Environmental control device, environmental conditioning device, air conditioning device, environmental control method, and program

Abstract

The control unit (100) processes a first signal, which is output from a non-contact biological sensor (57) that detects biological information of a person present in a space, on the basis of status information acquired by a status acquisition unit (80), and generates a second signal indicating biological information of the subject, said first signal being output from the non-contact biological sensor (57) that detects biological information of a person present in the space. The control unit (100) estimates emotional information of the subject on the basis of the second signal, and controls the environment adjustment unit (A) on the basis of the emotional information of the subject.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an environment control device, an environment adjustment device, an air conditioning device, an environment control method, and a program. Background Art

[0002] The air conditioning device disclosed in Patent Document 1 determines the attributes of a human subject and controls the air volume and the rotation speed of the compressor according to the attributes of the human subject, thereby improving the comfort of the human subject.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2018 / 0029757 Summary of the Invention

[0006] -Technical problem to be solved by the invention-

[0007] The air conditioning device described in Patent Document 1 can improve the comfort of the subject or the subject's concentration by applying environmental stimulation to the subject. However, even if such environmental stimulation is applied, it may not necessarily be suitable for the subject.

[0008] Therefore, it is possible to infer the subject's emotions such as comfort or discomfort based on the subject's biological information. Since different people may enter and exit the space where the air conditioning device of Patent Document 1 is installed, a non-contact sensor is preferably used as a means for simply acquiring the subject's biological information.

[0009] However, when acquiring a subject's biometric information using a non-contact sensor, the amplitude of the signal acquired by the sensor may be small depending on the subject's posture, making it difficult to estimate the subject's emotions. This makes it difficult to identify the individual in the space from whom the acquired biometric information originates, making it difficult to estimate the subject's individual emotions.

[0010] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an environment control device capable of improving the accuracy of estimating emotional information of a subject.

[0011] -Technical solutions to solve technical problems-

[0012] The first aspect is directed to an environment control device, including a control unit 100 that controls an environment adjustment unit A, which adjusts the environment of a space in which a person resides. The control unit 100 processes a first signal based on state information to generate a second signal representing biometric information of a subject. The first signal is output from a non-contact biometric sensor 57 that detects biometric information of a person in the space. The state information is acquired by a state acquisition unit 80 and represents the state of the person in the space. The control unit 100 infers emotional information of the subject based on the second signal and controls the environment adjustment unit A based on the emotional information of the subject.

[0013] In the first aspect, the first signal output from the biosensor 57 is processed based on the human state information to generate the second signal. Since the subject's emotional information is estimated based on the second signal, the accuracy of the emotional information estimation can be improved.

[0014] According to a second aspect, based on the first aspect, the state information includes information on the number, position, posture or physique of people present in the space.

[0015] In the second aspect, the state information includes information about the number, position, posture, or physique of people in the space, so the first signal can be appropriately processed based on these pieces of information, thereby generating a second signal sufficient to estimate emotion information.

[0016] According to a third aspect, based on the first or second aspect, the biological information includes information on heart rate, pulse wave, body movement or breathing of a person present in the space.

[0017] In the third aspect, since the biological information includes information on the heart rate, pulse wave, body movement, or breathing of a person present in the space, it is possible to infer emotional information.

[0018] The fourth aspect is that, based on any one of the first to third aspects, the first signal is a signal formed by superimposing the biological information of multiple people, and the control unit 100 extracts a signal representing the biological information of the object from the first signal based on the status information, thereby generating the second signal.

[0019] In the fourth aspect, when multiple people are present in a room, a signal representing the subject's biometric information is extracted from a first signal superimposed with the biometric signals of multiple people. This allows the signal representing the subject's individual biometric information to be identified, enabling the subject's emotional information to be accurately estimated.

[0020] The fifth aspect is that, based on the fourth aspect, the first signal is a signal formed by the superposition of multiple signals with different amplitudes, and the control unit 100 extracts a signal of a specified amplitude from the first signal according to the relative position of the subject in the space, thereby generating the second signal.

[0021] In the biosensor 57, the amplitude of the signal is larger for a person located closer to the biosensor 57, and the amplitude of the signal is smaller for a person located farther from the biosensor 57. In the fifth aspect, the control unit 100 extracts a signal having a predetermined amplitude from the first signal based on the relative position of the subject in space, thereby enabling the control unit 100 to identify a signal representing the subject's individual biometric information.

[0022] According to a sixth aspect, based on the fourth or fifth aspect, the control unit 100 determines the target person based on priority information set by a user.

[0023] In the sixth aspect, the target person is determined based on the priority information set by the user. Therefore, when there are multiple people in the space, the environment can be adjusted to be ideal for the person whom the user wants to prioritize.

[0024] The seventh aspect is directed to an environment adjustment device, which includes the environment adjustment unit A according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the biosensor 57 , the state acquisition unit 80 , and the control unit 100 .

[0025] The eighth aspect is directed to an air conditioning device. The air conditioning device includes the environment conditioning unit A according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the biosensor 57, the state acquisition unit 80, and the control unit 100. The environment conditioning unit A is an air conditioning unit A that adjusts the air in the space where the subject person is present.

[0026] The ninth aspect is directed to an environmental control method for controlling an environmental conditioning unit A that adjusts the environment of a space where a person is present. The environmental control method includes: processing a first signal based on state information to generate a second signal representing biometric information of a subject, the first signal being output from a non-contact biometric sensor 57 that detects biometric information of a person present in the space, the state information being acquired by a state acquisition unit 80 and representing the state of the person present in the space; inferring emotional information of the subject based on the second signal; and controlling the environmental conditioning unit A based on the emotional information of the subject.

[0027] The tenth aspect is directed to a program that causes a computer to execute processing for controlling an environment adjustment unit A, which adjusts the environment of a space where a person exists. The program causes the computer to execute: processing a first signal output from a non-contact biometric sensor 57 that detects biometric information of a person existing in the space based on state information to generate a second signal representing biometric information of a subject person; the first signal is output from a non-contact biometric sensor 57 that detects biometric information of a person existing in the space; the state information is acquired by a state acquisition unit 80 and represents the state of the person existing in the space; processing to infer emotional information of the subject person based on the second signal; and processing to control the environment adjustment unit A based on the emotional information of the subject person. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 is a simplified structural diagram of an air conditioning device according to an embodiment;

[0029] Figure 2 It is a simplified diagram of the piping system of the air conditioning unit;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a block diagram showing the internal structure of an indoor unit of an air conditioning apparatus;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a front view of the indoor unit of the air conditioning device;

[0032] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the main devices of the air conditioning apparatus;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a diagram of Russell's emotional circle model;

[0034] Figure 7 It is a flowchart of object-first operation;

[0035] Figure 8 is a flow chart of a second signal generation process;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a simplified structural diagram of an air conditioning apparatus according to Modification 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The following describes embodiments of the present disclosure in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown below, and various modifications are possible without departing from the technical spirit of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings are intended to conceptually illustrate the present disclosure, and therefore, dimensions, proportions, or quantities may be exaggerated or simplified as necessary to facilitate understanding.

[0038] The environmental control device E of the present disclosure is applied to an air conditioning device 10. The air conditioning device 10 is an example of an environmental conditioning device. Figure 1 As shown, the air conditioning device 10 applies environmental stimulation to the subject T in the indoor space I as the target space. The air conditioning device 10 adjusts the environment of the indoor space I. The air conditioning device 10 adjusts the air in the indoor space I. The air conditioning device 10 of this embodiment adjusts the temperature of the air in the indoor space I.

[0039] (1) Composition of air conditioning system

[0040] (1-1) Overall composition

[0041] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the air conditioning apparatus 10 includes an outdoor unit 20, an indoor unit 30, a first connecting pipe 12, and a second connecting pipe 13. The air conditioning apparatus 10 is a one-on-one type air conditioning apparatus having one outdoor unit 20 and one indoor unit 30. The first connecting pipe 12 is a gas connecting pipe, and the second connecting pipe 13 is a liquid connecting pipe. The outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 30 are connected to each other via the first connecting pipe 12 and the second connecting pipe 13, thereby forming a refrigerant circuit 11. The refrigerant circuit 11 performs a refrigeration cycle by circulating a refrigerant. The refrigerant is, for example, difluoromethane.

[0042] (1-2) Outdoor unit

[0043] The outdoor unit 20 is installed outdoors. The outdoor unit 20 includes an outdoor casing 20a, a compressor 21, an outdoor heat exchanger 22, an expansion valve 23, a four-way reversing valve 24, and an outdoor fan 25. The outdoor casing 20a houses the compressor 21, the outdoor heat exchanger 22, the expansion valve 23, the four-way reversing valve 24, and the outdoor fan 25.

[0044] The compressor 21 is a rotary compressor of the swing piston type, rotary type, scroll type, etc. The outdoor heat exchanger 22 is a tube-fin type heat exchanger. The four-way reversing valve 24 is in the first state ( Figure 2 The state shown by the solid line in the figure) and the second state ( Figure 2 The four-way reversing valve 24 switches between the states (indicated by dashed lines in FIG). In the first state, the four-way reversing valve 24 connects the discharge port of the compressor 21 with the gas end of the outdoor heat exchanger 22, and connects the suction port of the compressor 21 with the first connecting pipe 12. In the second state, the four-way reversing valve 24 connects the discharge port of the compressor 21 with the first connecting pipe 12, and connects the suction port of the compressor 21 with the gas end of the outdoor heat exchanger 22. The outdoor fan 25 is a propeller fan.

[0045] (1-3) Indoor unit

[0046] Figure 3 and Figure 4The indoor unit 30 shown is installed in the indoor space I. The indoor unit 30 is a wall-mounted indoor unit installed on a wall W of the indoor space I. The indoor unit 30 includes an indoor casing 30a, an air filter 31, an indoor heat exchanger 32, an indoor fan 33, a water collection pan 34, a first air guide plate 35, and a second air guide plate 36.

[0047] The indoor casing 30a is formed into a hollow shape with a long horizontal length in the left-right direction. The indoor casing 30a houses the air filter 31, the indoor heat exchanger 32, the indoor fan 33, the water collection tray 34, the first air guide plate 35, and the second air guide plate 36. An air inlet 41 and an air outlet 42 are formed in the indoor casing 30a. The air inlet 41 is formed in the upper part of the indoor casing 30a. The air inlet 41 is an opening for sucking air from the indoor space S. The air inlet 41 extends along the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the indoor casing 30a. The air outlet 42 is formed at a front side of the lower part of the indoor casing 30a. The air outlet 42 extends along the longitudinal direction of the indoor casing 30a. Inside the indoor casing 30a, an air passage 43 is formed between the air inlet 41 and the air outlet 42.

[0048] The air filter 31 is arranged upstream of the indoor heat exchanger 32 in the air passage 43. The air filter 31 is a mesh member formed along the air inlet 41. The air filter 31 captures and collects dust in the air sucked in from the air inlet 41.

[0049] The indoor heat exchanger 32 is arranged upstream of the indoor fan 33 in the air passage 43. The indoor heat exchanger 32 is a fin-and-tube heat exchanger and exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing therein and the air sent by the indoor fan 33.

[0050] The indoor fan 33 is an example of an air blower. The indoor fan 33 is a cross-flow fan. The indoor fan 33 extends along the length of the indoor casing 30a. The indoor fan 33 is driven to rotate by a fan motor 33a. The indoor fan 33 transports air in the air passage 43. When the indoor fan 33 is in operation, air in the indoor space I is drawn into the air passage 43 and flows through the air passage 43. Simultaneously, the air in the air passage 43 is blown out from the outlet 42. The indoor fan 33 is configured to adjust the volume of the air blown out from the outlet 42 to the indoor space I. The volume of the blown air is adjusted by adjusting the rotational speed of the fan motor 33a.

[0051] The water collecting pan 34 is arranged below the indoor heat exchanger 32. The water collecting pan 34 is a tray that receives water generated in the indoor casing 30a. The water collecting pan 34 receives condensed water generated on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger 32.

[0052] The first air guide plate 35 and the second air guide plate 36 constitute a wind direction adjustment unit that adjusts the wind direction of the blown air. The indoor unit 30 has two first air guide plates 35 and eight second air guide plates 36, but these numbers are merely examples. The first air guide plate 35 adjusts the vertical direction of the blown air. The second air guide plate 36 adjusts the left and right direction of the blown air. The two first air guide plates 35 are arranged in the vertical direction. The first air guide plates 35 extend along the length of the indoor casing 30a. The first air guide plates 35 rotate up and down by being driven by a first air guide plate motor 35a. Multiple second air guide plates 36 are arranged in the length of the indoor casing 30a. The second air guide plates 36 extend in the vertical direction. The second air guide plates 36 rotate left and right by being driven by a second air guide plate motor 36a.

[0053] (1-4) Remote Control

[0054] like Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the air conditioner 10 includes a remote control 50. The remote control 50 includes an operating unit 51 and a display unit 52. The operating unit 51 is used by the user to input various instructions for the air conditioner 10. The operating unit 51 is composed of buttons, switches, a touch panel, etc. This includes switching the air conditioner 10 on and off, selecting the operating mode of the air conditioner 10, and changing the set temperature of the indoor space I. The display unit 52 displays information related to the status and operation of the air conditioner 10. This information includes the operating mode and set temperature of the air conditioner 10.

[0055] (1-5) Sensors

[0056] The air conditioner 10 has a plurality of sensors. The plurality of sensors include an indoor temperature sensor 55, an infrared sensor 56, and an electric wave sensor 57. The indoor temperature sensor 55 is arranged near the air inlet 41. Figure 4 As shown, the infrared sensor 56 and the electric wave sensor 57 are arranged on the front surface of the indoor casing 30a. The infrared sensor 56 and the electric wave sensor 57 are arranged at a longitudinally (left-right) middle position on the front surface of the indoor casing 30a.

[0057] The indoor temperature sensor 55 detects the temperature of the air in the indoor space I. The indoor temperature sensor 55 detects the temperature of the air sucked in through the suction port 41 .

[0058] The infrared sensor 56 detects the temperature distribution of the air in the indoor space I and the surface temperature of people in the indoor space I. The infrared sensor 56 is used to subdivide the indoor space I into a plurality of two-dimensional sections and obtain temperature data for each of the sections.

[0059] The radio wave sensor 57 is a sensor for acquiring emotional information from the subject T. It is a vital sign sensor that uses microwaves to detect the biological signals of the subject T. The radio wave sensor 57 is a non-contact vital sign sensor. That is, the radio wave sensor 57 can detect the biological signals of the subject T without making contact with the subject T. These biological signals include signals originating from the subject T's respiration, heart rate, pulse waves, brain waves, and physical activity. The radio wave sensor 57 corresponds to the biological sensor of the present disclosure.

[0060] (1-6) Control Unit

[0061] The control unit 100 constitutes an environmental control device E that controls the air conditioning device 10. Strictly speaking, the control unit 100 controls the air conditioning unit A. Here, the air conditioning unit A refers to the mechanical components required to air condition the indoor space I. The air conditioning unit A constitutes an environmental conditioning unit that adjusts the environment surrounding the subject T and applies environmental stimuli to the subject T.

[0062] like Figure 5 As shown, the control unit 100 includes an indoor control unit IC, an outdoor control unit OC, and an operator control unit RC. The indoor control unit IC, the outdoor control unit OC, and the operator control unit RC are configured to communicate with each other via wired or wireless means. Each of the indoor control unit IC, the outdoor control unit OC, and the operator control unit RC includes an MCU (Micro Control Unit), electrical circuits, and electronic circuits. The MCU includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, and a communication interface. The memory stores various programs for execution by the CPU.

[0063] The outdoor control unit OC is provided in the outdoor unit 20. It is located within the outdoor housing 20a. It controls the compressor 21, the expansion valve 23, the four-way reversing valve 24, and the outdoor fan 25. Specifically, the outdoor control unit OC controls the operation and stopping of the compressor 21, the speed of the compressor 21, the opening of the expansion valve 23, the state of the four-way reversing valve 24, the operation and stopping of the outdoor fan 25, and the speed of the outdoor fan 25.

[0064] The indoor control unit IC is provided in the indoor unit 30. It is arranged inside the indoor unit casing 30a. The indoor control unit IC controls the indoor fan 33. Specifically, the indoor control unit IC controls the start and stop of the indoor fan 33 and the rotation speed of the fan motor 33a of the indoor fan 33. The indoor control unit IC also controls the first and second air deflectors 35, 36. Specifically, the indoor control unit IC controls the first and second air deflector motors 35a, 36a to adjust the angular positions of the first and second air deflectors 35, 36.

[0065] Detection signals from the indoor temperature sensor 55, the infrared sensor 56, and the radio wave sensor 57 are input to the indoor control unit IC.

[0066] The operation control unit RC transmits instructions regarding the operation mode and the set temperature input by the user through the operation unit 51. The instructions are transmitted from the indoor control unit IC to the outdoor control unit OC.

[0067] (2) Basic movements

[0068] The air conditioner 10 performs cooling operation and heating operation.

[0069] (2-1) Refrigeration Operation

[0070] Cooling operation cools the air in the indoor space I to a temperature close to the set temperature (target temperature). During cooling operation, the four-way reversing valve 24 is in the first position. The refrigerant compressed in the compressor 21 releases heat in the outdoor heat exchanger 22 and is then decompressed in the expansion valve 23. The decompressed refrigerant evaporates in the indoor heat exchanger 32. The air cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 32 is supplied to the indoor space I. The refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchanger 32 is drawn into the compressor 21.

[0071] (2-2) Heating operation

[0072] Heating operation heats the air in the indoor space I to a temperature close to the set temperature (target temperature). During heating operation, the four-way reversing valve 24 is in the second position. During heating operation, the refrigerant compressed in the compressor 21 releases heat in the indoor heat exchanger 32 before being decompressed by the expansion valve 23. The air heated by the indoor heat exchanger 32 is supplied to the indoor space I. The decompressed refrigerant evaporates in the outdoor heat exchanger 22 and is then drawn into the compressor 21.

[0073] (3) Object priority operation

[0074] The air conditioner 10 performs subject-prioritized operation. Subject-prioritized operation provides environmental stimulation to a subject T, determined based on the priority information, to maintain a comfortable state of mind for the subject T. The details of subject-prioritized operation are described below.

[0075] (3-1) Status Acquisition Unit

[0076] The air conditioning device 10 includes a state acquisition unit 80 for acquiring state information indicating the state of a person in the indoor space I. The state acquisition unit 80 is composed of an infrared sensor 56 and a first operation processing unit 81. In this embodiment, the first operation processing unit 81 is provided in the control unit 100 of the air conditioning device 10. Specifically, Figure 5 As shown, the first arithmetic processing unit 81 is provided in the indoor control unit IC.

[0077] The status acquisition unit 80 generates a two-dimensional thermal image representing the temperature distribution of the indoor space I based on the output of the infrared sensor 56. A thermal image is composed of, for example, a plurality of pixels arranged in a grid. Based on the generated thermal image, the status acquisition unit 80 outputs human status information. The status acquisition unit 80 analyzes the thermal image to output human status information. This allows the acquisition of human status information within the indoor space I. This status information includes information on the number, location, posture, and physique of people within the indoor space I.

[0078] (3-2) Emotional Estimation Department

[0079] The air conditioner 10 includes an emotion estimation unit 60 for estimating the emotion information of the subject T. The emotion estimation unit 60 is composed of the radio wave sensor 57 and the second operation processing unit 61. In this embodiment, the second operation processing unit 61 is provided in the control unit 100 of the air conditioner 10. Specifically, Figure 5 As shown, the second arithmetic processing unit 61 is provided in the indoor control unit IC.

[0080] The emotion estimation unit 60 estimates the emotion information of the subject T based on the biological signal detected by the radio wave sensor 57. The emotion estimation unit 60 of this embodiment estimates the emotion of the subject T based on the emotional value of comfort-uncomfort and the state of wakefulness-non-awakeness. Figure 6 As shown, human emotions can be represented using the emotion circumplex model proposed by Russell. The emotion circumplex model conceptually represents the relationship between emotion values, alertness, and human emotions, with the horizontal axis (X) representing the emotional values of comfort and discomfort and the vertical axis (Y) representing the states of alertness and non-alertness. Therefore, if the emotional values of comfort and discomfort and the states of alertness and non-alertness are understood, human emotions can be estimated.

[0081] The comfort / discomfort emotional value can be estimated based on indicators that represent the state of the autonomic nervous system. These parameters include autonomic nervous system balance (LF / HF) and autonomic nervous system activity (SDNN). These parameters can be obtained based on the heart rate component extracted from the biological signal detected by the radio wave sensor 57.

[0082] LF / HF is a parameter that indexes the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves of the subject T. The emotion estimation unit 60, for example, performs frequency analysis on the heart rate interval to determine the low-frequency component LF between 0.05 Hz and 0.20 Hz and the high-frequency component HF above 0.20 Hz, and calculates the ratio of these components as LF / HF. HF increases when the parasympathetic nerves are dominant over the sympathetic nerves, and LH increases when the sympathetic nerves are dominant over the parasympathetic nerves. Therefore, when the subject T feels uncomfortable and has high stress, the LF / HF ratio increases. Conversely, when the subject T feels comfortable and has low stress, the LF / HF ratio decreases.

[0083] SDNN is an indicator of heart rate fluctuations. For example, SDNN is the standard deviation of heart rate intervals over a five-minute period. SDNN increases when the parasympathetic nervous system is dominant over the sympathetic nervous system, and decreases when the sympathetic nervous system is dominant over the parasympathetic nervous system. Therefore, if the subject T is feeling unwell and experiencing high stress, the SDNN decreases. Conversely, if the subject T is feeling comfortable and experiencing low stress, the SDNN increases.

[0084] The awake / unawake state affects the body movement, respiration, heart rate, etc. of the subject T. Therefore, by extracting signals derived from body movement, respiration, and heart rate from the biological signals acquired by the radio wave sensor 57, it is possible to estimate whether the subject T is awake or unconscious.

[0085] As described above, if the emotional values of comfort and discomfort and the states of alertness and unconsciousness are understood, the emotions of the subject T can be estimated using the emotional circle model.

[0086] (3-3) Specific control actions for object priority operation

[0087] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 The flowchart of the object priority operation is explained in detail.

[0088] When the user operates the operation unit 51 of the remote controller 50 to input an operation to start the object-priority operation, the control unit 100 receives a request to start the object-priority operation and then starts the object-priority operation.

[0089] like Figure 7 As shown, once the object priority operation begins, in step S11, the control unit 100 determines the object person T based on the priority information input by the user. Specifically, the control unit 100 first outputs a signal to the display unit 52 for the user to input priority information. If this signal is output to the display unit 52, the user operates the operation unit 51 to input priority information. If priority information is input, the control unit 100 determines the object person T based on the input priority information. The user operates the operation unit 51 to select one or more priority information from the plurality of priority information displayed on the display unit 52.

[0090] Priority information is information related to the priority used to determine the subject T for emotion estimation. Priority information includes, for example, the position in the indoor space I (front, center, back, etc.), the person's attributes (child, adult, etc.), the person's posture (standing, sitting, lying, etc.), the person's state (sleeping, resting, etc.), and other information. For example, when the position input as priority information is "front," when the indoor space I is divided into three areas in the direction away from the indoor unit 30, the person in the area closest to the indoor unit 30 is the subject T. The subject T determined here can be determined based on one piece of priority information or multiple pieces of priority information.

[0091] Next, in step S12, the control unit 100 causes the air-conditioning unit A to begin initial operation. During the initial operation, the same operations as those described above for cooling and heating operations are performed to bring the temperature of the indoor space I close to a predetermined temperature. Specifically, air cooled or heated in the indoor heat exchanger 32 is supplied to the indoor space I. The predetermined temperature referred to here is, for example, a target indoor temperature. The target temperature corresponds to the set temperature set in the remote control 50. During the initial operation, the first and second air guide plates 35 and 36 are adjusted so that the air flows directly toward the subject T.

[0092] Next, in steps S13 through S16, the control unit 100 performs an emotion estimation operation. During the emotion estimation operation, the control unit 100 estimates the emotional information of the subject T. Specifically, the control unit 100 estimates the subject T's comfortable / uncomfortable emotional value and alert / unawake state based on the biometric signals detected by the radio wave sensor 57, as described above.

[0093] Specifically, in step S13 , the state acquisition unit 80 acquires state information of a person existing in the indoor space I. Specifically, in step S13 , the first arithmetic processing unit 81 acquires the state information of the person based on the output of the infrared sensor 56 as described above.

[0094] Next, in step S14, the second processing unit 61 acquires the first signal output from the radio wave sensor 57. The first signal includes signals such as the breathing, heart rate, pulse wave, and body movement of people present in the indoor space I, including the subject person T. If there is only one person in the indoor space I, the first signal is a superposition of the signals such as the breathing and heart rate of that person. If there are multiple people in the indoor space I, the first signal is a superposition of the signals such as the breathing and heart rate of all people present in the indoor space I.

[0095] Next, in step S15, the second processing unit 61 generates a second signal based on the first signal and the status information. Specifically, in step S15, the second processing unit 61 processes the first signal based on the status information to generate the second signal. Details of the second signal generation process (second signal generation process) will be described later.

[0096] Next, in step S16 , the second arithmetic processing unit 61 estimates the emotional information of the subject T based on the generated second signal. Specifically, the second arithmetic processing unit 61 estimates the emotional value of comfort / discomfort and the state of alertness / non-awakeness of the subject T based on the second signal.

[0097] Next, in step S17, the control unit 100 determines whether the following condition is satisfied, which indicates that the emotion of the subject T is within the comfortable range. This condition means that the estimated emotion of the subject T is within the comfortable range. Figure 6 The condition may be, for example, the condition that LF / HF is less than a predetermined value, or the condition that SDNN is greater than a predetermined value.

[0098] In step S17, if it is determined that the emotion of the subject T is comfortable, the initial operation in step S12 is continued. If the condition is not satisfied in step S17, the process proceeds to step S18.

[0099] In step S18, the control unit 100 performs a mood-improving action. In the mood-improving action, the control unit 100 controls the air conditioning unit A so as to improve the mood of the subject T. Specifically, the control unit 100 controls the air conditioning unit A under an operating condition different from the current operating condition while supplying blown air to the subject T. At this time, as the different operating condition, it is preferable to adopt an operating condition that causes the mood of the subject T to change in the opposite direction relative to the current state. The change in the mood of the subject T in the opposite direction relative to the current state means, for example, Figure 6In the emotion loop model, when the current emotion of the subject T is on the discomfort side and the awake side, the emotion of the subject T is changed to the comfort side and the unconscious side, and when the current emotion of the subject T is on the discomfort side and the unconscious side, the emotion of the subject T is changed to the comfort side and the awake side.

[0100] In order to change the mood of the subject T from the uncomfortable and awake side to the comfortable and unconscious side, for example, the control unit 100 operates the air conditioning unit A under the first operating condition of the awake side, in which the temperature of the indoor air is higher than the current temperature. In other words, the control unit 100 increases the target temperature of the indoor air. Along with this, the rotation speed of the compressor 21 is adjusted to increase the refrigerant temperature (condensing temperature, evaporating temperature) of the indoor heat exchanger. As a result, the subject T is subjected to thermal stimulation caused by the temperature increase. If the temperature around the subject T is increased, it is possible to achieve the effect of prompting the subject T to enter the unconscious state and bringing the emotional value of the subject T closer to the comfortable side.

[0101] As another way to shift subject T's mood from the uncomfortable and alert side to the comfortable and unconscious side, for example, the control unit 100 operates the air conditioning unit A under a second operating condition for the alert side, wherein the air volume is reduced to a value lower than the current value. Specifically, the control unit 100 reduces the rotation speed of the indoor fan 33 to reduce the volume or speed of the blown air. As a result, the reduced air volume provides a wind stimulus to subject T. This reduction in the air volume acting on subject T can effectively encourage subject T to enter an unconscious state and bring subject T's mood value closer to the comfortable side.

[0102] As described above, since the thermal stimulation or wind stimulation to the subject T is reduced, the mood of the subject T can be shifted to the comfortable side and the unconscious side.

[0103] On the other hand, in order to change the mood of the subject T from the uncomfortable and unconscious side to the comfortable and awake side, for example, the control unit 100 operates the air conditioning unit A under the first operating condition of the unconscious side, in which the temperature of the indoor air is lower than the current temperature. In other words, the control unit 100 lowers the target temperature of the indoor air. Along with this, the rotation speed of the compressor 21 is adjusted to lower the refrigerant temperature (condensing temperature, evaporating temperature) of the indoor heat exchanger. As a result, the subject T is subjected to thermal stimulation caused by the temperature drop. If the temperature around the subject T is lowered, it is possible to achieve the effect of prompting the subject T to enter the awake side and bringing the emotional value of the subject T closer to the comfortable side.

[0104] As another way to shift subject T's mood from the uncomfortable, unconscious state to the comfortable, awake state, for example, the control unit 100 operates the air conditioning unit A under a second operating condition for the unconscious state, wherein the air volume is increased above the current air volume. Specifically, the control unit 100 increases the rotation speed of the indoor fan 33 to increase the volume or speed of the blown air. As a result, the increased air volume provides a wind stimulus to subject T. This increased air volume acting on subject T can effectively encourage subject T to enter a more awake state and bring subject T's mood closer to the comfortable state.

[0105] As described above, since the thermal stimulation or wind stimulation to the subject T increases, the mood of the subject T can be shifted to the comfortable side and the alert side.

[0106] In the mood-improving operation, the control unit 100 operates the air-conditioning unit A under operating conditions different from the current operating conditions for a predetermined period of time and then performs the mood-estimating operation. Then, based on the mood of the subject T obtained through the mood-estimating operation, the air-conditioning unit A is operated either continuously under the current operating conditions or under operating conditions different from the current operating conditions.

[0107] (3-4) Second Signal Generation Process

[0108] exist Figure 8 In the second signal generation process shown, in step S21 , the second arithmetic processing unit 61 extracts a signal derived from the heart rate (hereinafter referred to as a heart rate signal) from the first signal.

[0109] Next, in step S22, the second processing unit 61 determines whether the number of people included in the status information represents one person or multiple people. If the number of people is determined to be one person in step S22, the process proceeds to step S23. If the number of people is determined to be multiple people in step S22, the process proceeds to step S24.

[0110] In step S23, the second processing unit 61 determines whether the information regarding the posture of the subject T included in the status information indicates a horizontal orientation. Here, horizontal orientation refers to a state in which the front of the subject T is not facing the indoor unit 30. Note that, at this point, only one person is present in the indoor space I, so the heart rate signal extracted from the first signal in step S21 is the heart rate signal of subject T.

[0111] If the posture information is determined to be horizontal in step S23, the process proceeds to step S25. If the posture information is determined not to be horizontal in step S23, the heart rate signal extracted from the first signal is output as the second signal.

[0112] In step S25, the second processing unit 61 amplifies the heart rate signal of the subject T. When a person is facing sideways, the amplitude of the signal output from the radio wave sensor 57 is small. Therefore, if the signal of a person facing sideways is directly used to estimate emotions, the signal may be drowned out by noise, making it impossible to estimate emotions. In step S25, the second processing unit 61 may filter the heart rate signal of the subject T using a filter with a modified intensity. After signal processing in step S25, the processed signal is output as the second signal.

[0113] In step S24, the second processing unit 61 extracts the heart rate signal of the subject T from the heart rate signal extracted from the first signal based on the person's position information included in the status information. Specifically, in step S24, the second processing unit 61 extracts a signal having a predetermined amplitude from the heart rate signal extracted from the first signal based on the relative position of the subject T in the indoor space I. In this way, the heart rate signal of the subject T is extracted.

[0114] Specifically, because multiple people are present in indoor space I, the heart rate signal extracted from the first signal is a superposition of the heart rate signals of multiple people. Furthermore, the amplitude of the biometric signal output from radio wave sensor 57, including the heart rate signal, varies depending on the distance between radio wave sensor 57 and the person. Specifically, the amplitude of the output biometric signal decreases as the distance between radio wave sensor 57 and the person increases. In other words, when multiple people in indoor space I are located at different positions, the first signal becomes a superposition of multiple biometric signals with different amplitudes.

[0115] For example, when there are three people in the indoor space I, the heart rate signals in the first signal include a heart rate signal with the largest amplitude, a heart rate signal with the second largest amplitude, and a heart rate signal with the smallest amplitude. The heart rate signal with the largest amplitude is the heart rate signal of the person closest to the radio wave sensor 57. The heart rate signal with the second largest amplitude is the heart rate signal of the person second most distant from the radio wave sensor 57. The heart rate signal with the smallest amplitude is the heart rate signal of the person farthest from the radio wave sensor 57. In this example, when the subject T is the person farthest from the radio wave sensor 57, the heart rate signal of the subject T can be extracted by extracting the heart rate signal with the smallest amplitude from the signal on which multiple heart rate signals are superimposed.

[0116] In this way, the relative position of a person can be grasped based on the relative size of the amplitude, and thus each heart rate signal with different amplitudes can be associated with the person's position information (distance information from the radio wave sensor 57) contained in the status information. By associating the heart rate signals with different amplitudes contained in the first signal with the position information of multiple people contained in the status information, it is possible to determine which person in the indoor space I the specific heart rate signal contained in the first signal represents. In other words, based on the relative position of the subject T, a signal with a specified amplitude is extracted from the signal on which multiple heart rate signals are superimposed, thereby extracting the heart rate signal of the subject T. In addition, since the second arithmetic processing unit 61 can infer the emotional information of the subject T based on the determined individual heart rate signal of the subject T, the accuracy of the inference of the emotional information can be improved.

[0117] Next, in step S26 , the second arithmetic processing unit 61 determines whether the information on the posture of the subject T included in the state information is horizontal.

[0118] In step S26, if the posture information of the subject T is determined to be horizontal, the process proceeds to step S27. In step S26, if the posture information is determined not to be horizontal, the heart rate signal of the subject T extracted in step S24 is output as the second signal.

[0119] In step S27, similar to step S25, the second processing unit 61 performs amplification processing on the heart rate signal of the subject T. In step S27, the second processing unit 61 may also filter the heart rate signal of the subject T using a filter with a changed intensity. After signal processing in step S27, the processed signal is output as the second signal.

[0120] As described above, the second processing unit 61 generates the second signal based on the first signal and the state information, thereby determining the heart rate signal of the subject T and appropriately processing the determined heart rate signal. This improves the accuracy of estimating the emotional information of the subject T. Furthermore, by controlling the air conditioning unit A based on the emotional information of the subject T with improved estimation accuracy, the subject T can be kept in a comfortable emotional state.

[0121] For example, if "front" is input as the priority information, a person located at the front of the indoor space I is designated as the target person T, their emotions are estimated, and the air conditioning unit A is controlled to maintain their comfort. For example, if "back" is input as the priority information and "lying" is input as the posture information, a person located at the back of the indoor space I and lying down is designated as the target person T, their emotions are estimated, and the air conditioning unit A is controlled to maintain their comfort.

[0122] Furthermore, for example, if the attribute information "infant" is input as priority information, the control unit 100 identifies the child located in the indoor space I based on the physical information and positional information included in the status information and the heart rate signal included in the first signal. Specifically, a person with a small physique and a small heart rate signal amplitude is identified as a child. The identified child is then used as the target person T, and the child's mood is estimated, and the air conditioning unit A is controlled to maintain the child's comfort. In this case, even if the child, the target person T, moves within the indoor space I, the child's position can be determined using the infrared sensor 56, allowing the child's mood to be continuously estimated and the air conditioning unit A to be controlled accordingly.

[0123] (3-5) Control method for object-priority operation

[0124] As described above, the control method disclosed herein includes (3-1), (3-2), (3-3), (3-4), Figures 7 and 8 Each treatment described.

[0125] Specifically, the control method includes: processing the first signal output from the radio wave sensor 57 based on the status information acquired by the status acquisition unit 80 to thereby generate a second signal representing the biological information of the subject person T; processing the emotional information of the subject person T based on the second signal; and controlling the air conditioning unit A based on the emotional information of the subject person T.

[0126] The control method also includes extracting a signal representing biological information of the subject T from the first signal based on the state information to generate a second signal. The control method also includes extracting a signal having a predetermined amplitude from the first signal based on the relative position of the subject T in the indoor space I to generate the second signal. The control method also includes determining processing for the subject T based on priority information set by the user.

[0127] The control method of the present disclosure may also include the processing described in various modified examples and other embodiments described in detail below.

[0128] (3-6) Procedure

[0129] The storage unit of the control unit 100 stores a program for causing a computer to execute the control method for the object-prioritized operation. The control method mentioned here includes all the processes described in the "control method for the object-prioritized operation" in (3-5).

[0130] (4) Features of the embodiment

[0131] (4-1)

[0132] The control unit 100 of the embodiment processes the first signal output from the radio wave sensor 57 for detecting the biological information of the person in the indoor space I based on the status information representing the status of the person in the indoor space I acquired by the status acquisition unit 80, thereby generating a second signal representing the biological information of the subject person T, and infers the emotional information of the subject person T based on the second signal, and controls the air conditioning unit A based on the emotional information of the subject person T.

[0133] Because the radio wave sensor 57 is a non-contact biometric sensor, its output may be weak depending on the position and posture of people in the indoor space I. If the output of the radio wave sensor 57 is weak, even if the emotion of the subject T is estimated based on the output signal of the radio wave sensor 57, it may not be possible to accurately grasp the emotion of the subject T. Furthermore, if there are multiple people in the indoor space I, it is impossible to determine who each output signal corresponds to. Therefore, it is impossible to estimate the individual emotion of the subject T, making it difficult to adjust the environment to a state that is comfortable for the subject T.

[0134] In contrast, in this embodiment, the first signal, which is the output signal of the radio wave sensor 57, is processed based on the human state information to generate a second signal. Since the emotional information of the subject T is estimated based on the second signal, the accuracy of the emotional information estimation can be improved.

[0135] (4-2)

[0136] The status information of the embodiment includes information on the number, position, posture or physique of people present in the indoor space I.

[0137] In this embodiment, the state information includes information on the number, position, posture, or physique of people in the indoor space I. Therefore, the first signal can be appropriately processed based on these pieces of information. In this way, a second signal sufficient to estimate emotional information can be generated.

[0138] (4-3)

[0139] The biological information of the embodiment includes information on the heart rate, pulse wave, body movement, or body respiration of a person present in the indoor space I. In this embodiment, since the biological information includes information on the heart rate, pulse wave, body movement, or respiration of a person present in the indoor space I, emotional information can be inferred.

[0140] (4-4)

[0141] The first signal in the embodiment is a signal on which biometric information of multiple persons is superimposed. The control unit 100 extracts a signal indicating the biometric information of the subject person T from the first signal based on the status information, thereby generating a second signal.

[0142] In this embodiment, when multiple people are present in the indoor space I, a signal representing the biometric information of the subject T is extracted from the first signal, which is a superposition of the biometric signals of multiple people. This allows the signal representing the individual biometric information of the subject T to be identified, enabling the estimation of the subject T's emotional information with high accuracy.

[0143] (4-5)

[0144] The first signal in the embodiment is a signal formed by superimposing a plurality of signals with different amplitudes. The control unit 100 extracts a signal with a predetermined amplitude from the first signal according to the relative position of the subject T in the indoor space I, thereby generating a second signal.

[0145] In the radio wave sensor 57, the amplitude of the signal is larger for a person located closer to the radio wave sensor 57, and smaller for a person located farther from the radio wave sensor 57. In this embodiment, the control unit 100 extracts a signal having a predetermined amplitude from the first signal based on the relative position of the subject T in the indoor space I, thereby identifying a signal representing the individual biological information of the subject T.

[0146] (4-6)

[0147] The control unit 100 of the embodiment determines the target person T based on the priority information set by the user. In this embodiment, the target person T is determined based on the priority information set by the user. Therefore, when there are multiple people in the indoor space I, the environment can be adjusted to be more preferred for the person whom the user wants to take care of first.

[0148] (4-7)

[0149] The emotion estimation unit 60 of the embodiment estimates the emotion of the subject T based on the comfortable-uncomfortable emotion value and the alertness of the subject T. Therefore, for example, Figure 6 Russell's emotion circle model is used to determine the emotion of subject T.

[0150] (5) Modification

[0151] The above embodiment may also adopt the following modified configurations.

[0152] (5-1) Modification 1

[0153] In the target priority operation of Modification 1, when determining the target person T, multiple targets T may be determined. In this case, priority levels may be set for the multiple targets T. Furthermore, the priority levels may be set automatically or manually by the user.

[0154] When the priority is automatically set, for example, if there is a child in the indoor space I, the child is determined to be the subject T with the highest priority. This is because children have a low ability to adapt to temperature changes.

[0155] For example, when the user manually sets the priority level, the user enters "child" as the priority information of priority level 1, which has the highest priority level, and enters "adult" and "front" as the priority information of priority level 2, which has the second highest priority level after priority level 1.

[0156] In this case, if the control unit 100 determines that there is a child in the indoor space I, the control unit 100 determines the child as the target person T and controls the air conditioning unit A so as to create a comfortable environment for the child. If the control unit 100 determines that there is no child in the indoor space I, it determines whether there is an "adult" with priority level 2 and "front" in the indoor space I based on the status information. When the control unit 100 determines that there is a person who meets the priority information of priority level 2, the person who meets the priority information of priority level 2 is the target person T, and controls the air conditioning unit A so as to create a comfortable environment for the target person T. When the control unit 100 determines that there is no target person T, the relevant notification can be made on the display unit 52, or an operation mode other than the target priority operation (for example, the automatic operation mode) can be executed.

[0157] In this way, the control unit 100 controls the air-conditioning unit A according to the priority level of the subject T. This makes it possible to adjust the environment so as to be a comfortable environment for the subject T having a high priority level set by the user.

[0158] (5-2) Modification 2

[0159] In the subject-prioritized operation of Modification 2, after starting the initial operation, the control unit 100 may not perform the emotion estimation operation if it determines that only one person is present in the indoor space I and that the subject T is not resting (moving) in the same location in the indoor space I. This is because estimating the comfort-discomfort emotional value based on an indicator representing the state of the autonomic nervous system requires the subject T to be in a resting state. Therefore, if the subject T is actively moving in the indoor space I, it is difficult to accurately estimate the comfort-discomfort emotional value.

[0160] When the control unit 100 determines that only one person is in the indoor space I and that the person is not resting in the same location within the indoor space I, it outputs a signal indicating that emotion estimation is impossible. Specifically, the control unit 100 outputs this signal to the display unit 52. The display unit 52 notifies the subject T of the message indicating that the subject's emotion cannot be estimated using text, graphics, icons, codes, etc. In other words, the display unit 52 constitutes a notification unit for notifying the subject T of this information. The notification unit may also provide this information using sound or light.

[0161] (5-3) Modification 3

[0162] In the subject-prioritized operation of Modification 3, after starting the initial operation, the control unit 100 may not perform the emotion estimation operation if it determines that only one person is in the indoor space I and that the subject T is asleep. This is because the comfort environment when a person is asleep differs from that when they are active. Therefore, when the subject T is asleep, the control unit 100 controls the air conditioning unit A to create an environment suitable for sleep.

[0163] (5-4) Modification 4

[0164] In the subject-prioritized operation of Modification 4, after starting the initial operation, the control unit 100 may determine that the person in indoor space I is a child if there is only one person in indoor space I, the person is small, and their heart rate or respiratory rate is different from a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition here refers to the normal range of heart rate or respiratory rate for a typical adult. Furthermore, in this case, if the person in indoor space I is a child and the determined subject person T is a child, the judgment range of the parameters used for emotion estimation is changed. This enables emotion estimation appropriate for a child, thereby improving the accuracy of emotion estimation.

[0165] (5-4) Modification 4

[0166] (5-4-1) Basic Structure

[0167] The air conditioning unit A of the embodiment includes a function of adjusting the temperature of the air in the indoor space I and a function of adjusting the air volume supplied to the subject T. In addition, the air conditioning unit A of the modification 1 has a ventilation component 70 for ventilating the indoor space I. Strictly speaking, the ventilation component 70 has an air supply function of supplying external air to the indoor space I and an exhaust function of exhausting the air in the indoor space I to the outside. Figure 9 As shown, the ventilation component 70 includes a ventilation fan 71 , an air duct 72 , and a flow path switching mechanism 73 .

[0168] The ventilation fan 71 is provided inside the outdoor unit 20. The ventilation fan 71 is configured so that the air volume thereof can be changed by adjusting the rotation speed of the fan motor.

[0169] The air duct 72 forms a flow path for air flow. The air duct 72 can be a rigid tube or a flexible hose. Together with the connecting pipes 12 and 13, the air duct 72 extends through the wall W. One end of the air duct 72 communicates with the outdoor space O, while the other end of the air duct 72 is connected to the air passage 43 within the indoor unit 30. Preferably, one end of the air duct 72 is connected to the air passage 43 upstream of the indoor heat exchanger 32.

[0170] The flow path switching mechanism 73 is connected to a midway portion of the air duct 72. The air duct 72 has multiple flow paths and dampers (not shown) that switch these flow paths. The air duct 72 switches between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the air duct 72 connects the intake side of the ventilation fan 71 to the outdoor space O, and connects the exhaust side of the ventilation fan 71 to the air passage 43 of the indoor unit 30. In the second state, the air duct 72 connects the intake side of the ventilation fan 71 to the air passage 43 of the indoor unit 30, and connects the exhaust side of the ventilation fan 71 to the outdoor space O.

[0171] The control unit 100 controls the ventilation unit 70. Specifically, the control unit 100 controls the operation and stop of the ventilation fan 71, the rotation speed of the ventilation fan 71, and the state of the flow path switching mechanism 73. The control unit 100 controls the ventilation unit 70 to switch between air supply and exhaust operations.

[0172] During the air supply operation, the controller 100 sets the flow path switching mechanism 73 to the first state to operate the ventilation fan 71. During the air supply operation, outdoor air in the outdoor space O is supplied to the indoor space I via the duct 72 and the air passage 43.

[0173] During the exhaust operation, the controller 100 sets the flow path switching mechanism 73 to the second state to operate the ventilation fan 71. During the exhaust operation, the air in the indoor space I is exhausted to the outdoor space O through the air passage 43 and the air duct 72.

[0174] (5-4-2) Object Priority Operation

[0175] In the subject-prioritized operation of Modification 4, during a mood-enhancing action, if the subject T's current mood is both on the uncomfortable side and on the alert side, the control unit 100 adjusts the ventilation volume of the indoor space I to be smaller than the exhaust volume of the current action. Specifically, the control unit 100 controls the ventilation component 70 to reduce the ventilation volume of the indoor space I. The ventilation volume referred to here can refer to either the ventilation volume of the aforementioned air supply action or the ventilation volume of the exhaust action. A decrease in the ventilation volume increases the CO2 concentration in the indoor space I. Consequently, during this action, a stimulus associated with ventilation is applied to the subject T. This stimulus associated with ventilation can also be described as a stimulus caused by a change in the concentration of a gaseous component, such as CO2, in the indoor space I. If the CO2 concentration around the subject T increases, this can have the effect of encouraging the subject T to become unresponsive and bringing the subject T's mood value closer to the comfortable side.

[0176] In the subject-prioritized operation of Modification 4, during a mood-enhancing action, if the subject T's current mood is both uncomfortable and unconscious, the control unit 100 adjusts the ventilation volume of the indoor space I to a volume greater than the exhaust volume for the current action. Specifically, the control unit 100 controls the ventilation component 70 to increase the ventilation volume of the indoor space I. The increased ventilation volume reduces the CO2 concentration in the indoor space I. Consequently, during this action, stimulation associated with ventilation is applied to the subject T. A decrease in the CO2 concentration around the subject T can effectively encourage the subject T to become more alert and bring the subject T's mood value closer to a comfortable level.

[0177] (5-5) Modification 5

[0178] The control unit 100 may also execute a mood-improving action based solely on the comfort-discomfort emotional value, without determining whether the subject T is awake or asleep. In this case, the emotion estimation unit 60 estimates emotional information about the degree of comfort, which is information regarding whether the subject T is feeling comfortable or uncomfortable.

[0179] (5-6) Modification 6

[0180] The control unit 100 may also control the air conditioning unit A in the mood improvement operation so as to improve the mood other than comfort or discomfort of the subject T. In this case, the mood estimation unit 60 estimates, for example, Figure 6 Emotional information other than comfort-discomfort exists in the emotional circle model.

[0181] (6) Other Implementation Methods

[0182] The above-described embodiment may also adopt the following configuration.

[0183] (6-1) Other Examples of Environmental Control Devices

[0184] The environmental conditioning device in the above embodiment is an air conditioner 10 having an air conditioning unit A. However, any other environmental conditioning device may be used, as long as it has an environmental conditioning unit capable of applying environmental stimuli to the subject T. Examples of environmental conditioning devices include floor heating systems, bathtub water temperature control devices, sauna systems, and sound generators.

[0185] The floor heating device includes an environment adjustment unit that adjusts the floor temperature to provide thermal stimulation to the subject T. The bathtub water temperature adjustment device includes an environment adjustment unit that adjusts the water temperature in the bathtub where the subject T resides to provide thermal stimulation to the subject T. The sauna device includes an environment adjustment unit that adjusts the temperature of the sauna space where the subject T resides to provide thermal stimulation to the subject T. The sound generating device includes an environment adjustment unit that generates sound to provide acoustic stimulation to the subject T.

[0186] (6-2) Other Examples of Emotion Estimation

[0187] The emotion estimation unit 60 may adopt other configurations as long as it can estimate the emotion of the subject T. Specifically, the emotion estimation unit 60 may include other sensors instead of the radio wave sensor 57. The non-contact sensor may be, for example, a millimeter wave radar.

[0188] The second processing unit 61 of the emotion estimation unit 60 may be configured separately from the control unit 100. Specifically, for example, the emotion estimation unit 60 is a unit including the sensor and the second processing unit 61, and may be configured to output the emotion of the subject T estimated by the emotion estimation unit 60 to the control unit 100. In this case, the control unit 100 controls the environment adjustment unit based on the emotion of the subject T received from the unit.

[0189] (6-3) Other Examples of Status Acquisition Unit

[0190] As long as the status information of the people present in the indoor space I can be obtained, the status acquisition unit 80 may also adopt other structures. Specifically, the status acquisition unit 80 may also have other sensors instead of the infrared sensor 56. The infrared sensor 56 constitutes a number detection unit for determining the number of subjects T. The infrared sensor 56 constitutes a position detection unit for determining the position of the subject T. The infrared sensor 56 constitutes a posture detection unit for determining the posture of the subject T. The infrared sensor 56 constitutes a physique detection unit for determining the physique of the subject T. The number detection unit, the position detection unit, the posture detection unit, and the physique detection unit may also be, for example, a camera device that takes a still image or a moving image of the subject T. In this case, the camera device may be a thermal imaging camera.

[0191] The first processing unit 81 of the state acquisition unit 80 may be configured separately from the control unit 100. Specifically, for example, the state acquisition unit 80 may be a unit including the sensor and the first processing unit 81, or may be a unit that outputs the state information of the subject T acquired by the state acquisition unit 80 to the control unit 100. In this case, the control unit 100 processes the first signal based on the state information of the subject T received from the unit to generate the second signal.

[0192] (6-4) Other Examples of Control Units

[0193] The control unit 100 may be provided in a management device capable of communication with the air conditioner 10. The management device is, for example, a server, a centralized management device, or a terminal device. The terminal device may also be a smartphone or tablet terminal owned by the user.

[0194] (6-5) Other Examples of Air Conditioning Devices

[0195] The air conditioner 10 is a one-on-one air conditioner having one indoor unit 30 and one outdoor unit 20. However, the air conditioner 10 may be an indoor multi-split air conditioner having two or more indoor units 30 and an outdoor multi-split air conditioner having two or more outdoor units 20.

[0196] The air conditioning device 10 may also be a ventilation device for ventilating the air, an air purification device for purifying the air, or a humidity control device for humidifying or dehumidifying the air. In other words, the "air conditioning" mentioned here means not only regulating the temperature of the air, but also includes ventilation, purification, and humidity control of the air.

[0197] While the embodiments and modifications are described above, it should be understood that various changes may be made to the embodiments and details without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. Furthermore, the elements of the embodiments, modifications, and other embodiments described above may be appropriately combined or replaced.

[0198] The terms "first", "second", "third", etc. mentioned above are used to distinguish the sentences containing the terms, and do not limit the number and order of the sentences.

[0199] Industrial Applicability

[0200] In summary, the present disclosure is useful for an environment control device, an environment conditioning device, an air conditioning device, an environment control method, and a program.

[0201] - Explanation of symbols -

[0202] 10 Air conditioning unit

[0203] 57 radio wave sensor (biological sensor)

[0204] 80 Status Acquisition Unit

[0205] 100 Control Department

[0206] A Air conditioning department (environmental conditioning department)

[0207] E Environmental Control Device

[0208] T Target

Claims

1. An environment control device, comprising a control unit (100), wherein the control unit (100) controls an environment adjustment unit (A), wherein the environment adjustment unit (A) adjusts the environment of a space where a person exists, characterized in that: The control unit (100) processes the first signal based on the state information to generate a second signal representing the biological information of the subject, wherein the first signal is output from a non-contact biological sensor (57) that detects the biological information of a person existing in the space, and the state information is acquired by the state acquisition unit (80) and represents the state of the person existing in the space. The control unit (100) estimates the emotional information of the subject based on the second signal, The control unit (100) controls the environment adjustment unit (A) based on the emotional information of the subject.

2. The environmental control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The state information includes information on the number, position, posture, or physique of people present in the space.

3. The environmental control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The biological information includes information on a heart rate, a pulse wave, body movement, or breathing of a person present in the space.

4. The environmental control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The first signal is a signal formed by superimposing the biological information of multiple persons. The control unit (100) extracts a signal representing the biological information of the subject from the first signal based on the state information, thereby generating the second signal.

5. The environmental control device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first signal is a signal formed by superimposing multiple signals with different amplitudes. The control unit (100) generates the second signal by extracting a signal of a predetermined amplitude from the first signal according to the relative position of the subject person in the space.

6. The environmental control device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The control unit (100) determines the target person based on priority information set by the user.

7. An environmental conditioning device, characterized in that: The environment adjustment device includes the environment adjustment section (A) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the biological sensor (57), the state acquisition section (80), and the control section (100).

8. An air conditioning device, characterized in that: The air conditioning device includes the environment adjustment unit (A) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the biosensor (57), the state acquisition unit (80), and the control unit (100). The environment conditioning unit (A) is an air conditioning unit (A) that conditions the air in the space where the subject person exists.

9. An environmental control method, comprising controlling an environmental adjustment unit (A), wherein the environmental adjustment unit (A) adjusts the environment of a space where a person exists, wherein: The environmental control method comprises: Processing a first signal based on state information to thereby generate a second signal representing biometric information of a subject, wherein the first signal is output from a non-contact biometric sensor (57) that detects biometric information of a person existing in the space, and the state information is acquired by a state acquisition unit (80) and represents the state of the person existing in the space; Inferring emotional information of the subject based on the second signal; and A process of controlling the environment adjustment unit (A) based on the emotional information of the subject.

10. A program for causing a computer to execute a process for controlling an environment adjustment unit (A) for adjusting the environment of a space where a person exists, characterized in that: The program causes the computer to execute: Processing a first signal based on state information to thereby generate a second signal representing biometric information of a subject, wherein the first signal is output from a non-contact biometric sensor (57) that detects biometric information of a person existing in the space, and the state information is acquired by a state acquisition unit (80) and represents the state of the person existing in the space; inferring emotional information of the subject based on the second signal; as well as A process of controlling the environment adjustment unit (A) based on the emotional information of the subject.

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