EP4736687A1

EP4736687A1 - Aerosol generation device

Info

Publication number: EP4736687A1
Application number: EP23943659.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tatsunari AOYAMA; Junji Minato; Tomoya UCHIBORI
Original assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc
Current assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc
Priority date: 2023-06-29
Filing date: 2023-06-29
Publication date: 2026-05-06
Also published as: KR20260003845A; CN121358365A; WO2025004264A1; TW202500032A; JPWO2025004264A1

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is provided with: a heating unit for heating an aerosol source; a notification unit for notifying a user of information relating to heating of the aerosol source; a control unit for controlling operation of the notification unit; a control element which is controlled by the control unit and opens/closes an electrical connection of the notification unit; a first power supply for supplying power to the control unit; a second power supply for supplying power to the notification unit; and a first switch which controls power supply from the second power supply to the notification unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol-generating device.

BACKGROUND ART

Aerosol-generating devices which heat an aerosol source to generate an aerosol are fitted with user interface circuitry for LEDs (= light-emitting diodes) and vibrators, etc. (this circuitry will be referred to below as a "notification unit"). Operations of these notification units are controlled by means of an MCU (= microcontroller unit).

CITATION LIST

PATENT LITERATURE

PTL 1: JP 2021-526007 A
PTL2: JP 2021-528084 A

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

TECHNICAL PROBLEM

The MCU (referred to below as a "control unit") has a defined lower-limit operating voltage, and the control unit controls the notification unit in a normal manner provided that the MCU is supplied with a driving power supply at or above the lower-limit operating voltage.
However, the driving power supply supplied to the control unit sometimes falls below the lower-limit operating voltage. This may happen when the aerosol-generating device is reset, for example. The control unit ceases control in this case, but operations other than those originally intended may be implemented because a transistor threshold voltage is lower than the lower-limit operating voltage.
In light of this problem, the present disclosure provides technology for preventing unintended operation of a notification unit when a driving power supply supplied to a control unit is lower than a lower-limit operating voltage.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

One aspect of the present disclosure provides an aerosol-generating device comprising: a heating unit for heating an aerosol source; a notification unit for notifying a user of information relating to heating of the aerosol source; a control unit for controlling operation of the notification unit; a control element which is controlled by the control unit and opens/closes an electrical connection of the notification unit; a first power supply for supplying power to the control unit; a second power supply for supplying power to the notification unit; and a first switch which controls power supply from the second power supply to the notification unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal.
The notification unit may comprise a light-emitting element.
Furthermore, the aerosol-generating device may also be provided with a voltage divider circuit for dividing a potential of the first power supply, and a voltage divided by the voltage divider circuit may be used as the enable signal.
The first switch in this case may be configured so that the enable signal is turned off by a higher voltage than a lower-limit operating voltage of the control unit.
Moreover, a threshold voltage of the control element is lower than the lower-limit operating voltage of the control unit.
The aerosol-generating device may comprise a third power supply, different from the second power supply, for supplying power to the heating unit.
Supply of power from the third power supply to the heating unit may be controlled by means of a second control element, and a switch for controlling power supply from the third power supply to the heating unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal should not be included between the third power supply and the heating unit.
The heating unit may be supplied with power from the second power supply.
A switch for controlling power supply from the second power supply to the heating unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal should not be included between the second power supply and the heating unit.
The aerosol source may be a solid.
The aerosol source may be a liquid.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

One aspect of the present disclosure makes it possible to prevent unintended operation of a notification unit when a driving power supply supplied to a control unit is lower than a lower-limit operating voltage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a diagram in which a front face side of an aerosol-generating device is viewed from diagonally above.
Fig. 2 is a diagram in which the front face side of the aerosol-generating device is viewed from diagonally below.
Fig. 3 is a diagram in which a main body device with a front panel removed is viewed from the front.
Fig. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the main body device.
Fig. 5 is a diagram schematically showing an electronic circuit used in Embodiment 1.
Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram illustrating an internal configuration example of a load switch used in Embodiment 1.
Fig. 7 is a diagram to illustrate power supply to an LED when a reset operation is performed in the electronic circuit used in Embodiment 1.
Fig. 8 is a diagram to illustrate power supply to an LED when a reset operation is performed in an electronic circuit which is not provided with a load switch.
Fig. 9 is a diagram schematically showing an electronic circuit used in Embodiment 2.
Fig. 10 is a circuit diagram illustrating an internal configuration example of a load switch used in Embodiment 2.
Fig. 11 is a diagram to illustrate power supply to an LED when a reset operation is performed in the electronic circuit used in Embodiment 2.
Fig. 12 is a diagram schematically showing an electronic circuit used in Embodiment 2.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments relating to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical parts are indicated by identical reference signs.

Terms

An aerosol-generating device according to each embodiment is a form of electronic cigarette.
In the following description, a substance generated by the aerosol-generating device will be referred to as an aerosol. An aerosol refers to a mixture of minute liquid or solid particles suspended in a gas, and air or another gas.
The embodiments describe aerosol-generating devices which generate the aerosol without associated burning.
Moreover, inhalation of the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating device will also be referred to as a "puff".
In each embodiment, an aerosol-generating device to which it is possible to attach a solid aerosol source is described. It should be noted that a container for accommodating the solid aerosol source will be referred to as both a "capsule" and a "stick-type substrate", depending on the form of product. Capsules and stick-type substrates are consumables. Capsules and stick-type substrates therefore have fixed criteria for replacement.

Embodiment 1

Example of external appearance

An example of the external appearance of an aerosol-generating device used in Embodiment 1 will first be described.
Fig. 1 is a diagram in which a front face side of an aerosol-generating device 1 is viewed from diagonally above.
Fig. 2 is a diagram in which the front face side of the aerosol-generating device 1 is viewed from diagonally below.
Fig. 3 is a diagram in which a main body device 20 with a front panel 10 removed is viewed from the front.
The aerosol-generating device 1 used in this embodiment has a size such that a user can hold it in one hand.
The aerosol-generating device 1 comprises: a main body device 20; a front panel 10 attached to a front face of the main body device 20; and a shutter 30 which is disposed on an upper face of the main body device 20 and can be slidably operated along the upper face.
The front panel 10 is a member which is detachable from the main body device 20. The front panel 10 is attached/detached by the user.
The front panel 10 attached to the main body device 20 covers a front face part of the main body device 20, as shown in fig. 1 and 2. In other words, parts of the main body device 20 other than the front face part can also be seen from the outside after the front panel 10 has been attached. For example, side faces, a back face, an upper face, and a bottom face of the main body device 20 can also be seen from the outside after the front panel 10 has been attached.
The front panel 10 is provided with a window 10A. The window 10A is provided at a position facing a light-emitting element on the main body device 20 side. In Embodiment 1, the LEDs (=light-emitting diodes) 20A shown in fig. 3 are used as the light-emitting element. In Embodiment 1, eight LEDs 20A are provided in the main body device 20. It should be noted that the LEDs 20A are an example of a "notification unit" for notifying information relating to heating of the aerosol source.
The window 10A in Embodiment 1 is formed by a light-transmissive material. However, the window 10A may equally be a slit that penetrates from a front surface to a rear surface.
States of operation of the aerosol-generating device are assigned to patterns of illumination or flashing of the LEDs 20A. For example, states associated with heating of the aerosol source are assigned to illumination or flashing of the LEDs 20A. States associated with heating of the aerosol source include, for example, completion of preparation for heating of the aerosol source, start of heating, completion or termination of heating, number of aerosol sources available for inhalation, remaining time available for inhalation, and abnormality in the main body temperature. In addition, the occurrence of a failure or malfunction of the main body device 20, remaining battery capacity, charging or completion of charging, or pairing status, for example, are assigned to illumination or flashing of the LEDs 20A. Malfunctions as referred to here also include abnormalities relating to ambient temperature. Illumination and flashing of the light-emitting element are controlled by a control unit 206 (see fig. 4) which will be described later.
The front panel 10 also has the role of a buffer against the propagation of heat released from the main body device 20, etc. In the case of this embodiment, the generation of aerosol is permitted only when the front panel 10 is attached to the main body device 20.
The front panel 10 used in this embodiment deforms when a position below the window 10A is pressed by the user's fingertip, and the original shape is restored when the user stops pressing. This deformation allows a power button 20B provided in the main body device 20 to be operated while the front panel 10 remains attached to the main body device 20.
A type C USB (= universal serial bus) connector 21 is provided on the bottom face side of the main body device 20. The shape and type of USB connector 21 are given by way of example. In Embodiment 1, the USB connector 21 is used for charging a power source unit 201 (see fig. 4) built into the main body device 20.
A hole (not shown) for insertion of a stick-type substrate 40 (see fig. 4) accommodating an aerosol source is provided in an upper face portion of the main body device 20. The hole is exposed by sliding the shutter 30 to an open position, and is hidden by sliding the shutter 30 to a closed position.
The stick-type substrate 40 used in this embodiment has a structure in which a solid aerosol source is accommodated in a substantially cylindrical paper tube.
A magnet, for example, is attached to a rear face of the shutter 30. Meanwhile, a Hall IC is attached to the main body device 20 in a movable range of the shutter 30.
The Hall IC is a magnetic sensor formed by a Hall element and an operational amplifier, etc., and outputs a voltage corresponding to the intensity of a magnetic field passing across the Hall element.
In this embodiment, opening and closing of the shutter 30 is sensed from a change in the voltage output from the Hall IC accompanying sliding of the shutter 30. That is to say, it is sensed whether the shutter 30 is at the closed position or the open position.
As shown in fig. 3, the power button 20B is disposed substantially in the center of the front face of the main body device 20. As indicated above, the power button 20B can be operated while the front panel 10 remains attached.
The power button 20B is used, for example, for turning the power source of the main body device on and off, for turning the power supply to a heating unit 207 (see fig. 4) that heats the aerosol source on and off, and for Bluetooth (registered trademark) pairing commands, etc.
Moreover, a reset function is performed by a long press (e.g., pressing for 5 seconds or more) of the power button 20B while the front panel 10 is removed from the main body device 20.
BLE (= Bluetooth low energy) is used as Bluetooth in this embodiment.
As shown in fig. 3, magnets 20C used for attaching the front panel 10 are disposed on the upper portion and lower portion of the front face of the main body device 20. The magnets 20C are provided in positions facing magnets (not shown) provided on the inner side of the front panel 10. If the magnets on the front panel 10 are N poles, for example, the magnets 20C on the main body device 20 side are S poles. The front panel 10 is detachably attached to the main body device 20 by the force of attraction of the magnets.
It should be noted that either the magnets on the front panel 10 side or the magnets 20C on the main body device 20 side may be metal pieces made of iron or another magnetic metal. Incidentally, attachment of the front panel 10 to the main body device 20 is sensed by means of the Hall IC provided on the main body device 20 side.
Various other types of electronic components required for generating an aerosol are built into the main body device 20. In Embodiment 1, a device configuration in which the front panel 10 is attached to the main body device 20 has been described as the aerosol-generating device 1, but in a narrow sense, the main body device 20 is referred to as an aerosol-generating device.

Internal configuration

Fig. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the main body device 20. It should be noted that fig. 4 shows a state in which the stick-type substrate 40 has been fitted into the main body device 20.
The internal configuration shown in fig. 4 is used to illustrate the components provided in the main body device 20 and positional relationships therebetween. For this reason, the external appearance of the components, etc. shown in fig. 4 does not always match the external views described above.
The main body device 20 is configured by the power source unit 201, a sensor unit 202, a notification unit 203, a memory unit 204, a communication unit 205, the control unit 206, the heating unit 207, a heat insulating portion 208, and a holding portion 209.
As described above, fig. 4 depicts a state in which the stick-type substrate 40 is being held in the holding portion 209. The aerosol is inhaled by the user in this state.
The power source unit 201 is a unit for supplying power to each component. The power source unit 201 uses a secondary battery to store power required by the main body device 20. In Embodiment 1, a lithium ion secondary battery is used as the secondary battery, for example. The secondary battery can be charged from an external power source. In Embodiment 1, the external power source is supplied through the USB connector 21 (see fig. 2).
In the following, power supplied from the secondary battery will be referred to as "VBAT" and power supplied via the USB connector 21 will be referred to as "VBUS". The power supply VBUS is a 5 V power supply. It should be noted that it is also possible for a 5 V power supply to be generated from VBAT.
The sensor unit 202 is an electronic component for detecting various types of information relating to the main body device 20.
The sensor unit 202 includes a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor, or a flow rate sensor, for example. The sensor unit 202 outputs detected information to the control unit 206. For example, when a change in air pressure or a flow of air accompanying inhalation has been detected, the sensor unit 202 outputs a numerical value representing inhalation of the aerosol by the user to the control unit 206.
The sensor unit 202 is provided in conjunction with a button or switch used for receiving user operations, for example. The button as referred to here includes the power button 20B (see fig. 3) described above. Furthermore, the switch includes the shutter 30 (see fig. 1) described above.
If a user operation is sensed, the sensor unit 202 outputs the sensing of the operation to the control unit 206.
The sensor unit 202 additionally includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the heating unit 207. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of the heating unit 207 on the basis of a change in an electrical resistance value of an electrically conductive track of the heating unit 207, for example. The temperature sensor outputs a voltage corresponding to the electrical resistance value at the current time. The control unit 206 calculates the temperature of the heating unit 207 from the output voltage from the temperature sensor. The temperature calculated can also be treated as the temperature of the stick-type substrate 40 held in the holding portion 209. Other temperature sensors include a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature around the heating unit 207 and a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature near the surface of the main body device 20.
The notification unit 203 is an electronic component for notifying the user of various types of information relating to the main body device 20. The notification unit 203 includes the LEDs 20A (see fig. 3), for example. Light emission or flashing of the LEDs 20A is controlled in patterns corresponding to the content of the notification. If multiple LEDs 20A having different light emission colors are provided, differences in the light emission color may be combined with light emission or flashing. For example, red may be used to notify a state in which use has been stopped or a repair is required, and white, green, blue, etc. may be used to notify a normal usage state.
The notification unit 203 may also include another device which is used instead of or as well as the LEDs 20A. Other devices include a display device for displaying text, images and other information, a sound output device for outputting sound, and a vibration device for causing the main body device 20 to vibrate, etc.
Light-emitting devices, display devices, sound output devices, and vibration devices, etc., are also examples of the "notification unit" for notifying the state of operation of the aerosol-generating device 1.
The memory unit 204 is an electronic component for storing various types of information relating to operation of the main body device 20. The memory unit 204 is configured by a non-volatile semiconductor storage medium such as a flash memory, for example.
Information stored in the memory unit 204 includes an OS (= operating system) and FW (= firmware), and other programs, for example.
Furthermore, the information stored in the memory unit 204 includes information relating to control of electronic components, for example. Information relating to control includes information relating to: remaining capacity and SOH (= state of health) of the secondary battery; and inhalation by the user, such as number of inhalations, times of inhalation, and cumulative inhalation time
The communication unit 205 is a communication interface for implementing communication between the main body device 20 and other devices. The communication unit 205 communicates with other devices by means of a system based on any wired or wireless communication standard. Examples of communication standards as referred to here include wireless LAN (= local area network), USB, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark).
For example, the communication unit 205 sends the information relating to user inhalation to a smartphone. Furthermore, the communication unit 205 downloads, from a server, update programs and heating profiles defining changes in the temperature of the heating unit 207 in a heating mode.
The control unit 206 functions as an arithmetic processing device and a control device, and controls operations of the components constituting the main body device 20 in accordance with various programs.
Control signals are sent through signal lines different from a power supply line. For example, communication in the main body device 20 employs a serial communication method such as an I2C (= inter-integrated circuit) communication method, an SPI (= serial peripheral interface) communication method, or a UART (= universal asynchronous receiver transmitter) communication method.
The control unit 206 is realized by means of an electronic circuit such as a CPU (= central processing unit), an MCU (= microcontroller unit), an MPU (= microprocessing unit), a GPU (= graphical processing unit), an ASIC (= application-specific integrated circuit), an FPGA (= field programmable gate array), or a DPS (= digital signal processor), for example.
The control unit 206 may also include a ROM (= read only memory) for storing programs and computation parameters, etc., and a RAM (= random access memory) for temporarily storing suitably changing parameters, etc.
The control unit 206 executes various types of processing and control through execution of programs.
The processing and control referred to here include, for example: supply of electricity by the power source unit 201; charging of the power source unit 201; detection of information by the sensor unit 202; notification of information employing the notification unit 203; writing of information to the memory unit 204 or reading of information from the memory unit 204; and sending/receiving of information employing the communication unit 205.
The control unit 206 additionally controls processing, etc. based on input of information to the electronic components and information output from the electronic components.
The holding portion 209 is a substantially cylindrical container. In this embodiment, a space inside the holding portion 209 defined by an inner wall and a bottom face will be referred to as an internal space 209A. The internal space 209A is substantially columnar. The holding portion 209 as referred to here corresponds to the hole exposed by sliding of the shutter 30.
An opening 209B allowing the internal space 209A to communicate with the exterior is provided in the holding portion 209. The stick-type substrate 40 is inserted into the internal space 209A from the opening 209B. The stick-type substrate 40 is inserted until a tip end thereof touches a bottom portion 209C.
The stick-type substrate 40 is only partially accommodated in the internal space 209A. A state in which the stick-type substrate 40 is accommodated in the internal space 209A will be referred to as the stick-type substrate 40 being held in the internal space 209A.
The inner diameter of at least part of the holding portion 209 in an axial direction thereof is formed so as to be smaller than the outer diameter of the stick-type substrate 40.
An outer circumferential surface of the stick-type substrate 40 inserted into the internal space 209A is therefore subjected to pressure from the inner wall of the holding portion 209. The stick-type substrate 40 deforms and is held in the internal space 209A by means of this pressure.
The holding portion 209 also has a function of defining a flow path for air passing through the stick-type substrate 40. An air inflow hole, which is an inlet for air into the flow path, is disposed in the bottom portion 209C, for example. Moreover, the opening 209B serves as an air outflow hole, which is an outlet for the air.
In this embodiment, only part of the stick-type substrate 40 is held in the holding portion 209, with the remainder protruding outside from an enclosure. The part of the stick-type substrate 40 which is held in the holding portion 209 will be referred to below as a substrate portion 40A, and the part protruding from the enclosure will be referred to below as a mouthpiece portion 40B.
The aerosol source is accommodated in at least the substrate portion 40A. The aerosol source is a substance which is atomized by heating so as to generate an aerosol.
The aerosol source includes shredded tobacco, and also processed products obtained by molding a tobacco raw material into a granular form, a sheet form or a powder form, or other tobacco-derived substances.
In addition, the aerosol source may also include non-tobacco-derived substances produced from plants other than tobacco, such as mint or herb. The aerosol source may include a flavoring component such as menthol, for example.
When the main body device 20 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source may include a drug to be inhaled by a patient. It should be noted that the aerosol source is not limited to a solid, and may equally be a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerol or propylene glycol, or may be a liquid such as water, for example.
At least part of the mouthpiece portion 40B is held in the user's mouth during inhalation.
When the user inhales with the mouthpiece portion 40B held in their mouth, air flows into the internal space 209A from the air inflow hole. The air that has flowed in reaches the user's mouth after passing through the internal space 209A and the substrate portion 40A. The air reaching the user's mouth contains the aerosol generated by the substrate portion 40A.
The heating unit 207 is formed by a heater or other heat-generating element. The heating unit 207 is formed by any material such as a metal or polyimide. The heating unit 207 is constructed in the form of a film, for example, and is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the holding portion 209.
The aerosol source contained in the stick-type substrate 40 is heated and atomized by the heat generated by the heating unit 207.
The atomized aerosol source is mixed with air, etc., and an aerosol is generated.
In fig. 4, the outer circumferential region of the stick-type substrate 40 is initially heated, with the range of heating steadily moving toward the center.
Atomization of the aerosol source therefore starts from the outer circumferential region of the stick-type substrate 40 and steadily moves toward the center.
The heating unit 207 generates heat by means of electrical supply from the power source unit 201. Electrical supply to the heating unit 207 is permitted when a predetermined user operation has been detected by means of the sensor unit 202, for example. The predetermined user operation as referred to here includes an operation of the shutter 30 (see fig. 1) or the power button 20B (see fig. 3).
Moreover, inhalation by the user becomes possible when the temperature of the stick-type substrate 40 heated by means of the heating unit 207 reaches a predetermined temperature. A change over time in the target temperature from the start of heating to the end of heating is stored in the memory unit 204 as a heating profile. The heating profile is an example of a control sequence. Inhalation of the aerosol by the user is sensed by means of the flow rate sensor, etc. in the sensor unit 202 and is saved in the memory unit 204.
Electrical supply to the heating unit 207 is stopped when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of heating or when a predetermined user operation is sensed. The predetermined operation is removal of the stick-type substrate 40, for example.
Furthermore, in the example of fig. 4, the heating unit 207 is disposed at the outer circumferential portion of the stick-type substrate 40, but the heating unit 207 may equally be a blade-like metal piece which is inserted into the stick-type substrate 40.
Alternatively, an induction heating method, for example, may be used to atomize the aerosol source. In this type of heating method, the heating unit 207 has at least an electromagnetic induction source such as a coil that generates a magnetic field. In this case, a susceptor is disposed at a position overlapping the magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic induction source. The susceptor generates heat in association with generation of the magnetic field, and heats the aerosol source. The susceptor may be a metal piece that is built into the stick-type substrate 40. When a metal piece acting as the heating unit 207 is built into the stick-type substrate 40, a coil for inductively heating the metal piece is disposed around the holding portion 209. Alternatively, the susceptor may be disposed at an outer circumferential portion of the stick-type substrate 40 within the main body device 20, and a coil serving as an electromagnetic induction source may be wound around the outer circumferential portion thereof.
The heat insulating portion 208 is a member for reducing propagation of heat generated by the heating unit 207 to the surrounding area. The heat insulating portion 208 is therefore disposed so as to cover at least the outer circumferential surface of the heating unit 207.
For example, the heat insulating portion 208 is configured by a vacuum insulating material or an aerogel insulating material, etc. A vacuum insulating material is a heat insulating material in which a state of high vacuum is created by wrapping glass wool and silica (silicon powder), etc. in a resin film, for example, so that heat conduction by gas is as close as possible to zero.

Configuration of electronic circuit

Fig. 5 is a diagram schematically showing an electronic circuit used in Embodiment 1. Fig. 5 illustrates connection relationships between typical components. It should be noted that in fig. 5, wiring used for power supply (referred to below as "power supply lines") is shown by thick lines, and wiring used for control (referred to below as "control lines") is shown by thin lines.
The electronic circuit shown in fig. 5 comprises: a charging IC 211, a step-up/step-down DC/DC circuit 212, an MCU 213, a step-up DC/DC circuit 214, a heater switch 215, a heater unit 216, a load switch 217, a voltage divider circuit 218, and the LEDs 20A.
The charging IC 211 switches a power supply path. For example, when a USB cable is connected to the USB connector 21 (see fig. 2), the charging IC 211 connects the power supply VBUS to the step-up/step-down DC/DC circuit 212 and the step-up DC/DC circuit 214. In contrast, when a USB cable is not connected to the USB connector 21, the charging IC 211 connects the power supply VBAT to the step-up/step-down DC/DC circuit 212. It should be noted that the MCU 213 senses whether or not a USB cable is connected, and instructs the charging IC 211, through a control line which is not depicted, to switch the power supply path. When the LEDs 20A are to be illuminated without a USB cable being connected, the charging IC 211 generates a 5 V power supply by OTG (= On-The-Go) and applies this to the power supply line for the LEDs 20A.
The step-up/step-down DC/DC circuit 212 is a circuit for converting the power supply VBUS or the power supply VBAT supplied from the charging IC 211 into a system power supply Vsys having a constant voltage. The system power supply Vsys is 3.3 V in this embodiment.
In the case of fig. 5, the system power supply Vsys is supplied to the MCU 213 and the voltage divider circuit 218. The system power supply Vsys here is an example of a first power supply for supplying power to the MCU 213. Moreover, the 5 V power supply (or power supply VBUS) is an example of a second power supply.
For example, when the power supply VBAT is being supplied, the step-up/step-down DC/DC circuit 212 generates the system power supply Vsys by stepping up or stepping down the power supply VBAT. The power supply VBAT varies depending on the remaining capacity and the degree of degradation of the secondary battery, but is converted to a constant voltage by the step-up/step-down DC/DC circuit 212.
Meanwhile, when the power supply VBUS is being supplied, the step-up/step-down DC/DC circuit 212 generates the system power supply Vsys by stepping down the power supply VBUS.
The MCU 213 is an example of the control unit 206 (see fig. 4) for controlling the operation of each unit constituting the aerosol-generating device 1 (see fig. 1), and is operated using the system power supply Vsys.
For example, the MCU 213 controls the LEDs 20A on/off. In the case of fig. 5, the MCU 213 controls the LEDs 20A on/off through opening/closing control of a field effect transistor (FET) constituting a switch element. In other words, the FET 213A is an example of a control element for opening/closing electrical connections of the LEDs 20A. It should be noted that the FET 213A is series-connected to wiring connecting the LEDs 20A to ground (GND).
The MCU 213 controls the FET 213A to an ON state or an OFF state by switching the voltage applied to a gate terminal (known as a control terminal) of the FET 213A. In fig. 5, a gate voltage Vg applied to the gate terminal is referred to as a control signal. When the gate voltage Vg is higher than a gate threshold voltage Vth, the FET 213A assumes a closed state and the LEDs 20A are turned on. Meanwhile, when the gate voltage Vg is lower than the gate threshold voltage Vth, the FET 213A assumes an open state and the LEDs 20A are turned off.
The gate threshold voltage Vth of the FET 213A shown in fig. 5 is roughly 1 V or less. The gate threshold voltage Vth here is lower than a lower-limit operating voltage at which normal operation of the MCU 213 is ensured. In other words, the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213 is higher than the gate threshold voltage Vth of the FET 213A. It is therefore possible that the FET 213A will, without being intended, be in a closed state during a period in which the MCU 213 is not controlling operation of the FET 213A
In the case of Embodiment 1, eight FETs 213A are provided for the eight LEDs 20A. One LED 20A and one FET 213A constitute a series circuit. Eight series circuits are therefore connected in parallel to a 5 V power supply. The individual LEDs 20A are separately controlled on/off by means of the FETs 213A.
It should be noted that in the electronic circuit shown in fig. 5, the FETs 213A are built into the MCU 213, but the FETs 213A may also be provided externally to the MCU 213.
The step-up DC/DC circuit 214 is a circuit for converting the power supply VBAT supplied from the secondary battery (not depicted) into a boost power supply Vboost having a constant voltage. The boost power supply Vboost is a power supply having a higher potential than the system power supply. The boost power supply Vboost is 5 V, for example. The boost power supply Vboost is an example of the third power supply different from the 5 V power supply. In the case of Embodiment 1, the 5 V power supply and the boost power supply Vboost are wired separately for the purpose of load distribution.
The heater switch (SW) 215 controls application of the boost power supply Vboost to the heater unit 216. The heater switch 215 is a switch element which is series-connected to the power supply line connecting the step-up DC/DC circuit 214 and the heater unit 216. In the case of fig. 5, the heater switch 215 is configured by a field effect transistor. Opening and closing of the heater switch 215 serving as a switch element is controlled by means of the MCU 213.
When the heater switch 215 is in a closed state, the boost power supply Vboost is supplied to the heater unit 216. Meanwhile, when the heater switch 215 is in an open state, the boost power supply Vboost is not supplied to the heater unit 216. By controlling the supply of the boost power supply Vboost, the temperature of the heater unit 216 transitions along a predefined heating profile. Moreover, control for opening and closing the heater switch 215 may be initiated by sensing predetermined user input, for example input from the power button 20B (see fig. 3). The heater switch 215 is an example of a second control element.
The heater unit 216 is a component which generates heat when energized, and thereby heats the stick-type substrate 40 inserted into the holding portion 209. The heater unit 216 is an example of the heating unit 207. The temperature of the heater unit 216 can be calculated on the basis of a difference in potential which is apparent between both terminals (i.e., between the power supply side and the ground side) of the heater unit 216. Incidentally, it is the MCU 213 which performs the calculation of temperature based on the measured difference in potential.
The load switch 217 is a switch for controlling the supply of the 5 V power supply to the LEDs 20A.
In the case of fig. 5, the 5 V power supply is applied to a VIN terminal of the load switch 217, and a potential obtained by dividing the voltage of the system power supply Vsys (3.3 V in fig. 5) is applied to an enable terminal EN. Note that the voltage divider circuit 218 is used for dividing the voltage of the system power supply Vsys.
The voltage divider circuit 218 shown in fig. 5 is configured by a series circuit comprising resistors R1 and R2, with a connection midpoint of the resistor R1 and the resistor R2 being connected to the enable terminal EN of the load switch 217.
Incidentally, the resistance value of the resistor R1 is preferably set at a greater value than the resistance value of the resistor R2. For example, it will be assumed that the resistance value of the resistor R1 is 500 kΩ, and the resistance value of the resistor R2 is 300 kΩ. With this example of numerical values, a voltage which is roughly 40% of the system voltage Vsys is applied to the enable terminal EN.
When a reset operation is performed, for example, the system voltage Vsys which is output from the step-up/step-down DC/DC circuit 212 gradually falls, eventually reaching 0 V. Here, the voltage divider circuit 218 has the role of making the potential applied to the enable terminal EN lower than the potential of the system power supply Vsys. By setting the resistance value of the resistor R1 at a greater value than the resistance value of the resistor R2, a greater difference can be set between the potential applied to the enable terminal EN and the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213 than when the resistance value of the resistor R1 is set at a smaller value than the resistance value of the resistor R2.
For example, 1 V is output from the voltage divider circuit 218 at a point in time when the system power supply Vsys falls to 2.5 V, and 0.8 V is output from the voltage divider circuit 218 at a point in time when the system power supply Vsys falls to 2 V. The output voltage of the voltage divider circuit 218 can thus be set lower than the actual system power supply Vsys.
This means that the load switch 217 which uses the output of the voltage divider circuit 218 as an enable signal can stop the 5 V power supply to the LEDs 20A at an earlier point in time than when the system power supply Vsys is used for the enable signal. The load switch 217 which controls the supply of power to the LEDs 20A is thus an example of a first switch.
Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram illustrating an internal configuration example of the load switch 217 used in Embodiment 1. An N-channel FET 217A of the load switch 217 shown in fig. 6 is connected in series to the 5 V power supply.
In the case of fig. 6, the 5 V power supply is applied through the VIN terminal to a drain terminal D of the FET 217A. Furthermore, a source terminal S of the FET 217A is connected to an anode terminal of the LEDs 20A through a VOUT terminal. Furthermore, an enable signal is applied through the enable terminal EN to a gate terminal G of the FET 217A.
The gate threshold voltage Vth of the FET 217A is designed to be higher than the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213 and also lower than the potential of the enable signal when the system power supply Vsys is being applied in a normal state (here, 3.3 V × (R2/(R1+R2))). This size relationship will be referred to below as "relationship 1". It should be noted that a "normal state" is a state in which the system power supply Vsys is being stably supplied, which is a state that does not include transient states such as rising or falling of the system power supply Vsys.
Note that the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213 is established as a characteristic of the MCU 213, so the gate threshold voltage Vth of the FET 217A and the resistance values of the resistor R1 and the resistor R2 are designed to satisfy relationship 1.
By satisfying relationship 1, the FET 217A of the load switch 217 remains in an ON state during normal operation, and switches from ON to OFF at a potential higher than the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213 in a situation where there is a drop in the potential of the system power supply Vsys, such as when there is a reset operation.
That is to say, during normal operation when the potential of the enable signal is higher than the gate threshold voltage Vth, the FET 217A is turned ON, and outputs the 5 V power supply to the VOUT terminal.
Meanwhile, when a reset takes place, the potential of the enable signal falls below the gate threshold voltage Vth while the system power supply Vsys is higher than the lower-limit operating value of the MCU 213, and the FET 217A switches from ON to OFF. As a result, even if a 5 V power supply is applied to the VIN terminal, a 5 V power supply no longer appears at the VOUT terminal of the load switch 217. That is to say, the power required for operation of the LEDs 20A is no longer supplied to the LEDs 20A. As a result, the LEDs 20A are not illuminated even in an unintended ON state of the FET 213A which controls the LEDs 20A on and off.

Other structural characteristics

It should be noted that in this embodiment, the load switch 217 for the LEDs 20A is not provided on wiring which receives the boost power supply Vboost for supplying power to the heater unit 216. Consequently, when the gate threshold voltage Vth of the heater switch 215 is lower than the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213, there is a possibility that the heater switch 215 will be inadvertently turned ON during a period in which control by the MCU 213 is not possible.
However, even if the heater switch 215 is inadvertently turned ON during a reset period, that period is around 0.4 seconds. Any rise in temperature of the heater unit 216 is therefore limited and does not affect use by the user, even in the event of unintended power supply.
Furthermore, the user will be unaware of unintended power supply to the heater unit 216, unlike the LEDs 20A. Consequently, there is no effect on user behavior, as there would be if the LEDs 20A emitted light.
Furthermore, in order to achieve high heating efficiency, it is better for there to be fewer resistive elements on the wiring to which the boost power supply Vboost is applied. The load switch of Embodiment 1 is therefore not provided on the wiring to which the boost power supply Vboost is applied.

Measures against unintended LED illumination during reset operation

Fig. 7 is a diagram to illustrate power supply to the LEDs 20A when a reset operation is performed in the electronic circuit used in Embodiment 1.
First of all, when a reset operation has been detected, the system power supply Vsys, which is output by the step-up/step-down DC/DC circuit 212, stops being supplied to the MCU 213, etc. This supply is stopped by means of a load switch which is not depicted. Incidentally, the load switch which is not depicted is controlled OFF by means of a power driver. The power driver controls the load switch OFF when pressing of the power button 20B is sensed while the front panel 10 is removed from the main body device 20, for example. The power driver operates independently of the MCU 213.
A waveform 301 of the system power supply Vsys supplied to the MCU 213 and the voltage divider circuit 218 starts to fall from 3.3 V as the reset operation is sensed.
Moreover, a waveform 302 of the enable signal output from the voltage divider circuit 218 starts to fall from a voltage lower than 3.3 V.
As a result, the potential of the enable signal falls to or below the gate threshold voltage Vth of the FET 217A inside the load switch 217 before the system power supply Vsys supplied to the MCU 213 falls to the lower-limit operating voltage.
Consequently, the FET 217A inside the load switch 217 turns OFF before the system power supply Vsys supplied to the MCU 213 falls to the lower-limit operating voltage, as shown by the waveform 303. That is to say, the FET 217A switches from the ON state to the OFF state earlier than the start of the period in which control by the MCU 213 is not possible. Furthermore, the FET 217A switches from the OFF state to the ON state after the end of the period in which control by the MCU 213 is not possible. As a result, even if the 5 V power supply (waveform 304) is maintained, the potential applied to the anode terminals of the LEDs 20A (referred to below as the "anode potential") falls close to 0 V, as shown by the waveform 305, at the time of initiation of the period in which control by the MCU 213 is not possible.
Consequently, even if the FET 213A is turned ON for some reason during the period in which control by the MCU 213 is not possible (pulse in the waveform 306), the anode potential of the LEDs 20A does not reach the potential required for light emission. The LEDs 20A therefore do not emit light, as shown by the waveform 307. That is to say, emission of light by the LEDs 20A that is not controlled by the MCU 213 (i.e., unintended emission of light) is prevented.

Comparative Example

Fig. 8 is a diagram to illustrate power supply to the LEDs 20A when a reset operation is performed in an electronic circuit which is not provided with the load switch 217. Corresponding reference signs are given in fig. 8 for parts that correspond to those of fig. 7.
There is no load switch 217 provided in the case of fig. 8, so even if the potential of the system power supply Vsys (waveform 301) supplied to the MCU 213 is equal to or less than the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213, the 5 V power supply (waveform 305) to the anode terminals of the LEDs 20A is maintained following a reset operation.
As a result, if the FET 213A is turned ON for some reason during the period in which control by the MCU 213 is not possible (pulse in the waveform 306), the light-emission condition is met and the LEDs 20A emit light, as shown by the waveform 307. The user may take this emission of light by the LEDs 20A as presenting some kind of information, which is therefore undesirable.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS

The aerosol-generating device 1 (see fig. 1) according to this embodiment employs an arrangement in which the load switch 217 is provided on the power supply line for supplying power to the LEDs 20A (see fig. 1), and power supply is stopped during a period in which the potential of the system power supply Vsys is lower than the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213 (see fig. 5). Specifically, the system power supply Vsys supplied to the MCU 213 is used as an enable signal and control is performed so that an operating power supply is not supplied to the LEDs 20A during a period in which control by the MCU 213 (see fig. 5) is not possible.
As a result, even if the FET 213A is turned to an ON state for some reason during a period in which the system power supply Vsys supplied to the MCU 213 (see fig. 5) is at or below the lower-limit operating voltage, unintended emission of light by the LEDs 20A (see fig. 5) can be prevented. In other words, unintended operation of the notification unit 203 (see fig. 4) can be prevented during the period in which control by the control unit 206 (see fig. 4) is not possible.
Furthermore, the aerosol-generating device 1 according to this embodiment employs an arrangement in which the system power supply Vsys voltage is divided by the voltage divider circuit 218, and the potential after voltage division is provided to the load switch 217 as an enable signal. The load switch 217 can therefore be switched to the OFF state before the point in time at which the system power supply Vsys falls to the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213 following a reset. That is to say, the operating power supply to the LEDs 20A can be stopped earlier than the drop in the system power supply Vsys.

Embodiment 2

Another electronic circuit which can be used in the aerosol-generating device 1 (see fig. 1) will be described in this embodiment. It should be noted that the external configuration and functional configuration of the aerosol-generating device 1 are the same as in Embodiment 1.
Fig. 9 is a diagram schematically showing an electronic circuit used in Embodiment 2. Corresponding reference signs are given in fig. 9 for parts that correspond to those of fig. 5.
The electronic circuit shown in fig. 9 differs from that of Embodiment 1 in that the system power supply Vsys supplied to the MCU 213 is supplied to the load switch 217.
Fig. 10 is a circuit diagram illustrating an internal configuration example of the load switch 217 used in Embodiment 2. Corresponding reference signs are given in fig. 10 for parts that correspond to those of fig. 6.
In the case of the load switch 217 shown in fig. 10, the condition required for the gate threshold voltage Vth of an FET 217B for switching the 5 V power supply to the LEDs 20A differs from that of the FET 217A illustrated in fig. 6.
In the case of fig. 10, the maximum value of the potential applied to the enable terminal EN is 3.3 V, which is the same as the system power supply Vsys. The gate threshold voltage Vth of the FET 217B is therefore designed to be higher than the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213 and also lower than the potential of the enable signal when the system power supply Vsys is being applied in a normal state (3.3 V here). This size relationship will be referred to below as "relationship 2".
Note that the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213 is established as a characteristic of the MCU 213, so the gate threshold voltage Vth of the FET 217B is designed to satisfy relationship 2.

Measures against unintended LED illumination during reset operation

Fig. 11 is a diagram to illustrate power supply to the LEDs 20A when a reset operation is performed in the electronic circuit used in Embodiment 2. Corresponding reference signs are given in fig. 11 for parts that correspond to those of fig. 7.
Fig. 11 differs from fig. 7 in that the system power supply Vsys coincides with the enable signal. The waveform 302 illustrated in fig. 7 is therefore not depicted in fig. 11.
As described above, the gate threshold voltage Vth of the FET 217B is designed as an intermediate potential between 3.3 V and the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213.
The FET 217B therefore switches from the ON state to the OFF state (waveform 303) at the point in time when the system power supply Vsys has fallen below the gate threshold voltage Vth of the FET 217B following a reset operation. A drop in the potential applied to the anode terminals of the LEDs 20A (waveform 305) is initiated from this point in time.
As a result, the anode potential of the LEDs 20A falls close to 0 V before the system power supply Vsys falls to the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213.
Consequently, even if the FET 213A is turned ON for some reason during the period in which control by the MCU 213 is not possible (pulse in the waveform 306), the anode potential of the LEDs 20A does not reach the potential required for light emission. The LEDs 20A are therefore not illuminated, as shown by the waveform 307. That is to say, illumination of the LEDs 20A that is not controlled by the MCU 213 (i.e., unintended illumination) is prevented.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS

The aerosol-generating device 1 according to this embodiment also employs an arrangement in which the load switch 217 is provided on the power supply line for supplying power to the LEDs 20A (see fig. 1), and power supply is stopped during a period in which the potential of the system power supply Vsys is lower than the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213 (see fig. 5).
As a result, even if the FET 213A is turned to an ON state for some reason during a period in which the system power supply Vsys supplied to the MCU 213 (see fig. 5) is at or below the lower-limit operating voltage, unintended illumination of the LEDs 20A (see fig. 5) can be prevented. In other words, unintended operation of the notification unit 203 (see fig. 4) can be prevented during the period in which control by the control unit 206 (see fig. 4) is not possible.

Embodiment 3

Another electronic circuit which can be used in the aerosol-generating device 1 (see fig. 1) will be described in this embodiment. It should be noted that the external configuration and functional configuration of the aerosol-generating device 1 are the same as in Embodiment 1.
Fig. 12 is a diagram schematically showing an electronic circuit used in Embodiment 3. Corresponding reference signs are given in fig. 12 for parts that correspond to those of fig. 5.
The electronic circuit shown in fig. 12 differs from Embodiment 1 in that there is no step-up DC/DC circuit 214 (see fig. 5), and in that the power supply VBUS is supplied to the heater unit 216 via the heater switch 215.
In the case of fig. 12, the wiring that supplies the 5 V power supply (or the power supply VBUS) branches in two, with one branch being connected to the load switch 217 and the other branch being connected to the heater switch 215. Accordingly, the 5 V power supply (or the power supply VBUS) supplied to the load switch 217 and the 5 V power supply (or the power supply VBUS) supplied to the heater switch 215 are both examples of the second power supply.

Other structural characteristics

It should be noted that in this embodiment also, the load switch 217 for the LEDs 20A is not provided on wiring which receives the boost power supply Vboost for supplying power to the heater unit 216. Consequently, when the gate threshold voltage Vth of the heater switch 215 is lower than the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213, there is a possibility that the heater switch 215 will be inadvertently turned ON during a period in which control by the MCU 213 is not possible.
However, even if the heater switch 215 is inadvertently turned ON during a reset period, that period is around 0.4 seconds. Any rise in temperature of the heater unit 216 is therefore limited and does not affect use by the user, even in the event of unintended power supply.
Furthermore, the user will be unaware of unintended power supply to the heater unit 216, unlike the LEDs 20A. Consequently, there is no effect on user behavior, as there would be if the LEDs 20A were illuminated.
Furthermore, in order to achieve high heating efficiency, it is better for there to be fewer resistive elements on the wiring to which the boost power supply Vboost is applied. The load switch of Embodiment 1 is not provided on the wiring to which the boost power supply Vboost is applied, in view of this reason also.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS

The aerosol-generating device 1 according to this embodiment also employs an arrangement in which the load switch 217 is provided on the power supply line for supplying power to the LEDs 20A (see fig. 1), and power supply is stopped during a period in which the potential of the system power supply Vsys is lower than the lower-limit operating voltage of the MCU 213 (see fig. 5).
As a result, even if the FET 213A is turned to an ON state for some reason during a period in which the system power supply Vsys supplied to the MCU 213 (see fig. 5) is at or below the lower-limit operating voltage, unintended illumination of the LEDs 20A (see fig. 5) can be prevented. In other words, unintended operation of the notification unit 203 (see fig. 4) can be prevented during the period in which control by the control unit 206 (see fig. 4) is not possible.
Furthermore, similarly to Embodiment 1, the system power supply Vsys voltage is divided by means of the voltage divider circuit 218 in this embodiment, and the potential after voltage division is provided to the enable terminal EN of the load switch 217, so the operating power supply to the LEDs 20A can be stopped earlier than the drop in the system power supply Vsys.
Note that this embodiment may also employ a circuit configuration in which the voltage divider circuit 218 is not provided, similarly to Embodiment 2.

Other embodiments

(1) Embodiments of the present disclosure were described above, but the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope disclosed in the embodiments above. It will be obvious from the disclosure of the claims that the technical scope of the present disclosure also includes various modifications or improvements made to the embodiments above.
(2) The embodiments above described a case in which unintended illumination of the LEDs 20A is prevented by using the load switch 217, but the load switch 217 may also be used to prevent unintended operation of a display device, a sound output device, or a vibration device. Note that a load switch 217 may also be provided for some or all of a light-emitting device other than the LEDs 20A, a display device, a sound output device, and a vibration device.
(3) The embodiments above described an example in which the system power supply Vsys or a voltage obtained by dividing the system power supply Vsys voltage is used as the enable signal, but the 5 V power supply to the LEDs 20A by the load switch 217 may also be controlled by other circuitry. For example, the FET 217A inside the load switch 217 may be switched by the system power supply Vsys or by H-level output and L-level output, which are comparison results from comparing the system power supply Vsys with a reference voltage
(4) The embodiments above described a case in which the aerosol source is a solid, but the aerosol source may equally be a liquid. When the aerosol source is a liquid, a system is adopted in which the aerosol source is guided to a narrow tube known as a wick by using the capillary phenomenon, and a coil wound around the wick is heated to thereby vaporize the aerosol source. It should be noted that if the aerosol source is a liquid, the aerosol source is heated in conjunction with inhalation by the user.

That is to say, the liquid aerosol source is heated when the sensor unit 202 (see fig. 4) senses inhalation by the user. However, an upper limit (e.g., 2.5 seconds) is provided for the length of heating time for one inhalation, and even if inhalation continues beyond the upper limit, heating of the aerosol source is stopped at the time when the upper limit is reached.
It should be noted that less power is needed to heat a liquid aerosol source than a solid aerosol source. It is therefore easier to use the electronic circuit described in Embodiment 3 for a liquid aerosol source than for a solid aerosol source.
(5) The embodiments above described an aerosol-generating device which generates an aerosol by heating a solid aerosol source, but the aerosol-generating device may equally generate an aerosol by separately heating each of a solid aerosol source and a liquid aerosol source. An aerosol-generating device of this type is also referred to as a hybrid aerosol-generating device.

SUMMARY

It should be noted that the present disclosure includes the following features.

(1) An aerosol-generating device comprising: a heating unit for heating an aerosol source; a notification unit for notifying a user of information relating to heating of the aerosol source; a control unit for controlling operation of the notification unit; a control element which is controlled by the control unit and opens/closes an electrical connection of the notification unit; a first power supply for supplying power to the control unit; a second power supply for supplying power to the notification unit; and a first switch which controls power supply from the second power supply to the notification unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal.
(2) The aerosol-generating device as disclosed in (1), wherein the notification unit comprises a light-emitting element.
(3) The aerosol-generating device as disclosed in (1) or (2), further comprising a voltage divider circuit for dividing a voltage of the first power supply, wherein a voltage divided by the voltage divider circuit is used as the enable signal.
(4) The aerosol-generating device as disclosed in any one of (1) to (3), wherein the first switch is configured so that the enable signal is turned off by a higher voltage than a lower-limit operating voltage of the control unit.
(5) The aerosol-generating device as disclosed in any one of (1) to (4), wherein a threshold voltage of the control element is lower than a lower-limit operating voltage of the control unit.
(6) The aerosol-generating device as disclosed in any one of (1) to (5), comprising a third power supply, different from the second power supply, for supplying power to the heating unit.
(7) The aerosol-generating device as disclosed in (6), wherein supply of power from the third power supply to the heating unit is controlled by means of a second control element, and a switch for controlling power supply from the third power supply to the heating unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal is not included between the third power supply and the heating unit.
(8) The aerosol-generating device as disclosed in any one of (1) to (5), wherein the heating unit is supplied with power from the second power supply.
(9) The aerosol-generating device as disclosed in (8), wherein a switch for controlling power supply from the second power supply to the heating unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal is not included between the second power supply and the heating unit.
(10) The aerosol-generating device as disclosed in (6) or (8), wherein the aerosol source is a solid.
(11) The aerosol-generating device as disclosed (6) or (8), wherein the aerosol source is a liquid.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

1...Aerosol-generating device, 10...Front panel, 10A...Window, 20...Main body device, 20A...LED, 20B...Power button, 20C...Magnet, 21...USB connector, 30...Shutter, 40...Stick-type substrate, 40A...Substrate portion, 40B...Mouthpiece portion, 201...Power source unit, 202...Sensor unit, 203... Notification unit, 204...Memory unit, 205...Communication unit, 206...Control unit, 207...Heating unit, 208...Heat insulating portion, 209...Holding portion, 209A...Internal space, 209B...Opening, 209C...Bottom portion, 211... Charging IC, 212...Step-up/step-downDC/DC circuit, 213...MCU, 213A, 217A, 217B... FET, 214... Step-up DC/DC circuit, 215... Heater switch, 216... Heater unit, 217... Load switch, 218... Voltage divider circuit

Claims

An aerosol-generating device comprising: a heating unit for heating an aerosol source;
a notification unit for notifying a user of information relating to heating of the aerosol source;

a control unit for controlling operation of the notification unit;

a control element which is controlled by the control unit and opens/closes an electrical connection of the notification unit;

a first power supply for supplying power to the control unit;

a second power supply for supplying power to the notification unit; and

a first switch which controls power supply from the second power supply to the notification unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal.
The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the notification unit comprises a light-emitting element.
The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a voltage divider circuit for dividing a voltage of the first power supply,
wherein a voltage divided by the voltage divider circuit is used as the enable signal.
The aerosol-generating device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first switch is configured so that the enable signal is turned off by a higher voltage than a lower-limit operating voltage of the control unit.
The aerosol-generating device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a threshold voltage of the control element is lower than a lower-limit operating voltage of the control unit.
The aerosol-generating device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a third power supply, different from the second power supply, for supplying power to the heating unit.
The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein supply of power from the third power supply to the heating unit is controlled by means of a second control element, and
a switch for controlling power supply from the third power supply to the heating unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal is not included between the third power supply and the heating unit.
The aerosol-generating device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heating unit is supplied with power from the second power supply.
The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 8, wherein a switch for controlling power supply from the second power supply to the heating unit by using power supplied from the first power supply as an enable signal is not included between the second power supply and the heating unit.
The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 6 or 8, wherein the aerosol source is a solid.
The aerosol-generating device as claimed in claim 6 or 8, wherein the aerosol source is a liquid.