Aerosol generating device and operation method thereof

Abstract

An aerosol generating device includes a main body including a main body portion having an accommodation space into which an aerosol-generating article is inserted; a cap detachably coupled to the main body; a cartridge detachably coupled to the main body portion; a first sensor configured to detect whether the cap is attached or detached; a second sensor configured to detect whether the cartridge is attached or detached; a third sensor configured to detect a remaining amount of liquid in the cartridge; and a microcontroller electrically connected to the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor. The microcontroller wakes up when a measurement value detected by the first sensor changes to a preset value or more and determines whether the cap is attached or detached, when it is determined that the cap has been removed from the main body, the microcontroller detects whether the cartridge is detached or not using the second sensor during a preset grace time, but when the microcontroller does not detect attachment or detachment of the cartridge during the grace time, the microcontroller switches to sleep mode when the grace time elapses, and during the sleep mode, the microcontroller wakes up when the measurement value detected by the third sensor changes to a preset value or more, and re-detects whether the cartridge is attached or detached using the second sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aerosol generating device comprising:
 a main body including a main body portion having an accommodation space into which an aerosol-generating article is inserted;   a cap detachably coupled to the main body;   a cartridge detachably coupled to the main body portion;   a first sensor configured to detect whether the cap is attached or detached;   a second sensor configured to detect whether the cartridge is attached or detached;   a third sensor configured to detect a remaining amount of liquid in the cartridge; and   a microcontroller electrically connected to the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor,   wherein the microcontroller is configured to   wake up when a measurement value detected by the first sensor changes to a preset value or more and determine whether the cap is attached or detached,   when it is determined that the cap has been removed from the main body, detect whether the cartridge is attached or detached by using the second sensor during a preset grace time, wherein, when attachment or detachment of the cartridge is not detected during the preset grace time, the microcontroller switches to a sleep mode when the preset grace time has elapsed, and   during the sleep mode, wake up when a measurement value detected by the third sensor changes to a preset value or more, and re-detect whether the cartridge is attached or detached by using the second sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the cap includes an electromagnetic conductor, the first sensor includes a coil, and the microcontroller is further configured to determine whether the cap is attached or detached, based on a value of a current change caused by the electromagnetic inductor and the coil. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the second sensor includes terminals connected to the cartridge, transmits a pulse current through one terminal at a preset period, and determines whether the cartridge is attached or detached, based on whether the pulse current is received through another terminal. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 3 , wherein the second sensor is further configured to determine a mounted state when the pulse current is received through the other terminal, and determine a removed state when the pulse current is not received. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 4 , wherein, when the microcontroller receives successive result values from the second sensor in the order of the mounted state, the removed state, and the mounted state, the microcontroller is further configured to determine that the cartridge has been replaced. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the third sensor includes an electrode unit and is a capacitance sensor configured to obtain a capacitance measurement value by measuring a capacitance of the electrode unit. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 6 , wherein the capacitance measurement value varies depending on an approach or departure of a part of a user's body when the cap is removed. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 6 , wherein, when it is determined that the cap is mounted after the cartridge is replaced, the microcontroller is further configured to determine a total number of puffs capable of generating aerosols in the cartridge, based on the capacitance measurement value. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the micro controller is further configured to obtain a capacitance difference value by calculating a difference between a first capacitance measurement value and a second capacitance measurement value, wherein the first capacitance measurement value is obtained by measuring the capacitance of the electrode unit at a first time point when the cap is removed from the main body, and the second capacitance measurement value is obtained by measuring the capacitance of the electrode unit at a second time point when the cap is mounted on the main body,   and determine the total number of puffs for the second time point, based on the capacitance difference value.   
     
     
         10 . An aerosol generating device comprising:
 a main body including a main body portion having an accommodation space into which an aerosol-generating article is inserted;   a cap detachably coupled to the main body;   a cartridge detachably coupled to the main body portion;   a first sensor that detects whether the cap is attached or detached;   a second sensor that detects whether the cartridge is attached or detached;   a third sensor that detects remaining amount of liquid in the cartridge; and   a microcontroller electrically connected to the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor,   wherein, the microcontroller   wakes up when a measurement value detected by the first sensor changes to a preset value or more and determines whether the cap is attached or detached,   when it is determined that the cap is separated from the main body, the microcontroller detects whether the cartridge is detached or not using the second sensor during a preset grace time, but when the microcontroller does not detect attachment or detachment of the cartridge during the grace time, the microcontroller switches to sleep mode when the grace time elapses, and   during the sleep mode, the microcontroller wakes up at a preset cycle and re-detects whether the cartridge is detached or not using the second sensor.   
     
     
         11 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 10 , wherein the cap includes an electromagnetic conductor, the first sensor includes a coil, and the microcontroller determines whether the cap is attached or detached, based on a value of a current change caused by electromagnetic inductor and the coil. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 10 , wherein the second sensor includes terminals connected to the cartridge, transmits a pulse current through one terminal at a preset period, and determines whether the cartridge is attached or detached based on whether the pulse current is received through the other terminal. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 12 , wherein the second sensor determines an attached state when the pulse current is received through the other terminal, and determines a removed state when the pulse current is not received. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 13 , wherein, when the microcontroller receives successive result values from the second sensor in the order of mounted state, removed state, and mounted state, the microcontroller determines that the cartridge has been replaced. 
     
     
         15 . A method of operation of an aerosol generating device which includes a main body including a main body portion having an accommodation space into which an aerosol-generating article is inserted, a cap detachably coupled to the main body, a cartridge detachably coupled to the main body portion, and a micro controller,
 the method comprising:   waking up the microcontroller when a measurement value detected by a first sensor that detects whether the cap is attached or detached changes to a preset value or more, and determining whether the cap is attached or detached;   when it is determined that the cap has been removed from the main body, detecting whether the cartridge is attached or detached using a second sensor that detects whether the cartridge is attached or detached during a preset grace period, but when detachment of the cartridge is not detected during the grace time, switching the microcontroller to a sleep mode when the grace time elapses; and   during the sleep mode, when a measurement value detected by the third sensor that detects remaining amount of liquid in the cartridge changes to a preset value or more, waking up the microcontroller and re-detects whether the cartridge is attached or detached using the second sensor.