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EP-4740769-A1 - METHOD FOR DETERMINING SUSCEPTOR CHANGE, AND AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE FOR PERFORMING SAME METHOD

EP4740769A1EP 4740769 A1EP4740769 A1EP 4740769A1EP-4740769-A1

Abstract

A method for determining whether a susceptor is changed, according to one embodiment, may comprise the operations of: applying a first signal to a coil of a heater so as to generate an alternating magnetic field having a first frequency; determining a first value of an electrical characteristic of the susceptor indicated by the first signal; applying a second signal to the coil of the heater so as to generate an alternating magnetic field having a second frequency; determining a second value of an electrical characteristic of the susceptor indicated by the second signal; and determining whether the susceptor is a changed susceptor, on the basis of the first value and the second value.

Inventors

  • LEE, JAEMIN
  • PARK, SANG KYU

Assignees

  • KT&G Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240617

Claims (14)

  1. A method of determining a susceptor change performed by an aerosol generating device, the method comprising: applying a first signal to a coil of a heater such that an alternating magnetic field having a first frequency is generated; determining a first value of an electrical characteristic of a susceptor indicated by the first signal; applying a second signal to the coil of the heater such that an alternating magnetic field having a second frequency is generated; determining a second value of an electrical characteristic of the susceptor indicated by the second signal; and determining whether the susceptor is a changed susceptor based on the first value and the second value.
  2. The method of claim 1, wherein the susceptor is disposed inside an aerosol generating article when the aerosol generating article is inserted into the aerosol generating device.
  3. The method of claim 1, wherein the susceptor is disposed to surround an outside of the aerosol generating article when the aerosol generating article is inserted into the aerosol generating device.
  4. The method of claim 1, wherein the susceptor is comprised in an aerosol generating article inserted into the aerosol generating device.
  5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical characteristic of the susceptor is an eddy current.
  6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical characteristic of the susceptor is impedance.
  7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are frequencies greater than a natural frequency of the susceptor.
  8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a temperature equation for the susceptor based on the first value and the second value, wherein the temperature equation is used to determine a temperature of the susceptor while the aerosol generating article inserted into the aerosol generating device is being heated.
  9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: applying a third signal to the coil of the heater to heat the aerosol generating article; determining the temperature of the susceptor based on the temperature equation while the aerosol generating article is being heated; and controlling at least one of an operating frequency, a current, a voltage, or a duty ratio of the third signal such that the temperature of the susceptor follows a temperature profile based on the temperature of the susceptor.
  10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing the method of claim 1.
  11. An aerosol generating device, comprising: a coil configured to generate an alternating magnetic field; and a controller controlling the aerosol generating device, wherein the controller is configured to: apply a first signal to the coil such that an alternating magnetic field having a first frequency is generated; determine a first value of an electrical characteristic of a susceptor indicated by the first signal; apply a second signal to the coil such that an alternating magnetic field having a second frequency is generated; determine a second value of an electrical characteristic of the susceptor indicated by the second signal; and determine whether the susceptor is a changed susceptor based on the first value and the second value.
  12. The aerosol generating device of claim 11, wherein the susceptor is disposed inside an aerosol generating article when the aerosol generating article is inserted into the aerosol generating device.
  13. The aerosol generating device of claim 11, further comprising the susceptor, wherein the susceptor is disposed inside an aerosol generating article when the aerosol generating article is inserted into the aerosol generating device.
  14. The aerosol generating device of claim 11, further comprising: the susceptor, wherein the susceptor is disposed to surround an outside of the aerosol generating article when the aerosol generating article is inserted into the aerosol generating device.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The following embodiments relate to a technology for controlling an aerosol generating device, and more particularly, to a technology for controlling an aerosol generating device that heats an aerosol generating article by using an induction heating scheme. BACKGROUND ART The demand for electronic cigarettes has recently been on the rise. The rising demand for electronic cigarettes has accelerated the continued development of electronic cigarette-related functions. In particular, related functions are continuously being developed according to the type and characteristics of electronic cigarettes. Typically, to heat a cigarette using an induction heating scheme, an electronic cigarette may use a coil to generate an alternating magnetic field to generate eddy currents in a susceptor adjacent to the cigarette. The temperature of the susceptor may increase due to the eddy currents generated in the susceptor. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL GOALS An embodiment may provide an aerosol generating device that determines whether a susceptor is present in the aerosol generating device. An embodiment may provide an aerosol generating device that determines whether a susceptor positioned within the aerosol generating device is a different susceptor than a previous susceptor. TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS A method for determining a susceptor change, according to an embodiment, includes applying a first signal to a coil of a heater such that an alternating magnetic field having a first frequency is generated, determining a first value of an electrical characteristic of a susceptor indicated by the first signal, applying a second signal to the coil of the heater such that an alternating magnetic field having a second frequency is generated, determining a second value of an electrical characteristic of the susceptor indicated by the second signal, and determining whether the susceptor is a changed susceptor based on the first value and the second value. An aerosol generating device, according to an embodiment, includes a coil configured to generate an alternating magnetic field, and a controller controlling the aerosol generating device, wherein the controller may be configured to apply a first signal to the coil such that an alternating magnetic field having a first frequency is generated, determine a first value of an electrical characteristic of a susceptor indicated by the first signal, apply a second signal to the coil such that an alternating magnetic field having a second frequency is generated, determine a second value of an electrical characteristic of the susceptor indicated by the second signal, and determine whether the susceptor is a changed susceptor based on the first value and the second value. EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, an aerosol generating device that determines whether a susceptor is present in the aerosol generating device and operates based on whether a susceptor is present may be provided. According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, an aerosol generating device that determines a temperature of a susceptor based on electrical characteristics of a new susceptor when a susceptor in the aerosol generating device is a different susceptor than a previous susceptor may be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIGS. 1a to 1d are diagrams illustrating examples of an aerosol generating article inserted into an aerosol generating device, according to various embodiments.FIGS. 2, 3 diagrams of examples of an aerosol generating article, of various embodiments.FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device, according to various embodiments.FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method of determining whether a susceptor is a changed susceptor, according to various embodiments.FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating trajectories of eddy currents in a susceptor indicated by frequencies of signals, according to various embodiments.FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating trajectories of impedance in a susceptor indicated by frequencies of signals, according to various embodiments.FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method of determining a temperature equation for a susceptor based on a first value and a second value of an electrical characteristic of the susceptor, according to various embodiments.FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method of controlling a temperature of a susceptor while an aerosol generating article is being heated, according to various embodiments. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The following detailed structural or functional description is provided as an example only and various alterations and modifications may be made to embodiments. Accordingly, the embodiments are not construed as limited to the disclosure and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, and replacements within the idea and the technical scope of the disclosure. Although terms of "first" or "second" are used to explain various components, the c