# US 10,869,974 B2 · Inhalation component generating device, control circuit, and control method and control program of inhalation component generating device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,869,974 B2 - Document ID: US10869974B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/592,439 - Filed: 2019-10-03 - Published: 2020-04-09 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-04 - Assignees: Japan Tobacco Inc. - Applicants: Japan Tobacco Inc. - Inventors: Takeshi Akao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10869974B2 ## CPC - A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors - A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes - A24F 40/53: Monitoring, e.g. fault detection - A24F 40/60: Devices with integrated user interfaces - A24F 40/90: Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof - G01R 31/392: Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health - H02J 7/855: {with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery} - H02J 7/975: {in response to temperature} - A24B 15/167: in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes - A61M 2205/3334: Measuring or controlling the flow rate - A61M 2205/3368: Temperature - A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance - A61M 2205/50: with microprocessors or computers - A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated - H02J 7/84: Control of state of health [SOH] - A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - A24B: MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF ## Abstract An inhalation component generating device includes: a power supply; a load that evaporates or atomizes an inhalation component source by power from the power supply; and a control circuit that performs control based on an output of a temperature sensor. The control circuit performs: a process (a) of calculating power supply temperature on the basis of the output of the temperature sensor; and a process (b1) of determining whether the power supply temperature is in a first temperature range, and performing deterioration diagnosis on the power supply only in a case where the power supply temperature is in the range. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inhalation component generating device, comprising: a power supply; a load that evaporates or atomizes an inhalation component source by power from the power supply; a control circuit that performs control based on an output of a temperature sensor and a sensor which outputs a generation request of an inhalation component; and a current sensor that outputs a charging/discharge current value of the power supply or a voltage sensor that outputs an output voltage value of the power supply, wherein the control circuit performs: a process (a) of calculating power supply temperature based on the output of the temperature sensor; a process (b1) of determining whether the power supply temperature is in a first temperature range, and performing deterioration diagnosis on the power supply only in a case where the power supply temperature is in the range; a process (b2) of performing the process (b1) in response to detection of the generation request; and a process (c1) of determining whether the power supply temperature is in a second temperature range in which discharge of the power supply is allowed, or whether the power supply temperature is in a third temperature range in which charging of the power supply is allowed, prior to the process (b1), wherein the control circuit is configured to perform the deterioration diagnosis based on an output value of the current sensor or the voltage sensor at any one of a timing in a course of discharge of the power supply, a timing immediately before discharge, a timing immediately after discharge, a timing in a course of charging, a timing immediately before charging, and a timing immediately after charging. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inhalation component generating device according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to perform the process (b1) only in a case where the determination in the process (c1) is positive. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inhalation component generating device according to claim 1, wherein the second temperature range or the third temperature range is wider than the first temperature range, and includes the first temperature range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The inhalation component generating device according to claim 1, wherein an upper limit temperature of the first temperature range is lower than a temperature at which change of a structure or composition of an electrode of the power supply might occur. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The inhalation component generating device according to claim 1, wherein a lower limit temperature of the first temperature range is higher than a lower limit of the second temperature range, or is higher than a lower limit of the third temperature range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The inhalation component generating device according to claim 5, wherein the control circuit is configured to be able to further perform quick charging of the power supply only in a case where the power supply temperature is in a fourth temperature range narrower than the third temperature range. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The inhalation component generating device according to claim 5, wherein a lower limit temperature of the second temperature range is higher than a temperature at which an electrolytic solution or ionic liquid contained in the power supply coagulates. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The inhalation component generating device according to claim 5, wherein a lower limit temperature of the third temperature range is higher than a temperature at which electrocrystallization occurs on an electrode of the power supply. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The inhalation component generating device according to claim 1, wherein an upper limit temperature of the first temperature range is equal to or higher than an upper limit of the second temperature range, or is equal to or higher than an upper limit of the third temperature range. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The inhalation component generating device according to claim 1, wherein, in the process (a), the power supply temperature is acquired by detecting temperature of the power supply, the power supply temperature is estimated based on a value related to temperature of the power supply, or temperature of an object other than the power supply is detected, and the power supply temperature is estimated based on the output value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The inhalation component generating device according to claim 1, further comprising: a power supply unit configured by storing the power supply in a case; and a cartridge unit that is attached to the power supply unit so as to be exchangeable.