Air conditioner control device and air conditioner control method

Abstract

In the air conditioner control device according to the present embodiment, the controller (30) causes a display screen including a seat image (50) and a reference region image (40) to be displayed on a touch panel display (10), and in a case where a touch operation on the display screen of the display (10) has a direction from the reference region image (40) toward the seat image (50), the controller (30) outputs a control instruction for increasing the amount of air blown from an air conditioner device (20), and in a case where the touch operation has a direction from the seat toward the reference region, the controller (30) outputs a control instruction for decreasing the amount of air blown from the air conditioner device (20).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an air conditioning control device and an air conditioning control method. Background Technology

[0002] A vehicle touch-screen input device is known that uses continuous touch operation on a touch surface to change the set temperature and set airflow settings for air conditioner control. For example, the input device described in Patent Document 1 includes: a driving status determination unit for determining whether the vehicle is in motion; a touch operation input unit for accepting continuous touch operation; and a control unit for changing control parameters. On the temperature setting screen displayed on the screen display, scale images are drawn at equal intervals around a rotation axis, and pointer images that rotate around the rotation axis to indicate these scale images are also drawn. These pointer images can be moved by sliding operations on the touch surface. Furthermore, by changing the position of the pointer images, the current setting values ​​of the control parameters representing the set temperature and set airflow can be changed. Even if the operation to change the setting values ​​of the control parameters is the same during vehicle operation and when the vehicle is stationary, the changed values ​​will be different.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-97519 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0007] However, in the aforementioned vehicle touch-screen input device, the temperature setting screen on the display only shows a scale indicating the temperature and a pointer image for indicating the scale. Therefore, users cannot intuitively know which part of the air conditioning in the vehicle is being controlled, resulting in low operability.

[0008] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an air conditioning control device and air conditioning control method that improve operability.

[0009] Solution for solving the problem

[0010] In this invention, a display screen including a seat image representing a seat and a reference area image representing a reference area is displayed on a touch panel display. When the touch operation on the display screen is in the direction from the reference area image toward the seat image, a control command is output to increase the airflow from the air conditioning unit. When the touch operation is in the direction from the seat image toward the reference area image, a control command is output to decrease the airflow from the air conditioning unit. Thus, the above-mentioned problems are solved.

[0011] The effects of the invention

[0012] According to the present invention, the operability of operating air conditioning equipment by touch operation of the display screen can be improved. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating an air conditioning control system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 It has Figure 1 The main view of the dashboard on the display.

[0015] Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 The image shown on the monitor.

[0016] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 1 The image shown on the monitor.

[0017] Figure 5 It is shown Figure 1 The image shown on the monitor.

[0018] Figure 6 It is shown Figure 1 The image shown on the monitor.

[0019] Figure 7 It is a graph showing the relationship between the displayed temperature and the set temperature.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the display screen of a display in an air conditioning control system according to a variation of this embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The following describes one embodiment of the air conditioning control system according to the present invention, based on the accompanying drawings. Figure 1This is a block diagram illustrating an air conditioning control system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The air conditioning control system 1 is a system mounted in a vehicle and includes a display 10, an air conditioning unit 20, and a controller 30. The air conditioning control system 1 according to this embodiment accepts touch operations via a touch panel display 10 and controls the air conditioning unit 20 based on the touch operations.

[0022] The display 10 is a touch panel type display, which is mounted in a vehicle. The touch panel type display 10 has a pressure-sensitive sensor, which detects the user's touch operation by measuring the pressure applied to the display 10 during a touch operation based on resistance value, voltage, etc. There is no particular limitation on the structure of the pressure-sensitive sensor, and methods known at the time of application can be used appropriately. In addition, the touch panel is not limited to pressure-sensitive type, and may also be of other types such as electrostatic type. Figure 2 This is the main view near the dashboard, which features a touch panel. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the display 10 is a central display on the front of the instrument panel, positioned between the driver's seat and the front passenger seat. The display 10 is located in a position accessible to both the driver (hereinafter referred to as "driver") and the front passenger (hereinafter referred to as "front passenger"). As described later, the air conditioning unit 20 can independently direct airflow to the driver and front passenger. By positioning the display 10 in a position accessible to both the driver and front passenger, they can independently operate the air conditioning in their respective seating areas. Furthermore, in the following description, the air conditioning unit 20 refers to a device for adjusting the temperature of the seating area and a device for suppressing fogging on the glass, equivalent to an air conditioner. Additionally, the display 10 does not necessarily need to be positioned in a location accessible to both the driver and front passenger; for example, it could be positioned in a location accessible only to the driver. Furthermore, the display 10 is not limited to the instrument panel; for example, it could be positioned in a location accessible to rear seat occupants.

[0023] Passengers can select operations on the air conditioning unit 20 from the menu screen and display an operation screen for the air conditioning unit 20 by touching the touch screen of the display 10 with their fingers or an operating device that replaces their fingers. Furthermore, in the following description, finger touch operation is primarily used, but in this embodiment, touch operation using an operating device can also be used instead of fingers. Passengers operate the air conditioning unit 20 by touching the display screen of the display 10. Touch operation is an instruction operation performed by touching or bringing a finger close to an icon or button displayed on the display 10. Touch operations include tapping (touching the screen once), double-tapping (touching the screen twice), long-pressing (holding the screen), swiping (sliding the finger across the screen), flicking (quickly flicking the finger across the screen), pinching / releasing (touching the screen with two fingers and bringing the two fingers closer / away), etc. Touch operation is not limited to the first gesture of touching one or more points on the screen with a finger, but may also include a second gesture of moving the finger's contact point while touching the screen. Furthermore, touch operation may not involve direct contact with the display screen, but may involve hovering the finger or other objects close to the display screen. Moreover, the method of touch operation is not limited to these, and may include other methods. In the following description, the implementation method is mainly described using touch operation where the finger or other objects directly contact the display screen as an example; however, in the case of hovering, the following descriptions related to "finger contact" can be replaced with hovering.

[0024] Air conditioning unit 20 is an air conditioner used to adjust the temperature inside the passenger compartment. Air conditioning unit 20 consists of an air conditioning system including a compressor, and has outlets for blowing air into the seating space of the occupants, and defrosters for removing fog from the windshield and / or side windows. The outlets are located on the instrument panel, the lower part of the instrument panel, etc. The outlets on the instrument panel are front outlets, configured to blow air towards the front of the seats. The outlets at the lower part of the instrument panel are lower outlets, configured to blow air towards the lower part of the seats. The airflow direction varies depending on the orientation of the fins within the outlets. The defroster has an outlet that blows air along the windshield from the front part of the instrument panel to output the air generated by the air conditioning system.

[0025] The controller 30 is composed of a computer with hardware and software, including a memory storing programs and a CPU that executes the programs stored in the memory. The controller 30 has a display control unit 31 and an air conditioning control unit 32 as functional blocks, and programs for implementing the functions of the display control unit 31 and the air conditioning control unit 32 are stored in the memory. Furthermore, the functions of each functional block are implemented by the computer included in the controller 30 executing the programs. In addition, the controller 30 is connected to the display 10 and the air conditioning unit 20 via a CAN communication network, etc., and controls the air conditioning unit 20 as well as the display 10. The controller 30 is not limited to the display control unit 31 and the air conditioning control unit 32; it also includes control blocks for controlling various systems within the vehicle, such as the audio system. The controller 30 is not limited to the display 10 and the air conditioning unit 20; it also controls other in-vehicle equipment. Furthermore, the various systems included in the vehicle are controlled by multiple ECUs, but... Figure 1 In the illustration, multiple ECUs are shown as controller 30. Furthermore, the device having controller 30 is equivalent to the "air conditioning control device" of the present invention.

[0026] The display control unit 31 controls the display screen of the display 10. Furthermore, when a touch operation is detected by the display, the display control unit 31 receives an operation command corresponding to the location and type of the touch operation on the display screen. The display control unit 31 generates an image representing the operating status of the air conditioning unit 20 on the display screen and outputs it to the display 10. By changing the shape, color, pattern, animation, etc., of the image contained on the display screen, the operating status of the air conditioning unit 20 is displayed in a way that is recognizable to the occupants. Additionally, the display control unit 31 outputs the received operation command to the air conditioning control unit 32.

[0027] The air conditioning control unit 32 controls the air conditioning unit 20 based on touch operation. The air conditioning control unit 32 determines the control items based on the content of the touch operation, and controls the system's on / off state, air outlet selection, airflow volume, temperature, and airflow direction based on the determined control items. The air conditioning control unit 32 outputs control commands corresponding to the control items to the air conditioning unit 20. The control items are predetermined based on the air conditioning unit's specifications, such as airflow setting, airflow direction setting, temperature setting, and air outlet selection. Control items are selected via touch operation on the display 10 or by using a power switch installed in the vehicle. Furthermore, the air conditioning control unit 32 manages the operating status of the air conditioning unit 20 and the environment inside the passenger compartment. Temperature sensors and the like are used to manage the environment inside the passenger compartment.

[0028] The air conditioning control unit 32 controls the air conditioning unit 20, and the display control unit 31 controls the display screen, all through an application program (software). The display control unit 31 receives operation commands via touch operation on the display screen, and the air conditioning control unit 32 determines the control item corresponding to the operation command and outputs the corresponding control command to the air conditioning unit 20. Furthermore, if the air conditioning control unit 32 changes the operation of the air conditioning unit 20 based on the temperature environment inside the vehicle when it is automatically set to control the air conditioning unit 20, it sends a signal indicating the changed operation status to the display control unit 31. Based on the signal received from the air conditioning control unit 32, the display control unit 31 displays the current operation status of the air conditioning unit 20 on the display 10. Thus, occupants can use the display 10 to operate the air conditioning unit 20 and confirm the operation status of the air conditioning unit 20 from the display screen on the display 10.

[0029] Next, refer to Figures 3-5 This will explain the control method of the air conditioning unit 20 using the display 10 and the display screen of the display 10. Figures 3-5 The display screen 10 shows the operation screen for controlling the air conditioning unit 20. Furthermore, the control methods described below are effective when the operation screen for the air conditioning unit 20 is displayed on the display screen 10. The display screen 10 is a horizontal display. Additionally, Figures 3-5 The displayed screen is shown when the air conditioning unit 20 at the front of the vehicle is operated. Figures 3-5 In the diagram, the x-axis represents the vehicle's width (left-right direction), the y-axis represents the vehicle's depth in the direction of travel (forward direction), and the z-axis represents the height (up-down direction).

[0030] When the occupant turns on the main switch of the display 10, the display control unit 31 displays the main screen on the display 10. The occupant touches the "Air Conditioning Equipment (Air Conditioner)" option from the menu displayed on the main screen, and the display 10 detects the touch operation. The controller 30 launches the application for operating the air conditioning equipment 20. Furthermore, the application for controlling the air conditioning equipment 20 can also be launched before selecting "Air Conditioning Equipment (Air Conditioner)". The display control unit 31 outputs control commands to the display 10 to display the command on the display 10. Figures 3-5The display screen shown is shown below. Furthermore, when operating the air conditioning unit 20, the initial display screen of the display 10 only needs to show the items set previously. For example, the airflow, airflow direction, and temperature when the air conditioning unit 20 was last operated are displayed on the current initial display screen. Alternatively, if the operation of the air conditioning unit 20 has already been determined through initial settings, the initial settings are displayed on the current initial display screen. The initial settings can be changed by the occupant or can be changed at the system level.

[0031] like Figure 3 As shown, the display screen of monitor 10 includes a main switch button 11, a mode switch button 12, a handle icon 13, a reference area image 40, a seat image 50, a synchronization switch button 70, temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82, and temperature display images 91 and 92. The main switch button 11 is used to switch the air conditioning unit 20 between on and off states via touch operation. In the off state, the button is hollow; in the on state, the hollow portion turns orange. Furthermore, in the following description, the on / off display of other button icons is also indicated by hollow and orange displays, respectively. The mode switch button 12 is used to switch the operating mode (AUTO, MANUAL) of the air conditioning unit 20. The handle icon 13 is located on the right side of the display screen, indicating that the seat on the right side of the display screen is the driver's seat. Furthermore, regarding the icons and buttons displayed on the display screen, the areas where touch operation is enabled to control the air conditioning unit 20 are specified according to their type. Therefore, the user can operate the air conditioning unit 20 by touching the icons and buttons.

[0032] The reference area image 40 is an image within a defined range centered on the center point of the display screen, and includes at least a fan icon 41. The fan icon 41 is represented in the center of the display screen using a graphic that mimics a fan vent. In other words, the fan icon 41 mimics the icon of the air conditioning unit 20, which is the object of control. The display screen of the monitor 10 includes the reference area image 40 representing the reference area and the seat image 50 representing the seat. The reference area is an area set to determine the direction for touch operations with a fixed direction (vector), such as tapping, sliding, or stroking (hereinafter also referred to as directional touch operations). That is, when directional touch operations are performed on the display screen for purposes such as adjusting airflow as described later, a reference area is provided on the display screen to show the position of the finger contact or the direction of finger movement during the directional touch operation. Furthermore, in other words, directional touch operations can also be configured as touch operations where the movement of the contact point of the finger, etc., is vector-like. Figures 3-5In this example, the reference area is a vertically elongated region centered on the fan icon (fan graphic) 41 (enclosed by a dotted ellipse). Furthermore, the reference area can be defined by a closed space such as a rectangle, circle, or ellipse. The reference area image does not necessarily need to be an image that allows the occupant to recognize the boundaries of the reference area; it only needs to include at least the fan icon 41. In other words, the reference area on the display screen only needs to be set in a way that allows the occupant to determine the direction of finger movement and / or the initial touch position when operating the screen via directional touch.

[0033] Seat image 50 depicts the seating arrangement as viewed from the rear. Seat image 50 includes right seat image 51 and left seat image 52. With the vehicle's direction of travel (forward direction) set to front, right seat image 51 represents the right seat (driver's seat), and left seat image 52 represents the left seat (passenger seat). Seat image 50 corresponds to icons indicating the user's position. For example, right seat image 51 represents the driver's position. Reference area image 40 is located between right seat image 51 and left seat image 52 on the display screen. Right seat image 51 and left seat image 52 are displayed on the display screen in the configuration of the right and left seats as viewed from the rear. The left and right seat images 51, 52 and fan icon 41 are displayed in a forward and backward positional relationship along the y-axis in a way that gives depth on the display screen. Furthermore, regarding the left and right seat images 51 and 52, the right seat is rotated counterclockwise by a predetermined angle (e.g., a range of 10 to 45 degrees) relative to the front, with the z-axis as the center axis, and the left seat is rotated clockwise by a predetermined angle (e.g., a range of 10 to 45 degrees) relative to the front, with the z-axis as the center axis. Thus, the left and right seat images 51 and 52 are displayed such that the seats face the fan icon 41 in front of each other. In other words, the reference area image 40 and the left and right seat images 51 and 52 are arranged so that the left and right seats face the reference area on the display screen. Therefore, occupants viewing the display screen can visually grasp the state of the left and right seats facing the fan icon 41 in front of them from the display 10.

[0034] The positional relationship between the reference area image 40 and the seat image 50 in the z-axis direction is explained. The right seat image 51 and the left seat image 52 are displayed on the screen at the same height in the z-axis direction. The fan icon 41 is displayed on the screen at the same height as the left and right seat images 51 and 52 in the z-axis direction, at chest level. As described later, an image (icon) representing the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 is displayed between the reference area image 40 and the seat image 50. The heights of the reference area and the seat images are defined on the screen in a way that divides the area between the fan icon 41 and the chest level of the seat image 50, as well as the upper and lower areas relative to this area.

[0035] Next, the display of the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 will be explained. For example... Figures 4-5 As shown, a right-side airflow image 61 is displayed between the reference area image 40 and the right-side seat image 51, and a left-side airflow image 62 is displayed between the reference area image 40 and the left-side seat image 52. The right-side airflow image 61 is an image of the airflow blowing from the air conditioning unit 20 towards the right seat, and the left-side airflow image 62 is an image of the airflow blowing from the air conditioning unit 20 towards the left seat. The right-side airflow image 61 is displayed in touch areas 610-630 (described later), and the left-side airflow image 62 is displayed in touch areas 640-660 (described later). The right-side airflow image 61 and the left-side airflow image 62 are not displayed when the airflow level is "0", but are displayed when the airflow level is higher than "0". The right-side airflow image 61 and the left-side airflow image 62 indicate whether airflow is being delivered, allowing passengers to easily determine whether airflow is being delivered based on their display.

[0036] In addition to the fan icon 41 mentioned above, the reference area image 40 also includes a "+" icon 42 and a "-" icon 43. The "+" icon 42 is a button for increasing the airflow, and the "-" icon 43 is a button for decreasing the airflow. When an occupant touches the "+" icon 42 once on the display screen, the airflow increases by one level; when the occupant touches the "-" icon 43 once, the airflow decreases by one level. The airflow level increases or decreases based on the number of touches. Furthermore, when the "+" icon 42 is touched for a long press, the airflow level becomes the maximum value; when the "-" icon 43 is touched for a long press, the airflow level becomes zero or the minimum value (greater than 0).

[0037] The area between the reference area image 40 and the right seat image 51 is divided into touch areas 610 between the fan icon 41 and the chest of the right seat image 51, touch area 620 between the "+" icon 42 and the head of the right seat image 51, and touch area 630 between the "-" icon 43 and the lower part (seat face) of the right seat image 51. Touch area 610 is used to operate the airflow from the front vent to the right seat, touch area 620 is used to operate the defrost, and touch area 630 is used to operate the airflow from the lower vent to the lower part of the right seat. That is, the controlled object of the air conditioning unit 20 changes according to the location of the touch operation. For example, when the occupant adjusts the airflow from the front vent to the right seat, the occupant only needs to touch touch area 610. Furthermore, the specific operation method for adjusting the airflow will be described later. The area between the reference area image 40 and the left seat image 52 is also similarly divided into touch areas 640, 650, and 660. Touch area 640 is used to operate the airflow from the front vent to the left seat; touch area 650 is used to operate the defrost; and touch area 660 is used to operate the airflow from the lower vent to the lower part of the left seat. On the display screen, touch areas 610 and 640 are adjacent to fan icon 41, touch areas 620 and 650 are adjacent to "+" icon 42, and touch areas 630 and 660 are adjacent to "-" icon 43.

[0038] The display screen of monitor 10 shows a wind icon 611 representing wind blowing towards the front of the right seat, a defrost icon 621 representing the defrost device, and a wind icon 631 representing wind blowing towards the lower part of the right seat surface. On the display screen of monitor 10, the wind icon 611 is displayed between the fan icon 41 and the chest of the right seat image 51, the defrost icon 621 is displayed between the "+" icon 42 and the head of the right seat image 51, and the wind icon 631 is displayed between the "-" icon 43 and the lower part (seat surface) of the right seat image 51. Arrows represent the wind icons 611 and 631, with the arrows pointing from the reference area image 40 towards the right seat image 51.

[0039] The display screen of monitor 10 shows a wind icon 641 representing wind blowing towards the front of the left seat, a defrost icon 651 representing the defrost device, and a wind icon 661 representing wind blowing towards the lower part of the left seat surface. On the display screen of monitor 10, the wind icon 641 is displayed between the fan icon 41 and the chest of the left seat image 52, the defrost icon 651 is displayed between the "+" icon 42 and the head of the left seat image 52, and the wind icon 661 is displayed between the "-" icon 43 and the lower part (seat surface) of the left seat image 52. Arrows represent the wind icons 641 and 661, with the arrows pointing from the reference area image 40 towards the left seat image 52.

[0040] Wind icons 611, 631, 641, and 661 are displayed on touch areas 610, 630, 640, and 660 respectively, visually indicating to occupants that the airflow from the vents towards the front of the seat and under the seat can be adjusted via touch operations on touch areas 610, 630, 640, and 660. Additionally, defrost icons 621 and 651 are displayed on touch areas 620 and 650 respectively, visually indicating to occupants that the defrost can be adjusted via touch operations on touch areas 620 and 650. Furthermore, the orientation of the wind icons 611, 631, 641, and 661 indicates the direction of directional touch operations to increase airflow.

[0041] Next, the operation method for adjusting the airflow and the display method for the airflow will be explained. Touch areas 610-660 indicate areas where touch operations for operating the air conditioning unit 20 are set to active independently for each area. That is, touch area 610 indicates that touch operations for adjusting the airflow from the front vent to the right-side occupant are set to active. Touch areas 620 and 650 indicate that touch operations for controlling the defrost unit are set to active. Touch area 630 indicates that touch operations for adjusting the airflow from the lower vent to the right-side occupant are set to active. Touch areas 640 and 660, like touch areas 610 and 630, indicate that touch operations for adjusting the airflow from the vent to the left-side occupant are set to active.

[0042] By performing a touch operation in the area corresponding to the desired control object within the touch areas 610-660, the desired control object can be selected. The control object corresponds to the device in the overall air conditioning unit 20 that wants to output air. For example, if an occupant wants to adjust the airflow from the front vent to the right seat, the occupant touches the touch area 610. Furthermore, the touch operation for selecting the control object does not need to be a directional touch operation; it can also be a non-directional (fixed direction (vector)) touch operation such as a tap. The airflow intensity can be switched according to the direction of the directional touch operation within the touch area. When the directional touch operation is directed from the reference area image 40 toward the seat image 50, the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 increases. On the other hand, when the directional touch operation is directed from the seat image 50 toward the reference area image 40, the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 decreases. For example, if a passenger on the right wants to increase the airflow from the front vent, the passenger touches the touch area 610 and moves their finger along the direction from the fan icon 41 toward the right seat image 51. Similarly, if a passenger on the left wants to decrease the airflow from the lower vent, the passenger touches the touch area 660 and moves their finger along the direction from the left seat image 52 toward the "-" icon 43.

[0043] As described above, the control object of the air conditioning device 20 is selected by touching one of the multiple touch areas 610 to 660. Furthermore, when the touch operation is in the direction from the reference area image 40 toward the seat image 50 on the display screen, the air conditioning control unit 32 outputs a control signal to the air conditioning device 20 to increase the airflow from the air conditioning device 20. Conversely, when the touch operation is in the direction from the seat image 50 toward the reference area image 40 on the display screen, the air conditioning control unit 32 outputs a control signal to the air conditioning device 20 to decrease the airflow from the air conditioning device 20. Thus, the selection of the control object and the adjustment of the output from the control object are performed through touch operation, which includes a first posture and a second posture. Examples of the first and second postures include a combination of tapping and swiping, swiping or flicking only, performing swiping or flicking twice, or a combination of swiping and flicking. The first posture represents a finger movement that at least involves contact between the finger and the display screen. The second posture represents a finger movement with a fixed direction. For example, in a touch operation that combines tapping and swiping, the initial tap corresponds to the first gesture, and the second swipe corresponds to the second gesture. That is, in the combination of two touch operations, the first gesture is an operation such as touching or hovering to touch a point on the display screen. The second gesture is an operation such as swiping or flicking to move the point of contact with the finger on the display screen in a fixed direction. Furthermore, in the case of a single touch operation consisting only of swiping or flicking, the action of touching the display screen with the finger for swiping or flicking corresponds to the first gesture, and the action of moving the finger after touching the screen (if it is a swipe, it is the action of sliding the finger; if it is a flick, it is the action of flicking the finger) corresponds to the second gesture. Additionally, in other examples of performing two touch operations, such as performing swiping or flicking twice separately, or a combination of swiping and flicking, the initial swiping or flicking corresponds to the first gesture, and the second swiping or flicking corresponds to the second gesture. Moreover, the first and second gestures are not limited to touching, swiping, and flicking; they can also be finger movements in other touch operations such as long tapping.

[0044] The display 10 detects a first posture and a second posture based on touch operations in multiple touch areas 610-660. When the display 10 detects a first posture in touch areas 610-660, the air conditioning control unit 32 selects the control object corresponding to the touch area 610-660 where the first posture was detected. For example, when the display 10 detects a first posture in touch area 610, the air conditioning control unit 32 selects the device in the air conditioning unit 20 that delivers air from the front vent to the right seat as the control object. When the display 10 detects a second posture in touch areas 610-660, if the second posture is in a direction away from the fan icon 41, the air conditioning control unit 32 increases the control amount of the selected air conditioning unit 20. On the other hand, when the display 10 detects a second posture in touch areas 610-660, if the second posture is in a direction closer to the fan icon 41, the air conditioning control unit 32 decreases the control amount of the selected air conditioning unit 20. The control amount is the airflow. Thus, the airflow can be adjusted via touch operation. Furthermore, the controlled quantity is not limited to air volume; it can also be wind speed, temperature, etc.

[0045] Furthermore, the air conditioning control unit 32 can also adjust the amount of airflow increase or decrease based on the amount and / or speed of directional touch operations within the touch areas 610-660. That is, the greater the amount of directional touch operation (equivalent to the distance the finger moves during a swipe), the greater the increase or decrease in airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 caused by the air conditioning control unit 32. Conversely, the greater the speed of directional touch operation (equivalent to the speed of the finger during a swipe, or the speed of the finger when lightly flicking), the greater the increase or decrease in airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 caused by the air conditioning control unit 32.

[0046] Furthermore, the air conditioning control unit 32 can also adjust the selection of the controlled object and / or the increase or decrease of airflow based on touch operations within the touch areas 610-660. For example, when touch area 610 is touched by a finger, the air conditioning control unit 32 selects the air conditioning unit 20 that outputs air from the front vent towards the right seat as the controlled object, and controls the output of air from the front vent towards the right seat. The air conditioning control unit 32 can also increase the airflow level based on the number of touch operations. If there are two touch operations, the air conditioning control unit 32 can increase the airflow level by two levels. Thus, when touch areas 610 and 640 are touched, the air conditioning control unit 32 outputs a control command to control the output of air from the front vent; when touch areas 620 and 650 are touched, the air conditioning control unit 32 outputs a control command to control the defrost unit; and when touch areas 630 and 660 are touched, the air conditioning control unit 32 outputs a control command to control the output of air from the lower vent.

[0047] The airflow from the defroster, the front air outlet, and the lower air outlet is indicated by a scale display within touch areas 610-660. Touch areas 610-660 contain scales indicating the airflow level. Figure 3 The display screen shows that the airflow from the defroster, the front air outlet, and the lower air outlet is zero. Figure 4 The display shows airflow of level "3" blowing from the front vent to the right and left seats respectively, with no airflow coming from the defroster or the lower vent. Figure 5 The display screen shows that airflow of level "6" is blowing from the front vent to the right and left seats respectively, and no airflow is blowing from the defroster and the lower vent.

[0048] exist Figure 3 On the display screen, air is not blowing from the defroster, the front air outlet, or the lower air outlet; airflow images 61 and 62 are not displayed. Figure 4 , Figure 5 On the display screen, air blows from the front vent towards the left and right seats, therefore airflow images 61 and 62 are displayed in areas 610 and 640. Additionally, in Figure 4 , Figure 5On the display screen, air does not blow from the defroster and the lower air outlet, therefore airflow images 61 and 62 are not displayed in areas 620, 630, 650, and 660. In this way, airflow images 61 and 62 are displayed for each of the touch areas 610 and 640. This makes it easy to determine which air outlet is blowing from, which seat is being oriented towards, and which outlet is not blowing from. Furthermore, the length and number of airflow images 61 and 62 can vary depending on the airflow level; for example, the greater the airflow level, the longer the length of airflow images 61 and 62. Alternatively, the greater the airflow level, the more airflow images 61 and 62 are displayed. When the airflow level varies for each touch area 610 to 660, the length and number of airflow images 61 and 62 can also vary for each area according to the level. Furthermore, even when… Figure 3 Even in cases where no wind is blowing, wind images 61 and 62 can still be displayed.

[0049] Six scales can be displayed within the touch areas 610-660 to show seven levels of airflow from "0" to "6". The six scales are represented by a wave pattern radiating from the reference area towards the left and right seats. The number of airflow images 610a displayed indicates the airflow level. When the airflow level is zero, all airflow images 610a are displayed in white. When the airflow level is greater than 0, the airflow images 610a are displayed in a color other than white, depending on the magnitude of the airflow level. The number of airflow images 610a represents both the wave pattern and the airflow level; one airflow image 610a represents one scale level. Furthermore, the number of airflow images 610a can be changed for each touch area of ​​the touch areas 610-660. Additionally, in... Figures 3-5 In this case, due to the color of the paper, the airflow image 610a is not displayed in white and is marked with a dotted pattern. However, the background of the display screen can also be set to black and the airflow image 610a can be filled in with white. Furthermore, multiple airflow images 610a can be arranged to form a pattern. When the airflow level is zero, all airflow images 610a within the touch area 610-660 are displayed in white. Figure 4 As shown, when an airflow level of "3" is blown from the front vent to the left and right seats, three airflow images 610a are displayed in areas 610 and 640 using a color other than white, thus represented by three patterns. In areas 610 and 640, the airflow images 610a corresponding to the airflow levels "4 to 6" remain displayed in white. Additionally, as... Figure 4 As shown, because no air is blown from the defroster and the lower vent, all airflow images 610a in touch areas 620, 630, 650, and 660 are displayed in white. When the airflow level from the front vent to the left and right seats is changed from 3 to 6, the display changes from... Figure 4The display method shown has changed Figure 5 In the display method shown, the number of patterns displayed in the touch areas 610 and 640 increases from three to six. The display order of the multiple airflow images 610a corresponds to the airflow direction, starting from the side closest to the reference area. That is, the display screen of the monitor 10 includes airflow images 610a represented by patterns between the reference area image 40 and the seat image 50, and the number of patterns displayed from the reference area image 40 toward the seat image 50 increases with the increase of airflow. Thus, the occupant can visually grasp the airflow level based on the number and length of the patterns. In this embodiment, when no airflow is coming out of the vent, the airflow image 610a is displayed in white, and when airflow is coming out of the vent, the airflow image 610a is displayed in a color other than white according to the airflow level. Thus, since the scale can be seen, it is easy to grasp the situation where no airflow is coming out, and it is easy to grasp the airflow level when airflow is coming out. Furthermore, the pattern formed by the airflow image 610a is not limited to a wave pattern, but can also be a gradient pattern, a stripe pattern, or other patterns.

[0050] In this embodiment, an airflow image 610a is displayed for each area of ​​the touch areas 610 to 660 based on the airflow level from each outlet. That is, in Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the example, in touch areas 610 and 640, a scale corresponding to the airflow level is displayed using an airflow image 610a in a color other than white. Furthermore, in touch areas 620, 630, 650, and 660, all scales are displayed as white airflow images 610a. Thus, occupants can clearly see from the display whether air is being blown from the front vents towards the left and right seats, and the airflow level. Additionally, occupants can also see if air is not being blown from the defroster or the lower vents. In other words, occupants can easily determine which vents are blowing air, which seats they are blowing towards, and which vents are not blowing air. Furthermore, it is easy to monitor the airflow level for each area.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display of wind images 61 and 62 and airflow image 610a is controlled for each touch area 610-660, but it is also possible to control them without distinguishing between each area 610-660. For example, it is also possible that when airflow of level "3" is blown from the front vent to the right seat and no airflow is blown from the defroster and the lower vent, wind image 61 is displayed in areas 610-630, and three airflow images 610a are displayed in areas 610-630 in a color other than white.

[0052] Furthermore, the directional touch operation for adjusting the airflow can be performed at any position within the touch area 610-660. In other words, when the position coordinates of the touch location when the display screen is touched move relatively within the touch area 610-660, or more specifically, when the touch location can be confirmed at any point within the touch area 610-660, the directional touch operation is detected as an operation for adjusting the airflow. For example, if the passenger on the right wants to increase or decrease the airflow from the front vent, the passenger only needs to touch the part of the touch area 610 near the fan icon 41, or the part of the touch area 610 near the right seat image 51. Moreover, the passenger only needs to change the direction of the directional touch operation according to the increase or decrease in airflow. In addition, the passenger only needs to change the amount and / or speed of the directional touch operation according to the amount of airflow. Thus, the passenger can adjust the airflow by touching any position within the touch area 610-660.

[0053] Additionally, the airflow adjustment based on directional touch operation can vary according to the touch position within the touch areas 610-660. In other words, when a directional touch operation is performed within the touch areas 610-660, the airflow increases or decreases to a scale corresponding to the endpoint of the touch operation. For example, in Figure 4 In the example, when an occupant performs a directional touch operation within the touch area 610, and the touch position moves from the first scale to the third scale, the air conditioning control unit 32 sets the airflow level of the front vent to 3. Thus, the airflow level can be changed according to the touch position within the touch areas 610-660.

[0054] Next, the synchronization switch button 70 will be explained. The synchronization switch button 70 is a switch used to simultaneously adjust the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 towards the right seat and the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 towards the left seat. When the synchronization switch button 70 is on, the occupant can adjust the airflow output towards both the right and left seats by touching touch areas 610-660. When the synchronization switch button 70 is off, even if the occupant touches touch areas 610-660, they cannot adjust the airflow output towards either the right or left seats; they can only adjust the airflow output corresponding to the touched area. For example, when the synchronization switch button 70 is on, and a directional touch operation is performed within touch area 610 from the reference area image 40 towards the right seat image 51, in response to the directional touch operation, in addition to adjusting the airflow output from the front vent towards the right seat, the airflow from the front vent towards the left seat is also adjusted. The airflow direction and volume level of both sides are also adjusted simultaneously. Furthermore, even when an occupant touches the touch area 660 without airflow from the lower vent towards the left and right seats and with the synchronization switch button 70 on, airflow from the lower vent towards the left seat and airflow from the front vent towards the left seat can be output simultaneously. That is, when the synchronization switch button 70 is on, the air conditioning control unit 32 outputs a control command to the air conditioning unit 20 in response to a touch operation, controlling the airflow towards both the right and left seats. Conversely, when the synchronization switch button 70 is off, the air conditioning control unit 32 outputs a control command to the air conditioning unit 20 in response to a touch operation, controlling the airflow towards either the right or left seat. Thus, by touching either the left or right area relative to the reference area on the display screen, the occupant can adjust the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 towards both the left and right seats. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the airflow volume towards the left and right seats is controlled synchronously in response to the switching of the synchronization switch button 70 between on and off; however, this control is not limited to airflow volume, and can also synchronously control airflow direction and temperature. In other words, when the synchronization switch button 70 is turned on, the air conditioning control unit 32 outputs a control command to the air conditioning equipment 20 in response to the touch operation, for controlling the air volume of the right seat airflow and the left seat airflow simultaneously, or for controlling the temperature of the right seat airflow and the left seat airflow simultaneously.

[0055] Next, the image surrounding the fan icon 41 and the animation of the fan icon 41 are described. The reference area image 40 includes multiple scales 44 surrounding the fan icon 41. The multiple scales 44 are arranged in a ring around the fan icon 41, with gaps between them to distinguish the scales. The greater the airflow level, the more the number of scales 44 increases clockwise. Figure 4In the example, the airflow level is 3, therefore it is displayed with three scales of 44. Figure 5 In the example, the airflow level is 6, therefore six scales 44 are displayed. That is, the multiple scales 44 increase or decrease according to the airflow towards the left and right seats. Additionally, the fan icon 41 can also have an animation function that rotates according to the wind speed and / or airflow from the front and / or lower air outlets. When no airflow is coming from the front and lower air outlets, the fan icon 41 remains stationary. When airflow is coming from the front and lower air outlets, the fan icon 41 rotates. Moreover, the higher the airflow level and / or wind speed, the faster the fan icon 41 rotates. Furthermore, wind speed is equivalent to airflow level. Furthermore, regarding the display of multiple scales 44, if the airflow towards the left seat differs from that towards the right seat, the number of scales 44 displayed can correspond to the larger airflow, the smaller airflow, or the average airflow.

[0056] Next, the temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82 will be explained. For example... Figures 3-5 As shown, a temperature adjustment bar 81 is displayed to the right of the right seat image 51, and a temperature adjustment bar 82 is displayed to the left of the left seat image 52. The temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82 have images 81a and 82a of line segments along the z-axis, and buttons 81b and 82b that can move along the line segments. The upper ends of the line segments 81a and 82a are shown in red, and the lower ends are shown in blue. Furthermore, in Figures 3-5 In this context, dots can also be used to represent colors, and other... Figures 6-8Similarly, dots are used instead of colors. Furthermore, the line segment images 81a and 82a are displayed with a gradient from red to blue as they move from top to bottom. Buttons 81b and 82b on the line segments can be moved by touch operations such as tapping, sliding, and / or swiping. When buttons 81b and 82b move upwards on the line segment due to a touch operation, the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20 increases. Conversely, when buttons 81b and 82b move downwards on the line segment due to a touch operation, the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20 decreases. The set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20 changes to the position of buttons 81b and 82b included in the temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82. Temperature adjustment bar 81 is an icon for adjusting the set temperature in the right-side seating area. Temperature adjustment bar 82 is an icon for adjusting the set temperature in the left-side seating area. Temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82 can be operated by upward and downward touch operations. That is, when the temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82 are operated by touching them in the upward direction, the air conditioning control unit 32 outputs a control command to increase the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20; when the temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82 are operated by touching them in the downward direction, the air conditioning control unit 32 outputs a control command to decrease the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20. Thus, occupants can easily change the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20 by touching the display 10. Furthermore, the ends of the temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82 are distinguished by red and blue, so occupants can easily determine from the display screen which direction to touch to adjust the temperature.

[0057] Furthermore, when the buttons 81b and 82b included in the temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82 are operated via directional touch, the unit of change of the set temperature can be changed according to the speed of the directional touch operation. The unit of change of the set temperature is preset in multiple levels, such as 0.5℃ and 1.0℃. Moreover, when the movement speed of buttons 81b and 82b is below a predetermined speed threshold, the air conditioning control unit 32 sets the unit of change of the set temperature (the amount of temperature change per unit) to the minimum unit (0.5℃). When the movement speed of buttons 81b and 82b is greater than the predetermined speed threshold, the air conditioning control unit 32 sets the unit of change of the set temperature (the amount of temperature change per unit) to a unit greater than the minimum unit (e.g., 1.0℃). For example, when an occupant operates buttons 81b and 82b by sliding, a higher sliding-based movement speed of buttons 81b and 82b results in a larger change in the set temperature relative to the amount of movement achieved by sliding buttons 81b and 82b. On the other hand, in touch operations based on the same sliding motion, when the movement speed of buttons 81b and 82b is low, even if the amount of movement obtained by the buttons through sliding is the same, the change in set temperature is also small. In other words, even if the amount of movement of buttons 81b and 82b is the same, the change in set temperature will vary depending on the difference in movement speed. The greater the movement speed of the touch operation, the larger the unit of change in set temperature, and therefore the greater the range of change in set temperature. Thus, the unit of change in set temperature can be adjusted according to the movement speed of buttons 81b and 82b in directional touch operations, making temperature adjustment easy.

[0058] Next, the temperature display images 91 and 92 will be explained. (For example...) Figures 3-5As shown, temperature display image 91 is displayed to the right of the temperature adjustment bar 81 on the right, and temperature display image 92 is displayed to the left of the temperature adjustment bar 82 on the left. Temperature display images 91 and 92 include thermometers 91a and 92a, up buttons 91b and 92b, and down buttons 91c and 92c. Thermometers 91a and 92a display the current set temperature. Up buttons 91b and 92b are used to increase the set temperature, and down buttons 91c and 92c are used to decrease the set temperature. When an up button 91b or 92b is touched once, the set temperature increases by a specified amount (e.g., 0.5°C). Similarly, when a down button 91c or 92c is touched once, the set temperature decreases by a specified amount (e.g., 0.5°C). Up buttons 91b and 92b are displayed in red, and down buttons 91c and 92c are displayed in blue. Therefore, occupants can confirm the current set temperature and easily change the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20 by touching the display 10. In addition, since the up buttons 91b and 92b and the down buttons 91c and 92c are distinguished by red and blue respectively, occupants can easily determine from the display screen which button to touch to adjust the temperature.

[0059] Next, refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 The color of the wave pattern displayed within the touch areas 610-660 is used to describe this. The set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20 can be set differently for the right and left seats. For example, in... Figure 6 In the example, airflow is blown from the defrost unit, the front air outlet, and the lower air outlet toward the right seat, with the airflow level set to "6" and the set temperature set to 17.0°C. Additionally, airflow is blown from the defrost unit, the front air outlet, and the lower air outlet toward the left seat, with the airflow level set to "6" and the set temperature set to 30.0°C. In this case, on the display screen of monitor 10, an airflow image 610a is displayed in a color representing a set temperature of 17.0 degrees Celsius between the reference area image and the right seat image. Furthermore, an airflow image 610a is displayed in a color representing a set temperature of 30.0 degrees Celsius between the reference area image and the left seat image. Thus, to represent an airflow level of "6", six wave patterns are displayed, and colors corresponding to the set temperature are added to the wave patterns. Furthermore, when the airflow level is "3", in the airflow image 610a, three of the six scales are displayed in color corresponding to the set temperature, and the remaining three scales are displayed in white. Therefore, the scale can be identified, making it easy to grasp the intensity of the airflow.

[0060] Figure 7 It is a bar graph showing the relationship between color and temperature in a wave pattern, such as... Figure 7As shown in the chart, a high set temperature is displayed in red, and a low set temperature is displayed in blue. Furthermore, as the set temperature decreases, the color changes from red to white, and then from white to blue. Figure 7 In the example, the color is blue when the set temperature is below 20.5℃, light blue when the set temperature is above 20.5℃ but below 23.5℃, white when the set temperature is above 23.5℃ but below 26.5℃, pink when the set temperature is above 26.5℃ but below 29.5℃, and red when the set temperature is above 29.5℃. Furthermore, in... Figure 6 In this example, the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20 for blowing air to the right seat is set to 17°C. Therefore, the wave pattern displayed on touch areas 610 and 630 is shown in blue. Conversely, the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20 for blowing air to the left seat is set to 30°C, therefore, the wave pattern displayed on touch areas 640 and 660 is shown in red. In this way, the display screen of the monitor 10 contains a color image representing the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20 (equivalent to...). Figure 6 The color of the image (a wave pattern) is red when the set temperature is above a specified temperature threshold, and blue when the set temperature is below the threshold. Therefore, the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20 can be determined based on the color. Furthermore, the color display corresponding to the set temperature is not limited to the wave pattern within the touch areas 610-660; it can also be applied to the digital displays of thermometers 91a and 92a, for example. Figure 6 In the example, the color representing the set temperature can also be displayed by attaching it to the wind images 61 and 62 instead of the wave pattern.

[0061] As described above, in the air conditioning control system according to this embodiment, the controller 30 displays a screen including a seat image 50 and a reference area image 40 on the touch panel display 10. When the touch operation on the display screen of the display 10 is in the direction from the reference area image 40 toward the seat image 50, the controller 30 outputs a control command to increase the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20. When the touch operation is in the direction from the seat toward the reference area, the controller 30 outputs a control command to decrease the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the air conditioning control method executed by the controller 30 includes the following processing: outputting a control command to display a screen including a seat image 50 and a reference area image 40 on the touch panel display 10; outputting a control command to increase the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 when the touch operation on the display screen of the display 10 is in the direction from the reference area image 40 toward the seat image 50; and outputting a control command to decrease the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 when the touch operation is in the direction from the seat toward the reference area. Therefore, touch operation can be performed along the flow of air or against the flow of air, allowing users to operate the air conditioning unit 20 intuitively. As a result, the operability of operating the air conditioning unit 20 via touch operation on the display screen is improved.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the seat images include a right seat image 51 and a left seat image 52. When the vehicle's direction of travel is set to front, the right seat image 51 represents the right seat, and the left seat image 52 represents the left seat. Thus, occupants can control the airflow to the left and right seats via touch operation on the display screen 10. Additionally, the reference area image 40 is located between the right seat image 51 and the left seat image 52 on the display screen. Therefore, occupants can adjust the airflow simply by performing directional touch operations based on the reference area image.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the right seat image 51 and the left seat image 52 are displayed on the screen according to the arrangement of each seat when viewed from the rear. Thus, occupants can grasp the relationship between the position of the seats arranged in the carriage and the controlled airflow on the display screen. As a result, users can intuitively operate the air conditioning unit 20.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the seats represented by the right seat image 51 and the left seat image 52 are displayed facing a reference area image. Therefore, occupants can clearly see the relationship between the position of their seats within the carriage and the controlled airflow on the display screen. As a result, users can intuitively operate the air conditioning unit 20.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reference area image 40 includes a fan icon 41 that mimics a fan and is located in the center of the display screen. The left seat image is positioned to the left of the reference area image on the display screen, the right seat image 51 is positioned to the right of the reference area image on the display screen, and the left seat image 52 is positioned to the left of the reference area image on the display screen. Thus, occupants can perceive from the display screen the direction of the airflow from the fan towards their left and right seats. As a result, the user can intuitively operate the air conditioning unit 20.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the synchronization switch button 70 is on, the controller 30 outputs control commands to the touch operation to control the airflow output of both the right and left seat fans. When the synchronization switch button 70 is off, the controller 30 outputs control commands to the touch operation to control the airflow output of only one of the right and left seat fans. Additionally, when the synchronization switch button 70 is on, the controller 30 outputs control commands to the touch operation to control any one of the airflow volume, direction, and temperature of both the right and left seat fans. When the synchronization switch button 70 is off, the controller 30 outputs control commands to the touch operation to control any one of the airflow volume, direction, and temperature of only one of the right and left seat fans. Thus, it is possible to switch between a mode that can simultaneously control the airflow of both seats and a mode that can control only one fan.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display screen includes an airflow image represented by patterns between the seat image 50 and the reference area image 40, and the number of patterns displayed from the reference area image toward the seat image increases with the increase of airflow. This allows the user to easily monitor the airflow.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reference area image 40 includes multiple scales 44 surrounding the fan icon 41, which has an animation function showing that the fan's rotational speed changes according to the wind speed delivered from the air conditioning unit 20. The multiple scales increase or decrease according to the air volume delivered from the air conditioning unit 20. Thus, the user can easily control the air volume.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display screen includes temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82 that allow adjustment of the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20 via a first touch operation in one direction and a second touch operation in the other direction. When the temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82 are operated via the first touch operation, the controller 30 outputs a control command to increase the set temperature; when the temperature adjustment bars 81 and 82 are operated via the second touch operation, the controller 30 outputs a control command to decrease the set temperature. Thus, the user can operate the air conditioning unit 20 intuitively.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display screen includes a color image that uses colors to represent the set temperature of the air conditioning unit 20. When the set temperature is above a predetermined temperature threshold, the color is red; when the set temperature is below the temperature threshold, the color is blue. This allows the user to easily determine the set temperature.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the touch operation speed is below a predetermined speed threshold, the controller 30 sets the temperature change unit to the smallest unit. This allows the user to easily change the adjustment range of the set temperature.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when touch areas 610 and 640 (corresponding to the "first touch areas" of this invention) are touched, the controller 30 outputs a control command to control the output of air from the front air outlet; when touch areas 620 and 650 (corresponding to the "second touch areas" of this invention) are touched, the controller 30 outputs a control command to control the defrost unit; and when touch areas 630 and 660 (corresponding to the "third touch areas" of this invention) are touched, the controller 30 outputs a control command to control the output of air from the lower air outlet. Thus, the user can intuitively operate the air conditioning unit 20.

[0073] Alternatively, as a variation of this embodiment, the right seat image 51 and the left seat image 52 may also be displayed on the display screen of the monitor 10 in a configuration where the seats face each other. Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the display screen of the display 10 involved in the modified example. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the right seat image 51 and left seat image 52 are side views, configured so that the front of the seats faces the reference area. This allows the occupant to perceive the positional relationship between the seat and the controlled airflow on the display screen. Consequently, the user can intuitively operate the air conditioning unit 20.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a control method and operation method for displaying two seat images on a display screen and controlling the airflow toward the two seats have been described. However, it is also possible to display one seat image on the display screen of the display 10 and control the airflow toward one seat based on touch operations of the display 10. For example, the controller 30 includes a reference area image 40 and is equivalent to... Figures 3-5 The right half of the image in the display screen is displayed on the monitor 10 for the right seat, so that it includes the reference area image 40 and is equivalent to Figures 3-5 The left half of the image on the display screen is shown on the monitor 10 for the left seat. Furthermore, the controller 30 controls the airflow from the air conditioning unit to the right seat based on touch operations on the monitor 10 for the right seat. Similarly, the controller 30 controls the airflow from the air conditioning unit 20 to the left seat based on touch operations on the monitor 10 for the left seat. Moreover, the operation method of the display screen and the control method of the air conditioning unit 20 can be achieved by appropriately applying the methods described above. Therefore, touch operations along the airflow or against the airflow are possible, allowing the user to operate the air conditioning unit 20 intuitively. As a result, the operability of operating the air conditioning unit 20 via touch operations on the display screen is improved. Furthermore, in this embodiment, three or more seat images can be displayed on the display screen of the monitor 10, and the airflow towards each seat can be controlled based on touch operations on the monitor 10.

[0075] Furthermore, the embodiments described above are provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, the essence of the elements disclosed in the above embodiments also includes all design modifications and equivalents that fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0076] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0077] 1: Air conditioning control system; 10: Display; 11: Main switch button; 12: Mode switch button; 13: Handle icon; 20: Air conditioning equipment; 30: Controller; 31: Display control unit; 32: Air conditioning control unit; 40: Reference area image; 50: Seat image; 51: Right seat image; 52: Left seat image.

Claims

1. An air conditioning control device for controlling air conditioning equipment installed in a vehicle. The air conditioning control device includes a controller that controls the display screen of the touch panel display, and controls the air conditioning equipment based on touch operations on the display screen. The display screen includes a seat image representing the seat and a reference area image representing the reference area. When the touch operation has a direction from the reference area image toward the seat image, the controller outputs a control command to increase the airflow from the air conditioning unit. When the touch operation has a direction from the seat image toward the reference area image, the controller outputs a control command to reduce the airflow from the air conditioning unit. The seating image includes a right seat image and a left seat image. With the vehicle's direction of travel set to frontal, the right seat image represents the right seat, and the left seat image represents the left seat. The reference area image is located on the display screen between the right seat image and the left seat image. The display screen includes multiple touch areas between the reference area image and the right seat image, and between the reference area image and the left seat image. The multiple touch areas contain multiple scales that indicate the amount of airflow. The higher the current airflow level, the more scales will be displayed.

2. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reference area image is located between the right seat image and the left seat image on the display screen.

3. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The right seat image and the left seat image are displayed on the display screen in a configuration that is viewed from the rear or in a configuration that makes the seats face each other.

4. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The seat, represented by the right seat image and the left seat image, faces the reference area image on the display screen.

5. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The reference area image includes a fan icon that mimics a fan and is located in the center of the display screen. The right seat image is positioned to the right of the reference area image on the display screen. The left seat image is positioned to the left of the reference area image on the display screen.

6. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The display screen includes a synchronization switch button, which is used to synchronize the airflow directed from the air conditioner to the right seat with the airflow directed from the air conditioner to the left seat. When the synchronization switch button is turned on, the controller outputs control commands to control the airflow output of both the right-side and left-side seats in response to the touch operation. When the synchronization switch button is off, the controller outputs a control command to control the airflow output of either the right seat fan or the left seat fan in response to the touch operation.

7. The air conditioning control device according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the synchronization switch button is turned on, the controller outputs control commands to the touch operation to control any one of the airflow, airflow direction, and temperature of the right seat fan and the left seat fan. When the synchronization switch button is off, the controller outputs a control command to the touch operation to control any one of the air volume, air direction, and temperature of the right seat fan and the left seat fan.

8. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The display screen includes a patterned airflow image between the seat image and the reference area image. The number of patterns displayed from the reference area image toward the seat image increases with the increase of the airflow.

9. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The reference area image contains a fan icon that mimics a fan.

10. The air conditioning control device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The reference area image includes multiple scales surrounding the fan icon. The fan icon features an animation function that shows the fan's rotational speed changing according to the wind speed emitted from the air conditioning unit. The multiple scales increase or decrease according to the air volume delivered from the air conditioning unit.

11. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display screen includes adjustment icons that allow the set temperature of the air conditioning unit to be adjusted via a first touch operation in one direction and a second touch operation in another direction. When the adjustment icon is operated via the first touch operation, the controller outputs a control command to increase the set temperature. When the adjustment icon is operated via the second touch operation, the controller outputs a control command to reduce the set temperature.

12. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The display screen includes a color image that uses colors to represent the set temperature of the air conditioning device. When the set temperature is above a predetermined temperature threshold, the color is red. When the set temperature is lower than the temperature threshold, the color is blue.

13. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The controller controls the set temperature of the air conditioning unit based on the touch operation. When the operation speed of the touch operation is below a specified speed threshold, the controller sets the unit of change of the set temperature to the minimum unit.

14. The air conditioning control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The air conditioning unit has a defroster, a front air outlet that blows air towards the front of the seat, and a lower air outlet that blows air towards the lower part of the seat. The plurality of touch areas include a first touch area, a second touch area, and a third touch area between the seat image and the reference area image. The first touch area is the area where touch operations for adjusting airflow from the front vent are enabled; the second touch area is the area where touch operations for controlling the defroster are enabled; and the third touch area is the area where touch operations for adjusting airflow from the lower vent are enabled. When the first touch area is touched, the controller outputs a control command to control the output of air from the front air outlet; when the second touch area is touched, the controller outputs a control command to control the defroster; and when the third touch area is touched, the controller outputs a control command to control the output of air from the lower air outlet.

15. An air conditioning control method for controlling an air conditioning device installed in a vehicle, the air conditioning control method comprising the following processes: Output control commands, which are used to display a screen containing a seat image representing a seat and a reference area image representing a reference area on a touch panel display. When a touch operation on the display screen has a direction from the reference area image toward the seat image, a control command is output to increase the air volume of the air delivered from the air conditioning unit. as well as When the touch operation has a direction from the seat image toward the reference area image, a control command is output to reduce the airflow from the air conditioning unit. The seating image includes a right seat image and a left seat image. With the vehicle's direction of travel set to frontal, the right seat image represents the right seat, and the left seat image represents the left seat. The reference area image is located on the display screen between the right seat image and the left seat image. The display screen includes multiple touch areas between the reference area image and the right seat image, and between the reference area image and the left seat image. The multiple touch areas contain multiple scales that indicate the amount of airflow. The higher the current airflow level, the more scales will be displayed.

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