Aerosol-generating device

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is disclosed. The aerosol-generating device includes a body providing an insertion space in which a stick is accommodated, a heater configured to heat the stick, a stick detection sensor disposed adjacent to the insertion space, a puff sensor configured to detect inhalation, a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the heater, and a controller configured to determine whether the stick is inserted into or removed from the insertion space, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the stick is inserted into or removed from the insertion space based on a signal detected by the stick detection sensor, and cancel insertion determination or removal determination based on at least one of a signal detected by the puff sensor or a signal detected by the temperature sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aerosol-generating device comprising:
 a body providing an insertion space in which a stick is accommodated;   a heater configured to heat the stick;   a stick detection sensor disposed adjacent to the insertion space;   a puff sensor configured to detect inhalation;   a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the heater; and   a controller configured to determine whether the stick is inserted into or removed from the insertion space,   wherein the controller is configured to:   determine whether the stick is inserted into or removed from the insertion space based on a signal detected by the stick detection sensor, and   cancel insertion determination or removal determination based on at least one of a signal detected by the puff sensor or a signal detected by the temperature sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine whether inhalation by a user is detected by the puff sensor when insertion or removal of the stick is detected by the stick detection sensor, and   cancel the insertion determination or the removal determination based on inhalation by the user being detected by the puff sensor.   
     
     
         3 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to cancel the insertion determination or the removal determination based on inhalation by the user being detected by the puff sensor at a time point when insertion or removal of the stick is detected by the stick detection sensor or within a certain time from the time point. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine the temperature of the heater by repeatedly receiving the signal detected by the temperature sensor,   determine that the stick is inserted or removed when insertion or removal of the stick is detected by the stick detection sensor,   compare a first parameter related to the temperature of the heater before a time point when the insertion or removal of the stick is detected by the stick detection sensor, with a second parameter related to the temperature of the heater after the time point when the insertion or removal of the stick is detected, and   cancel the insertion determination or the removal determination based on a result of comparison between the first parameter and the second parameter.   
     
     
         5 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 compare a ratio of a difference between the first parameter and the second parameter to the first parameter with a first threshold value, and   cancel the insertion determination or the removal determination based on the ratio being less than the first threshold value.   
     
     
         6 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 5 , wherein the first threshold value is 5 to 15%. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first parameter is an average change amount of the temperature of the heater during a certain period of time before a time point when the insertion or removal of the stick is detected, and   the second parameter is an average change amount of the temperature of the heater during the certain period of time after the time point when the insertion or removal of the stick is detected.   
     
     
         8 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first parameter is a standard deviation of the temperature of the heater during a certain period of time before a time point when the insertion or removal of the stick is detected, and   the second parameter is a standard deviation of the temperature of the heater during the certain period of time after the time point when the insertion or removal of the stick is detected.   
     
     
         9 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 7 , wherein the certain period of time is 5 to 15 seconds. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 compare the temperature of the heater with a second threshold value, and   compare the first parameter with the second parameter based on the temperature of the heater being greater than the second threshold value.   
     
     
         11 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 10 , wherein the second threshold value is 40° C. to 60° C. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , comprising a power source configured to supply power to the heater,
 wherein the controller is configured to interrupt power supply to the heater by controlling the power source based on canceling the insertion determination.   
     
     
         13 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , comprising a power source configured to supply power to the heater,
 wherein the controller is configured to supply power to the heater by controlling the power source based on canceling the removal determination.   
     
     
         14 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the stick detection sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.