Aerosol-generating device

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is disclosed. The aerosol-generating device according to various embodiments of the present invention is an aerosol-generating device including an insertion space into which an aerosol-generating article may be inserted, and may include: a housing; a heater; a sensor unit; a memory in which a plurality of temperature profiles are stored; and at least one processor configured to, when a signal for heating an aerosol-generating article inserted into the insertion space is detected, check a temperature of a specific area adjacent to the heater through the sensor unit, determine a specific temperature profile of the plurality of temperature profiles based on the checked temperature, and control power supplied to the heater according to the determined specific temperature profile.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aerosol-generating device comprising an insertion space into which an aerosol-generating article may be inserted, the aerosol-generating device comprising:
 a housing;   a heater;   a sensor unit;   a memory in which a plurality of temperature profiles are stored; and   at least one processor configured to, when a signal for heating an aerosol-generating article inserted into the insertion space is detected, check a temperature of a specific area adjacent to the heater through the sensor unit, determine a specific temperature profile of the plurality of temperature profiles based on the checked temperature, and control power supplied to the heater according to the determined specific temperature profile.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1   wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one temperature sensor capable of sensing a temperature of the specific area, and   the at least one temperature sensor is disposed inside the housing of the aerosol-generating device and is positioned in an area within a predetermined distance from the heater.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured separately from a temperature sensor for checking a temperature of the heater.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of temperature profiles comprises:   a first section set to control the heater based on a target temperature; and   a second section set after the first section and set to control the heater based on a holding temperature that is a temperature lower than the target temperature.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the plurality of temperature profiles comprises a first temperature profile and a second temperature profile,   the at least one processor is configured to:   select the first temperature profile when a temperature of the specific area is less than a first threshold; and   select the second temperature profile when a temperature of the specific area is greater than or equal to the first threshold, and   a target temperature of the second temperature profile is set to be lower than a target temperature of the first temperature profile, or a holding temperature of the second temperature profile is set to be lower than a holding temperature of the first temperature profile.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 ,
 the plurality of temperature profiles further comprises a third temperature profile,   the at least one processor is configured to:   select the third temperature profile when a temperature of the specific area is greater than or equal to a second threshold value higher than the first threshold, and   a target temperature of the third temperature profile is set to be lower than the target temperature of the second temperature profile, or a holding temperature of the third temperature profile is set to be lower than the holding temperature of the second temperature profile.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the plurality of temperature profiles are set such that at least some of the target temperatures of each of the plurality of temperature profiles are different from each other, or at least some of the holding temperatures of each of the plurality of temperature profiles are different from each other.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the plurality of temperature profiles are set such that the time to reach the same target temperature is different from each other when at least some of the target temperatures of each of the plurality of temperature profiles are the same as each other.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the plurality of temperature profiles are set such that the time to reach the same holding temperature is different from each other when at least some of the holding temperatures of each of the plurality of temperature profiles are the same as each other.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one processor is configured to:   check the temperature of the specific area and determine the specific temperature profile when a second heating is started within a predetermined time after the end of a first heating of the aerosol-generating device.   
     
     
         11 . A temperature control method of an aerosol-generating device comprising a heater and an insertion space into which an aerosol-generating article may be inserted, the method comprising:
 a step of sensing a signal for heating an aerosol-generating article inserted into the insertion space;   a step of checking a temperature of a specific area adjacent to the heater through a sensor unit of the aerosol-generating device;   a step of determining a specific temperature profile of a plurality of temperature profiles based on the checked temperature; and   a step of controlling power supplied to the heater according to the determined specific temperature profile.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the plurality of temperature profiles comprises:   a first section set to control the heater based on a target temperature; and   a second section set after the first section and set to control the heater based on a holding temperature that is a temperature lower than the target temperature.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the plurality of temperature profiles comprises a first temperature profile and a second temperature profile,   the step of determining a specific temperature profile of the plurality of temperature profiles comprises:   a step of selecting the first temperature profile when a temperature of the specific area is less than a first threshold; and   a step of selecting the second temperature profile when a temperature of the specific area is greater than or equal to the first threshold, and   a target temperature of the second temperature profile is set to be lower than a target temperature of the first temperature profile, or a holding temperature of the second temperature profile is set to be lower than a holding temperature of the first temperature profile.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the plurality of temperature profiles further comprises a third temperature profile,   the step of determining a specific temperature profile of the plurality of temperature profiles further comprises:   a step of selecting the third temperature profile when a temperature of the specific area is greater than or equal to a second threshold value higher than the first threshold, and   a target temperature of the third temperature profile is set to be lower than the target temperature of the second temperature profile, or a holding temperature of the third temperature profile is set to be lower than the holding temperature of the second temperature profile.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the step of checking a temperature of a specific area adjacent to the heater is performed when a second heating is started within a predetermined time after the end of a first heating of the aerosol-generating device.