smoking using a first aerosol generating substrate (e.g., a first cigarette). For example, the first smoking may be first smoking performed when the electronic device 100 is in an idle state or smoking performed after a significant amount of time is elapsed from last smoking.
The controller 210 may supply a current to the heater 220 based on an initial current profile 410. For example, the initial current profile 410 may have a maximum current value I_m for instantaneous temperature-increasing and have a constant current value I_s for maintaining a constant temperature. The maximum current value I_m may be maintained during a peak time tp1. The user may terminate the first smoking at a time t_e. For example, the user may control the electronic device 100 such that power or current supplied to the heater 220 is cut off.
According to an embodiment, a temperature sensor of the sensing unit 240 may monitor a temperature of a bobbin space. A first temperature curve 421 may represent a temperature of the bobbin space during the first smoking. Although it is illustrated that the first temperature curve 421 starts from an origin, the origin may indicate a temperature at a point in time at which temperature monitoring is initiated. After the temperature of the bobbin space is rapidly increased by the initial current profile 410, the temperature of the bobbin space may remain at a constant level (e.g., a temperature T_m). The first smoking may be performed during a first time (a time 0 to the time t_e).
According to an embodiment, when the first smoking is terminated, the current is not supplied to the heater 220, and the temperature of the bobbin space may decrease. The decreasing temperature may be represented by a second temperature curve 422. For example, the second curve 422 may appear during a second time (the time t_e to a time t₁).
According to an embodiment, when the user removes the first aerosol generating substrate from the insertion portion 230, the temperature of the bobbin space may further decrease. The decreasing temperature may be represented by a third temperature curve 424. For example, the third curve 424 may appear during a third time (the time t₁ to a time t₂).
According to an embodiment, when the user inserts a second aerosol generating substrate into the insertion portion 230 to hit a vape multiple times in a row, the second aerosol generating substrate absorbs heat in the bobbin space, so that the temperature of the bobbin space may further decrease. The decreasing temperature may be represented by a fourth temperature curve 426. For example, the fourth curve 426 may appear during a fourth time (the time t₂ to a time t₃).
According to an embodiment, that the second aerosol generating substrate absorbs some of the heat in the bobbin space may be treated as that the second aerosol generating substrate is heated before the heater 220 operates. Accordingly, the controller 220 may decrease a current supplied to the heater 220 for second smoking compared to the current supplied for the first smoking. According to an example, the controller 220 may calculate a current compensation value for the heat absorbed by the second aerosol generating substrate and generate a current profile to reflect the calculated current compensation value. A method of controlling a current supplied to a heater for hitting a vape multiple times in a row will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a current supplied to a heater according to an embodiment.
The following operations 510 to 550 may be performed by the electronic device 100 described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
In operation 510, the controller 210 may supply a current to the heater 220 based on a preset initial current profile (e.g., the initial current profile 410 of FIG. 4). For example, the controller 210 may supply the current to the heater 220 for first smoking. A user may perform smoking of a first aerosol generating substrate inserted into the electronic device 100 during a first time (e.g., the time 0 to the time t_e of FIG. 4).
In operation 520, the controller 210 may monitor a temperature of a space (e.g., a bobbin space) in which the first aerosol generating substrate is located after the first smoking is terminated (or completed). Results of monitoring the temperature of the bobbin space may be represented by the second temperature curve 422, the third temperature curve 424, and the fourth temperature curve 426 described above with reference to FIG. 4.
According to an embodiment, the controller 210 may determine whether the first aerosol generating substrate is removed based on the monitoring. For example, when the second temperature curve 422 appears, it may be determined that the first aerosol generating substrate is removed.
According to an embodiment, the controller 210 may determine whether a new aerosol generating substrate is inserted based on the monitoring. For example, that the third temperature curve 424 appears may indicate that the new aerosol generating substrate (e.g., a second aerosol generating substrate) is inserted. The temperature of the bobbin space may be represented by the third temperature curve 424 because the new aerosol generating substrate absorbs some of heat in the bobbin space. A first point in time at which the new aerosol generating substrate is inserted may be determined based on the monitoring.
According to an embodiment, the monitoring of the temperature of the bobbin space may be performed for a preset period of time (e.g., 60 seconds). After the preset period of time, the monitoring of the temperature of the bobbin space may be stopped. According to another embodiment, when a measured temperature of the bobbin space decreases to be less than or equal to a preset threshold temperature (e.g., a temperature T_th of FIG. 4), the monitoring of the temperature of the bobbin space may be stopped. When the monitoring of the temperature is stopped, operation 530 may not be performed. Smoking that occurs after the monitoring of the temperature is stopped may not be treated as hitting a vape multiple times in a row.
In operation 530, when heating of the new aerosol generating substrate is initiated (e.g., initiated at the time t₃ of FIG. 4), the controller 210 may calculate a current compensation value based on a temperature change of the bobbin space. For example, the current compensation value may be calculated based on the first point in time at which the new aerosol generating substrate is inserted and a second point in time at which the heating of the new aerosol generating substrate is initiated.
According to an embodiment, an amount of compensation heat may be calculated based on a difference between a temperature T₂ at a time t₂ and a temperature T₃ at a time t₃. For example, the amount of compensation heat may be calculated based on specific heat of a material, a mass of a material, and a temperature change (e.g., T₃ - T₂). The specific heat of a material and the mass of a material may be set in advance for an aerosol generating substrate to be inserted. Accordingly, the controller 210 may calculate the amount of compensation heat based on the temperature change.
According to an embodiment, the controller 210 may calculate the current compensation value based on the amount of compensation heat. For example, a total amount of current may be calculated as the current compensation value, wherein the total amount of current is supplied to the heater 220 such that the calculated amount of compensation heat is generated by the heater 220.
In operation 540, the controller 210 may generate a compensation current profile by adjusting the initial current profile based on the current compensation value. For example, it may be possible to generate the compensation current profile by decreasing a peak time t_p1 of the initial current profile by a time corresponding to the current compensation value. For example, the controller 210 may determine a target decrease in time corresponding to the current compensation value using a maximum current value I_m. A time obtained by subtracting the target decrease in time from the peak time t_p1 may be a new peak time t_p2 of the compensation current profile. The compensation current profile will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 6.
In operation 550, the controller 210 may control the current supplied to the heater 220 based on the compensation current profile. The user may perform the second smoking based on the compensation current profile.
FIG. 6 illustrates a temperature change in a compensation current profile and a bobbin space according to an example.
According to an embodiment, a user may perform second smoking from a time t₃ following the first smoking described above with reference to FIG. 4. For example, the time t₃ may be a time at which the user activates the heater 220. For example, a temperature of a bobbin space at the time t₃ may be measured as T₃.
According to an embodiment, when the second smoking is initiated, the controller 210 may generate a compensation current profile 610 for the second smoking. For example, the controller 210 may calculate a current compensation value based on the fourth curve 426 during the fourth time (the time t₂ to the time t₃) measured for the first smoking and generate the compensation current profile 610 by modifying an initial current profile to reflect the current compensation value. For example, the controller 210 may decrease a peak time t_p1 at which a maximum current value I_m of the initial current profile is output to correspond to the current compensation value. For example, the compensation current profile 610 may have a peak time t_p2 at which the maximum current value I_m is output.
The heater 220 may heat a new aerosol generating substrate using a current supplied based on the compensation current profile 610. The temperature of the bobbin space during the second smoking may be represented by a temperature curve 621. The user may terminate the second smoking by deactivating the heater 220 at a time t₄.
Although not shown, similarly to the embodiment of FIG. 4, the temperature of the bobbin space may be monitored even after the time t₄. When additional third smoking occurs right after the second smoking as the user hits a vape multiple times in a row, a compensation current profile for the third smoking may be generated.
The methods according to the embodiments may be recorded in non-transitory computer-readable media including program instructions to implement various operations of the embodiments. The media may also include, alone or in combination with the program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like. The program instructions recorded on the media may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of 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 disks or 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), RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include both machine code, such as 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 embodiments, or vice versa.
The software may include a computer program, a piece of code, an instruction, or one or more combinations thereof, to independently or collectively instruct or configure the processing device to operate as desired. Software and/or data may be embodied permanently or temporarily in any type of machine, component, physical or virtual equipment, 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 may be stored and executed in a distributed fashion. The software and data may be stored by one or more non-transitory computer-readable recording mediums.
As described above, although the embodiments have been described with reference to the 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 or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents.
Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims are also within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

An electronic device comprising:
a controller configured to control an operation of the electronic device;

a heater configured to heat an aerosol generating substrate inserted into the electronic device using a supplied current; and

a sensor configured to measure a temperature of a space in which the aerosol generating substrate is located,

wherein the controller is configured to control the current supplied to the heater based on an initial current profile, and

wherein the controller is configured to adjust the initial current profile based on a temperature change of the space caused by insertion of a new aerosol generating substrate.
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein adjustment of the current profile is performed when the new aerosol generating substrate is inserted following completion of smoking of a first aerosol generating substrate.
The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to monitor a temperature change of the space using the sensor for a preset period of time when the smoking of the first aerosol generating substrate is completed.
The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to:
calculate a current compensation value based on the temperature change when smoking of the new aerosol generating substrate is initiated;

generate a compensation current profile by adjusting the initial current profile based on the current compensation value; and

supply a current to the heater based on the compensation current profile.
The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the current compensation value comprises a target time calculated for a target current value.
The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to generate the compensation current profile such that a time of outputting the target current value in the initial current profile decreases by the target time.
A method of controlling an electronic device, the method comprising:
after smoking of a first aerosol generating substrate inserted into the electronic device is completed, monitoring a temperature of a space in which the first aerosol generating substrate is located;

when heating of a new second aerosol generating substrate inserted into the space is initiated, calculating a current compensation value based on a temperature change of the space;

generating a compensation current profile by adjusting an initial current profile based on the current compensation value; and

controlling a current supplied to a heater based on the compensation current profile.
The method of claim 7, wherein the monitoring of the temperature of the space comprises determining whether the first aerosol generating substrate is removed based on the monitoring.
The method of claim 7, wherein the monitoring of the temperature of the space comprises determining a first point in time at which the second aerosol generating substrate is inserted based on the monitoring.
The method of claim 9, wherein the calculating of the current compensation value based on the temperature change of the space comprises calculating the current compensation value based on the first point in time and a second point in time at which the heating of the second aerosol generating substrate is initiated.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that are executable by a processor to perform the method of claim 7.