Inhaler controller for improving persimissivity with respect to a change in voltage supplied to a heater
An inhaler controller includes a first path configured to connect a first voltage terminal to which a first voltage is supplied and a connection terminal to which a heater configured to heat an aerosol source is connected, a second path configured to connect a second voltage terminal to which a second voltage different from the first voltage is supplied and the connection terminal via a resistor, and a measurement circuit configured to measure a resistance value of the heater.
1. An inhaler controller comprising
a first path configured to connect, via a first switch, a first voltage terminal to which a first voltage is supplied and a connection terminal to which a heater configured to heat an aerosol source is connected;
a second path configured to connect, via a second switch, a second voltage terminal to which a second voltage different from the first voltage is supplied and the connection terminal via a resistor; and
a measurement circuit configured to receive a voltage corresponding to a voltage of the connection terminal, which is a node between the resistor and the heater, and measure a resistance value of the heater, wherein
a voltage of the first voltage terminal is different from a voltage of the second voltage terminal, the first voltage is a voltage for heating the heater, and the second voltage is a voltage for measuring the resistance value of the heater.
2. The controller according to claim 1 , further comprising:
all cutoff circuitry including at least a diode, wherein the cutoff circuitry is configured to cut off a current flowing between the first path and the second path due to a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage.
3. The controller according to claim 2 , wherein the cutoff circuitry is arranged in the second path.
4. The controller according to claim 3 , wherein the measurement circuit includes a differential amplifier arranged to detect a voltage drop caused by the heater.
5. The controller according to claim 4 , wherein a voltage is supplied from a node between the second voltage terminal and the cutoff circuitry to a power supply terminal of the differential amplifier.
6. The controller according to claim 4 , wherein the differential amplifier includes a first input terminal to which the voltage corresponding to the voltage of the connection terminal is supplied and a second input terminal to which a predetermined voltage is supplied.
7. The controller according to claim 6 , further comprising a protection element connected to the first input terminal.
8. The controller according to claim 7 , wherein the protection element includes one of a Zener diode and a varistor.
9. The controller according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first regulator configured to generate the first voltage and supply the first voltage to the first voltage terminal; and
a second regulator configured to generate the second voltage and supply the second voltage to the second voltage terminal.
10. The controller according to claim 9 , further comprising a processor configured to control the first regulator and the second regulator.
11. The controller according to claim 10 , wherein the processor controls the first regulator and the second regulator using a common enable signal.
12. The controller according to claim 10 , wherein the processor controls a magnitude of a voltage generated by the first regulator.
13. The controller according to claim 10 , wherein the processor controls the first switch and the second switch.
14. The controller according to claim 13 , wherein the processor has a period in which a period during which the first switch is ON overlaps a period during which the second switch is ON.