Aerosol generating device and aerosol generating system including the same

Abstract

An aerosol generating device includes a housing having an elongated cavity formed to accommodate an aerosol generating article, a controller accommodated in the housing, the controller including at least one processor, a vaporizer configured to generate an aerosol by heating a liquid composition, and emit the aerosol toward the aerosol generating article, and a measurement unit configured to measure a state of use of the aerosol generating article.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aerosol generating device comprising:
 a housing having an elongated cavity formed to accommodate an aerosol generating article;   a controller accommodated in the housing, the controller comprising at least one processor; and   a measurement unit configured to measure a state of use of the aerosol generating article,   wherein the measurement unit comprises:
 a first sensor configured to measure a state of the aerosol generating article at a first position in the elongated cavity; and 
 a second sensor configured to measure a state of the aerosol generating article at a second position in the elongated cavity, and 
   the first position and the second position are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction along the elongated cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vaporizer configured to generate an aerosol by heating a liquid composition, and emit the aerosol toward the aerosol generating article.   
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is configured as a first capacitive sensor, and the second sensor is configured as a second capacitive sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the aerosol generating article is reused based on a difference between a first capacitance measured by the first capacitive sensor and a second capacitance measured by the second capacitive sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the aerosol generating article is reused when an absolute value of the difference is beyond a set range. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the aerosol generating article to be under an over-humidification condition when a first capacitance variation measured by the first capacitive sensor or a second capacitance variation measured by the second capacitive sensor, between a first point in time and a second point in time, is beyond a set range. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the aerosol generating article is reused when an absolute value of a difference between a first capacitance variation measured by the first capacitive sensor and a second capacitance variation measured by the second capacitive sensor, between a first point in time and a second point in time, is beyond a set range. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to determine or verify a type of the aerosol generating article based on a first capacitance variation measured by the first capacitive sensor or a second capacitance variation measured by the second capacitive sensor, between a first point in time and a second point in time. 
     
     
         9 . An aerosol generating system comprising:
 an aerosol generating article; and   an aerosol generating device comprising a housing having an elongated cavity formed to accommodate the aerosol generating article, a controller accommodated in the housing, the controller comprising at least one processor, a vaporizer configured to generate an aerosol by heating a liquid composition, and emit the aerosol toward the aerosol generating article, and a measurement unit configured to measure a state of use of the aerosol generating article,   wherein the aerosol generating article comprises:
 a first segment; 
 a medium segment disposed downstream of the first segment and configured to accommodate a medium; and 
 a second segment disposed downstream of the medium segment. 
   
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generating system of  claim 9 , wherein the medium segment comprises a pH-treated tobacco medium, and nicotine transferred from the medium segment is adsorbed into the first segment or the second segment. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol generating system of  claim 10 , wherein
 the measurement unit comprises:
 a first capacitive sensor disposed at a first position in the elongated cavity; and 
 a second capacitive sensor disposed at a second position in the elongated cavity, and 
   the first position and the second position are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction along the elongated cavity.   
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generating system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the aerosol generating article is reused when an absolute value of a difference between a first capacitance measured by the first capacitive sensor and a second capacitance measured by the second capacitive sensor is beyond a set range. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol generating system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the aerosol generating article to be under an over-humidification condition when a first capacitance variation measured by the first capacitive sensor or a second capacitance variation measured by the second capacitive sensor, between a first point in time and a second point in time, is beyond a set range. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol generating system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to determine or verify a type of the aerosol generating article based on a first capacitance variation measured by the first capacitive sensor or a second capacitance variation measured by the second capacitive sensor, between a first point in time and a second point in time.