Inhalation device controller

Abstract

An inhalation device controller includes a power supply unit configured to supply power to an atomizer including a heater configured to heat an aerosol source, a detection circuit configured to detect a resistance value of the heater, a processor configured to generate a control signal in accordance with a smoothed signal generated by smoothing information obtained using the detection circuit, and a holding portion configured to hold the atomizer in a detachable state. The holding portion includes a first electrical contact contacting a third electrical contact of the atomizer, and a second electrical contact contacting a fourth electrical contact of the atomizer. Information obtained using the detection circuit is affected by stress applied to the first to fourth electrical contacts when attaching the atomizer to the holding portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inhalation device controller comprising:
 a power supply unit configured to supply power to an atomizer including a heater configured to heat an aerosol source;   a detection circuit configured to detect a resistance value of the heater;   a processor configured to generate a control signal in accordance with a smoothed signal generated by smoothing information obtained using the detection circuit; and   a holding portion configured to hold the atomizer in a detachable state,   wherein the holding portion includes a first electrical contact and a. second electrical contact, and when the atomizer is attached to the holding portion, the first electrical contact contacts a third electrical contact provided in the atomizer, and the second electrical contact contacts a fourth electrical contact provided in the atomizer,   the power supply unit supplies the power to the healer via the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, and   information obtained using the detection circuit is affected by stress applied to the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact, the third electrical contact, and the fourth electrical contact when attaching the atomizer to the holding portion.   
     
     
         2 . The controller according to  claim 1 , wherein power supply to the atomizer by the power supply unit is stopped in response to the control signal. 
     
     
         3 . The controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor acquires, based on the smoothed signal, the resistance value of the heater at a given temperature as a reference resistance value of the heater. 
     
     
         4 . The controller according to  claim 3 , wherein the processor executes first processing of acquiring the reference resistance value and second processing of acquiring the temperature of the heater based on the information obtained using the detection circuit and the reference resistance value. 
     
     
         5 . The controller according to  claim 3 , wherein the processor executes the first processing in response to attachment of the atomizer to the holding portion. 
     
     
         6 . The controller according to  claim 5 , wherein the processor detects attachment of the atomizer to the holding portion based on a change of the resistance value, and executes the first processing in response to detection of the attachment. 
     
     
         7 . The controller according to  claim 5 , wherein the processor promotes a user to do exchange via a user interface, and executes the first processing after an elapse of a predetermined time. 
     
     
         8 . The controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the atomizer includes a capsule holder configured to hold a capsule including a flavor source in a detachable state, and
 the information obtained using the detection circuit is affected by the stress applied to the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact, the third electrical contact, and the fourth electrical contact when attaching the capsule to the capsule holder in a state in which the atomizer is held by the holding portion.   
     
     
         9 . The controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor includes a low pass filter configured to generate the smoothed signal by smoothing information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit, or
 the processor acquires the smoothed signal from a low pass filter configured to generate the smoothed signal by smoothing information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit.   
     
     
         10 . The controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor generates the smoothed signal by calculating an average value of information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit, or
 the processor acquires the smoothed signal generated by calculating an average value of information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit.   
     
     
         11 . The controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor calculates an average value of information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit, and generates the smoothed signal based on information whose detection amount from the average value is not more than a threshold in the information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit, or
 the processor acquires the smoothed signal generated based on information whose deviation amount from an average value of information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit is not more than a threshold in the information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit.   
     
     
         12 . The controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor sequentially calculates a differential value of information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit, and generates the smoothed signal based on information whose differential value falls within a predetermined range in the information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit, or
 the processor acquires the smoothed signal generated based on information whose differential value of information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit falls within a predetermined range in the information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit.   
     
     
         13 . The controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor includes an analog circuit configured to generate the smoothed signal from the information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit, and a microcontroller unit configured to generate the control signal in accordance with the smoothed signal from the analog circuit. 
     
     
         14 . An inhalation device controller comprising:
 a power supply unit configured to supply power to an atomizer including a heater configured to heat an aerosol source;   a detection circuit configured to detect a resistance value of the heater; and   a processor configured to generate a control signal in accordance with a smoothed signal generated by smoothing information obtained using the detection circuit,   wherein the processor calculates an average value of information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit, and generates the smoothed signal based on information whose deviation amount from the average value is not more than a threshold in the information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit, or   the processor acquires the smoothed signal generated based on information whose deviation amount from an average value of information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit is not more than a threshold in the information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit.   
     
     
         15 . An inhalation device controller comprising:
 a power supply unit configured to supply power to an atomizer including a heater configured to heat an aerosol source;   a detection circuit configured to detect a resistance value of the heater; and   a processor configured to generate a control signal in accordance with a smoothed signal generated by smoothing information obtained using the detection circuit,   wherein the processor sequentially calculates a differential value of information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit, and generates the smoothed signal based on information whose differential value falls within a predetermined range in the information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit, or   the processor acquires the smoothed signal generated based on information whose differential value of information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit falls within a predetermined range in the information sequentially obtained using the detection circuit.   
     
     
         16 . An inhalation device controller comprising:
 a power supply unit configured to supply power to an atomizer including a heater configured to heat an aerosol source;   a detection circuit configured to detect a resistance value of the heater;   a smoothing circuit to which an output signal of the detection circuit is input;   a microcontroller unit to which an output signal of the smoothing circuit is input; and   a holding portion configured to hold the atomizer in a detachable state,   wherein the holding portion includes a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, and when the atomizer is attached to the holding portion, the first electrical contact contacts a third electrical contact provided in the atomizer, and the second electrical contact contacts a fourth electrical contact provided in the atomizer,   the power supply unit supplies the power to the heater via the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, and   the output signal of the detection circuit is affected by stress applied to the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact, the third electrical contact, and the fourth electrical contact when attaching the atomizer to the holding portion.