WO2025229302A1

WO2025229302A1 - Charge control method for aerosol provision device, aerosol provision device and system

Info

Publication number: WO2025229302A1
Application number: PCT/GB2025/050846
Authority: WO
Inventors: Changpeng YIN
Original assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Current assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Priority date: 2024-04-30
Filing date: 2025-04-22
Publication date: 2025-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 2026-10-30
Also published as: CN120859219A

Abstract

There is provided a charge control method for an aerosol provision device, an aerosol provision device, and a system. The method comprises: obtaining the resistance value of an external device connected to the device; based on the correspondence relationship between the resistance value and the charging amount, determining the target charging amount corresponding to the resistance value. Through the embodiments of the present application, the problem of how to automatically adjust the target charging amount according to the charging requirements to reduce the problems caused by manual operations is solved.

Description

CHARGE CONTROL METHOD FOR AEROSOL PROVISION DEVICE, AEROSOL PROVISION DEVICE AND SYSTEM

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of aerosol provision technology, and particularly relates to a charge control method for an aerosol provision device, an aerosol provision device and an aerosol provision system.

Technical Background

In the electronic cigarette industry, an aerosol provision system is configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating substrate (such as a tobacco-containing or tobacco leaf substrate) for a user to inhale. The battery of the device part of the aerosol provision system should be charged after production. However, the battery's SOC (State of Charge), which is used to reflect the remaining capacity of the battery and is defined numerically as the ratio of the remaining capacity to the battery capacity, usually expressed as a percentage) should not be fully charged, so as to avoid affecting the battery life during the transportation of the device. Currently, the only method is for the operator to manually observe the charging amount. When the charging amount reaches the target value, the operator needs to pull out the charging adapter to stop charging and prevent the battery from being fully charged. During the charging process, the operator needs to constantly observe the charging situation, which is time-consuming, laborious, inconvenient to operate, and increases the production cost. Moreover, due to the manual observation and operation, there is a high probability of overcharging or having an excessively low battery level, which fails to meet the production requirements.

Summary

In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided a charge control method for an aerosol provision device, an aerosol provision device and an aerosol provision system to solve the problem of how to automatically adjust the target charging amount according to the charging requirements and reduce the problems caused by manual operations.

In accordance with a first aspect, there is provided a charge control method for an aerosol provision device. The method comprises: obtaining the resistance value of an external device connected to the device, and determining the target charging amount corresponding to the resistance value based on the relationship between the resistance value and the charging amount. In embodiments of the or any of the above charge control method for an aerosol provision device, determining the target charging amount corresponding to the resistance value based on the relationship between the resistance value and the charging amount comprises: if the resistance value is greater than or equal to a first threshold, determining the target charging amount of the device to be a first target charging amount; and if the resistance value is less than a first threshold, determining the target charging amount of the device to be a second target charging amount.

In embodiments of the or any of the above charge control method for an aerosol provision device, if the resistance value is greater than or equal to a first threshold, the method further comprises: determining whether the resistance value is less than the second threshold. If yes, controlling the target charging amount of the device to be the first target charging amount. If not, maintaining the current target charging amount; wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

In embodiments of the or any of the above charge control method for an aerosol provision device, the external device comprises a cartridge. The cartridge is configured to be detachably installed to the device.

In embodiments of the or any of the above charge control method for an aerosol provision device, the method further comprises: obtaining the connection status of the cartridge with the device during a charging process; and determining that the cartridge is in a connected state with the device, maintaining the target charging amount corresponding to the cartridge.

In embodiments of the or any of the above charge control method for an aerosol provision device, the method further comprises: determining that the cartridge is in a disconnected state with the device, restoring the default target charging amount of the device or prohibiting charging.

In embodiments of the or any of the above charge control method for an aerosol provision device, the method further comprises: based on the relationship between the resistance value and the charging amount, after determining the target charging amount corresponding to the resistance value, storing the current target charging amount and restoring the default target charging amount of the device after completing charging with the current target charging amount.

In embodiments of the or any of the above charge control method for an aerosol provision device, the method further comprises: during the charging process, controlling a light-emitting element of the aerosol provision device to indicate charging status; and when charging is stopped, controlling the light-emitting element to turn off.

In embodiments of the or any of the above charge control method for an aerosol provision device, the method further comprises: obtaining the actual charging amount during the charging process, and when the actual charging amount reaches the target charging amount, prohibiting charging the device.

In accordance with a second aspect, there is provided an aerosol provision device. The device is configured to execute the charge control method for the aerosol provision device according to any one of the methods in first aspect.

In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision device, the device further comprises a first acquisition module, and the first acquisition module is configured to obtain the resistance value of an external device connected to the aerosol provision device.

In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision device, the device further comprises a second acquisition module, and the second acquisition module is configured to obtain the actual charging amount during the charging process of the device.

In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision device, the device further comprises a charging module, and the charging module is configured to control charging and discharging of the device according to charging and discharging instructions.

In accordance with a third aspect, there is provided an aerosol provision system. The system comprises: the aerosol provision device in the second aspect, and a cartridge configured as the external device and detachably installed to the device.

In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision system, the resistance value of the cartridge installed to the device is greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold. The target charging amount of the device is configured as a first target charging amount, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

In embodiments of the or any of the above aerosol provision system, the resistance value of the cartridge installed to the device is less than a first threshold, and the target charging amount of the device is configured as a second target charging amount.

In accordance with a fourth aspect, there is provided an electronic device, which comprises a memory, one or more processors, and one or more applications. The one or more applications are stored in the memory, and the one or more applications are configured such that when invoked by the one or more processors, the one or more processors execute the method according to any one of the first aspect.

In accordance with a fifth aspect, there is provided a computer readable storage medium, which stores multiple program codes. The program codes are adapted to be loaded and executed by a processor to execute the method according to any one of the first aspect.

One or more of the above technical solutions of the present invention have at least one or more of the following beneficial effects:

In implementing the technical solutions of the present application, by determining the target charging amount of the device end through the resistance value of the external device, it is possible to select external devices with different resistance values according to the charging requirements, so as to automatically match the target charging amount. There is no need for manual observation of the power, the operation is simple, and the charging amount standard can be unified to meet the production requirements without affecting the full - chargeable capacity during normal use by users.

Additional aspects and advantages of the application will be partially described in the following description, some will become apparent from the following description, and others will be learned through the practice of the application.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the disclosure of the present application will become more understandable. Those skilled in the art can easily understand that these drawings are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Moreover, similar numbers in the figures are used to represent similar components, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the main process steps of the charge control method for an aerosol provision device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol provision device connected to a cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application;

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the principle structure of an aerosol provision device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the principle structure of an aerosol provision device connected to a cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application; and

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the main process steps of charge control when an aerosol provision device is connected to a cartridge according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The following describes some embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are only for explaining the technical principles of the present application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

As used herein, the term “delivery system” is intended to encompass systems that deliver at least one substance to a user in use, and includes: combustible aerosol provision systems, such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own or for make-your-own cigarettes (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes or other smokable material); non-combustible aerosol provision systems that release compounds from an aerosolgenerating material without combusting the aerosol-generating material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials; and aerosol-free delivery systems that deliver the at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally or in another way without forming an aerosol, including but not limited to, lozenges, gums, patches, articles comprising inhalable powders, and oral products such as oral tobacco which includes snus or moist snuff, wherein the at least one substance may or may not comprise nicotine.

According to the present disclosure, a “combustible” aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is combusted or burned during use in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is a combustible aerosol provision system, such as a system selected from the group consisting of a cigarette, a cigarillo and a cigar.

In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a component for use in a combustible aerosol provision system, such as a filter, a filter rod, a filter segment, a tobacco rod, a spill, an aerosol-modifying agent release component such as a capsule, a thread, or a bead, or a paper such as a plug wrap, a tipping paper or a cigarette paper.

According to the present disclosure, a “non-combustible” aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is not combusted or burned in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol provision system.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it is noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an aerosolgenerating material heating system, also known as a heat-not-burn system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is a hybrid system to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or a plurality of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid or gel and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may comprise, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

Typically, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise a noncombustible aerosol provision device and a consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision device.

In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosolgenerating material and configured to be used with non-combustible aerosol provision devices. These consumables are sometimes referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a non- combustible aerosol provision device thereof, may comprise a power source and a controller. The power source may, for example, be an electric power source or an exothermic power source. In some embodiments, the exothermic power source comprises a carbon substrate which may be energised so as to distribute power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or to a heat transfer material in proximity to the exothermic power source.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise an area for receiving the consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter and/or an aerosol-modifying agent.

In some embodiments, the consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision device may comprise aerosol-generating material, an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and/or an aerosolmodifying agent.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is an aerosol-free delivery system that delivers at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally or in another way without forming an aerosol, including but not limited to, lozenges, gums, patches, articles comprising inhalable powders, and oral products such as oral tobacco which includes snus or moist snuff, wherein the at least one substance may or may not comprise nicotine.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered may be an aerosol-generating material or a material that is not intended to be aerosolised. As appropriate, either material may comprise one or more active constituents, one or more flavours, one or more aerosolformer materials, and/or one or more other functional materials.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered comprises an active substance. The active substance as used herein may be a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substance may for example be selected from nutraceuticals, nootropics, psychoactives. The active substance may be naturally occurring or synthetically obtained. The active substance may comprise for example nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or constituents, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of tobacco, cannabis or another botanical.

In some embodiments, the active substance comprises nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises caffeine, melatonin or vitamin B12.

As noted herein, the active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more cannabinoids or terpenes.

As noted herein, the active substance may comprise or be derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof. As used herein, the term "botanical" includes any material derived from plants including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibres, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husk, shells or the like. Alternatively, the material may comprise an active compound naturally existing in a botanical, obtained synthetically. The material may be in the form of liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, shreds, strips, sheets, or the like.

Example botanicals are tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, licorice (liquorice), matcha, mate, orange skin, papaya, rose, sage, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed (anise), basil, bay leaves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, Wintergreen, beefsteak plant, curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab or any combination thereof. The mint may be chosen from the following mint varieties: Mentha Arventis, Mentha c.v., Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrata c.v., Mentha piperita c.v, Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cardifolia, Memtha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata c.v. and Mentha suaveolens.

In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is tobacco. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa and hemp.

In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is selected from rooibos and fennel.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered comprises a flavour. As used herein, the terms "flavour" and "flavourant" refer to materials which, where local regulations permit, may be used to create a desired taste, aroma or other somatosensorial sensation in a product for adult consumers. They may include naturally occurring flavour materials, botanicals, extracts of botanicals, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice (liquorice), hydrangea, eugenol, Japanese white bark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed (anise), cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herb, Wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, papaya, rhubarb, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, piment, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, a mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange skin, rose, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, beefsteak plant, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavour enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath freshening agents. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, liquid such as an oil, solid such as a powder, or gas.

In some embodiments, the flavour comprises menthol, spearmint and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus fruits and/or redberry. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from cannabis.

In some embodiments, the flavour may comprise a sensate, which is intended to achieve a somatosensorial sensation which are usually chemically induced and perceived by the stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to or in place of aroma or taste nerves, and these may include agents providing heating, cooling, tingling, numbing effect. A suitable heat effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether and a suitable cooling agent may be, but not limited to eucolyptol, WS-3.

Aerosol-generating material is a material that is capable of generating aerosol, for example when heated, irradiated or energized in any other way. Aerosol-generating material may, for example, be in the form of a solid, liquid or gel which may or may not contain an active substance and/or flavourants. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise an “amorphous solid”, which may alternatively be referred to as a“monolithic solid” (i.e. non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dried gel. The amorphous solid is a solid material that may retain some fluid, such as liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may for example comprise from about 50wt%, 60wt% or 70wt% of amorphous solid, to about 90wt%, 95wt% or 100wt% of amorphous solid.

The aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more active substances and/or flavours, one or more aerosol-former materials, and optionally one or more other functional material.

The aerosol-former material may comprise one or more constituents capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-former material may comprise one or more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1 ,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso- Erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, a diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, a diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

The one or more other functional materials may comprise one or more of pH regulators, colouring agents, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and/or antioxidants.

The material may be present on or in a support, to form a substrate. The support may, for example, be or comprise paper, card, paperboard, cardboard, reconstituted material, a plastics material, a ceramic material, a composite material, glass, a metal, or a metal alloy. In some embodiments, the support comprises a susceptor. In some embodiments, the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some alternative embodiments, the susceptor is on one or either side of the material.

A consumable is an article comprising or consisting of aerosol-generating material, part or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user. A consumable may comprise one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter and/or an aerosol-modifying agent. A consumable may also comprise an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that emits heat to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate aerosol in use. The heater may, for example, comprise combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

A susceptor is a material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be an electrically-conductive material, so that penetration thereof with a varying magnetic field causes induction heating of the heating material. The heating material may be magnetic material, so that penetration thereof with a varying magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both electrically-conductive and magnetic, so that the susceptor is heatable by both heating mechanisms. The device that is configured to generate the varying magnetic field is referred to as a magnetic field generator, herein.

An aerosol-modifying agent is a substance, typically located downstream of the aerosol generation area, that is configured to modify the aerosol generated, for example by changing the taste, flavour, acidity or another characteristic of the aerosol. The aerosolmodifying agent may be provided in an aerosol-modifying agent release component, that is operable to selectively release the aerosol-modifying agent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, be an additive or a sorbent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, comprise one or more of a flavourant, a colourant, water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, be a solid, a liquid, or a gel. The aerosol-modifying agent may be in powder, thread or granule form. The aerosol-modifying agent may be free from filtration material.

An aerosol generator is an apparatus configured to cause aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to heat energy, so as to release one or more volatiles from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from the aerosolgenerating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or electrostatic energy.

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems (which may also be referred to as vapour delivery systems) such as nebulisers or e-cigarettes. Throughout the following description the term "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may sometimes be used, but it will be appreciated this term may be used interchangeably with aerosol delivery system I device and electronic aerosol delivery system I device. Furthermore, and as is common in the technical field, the terms "aerosol" and "vapour", and related terms such as "vaporise", "volatilise" and "aerosolise", may generally be used interchangeably.

Aerosol delivery systems (e-cigarettes) often, though not always, comprise a modular assembly comprising a reusable device part and a replaceable (disposable/consumable) cartridge part. Often, the replaceable cartridge part will comprise the aerosol-generating material and the vaporiser (which may collectively be called a “cartomizer”) and the reusable device part will comprise the power provision (e.g. rechargeable power source) and control circuitry. It will be appreciated these different parts may comprise further elements depending on functionality. For example, the reusable device part will often comprise a user interface for receiving user input and displaying operating status characteristics, and the replaceable cartridge device part in some cases comprises a temperature sensor for helping to control temperature. Cartridges are electrically and mechanically coupled to the control unit for use, for example using a screw thread, bayonet, or magnetic coupling with appropriately arranged electrical contacts. When the aerosol-generating material in a cartridge is exhausted, or the user wishes to switch to a different cartridge having a different aerosol-generating material, the cartridge may be removed from the reusable part and a replacement cartridge attached in its place. Systems and devices conforming to this type of two-part modular configuration may generally be referred to as two-part systems/devices.

It is common for electronic cigarettes to have a generally elongate shape. For the sake of providing a concrete example, certain embodiments of the disclosure will be taken to comprise this kind of generally elongate two-part system employing disposable cartridges. However, it will be appreciated that the underlying principles described herein may equally be adopted for different configurations, for example single-part systems or modular systems comprising more than two parts, refillable devices and single-use disposables, as well as other overall shapes, for example based on so-called box-mod high performance devices that typically have a boxier shape. More generally, it will be appreciated certain embodiments of the disclosure are based on aerosol delivery systems which are operationally configured to provide functionality in accordance with the principles described herein and the constructional aspects of systems configured to provide the functionality in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure is not of primary significance.

As described in the background art, before the device part battery of the aerosol provision system is transported after production, the SOC should not be fully charged. Otherwise, it will affect the battery life during transportation. Generally, it is charged to 50%- 80%. The production line operator manually ensures that the device stops charging immediately when the battery voltage reaches the target charging amount. However, manual operation is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Various lists need to be added to confirm the data of the device, which is costly and inefficient. Moreover, it cannot be guaranteed that each device can be stopped charging when it reaches the target charging amount. There is a possibility of a fully charged state, which is not conducive to transportation and affects the product quality. Based on this, the present invention proposes a charge control method for an aerosol provision device, so that the aerosol provision device can be automatically adjusted to the target charging amount, that is, a specific SOC, according to the charging requirements during the generation process, reducing the problems caused by manual operations.

Referring to Figure 1 , Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the main steps of a charge control method for an aerosol provision device according to an embodiment of the present application. A charge control method for an aerosol provision device in an embodiment of the present invention mainly includes the following steps S101-S102. Step S101 : Obtaining the resistance value of the external device connected to the device;

In one implementation, the SOC of the aerosol provision device has a corresponding charging voltage value. The production line operator generally judges whether the charging amount reaches the target value according to the charging voltage value. When the device is connected to a cartridge and used normally, the overall resistance value of the aerosol provision system is relatively fixed. Based on this, in the present invention, the maximum charging amount or the maximum charging voltage value of the device can be adjusted by identifying the change in the resistance value of the aerosol provision device, so as to achieve the effect of stopping when the target charging amount is reached. In this example, some external devices with specific resistance values can be selected. According to specific charging requirements, an external device with a corresponding resistance value is selected and connected to the device for charging the device. For example, if the original overall resistance value of the system is 2 ohms, an external device with a resistance value larger than 2 ohms, such as 5 ohms, can be selected and connected to the device. After the device detects that the connected resistance value is not the conventional resistance value, it adjusts the maximum charging amount of its battery. In practice, the target charging amount can be corresponded by adjusting the maximum charging voltage. Further, the external device can be a cartridge.

Step S102: Based on the correspondence relationship between the resistance value and the charging amount, determining the target charging amount corresponding to the resistance value.

In one implementation, the method for determining the target charging amount corresponding to the resistance value is as follows: If the resistance value of the external device is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the changed target charging amount is the first target charging amount; if the resistance value is less than the first threshold, the target charging amount of the device is determined to be the second target charging amount. Based on the set threshold, the corresponding target charging amount is adjusted. Different threshold ranges have corresponding target charging amounts. The target charging amount is determined according to whether the resistance value is within the threshold range, so as to charge according to the production requirements. In the present invention, the first threshold can be a value greater than the conventional resistance value of the device; during the production process, the maximum value of the battery charging voltage is automatically adjusted to the target charging voltage value to replace the fully charged state. When the device is purchased and used normally, the battery can be fully charged normally, and there is no complicated operation during the manufacturing process. In one implementation, when the resistance value is greater than or equal to the first threshold, it is further confirmed whether the resistance value is less than the second threshold. The set value of the second threshold needs to be greater than the first threshold. When the resistance value of the connected external device is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than the second threshold, the target charging amount is adjusted to the first target charging amount; otherwise, the current target charging amount is continuously maintained. The resistance value of the connected external device also needs to be within a certain range. If it is too large, it may cause that no electricity can be charged. Therefore, it needs to be kept within a reasonable range. The specific size of the threshold can be reasonably selected according to the acceptable range of the device, which is not limited in the present invention.

In one implementation, the cartridge is used as the external device because the cartridge can be directly connected and installed to the aerosol provision device in a detachable manner. As shown in Figure 2, the device 100 does not need an additional interface to connect to the device. It can directly connect cartridges 200 with different resistance values through the power supply pins to achieve the adjustment of different target charging amounts. For example, the resistance value of an ordinary cartridge 200 is 1 ohm. Therefore, the resistance value of the cartridge 200 in production can be designed to be 5 ohms. When using a cartridge 200 with a resistance value of 5 ohms in production, the device 100 can identify through the controller 101 that the inserted cartridge 200 has a resistance value of 5 ohms, and adjust and reduce the target charging amount, so that the charging device or the external power supply charges the battery 102 according to the reduced target charging amount. When the user purchases and uses the device normally, using a normal ordinary cartridge, the device 100 adjusts and restores the original maximum charging amount, and the battery 102 can still be fully charged, ensuring the normal use of the user. There is no need for additional steps to restore the 100% SOC charging capacity, which saves time and effort, does not increase the production cost, and ensures the stable charging demand of the product.

In one implementation, during the charging process, the connection status between the device and the external device needs to be obtained. If the connected external device is in a connected state, the target charging amount corresponding to the external device is continuously maintained, so that the charging device or the external power supply charges the device according to the target charging amount. In this way, the external device with a special resistance value needs to be continuously connected to the device during the charging process. The device determines whether it is connected to the external device by continuously measuring the resistance value, the power supply status or the communication status, etc. Once the connection is disconnected, the charging is restored to the default charging amount or stopped. This method has a simple logical judgment and is convenient to operate. In this embodiment, the external device is a cartridge.

In one implementation, during the charging process, it is only necessary to connect an external device with a specific resistance value, adjust the target charging amount and store the target charging amount. The charging device or the external power supply charges the device according to the stored target charging amount and stops charging after reaching the target charging amount. The aerosol provision device restores the original target charging amount by itself. In this way, there is no need for the external device to keep a connected state with the device all the time, which is more convenient to operate, and can prevent overcharging after the target charging amount is fully charged, which damages the battery performance.

In one implementation, during the charging process of the device, a light-emitting element may be controlled to indicate the charging status. When the charging is stopped, the light-emitting element is turned off. For example, when the device is charged by inserting a cartridge with a special resistance value, the indicator light turns on. When the device is fully charged according to the adjusted target charging amount, the indicator light turns off, reminding the operator that the charging amount of the device has reached the specified power state. Or, charge the device when the indicator light of the device is on until the indicator light goes out, and then pull out the charging adapter to stop charging.

In one implementation, during the actual charging process, it is necessary to monitor the current actual charging amount in real time. When the actual charging amount reaches the target charging amount, charging the device is prohibited to prevent overcharging from damaging the battery.

Based on the above steps S101-S102, in the embodiment of the present invention, the target charging amount of the device end is determined through the resistance value of the external device. It is possible to select external devices with different resistance values according to the charging requirements, so as to automatically match the target charging amount. There is no need for manual observation of the power, the operation is simple, and the charging amount standard can be unified to meet the production requirements without affecting the full-chargeable capacity during normal use by users.

It should be noted that although the steps are described in a specific sequential order in the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can understand that, in order to achieve the effects of the present invention, it is not necessary for different steps to be executed in such an order. They can be executed simultaneously (in parallel) or in other orders, and these changes are all within the protection scope of the present application. Further, the present invention provides an aerosol provision device, which is configured to execute the charge control method for the aerosol provision device as described above.

In one implementation, referring to Figure 3, the device includes a control module, such as an MCU. The control module is provided with a first acquisition module and a second acquisition module. The control module is connected to the external device through the first acquisition module and obtains the resistance value of the external device connected to the device. The second acquisition module is connected to the battery and obtains the actual charging amount during the charging process of the device, that is, continuously measures the battery voltage to prevent overcharging. The control module is also connected to a charging module, which controls the start or stop of charging and adjusts the charging current through this charging module. In the present invention, the acquisition module is an ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter). The first acquisition module corresponds to ADC-1 , and the second acquisition module corresponds to ADC-2. Further, the control module is also connected to an indicating element, such as an LED light, to indicate the charging status, which is convenient for the operator to operate according to the charging status indication, such as pulling out the cartridge with a special resistance value. The control module adjusts the target charging amount according to the detected resistance value of the external device and then charges the device. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the resistance value of the cartridge connected to the aerosol provision device is 5 ohms, and the target charging amount is reduced and adjusted to 50% SOC or 80% SOC. Charge the device until the target charging amount is reached, and then pull out the cartridge. When the user uses it normally, use a cartridge with a normal resistance value, and restore the 100% SOC charging capacity without additional steps. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, when the charging power source is connected to the charging port, the MCU starts to charge the battery through the charging module, turns on the LED. ADC-1 (the first acquisition module) measures whether the resistance value R_temp of the cartridge is equal to 5 ohms with the first threshold. If so, the charging voltage V_target corresponding to 5 ohms is set as the maximum charging voltage; if not, the default maximum charging voltage is maintained; ADC-2 (the second acquisition module) measures whether the real-time charging voltage V_temp of the battery is equal to the maximum charging voltage. When the maximum charging voltage is reached, stop charging and turn off the LED. The specific process and principle of the charge control method of the aerosol provision device are as described in the above steps S101-S102, and the repeated parts will not be elaborated again.

Further, the present application provides an aerosol provision system, which comprises: the aerosol provision device as described above; and a cartridge configured as an external device and is detachably installed to the device. In one implementation, if the resistance value of the cartridge installed to the device is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than the second threshold, the target charging amount of the device is configured as the first target charging amount, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold. When the resistance value of the cartridge installed to the device is less than the first threshold, the target charging amount of the device is configured as the second target charging amount. The specific principle is as described in the above steps S101-S102, and the repeated parts will not be elaborated again.

It should be noted that, in order to illustrate the technical solution of the present application, Figures 2-4 merely show partial schematic diagrams of the structure of the aerosol provision device and its system, and are not intended to convey the specific positions and fixed structural patterns of various components. For example, in the control module, the connected components include but are not limited to external devices, etc. It should also be understood that the aerosol provision system may include other components not shown in Figures 2-4, such as a heating element, other indicating elements, etc.

Further, the present application also provides an electronic device, which comprises a memory, one or more processors, and one or more applications. The one or more applications are stored in the memory, and the one or more applications are configured such that when invoked by the one or more processors, the one or more processors execute the method described in any of the above technical solutions.

The electronic device in the embodiment of the present application mainly comprises a memory and a processor. The memory may be configured to store a program for executing the charge control method of the aerosol provision device in the above method embodiment, and the processor may be configured to execute the program in the memory. The program comprises but is not limited to the program for executing the charge control method of the aerosol provision device in the above method embodiment. For the convenience of description, only the parts related to the embodiment of the present application are shown. For the technical details not disclosed, please refer to the method part of the embodiment of the present application.

In the embodiment of the present application, the electronic device may be a control device equipment formed by comprising various electronic components. In some possible implementations, the electronic device may comprise multiple storage devices and multiple processors. And the program for executing the charge control method of the aerosol provision device in the above method embodiment may be divided into multiple subroutines, and each subroutine may be loaded and run by the processor respectively to execute different steps of the charge control method of the aerosol provision device in the above method embodiment. Specifically, each subroutine can be stored in a different memory respectively, and each processor may be configured to execute the program in one or more memories to jointly implement the charge control method of the aerosol provision device in the above method embodiment, that is, each processor executes different steps of the charge control method of the aerosol provision device in the above method embodiment respectively to jointly implement the charge control method of the aerosol provision device in the above method embodiment.

The above electronic device is used to execute the embodiment of the charge control method for the aerosol provision device shown in Figure 1. The technical principles, the technical problems solved, and the technical effects produced are similar. Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and conciseness of description, the specific working process and related descriptions of the electronic device can refer to the content described in the embodiment of the charge control method for the aerosol provision device, and will not be repeated here.

Those skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the processes in the method of the above embodiment of the present invention can also be completed by instructing related hardware through a computer program. The computer program can be stored in a computer- readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the steps of the above various method embodiments can be implemented. Wherein, the computer program includes computer program codes, and the computer program codes can be in the form of source code, object code, an executable file, or some intermediate form, etc. The computer-readable storage medium can include: any entity or device, medium, USB flash drive, mobile hard disk, magnetic disk, optical disk, computer memory, read-only memory, random access memory, electrical carrier signal, telecommunication signal, and software distribution medium, etc. that can carry the computer program codes. It should be noted that the content included in the computer-readable storage medium can be appropriately increased or decreased according to the requirements of legislation and patent practice in the jurisdiction. For example, in some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, the computer- readable storage medium does not include electrical carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

Further, the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium. In an embodiment of a computer-readable storage medium according to the present invention, the computer-readable storage medium can be configured to store a program for executing the charge control method of the aerosol provision device in the above method embodiment, and the program can be loaded and run by the processor to implement the above charge control method of the aerosol provision device. For the convenience of description, only the parts related to the embodiment of the present invention are shown. For the technical details not disclosed, please refer to the method part of the embodiment of the present invention. The computer-readable storage medium can be a storage device equipment formed by including various electronic devices. Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium in the embodiment of the present invention is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

Further, it should be understood that since the setting of each module is only for explaining the functional modules of the device of the present application, the physical devices corresponding to these modules can be the processor itself, or a part of the software in the processor, a part of the hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. Therefore, the number of each module in the figure is only schematic. Those skilled in the art can understand that the various modules in the system can be adaptively split or combined. Such splitting or combining of specific modules will not cause the technical solution to deviate from the principle of the present application. Therefore, the technical solutions after splitting or combining will all fall within the protection scope of the present application.

It should be understood that each part of the present application may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware or combinations thereof. In the above implementations, multiple steps or methods may be implemented with software or firmware stored in memory and executed by an appropriate instruction execution system. For example, if it is implemented by hardware, as in another implementation, it can be implemented by any one of the following technologies known in the art or combinations thereof: discrete logic circuits with logic gate circuits for implementing logic functions for data signal, special integrated circuits with appropriate combined logic gate circuits, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

In the description of this specification, the referential terminology "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" means that specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are comprised in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the indicative expression of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the described specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable way in any one or more embodiments or examples.

Moreover, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used merely for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the characteristics defined as "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly comprise at least one such characteristic. In the description of the present application, the term "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

In the present application, unless explicitly defined and limited, terms such as "mounting," "connecting," "connection," "fixing," etc., should be understood broadly. For instance, the connection can be a fixed connection or a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediary medium, it can be the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless explicitly defined otherwise. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of these terms in the context of the application based on the circumstances.

Although the embodiments of the application have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are exemplary and should not be considered as limiting the application. Those skilled in the art within the scope of the application can make variations, modifications, replacements, and variations to the above- described embodiments.

Claims

1. A charge control method for an aerosol provision device, characterized in that, the method comprises: obtaining the resistance value of an external device connected to the device; based on the correspondence relationship between the resistance value and the charging amount, determining the target charging amount corresponding to the resistance value.

2. The charge control method for an aerosol provision device according to claim 1 , characterized in that, based on the correspondence relationship between the resistance value and the charging amount, determining the target charging amount corresponding to the resistance value, which comprises: if the resistance value is greater than or equal to a first threshold, determining the target charging amount of the device to be a first target charging amount; if the resistance value is less than a first threshold, determining the target charging amount of the device to be a second target charging amount.

3. The charge control method for an aerosol provision device according to claim 2, characterized in that, if the resistance value is greater than or equal to a first threshold, the method further comprises: determining whether the resistance value is less than the second threshold; if yes, controlling the target charging amount of the device to be the first target charging amount; if not, maintaining the current target charging amount; wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

4. The charge control method for an aerosol provision device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, the external device comprises a cartridge, the cartridge being configured to be detachably installed to the device.

5. The charge control method for an aerosol provision device according to claim 4, characterized in that, the method further comprises: obtaining the connection status of the cartridge with the device during a charging process; determining that the cartridge is in a connected state with the device, maintaining the target charging amount corresponding to the cartridge.

6. The charge control method for an aerosol provision device according to claim 5, characterized in that, the method further comprises: determining that the cartridge is in a disconnected state with the device, restoring the default target charging amount of the device or prohibiting charging.

7. The charge control method for an aerosol provision device according to claim 1 , characterized in that, the method further comprises: based on the correspondence relationship between the resistance value and the charging amount, after determining the target charging amount corresponding to the resistance value, storing the current target charging amount and restoring the default target charging amount of the device after completing charging with the current target charging amount.

8. The charge control method for an aerosol provision device according to claim 1 , characterized in that, the method further comprises: during the charging process, controlling a light-emitting element of the aerosol provision device to indicate charging status; when charging is stopped, controlling the light-emitting element to turn off.

9. The charge control method for an aerosol provision device according to claim 1 , characterized in that, the method further comprises: obtaining the actual charging amount during the charging process, when the actual charging amount reaches the target charging amount, prohibiting charging the device.

10. An aerosol provision device, characterized in that, the device is configured to execute a charging control method for the aerosol provision device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The aerosol provision device according to claim 10, characterized in that, the device further comprises a first acquisition module, the first acquisition module being configured to obtain the resistance value of an external device connected to the aerosol provision device.

12. The aerosol provision device according to claim 10, characterized in that, the device further comprises a second acquisition module, the second acquisition module being configured to obtain the actual charging amount during the charging process of the device.

13. The aerosol provision device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, the device further comprises a charging module, the charging module being configured to control charging and discharging of the device according to charging and discharging instructions.

14. An aerosol provision system, characterized in that, the system comprises: an aerosol provision device according to any one of claims 10 to 13; a cartridge, the cartridge is configured as the external device and is detachably installed to the device.

15. The aerosol provision system according to claim 14, characterized in that, the resistance value of the cartridge installed to the device is greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold, the target charging amount of the device being configured as a first target charging amount, wherein the second threshold being greater than the first threshold.

16. The aerosol provision system according to claim 14, characterized in that, the resistance value of the cartridge installed to the device is less than a first threshold, the target charging amount of the device being configured as a second target charging amount.

17. An electronic device, characterized in that, comprising a memory, one or more processors, one or more applications, wherein the one or more applications are stored in the memory, the one or more applications are configured such that when invoked by the one or more processors, the one or more processors execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

18. A computer readable storage medium, characterized in that, storing multiple program codes, wherein the program codes are adapted to be loaded and executed by a processor to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.