Air conditioning apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air conditioning device that detects the amount of activity of a person in a room by human body detection and changes a set temperature based on the detected amount of activity. An air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized by including: a human body detection section that detects a person in a room; an activity amount calculation section that calculates the amount of activity of the person in the room based on the position of the detected person in the room; and a temperature control section that changes the set temperature by an amount corresponding to a unit temperature in accordance with the calculated amount of activity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an air conditioning device that detects the activity level of people indoors through human body detection and adjusts the set temperature based on the detected activity level. Background Technology

[0002] Air conditioning equipment regulates indoor temperature by expelling cool air into the room and provides a comfortable indoor environment by purifying the indoor air.

[0003] Regarding the operation of such air conditioning equipment, since it operates more effectively when there are people in the indoor space where the air conditioning equipment is installed, various technologies are constantly being proposed to control the operation of air conditioning equipment based on the presence or absence of people in the room.

[0004] First, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1558504 discloses a method for repeatedly detecting indoor personnel, calculating areas with high detection frequency based on accumulated detection results, and controlling air conditioning equipment to direct airflow to the calculated areas.

[0005] Second, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1569414 proposes a method for controlling airflow in an air conditioning device based on the position of a human body after the indoor temperature distribution is made uniform.

[0006] Third, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1204000 proposes a method for centrally controlling airflow in areas with high user detection frequency when there are multiple indoor occupants in a space and it is difficult to control airflow one-to-one with each user.

[0007] Fourth, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2009-0014697 proposes a method for providing precision in airflow control by utilizing the distribution of human bodies detected in an indoor space and the temperature distribution in various areas of the room.

[0008] However, based on the technologies proposed so far, including the aforementioned existing literature, the amount of user activity is not actively considered during the control of air conditioning equipment, thus limiting the provision of a comfortable indoor environment for users active in indoor spaces. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide an air conditioning device that adjusts indoor temperature according to the activity level of people in the room.

[0010] In addition, the present invention aims to provide an air conditioning device that adjusts its operation based on the activity level of people in the room after entering a comfort mode.

[0011] In addition, the present invention aims to provide an indoor air conditioning device that takes into account the load of the indoor space and adjusts the indoor temperature according to the activity level of the people in the room.

[0012] In addition, the present invention aims to provide an air conditioning device that operates in a power-saving mode when there are no people in the indoor space.

[0013] The objectives of this invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Other objectives and advantages of the invention not mentioned will be understood through the following description, and will become even clearer through embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, the objectives and advantages of the invention can be readily achieved through the methods and combinations thereof as stated in the claims.

[0014] This invention calculates the activity level of people indoors based on changes in their position, and adjusts the set temperature according to the calculated activity level, thereby enabling the indoor temperature to be adjusted based on the activity level of the people indoors.

[0015] In addition, the present invention calculates the activity level of the people in the room after the indoor temperature and the desired temperature set by the user are consistent, thereby enabling actions to be taken based on the activity level of the people in the room after entering the comfort mode.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention adjusts the set temperature by an amount equivalent to a unit temperature increase or decrease based on the activity level of people in the room, and determines the unit temperature based on the load of the indoor space. This allows the indoor temperature to be adjusted according to the activity level of people in the room, taking into account the load of the indoor space.

[0017] In addition, in this invention, if no people are detected indoors during a specified period of time, the set temperature is fixed and controlled to a preset temperature, thereby enabling operation in a power-saving mode when there are no people indoors.

[0018] This invention adjusts the indoor temperature according to the activity level of people in the room, thereby providing a comfortable indoor environment for people who are active.

[0019] In addition, the present invention only considers the activity level of people in the room after entering the comfort mode. This allows the indoor temperature to be quickly reduced by immediately tracking the user's commands during the initial action, and then a comfortable indoor environment can be provided by taking into account the user's activities.

[0020] In addition, the present invention takes into account the load of the indoor space and adjusts the indoor temperature according to the activity level of the people in the room, thereby quickly creating an indoor environment that takes into account the activities of the users.

[0021] In addition, the present invention operates in a power-saving mode when there are no people in the indoor space, thereby enabling the air conditioning device to use electricity efficiently.

[0022] In the following description of specific embodiments, the specific effects of the present invention will be explained together with the effects described above. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 and Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the structural features of an air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating the control structure of an air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing an imaginary area corresponding to an indoor space equipped with air conditioning.

[0026] Figure 5A to Figure 5C A diagram illustrating the method for calculating the distance people move indoors.

[0027] Figure 6 It is a curve showing the change in indoor temperature when the air conditioning unit operates in fast mode and comfort mode.

[0028] Figure 7 It is a curve showing the change of the set temperature when the air conditioning equipment operates in human adaptation mode.

[0029] Figure 8A and Figure 8B It is a curve showing how the set temperature varies depending on the amount of activity of people in the room.

[0030] Figure 9A and Figure 9B This diagram illustrates a method for calculating the movement distance of each person in an indoor space when there are multiple people inside.

[0031] Figure 10 It is a curve showing the change in set temperature when the air conditioning unit operates in power-saving mode as people leave the room.

[0032] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for adjusting the temperature based on the activity level of people indoors. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The foregoing objects, features, and advantages will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to readily implement the technical concept of the present invention. In describing the present invention, detailed descriptions of relevant prior art will be omitted when it is determined that such detailed descriptions may obscure the essence of the invention. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar constituent elements.

[0034] In this invention, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to describe multiple structural elements; however, these structural elements are not limited to these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one structural element from another, and unless otherwise stated, a first constituent element may be a second constituent element.

[0035] Furthermore, in this specification, the phrase "any constituent element is arranged in the upper (or lower) part" or "above (or below)" of a constituent element not only indicates that the arbitrary constituent element is arranged in contact with the top (or bottom) surface of the constituent element, but also indicates that other constituent elements may be sandwiched between the constituent element and the arbitrary constituent element arranged on (or below) the constituent element.

[0036] Furthermore, when a constituent element is described as being “connected,” “combined,” or “linked” to other constituent elements, it should be understood that the aforementioned constituent element can be directly connected to or linked to the aforementioned other constituent elements, and that each constituent element can also be “connected,” “combined,” or “linked” to another constituent element.

[0037] Furthermore, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular expression should include the plural expression. In this specification, terms such as "constituting" or "comprising" should not be construed as including all the constituent elements or steps described in the specification, but rather as including, or even including, some constituent elements or steps.

[0038] In addition, in this specification, unless otherwise stated, “A and / or B” means A, B or A and B, and unless otherwise stated, “C to D” means C and below.

[0039] This invention relates to an air conditioning device that detects the activity level of people indoors through human body detection and adjusts the set temperature based on the detected activity level.

[0040] The air conditioning device of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 and Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the structural features of an air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating the control structure of an air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing a hypothetical area corresponding to an indoor space equipped with air conditioning. Figure 5A to Figure 5C A diagram illustrating the method for calculating the distance people move indoors.

[0043] Figure 6 This is a curve showing the changes in indoor temperature when the air conditioning unit operates in fast and comfort modes. Figure 7 It is a curve showing the change of the set temperature when the air conditioning equipment operates in human adaptation mode.

[0044] Figure 8A and Figure 8B It is a curve showing how the set temperature varies depending on the amount of activity of people in the room.

[0045] Figure 9A and Figure 9B This diagram illustrates a method for calculating the movement distance of each person in an indoor space when there are multiple people inside.

[0046] Figure 10 It is a curve showing the change in set temperature when the air conditioning unit operates in power-saving mode as people leave the room.

[0047] First, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The structure of one embodiment of the air purifier of the present invention will be described.

[0048] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 An air conditioning device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a discharge section 10 for discharging air that flows in from the outside and has undergone heat exchange; and an air supply section 20 for drawing in air and blowing it.

[0049] The discharge section 10 and the air supply section 20 can be arranged vertically inside the housing 3 that forms the appearance of the air conditioning device 100. For air circulation, an intake port can be provided on the back of the housing 3, which provides air supplied from the outside to the air supply section 20.

[0050] The discharge section 10 may be provided with a first discharge unit 11 and a second discharge unit 12 for discharging air flowing in from the air supply section 20. The first discharge unit 11 and the second discharge unit 12 may be cylindrical in shape and may rotate about a parallel central axis.

[0051] The first ejection unit 11 and the second ejection unit 12 can each rotate independently and adjust the direction of air ejection. In other words, the first ejection unit 11 and the second ejection unit 12 can eject air in the same direction or in different directions.

[0052] The first discharge unit 11 and the second discharge unit 12 may have a shape in which the upper part is covered and the lower part is open. Thus, air blown from the air supply section 20 can flow in from below the first discharge unit 11 and the second discharge unit 12.

[0053] The first discharge unit 11 and the second discharge unit 12 may be provided with discharge ports for discharging air into the indoor space, respectively. More specifically, the first discharge unit 11 may be provided with a first discharge port 13, and the second discharge unit 12 may be provided with a second discharge port 14. Thus, air flowing in from the air supply section 20 can be discharged into the indoor space through each discharge port.

[0054] On the other hand, the discharge section 10 may also include a central body 15 disposed between the first discharge unit 11 and the second discharge unit 12. The central body 15 can externally cover the gap between the first discharge unit 11 and the second discharge unit 12. At this time, a display section 113 may be provided in the central body 15, which displays the operating status of the air conditioning device 100, etc.

[0055] Re-reference Figure 2 The air supply unit 20 may include at least one air supply fan that forces air convection. Specifically, the air supply unit 20 may include a first air supply fan 21 and a second air supply fan 23 that operate independently of each other. The first air supply fan 21 and the second air supply fan 23 may operate together as needed, or only one of them may operate.

[0056] The first air supply fan 21 and the first discharge unit 11 can be connected through the first duct 25, and the second air supply fan 23 and the second discharge unit 12 can be connected through the second duct 27. Thus, the air blown by the first air supply fan 21 can move through the first duct 25 to the first discharge unit 11 and be discharged into the indoor space through the first discharge outlet 13. Similarly, the air blown by the second air supply fan 23 can move through the second duct 27 to the second discharge unit 12 and be discharged into the indoor space through the second discharge outlet 14.

[0057] On the other hand, a heat exchanger (not shown) that allows air and refrigerant to exchange heat can be provided between the aforementioned air supply section 20 and the intake port provided on the back of the housing 3.

[0058] Therefore, when the air conditioning unit 100 operates in cooling mode, when the air supply section 20 operates, the air flowing in from the outside through the intake port is cooled by the heat exchanger, and the cooled air can be discharged into the indoor space through the exhaust section 10. Conversely, when the air conditioning unit 100 operates in heating mode, when the air supply section 20 operates, the air flowing in from the outside through the intake port is heated by the heat exchanger, and the heated air can be discharged into the indoor space through the exhaust section 10.

[0059] Reference above Figure 1 and Figure 2The structure of the air conditioning device 100 described is merely an example of the operations that can be performed later. In addition to the structure shown in the figures, the air conditioning device 100 of the present invention can also be implemented in various shapes.

[0060] Below, refer to Figure 3 to Figure 10 The operation method of an air conditioning device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0061] Reference Figure 3 An air conditioning device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may basically include an input unit 111, a communication unit 112, a display unit 113 and a storage unit 114. For the operation of the invention, it may also include a main control unit 110, a human body detection unit 120, an activity calculation unit 130, a temperature control unit 140, an air volume control unit 150, an air direction control unit 160, a temperature detection unit 180 and a load calculation unit 170. Figure 3 The control structure of the air conditioning device 100 shown is one embodiment, and its components are not limited to those described above. Figure 3 The illustrated embodiments may allow for the addition, modification, or deletion of certain constituent elements as needed.

[0062] The input unit 111 can receive data from the user regarding the operation of the air conditioning equipment 100, such as operating settings, operating modes, temperature, airflow, and airflow direction, and provide it to the main control unit 110. For this purpose, the input unit 111 may include physical operating components such as switches and buttons, or electrical operating components such as touch keys, touchpads, and touch screens.

[0063] For example, the input unit 111 can receive data from the user about the operating mode (e.g., fast mode, comfort mode, human adaptation mode, etc., described later) and provide it to the main control unit 110, which can drive the air conditioning device 100 to the operating mode corresponding to the data input by the user.

[0064] In other words, the main control unit 110 can actively detect the indoor environment and drive the air conditioning device 100 to a matching operation mode according to the method described later, or it can drive the air conditioning device 100 to various operation modes of the air conditioning device 100 only when the user inputs data about the operation mode.

[0065] The communication unit 112 can perform wired or wireless data communication functions. For example, the communication unit 112 can communicate with the outdoor unit or with other air conditioning equipment (specifically, the indoor unit). In addition, the communication unit 112 can communicate with various devices capable of data communication.

[0066] The display unit 113 can display various information about the operating status of the air conditioning device 100, and as described above, it can be installed on the outer surface of the air conditioning device 100 (e.g., Figure 2 The central body 15).

[0067] The storage unit 114 can store information, data, programs, etc., required for the operation of the air conditioning equipment 100. Specifically, the storage unit 114 can pre-store information such as human adaptation time, activity level, and hypothetical zones, which will be described later. Therefore, the main control unit 110 can control the operations described later by referring to the information stored in the storage unit 114.

[0068] The air volume control unit 150 can control the amount of air discharged through the discharge unit 10. In detail, the air volume control unit 150 can adjust the speed of the blower fan according to the control signal provided from the main control unit 110, thereby controlling the amount of air discharged through the discharge unit 10.

[0069] The airflow control unit 160 can control the direction of the air discharged through the discharge unit 10 by adjusting the angles of the discharge units 11 and 12. In detail, the airflow control unit 160 can adjust the rotation angle of the discharge units 11 and 12 or the angle of the discharge outlets 13 and 14 according to the control signal provided by the main control unit 110, thereby controlling the direction of the air discharged through the discharge unit 10.

[0070] For example, if the human body detection unit 120 detects people in the room, the airflow control unit 160 can adjust the angle of the discharge units 11 and 12 to face the people in the room according to the control of the main control unit 110.

[0071] The temperature detection unit 180 may include multiple temperature sensors, and each temperature sensor may be used to detect the temperature of the air discharged from the air conditioning unit 100, the temperature of the air drawn into the air conditioning unit 100, the temperature of the indoor space, the temperature of the piping for refrigerant intake, the temperature of the piping for refrigerant discharge, etc., and provide the information to the main control unit 110.

[0072] The human body detection unit 120 can detect indoor occupants in an indoor space equipped with air conditioning equipment 100.

[0073] The human body detection unit 120 can be rotatably mounted on the outer surface of the air conditioning unit 100. The human body detection unit 120 can rotate under the control of the main control unit 110, thereby scanning the indoor space and detecting indoor occupants in the indoor space.

[0074] The human body detection unit 120 can detect people indoors using various methods. For example, it can use infrared light, radiant heat emitted by people indoors, or a camera. In addition, the human body detection unit 120 can also detect people indoors using various methods that can identify human bodies (people indoors).

[0075] The aforementioned human detection unit 120 can perform detection actions in each preset detection cycle (e.g., 10 seconds) and provide information on whether an indoor person has been detected to the main control unit 110 and / or the activity calculation unit 130 described later.

[0076] The activity level calculation unit 130 can calculate the activity level of the indoor occupants based on the positions detected by the human body detection unit 120. Here, activity level is a parameter representing the degree of movement of the indoor occupants, which can be defined as the distance the indoor occupants move, or it can be defined as a parameter proportional to the distance the indoor occupants move.

[0077] The activity level calculation unit 130 can identify changes in the position of indoor occupants based on the positions detected in each detection cycle, and calculate the activity level of the indoor occupants based on these changes in position. This calculation operation of the activity level calculation unit 130 can be performed according to a baseline cycle.

[0078] More specifically, the activity calculation unit 130 can identify the position of the indoor person detected by the human body detection unit 120, and calculate the activity level of the indoor person based on the change in the position of the indoor person that occurs within a reference period.

[0079] As described above, the human body detection unit 120 can perform indoor personnel detection actions according to a detection cycle, and the activity calculation unit 130 can calculate the activity level according to a reference cycle. In this case, the reference cycle can be set to be longer than the detection cycle. Therefore, the activity calculation unit 130 can calculate the activity level of the indoor personnel based on the positional changes of the indoor personnel detected over multiple detection cycles.

[0080] More specifically, the activity calculation unit 130 can calculate the change in the position of indoor personnel by accumulating the movement distance of indoor personnel during a reference period.

[0081] The activity calculation unit 130 can identify the movement distance of indoor occupants detected in adjacent detection cycles and calculate the positional change of indoor occupants by accumulating it over a reference cycle. For example, when the reference cycle includes five detection cycles, the activity calculation unit 130 can identify the positional change of indoor occupants detected in the first or second detection cycle as a first positional change. Furthermore, the activity calculation unit 130 can identify the positional changes of indoor occupants detected in the second and third detection cycles as a second positional change.

[0082] Using the same method, the activity calculation unit 130 can identify the third position change and the fourth position change of indoor personnel detected in the third and fourth detection cycles, and in the fourth and fifth detection cycles, respectively.

[0083] Next, the activity calculation unit 130 can calculate the total position change of indoor personnel during the reference period by accumulating the first position change to the fourth position change. In other words, the total position change of indoor personnel during the reference period is calculated by summing the first position change to the fourth position change.

[0084] The activity level calculation unit 130 can determine the activity level as proportional to the change in position of indoor personnel. The activity level can be linearly proportional to the change in position, or it can be progressively determined to be proportional to the change in position.

[0085] For example, the activity calculation unit 130 can determine the activity level as the value of scaling the position change. Specifically, if the position change of an indoor person is determined to be 10m, the activity calculation unit 130 can determine the activity level as the value of multiplying the position change by a scaling factor of 0.1, i.e., 1.

[0086] In another example, the activity calculation unit 130 can group the position change into multiple ranges and progressively determine the activity corresponding to each grouped range. Specifically, when the position change of an indoor person is determined to be 0m to 10m, the activity calculation unit 130 can determine the activity corresponding to that position change as stage 1; when the position change is determined to be 10m to 20m, the activity calculation unit 130 can determine the activity corresponding to that position change as stage 2; and when the position change is determined to be 20m to 30m, the activity calculation unit 130 can determine the activity corresponding to that position change as stage 3.

[0087] In addition, although activity level can be defined by various parameters that are proportional to the change in position of people in the room, the following assumption is made that activity level is progressively determined to be proportional to the change in position of people in the room for the sake of illustration.

[0088] Below, refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5A to Figure 5C An example of a method for calculating the positional changes and activity levels of indoor personnel using the activity calculation unit 130 will be explained.

[0089] The activity calculation unit 130 can map the position of an indoor person detected by the human body detection unit 120 to an imaginary area 400 that divides the indoor space, and calculate the position change of the indoor person and the activity level based on the distance between the mapped imaginary areas.

[0090] like Figure 4 As shown, the indoor space detected by the human body detection unit 120 can be defined as multiple imaginary areas 400. Each imaginary area 400 can be pre-defined with an identifier (e.g., VA1 to VA24) according to its location, and information about the imaginary area 400 and its identifier can be pre-stored in the storage unit 114.

[0091] The activity level calculation unit 130 can identify the location of indoor occupants detected by the human body detection unit 120 and match the identified location to the imaginary area 400. Specifically, the activity level calculation unit 130 can match the location of indoor occupants detected in each detection cycle to the imaginary area 400 in each detection cycle.

[0092] Reference Figure 5A In the first detection cycle, the location of the indoor person detected can be A. At this time, the activity calculation unit 130 can match A to VA10, which includes A.

[0093] Reference Figure 5B In the second detection cycle, the location of the indoor person detected can be A'. At this time, the activity calculation unit 130 can match A' to VA23, which includes A'.

[0094] Next, the activity calculation unit 130 can calculate the movement distance of indoor personnel using the distance between the matched imaginary areas.

[0095] If the location of an indoor person matches a specific hypothetical region among multiple hypothetical regions 400 in each detection cycle, the distance traveled by the indoor person can be calculated using the distance between the hypothetical region matched in a previous detection cycle and the hypothetical region matched in the current detection cycle. Information about the distance between the hypothetical regions 400 can be pre-stored in the storage unit 114.

[0096] The movement distance calculation of the activity calculation unit 130 is performed in each detection cycle. The movement distance calculated in each detection cycle can be summed in each reference cycle, thereby calculating the positional change of the indoor personnel.

[0097] For example, a baseline period may include three detection cycles. In this case, the locations of indoor personnel detected in the first and second detection cycles can be as follows: Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown. Therefore, at the end of the second detection cycle, the activity calculation unit 130 can determine the movement distance of the indoor personnel using the distance between VA10 and VA23.

[0098] Reference Figure 5C In the third detection cycle, the detected position of the indoor person can be A". At this time, the activity calculation unit 130 can match A" to VA6, which includes A". Thus, at the end of the third detection cycle, the activity calculation unit 130 can use the distance between VA23 and VA6 to determine the movement distance of the indoor person.

[0099] Next, if the baseline period ends, the activity calculation unit 130 can calculate the change in the position of the indoor personnel during the baseline period by summing the distance between VA10 and VA23 and the distance between VA23 and VA6, and calculate the activity corresponding to the change in position.

[0100] On the other hand, the aforementioned activity calculation can be performed after the air conditioning unit 100 enters comfort mode. More specifically, the activity calculation can be performed after the indoor temperature matches the user's desired temperature. Here, the desired temperature is the user's target indoor temperature, which can be the temperature input by the user into the air conditioning unit 100.

[0101] Below, refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 The operating modes of the air conditioning equipment 100 are explained in detail.

[0102] The air conditioning device 100 of the present invention can operate in either a fast mode or a comfort mode. Here, fast mode can refer to an operating mode that rapidly reduces the indoor temperature to the desired temperature set by the user, while comfort mode can refer to an operating mode that continuously maintains the desired temperature set by the user.

[0103] If the difference between the indoor temperature and the user's desired temperature is greater than or equal to a preset difference value, the main control unit 110 can control the temperature control unit 140 to fast mode.

[0104] More specifically, if the user inputs a desired temperature via the input unit 111, the main control unit 110 can compare the desired temperature with the indoor temperature (temperature of the indoor space) measured by the temperature detection unit 180. If the difference between the indoor temperature and the desired temperature is greater than or equal to a preset difference value, the temperature control unit 140 can be switched to fast mode.

[0105] In fast mode, the temperature control unit 140 can set the set temperature to the lowest temperature (e.g., 18 degrees Celsius). Additionally, in fast mode, the airflow control unit 150 can control the amount of air discharged through the discharge unit 10 to the maximum. On the other hand, in this invention, the set temperature can be an internal target temperature that determines the operation of the air conditioning device 100.

[0106] Reference Figure 6 As the temperature control unit 140 sets the set temperature to the lowest temperature, the indoor temperature can drop rapidly in fast mode. That is, in fast mode, the air conditioning unit 100 can quickly lower the indoor temperature by setting a target temperature that is lower than the user's desired temperature as the set temperature.

[0107] After the main control unit 110 controls the temperature control unit 140 to the fast mode, it can continuously compare the indoor temperature with the desired temperature. If the indoor temperature and the desired temperature are the same, the temperature control unit 140 can be controlled to the comfort mode.

[0108] In comfort mode, the temperature control unit 140 can set the set temperature to the desired temperature.

[0109] Reference Figure 6 The comfort mode shown allows the indoor temperature to rise even when air at the desired temperature is expelled from the air conditioning unit 100, due to conduction of outdoor temperature or inflow of outside air. The main control unit 110 can continuously compare the indoor temperature with the set temperature, and if the indoor temperature is higher than the set temperature by a specified amount of time (e.g., 5 minutes) or more (e.g., 2 degrees Celsius), the temperature control unit 140 can be switched back to fast mode.

[0110] By repeatedly switching between the fast mode and the comfort mode, the indoor temperature can be maintained near the desired temperature set by the user, and the calculation action of the aforementioned activity calculation unit 130 can be performed in the comfort mode.

[0111] On the other hand, the main control unit 110 can control the temperature control unit 140 to human adaptation mode in fast mode when the indoor temperature matches the user's desired temperature. In other words, the main control unit 110 can control the temperature control unit 140 to human adaptation mode while simultaneously controlling it to comfort mode. Here, human adaptation mode can refer to an operating mode in which the set temperature is increased if, after entering comfort mode, the indoor temperature remains at the set temperature for a human adaptation period that causes discomfort to begin to occur.

[0112] The main control unit 110 can control the temperature control unit 140 to increase the set temperature based on the human adaptation time in the human adaptation mode. Information about the human adaptation time based on the indoor temperature can be pre-stored in the storage unit 114.

[0113] In other words, in human adaptation mode, if the human adaptation time based on the indoor temperature has elapsed, the main control unit 110 can control the temperature control unit 140 to increase the current set temperature, which is set to be the same as the indoor temperature.

[0114] If the indoor temperature rises as the set temperature increases, and the human body continues to adapt to the indoor temperature for a period of time, the main control unit 110 can control the temperature control unit 140 to raise the previously increased set temperature again.

[0115] More specifically, the main control unit 110 can refer to the storage unit 114 to identify the human body adaptation time corresponding to the indoor temperature, and each time the identified human body adaptation time is reached, the temperature control unit 140 is controlled to gradually increase the set temperature.

[0116] For example, the time it takes for the human body to adapt to indoor temperature can be shown in Table 1 below.

[0117] Table 1

[0118]

[0119] When the desired temperature is 22 degrees Celsius, the temperature set at the time of entering comfort mode and the indoor temperature can both be 22 degrees Celsius. At this time, the main control unit 110 can identify the human adaptation time corresponding to this indoor temperature as 19 minutes. That is, when the indoor temperature is maintained at 22 degrees Celsius, the main control unit 110 can identify the time when the people in the room begin to feel uncomfortable as 19 minutes.

[0120] Reference Figure 7If 19 minutes have passed after the set temperature and indoor temperature reach 22 degrees Celsius, the main control unit 110 can control the temperature setting unit to increase the set temperature by 1 degree, that is, to 23 degrees Celsius. Then, the main control unit 110 can identify the human adaptation time corresponding to the indoor temperature of 23 degrees Celsius as 23 minutes.

[0121] If 23 minutes have passed after the indoor temperature reaches 23 degrees Celsius, the main control unit 110 can control the temperature setting unit to increase the set temperature by 1 degree Celsius, that is, to 24 degrees Celsius. Then, the main control unit 110 can identify the human adaptation time corresponding to the indoor temperature of 24 degrees Celsius as 30 minutes.

[0122] If 30 minutes have passed after the indoor temperature reaches 24 degrees Celsius, the main control unit 110 can control the temperature setting unit to increase the set temperature by 1 degree Celsius, that is, to 25 degrees Celsius. Then, the main control unit 110 can identify the human adaptation time corresponding to the indoor temperature of 25 degrees Celsius as 35 minutes.

[0123] If the indoor temperature reaches 25 degrees and 35 minutes have passed, the main control unit 110 can control the temperature setting unit to increase the set temperature by 1 degree, that is, increase it to 26 degrees.

[0124] Using the method described above, the main control unit 110 can make the temperature setting unit operate in human adaptation mode. At this time, the calculation operation of the aforementioned activity calculation unit 130 can be performed after the temperature control unit 140 operates in human adaptation mode.

[0125] As described above, the present invention only considers the activity level of people in the room after entering the comfort mode. Thus, the user can quickly reduce the indoor temperature by immediately tracking the command during the initial action, and then provide a comfortable indoor environment by taking into account the user's activities.

[0126] The temperature control unit 140 can adjust the set temperature by increasing or decreasing it by a unit temperature based on the activity level calculated by the activity level calculation unit 130.

[0127] When there is a high level of activity indoors, it is necessary to lower the indoor temperature; when there is a low level of activity, it is necessary to raise the indoor temperature. The temperature control unit 140 can identify the recommended temperature corresponding to the level of activity and adjust the set temperature to keep the set temperature tracked by the recommended temperature. The recommended temperature corresponding to the level of activity can be pre-stored in the storage unit 114.

[0128] The temperature control unit 140 can identify the recommended temperature corresponding to the activity level by referring to the storage unit 114, and can increase or decrease the set temperature in multiple stages by comparing the identified recommended temperature with the set temperature. As mentioned above, assuming that the activity level is gradually determined, the recommended temperature corresponding to the activity level can be as shown in Table 2 below.

[0129] Table 2

[0130]

[0131] If the recommended temperature is higher than the set temperature, the temperature control unit 140 can increase the set temperature by one unit temperature; if the recommended temperature is lower than the set temperature, the temperature control unit 140 can decrease the set temperature by one unit temperature.

[0132] Reference Figure 8A If the indoor temperature is 23 degrees Celsius in comfort mode, at the first calculated end time t1 of the activity calculation unit 130, the activity level based on the distance moved by the person in the room can be determined as stage 2. The temperature control unit 140 can identify the recommended temperature corresponding to stage 2 activity level as 24 degrees Celsius and compare the identified recommended temperature with the currently set temperature.

[0133] Based on the comparison results, the temperature control unit 140 can identify that 24 degrees, which is the recommended temperature, is higher than 23 degrees, which is both the current indoor temperature and the set temperature (assuming that the indoor temperature and the set temperature are the same in comfort mode). Therefore, the temperature control unit 140 can control the set temperature to 24 degrees by increasing the set temperature from 23 degrees by one unit temperature (e.g., 1 degree).

[0134] At the second calculated action end time t2 in the activity calculation unit 130, the activity level of the indoor personnel can be determined as stage 1. The temperature control unit 140 can identify the recommended temperature corresponding to stage 1 activity level as 26 degrees Celsius and compare the identified recommended temperature with the currently set temperature.

[0135] Based on the comparison results, the temperature control unit 140 can identify that the recommended temperature of 26 degrees is higher than the current indoor temperature and the set temperature of 24 degrees. Therefore, the temperature control unit 140 can control the set temperature to 25 degrees by increasing the set temperature by one unit temperature from 24 degrees.

[0136] Additionally, refer to Figure 8B In comfort mode, when the indoor temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, at the first calculated action end time t1 of the activity calculation unit 130, the activity level based on the movement distance of the people in the room can be determined as three stages. The temperature control unit 140 can identify the recommended temperature corresponding to the three stages of activity as 22 degrees Celsius and compare the identified recommended temperature with the currently set temperature.

[0137] Based on the comparison results, the temperature control unit 140 can identify that the recommended temperature of 22 degrees is lower than the current indoor temperature and the set temperature of 25 degrees. Therefore, the temperature control unit 140 can control the set temperature to 24 degrees by reducing the set temperature from 25 degrees by a unit temperature (e.g., 1 degree).

[0138] At the second calculated action end time t2 in the activity calculation unit 130, the activity level of the indoor personnel can be determined as stage 1. The temperature control unit 140 can identify the recommended temperature corresponding to stage 1 activity level as 26 degrees Celsius and compare the identified recommended temperature with the currently set temperature.

[0139] Based on the comparison results, the temperature control unit 140 can identify that the recommended temperature of 26 degrees is higher than the current indoor temperature and the set temperature of 24 degrees. Therefore, the temperature control unit 140 can raise the set temperature by one unit temperature from 24 to re-control the set temperature to 25 degrees.

[0140] According to this method, the temperature control unit 140 can control the set temperature according to the activity level of the people in the room so that the people in the room can experience comfort.

[0141] As described above, the present invention can adjust the indoor temperature according to the activity level of people in the room, thereby always providing a comfortable indoor environment for people who are active.

[0142] On the other hand, there can be multiple people in the indoor space. At this time, the human body detection unit 120 can detect multiple people in the indoor space, the activity calculation unit 130 can calculate the activity of each of the multiple people in the indoor space, and the temperature control unit 140 can adjust the set temperature by an amount equivalent to a unit temperature increase or decrease based on the largest activity among the calculated multiple activity amounts.

[0143] Reference Figure 9A In the first detection cycle, the location of the first indoor person detected by the human body detection unit 120 can be A, and the location of the second indoor person can be B. At this time, the activity calculation unit 130 can match A to VA2, which includes A, and match B to VA4, which includes B.

[0144] Reference Figure 9B In the second detection cycle, the location of the first indoor person detected can be A', and the location of the second indoor person can be B'. At this time, the activity calculation unit 130 can match A' to VA9, which includes A', and match B' to VA24, which includes B'.

[0145] The activity level calculation unit 130 can determine the movement distance of the first indoor person using the distance between VA2 and VA9, and determine the movement distance of the second indoor person using the distance between VA4 and VA24. Furthermore, the activity level calculation unit 130 can calculate the activity level of the first and second indoor persons based on their respective movement distances.

[0146] Since the methods for calculating the movement distance of each person in the room and the amount of activity have already been explained, detailed explanations are omitted here.

[0147] As an example, the activity level calculation unit 130 can calculate the movement distance of the first indoor person as 3m and determine the activity level based on this as the first stage. In addition, the activity level calculation unit 130 can calculate the movement distance of the second indoor person as 12m and determine the activity level based on this as the second stage.

[0148] At this time, the temperature control unit 140 can adjust the set temperature by a unit of temperature based on the activity level of the second person in the room (second stage), which is the greater activity level of the two people in the room. In contrast, when there are three or more people in the room, the temperature control unit 140 can adjust the set temperature by a unit of temperature based on the maximum activity level of the multiple people in the room.

[0149] Since the basic operation of the temperature control unit 140, which increases or decreases the set temperature, has already been explained, detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0150] On the other hand, the unit temperature, which is the unit by which the temperature control unit 140 increases or decreases the set temperature, can be preset by the user or determined according to the load of the indoor space.

[0151] When the set temperature is controlled using the same unit in both high-load and low-load indoor environments, the indoor temperature will track the set temperature faster in low-load environments compared to high-load environments.

[0152] In order to provide comfort to people in the room during activities, it is necessary to make the indoor temperature quickly track the set temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the unit of increase or decrease of the set temperature (unit temperature) appropriately according to the load of the indoor space.

[0153] To take the above factors into account, the load calculation unit 170 can determine the unit temperature based on the load of the indoor space.

[0154] The load is determined by various parameters, such as the external load of the indoor space, the internal load of the indoor space, whether the indoor space is sealed or not, and whether there are obstacles in front of the air conditioning equipment 100. The load calculation unit 170 can calculate the load of the indoor space where the air conditioning equipment 100 is installed by using one or more of the aforementioned parameters by any known method.

[0155] In addition to the aforementioned parameter-based load calculation method, the load calculation unit 170 can also calculate the load based on the operating results of the air conditioning equipment 100. More specifically, the load calculation unit 170 can determine the load based on the change in indoor temperature to reach the user-set desired temperature.

[0156] by Figure 6For example, if the user inputs the desired temperature, the air conditioning unit 100 can operate in fast mode, in which the indoor temperature can be lowered to the desired temperature set by the user.

[0157] The load calculation unit 170 can divide the difference between the indoor temperature and the desired temperature at the start time of the fast mode by the value of the cooling time (Td), that is, calculate the load by the amount of temperature change over time.

[0158] If the load is calculated, the load calculation unit 170 can determine the unit temperature as proportional to the load. More specifically, the load calculation unit 170 can determine the unit temperature as linearly proportional to the load, or it can gradually determine the unit temperature as proportional to the load.

[0159] For example, the load calculation unit 170 can determine the value of the reduced load as a unit temperature. That is, the load calculation unit 170 can determine the value of the load multiplied by a preset scaling factor as a unit temperature.

[0160] In another example, the load calculation unit 170 can group the load into multiple ranges and progressively determine the unit temperature corresponding to each grouped range. Specifically, when the load is less than a first reference value (light load), the load calculation unit 170 can determine the unit temperature corresponding to that load as 0.5 degrees Celsius; when the load is above the first reference value but less than a second reference value (medium load), the load calculation unit 170 can determine the unit temperature corresponding to that load as 1 degree Celsius; and when the load is above the second reference value (overload), the load calculation unit 170 can determine the unit temperature corresponding to that load as 1.5 degrees Celsius.

[0161] As described above, the present invention adjusts the indoor temperature according to the activity level of people in the room, taking into account the load of the indoor space, thereby quickly creating an indoor environment that takes into account the activities of users.

[0162] On the other hand, if the human body detection unit 120 does not detect any people in the room, the temperature control unit 140 can control the set temperature to the preset temperature.

[0163] Since there are no people in the indoor space, the comfort mode, human adaptation mode, and the aforementioned temperature adjustment based on activity level are no longer needed. Therefore, when the human body detection unit 120 does not detect any people in the room, the temperature control unit 140 can operate in power-saving mode by increasing the set temperature to a preset temperature (e.g., 28 degrees).

[0164] That is, when there are no people in the room, the temperature control unit 140 can maintain a high temperature in the room by setting the set temperature to a high level. When people are detected in the room again, the room temperature can be quickly lowered by entering a fast mode.

[0165] On the other hand, if the human body detection unit 120 does not detect any people in the room during a continuous period of no detection, the temperature control unit 140 can control the set temperature to a preset temperature to improve the control accuracy based on the absence of people in the room.

[0166] As mentioned earlier, the detection action of the human body detection unit 120 can be performed according to a predetermined detection cycle. In this case, the non-detection time can include multiple detection cycles. For example, if the detection cycle is 10 seconds, the non-detection time can be set to one minute.

[0167] If the human body detection unit 120 does not detect any people in the room for more than 1 minute, it can send an absence signal to the temperature control unit 140. The temperature control unit 140 can respond to the absence signal to increase the set temperature to the preset temperature.

[0168] by Figure 10 For example, see reference. Figure 8B As explained, in comfort mode, the temperature control unit 140 can lower the set temperature to 24 degrees Celsius at the end time t1 of the first calculation action of the activity calculation unit 130, based on the activity level of the people in the room. Additionally, the temperature control unit 140 can raise the set temperature to 25 degrees Celsius at the end time t2 of the second calculation action of the activity calculation unit 130, based on the activity level of the people in the room.

[0169] In comfort mode, if no person is detected indoors from the last control time point t2 to the preset non-detection time Ts, the temperature control unit 140 can increase the set temperature to 28 degrees at the time point t3 after the non-detection time Ts from the last control time point t2 to operate in power-saving mode.

[0170] As described above, the present invention can operate in a power-saving mode when there are no people in the indoor space, thereby enabling the air conditioning device 100 to use electricity efficiently.

[0171] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for adjusting the temperature based on the activity level of people indoors.

[0172] Below, refer to Figure 11 Here is an example illustrating the overall operation of the aforementioned air conditioning device 100. On the other hand, although in Figure 11The description refers to the air conditioning device 100 as the subject of each action; however, this is only for ease of explanation, and the subject of each action can be... Figure 3 At least one of the constituent elements shown.

[0173] Reference Figure 11 The air conditioning device 100 can determine whether it is currently operating in comfort mode (S1). In other words, the air conditioning device 100 can determine whether the current operating mode is comfort mode. The determination process in step S1 can be repeated until it is determined that the current operating mode is comfort mode.

[0174] When the current operating mode is comfort mode, the air conditioning device 100 can determine whether it operates in human adaptation mode even in comfort mode (S2). In other words, the air conditioning device 100 can determine whether the current operating mode is human adaptation mode performed in comfort mode.

[0175] If the current operating mode is not the human adaptation mode, the air conditioning device 100 can repeatedly perform the judgment process of steps S1 and S2.

[0176] Conversely, when the current operating mode is the human adaptation mode, the air conditioning device 100 can determine whether the activity level of indoor occupants is detected during the baseline cycle (S3). If no activity level is detected, the air conditioning device 100 can repeatedly perform the determination process from step S1 to step S3.

[0177] Conversely, when the activity level of people indoors is detected, the air conditioning unit 100 can identify a recommended temperature based on the activity level (S4) and compare the identified recommended temperature with the current set temperature.

[0178] More specifically, the air conditioning device 100 can determine whether the current set temperature exceeds the recommended temperature (S5). If the determination result is that the current set temperature does not exceed the recommended temperature, the air conditioning device 100 can determine whether the current set temperature is lower than the recommended temperature (S6).

[0179] If the current set temperature does not exceed the recommended temperature, nor is it lower than the recommended temperature, then the set temperature is consistent with the recommended temperature, and therefore the air conditioning unit 100 can maintain the set temperature (S7).

[0180] On the other hand, if it is determined in step (S5) that the set temperature exceeds the recommended temperature, the air conditioning unit 100 can calculate the load on the indoor space (S8). Then, the air conditioning unit 100 can reduce the set temperature based on the calculated load (S10).

[0181] More specifically, if the load is determined to be overloaded, the air conditioning unit 100 can reduce the current set temperature by 1.5 degrees; if the load is determined to be medium load, it can reduce the current set temperature by 1 degree; and if the load is determined to be light load, it can reduce the current set temperature by 0.5 degrees.

[0182] On the other hand, if it is determined in step (S6) that the set temperature is lower than the recommended temperature, the air conditioning unit 100 can calculate the load on the indoor space (S9). Then, the air conditioning unit 100 can increase the set temperature based on the calculated load (S11).

[0183] More specifically, if the load is determined to be overloaded, the air conditioning unit 100 can increase the current set temperature by 1.5 degrees; if the load is determined to be medium load, it can increase the current set temperature by 1 degree; and if the load is determined to be light load, it can increase the current set temperature by 0.5 degrees.

[0184] The present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and drawings described in this specification, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. Furthermore, even if the effects of the structure according to the present invention are not explicitly described in the description of the embodiments of the present invention, the effects that can be predicted by the structure should be recognized.

Claims

1. An air conditioning device, installed in an indoor space, wherein, include: Human body detection unit, used to detect the presence of people in indoor spaces; The activity calculation unit calculates the activity level of the indoor occupants based on the detected locations of the indoor occupants; A temperature control unit adjusts the set temperature of the air conditioning equipment based on the activity level of the people in the room. The load calculation unit determines the load of the indoor space based on the change in indoor temperature to reach the desired temperature set by the user, and determines the unit temperature for adjusting the set temperature based on the load of the indoor space. as well as The main control unit controls the temperature control unit; when the air conditioning device is in the human adaptation mode operation of the comfort mode, If no activity level of the people in the room is detected, the main control unit causes the air conditioning equipment to continue operating in human adaptation mode; If the activity level of the people in the room is detected, the main control unit controls the temperature control unit to set the temperature to the recommended temperature corresponding to the activity level of the people in the room. If the recommended temperature is higher than the set temperature, the temperature control unit increases the set temperature by the unit temperature to track the recommended temperature; If the recommended temperature is lower than the set temperature, the temperature control unit reduces the set temperature by the unit temperature to track the recommended temperature; The comfort mode refers to the operating mode that is executed when the indoor temperature is consistent with the desired temperature; The human body adaptation mode refers to an operating mode in which the indoor temperature is maintained at the set temperature, and the set temperature is increased after the human body has adapted and begun to feel uncomfortable. The human body adaptation time is set according to the indoor temperature.

2. The air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein, The activity calculation unit identifies the detected location of the indoor occupants and calculates their activity level based on the amount of location change that occurs within a reference period.

3. The air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein, The activity calculation unit matches the detected location of the indoor person to an imaginary area that divides the indoor space, and calculates the activity level of the indoor person based on the distance between the matched imaginary areas.

4. The air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein, The activity calculation unit calculates the activity level of the people in the room after the indoor temperature matches the desired temperature set by the user.

5. The air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein, The human detection unit detects multiple people indoors. The activity level calculation section calculates the activity levels of multiple indoor personnel respectively. The temperature control unit increases or decreases the set temperature by a unit based on the largest of the calculated activity quantities.

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