Aerosol generating device and method for providing adaptive feedback through puff recognition

Abstract

Provided is a device including: a battery configured to supply power; a heater configured to heat an aerosol generating material by receiving power from the battery; a sensor; at least one output unit; and a controller, wherein the controller detects a user's puff by using the sensor and controls at least one output unit based on puff characteristic data based on a result of the detection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a battery configured to supply power;   a heater configured to heat an aerosol generating material;   a sensor;   at least one output unit; and   a controller configured to detect a user's puff by using the sensor and control the at least one output unit based on puff characteristic data corresponding to the user's puff.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the sensor comprises a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the heater, and   the controller detects the user's puff based on a variation in the temperature of the heater by using the temperature sensor.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the sensor comprises a flux sensor, and   the controller detects the user's puff based on a variation in flux in the device by using the flux sensor.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the puff characteristic data comprises at least one of a puff strength, a puff interval, and a number of puffs. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller determines a remaining number of available puffs based on power of the battery or an amount of the aerosol generating material, and modifies the remaining number of available puffs based on the puff characteristic data. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the controller outputs the modified remaining number of available puffs by using the at least one output unit. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the output unit comprises a vibration motor, and   the controller determines a remaining number of available puffs according to the puff characteristic data, and controls an output strength of the vibration motor based on the remaining number of available puffs.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the output unit comprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamp, and   the controller determines a remaining number of available puffs according to the puff characteristic data, and controls an emission intensity or a flickering interval of the LED lamp based on the remaining number of available puffs.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the output unit comprises a speaker, and   the controller determines a remaining number of available puffs according to the puff characteristic data, and controls a sound output intensity of the speaker or a type of sound output by the speaker based on the remaining number of available puffs.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an external casing,
 wherein the controller controls a temperature of the external casing based on a heater temperature at a time of the user's puff.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller determines a remaining number of available puffs based on a measured puff strength and an estimated remaining battery power, and outputs the remaining number of available puffs. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the at least one output unit to provide a notification to a user when temperature of the heater is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the at least one output unit to provide a notification to a user based on a measured puff strength or a measured puff interval. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the at least one output unit to provide a notification to a user, at a predetermined interval, that puffing is available. 
     
     
         15 . A method of controlling a device, the method comprising:
 detecting a user's puff by using a sensor;   acquiring puff characteristic data based on a result of the detecting; and   controlling at least one output unit based on the puff characteristic data.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining a remaining number of available puffs based on battery power or an amount of an aerosol generating material; and   modifying the remaining number of available puffs based on puff characteristic data.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising outputting the modified remaining number of available puffs by using the at least one output unit. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of  claim 15  on a computer.