Inhalation component generation device, method for controlling inhalation component generation device, and program

Abstract

This inhalation component generation device comprises: a load which vaporizes or atomizes an inhalation component source using power from a power supply; and a control unit. The control unit comprises: a voltage sensor which uses a predefined correlation to convert the analog voltage value of a power supply to a digital voltage value and outputs the digital voltage value; and a power control unit which controls the supply of power from the power supply to the load on the basis of the digital voltage value. The control unit is configured to be capable of calibrating the correlation on the basis of changes in the digital voltage value or the analog voltage value obtained during charging of the power supply.

1 . An inhalation component generation device comprising:
 a load for vaporizing or atomizing an inhalation component source by electric power from an electric power source;   a voltage sensor configured to convert an analog voltage value of the electric power source to a digital voltage value by using a correlation, and output the digital voltage value; and   circuitry configured to   control, based on the digital voltage value, supply of electric power from the electric power source to the load; and   calibrate the correlation at a time of production or activation of the inhalation component generation device so that an analog voltage value, that is larger than an analog voltage value corresponding to a full-charge voltage value in a case that no error exists in the voltage sensor, corresponds to a full-charge voltage value of the electric power source.   
     
     
         2 . The inhalation components generation device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the circuitry is configured to calibrate the correlation, based on a change in the digital voltage value or the analog voltage value obtained during charging of the electric power source.   
     
     
         3 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the circuitry is configured to calibrate the correlation so that a maximum value or a maximal value of the digital voltage value, or the digital voltage value greater than a threshold value, obtained during charging of the electric power source, corresponds to a full-charge voltage value of the electric power source.   
     
     
         4 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 3 , wherein
 the correlation is calibrated so that a correspondence between the analog digital value and the digital voltage value is subjected to gain adjustment.   
     
     
         5 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 3 , wherein
 the correlation is calibrated so that a correspondence between the analog digital value and the digital voltage value is subjected to offset adjustment.   
     
     
         6 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 5 , wherein
 the correlation comprises at least one of correspondence between an analog voltage value and a digital voltage value smaller than a discharge cutoff voltage of the electric power source, and a correspondence between an analog voltage value and a digital voltage value greater than a full-charge voltage value of the electric power source.   
     
     
         7 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the correlation at the time of production or activation of the inhalation component generation device is calibrated so that the analog voltage value, that corresponds to a value that is the closest to a value obtained by adding an absolute value of an error to the full-charge voltage value, in a case that the error does not exist in the voltage sensor, in a plurality of the digital voltage values that can be output from the voltage sensor, corresponds to the full-charge voltage value.   
     
     
         8 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the circuitry is configured to determine whether a digital voltage value output by the voltage sensor during charging of the electric power source exceeds a threshold value.   
     
     
         9 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 8 , wherein
 the circuitry is configured to calibrate the correlation in a case that the digital voltage value has exceeded the threshold value.   
     
     
         10 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 8 , wherein
 in a case that the digital voltage value output by the voltage sensor during charging of the electric power source has exceeded the threshold value, the circuitry updates the threshold value to the digital voltage value that has exceeded the threshold value.   
     
     
         11 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 8 , wherein
 the threshold value at the time of production or activation of the inhalation component generation device is set to a value smaller than the full-charge voltage.   
     
     
         12 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 8 , wherein
 the threshold value at the time of production or activation of the inhalation component generation device is set to a value that is in a plurality of the digital voltage values that can be output by the voltage sensor, and is equal to or smaller than a value obtained by subtracting an absolute value of an error from the full-charge voltage value.   
     
     
         13 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 12 , wherein
 the threshold value at the time of production or activation of the inhalation component generation device is set to a value that is in a plurality of the digital voltage values that can be output by the voltage sensor, and is the maximum value in a range of values wherein any of the values in the range is equal to or less than a value obtained by subtracting an absolute value of the error from the full-charge voltage value.   
     
     
         14 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the circuitry is configured to estimate or detect at least one of deterioration and failure in the electric power source based on a digital voltage value output by the voltage sensor.   
     
     
         15 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 14 , wherein
 charging of the electric power source can be controlled by an external charger which is separate from the inhalation component generation device.   
     
     
         16 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 15 , wherein
 the circuitry is configured to block or reduce charging current to the electric power source in a case that at least one of deterioration and failure in the electric power source is estimated or detected.   
     
     
         17 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 15 , wherein
 the circuitry is configured to forcibly stop or restrict charging of the electric power source by the external charger, in a case that at least one of deterioration and failure in the electric power source is estimated or detected.   
     
     
         18 . The inhalation component generation device of  claim 14 , comprising:
 a user interface configured to notify a user of abnormality in a case that at least one of deterioration and failure in the electric power source is estimated or detected.   
     
     
         19 . A method for controlling an inhalation component generation device which comprises a load for vaporizing or atomizing an inhalation component source by electric power from an electric power source, the method comprising:
 converting an analog voltage value of the electric power source to a digital voltage value by using a predefined correlation, and outputting the digital voltage value;   calibrating the correlation at a time of production or activation of the inhalation component generation device so that an analog voltage value, that is larger than an analog voltage value corresponding to a full-charge voltage value in a case that no error exists in the voltage sensor, corresponds to a full-charge voltage value of the electric power source; and controlling, based on the digital voltage value, supply of electric power from the electric power source to the load.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of an inhalation component generation device to perform the method of  claim 19 . 
     
     
         21 . An inhalation component generating device comprising:
 a load configured to vaporize or atomize an inhalation component source by electric power from an electric power source, which is configured to be charged by an external charger;   a voltage sensor configured to convert an analog voltage value of the electric power source to a digital value by using a correlation, and output the digital voltage value; and   circuitry configured to
 control, based on the digital voltage value, supply of electric power from the electric power source to the load; 
   calibrate the correlation, based on change in the digital voltage value or the analog voltage value obtained during charging of the electric power source;   estimate or detect at least one of deterioration and failure in the electric power source based on a digital voltage value output by the voltage sensor by using the calibrated correlation; and   block or reduce charging current from the external charger to the electric power source in a case that at least one of deterioration and failure in the electric power source is estimated or detected.