Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/65—Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/10—Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/20—Devices using solid inhalable precursors
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/40—Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
  • A24F40/46—Shape or structure of electric heating means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/50—Control or monitoring
  • A24F40/53—Monitoring, e.g. fault detection
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/50—Control or monitoring
  • A24F40/57—Temperature control

Definitions

• This disclosure relates to an inhalation device for aerosols, gases, etc.
• the inhalation device may be, but are not limited to, electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, medical nebulizers, etc.
• Inhalation devices are also known as reduced-risk products (RRPs).
• Patent Document 1 International Publication No. WO 2015/1493389 discloses that one electronic cigarette transmits request information for requesting information about the tar flavor of a cigarette, and another electronic cigarette that receives the request information generates and returns response information conveying the tar flavor of the cigarette in accordance with the request information.
• Patent Document 1 does not transmit a heating profile for controlling the heating operation to other electronic cigarettes.
• tobacco tar taste information is not transmitted unless the receiving side requests it from the transmitting side.
• the document does not disclose the transmission of information initiated (triggered) by the transmitting side.
• the objective of this disclosure is to provide a suction device that transmits a heating profile to another suction device.
• a suction device configured to control a heating operation using a heating profile, and further configured to transmit the heating profile to another suction device that controls a heating operation using the heating profile.
• the suction device can be further configured to generate the heating profile to be transmitted based on the heating profile used by the suction device, characteristics of a heater provided in the suction device, and characteristics of a heater provided in the other suction device.
• the suction device may be further configured to receive from the other suction device the characteristics of the heater included in the other suction device.
• the suction device may be further configured to, when a first heating profile is stored and a second heating profile is received from another suction device and the first heating profile is set to be used, revert to using the first heating profile in response to completion of use of the second heating profile if the second heating profile received from the other suction device is set to be used.
• the suction device has an area for storing a plurality of heating profiles selectable by a user of the suction device, the plurality of heating profiles including the first heating profile, the selected heating profile being set for use, and the suction device may be further configured to store the second heating profile in the area in response to a predetermined condition being met.
• the specified condition may be one or more of the following: a specified action is detected in the suction device; and a specified operation is performed in an external device connected to the suction device.
• the suction device can be further configured to transmit to the other suction device the heating profile used by the suction device and the characteristics of the heater provided in the suction device.
• the heater characteristic may represent the relationship between the heater temperature and the heater resistance value.
• the characteristics of the heater may include the rate of change of the resistance value of the heater per unit temperature when the heater is near a first temperature, the rate of change of the resistance value of the heater per unit temperature when the heater is near a second temperature, the resistance value of the heater when the heater is at the first temperature, the standard resistance value at room temperature of a heater manufactured on the same line as the heater, and the highest temperature output by one or more temperature sensors adjacent to the heater when the heater is at the first temperature.
• the heating profile may represent a target temperature or target resistance value of the heater over time.
• the suction device is further configured to control a heating operation for a period of time by using the heating profile, the period of time being divided into a plurality of periods, and the heating profile used by the suction device may include a target resistance value of the heater provided in the suction device for each divided period.
• the suction device is further configured to heat the heater for a period of time by using the heating profile, the period of time being divided into a number of periods, and the heating profile used by the suction device may include a target temperature for each of the divided periods.
• the suction device can be further configured to connect to the other suction devices via a Peer to Peer (P2P) connection and to transmit and receive data to and from the other suction devices via the P2P connection.
• P2P Peer to Peer
• a method is provided that is executed by a suction device that controls a heating operation using a heating profile, the method including a step of transmitting the heating profile to another suction device that controls a heating operation using the heating profile.
• a program for a suction device that controls a heating operation using a heating profile, the program causing the suction device to execute a step of transmitting the heating profile to another suction device that controls a heating operation using the heating profile.
• a suction device configured to control a heating operation using a heating profile, and further configured to initiate a heating profile transmission process in response to detecting a predetermined action, the heating profile transmission process including a step of the suction device transmitting the heating profile to another suction device that controls a heating operation using the heating profile.
• the heating profile transmission process may include a step in which the suction device transmits a first signal indicating the start of the heating profile transmission process to the other suction device, a step in which the suction device transmits a second signal to the other suction device requesting transmission of heater characteristics when the suction device receives an acknowledgment response to the first signal from the other suction device, a step in which the suction device generates a heating profile when the suction device receives the heater characteristics from the other suction device, and a step in which the suction device transmits the generated heating profile to the other suction device.
• the suction device can be further configured to transmit to the other suction device an acknowledgment for the first signal received from the other suction device, and to transmit heater characteristics to the other suction device when the suction device receives the second signal from the other suction device.
• the suction device may be further configured, after responding to detection of the predetermined action, not to respond to further detection of the predetermined action until the heating profile transmission process is completed.
• the suction device includes a sensor for detecting movement of the suction device, and may be further configured to use the sensor to detect when the suction device is shaken as the predetermined action.
• the suction device can be further configured to connect to the other suction devices via a Peer to Peer (P2P) connection and to transmit and receive data to and from the other suction devices via the P2P connection.
• P2P Peer to Peer
• the suction device can be further configured to determine whether the suction device or the other suction device should be prioritized when the suction device receives the first signal from the other suction device after transmitting the first signal to the other suction device and before receiving the acknowledgment response to the first signal, and to not transmit the acknowledgment response to the first signal received from the other suction device if it is determined that the suction device should be prioritized.
• one of the suction device and the other suction device is set as a central and the other as a peripheral, and the suction device can be further configured to determine that the suction device should be prioritized when the suction device is set as a central.
• a method is provided that is executed by a suction device that controls a heating operation using a heating profile, the method including a step of initiating a heating profile transmission process in response to detecting a predetermined action, the heating profile transmission process including a step of the suction device transmitting the heating profile to another suction device that controls a heating operation using the heating profile.
• a program for a suction device that controls a heating operation using a heating profile is provided, the program causing the suction device to execute a step of initiating a heating profile transmission process in response to detecting a predetermined action, the heating profile transmission process including a step in which the suction device transmits the heating profile to another suction device that controls a heating operation using the heating profile.
• a suction device can be provided that transmits a heating profile to another suction device.
• FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a first configuration example of a suction device.
• FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a second configuration example of the suction device.
• FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a third configuration example of the suction device.
• FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a fourth configuration example of the suction device.
• FIG. 11 is a pseudo sequence diagram illustrating an example process flow for initiating a heating profile transmission process.
• FIG. 11 is a pseudo sequence diagram showing the flow of an example heating profile transmission process.
• FIG. 11 is a pseudo sequence diagram showing the flow of another exemplary heating profile transmission process.
• 1 is a graph plotting an example temperature change of a heater. 1 illustrates an example data structure for a heating profile. 13 illustrates another example data structure for a heating profile.
• FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of storage of a heating profile.
• the suction device is a device that generates a substance to be inhaled by the user.
• the substance generated by the suction device will be described as an aerosol.
• the substance generated by the suction device may be a gas.
• various configuration examples of the suction device will be described.
• FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing a first configuration example of a suction device.
• a suction device 100A according to this configuration example includes a power supply unit 111A, a sensor unit 112A, a notification unit 113A, a memory unit 114A, a communication unit 115A, a control unit 116A, a heating unit 121A, and a holding unit 140A.
• a user performs suction while a stick-shaped substrate 150A is held by the holding unit 140A.
• Each component will be described in order below.
• the power supply unit 111A accumulates power.
• the power supply unit 111A supplies power to each component of the suction device 100A.
• the power supply unit 111A may be configured, for example, as a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery.
• the power supply unit 111A may be charged by connecting to an external power source via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or the like.
• the power supply unit 111A may also be charged in a state not connected to the power transmitting device using wireless power transmission technology.
• only the power supply unit 111A may be removable from the suction device 100A, and may be replaced with a new power supply unit 111A.
• the sensor unit 112A detects various information related to the suction device 100A.
• the sensor unit 112A outputs the detected information to the control unit 116A.
• the sensor unit 112A is configured with a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor, a flow sensor, or a temperature sensor.
• the sensor unit 112A detects a numerical value associated with the user's suction, it outputs information indicating that the user has performed suction to the control unit 116A.
• the sensor unit 112A is configured with an input device that accepts input of information from the user, such as a button or a switch.
• the sensor unit 112A may include a button that instructs the start/stop of aerosol generation.
• the sensor unit 112A outputs the information input by the user to the control unit 116A.
• the sensor unit 112A is configured with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heating unit 121A.
• a temperature sensor detects the temperature of the heating unit 121A based on, for example, the electrical resistance value of the conductive track of the heating unit 121A.
• the temperature sensor may be a thermistor that actually measures the temperature of the heating unit 121A.
• the sensor unit 112A may detect the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150A held by the holding unit 140A based on the temperature of the heating unit 121A.
• the sensor unit 112A may also include a sensor for detecting the movement of the suction device 100A (e.g., the movement caused by the action of the user shaking the suction device 100A), i.e., a motion sensor.
• a sensor for detecting the movement of the suction device 100A e.g., the movement caused by the action of the user shaking the suction device 100A
• a motion sensor e.g., a sensor for detecting the movement of the suction device 100A
• An example of such a sensor is an acceleration sensor, but is not limited to this.
• the notification unit 113A notifies the user of information.
• the notification unit 113A is configured with a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode).
• the notification unit 113A emits light in different light-emitting patterns when the power supply unit 111A needs charging, when the power supply unit 111A is charging, when an abnormality occurs in the suction device 100A, and the like.
• the light-emitting pattern here is a concept that includes color and timing of turning on/off.
• the notification unit 113A may be configured with a display device (e.g., a display) that displays an image, a sound output device (e.g., a speaker) that outputs sound, and a vibration device (e.g., a vibration motor) that vibrates, together with or instead of the light-emitting device.
• the notification unit 113A may notify information indicating that the user is able to inhale. Information indicating that the user is able to inhale is notified when the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150A heated by the heating unit 121A reaches a predetermined temperature.
• the storage unit 114A stores various information for the operation of the suction device 100A.
• the storage unit 114A is, for example, configured with a non-volatile storage medium (storage) such as a flash memory.
• a non-volatile storage medium storage
• information stored in the storage unit 114A is information related to the OS (Operating System) of the suction device 100A, such as the control contents of various components by the control unit 116A.
• Another example of information stored in the storage unit 114A is information related to suction by the user, such as the number of suctions, the time of suction, and the cumulative suction time.
• the storage unit 114A can store one or more heating profiles for controlling the heating operation in the suction device 100A.
• the storage unit 114A is preferably configured to be capable of storing multiple heating profiles.
• the communication unit 115A is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving information between the suction device 100A and other devices.
• the communication unit 115A performs communication in compliance with any wired or wireless communication standard.
• Such communication standards may include, for example, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), a wired LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark).
• the communication unit 115A transmits information related to the user's suction to a smartphone in order to display the information related to the user's suction on the smartphone.
• the communication unit 115A receives new OS information from a server in order to update the OS information stored in the storage unit 114A.
• the control unit 116A functions as a calculation processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the suction device 100A according to various programs.
• the control unit 116A is realized by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and electronic circuits such as a microprocessor.
• the control unit 116A may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores the programs and calculation parameters to be used, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores parameters that change as appropriate.
• the suction device 100A executes various processes based on the control of the control unit 116A.
• Power supply from the power supply unit 111A to each of the other components, charging of the power supply unit 111A, detection of information by the sensor unit 112A, notification of information by the notification unit 113A, storage and reading of information by the memory unit 114A, and transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 115A are examples of processes controlled by the control unit 116A.
• Other processes performed by the suction device 100A, such as input of information to each component and processing based on information output from each component, are also controlled by the control unit 116A.
• the holding part 140A has an internal space 141A and holds the stick-type substrate 150A while accommodating a part of the stick-type substrate 150A in the internal space 141A.
• the holding part 140A has an opening 142A that connects the internal space 141A to the outside, and holds the stick-type substrate 150A inserted into the internal space 141A through the opening 142A.
• the holding part 140A is a cylindrical body with the opening 142A and the bottom part 143A as the bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141A.
• the holding part 140A is configured so that the inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the stick-type substrate 150A in at least a part of the height direction of the cylindrical body, and can hold the stick-type substrate 150A by compressing the stick-type substrate 150A inserted into the internal space 141A from the outer periphery.
• the holding part 140A also has the function of defining an air flow path through the stick-type substrate 150A.
• the air inlet hole which is the entrance of air into the flow path, is located, for example, in the bottom portion 143A.
• the air outlet hole which is the exit of air from the flow path, is the opening 142A.
• the stick-shaped substrate 150A is a stick-shaped member.
• the stick-shaped substrate 150A includes a substrate portion 151A and a suction mouth portion 152A.
• the substrate 151A includes an aerosol source.
• the aerosol source is atomized by heating to generate an aerosol.
• the aerosol source may be tobacco-derived, such as a processed product in which cut tobacco or tobacco raw materials are molded into granules, sheets, or powder.
• the aerosol source may also include non-tobacco-derived aerosols made from plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint and herbs).
• the aerosol source may include a flavoring component such as menthol.
• the aerosol source may include a drug for the patient to inhale.
• the aerosol source is not limited to solids, and may be, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin and propylene glycol, and a liquid such as water. At least a portion of the substrate 151A is accommodated in the internal space 141A of the holding portion 140A when the stick-shaped substrate 150A is held by the holding portion 140A.
• the suction mouth portion 152A is a member that is held in the user's mouth when inhaling. At least a part of the suction mouth portion 152A protrudes from the opening 142A when the stick-shaped substrate 150A is held in the holding portion 140A.
• air flows into the inside of the holding portion 140A through an air inlet hole (not shown). The air that has flowed in passes through the internal space 141A of the holding portion 140A, that is, passes through the substrate portion 151A, and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151A.
• the heating unit 121A generates an aerosol by heating the aerosol source and atomizing the aerosol source.
• the heating unit 121A is made of any material such as metal or polyimide.
• the heating unit 121A is configured in a blade shape and is arranged so as to protrude from the bottom 143A of the holding unit 140A into the internal space 141A of the holding unit 140A. Therefore, when the stick-shaped substrate 150A is inserted into the holding unit 140A, the blade-shaped heating unit 121A is inserted into the inside of the stick-shaped substrate 150A so as to pierce the substrate portion 151A of the stick-shaped substrate 150A.
• the heating unit 121A when the heating unit 121A generates heat, the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150A is heated and atomized from the inside of the stick-shaped substrate 150A, and an aerosol is generated.
• the heating unit 121A generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111A.
• the sensor unit 112A detects that a specific user input has been performed, power may be supplied and an aerosol may be generated.
• the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150A heated by the heating unit 121A reaches a predetermined temperature, the user can inhale. Thereafter, when the sensor unit 112A detects that a predetermined user input has been performed, power supply may be stopped.
• power may be supplied and aerosol may be generated during the period in which the sensor unit 112A detects that the user has inhaled. Structurally, the heating unit 121A is an electric heater.
• FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing a second configuration example of a suction device.
• a suction device 100B according to this configuration example includes a power supply unit 111B, a sensor unit 112B, a notification unit 113B, a memory unit 114B, a communication unit 115B, a control unit 116B, a heating unit 121B, a holding unit 140B, and a heat insulating unit 144B.
• a user performs suction while a stick-shaped substrate 150B is held by the holding unit 140B.
• Each component will be described in order below.
• the power supply unit 111B accumulates power.
• the power supply unit 111B supplies power to each component of the suction device 100B.
• the power supply unit 111B may be configured, for example, as a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery.
• the power supply unit 111B may be charged by connecting to an external power source via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or the like.
• the power supply unit 111B may also be charged in a state not connected to the power transmitting device using wireless power transmission technology.
• only the power supply unit 111B may be removable from the suction device 100B, and may be replaced with a new power supply unit 111B.
• the sensor unit 112B detects various information related to the suction device 100B.
• the sensor unit 112B outputs the detected information to the control unit 116B.
• the sensor unit 112B is configured with a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor, a flow sensor, or a temperature sensor.
• the sensor unit 112B detects a numerical value associated with the user's inhalation, it outputs information indicating that the user has performed inhalation to the control unit 116B.
• the sensor unit 112B is configured with an input device that accepts input of information from the user, such as a button or a switch.
• the sensor unit 112B may include a button that instructs the start/stop of aerosol generation.
• the sensor unit 112B outputs the information input by the user to the control unit 116B.
• the sensor unit 112B is configured with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heating unit 121B.
• a temperature sensor detects the temperature of the heating unit 121B based on, for example, the electrical resistance value of the conductive track of the heating unit 121B.
• the temperature sensor may be a thermistor that actually measures the temperature of the heating unit 121A.
• the sensor unit 121B may detect the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150B held by the holding unit 140B based on the temperature of the heating unit 121B.
• the sensor unit 112B may also include a sensor for detecting the movement of the suction device 100B (e.g., the movement caused by the action of the user shaking the suction device 100B), i.e., a motion sensor.
• a sensor for detecting the movement of the suction device 100B e.g., the movement caused by the action of the user shaking the suction device 100B
• a motion sensor e.g., a sensor for detecting the movement of the suction device 100B
• An example of such a sensor is an acceleration sensor, but is not limited to this.
• the notification unit 113B notifies the user of information.
• the notification unit 113B is configured with a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode).
• the notification unit 113B emits light in different light-emitting patterns when the power supply unit 111B needs charging, when the power supply unit 111B is charging, when an abnormality occurs in the suction device 100B, and the like.
• the light-emitting pattern here is a concept that includes color and timing of turning on/off.
• the notification unit 113B may be configured with a display device (e.g., a display) that displays an image, a sound output device (e.g., a speaker) that outputs sound, and a vibration device (e.g., a vibration motor) that vibrates, together with or instead of the light-emitting device.
• the notification unit 113B may notify information indicating that the user is able to inhale. The information indicating that the user is able to inhale is notified when the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150B heated by the heating unit 121B reaches a predetermined temperature.
• the storage unit 114B stores various information for the operation of the suction device 100B.
• the storage unit 114B is, for example, configured with a non-volatile storage medium (storage) such as a flash memory.
• a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory.
• information stored in the storage unit 114B is information about the OS (Operating System) of the suction device 100B, such as the control contents of various components by the control unit 116B.
• Another example of information stored in the storage unit 114B is information about suction by the user, such as the number of suctions, the time of suction, and the cumulative suction time.
• the storage unit 114B can store one or more heating profiles for controlling the heating operation in the suction device B.
• the storage unit 114B is preferably configured to be capable of storing multiple heating profiles.
• the communication unit 115B is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving information between the suction device 100B and other devices.
• the communication unit 115B performs communication in compliance with any wired or wireless communication standard.
• Such communication standards may include, for example, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), a wired LAN, Wi-Bi (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark).
• the communication unit 115B transmits information related to the user's suction to a smartphone in order to display the information related to the user's suction on the smartphone.
• the communication unit 115B receives new OS information from a server in order to update the OS information stored in the storage unit 114B.
• the control unit 116B functions as a calculation processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the suction device 100B according to various programs.
• the control unit 116B is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a microprocessor.
• the control unit 116B may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores the programs and calculation parameters to be used, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores parameters that change as appropriate.
• the suction device 100B executes various processes based on the control of the control unit 116B.
• Power supply from the power supply unit 111B to each of the other components, charging of the power supply unit 111B, detection of information by the sensor unit 112B, notification of information by the notification unit 113B, storage and reading of information by the memory unit 114B, and transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 115B are examples of processes controlled by the control unit 116B.
• Other processes performed by the suction device 100B, such as input of information to each component and processing based on information output from each component, are also controlled by the control unit 116B.
• the holding part 140B has an internal space 141B and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150B while accommodating a part of the stick-shaped substrate 150B in the internal space 141B.
• the holding part 140B has an opening 142B that connects the internal space 141B to the outside, and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150B inserted into the internal space 141B through the opening 142B.
• the holding part 140B is a cylindrical body with the opening 142B and the bottom part 143B as the bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141B.
• the holding part 140B is configured so that the inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the stick-shaped substrate 150B in at least a part of the height direction of the cylindrical body, and can hold the stick-shaped substrate 150B by compressing the stick-shaped substrate 150B inserted into the internal space 141B from the outer periphery.
• the holding part 140B also has the function of defining an air flow path through the stick-shaped substrate 150B.
• the air inlet hole which is the entrance of air into the flow path, is located, for example, in the bottom portion 143B.
• the air outlet hole which is the exit of air from the flow path, is the opening 142B.
• the stick-shaped substrate 150B is a stick-shaped member.
• the stick-shaped substrate 150B includes a substrate portion 151B and a suction mouth portion 152B.
• the substrate 151B includes an aerosol source.
• the aerosol source is atomized by heating to generate an aerosol.
• the aerosol source may be tobacco-derived, such as a processed product in which cut tobacco or tobacco raw materials are molded into granules, sheets, or powder.
• the aerosol source may also include non-tobacco-derived aerosols made from plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint and herbs).
• the aerosol source may include a flavoring component such as menthol.
• the aerosol source may include a drug for the patient to inhale.
• the aerosol source is not limited to solids, and may be, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin and propylene glycol, and a liquid such as water. At least a portion of the substrate 151B is accommodated in the internal space 141B of the holding portion 140B when the stick-shaped substrate 150B is held by the holding portion 140B.
• the suction mouth portion 152B is a member that is held in the user's mouth when inhaling. At least a part of the suction mouth portion 152B protrudes from the opening 142B when the stick-shaped substrate 150B is held in the holding portion 140B.
• the heating unit 121B generates an aerosol by heating the aerosol source and atomizing the aerosol source.
• the heating unit 121B is made of any material such as metal or polyimide.
• the heating unit 121B is configured in a film shape and arranged to cover the outer periphery of the holding unit 140B.
• the heating unit 121B generates heat, the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150B is heated from the outer periphery of the stick-shaped substrate 150B and atomized, generating an aerosol.
• the heating unit 121B generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111B.
• power may be supplied when the sensor unit 112B detects that a specific user input has been made.
• the heating section 121B is an electric heater.
• the insulating section 144B prevents heat transfer from the heating section 121B to other components of the suction device 100B.
• the insulating section 144B is arranged so as to cover at least the outer periphery of the heating section 121B.
• the insulating section 144B is made of a vacuum insulating material, an aerogel insulating material, or the like.
• a vacuum insulating material is an insulating material in which, for example, glass wool and silica (silicon powder) are wrapped in a resin film and placed in a high vacuum state, thereby reducing the thermal conduction of gases to as close to zero as possible.
• the suction device according to this configuration example generates an aerosol by heating a substrate including an aerosol source from inside the substrate and from outside the substrate.
• this configuration example will be described with reference to FIG. 1C.
• FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram showing a third example configuration of a suction device.
• a suction device 100C according to this example configuration includes a power supply unit 111C, a sensor unit 112C, a notification unit 113C, a memory unit 114C, a communication unit 115C, a control unit 116C, a heating unit 121C-1, a heating unit 121C-2, a holding unit 140C, and a heat insulating unit 144C.
• a user performs suction while a stick-shaped substrate 150C is held by the holding unit 140C.
• Each component will be described in order below.
• the power supply unit 111C accumulates power.
• the power supply unit 111C supplies power to each component of the suction device 100C.
• the power supply unit 111C may be configured, for example, as a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery.
• the power supply unit 111C may be charged by connecting to an external power source via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or the like.
• the power supply unit 111C may also be charged in a state not connected to the power transmitting device using wireless power transmission technology.
• only the power supply unit 111C may be removable from the suction device 100C, and may be replaced with a new power supply unit 111C.
• the sensor unit 112C detects various information related to the suction device 100C. The sensor unit 112C then outputs the detected information to the control unit 116C.
• the sensor unit 112C is configured with a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor, a flow sensor, or a temperature sensor. When the sensor unit 112C detects a numerical value associated with the user's inhalation, it outputs information indicating that the user has performed inhalation to the control unit 116C.
• the sensor unit 112C is configured with an input device such as a button or switch that accepts information input from the user. In particular, the sensor unit 112C may include a button that instructs the start/stop of aerosol generation.
• the sensor unit 112C then outputs the information input by the user to the control unit 116C.
• the sensor unit 112C is configured with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of each of the heating units 121C-1 and 121C-2.
• a temperature sensor detects the temperature of each of the heating units 121C-1 and 121C-2 based on, for example, the electrical resistance value of the conductive track of each of the heating units 121C-1 and 121C-2.
• a temperature sensor may be a thermistor that actually measures the temperature of the heating unit 121A.
• the sensor unit 121C may detect the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150C held by the holding unit 140C based on the temperatures of each of the heating units 121C-1 and 121C-2.
• the sensor unit 112C may include a sensor for detecting the movement of the suction device 100C (for example, the movement caused by the action of the user shaking the suction device 100C), i.e., a motion sensor.
• a sensor for detecting the movement of the suction device 100C for example, the movement caused by the action of the user shaking the suction device 100C
• a motion sensor for example, an acceleration sensor, but is not limited thereto.
• the notification unit 113C notifies the user of information.
• the notification unit 113C is configured with a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode).
• the notification unit 113C emits light in different light-emitting patterns when the power supply unit 111C needs charging, when the power supply unit 111C is charging, when an abnormality occurs in the suction device 100C, and the like.
• the light-emitting pattern here is a concept that includes color and timing of turning on/off.
• the notification unit 113C may be configured with a display device (e.g., a display) that displays an image, a sound output device (e.g., a speaker) that outputs sound, and a vibration device (e.g., a vibration motor) that vibrates, together with or instead of the light-emitting device.
• the notification unit 113C may notify information indicating that the user is able to inhale. Information indicating that the user is able to inhale is notified when the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150C heated by the heating units 121C-1 and 121C-2 reaches a predetermined temperature.
• the storage unit 114C stores various information for the operation of the suction device 100C.
• the storage unit 114C is, for example, configured with a non-volatile storage medium (storage) such as a flash memory.
• a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory.
• information stored in the storage unit 114C is information about the OS (Operating System) of the suction device 100C, such as the control contents of various components by the control unit 116C.
• Another example of information stored in the storage unit 114C is information about suction by the user, such as the number of suctions, the time of suction, and the cumulative suction time.
• the storage unit 114C can store one or more heating profiles for controlling the heating operation in the suction device 100. It is preferable that the storage unit 114C is configured to be able to store multiple heating profiles.
• the communication unit 115C is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving information between the suction device 100C and other devices.
• the communication unit 115C performs communication in compliance with any wired or wireless communication standard.
• Such communication standards may include, for example, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), a wired LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark).
• the communication unit 115C transmits information related to the user's suction to a smartphone in order to display the information related to the user's suction on the smartphone.
• the communication unit 115C receives new OS information from a server in order to update the OS information stored in the storage unit 114C.
• the control unit 116C functions as a calculation processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the suction device 100C according to various programs.
• the control unit 116C is realized by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and electronic circuits such as a microprocessor.
• the control unit 116C may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores the programs and calculation parameters to be used, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores parameters that change as appropriate.
• the suction device 100C executes various processes based on the control of the control unit 116C.
• Power supply from the power supply unit 111C to each of the other components, charging of the power supply unit 111C, detection of information by the sensor unit 112C, notification of information by the notification unit 113C, storage and reading of information by the memory unit 114C, and transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 115C are examples of processes controlled by the control unit 116C.
• Other processes performed by the suction device 100C, such as input of information to each component and processing based on information output from each component, are also controlled by the control unit 116C.
• the holding part 140C has an internal space 141C and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150C while accommodating a part of the stick-shaped substrate 150C in the internal space 141C.
• the holding part 140C has an opening 142C that connects the internal space 141C to the outside, and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150C inserted into the internal space 141C from the opening 142C.
• the holding part 140C is a cylindrical body with the opening 142C and the bottom part 143C as the bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141C.
• the holding part 140C is configured so that the inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the stick-shaped substrate 150C in at least a part of the height direction of the cylindrical body, and can hold the stick-shaped substrate 150C by compressing the stick-shaped substrate 150C inserted into the internal space 141C from the outer periphery.
• the holding part 140C also has the function of defining an air flow path through the stick-shaped substrate 150C.
• the air inlet hole which is the entrance of air into the flow path, is located, for example, at the bottom 143C.
• the air outlet hole which is the exit of air from the flow path, is the opening 142C.
• the stick-shaped substrate 150C is a stick-shaped member.
• the stick-shaped substrate 150C includes a substrate portion 151C and a suction mouth portion 152C.
• the substrate 151C includes an aerosol source.
• the aerosol source is atomized by heating to generate an aerosol.
• the aerosol source may be tobacco-derived, such as a processed product in which cut tobacco or tobacco raw material is molded into a granular, sheet, or powder form.
• the aerosol source may also include a non-tobacco-derived product made from plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint and herbs).
• the aerosol source may include a flavoring component such as menthol.
• the aerosol source may include a drug for the patient to inhale.
• the aerosol source is not limited to a solid, and may be, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin and propylene glycol, and a liquid such as water. At least a portion of the substrate 151C is accommodated in the internal space 141C of the holding portion 140C when the stick-shaped substrate 150C is held by the holding portion 140C.
• the suction mouth portion 152C is a member that is held in the user's mouth when inhaling. At least a part of the suction mouth portion 152C protrudes from the opening 142C when the stick-shaped substrate 150C is held in the holding portion 140C.
• air flows into the inside of the holding portion 140C through an air inlet hole (not shown). The air that has flowed in passes through the internal space 141C of the holding portion 140C, i.e., passes through the substrate portion 151C, and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the substrate portion 151C.
• the heating units 121C-1 and 121C-2 heat the aerosol source to atomize it and generate aerosol.
• the heating units 121C-1 and 121C-2 are made of any material, such as metal or polyimide.
• the heating section 121C-1 is configured in a blade shape and is arranged so as to protrude from the bottom 143C of the holding section 140C into the internal space 141C of the holding section 140C. Therefore, when the stick-shaped substrate 150C is inserted into the holding section 140C, the blade-shaped heating section 121C-1 is inserted into the inside of the stick-shaped substrate 150C so as to pierce the substrate section 151C of the stick-shaped substrate 150C. Then, when the heating section 121C-1 generates heat, the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150C is heated and atomized from inside the stick-shaped substrate 150C, generating an aerosol.
• the heating unit 121C-2 is configured in a film shape and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the holding unit 140C-2.
• the heating unit 121C-2 generates heat, the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150C is heated from the outer periphery of the stick-shaped substrate 150C and atomized, generating an aerosol.
• the temperature of heating unit 121C-2 is controlled to be lower than the temperature of heating unit 121C-1. This is because the heat generated from heating unit 121C-2 is more easily transmitted to other components of the suction device 100C than the heat generated from heating unit 121C-1.
• the heating units 121C-1 and 121C-2 generate heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111C.
• power may be supplied when the sensor unit 112C detects that a specific user input has been made.
• the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150C heated by the heating units 121C-1 and 121C-2 reaches a specific temperature, the user can inhale. Thereafter, when the sensor unit 112C detects that a specific user input has been made, power supply may be stopped.
• power may be supplied and aerosol may be generated during the period in which the sensor unit 112C detects that the user has inhaled. Structurally, the heating units 121C-1 and 121C-2 are electric heaters.
• the insulating section 144C prevents heat transfer from the heating section 121C-2 to other components of the suction device 100C.
• the insulating section 144C is arranged so as to cover at least the outer periphery of the heating section 121C-2.
• the insulating section 144C is made of vacuum insulation material, aerogel insulation material, etc.
• vacuum insulation material is an insulation material in which the thermal conduction of gas is reduced to as close to zero as possible by wrapping glass wool and silica (silicon powder) in a resin film and creating a high vacuum state.
• FIG. 1C shows an example in which the heating unit 121C-2 is arranged on the outer periphery of the holding unit 140C, this configuration example is not limited to such an example.
• the heating unit 121C-2 may be arranged so as to cover the bottom 143C of the holding unit 140C.
• the suction device according to this configuration example is an external substrate type suction device that generates an aerosol by induction heating.
• this configuration example will be described with reference to FIG. 1D.
• FIG. 1D is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a suction device.
• a suction device 100D according to this example configuration includes a power supply unit 111D, a sensor unit 112D, a notification unit 113D, a memory unit 114D, a communication unit 115D, a control unit 116D, a susceptor 161D, an electromagnetic induction source 162D, and a holding unit 140D. Suction is performed by the user with a stick-shaped substrate 150D held by the holding unit 140D. Each component will be described in order below.
• the power supply unit 111D accumulates power.
• the power supply unit 111D supplies power to each component of the suction device 100D.
• the power supply unit 111D may be configured, for example, with a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery.
• the power supply unit 111D may be charged by connecting to an external power source via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or the like.
• the power supply unit 111D may also be charged using wireless power transmission technology while not connected to a power transmitting device.
• the power supply unit 111D may be capable of being removed from the suction device 100D and replaced with a new power supply unit 111D.
• the sensor unit 112D detects various information related to the suction device 100D.
• the sensor unit 112D outputs the detected information to the control unit 116D.
• the sensor unit 112D is configured with a pressure sensor such as a microphone capacitor, a flow sensor, or a temperature sensor.
• the sensor unit 112D detects a numerical value associated with the suction by the user, it outputs information indicating that the user has performed the suction to the control unit 116D.
• the sensor unit 112D is configured with an input device that accepts input of information from the user, such as a button or a switch.
• the sensor unit 112D may include a button that instructs the start/stop of aerosol generation.
• the sensor unit 112D outputs the information input by the user to the control unit 116D.
• the sensor unit 112D is configured with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the susceptor 161D.
• a temperature sensor detects the temperature of the susceptor 161D based on, for example, the electrical resistance value of the electromagnetic induction source 162D.
• the temperature sensor may be a thermistor that actually measures the temperature of the susceptor 161D.
• the sensor unit 121D may detect the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150D held by the holder 140D based on the temperature of the susceptor 161D.
• the sensor unit 112D may also include a sensor for detecting the movement of the suction device 100D (e.g., the movement caused by the action of the user shaking the suction device 100D), i.e., a motion sensor.
• a sensor for detecting the movement of the suction device 100D e.g., the movement caused by the action of the user shaking the suction device 100D
• a motion sensor e.g., a sensor for detecting the movement of the suction device 100D
• An example of such a sensor is an acceleration sensor, but is not limited to this.
• the notification unit 113D notifies the user of information.
• the notification unit 113D is configured with a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode).
• the notification unit 113D emits light in different light-emitting patterns when the power supply unit 111D needs charging, when the power supply unit 111D is charging, when an abnormality occurs in the suction device 100D, and the like.
• the light-emitting pattern here is a concept that includes color and timing of turning on/off.
• the notification unit 113D may be configured with a display device (e.g., a display) that displays an image, a sound output device (e.g., a speaker) that outputs sound, and a vibration device (e.g., a vibration motor) that vibrates, together with or instead of the light-emitting device.
• the notification unit 113D may notify information indicating that the user is able to inhale. Information indicating that the user is able to inhale is notified when the temperature of the stick-shaped base material 150D heated by electromagnetic induction reaches a predetermined temperature.
• the storage unit 114D stores various information for the operation of the suction device 100D.
• the storage unit 114D is configured, for example, from a non-volatile storage medium (storage) such as a flash memory.
• a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory.
• information stored in the storage unit 114D is information about the OS (Operating System) of the suction device 100D, such as the control contents of various components by the control unit 116D.
• Another example of information stored in the storage unit 114D is information about suction by the user, such as the number of suctions, the time of suction, and the cumulative suction time.
• the storage unit 114D can store one or more heating profiles for controlling the heating operation in the suction device 100D.
• the storage unit 114D is preferably configured to be capable of storing multiple heating profiles.
• the communication unit 115D is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving information between the suction device 100D and other devices.
• the communication unit 115D performs communication in compliance with any wired or wireless communication standard.
• Such communication standards may include, for example, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), a wired LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark).
• the communication unit 115D transmits information related to the user's suction to a smartphone in order to display the information related to the user's suction on the smartphone.
• the communication unit 115D receives new OS information from a server in order to update the OS information stored in the storage unit 114D.
• the control unit 116D functions as a calculation processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the suction device 100D according to various programs.
• the control unit 116D is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a microprocessor.
• the control unit 116D may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores the programs and calculation parameters to be used, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores parameters that change as appropriate.
• the suction device 100D executes various processes based on the control of the control unit 116D.
• Power supply from the power supply unit 111D to each of the other components, charging of the power supply unit 111D, detection of information by the sensor unit 112D, notification of information by the notification unit 113D, storage and reading of information by the memory unit 114D, and transmission and reception of information by the communication unit 115D are examples of processes controlled by the control unit 116D.
• Other processes performed by the suction device 100D, such as input of information to each component and processing based on information output from each component, are also controlled by the control unit 116D.
• the holding part 140D has an internal space 141D and holds the stick-type substrate 150D while accommodating a part of the stick-type substrate 150D in the internal space 141D.
• the holding part 140D has an opening 142D that connects the internal space 141D to the outside, and holds the stick-type substrate 150D inserted into the internal space 141D from the opening 142D.
• the holding part 140D is a cylindrical body with the opening 142D and the bottom part 143D as the bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141D.
• the holding part 140D is configured so that the inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the stick-type substrate 150D in at least a part of the height direction of the cylindrical body, and can hold the stick-type substrate 150D by compressing the stick-type substrate 150D inserted into the internal space 141D from the outer periphery.
• the holding part 140D also has the function of defining an air flow path through the stick-type substrate 150D.
• the air inlet hole which is the entrance of air into the flow path, is located, for example, in the bottom portion 143D.
• the air outlet hole which is the exit of air from the flow path, is the opening 142D.
• the stick-shaped substrate 150D is a stick-shaped member.
• the stick-shaped substrate 150D includes a substrate portion 151D and a suction mouth portion 152D.
• the substrate 151D includes an aerosol source.
• the aerosol source is atomized by heating to generate an aerosol.
• the aerosol source may be tobacco-derived, such as a processed product in which cut tobacco or tobacco raw material is molded into a granular, sheet, or powder form.
• the aerosol source may also include a non-tobacco-derived product made from plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint and herbs).
• the aerosol source may include a flavoring component such as menthol.
• the aerosol source may include a drug for the patient to inhale.
• the aerosol source is not limited to a solid, and may be, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin and propylene glycol, and a liquid such as water. At least a portion of the substrate 151D is accommodated in the internal space 141D of the holding portion 140D when the stick-shaped substrate 150D is held by the holding portion 140D.
• the suction mouth portion 152D is a member that is held in the user's mouth when inhaling. At least a part of the suction mouth portion 152D protrudes from the opening 142D when the stick-shaped substrate 150D is held in the holding portion 140D.
• the stick-shaped substrate 150D includes a susceptor 161D.
• the susceptor 161D generates heat by electromagnetic induction.
• the susceptor 161D is made of a conductive material such as a metal.
• the susceptor 161D is a metal piece.
• the susceptor 161D is disposed in close proximity to the aerosol source. In the example shown in FIG. 1D, the susceptor 161D is included in the substrate portion 151D of the stick-shaped substrate 150D.
• the electromagnetic induction source 162D heats the susceptor 161D by electromagnetic induction.
• the electromagnetic induction source 162D is, for example, composed of a coil-shaped conductor and is arranged so as to be wound around the outer periphery of the holding part 140D.
• the electromagnetic induction source 162D When an alternating current is supplied from the power supply unit 111D, the electromagnetic induction source 162D generates a magnetic field.
• the electromagnetic induction source 162D is arranged at a position where the internal space 141D of the holding part 140D overlaps with the generated magnetic field. Therefore, when a magnetic field is generated while the stick-shaped substrate 150D is held by the holding part 140D, an eddy current is generated in the susceptor 161D, and Joule heat is generated.
• the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150D is heated and atomized by this Joule heat, and an aerosol is generated.
• the sensor unit 112D detects that a specific user input has been performed, power may be supplied and an aerosol may be generated.
• the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150D which is induction-heated by the susceptor 161D and the electromagnetic induction source 162D, reaches a predetermined temperature, the user can inhale. Thereafter, when the sensor unit 112D detects that a predetermined user input has been performed, the power supply may be stopped.
• the electromagnetic induction source 162D is an induction heating type heater.
• FIG. 1D shows an example in which the susceptor 161D is included in the substrate portion 151D of the stick-shaped substrate 150D
• this configuration example is not limited to such an example.
• the holding portion 140D may take on the function of the susceptor 161D.
• an eddy current is generated in the holding portion 140D by the magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic induction source 162D, generating Joule heat.
• the aerosol source included in the stick-shaped substrate 150D is then heated and atomized by this Joule heat, generating an aerosol.
• the substrate including the aerosol source is stick-shaped, but the shape of the substrate is not limited to this.
• the aerosol source is contained in a solid substrate.
• this disclosure does not intend to exclude suction devices that use a liquid as the aerosol source.
• the heating method of the heating unit of the suction device may be any heating method capable of heating the substrate, such as heating with microwaves (Microwave).
• the suction device 100A or the like (hereinafter, referred to simply as the "suction device 100") according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to control a heating operation using a heating profile.
• control unit 116A etc. (hereinafter, simply referred to as the "control unit 116") of the suction device 100 will be described.
• the example process described below may be executed by the suction device 100 by a program.
• the program can be stored in the memory unit 114A etc. (hereinafter, simply referred to as the "memory unit 114") of the suction device 100.
• heating units 121A to 121C and electromagnetic induction source 162D are structures that perform heating, and therefore hereinafter they will be referred to as “heaters” without distinction.
• the electrical resistance value (including the target resistance value) of the heater is the electrical resistance value of electromagnetic induction source 162D
• the temperature (including the target temperature) of the heater may be the temperature of susceptor 161D that is induction-heated by electromagnetic induction source 162D.
• electrical resistance value will be referred to as "resistance value”.
• FIG. 2 is a pseudo sequence diagram showing the flow of an exemplary process 200 for starting a heating profile transmission process.
• an exemplary operation flow of two suction devices 100 (hereinafter referred to as "suction device A” and “suction device B”) is shown, including interactions with users of these suction devices (hereinafter referred to as "user A” and “user B”).
• suction device A and user A are interchangeable with suction device B and user B.
• the timing of the start of execution of the example process 200 is arbitrary.
• the example process 200 may be started in response to at least one of the suction device A and the suction device B detecting any predetermined action, but is not limited to this.
• 210 shows a step of establishing a connection between suction device A and suction device B.
• This connection may be a P2P connection conforming to known Bluetooth technology, but is not limited to this.
• P2P connection conforming to known Bluetooth technology when the connection is established, one of suction device A and suction device B is set as a central (master) and the other as a peripheral (slave).
• a suction device can be configured to establish a P2P connection with another suction device (suction device B) and transmit and receive data with the other suction device via the P2P connection.
• suction device A and suction device B each start a timer to disconnect the established connection due to a timeout.
• 220 shows the processing block when the heating profile transmission process is started.
• 222 indicates a step in which user A performs an arbitrary first predetermined action and suction device A detects the action.
• An example of the first predetermined action is user A shaking suction device A, but is not limited to this. Note that the action of the user shaking suction device A can be detected by a motion sensor that can be included in the sensor unit 112 of suction device A.
• the suction device includes a sensor (motion sensor) for detecting the movement of the suction device, and can be further configured to use the sensor to detect when the suction device is shaken as a predetermined action (first predetermined action).
• the heating profile transmission process will be described later, and may include a step in which the suction device A transmits a heating profile to the suction device B.
• a suction device configured to control a heating operation using a heating profile can be further configured to transmit the heating profile to another suction device (suction device B) that also controls a heating operation using the heating profile.
• a heating profile can be transmitted from suction device A to suction device B, and suction device A can thereby communicate the contents of the control of the heating operation to suction device B.
• suction device A and suction device B are interchangeable, and with this configuration, heating profiles can be transmitted between suction device A and suction device B.
• a suction device (suction device A) configured to control a heating operation using a heating profile can be further configured to initiate a heating profile transmission process in response to detecting a predetermined action (first predetermined action), and the heating profile transmission process can include a step in which the suction device transmits the heating profile to another suction device (suction device B) that controls a heating operation using the heating profile.
• the suction device A is able to transmit a heating profile.
• the heating profile transmission process may include a step in which the suction device A receives the heating profile transmitted from the suction device B, instead of the step in which the suction device A transmits the heating profile to the suction device B.
• the termination of the heating profile transmission process may include a normal termination of the heating profile transmission process, which will be described later, an interruption of the heating profile transmission process due to interaction with the user, and an interruption of the heating profile transmission process due to a timeout.
• the suction device can be configured so that after responding to the detection of a predetermined action (first predetermined action), it does not respond to the detection of further predetermined actions until the heating profile transmission process is completed.
• FIG. 240 shows a processing block when the start of the heating profile transmission process is stopped due to interaction from the user.
• FIG. 242 shows a step in which user A performs an arbitrary second predetermined action and suction device A detects the action.
• connection disconnection signal a signal requesting disconnection of the established connection
• Step 246 indicates a step in which suction device A and suction device B execute a process for disconnecting the established connection (hereinafter referred to as a "disconnection process").
• Step 246 may include a step of transmitting and receiving one or more signals necessary to disconnect the established connection between suction device A and suction device B.
• suction device A displays an arbitrary UI (User Interface) for user A
• suction device B displays an arbitrary UI for user B on the notification unit 113A or the like (hereinafter referred to as "notification unit 113" without distinction).
• the UI displayed for suction device A and suction device B may be the same or different.
• the start of the heating profile transmission process may be stopped by user B performing a second predetermined action.
• process block 240 a step of exchanging suction device A and user A for suction device B and user B will be executed.
• step 252 shows the step in which suction device A and suction device B determine that the established connection should be disconnected due to a timeout based on the timer started in step 215.
• step 254 indicates a step in which suction device A transmits a connection disconnection signal to suction device B in response to determining that the established connection should be disconnected due to a timeout, and suction device B receives the signal. Note that step 254 may also be a step in which suction device B transmits a connection disconnection signal to suction device A in response to determining that the established connection should be disconnected due to a timeout, and suction device A receives the signal.
• 256 and 258 indicate steps similar to steps 246 and 248, respectively.
• FIG. 3 is a pseudo-sequence diagram showing the flow of an exemplary heating profile transmission process 300.
• the exemplary heating profile transmission process 300 includes a step in which suction device A transmits a heating profile to suction device B.
• suction device A transmits a first signal indicating the start of a heating profile transmission process to suction device B, and suction device B receives the signal.
• the first signal may include a signal notifying transmission of a heating profile.
• suction device A transmits a signal notifying transmission of a heating profile
• it executes a heating profile transmission process as a suction device that transmits a heating profile.
• suction device B receives a first signal notifying transmission of a heating profile from suction device A, it executes a heating profile reception process as a suction device that receives a heating profile.
• suction device B transmits an acknowledgment to suction device A in response to the first signal received from suction device A, and suction device A receives the acknowledgment.
• suction device A and user A are interchangeable with suction device B and user B. Therefore, there is a possibility that suction device B will transmit the first signal at approximately the same time that suction device A transmits the first signal. In such a case, it is preferable to determine whether suction device A or suction device B should be prioritized in order to prevent an unintended situation, for example, a situation in which both suction device A and suction device B become the senders of a heating profile.
• the suction device when a suction device (suction device A) receives a first signal from another suction device (suction device B) after transmitting a first signal to the other suction device and before receiving an acknowledgment response to the first signal, the suction device can be further configured to determine whether the suction device or the other suction device should be prioritized, and if it is determined that the suction device should be prioritized, not to transmit an acknowledgment response to the first signal received from the other suction device.
• the method for determining whether suction device A or suction device B should be given priority can be arbitrary. As an example, when a P2P connection conforming to the known Bluetooth technology as described above is made between suction device A and suction device B, it can be determined whether suction device A is set as the central (master) (and suction device B is the peripheral (slave)).
• one of the suction device (suction device A) and another suction device (suction device B) is set as a central (master) and the other as a peripheral (slave), and the suction device can be further configured to determine that the suction device should be prioritized when the suction device is set as the central (master).
• suction device A when suction device A receives the first signal from suction device B after transmitting the first signal to suction device B and before receiving an acknowledgment response to the first signal, suction device A may execute any error processing to prevent an unintended situation.
• the notification unit 113 displays an arbitrary UI indicating that the heating profile transmission process will be started. Note that the displayed UI may be the same or different for suction device A and suction device B.
• suction device A and suction device B each start a timer to stop the heating profile transmission process due to a timeout.
• step 312 shows a step in which suction device A transmits a second signal to suction device B requesting transmission of the heater characteristics, and suction device B receives the signal. Note that step 312 is executed if suction device A receives an acknowledgment in step 304.
• Step 314 indicates a step in which, when suction device B receives the second signal from suction device A, suction device B transmits the heater characteristics to suction device A, and suction device A receives the heater characteristics. Note that the heater characteristics transmitted in step 314 are the characteristics of the heater provided in suction device B.
• suction device A can generate a heating profile based on the heating profile used by suction device A, the characteristics of the heater provided in suction device A, and the characteristics of the heater provided in suction device B.
• the heating profile used by suction device A and the characteristics of the heater provided in suction device A may be stored in advance in memory unit 114 of suction device A.
• the characteristics of the heater provided in suction device B can be received from suction device B in step 314.
• steps 312 to 316 are based on the assumption that the heating profile includes a target resistance value, as described below. Steps 312 to 316 may be unnecessary in some cases, such as when the heating profile includes a target temperature, as described below.
• the heating profile used by suction devices A and B includes a target temperature
• the heating profile simply needs to be sent from suction device A to suction device B.
• the heating profile used by suction device A may include a target temperature
• the heating profile used by suction device B may include a target resistance value
• the heating profile used by suction device B can be generated based on the heating profile used by suction device A and the characteristics of the heater provided in suction device B.
• the characteristics of the heater provided in suction device B may be a "correspondence relationship (correspondence table) between target temperature and target resistance value" provided in advance by suction device B.
• the target resistance value of suction device B can be calculated from the target temperature included in the heating profile used by suction device A and the "correspondence relationship between target temperature and target resistance value" provided in advance by suction device B.
• suction device A may receive the correspondence from suction device B.
• Suction device A can generate a heating profile to be used by suction device B based on the heating profile used by suction device A and the correspondence received from suction device B.
• suction device A may transmit only its own heating profile to suction device B.
• suction device B may generate a heating profile to be used by suction device B based on the heating profile received from suction device A and a "correspondence relationship between target temperature and target resistance value" that is prepared in advance.
• the heating profile used by the suction devices A and B may include a target resistance value
• the heating profile transmitted may include a target temperature
• the heating profile transmitted may be generated based on the heating profile used by the suction device A and the characteristics of the heater equipped in the suction device A
• the heating profile used by the suction device B may be generated based on the heating profile transmitted and the characteristics of the heater equipped in the suction device B.
• the characteristics of the heater in this case may be a "correspondence relationship (correspondence table) between target temperature and target resistance value" that the suction device A and B have in advance.
• the suction device A can calculate the target temperature of the heating profile transmitted from the target resistance value included in the heating profile used by the suction device A and the "correspondence relationship between target temperature and target resistance value" that the suction device A has in advance
• the suction device B can calculate the target resistance value of the suction device B from the target temperature included in the heating profile transmitted and the "correspondence relationship between target temperature and target resistance value” that the suction device B has in advance.
• step 318 shows a step in which suction device A transmits a heating profile to suction device B, and suction device B receives the heating profile.
• the heating profile transmitted is the one generated in step 316. However, as described above, if step 316 is not included, the heating profile transmitted may be a copy of the one used by suction device A.
• the exemplary heating profile transmission process 300 may include a step in which a suction device (suction device A) transmits a first signal indicating the start of a heating profile transmission process to another suction device (suction device B), a step in which the suction device transmits a second signal to the other suction device requesting transmission of heater characteristics when the suction device receives an acknowledgment response to the first signal from the other suction device, a step in which the suction device generates a heating profile when the suction device receives the heater characteristics from the other suction device, and a step in which the suction device transmits the generated heating profile to the other suction device.
• the suction device can be further configured to transmit an acknowledgment to the other suction device (suction device B) in response to a first signal from the other suction device, and to transmit the heater characteristics to the other suction device when a second signal is received from the other suction device.
• the suction device can be further configured to generate a heating profile to be transmitted based on the heating profile used by the suction device, the characteristics of the heater equipped in the suction device, and the characteristics of the heater equipped in another suction device (suction device B).
• the suction device can be further configured to receive from another suction device (suction device B) the characteristics of a heater provided in the other suction device.
• user B (user A) can experience the inhalation experience of user A (user B) following the heating operation using the heating profile.
• the heating profile is generated on the suction device A side, but the heating profile may be generated on the suction device B side. That is, instead of steps 312 to 318, the exemplary heating profile transmission process 300 can be modified to include a step in which the suction device A transmits to the suction device B the heating profile to be used by the suction device A and the characteristics of the heater equipped in the suction device A, and the suction device B receives the heating profile and the characteristics of the heater, and a step in which the suction device B generates a heating profile.
• a suction device can be configured to transmit to another suction device (suction device B) the heating profile used by the suction device, as well as the characteristics of the heater equipped in the suction device.
• the heating profile generated in the exemplary heating profile transmission process 300 (step 316) or the modified exemplary heating profile transmission process 300 is referred to as the "generated heating profile.”
• suction device A sends a signal (hereinafter referred to as the "setting signal") to suction device B requesting that the generated heating profile be set to be used, and suction device B receives the signal.
• 322 indicates a step in which the suction device B stores the generated heating profile in a predetermined area, for example, area 850 in FIG. 8 described below, and 324 indicates a step in which the suction device B sets the generated heating profile to be used. As a result, the generated heating profile will be used in the suction device B during the next heating operation.
• steps 322 and 324 are executed when suction device B receives a setting signal. However, steps 322 and 324 may also be executed in response to the generated heating profile becoming available in suction device B (including receiving the generated heating profile from suction device A when the heating profile is generated on the suction device A side, and generating the heating profile by suction device B when the heating profile is generated on the suction device B side) without the setting signal being transmitted or received.
• the suction device B transmits a signal indicating that the setting has been completed (hereinafter referred to as the "setting completion signal") to the suction device A, and the suction device A receives the signal.
• suction device B completes a series of processes relating to receiving the heating profile (including receiving, storing, and setting the heating profile), it transmits a signal indicating the completion (hereinafter referred to as a "reception completion signal") to suction device A, and suction device A receives the signal.
• Step 330 indicates a step in which suction device A transmits a disconnection signal to suction device B in response to receiving the reception completion signal, and suction device B receives the signal. Note that step 330 may also be a step in which suction device B transmits a disconnection signal to suction device A in response to transmitting the reception completion signal, and suction device A receives the signal.
• 332 and 334 indicate steps similar to steps 246 and 248 in FIG. 2, respectively.
• FIG. 340 shows the processing block when the heating profile transmission process is stopped due to a timeout on the heating profile transmission side.
• suction device A determines that the transmission process of the heating profile should be stopped due to a timeout based on the timer started in step 308.
• suction device A transmits a disconnection signal to suction device B in response to determining that the heating profile transmission process should be stopped due to a timeout, and suction device B receives the signal.
• 346 and 348 indicate steps similar to steps 246 and 248 in FIG. 2, respectively.
• 350 shows the processing block when the heating profile transmission process is stopped due to a timeout on the receiving side of the heating profile.
• step 352 shows the step in which suction device B determines that the heating profile transmission process should be stopped due to a timeout based on the timer started in step 308.
• suction device B transmits a disconnection signal to suction device A in response to determining that the heating profile transmission process should be stopped due to a timeout, and suction device A receives the signal.
• 356 and 358 indicate steps similar to steps 246 and 248 in FIG. 2, respectively.
• the other example heating profile transmission process 400 includes a step in which the suction device A receives a heating profile transmitted from the suction device B.
• the first signal may include a signal notifying reception of a heating profile.
• suction device A transmits a signal notifying reception of a heating profile
• suction device B receives a first signal notifying reception of a heating profile from suction device A
• suction device B executes a heating profile transmission process as a suction device transmitting a heating profile.
• Step 412 indicates the step in which suction device B transmits a second signal to suction device A requesting transmission of heater characteristics, and suction device A receives the signal. Note that step 412 is executed if suction device B transmits an acknowledgment response in step 304.
• Step 414 shows a step in which, when suction device A receives a second signal from suction device B, suction device A transmits the heater characteristics to suction device B, and suction device B receives the heater characteristics. Note that the heater characteristics transmitted in step 414 are the characteristics of the heater provided in suction device A.
• suction device B can generate a heating profile based on the heating profile used by suction device B, the characteristics of the heater equipped in suction device B, and the characteristics of the heater equipped in suction device A.
• the heating profile used by suction device B and the characteristics of the heater equipped in suction device B may be stored in advance in memory unit 114 of suction device B.
• the characteristics of the heater equipped in suction device A can be received from suction device A in step 414.
• steps 412 to 416 are based on the assumption that the heating profile includes a target resistance value, as described below. Steps 412 to 416 may be unnecessary in some cases, such as when the heating profile includes a target temperature, as described below.
• the heating profile used by suction devices A and B includes a target temperature
• the heating profile simply needs to be sent from suction device B to suction device A.
• the heating profile used by suction device B may include a target temperature
• the heating profile used by suction device A may include a target resistance value
• the heating profile used by suction device A can be generated based on the heating profile used by suction device B and the characteristics of the heater provided in suction device A.
• the characteristics of the heater provided in suction device A may be the "correspondence relationship between target temperature and target resistance value" provided in advance by suction device A.
• the target resistance value of suction device A can be calculated from the target temperature included in the heating profile used by suction device B and the "correspondence relationship between target temperature and target resistance value" provided in advance by suction device A.
• suction device B may receive the correspondence from suction device A.
• Suction device B can generate a heating profile to be used by suction device A based on the heating profile used by suction device B and the correspondence received from suction device A.
• suction device B may transmit only its own heating profile to suction device A.
• suction device A may generate a heating profile to be used by suction device A based on the heating profile received from suction device B and a "correspondence relationship between target temperature and target resistance value" that is prepared in advance.
• the heating profile used by the suction devices A and B may include a target resistance value
• the heating profile transmitted may include a target temperature
• the heating profile transmitted may be generated based on the heating profile used by the suction device B and the characteristics of the heater equipped in the suction device B
• the heating profile used by the suction device A may be generated based on the heating profile transmitted and the characteristics of the heater equipped in the suction device A.
• the characteristics of the heater in this case may be a "correspondence relationship (correspondence table) between target temperature and target resistance value" that the suction device A and B have in advance.
• the suction device B can calculate the target temperature of the heating profile transmitted from the target resistance value included in the heating profile used by the suction device B and the "correspondence relationship between target temperature and target resistance value" that the suction device B has in advance
• the suction device A can calculate the target resistance value of the suction device A from the target temperature included in the heating profile transmitted and the "correspondence relationship between target temperature and target resistance value” that the suction device A has in advance.
• step 418 shows the step in which suction device B transmits a heating profile to suction device A, and suction device A receives the heating profile.
• the heating profile transmitted is the one generated in step 416. However, as described above, if step 416 is not included, the heating profile transmitted may be a copy of the one used by suction device B.
• the heating profile is generated on the suction device B side, but the heating profile may be generated on the suction device A side. That is, instead of steps 412 to 418, the other exemplary heating profile transmission process 400 can be modified to include a step in which the suction device B transmits to the suction device A the heating profile to be used by the suction device B and the characteristics of the heater equipped in the suction device B, and the suction device A receives the heating profile and the characteristics of the heater, and a step in which the suction device A generates the heating profile.
• the heating profile generated in the alternative exemplary heating profile transmission process 400 (step 416) or a modified alternative exemplary heating profile transmission process 400 will be referred to as the "generated heating profile.”
• suction device B transmits a setting signal to suction device A, and suction device A receives the signal.
• 422 shows the step of suction device A storing the generated heating profile in a predetermined area, for example area 850 in FIG. 8, and 424 shows the step of suction device A setting the generated heating profile to be used.
• steps 422 and 424 are executed when suction device A receives a setting signal, but may also be executed in response to the generated heating profile becoming available in suction device A without a setting signal being sent or received.
• the suction device A transmits a setting completion signal to the suction device B, and the suction device B receives the signal.
• the suction device A completes a series of processes related to receiving the heating profile (including receiving, storing, and setting the heating profile), it transmits a reception completion signal to the suction device B, and the suction device B receives the signal.
• Step 430 indicates a step in which suction device B transmits a disconnection signal to suction device A in response to receiving the reception completion signal, and suction device A receives the signal. Note that step 430 may also be a step in which suction device A transmits a disconnection signal to suction device B in response to transmitting the reception completion signal, and suction device B receives the signal.
• the suction device A and the suction device B control the heating operation using a heating profile.
• the heating operation is an operation to change the temperature of the heaters provided in the suction device A and the suction device B, respectively. Therefore, the heating profile may represent the target temperature of the heater over time. Alternatively, in the case where the resistance value of the heater changes according to the temperature of the heater, the heating profile may represent the target resistance value of the heater over time.
• the heating profile can represent the target temperature or target resistance value of the heater over time.
• the heating operation includes the operation of lowering the temperature of the heater by de-energizing the heater in order to make the heater reach the target temperature.
• FIG. 5 is a graph 500 plotting an example temperature change 510 of a heater included in suction device A, obtained as a result of controlling a heating operation using a certain heating profile.
• the horizontal axis of graph 500 is time, and the vertical axis is the heater temperature. From graph 500, it can be seen that suction device A is configured to control a heating operation for a period 520 by using the heating profile. It should be noted that this example temperature change 510 has been simplified for purposes of explanation.
• the period 520 during which the heating operation is controlled can be divided into multiple periods. For example, in graph 500, the period 520 during which the heating operation is controlled is divided into 10 periods (STEP 0 to STEP 9), but the number of divisions of period 520 is not limited to this. To represent the target temperature or target resistance value of the heater over time, a target temperature or target resistance value can be set for each divided period.
• the suction device is further configured to control a heating operation for a period of time by using a heating profile, the period of time being divided into a plurality of periods, and the heating profile used by the suction device can include a target resistance value for a heater provided in the suction device for each of the divided periods.
• the relationship between the temperature and resistance of a heater may differ for each individual heater. For this reason, when suction device A controls the heating operation, it may derive the resistance value when the heater equipped in suction device A is at the target temperature, i.e., the target resistance value, from the target temperature. In this case, the suction device records the correspondence between the target temperature and the target resistance value of its own device for achieving the target temperature.
• the target resistance value of its own device is a resistance value calculated taking into account the characteristics of its heater, and is the resistance value required to achieve the target temperature.
• the suction device can determine the target resistance value taking into account the characteristics of its heater using the target temperature and the correspondence.
• the suction device is further configured to control a heating operation for a period of time by using a heating profile, the period of time being divided into a number of periods, and the heating profile can include a target temperature for each of the divided periods.
• Each divided period may be defined by the length of the period, but is not limited thereto. That is, a divided period may end when a predetermined time has passed since the start of the period. Alternatively, a period may end when the heater temperature reaches a target temperature for the period. For example, the period of STEP 0 in the graph 500 may end when the heater temperature reaches the target temperature T A , while the period of STEP 1 (target temperature T A ) may end when a predetermined time has passed since the start of the period.
• the control unit 126 can measure the heater temperature multiple times, and determine that the heater temperature has reached the target temperature when the measured temperature is equal to or greater than the target temperature multiplied by a predetermined percentage (e.g., 0.98) that is less than 1 a predetermined number of times.
• a predetermined percentage e.g. 0.8
• the control unit 126 can measure the heater temperature multiple times, and determine that the heater temperature has reached the target temperature when the measured temperature is equal to or less than the target temperature multiplied by a predetermined percentage (e.g., 1.02) that is greater than 1 a predetermined number of times.
• Information defining each of these divided periods may be pre-stored in the memory unit 114, independent of the heating profile, and in some cases as part of the program. Alternatively, information defining each of these divided periods may be included in the heating profile. Alternatively, part of the information defining each of these divided periods may be pre-stored in the memory unit 114, independent of the heating profile, and the remainder may be included in the heating profile.
• the heating operation may be controlled so that the heater reaches the target temperature or target resistance value at the end of the period. Whether or not such control is performed in each divided period may be stored in advance in the storage unit 114 independently of the heating profile, or may be included in the heating profile.
• the voltage applied to the heater or the power supplied thereto can be changed during each divided period.
• the voltage applied to the heater or the power supplied thereto during each divided period may be pre-stored in the storage unit 114 independently of the heating profile, or may be included in the heating profile.
• heating profiles described above are merely examples, and the information contained in the heating profiles is not limited to that described above.
• FIG. 6 shows an example data structure 600 for a heating profile.
• 610 shows a field for storing the target resistance value of the heater for each divided period.
• 620 shows a field for storing the length of each divided period.
• 630 shows a field for storing any other information about each divided period.
• 640 indicates a field for storing the number of periods used in the heating profile. For example, a value of 10 in field 640 may indicate that the period 520 of the heating operation controlled by using the heating profile is divided into 10 periods. Field 640 allows the number of divisions of period 520 to be variable for each heating profile, while the data structure of the heating profile itself can be constant. 650 indicates a field for storing any other information about the heating profile.
• FIG. 7 illustrates another example data structure 700 for a heating profile. Note that in example data structure 700, fields that are similar to example data structure 600 are numbered similarly.
• the data structure of the heating profile described above is merely an example, the fields contained in the data structure are not limited to those described above, and the heating profile can be represented by any data structure.
• FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example storage form 800 of heating profiles in the storage unit 114.
• Each of 810 to 850 indicates an area for storing one heating profile.
• the areas 810 to 840 may be areas for storing heating profiles selectable by the user of the suction device B.
• the suction device B may be configured to sequentially select the heating profiles stored in the areas 810 to 840 by detecting a predetermined action (for example, the heating profile stored in the area 810 ⁇ the heating profile stored in the area 820 ⁇ the heating profile stored in the area 830 ⁇ the heating profile stored in the area 840 ⁇ the heating profile stored in the area 810 ⁇ ).
• the suction device B may be configured to select one of the heating profiles stored in the areas 810 to 840 based on the performance of any predetermined operation on an external device, such as a smartphone, connected via the communication unit 115.
• the suction device B may be configured to use the selected heating profile. Note that the number of areas for storing heating profiles selectable by the user of the suction device B is not limited to four.
• Area 850 may be an area for storing heating profiles that are not selectable by the user. After a newly obtained heating profile (including a heating profile received from suction device A as described above and a heating profile generated by suction device B; hereinafter referred to as a "new heating profile") becomes available, suction device B may be configured to at least temporarily store the heating profile in area 850 and set the heating profile to be used. In addition, suction device B may be further configured to, in response to completion of use of the new heating profile, revert the setting to use the heating profile that was originally set to be used (one of the heating profiles stored in areas 810-840).
• the suction device can be further configured to store a first heating profile (one of the heating profiles stored in areas 810-840) and receive a second heating profile (a new heating profile) from another suction device (suction device B), and when the first heating profile is set to be used, and the second heating profile received from the other suction device is set to be used, in response to completion of use of the second heating profile, revert to using the first heating profile.
• a first heating profile one of the heating profiles stored in areas 810-840
• a second heating profile a new heating profile
• user A can quickly and temporarily experience the inhalation experience of user B following the heating operation using the heating profile.
• the completion of use of a heating profile may be the end of a period of control of the heating operation using that heating profile (e.g., period 520 in FIG. 5).
• suction device B Furthermore, if user B likes the generated heating profile, it is preferable that it can be used again in suction device B.
• the suction device has an area (areas 810-840) for storing a plurality of selectable heating profiles, including a first heating profile (one of the heating profiles stored in areas 810-840), and the selected heating profile is set for use, and can be further configured to store a second heating profile (a new heating profile) in the above area in response to a predetermined condition being satisfied.
• the above-mentioned predetermined conditions may be arbitrary, but it is preferable that they can be satisfied at the will of user B.
• the above-mentioned specified condition may be one or more of the following: a condition that a specified action (e.g., user A shaking suction device A, or pressing a button on suction device A (which may be included in sensor unit 112)) is detected in the suction device (suction device A), and a condition that a specified operation is performed in an external device (e.g., user A's smartphone) connected to the suction device.
• a specified action e.g., user A shaking suction device A, or pressing a button on suction device A (which may be included in sensor unit 112)
• an external device e.g., user A's smartphone
• user A can continue to experience the inhalation experience of user B, which follows the heating operation using the heating profile.
• the above-described storage manner of the heating profile in the storage unit 114 is merely an example, and the storage manner of the heating profile is not limited to that described above.
• the heater characteristics in this disclosure refer to information that enables conversion between the heater temperature and the heater resistance value.
• the heater characteristics may represent the relationship between the heater temperature and the heater resistance value.
• the method for converting the heater temperature to the heater resistance value is arbitrary, but for example, the heater temperature can be converted to the heater resistance value by the following method.
• Equation (1) derives KT by interpolation from KT1 and KT2 .
• R T1 is the resistance value of the heater when the heater temperature is T1
• R 0 is the resistance value of the heater when the heater temperature is room temperature
• R ref is the standard resistance value at room temperature of heaters manufactured on the same line as the heater.
• TH 1 is the highest temperature output by one or more temperature sensors (thermistors, which may be included in the sensor unit 112A, etc. (hereinafter, referred to as “sensor unit 112" without distinction)) close to the heater when the heater temperature is T1.
• the above “room temperature” may be defined as a predetermined temperature such as 25°C.
• the above “standard resistance value at room temperature” may be the resistance value at room temperature of a predetermined one of the heaters manufactured on the same line as the heater.
• the method for converting the heater resistance value to the heater temperature is arbitrary, but for example, the heater resistance value can be converted to the heater temperature by solving equations (1) and (2) inversely for T.
• the characteristics of the heater can include the rate of change (K T1 ) of the resistance value per unit temperature of the heater when the heater is near the first temperature ( T1 ), the rate of change (K T2 ) of the resistance value per unit temperature of the heater when the heater is near the second temperature T2, the resistance value (R T1 ) of the heater when it is at the first temperature (T1), the standard resistance value (R ref ) of the heater at room temperature manufactured on the same line as the heater, and the highest temperature (TH 1 ) output by one or more temperature sensors adjacent to the heater when the heater is at the first temperature (T1).
• the heater characteristics may be a correspondence relationship (correspondence table) between target temperatures and target resistance values.
• the heater characteristics may include a plurality of temperatures and a resistance value corresponding to each of the plurality of temperatures.
• the heating profile used by suction device B can be generated based on the heating profile used by suction device A, the characteristics of the heater equipped in suction device A, and the characteristics of the heater equipped in suction device B.
• the above generation may be performed using any method depending on the information contained in the heating profile and heater characteristics.
• the heating profile includes the target resistance value of the heater for each divided period during which the heating operation is performed, it can be generated using the following method.
• each target resistance value included in the heating profile used by suction device A is converted to a temperature using the characteristics of the heater equipped in suction device A.
• each converted temperature is converted into a resistance value using the characteristics of the heater provided in suction device B.
• the converted resistance values are used as the target resistance values included in the heating profile to generate a heating profile to be used by suction device B. Note that in the heating profile used by suction device B, information other than the target resistance values may be copied from the heating profile used by suction device A.
• the heating profile used by suction device B can be generated based on the heating profile used by suction device A and the characteristics of the heater equipped in suction device B.
• the characteristics of the heater equipped in suction device B may be a "correspondence relationship between target temperature and target resistance value" that suction device B is equipped with in advance.
• suction device A can receive the correspondence relationship from suction device B and generate a heating profile to be used by suction device B.
• suction device A may transmit its own heating profile to suction device B, and suction device B may use the correspondence relationship to generate a heating profile to be used by suction device B.
• the heating profile transmitted can be generated based on the heating profile used by suction device A and the characteristics of the heater equipped in suction device A, and the heating profile used by suction device B can be generated based on the heating profile transmitted and the characteristics of the heater equipped in suction device B.
• the heater characteristics in this case may be a "correspondence relationship (correspondence table) between target temperature and target resistance value" that suction devices A and B have in advance.
• one suction device e.g., suction device A
• suction device B when one suction device receives a reception completion signal from the other suction device (e.g., suction device B), it transmits a disconnection signal to the other suction device, and the communication connection between the suction devices is disconnected (e.g., 330 in FIG. 3 or 430 in FIG. 4).
• the other suction device instead of this, when one suction device (e.g., suction device A) receives a reception completion signal from the other suction device (e.g., suction device B), the other suction device (suction device B) may transmit the heating profile used by its own device (suction device B) to the one suction device (suction device A).
• the one suction device (suction device A) not only transmits the heating profile of its own device (suction device A) to the other suction device (suction device B) in one P2P connection process, but also becomes able to receive the heating profile used by the other suction device (suction device B) from the other suction device (suction device B).
• An aspiration device configured to control a heating operation using a heating profile, the aspiration device further configured to transmit the heating profile to another aspiration device that controls a heating operation using the heating profile.
• the suction device according to claim 2, The suction device further configured to receive from the other suction device a characteristic of the heater included in the other suction device.
• a first heating profile is stored and a second heating profile is received from another suction device;
• the aspiration device is further configured to, in response to completion of use of the second heating profile, revert to use of the first heating profile.
• the suction device according to claim 4, a storage area for storing a plurality of heating profiles selectable by a user of the suction device, the plurality of heating profiles including the first heating profile, the selected heating profile being configured for use;
• the aspiration device is further configured to store the second heating profile in the region in response to a predetermined condition being satisfied.
• the predetermined condition is: a condition that a predetermined action is detected in the suction device; a predetermined operation is performed in an external device connected to the suction device.
• a suction device further configured to transmit to the other suction device the heating profile to be used by the suction device and to transmit characteristics of a heater included in the suction device.
• the suction device has a characteristic of: a rate of change in resistance value per unit temperature of the heater when the heater is at a temperature near a first temperature; and a rate of change in resistance value per unit temperature of the heater when the heater is at a temperature near a second temperature; and a resistance value of the heater when the heater is at a first temperature; and A standard resistance value at room temperature of a heater manufactured on the same line as the heater;
• the suction device further comprises a temperature sensor proximate to the heater, the temperature sensor outputting the highest temperature when the heater is at a first temperature.
• the suction device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising:
• the heating profile represents a target temperature or a target resistance value of a heater over time. Suction device.
• the suction device is further configured to control a heating operation for a period of time by using the heating profile, the period of time being divided into a plurality of periods; the heating profile used by the suction device includes a target resistance value of the heater included in the suction device for each divided period; Suction device.
• the suction device is further configured to heat the heater for a period of time by using the heating profile, the period of time being divided into a plurality of periods; the heating profile used by the suction device includes a target temperature for each divided period; Suction device.
• the suction device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: A P2P (Peer to Peer) connection is established with the other suction device, The suction device further configured to transmit and receive with the other suction devices via the P2P connection.
• a P2P Peer to Peer
• a method performed by an aspiration device that controls a heating operation using a heating profile including the step of transmitting the heating profile to another aspiration device that controls a heating operation using the heating profile.
• a program for a suction device that controls a heating operation using a heating profile the program causing the suction device to execute a step of transmitting the heating profile to another suction device that controls a heating operation using the heating profile.
• a suction device configured to control a heating operation using a heating profile, comprising: In response to detecting the predetermined action, the heating profile transmission process is further configured to initiate a heating profile transmission process, the heating profile transmission process comprising: The suction device includes a step of the suction device transmitting the heating profile to another suction device that uses the heating profile to control a heating operation.
• the heating profile transmission process includes: the suction device transmitting a first signal indicating the start of a heating profile transmission process to the other suction devices; transmitting a second signal to the other suction device requesting transmission of heater characteristics when the suction device receives an acknowledgement response to the first signal from the other suction device; generating a heating profile when the suction device receives heater characteristics from the other suction device; The suction device transmits the generated heating profile to the other suction device.
• the suction device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: The aspiration device is further configured, after responding to detecting the predetermined action, to not respond to detecting further of the predetermined action until the heating profile transmission process is terminated.
• the suction device further comprising: a sensor for detecting movement of the suction device; The suction device is further configured to detect, using the sensor, that the predetermined action is shaking of the suction device.
• a P2P (Peer to Peer) connection is established with the other suction device, The suction device further configured to transmit and receive with the other suction devices via the P2P connection.
• the suction device determines whether the suction device or the other suction device should be prioritized when the first signal is received from the other suction device after transmitting the first signal to the other suction device and before receiving the acknowledgement response to the first signal;
• the suction device is further configured to not transmit the acknowledgement to the first signal received from the other suction device if it is determined that the suction device should be prioritized.
• suction device When the P2P connection is established, one of the suction device and the other suction device is set as a central and the other is set as a peripheral; The suction device further configured to determine that the suction device should be prioritized if the suction device is configured as central.
• a method implemented by an aspiration device for controlling heating operation using a heating profile comprising: In response to detecting the predetermined action, the method includes starting a heating profile transmission process, the heating profile transmission process including: The method includes the step of the suction device transmitting the heating profile to another suction device that uses the heating profile to control heating operations.
• a program for a suction device that controls a heating operation using a heating profile comprising: In response to detecting a predetermined action, the suction device executes a step of starting a heating profile transmission process, the heating profile transmission process including: The program includes a step of the suction device transmitting the heating profile to another suction device that uses the heating profile to control a heating operation.
• Susceptor 162D ...electromagnetic induction source 200 ...exemplary process 220 for initiating a heating profile transmission process...processing block 240 when a heating profile transmission process is initiated...processing block 250 when initiation of a heating profile transmission process is aborted due to user interaction...processing block 300 when initiation of a heating profile transmission process is aborted due to a timeout...exemplary heating profile transmission process 310...processing block 340 when a heating profile transmission process is normally completed...heating profile Processing block 350 when the heating profile transmission process is aborted due to a timeout on the sending side of the heating profile...Processing block 400 when the heating profile transmission process is aborted due to a timeout on the receiving side of the heating profile...Another exemplary heating profile transmission process 410...Processing block 500 when the heating profile transmission process is normally completed...Graph 510 plotting exemplary temperature change of the heater...Exemplary temperature change of the heater 520...Period 600 for controlling the heating operation...Exemplary data structure

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• 2022
  • 2022-12-13 KR KR1020257020750A patent/KR20250114062A/ko active Pending
  • 2022-12-13 WO PCT/JP2022/045788 patent/WO2024127484A1/ja not_active Ceased
  • 2022-12-13 EP EP22968396.6A patent/EP4635347A1/en active Pending
  • 2022-12-13 JP JP2024563801A patent/JPWO2024127484A1/ja active Pending
  • 2022-12-13 CN CN202280102404.4A patent/CN120265171A/zh active Pending
• 2023
  • 2023-06-14 TW TW112122218A patent/TW202423329A/zh unknown

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