Control device, control method, and nonvolatile computer readable medium

Abstract

A control device controls an inhaler having a detection unit for detecting a user operation and a heating unit which generates, by heating a base material, a substance that is inhaled by a user. The control device includes a control unit for controlling the heating unit on the basis of the user operation detected by the detection unit. The control unit causes the heating unit to operate in a first heating state, if the detection unit detects a first user operation, and causes the heating unit to operate in a second heating state that is different from the first heating state, if the detection unit detects a second user operation different from the first user operation, while the heating unit is operating in the first heating state.

1 . A control device for controlling an inhaler device including a detector that detects a user operation and a heater that heats a substrate to thereby generate material to be inhaled by a user, the control device comprising
 a controller that controls the heater on the basis of the user operation detected by the detector, wherein   the controller
 causes the heater to operate in a first heating state in response to the detector detecting a first user operation, and 
 causes the heater to operate in a second heating state different from the first heating state in response to the detector detecting a second user operation different form the first user operation while causing the heater to operate in the first heating state. 
   
     
     
         2 . The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first heating state is a state where an upper limit of a temperature of the heater is lower than an upper limit of the temperature of the heater in the second heating state. 
     
     
         3 . The control device according to  claim 2 , wherein an amount of the material that is to be inhaled by the user and that is generated in response to the heater heating the substrate at the upper limit of the temperature of the heater in the first heating state is smaller than an amount of the material that is to be inhaled by the user and that is generated in response to the heater heating the substrate at the upper limit of the temperature of the heater in the second heating state. 
     
     
         4 . The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein a rate of rise in a temperature of the heater in the first heating state and a rate of rise in the temperature of the heater in the second heating state are equal to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first heating state is a state where a rate of rise in a temperature of the heater is lower than a rate of rise in the temperature of the heater in the second heating state. 
     
     
         6 . The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 performing the first user operation is performing a predetermined user operation continuously for a first duration, and   performing the second user operation is performing the predetermined user operation continuously for a second duration longer than the first duration.   
     
     
         7 . The control device according to  claim 6 , wherein the first heating state is a state where heating is performed when the predetermined user operation is continuously performed. 
     
     
         8 . The control device according to  claim 7 , wherein when the predetermined user operation is not detected any more after a duration in which the predetermined user operation is continuously performed reaches the first duration and before the duration reaches the second duration, the controller stops heating by the heater that is operating in the first heating state. 
     
     
         9 . The control device according to  claim 6 , wherein the second heating state is a state where heating is performed without the predetermined user operation being continuously performed. 
     
     
         10 . The control device according to  claim 6 , wherein the controller stops heating by the heater when a duration in which the predetermined user operation is continuously performed reaches a third duration longer than the second duration. 
     
     
         11 . The control device according to  claim 6 , wherein when the number of times the predetermined user operation is detected reaches a predetermined number of times within a fourth time period, the controller controls the heater so as not to perform heating until a fifth time period elapses. 
     
     
         12 . The control device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the inhaler device further includes a notifier that provides information to the user, and   the controller controls the notifier to provide first information before a duration in which the predetermined user operation is continuously performed reaches the first duration.   
     
     
         13 . The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the inhaler device further includes a notifier that provides information to the user, and   the controller controls the notifier to provide second information in response to detection of the second user operation.   
     
     
         14 . The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 performing the first user operation is performing a predetermined user operation, and   performing the second user operation is performing the predetermined user operation continuously for a second duration.   
     
     
         15 . A control method for controlling an inhaler device including a detector that detects a user operation and a heater that heats a substrate to thereby generate material to be inhaled by a user, the control method comprising
 controlling the heater on the basis of the user operation detected by the detector, wherein   the controlling of the heater includes causing the heater to operate in a first heating state in response to the detector detecting a first user operation, and causing the heater to operate in a second heating state different from the first heating state in response to the detector detecting a second user operation different form the first user operation while causing the heater to operate in the first heating state.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having a program stored therein, the program causing a computer for controlling an inhaler device including a detector that detects a user operation and a heater that heats a substrate to thereby generate material to be inhaled by a user, to function as
 a controller that controls the heater on the basis of the user operation detected by the detector, wherein   the controller
 causes the heater to operate in a first heating state in response to the detector detecting a first user operation, and 
 causes the heater to operate in a second heating state different from the first heating state in response to the detector detecting a second user operation different form the first user operation while causing the heater to operate in the first heating state.