Generator for exciting piezoelectric transducer

1. A generator for exciting a piezoelectric transducer, the generator comprising:

at least one digital processor unit configured to operate at least in an iterative operation stage comprising more than two successive iterations, the at least one digital processor unit also being configured so that for each iteration:

the transducer is excited at a plurality of frequencies in a frequency band about a set-point frequency, said frequency band being swept through about the set-point frequency;

one or more values related to at least one electrical magnitude associated with the excitation of the transducer for a plurality of frequencies in the frequency band are acquired; and

once the frequencies have been swept through, the values acquired are analysed and a new set-point frequency is determined for a subsequent iteration.

2. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein the new set-point frequency corresponds approximately to a resonant frequency of the transducer.

3. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein the new set-point frequency corresponds approximately to an anti-resonant frequency of the transducer.

4. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein each of the frequencies within the frequency band during an iteration is between a minimum frequency and a maximum frequency associated with the frequency band.

5. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein the acquired values related to the at least one electrical magnitude include the voltage across terminals associated with the transducer.

6. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein the acquired values related to the at least one electrical magnitude are analyzed at least in part during a dead period during which, the transducer is not excited.

7. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein the digital processor unit is configured to generate a pulse excitation signal.

8. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured so that during an iteration, for each frequency of the band, at least one burst of pulses at the frequency is emitted by the digital processor unit.

9. The generator according to claim 8 , wherein each burst of pulses lasts for a period ranging of from 10 μs to 100 ms.

10. The generator according to claim 8 , wherein two bursts of pulses are emitted and wherein the two bursts of pulses are separated by an idle period having a duration ranging from 10 μs to 100 ms.

11. The generator according to claim 8 , wherein more than two bursts of pulses are emitted, each of the more than two bursts having the same number of pulses.

12. The generator according to claim 8 , wherein one or more values related to at least one electrical magnitude are acquired for each pulse within each burst at the corresponding frequency.

13. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein the digital processor unit is configured to determine, on each iteration, an extremum associated with the one or more values related to at least one electrical magnitude.

14. The generator according to claim 13 , wherein the digital processor unit is configured to compare the determined extremum with a reference value.

15. The generator according to claim 14 , wherein as a function of the result of the comparison, the digital processor unit either performs a new iteration of the iterative operation stage, or else returns to an initialization stage.

16. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured to operate in an initial operation stage prior to operating in the iterative operation stage.

17. The generator according to claim 16 , wherein the generator is configured such that during the initial operation stage, the generator:

excites the transducer at a frequency that varies in a default frequency band that is wider than the frequency band during the iterative operation stage, about a default set-point frequency;

acquires initial values related to at least one electrical magnitude associated with exciting the transducer at a plurality of frequencies in the frequency band; and

analyzes the initial values to determine an iterative stage set-point frequency associated with a beginning of the iterative operation stage.

18. The generator according to claim 17 , wherein the digital processor unit is configured to sweep through the frequencies of the default frequency band.

19. The generator according to claim 17 , wherein the frequency variation within the frequency band during an iteration takes place as a frequency sweep between extreme frequency values of the band, the sweep through the default frequency band being performed at a frequency step-size that is greater than the frequency step-size of the sweep through the frequency band during the iterative operation stage.

20. The generator according to claim 17 , wherein the default frequency band presents a width of at least 3 percent on either side of the default set-point frequency.

21. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein the frequency band during the iterative operation stage presents a width of no more than 20 percent on either side of the corresponding set-point frequency.

22. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein the frequency band during the iterative operation stage is centered about the corresponding set-point frequency.

23. The generator according to claim 1 , wherein the digital processor unit comprises a microcontroller programmed to generate each frequency by dividing a clock frequency associated with the microcontroller.

24. A device for atomizing a liquid, the device comprising a transducer configured to atomize the liquid and a generator as defined in claim 1 .

25. The device according to claim 24 , further comprising a self-contained electrical power supply.

26. The device according to claim 24 , further comprising the liquid, wherein the liquid includes a scent.

27. The device according to claim 24 , further comprising the liquid, wherein the liquid is a cosmetic product including at least one of a perfume, a cologne, a body spray, and a deodorant.