Aerosol generating apparatus and operation method of the same

1 . An aerosol generating apparatus comprising:

an atomizer configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol generating material by using ultrasonic vibration;

a controller configured to output a driving voltage for controlling a frequency of the ultrasonic vibration of the atomizer; and

a voltage divider operationally connected to the controller and configured to control an input voltage of the atomizer by adjusting a ratio of voltage division of the driving voltage, such that a pre-heating voltage is applied to the atomizer while the atomizer is being pre-heated in a non-puff period being a period between puff periods and an atomization voltage is applied to the atomizer while the atomizer is atomizing the aerosol generating material in a puff period,

wherein the pre-heating voltage is lower than the atomization voltage, and

wherein the pre-heating voltage corresponds to an ultrasonic vibration frequency for maintaining the aerosol generating material in a predetermined viscosity state in which atomization of the aerosol generating material does not occur.

2 . The aerosol generating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pre-heating voltage is a constant voltage lower than the atomization voltage.

3 . The aerosol generating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the controller generates a mode signal indicating whether the atomizer is in a pre-heating mode or an atomizing mode, and

the voltage divider performs the voltage division based on the mode signal.

4 . The aerosol generating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the voltage divider changes connections of loads included in the voltage divider according to a first mode signal corresponding to the pre-heating mode or a second mode signal corresponding to the atomization mode.

5 . The aerosol generating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the voltage divider comprises:

a first load connected to a node between a voltage output terminal of the controller that outputs the driving voltage and a voltage input terminal of the atomizer;

a second load connected in series to the first load;

a reference voltage node between the first load and the second load to which a reference voltage is applied from the controller;

a third load having one terminal connected to the second load and another terminal connected to a ground; and

a switch configured to switch a current flow between the second load and the third load according to a mode signal received from the controller.

6 . The aerosol generating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the switch comprises a semiconductor switch configured to turn on and off a current flow between a source terminal coupled to the ground and a drain terminal coupled to a node between the second load and the third load according to a type of the mode signal received through a gate terminal.

7 . The aerosol generating apparatus of claim 6 , wherein

the switch is turned off in response to a first mode signal corresponding to a pre-heating mode received from the controller, and

the voltage divider applies the pre-heating voltage to the voltage input terminal of the atomizer by blocking the current flow between the source terminal and the drain terminal according to a turn-off state of the switch and dropping the driving voltage at the third load.

8 . The aerosol generating apparatus of claim 6 , wherein

the switch is turned on in response to a second mode signal corresponding to an atomization mode received from the controller, and

the voltage divider applies the atomizing voltage to the voltage input terminal of the atomizer by blocking a current flow to the third load and allowing the current flow between the source terminal and the drain terminal according to a turn-on state of the switch.

9 . The aerosol generating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein

a current flow to the third load is allowed by the switch in a pre-heating mode, and

the current flow to the third load is blocked by the switch in an atomization mode.

10 . The aerosol generating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein, due to a voltage drop by the third load in a pre-heating mode, the pre-heating voltage lower than the atomization voltage is applied to the atomizer.

11 . The aerosol generating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the atomizer comprises a vibrator configured to generate the ultrasonic vibration to atomize the aerosol generating material into the aerosol.

12 . The aerosol generating apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a puff detecting sensor configured to detect a puff of a user,

wherein the controller controls the voltage division of the voltage divider based on whether the puff detecting sensor detects the puff period or the non-puff period.

13 . A method of controlling an aerosol generating apparatus, the method comprising:

outputting, by a controller, a driving voltage for controlling a frequency of ultrasonic vibration of an atomizer to generate an aerosol from an aerosol generating material; and

controlling, by a voltage divider operationally coupled to the controller, an input voltage of the atomizer by adjusting a ratio of voltage division of the driving voltage, such that a pre-heating voltage is applied to the atomizer while the atomizer is being pre-heated in a non-puff period being a period between puff periods and an atomization voltage is applied to the atomizer while the atomizer is atomizing the aerosol generating material in a puff period,

wherein the pre-heating voltage is lower than the atomization voltage, and

wherein the pre-heating voltage corresponds to an ultrasonic vibration frequency for maintaining the aerosol generating material in a predetermined viscosity state in which atomization of the aerosol generating material does not occur.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising generating, by the controller, a first mode signal corresponding to a pre-heating mode or a second mode signal corresponding to an atomization mode,

wherein the controlling comprises:

controlling an operation of a switch included in the voltage divider in response to the first mode signal or the second mode signal;

adjusting voltage division of the driving voltage by switching connections of loads included in the voltage divider in response to the operation of the switch; and

applying the pre-heat voltage or the atomization voltage as the input voltage to the atomizer based on the adjusted voltage division.