Dynamic output power management for electronic smoking device
A dynamic output power management unit for a heating circuit of an electronic smoking device is disclosed, the heating circuit having a heating element connected to a power source via a first switching element, the unit having at least one voltage detection device to detect voltage values at various points of the heating circuit; and a controller configured to deriving a resistance of the heating element, estimating a discharge time or a power consumption value of the power source such that an energy converted in a period of time is substantially identical to a predetermined energy conversion value for a same period of time.
1. A method of operating an electronic smoking device, comprising,
detecting an output voltage of a power source of a heating circuit in the electronic smoking device;
estimating a discharging time of the power source during a puff based on the output voltage of the power source; and
providing electrical energy from the power source to a heating element during the puff equivalent to a predetermined energy conversion value for one puff.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising deriving a pattern of a waveform based on the estimated discharging time; generating a control waveform based on the derived pattern; and using the control waveform to control the electrical energy provided by the power source.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising dividing the puff into multiple interval cycles; detecting the output voltage at the beginning of each interval cycle; and estimating a discharging time of the power source for each interval cycle.
4. The method of claim 2 further comprising repeating the detecting, estimating and waveform generating steps for each puff.
5. The method of claim 2 wherein the discharging time is estimated based on the output voltage of the power source and a resistance of a heating element.
6. A method of operating an electronic smoking device, comprising,
A) detecting a value for one or more of:
i) a first output voltage of a power source;
ii) a voltage drop across a heating element;
iii) a voltage drop across a reference resistor;
B) deriving an instantaneous or mean value of a resistance of the heating element based on the one or more values detected in step A;
C) estimating a discharging time of the power source for a puff as a function of the one or more values detected in step A and the derived resistance of the heating element; and
D) providing an amount of electrical energy to the heating element during the puff that is equivalent to a predetermined value for one puff.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein a first output voltage of the power source is detected at the beginning of each puff.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising deriving a pattern of a control waveform based on the estimated discharging time and a predetermined discharging time for each puff; and generating a control waveform based on the derived pattern.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein a voltage drop across a reference resistor is detected in step A, and the first output voltage is detected when the reference resistor is connected to the power source.
10. The method of claim 6 wherein an instantaneous resistance of the heating element is derived in step B.
11. The method of claim 6 further including estimating power consumption of the heating element during a puff or during an interval cycle based on a second output voltage detected and the derived resistance of the heating element.
12. A method for power management for a heating circuit of an electronic smoking device, comprising,
A) dividing a duration of a puff into a number of interval cycles;
B) determining, in each interval cycle, a value of a first output voltage of a power source, and/or a voltage drop across a heating element operably connected to the power source, and/or a voltage drop across a reference resistor;
C) deriving a resistance of the heating element as a function of any value or values determined in step B; and
D) estimating a discharging time of the power source for the interval cycle as a function of the derived resistance of the heating element such that an amount of energy converted in the interval cycle is substantially identical to a predetermined energy conversion value for one interval cycle.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein a first output voltage of the power source is detected at the beginning of each interval cycle.
14. The method of claim 12 further comprising
deriving a pattern of a control waveform based on the estimated discharging time and a predetermined discharging time for each interval cycle; and
generating a control waveform based on the derived pattern.