KR20230129823A - Aerosol-generating device that recognizes knocking patterns - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device that recognizes a knocking pattern, and more specifically, to an aerosol generator that recognizes the user based on the time interval, number, and intensity of the user's knocking. It's about devices.
The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device, which is divided into at least one zone and provided in a housing, through a detection unit for detecting a user's knocking pattern, a memory unit in which an authentication pattern for user authentication is stored, and a detection unit. It is characterized by including a control unit that determines whether the detected knocking pattern matches the authentication pattern stored in the memory unit and controls the aerosol generating device based on the determination result.

Description

Aerosol generating device that recognizes knocking patterns {AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE THAT RECOGNIZES KNOCKING PATTERNS}

The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device that recognizes a knocking pattern, and more specifically, to an aerosol generator that recognizes the user based on the time interval, number, and intensity of the user's knocking. It's about devices.

Inhalation of hedonic substances, commonly referred to as smoking, can be achieved by inhaling fine particles in the air, i.e. aerosols. Previously, cigarette-type tobacco was almost the only means of inhaling these substances, but recently, aerosol generating devices such as electronic cigarettes are also being used. Electronic cigarettes generate aerosol by vaporizing the inhaled material into vapor by applying heat or ultrasonic waves to a cartridge containing the inhaled material in liquid form, so it is completely different from the conventional cigarette type of cigarette that generates smoke by combustion. It has the advantage of being able to prevent the generation of various harmful substances that may occur due to combustion.

Because of the possibility of inhaling nicotine, aerosol generating devices are subject to restrictions such as restrictions on sales and use, like regular cigarettes. Nevertheless, problems of unauthorized use by family members, etc. may arise. Additionally, aerosol generating devices are devices that come into contact with the user's oral cavity and are highly related to personal hygiene, so a means to prevent unauthorized use by others is required. Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-2222248 discloses an electronic cigarette user authentication system and method, but further improved means are required.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an aerosol generating device that can restrict use by others through identity authentication using knocking pattern recognition.

In addition, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an aerosol generating device that can recognize various types of knocking patterns, create personalized knocking passwords, and create password patterns of various levels of difficulty, thereby improving convenience and security at the same time. Do it as

Another object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol generating device that can conveniently perform identity authentication without the need for physical buttons or displays.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol generating device that can be made compact by forming a sensor necessary for recognizing a knocking pattern even in a small area or on a curved surface.

The aerosol generating device of the present invention to solve the problems of the prior art described above is divided into a housing for accommodating internal components, a power supply for applying power to the components, an aerosol generator, and at least one or more zones. It is provided in the housing and includes a detection unit for detecting the user's knocking pattern, a memory unit for storing the authentication pattern for user authentication, and a determination of whether the knocking pattern detected through the detection unit matches the authentication pattern stored in the memory unit. and a control unit that controls the aerosol generating device based on the determination result.

In addition, the aerosol generating device of the present invention is characterized in that, depending on the embodiment, the sensing unit is divided into multiple zones and is distributed over multiple areas of the housing.

In addition, according to the embodiment of the aerosol generating device of the present invention, the control unit forms one knocking pattern based on the user's knocking input entered within a predetermined input allowable time, and the knocking pattern is determined by the number of knocking inputs, each adjacent It is characterized by being formed by a combination of one or more of the interval between knocking inputs, the intensity of each knocking input, and the area of each knocking input.

In addition, depending on the embodiment, the aerosol generating device of the present invention is characterized in that when the user's knocking input is detected by the detection unit, the control unit generates at least one of a haptic effect, a visual effect, or a sound effect in response.

In addition, according to the embodiment of the aerosol generating device of the present invention, the control unit determines whether the knocking pattern detected by the sensing unit matches the authentication pattern stored in the memory unit, and if they match, controls the aerosol generating unit to operate. do.

In addition, in the aerosol generating device of the present invention, depending on the embodiment, the control unit determines whether the knocking pattern detected by the sensing unit matches the authentication pattern stored in the memory unit, and determines that it matches even if there is a close match. It is characterized by

In addition, according to the embodiment of the aerosol generating device of the present invention, each zone of the sensing unit is visually displayed on the outside of the housing so that the user can identify it.

The aerosol generating device according to the present invention has the effect of preventing unauthorized use by others by requiring user authentication before use.

Additionally, the aerosol generating device according to the present invention can recognize various knocking patterns, allowing simple and quick identity authentication by inputting the pattern.

In addition, the aerosol generating device according to the present invention improves user convenience by simplifying the setting of a knocking pattern password, and does not necessarily require a display device, so it can be manufactured inexpensively and compactly.

1 is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the configuration of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3 is an exploded view for explaining the component relationship of the aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a user authentication method that can be performed by an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the configuration of an aerosol generating device in which the detection unit 30 is divided into two zones as another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a diagram showing several examples of knocking patterns converted to list format data.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a block diagram for explaining the functional configuration of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the aerosol generating device may include a control unit 10, a memory unit 20, a sensing unit 30, an aerosol generating unit 40, a power supply 50, and a reaction unit 60. For example, the control unit 10 is a processor capable of performing command processing, various operations, and device control, and may additionally include RAM memory, cache memory, etc. The control unit 10 determines whether the knocking pattern detected through the detection unit 30 matches the authentication pattern stored in the memory unit 20, and controls the aerosol generating device based on the determination result. When a knocking input is detected by the detection unit 30, the response unit 60 may be operated to generate at least one of a haptic effect, a visual effect, or a sound effect in response.

The memory unit 20 may be a non-volatile memory device, such as a solid-state disk (SSD), that can continue to store data even when the application of power is interrupted. The memory unit 20 stores the authentication pattern generated by the control unit 10 based on the user's knocking input from the detection unit 30. The detection unit 30 is a sensor that can detect a user's knocking, that is, a tapping input, and may adopt a conventional sensor. For example, by combining a capacitive touch sensor that can recognize the user's touch (knocking) position and a 3-axis acceleration sensor that can recognize the intensity of knocking, the knocking pattern described below in relation to the present invention can be achieved. Recognition is possible. The detection unit 30 transmits data related to the detected knocking input to the control unit 10, and ultimately the knocking pattern can be detected.

The aerosol generating unit 40 includes a substrate supply unit into which an aerosol-forming substrate (smoking article), such as a liquid cartridge or cigarette, is inserted or fixedly mounted, and a substrate supply portion or aerosol-forming substrate that supplies energy by a method such as resistance heating, induction heating, or high-frequency heating. It may include a heating member that generates aerosol by supplying it to the. The aerosol generating unit 40 corresponds to a technology easily recognized by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and its detailed description is omitted. The power supply device 50 may be, for example, a secondary battery, and includes all components such as the control unit 10, memory unit 20, detection unit 30, aerosol generation unit 40, and reaction unit 60. Or, apply the power necessary for its operation to some parts.

When a knocking input is detected by the detection unit 30 under the control of the control unit 10, the reaction unit 60 generates at least one of a haptic effect, a graphic effect, or a sound effect in response. The reaction unit 60 may be, for example, an LED device, a haptic actuator, or a microspeaker. The components described above are electrically connected to form an electric circuit. Accordingly, signals or data can be exchanged with each other.

Figure 2 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the configuration of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to an embodiment of the present invention, components such as the control unit 10, the memory unit 20, the aerosol generator 40, and the power supply 50 may be accommodated in the housing 100. The housing 100 is generally of a size that can be carried and held and protects the components accommodated therein. In the present invention, since the detection unit 30 must detect the user's knocking input, it is preferably provided on the outside of the housing 100 or near the outside. However, when the sensing unit 30 is composed of several physically distinct modules, some modules may be located inside the housing 100. Additionally, in the present invention, the sensing unit 30 is divided into at least one zone, and each zone is preferably visually displayed on the outside of the housing 100 so that the user can identify it. In this embodiment the sensing element 30 has a single area visually represented by a rectangular shape.

When setting the initial authentication pattern, the detection unit 30 receives the user's knocking input, and the control unit 10 converts this input into an authentication pattern and stores it in the memory unit 20. The authentication pattern stored in the memory unit 20 is at least for the purpose of controlling the operation of the aerosol generating unit 40. Once the authentication pattern is stored in the memory unit 20 through the user's input, prior to starting the operation of the aerosol generating device, the control unit 10 stores the knocking pattern detected through the detection unit 30 and the memory unit 20. The stored authentication pattern is compared to determine whether it matches, and if it matches, the aerosol generator 40 can be controlled to operate. Controlling to operate may mean, for example, applying power to the aerosol generating unit 40 to control the aerosol to be generated from the aerosol forming substrate.

Figure 3 is an exploded view for explaining the component relationship of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Depending on the embodiment, the reaction unit 60 may be configured to overlap the detection unit 30. Additionally, when the detection unit 30 is divided into several zones, the reaction unit 60 may also be divided and configured to correspond to each zone of the detection unit 30. At this time, when the user's knocking input is detected in a certain area of the detection unit 30, some areas of the response unit 60 corresponding to the area operate to generate a visual effect, haptic effect, or sound effect to let the user know which area is the user. It can be notified whether a knocking input has been detected. Below, the specific function and operation sequence of each component will be explained through a flowchart.

Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a user authentication method that can be performed by an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. When power is applied from the power supply device 50, the control unit 10 determines whether an authentication pattern is stored in the memory unit 20 (s100). If the authentication pattern is not stored in the memory unit 20, the control unit 10 performs an authentication pattern registration process (s200 to s230). In the authentication pattern registration process, first, the detection unit 30 detects the user's knocking input, and the control unit 10 converts the detected knocking input into pattern data and stores it as a temporary authentication pattern (s200). Afterwards, in order to verify the authentication pattern, the detection unit 30 once again detects the user's knocking input (s210). The control unit 10 converts the detected knocking input into a knocking pattern, compares it with the stored temporary authentication pattern (s220), and determines that it matches, determines that the authentication pattern has been entered correctly, and stores the stored temporary authentication pattern in memory. It is stored as an authentication pattern in the unit 20 (s230). If the control unit 10 compares the detected knocking pattern with the temporary authentication pattern in step s220 and determines that they do not match, the process returns to step s200 and repeats the step of the detection unit 30 receiving the user's knocking input again. When comparing knocking patterns performed by the control unit 10, the control unit 10 may refer to the similarity evaluation result through a known similarity evaluation algorithm and determine that the values to be compared are similar even if they closely match. .

After power is applied by the power supply device 50, when it is determined that the authentication pattern is stored in the memory unit 20 in step s100, the control unit 10 performs the user authentication process (s110 to s150). In the user authentication process, the detection unit 30 first detects the user's knocking input (s110), the control unit 10 converts the detected knocking input into a knocking pattern, and the authentication pattern stored in the memory unit 20 matches. Determine whether or not to do so (s120). If they match, the control unit 10 controls the aerosol generating unit 40 to operate (s130). At this time, for example, the control unit 10 may apply power to the aerosol generating unit 40 to control the aerosol to be generated from the aerosol forming substrate. If the control unit 10 determines in step S120 that the knocking pattern entered by the user does not match the authentication pattern stored in the memory unit 20, it is regarded as an authentication failure, and the number of authentication failures is set to a predetermined number (n times). Determine again whether it has been reached (s140). If the number of authentication failures does not reach a predetermined number (n times), the process returns to step s110 and performs the user authentication process again. On the other hand, if the authentication failure reaches a predetermined number of times, it is considered a complete authentication failure, and the control unit 10 may regard the user as an unauthorized user and take action against him. For example, the control unit 10 may forcibly cut off the power supplied from the power device 50 for a predetermined period of time to prevent attempts by unauthorized users to unlock the password (s150).

In each step described above, when the sensing unit 30 receives a knocking input, the control unit 10 may request a user input through a visual display or the like to notify the user of this. Depending on the embodiment, an LED (not shown) may be configured on the outside of the housing 100 and the control unit 10 may turn it on to notify the user that a knocking input is required. Alternatively, depending on the embodiment, the control unit 10 may operate the response unit 60 to request a knocking input from the user. Additionally, when the control unit 10 receives a knocking input, it is desirable to receive the input within a predetermined time limit. That is, the control unit 10 converts the user's single or series of knocking inputs entered within a predetermined input allowable time into knocking pattern data.

Figure 5 is a conceptual diagram to explain the configuration of an aerosol generating device in which the sensing unit 30 is divided into two zones as another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to (a) of FIG. 5, the sensing unit 30 includes two zones, zone A and zone B, adjacent to each other. Also, referring to (b) of FIG. 5, the sensing unit 30 includes zone A and zone B formed in different areas and spaced apart from each other. When divided into multiple zones, the detection unit 30 can distinguish knocking inputs occurring in each zone. For example, if the sensing unit 30 includes a capacitive touch sensor, this can be achieved. A unique key, for example, a unique alphabet, is logically assigned to each zone of the visually and logically divided sensing unit 30, and the control unit 10 can convert the knocking input of each zone into data.

The control unit 10 converts the user's knocking input detected through the detection unit 30 into knocking pattern data and performs storage or comparison judgment. There may be various methods by which the control unit 10 converts the knocking input into knocking pattern data and determines whether it matches the stored data. For example, based on the user's knocking input detected through the detection unit 30, the control unit 10 determines the number of knocking inputs, the interval between each adjacent knocking input, the intensity of each knocking input, and the area of each knocking input. The knocking pattern can be converted into data by combining one or more of them.

In Figure 6, several examples of knocking patterns converted to list format data are shown in a table. In this example, the alphabet refers to the area where the knocking input detected by the detection unit 30 occurs, and the lowercase alphabet and uppercase alphabet indicate weak knocking and strong knocking for the corresponding area, respectively. Additionally, the number represents the time interval between each knocking input in ms time units. Additionally, the index of the list in this example indicates the time sequence of the data.

First, in Example 1, the detection contents detected by the detection unit 30 are a total of four knocking inputs to area A, which is a single area, and a knocking pattern for knocking inputs where the time interval between each four knocking inputs was 100 ms. Represents data. Example 2 is knocking pattern data for a total of three knocking inputs to area A, detected by the detection unit 30, and the time intervals between them were 600 ms and 300 ms, respectively. Additionally, Example 3 dataizes only the number of knocking inputs and knocking intensity, and shows a knocking pattern in which light knocking and strong knocking for area A were repeated a total of three times. Example 5 is an example in which the number of knocking inputs, the interval between each adjacent knocking input, and the intensity of each knocking input are converted into data as a knocking pattern. Example 6 is an example of combining the number, area, and intensity of knocking inputs into a knocking pattern, and Example 7 is an example of combining the number of knocking inputs, the spacing between each adjacent knocking input, the intensity of each knocking input, and the area of each knocking input into a knocking pattern. This is an example of combination. The knocking pattern data described above is an example, and the user's knocking pattern recognized by the detection unit 30 and the control unit 10 can be converted into data that can be recognized by a computer and stored in various ways. In addition, as described above, when determining whether the knocking pattern detected through the detection unit 30 matches the authentication pattern stored in the memory unit 20, the control unit 10 determines the similarity evaluation result through a known similarity evaluation algorithm. With reference to , even if the values to be compared closely match, it can be determined that they match.

Through any embodiment or possible combination of embodiments of the present invention described above, it is possible to perform user authentication for the aerosol generating device and prevent use by unauthorized users. Additionally, by using the knocking input as an authentication password, you can create a personalized authentication password that is difficult to copy without requiring a keypad or touch screen. This makes the aerosol-generating device more compact, reduces housing design requirements and reduces manufacturing costs.

As explained above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described specific preferred embodiments, and anyone skilled in the art can use various Of course, modifications are possible, and such modifications fall within the scope of the claims.

10: control unit 20: memory unit
30: Sensing unit 40: Aerosol generating unit
50: power supply 60: reaction unit
100: housing

Claims (7)

a housing to accommodate internal components;
A power supply device for applying power to components;
Aerosol generating unit;
It is divided into at least one zone and provided in the housing, and includes a detection unit for detecting a user's knocking pattern;
a memory unit that stores an authentication pattern for user authentication; and
An aerosol generating device comprising a control unit that determines whether the knocking pattern detected through the sensing unit matches the authentication pattern stored in the memory unit and controls the aerosol generating device based on the determination result. According to paragraph 1,
An aerosol generating device characterized in that the sensing unit is divided into multiple zones and is distributed over multiple areas of the housing. According to paragraph 1,
The control unit forms a knocking pattern based on the user's knocking input entered within a predetermined input allowable time,
The knocking pattern is an aerosol generating device, characterized in that it is formed by a combination of one or more of the number of knocking inputs, the spacing between each adjacent knocking input, the intensity of each knocking input, and the area of each knocking input. According to paragraph 3,
An aerosol generating device, wherein the control unit generates at least one of a haptic effect, a visual effect, or a sound effect in response to a user's knocking input being detected by the detection unit. According to paragraph 1,
The control unit determines whether the knocking pattern detected by the sensing unit matches the authentication pattern stored in the memory unit, and if they match, controls the aerosol generating unit to operate. According to paragraph 1,
When the control unit determines whether the knocking pattern detected by the detection unit matches the authentication pattern stored in the memory unit, the control unit determines that a close match is also a match. According to paragraph 1,
An aerosol generating device, wherein each zone of the sensing unit is visually displayed on the outside of the housing so that the user can identify it.