Control device, control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a plant control device, a control method, and a program that suppress fluctuations in carbon dioxide concentration in a space of a plant factory.SOLUTION: In a plant management system, a plant management device includes a detection result acquisition unit that acquires a detection result from a sensor that detects entry and exit of a person in a target space of a plant factory, and an environment control unit that controls a carbon dioxide supply facility that supplies carbon dioxide into the target space based on the detection result so that a concentration of carbon dioxide in the target space satisfies a predetermined condition. When the detection result indicates the entry in the target space, the environment control unit controls the carbon dioxide supply facility to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space. When the detection result indicates that the exit from the target space, the environment control unit controls the carbon dioxide supply facility to increase the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device, a control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 states, "In a dark room, plants mainly respire, so the carbon dioxide concentration inside the room is higher than in a bright room.As a result, by blowing air from the dark room, where the carbon dioxide concentration is higher, into the bright room, the carbon dioxide generated in the dark room can be used for photosynthesis by plants in the bright room." [Prior art document] [Patent documents] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-000258 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] The carbon dioxide concentration inside a plant factory may fluctuate depending on people entering and leaving the factory. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] A control device according to an aspect of the present invention may include a detection result acquisition unit that acquires detection results from a sensor that detects the entrance and exit of people in a target space of a plant factory. The control device may include a control unit that controls a carbon dioxide supply facility that supplies carbon dioxide into the target space based on the detection results so that a carbon dioxide concentration in the target space satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0005] In the control device, the control unit may, when the detection result indicates entry into the target space, control the carbon dioxide supply equipment to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space.

[0006] In any of the control devices, the control unit may control the carbon dioxide supply equipment to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space based on the number of people who have entered outside the target space identified based on the detection results.

[0007] In any of the control devices, the control unit may control the carbon dioxide supply equipment to increase the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space when the detection result indicates that the person has left the target space.

[0008] In any of the control devices, the control unit may control the carbon dioxide supply equipment to increase the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space based on the number of people who have left the target space identified based on the detection results.

[0009] Any of the control devices may include a concentration acquisition unit that acquires a carbon dioxide concentration in the target space from a CO2 sensor that detects a carbon dioxide concentration in the target space. The control device may include a calibration unit that executes calibration of the CO2 sensor based on the carbon dioxide concentration acquired by the concentration acquisition unit, the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space by the carbon dioxide supply equipment, and the detection result.

[0010] In any of the control devices, the calibration unit may identify the number of people present in the target space based on the detection result, identify an amount of carbon dioxide emission emitted by the people present in the target space based on the number of people and a predetermined amount of carbon dioxide emission per unit time by the people, identify a total amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space by summing the amount of carbon dioxide emission emitted by the people present in the target space and the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space by the carbon dioxide supply equipment, identify a carbon dioxide concentration in the target space based on the total amount of carbon dioxide and relationship information indicating a relationship between the total amount of carbon dioxide and the carbon dioxide concentration in the target space, and calibrate the CO2 sensor based on the identified carbon dioxide concentration in the target space and the carbon dioxide concentration detected by the CO2 sensor.

[0011] In any of the control devices, the calibration unit may identify the carbon dioxide concentration in the target space based on the total amount of carbon dioxide and the relationship information according to the growth state of plants cultivated in the target space.

[0012] In any of the control devices, the control unit may control at least one environmental control device that controls an environment in the target space. The control device may further include a history management unit that associates the detection result with a control history of the at least one environmental control device and stores the result in a storage unit as history information.

[0013] In any one of the control devices, the history management unit may further associate a growth state of a plant cultivated in the target space with the growth state and store the associated growth state in the storage unit as the history information.

[0014] 2. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising a history management unit that causes the detection result to be associated with a growth state of a plant cultivated in the target space and to be stored in a storage unit as history information.

[0015] A control method according to an aspect of the present invention may include a step of acquiring a detection result from a sensor that detects the entrance and exit of people in a target space of a plant factory, and a step of controlling a carbon dioxide supply facility that supplies carbon dioxide into the target space based on the detection result so that a carbon dioxide concentration in the target space satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0016] A program according to an aspect of the present invention may cause a computer to execute a step of acquiring detection results from a sensor that detects the entrance and exit of people in a target space of a plant factory. The program may cause the computer to execute a step of controlling a carbon dioxide supplying facility that supplies carbon dioxide into the target space based on the detection results so that a carbon dioxide concentration in the target space satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0017] The above summary of the invention does not list all of the features of the present invention. Also, subcombinations of these features may also be inventions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of an overall configuration of a plant management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of functional blocks of the plant management device. [Diagram 3] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure for the carbon dioxide supplying equipment based on a detection result of a human presence sensor when a person enters a space of a plant factory. [Figure 4] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure for the carbon dioxide supplying equipment based on a detection result of a human presence sensor when a person leaves the space of the plant factory. [Diagram 5] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for calibrating a CO2 sensor based on a detection result of a human presence sensor. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a hardware configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention according to the claims. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0020] 1 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of the overall configuration of a plant management system according to this embodiment. The plant management system manages the growth state of a plant 30 cultivated in a plant factory 10.

[0021] The plant management system includes a human sensor 14, a plurality of cultivation shelves 20, a light source facility 40, a nutrient solution supply facility 50, a carbon dioxide supply facility 60, an air conditioning facility 70, a ventilation facility 80, a sensor 90, and a plant management device 100. The light source facility 40, the nutrient solution supply facility 50, the carbon dioxide supply facility 60, the air conditioning facility 70, and the ventilation facility 80 are examples of environmental control facilities.

[0022] The cultivation shelves 20 cultivate plants 30 such as vegetables, fruits, or flowers. The sowing date may be shifted for each set of one or more cultivation shelves 20, so that the plants 30 can be harvested at different harvest times. The cultivation shelves 20 may be installed in separate spaces 12 for each set of one or more cultivation shelves 20, and the environment in the space 12 may be individually controlled by an environmental control device, so that the plants 30 may be cultivated in different environmental conditions for each space 12. The spaces 12 may be highly insulated and airtight. Each space 12 is provided with an entrance / exit 11 for people such as workers to enter and exit. A human sensor 14 is installed near the entrance / exit 11 and detects the entrance and exit of people in the space 12. The human sensor 14 may be an infrared sensor. The human sensor 14 is an example of a sensor that detects the entrance and exit of people in the space 12 of the plant factory 10. Instead of the human sensor 14, a surveillance camera may be used as a sensor that detects the entrance and exit of people in the space 12. In this case, for example, the entry and exit of people in the space 12 may be detected by analyzing images captured by a surveillance camera installed near the entrance / exit 11. When detecting the entry and exit of people in the space 12 using a surveillance camera, the people entering and exiting the space 12 may be recognized to identify each of the workers who enter and exit. The human presence sensor 14 may be a system using RFID. For example, the human presence sensor 14 may be an RFID reader, and may detect the entry and exit of people by reading IC tags held by people. Each of the spaces 12 is an example of a target space.

[0023] The light source equipment 40 includes a plurality of light sources 42 that emit artificial light, such as LEDs or incandescent lamps, and emits artificial light from each of the plurality of light sources 42 to the plant 30. The plurality of light sources 42 may be disposed facing the cultivation surface of the cultivation shelf 20.

[0024] The nutrient solution supplying equipment 50 has a pump 52 and a pipe 54, and supplies a nutrient solution containing each fertilizer component such as potassium or calcium to the cultivation shelf 20 via the pump 52 and the pipe 54. The nutrient solution supplying equipment 50 appropriately adjusts the fertilizer concentration and supplies the nutrient solution with the adjusted fertilizer concentration to the plant 30. The nutrient solution supplying equipment 50 may supply the nutrient solution to the plant 30 by spraying the nutrient solution with the adjusted fertilizer concentration in the form of a mist onto the roots of the plant 30. The nutrient solution supplying equipment 50 may function as an irrigation equipment that supplies moisture to the medium in which the plant 30 is grown. The amount of irrigation water supplied to the cultivation shelf 20 may be adjusted by adjusting the amount of nutrient solution supplied from the nutrient solution supplying equipment 50 to the cultivation shelf 20.

[0025] The carbon dioxide supplying equipment 60 has a tank 62 and a nozzle 64. The tank 62 stores carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide supplying equipment 60 supplies the carbon dioxide stored in the tank 62 to each space 12 in the plant factory 10 via the nozzle 64.

[0026] The air conditioning equipment 70 adjusts the temperature and humidity of the air in the plant factory 10, and circulates the temperature- and humidity-adjusted air in each space. The ventilation equipment 80 includes a circulator or an electric fan that supplies wind to the inside of the plant factory 10. The sensor 90 includes various sensors that measure the environmental conditions around the plant 30 and the growth condition of the plant 30. The sensor 90 includes various sensors that measure the temperature, humidity, light amount, and carbon dioxide concentration of the stems, leaves, and fruit of the plant 30.

[0027] The plant management device 100 controls the growth state of the plant 30 by controlling the light source equipment 40, the nutrient solution supplying equipment 50, the carbon dioxide supplying equipment 60, the air conditioning equipment 70, and the air blowing equipment 80. The plant management device 100 communicates with the light source equipment 40, the nutrient solution supplying equipment 50, the carbon dioxide supplying equipment 60, the air conditioning equipment 70, and the air blowing equipment 80 via a wireless network or a wired network. The plant management device 100 is an example of a growth state estimation device.

[0028] The plant management device 100 may be a computer having a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory. The light source equipment 40, the nutrient solution supply equipment 50, the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60, the air conditioning equipment 70, and the ventilation equipment 80 may each be equipped with a computer having a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory.

[0029] The computer may be a personal computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a workstation, a server computer, a general-purpose computer, or a computer system in which multiple computers are connected. Such a computer system is also a computer in a broad sense. The computer may be a dedicated computer designed for environmental control of a plant factory, or may be dedicated hardware realized by a dedicated circuit. The computer may be implemented by a virtual computer environment. When a computer is used, the plant management device 100, the light source equipment 40, the nutrient solution supply equipment 50, the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60, the air conditioning equipment 70, and the air blowing equipment 80 are realized by executing a program by the computer.

[0030] In the plant management system configured as described above, it is preferable that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 is controlled to an appropriate concentration in accordance with predetermined conditions. For this reason, the plant management device 100 controls the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 so that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 satisfies the predetermined conditions. However, when people enter or leave the space 12 of the plant factory 10, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 fluctuates. When a person is present in the space 12 of the plant factory 10, carbon dioxide is emitted from the person as the person breathes, and the concentration of carbon dioxide in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 increases. Therefore, the plant management device 100 detects the entry or exit of people in the space 12 of the plant factory 10, and controls the supply amount of carbon dioxide (m 3 / h).

[0031] 2 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of the plant management device 100. The plant management device 100 includes a detection result acquisition unit 102, a concentration acquisition unit 104, a calibration unit 106, a history management unit 108, an environment control unit 110, and a storage unit 120. The storage unit 120 stores programs that operate in the plant management device 100. The programs are executed on a processor included in the plant management device 100 to cause the processor to function as the detection result acquisition unit 102, the concentration acquisition unit 104, the calibration unit 106, the history management unit 108, and the environment control unit 110.

[0032] The detection result acquisition unit 102 acquires the detection result from the human presence sensor 14 that detects the entry and exit of people in the space 12 of the plant factory 10. The detection result may indicate the date and time when a person entered the space 12 of the plant factory 10, or the date and time when a person left the space 12 of the plant factory 10.

[0033] The history management unit 108 may store the detection result from the human sensor 14 and at least one control history of the environmental control equipment as history information in the storage unit 120 in association with each other. The detection result from the human sensor 14 may include identification information that uniquely identifies the worker who enters and leaves the space 12. If the human sensor 14 is a surveillance camera, the detection result may include image information showing the face of the worker who enters and leaves the space 12. If the human sensor 14 is an RFID, the detection result may include identification information unique to the IC tag associated with the IC tag held by the worker. The control history indicates, in chronological order, the control content when the environmental control equipment controls the environment of the space 12. By storing the detection result from the human sensor 14 in association with the control history, the history information can be used to analyze the relationship between the entry and exit of people in the space 12 and the control of the environmental control equipment. The history management unit 108 may associate the detection results from the human presence sensor 14 with the control history of at least one environmental control device, as well as the history of the growth state of the plants 30, and store them as history information in the storage unit 120. The history information can be used for quality control, such as analyzing the impact of people entering and leaving the plant 30 on the growth state. By storing the detection results from the human presence sensor 14 as history in the storage unit 120, the history information can be used to monitor the intrusion of suspicious persons into the space 12 of the plant factory 10, theft, and the like. The history information can also be used for worker labor management, optimization of production line schedules, and the like.

[0034] The environmental control unit 110 controls at least one of the light source equipment 40, the nutrient solution supplying equipment 50, the carbon dioxide supplying equipment 60, the air conditioning equipment 70, and the ventilation equipment 80 that control the environment of the plant factory 10 so that the plants 30 can be cultivated according to predetermined cultivation conditions. The environmental control unit 110 may control at least one of the light source equipment 40, the nutrient solution supplying equipment 50, the carbon dioxide supplying equipment 60, the air conditioning equipment 70, and the ventilation equipment 80 so that a predetermined yield of the plants 30 can be harvested at a predetermined harvest time.

[0035] The environmental control unit 110 controls the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60, which supplies carbon dioxide into the space 12 of the plant factory 10, based on the detection results of the human presence sensor 14 so that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 satisfies predetermined conditions.

[0036] When the detection result of the human presence sensor 14 indicates that a person has entered the space 12 of the plant factory 10, the environmental control unit 110 controls the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10. The environmental control unit 110 may control the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on the number of people who have entered the space 12 of the plant factory 10, which is specified based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 14.

[0037] When the detection result of the human presence sensor 14 indicates that a person has left the space 12 of the plant factory 10, the environmental control unit 110 controls the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 to increase the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10. The environmental control unit 110 may control the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 to increase the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on the number of people who have left the space 12 of the plant factory 10, which is specified based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 14.

[0038] The amount of carbon dioxide emitted by a person through breathing varies depending on the type of work the person is doing. The amount of carbon dioxide emitted when a person actually performs normal work in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 is measured to derive an average value or the like, and stored in the storage unit 120. The amount of carbon dioxide emitted when a person performs normal work in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 is, for example, 0.035 (m 3 / h·person) is fine.

[0039] When the detection result of the human presence sensor 14 indicates that a person has entered the space 12 of the plant factory 10, the environmental control unit 110 adjusts the amount of carbon dioxide supply (m ) supplied from the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 by the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by a person in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 per unit time, for example, per hour. 3 When the detection result of the human presence sensor 14 indicates that a person has left the space 12 of the plant factory 10, the environmental control unit 110 may reduce the amount of carbon dioxide supplied from the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 by the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by a person in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 per hour. 3 / h) may be increased.

[0040] The environmental control unit 110 may determine the number of people who have entered the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on the detection results of the human presence sensor 14, derive the amount of carbon dioxide emission corresponding to the number of people by multiplying the amount of carbon dioxide emission emitted per hour by a person in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 by the number of people, and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide supplied from the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 based on the amount of carbon dioxide emission corresponding to the derived number of people.

[0041] The environmental control unit 110 may determine the number of people who have left the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on the detection results of the human presence sensor 14, derive the amount of carbon dioxide emission corresponding to the number of people by multiplying the amount of carbon dioxide emission per hour by people within the space 12 of the plant factory 10 by the number of people, and increase the amount of carbon dioxide supplied from the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 based on the amount of carbon dioxide emission corresponding to the derived number of people.

[0042] For example, when multiple workers enter the space 12 of the plant factory 10 to start work in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 at the same time, the amount of carbon dioxide supplied to the space 12 of the plant factory 10 increases by the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the multiple workers. Therefore, in response to the entry of the multiple workers, the environmental control unit 110 controls the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide supplied to the space 12 of the plant factory 10 by the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the multiple workers.

[0043] For example, when multiple workers who have been working in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 finish their work at the same time and leave the space 12 of the plant factory 10, the amount of carbon dioxide supplied to the space 12 of the plant factory 10 decreases by the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the multiple workers. Therefore, in response to the departure of the multiple workers, the environmental control unit 110 controls the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 to increase the amount of carbon dioxide supplied to the space 12 of the plant factory 10 by the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the multiple workers.

[0044] The concentration acquisition unit 104 acquires the carbon dioxide concentration (ppm) in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 from a CO2 sensor that detects the carbon dioxide concentration in the space 12 of the plant factory 10, for example, the sensor 90. The calibration unit 106 calibrates the CO2 sensor based on the carbon dioxide concentration acquired by the concentration acquisition unit 104, the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 by the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60, and the detection result of the human presence sensor 14. The calibration unit 106 identifies the number of people present in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 14.

[0045] The calibration unit 106 calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emission (m ) emitted by people present in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on a predetermined amount of carbon dioxide emission emitted when a person performs normal work in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 and the number of people present in the space 12 of the plant factory 10.3 Further, the calibration unit 106 derives the supply amount (m 3 / h).

[0046] The calibration unit 106 calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by people present in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 (m 3 / h) and the amount of carbon dioxide supplied (m 3 ) by the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 3 / h) is added to give the total amount of carbon dioxide (m 3 / h).

[0047] The calibration unit 106 specifies the carbon dioxide concentration (ppm) in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on the specified total amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 and relationship information indicating the relationship between the total amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 and the carbon dioxide concentration in the space 12 of the plant factory 10. The relationship information may be a reference table or a function indicating the relationship between the total amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 and the carbon dioxide concentration in the space 12 of the plant factory 10. The amount of carbon dioxide consumed by the plant 30 varies depending on the growth state of the plant 30. The amount of carbon dioxide consumed by the plant 30 changes depending on the period from the sowing date. The growth state can be specified, for example, by the period from the sowing date. Therefore, the storage unit 120 may store relationship information indicating the relationship between the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 according to the period from the sowing date and the carbon dioxide concentration in the plant factory 10. The calibration unit 106 may identify the period from the sowing date of the plant 30 currently being cultivated in the plant factory 10, and identify relationship information indicating the relationship between the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 according to the measured period and the carbon dioxide concentration in the space 12 of the plant factory 10. The relationship information may be derived in advance based on the total amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 and the actual measured value of the carbon dioxide concentration in the space 12, and may be stored in the storage unit 120.

[0048] The storage unit 120 may store relationship information indicating a relationship between the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 according to the growth state of the plant 30 and the carbon dioxide concentration in the space 12 of the plant factory 10. The calibration unit 106 may estimate the growth state of the plant 30 based on a learned prediction model in which an image of the plant 30 captured by the imaging device is an explanatory variable and the growth state of the plant 30 is an objective variable. The calibration unit 106 may identify relationship information indicating a relationship between the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 according to the estimated growth state of the plant 30 and the carbon dioxide concentration in the space 12 of the plant factory 10. An index used as an explanatory variable may be an index other than an image of the plant 30 as long as it can identify the growth state of the plant 30.

[0049] Furthermore, the calibration unit 106 predicts the carbon dioxide concentration (ppm) in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 and the specified relationship information. The calibration unit 106 performs calibration of the CO2 sensor based on the predicted carbon dioxide concentration (ppm) in the space 12 of the plant factory 10. The calibration unit 106 performs calibration of the CO2 sensor based on the difference between the predicted carbon dioxide concentration in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 and the carbon dioxide concentration detected by the CO2 sensor.

[0050] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure of the carbon dioxide supplying facility 60 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 14 when a person enters the space 12 of the plant factory 10.

[0051] The detection result acquisition unit 102 acquires a detection result from the human presence sensor 14 that detects the entrance and exit of people in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 (S100). The environment control unit 110 identifies the number of people who have entered the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 14 (S102). Furthermore, the environment control unit 110 derives the amount of carbon dioxide emission corresponding to the number of people by multiplying the amount of carbon dioxide emission emitted by a person per hour in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 by the number of people (S104). The environment control unit 110 reduces the amount of carbon dioxide supplied from the carbon dioxide supply facility 60 based on the amount of carbon dioxide emission corresponding to the derived number of people (S106). The environment control unit 110 may reduce the amount of carbon dioxide supplied from the carbon dioxide supply facility 60 by the amount of carbon dioxide emission corresponding to the derived number of people.

[0052] By the above process, it is possible to suppress fluctuations in the carbon dioxide concentration in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 caused by people entering the space 12 of the plant factory 10.

[0053] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure of the carbon dioxide supplying equipment 60 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 14 when a person leaves the space 12 of the plant factory 10.

[0054] The detection result acquisition unit 102 acquires a detection result from the human presence sensor 14 that detects the entrance and exit of people in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 (S200). The environment control unit 110 identifies the number of people who have left the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 14 (S202). Furthermore, the environment control unit 110 derives the amount of carbon dioxide emission corresponding to the number of people by multiplying the amount of carbon dioxide emission emitted by people per hour in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 by the number of people (S204). The environment control unit 110 increases the amount of carbon dioxide supplied from the carbon dioxide supply facility 60 based on the amount of carbon dioxide emission corresponding to the derived number of people (S206). The environment control unit 110 may increase the amount of carbon dioxide supplied from the carbon dioxide supply facility 60 by the amount of carbon dioxide emission corresponding to the derived number of people.

[0055] By the above process, it is possible to suppress fluctuations in the carbon dioxide concentration in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 caused by people leaving the space 12 of the plant factory 10.

[0056] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for calibrating the CO2 sensor based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 14.

[0057] The detection result acquisition unit 102 acquires a detection result from the human presence sensor 14 that detects people entering and exiting the space 12 of the plant factory 10 (S300). The calibration unit 106 identifies the number of people present in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 14 (S302).

[0058] The calibration unit 106 derives the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by people present in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on a predetermined amount of carbon dioxide emitted when a person performs normal work in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 and the number of people present in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 (S304). The calibration unit 106 specifies the total amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 by adding up the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by people present in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 and the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 by the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60 (S306).

[0059] The calibration unit 106 identifies the carbon dioxide concentration (ppm) in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 based on the identified total amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 and relationship information indicating the relationship between the total amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 and the carbon dioxide concentration in the space 12 of the plant factory 10 (S308).

[0060] The calibration unit 106 calibrates the CO2 sensor based on the difference between the carbon dioxide concentration in the specified space 12 of the plant factory 10 and the carbon dioxide concentration detected by the CO2 sensor (S310).

[0061] Through the above process, the total amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 is determined by taking into consideration not only the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the space 12 of the plant factory 10 by the carbon dioxide supply equipment 60, but also the amount of carbon dioxide emitted due to breathing of people present in the space 12 of the plant factory 10, which is determined based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 14, and the calibration of the CO2 sensor is performed based on the total amount. This allows the calibration of the CO2 sensor to be performed with greater accuracy.

[0062] 6 shows an example of a computer 1200 that may embody aspects of the present embodiment in whole or in part. A program installed on the computer 1200 may cause the computer 1200 to perform operations associated with an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention or one or more "parts" of the apparatus. Alternatively, the program may cause the computer 1200 to execute the operations or one or more "parts". The program may cause the computer 1200 to execute a process or steps of the process according to an embodiment of the present invention. Such a program may be executed by the CPU 1212 to cause the computer 1200 to execute specific operations associated with some or all of the blocks of the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein.

[0063] The computer 1200 according to this embodiment includes a CPU 1212 and a RAM 1214, which are connected to each other by a host controller 1210. The computer 1200 also includes a communication interface 1222 and an input / output unit, which are connected to the host controller 1210 via an input / output controller 1220. The computer 1200 also includes a ROM 1230. The CPU 1212 operates according to programs stored in the ROM 1230 and the RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit.

[0064] The communication interface 1222 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The hard disk drive may store programs and data used by the CPU 1212 in the computer 1200. The ROM 1230 stores a boot program executed by the computer 1200 when activated and / or a program that depends on the hardware of the computer 1200. The programs are provided via a computer-readable storage medium such as a CR-ROM, a USB memory, or an IC card, or a network. The programs are installed in the RAM 1214, which is also an example of a computer-readable storage medium, or the ROM 1230, and executed by the CPU 1212. The information processing described in these programs is read by the computer 1200, and brings about cooperation between the programs and the various types of hardware resources. An apparatus or method may be configured by implementing an operation or processing of information according to the use of the computer 1200.

[0065] For example, when communication is performed between the computer 1200 and an external device, the CPU 1212 may execute a communication program loaded in the RAM 1214 and instruct the communication interface 1222 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. Under the control of the CPU 1212, the communication interface 1222 reads transmission data stored in a transmission buffer area provided in the RAM 1214 or a storage medium such as a USB memory, transmits the read transmission data to a network, or writes reception data received from the network to a reception buffer area or the like provided on the storage medium.

[0066] Furthermore, the CPU 1212 may cause all or a necessary portion of a file or database stored in an external storage medium such as a USB memory to be read into the RAM 1214, and perform various types of processing on the data on the RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 may then write back the processed data to the external storage medium.

[0067] Various types of information, such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases, may be stored in the storage medium and undergo information processing. The CPU 1212 may perform various types of processing on the data read from the RAM 1214, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgment, conditional branching, unconditional branching, information search / replacement, etc., as described throughout this disclosure and specified by the instruction sequence of the program, and writes back the results to the RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 may also search for information in a file, database, etc. in the storage medium. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute are stored in the storage medium, the CPU 1212 may search for an entry that matches a condition, in which the attribute value of the first attribute is specified, from among the plurality of entries, read the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, and thereby obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0068] The above-described programs or software modules may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium on the computer 1200 or in the vicinity of the computer 1200. Also, a storage medium such as a hard disk or a RAM provided in a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as a computer-readable storage medium, thereby providing the programs to the computer 1200 via the network.

[0069] A computer-readable medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions that are executed by a suitable device. As a result, a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions that can be executed to create means for performing the operations specified in the flowchart or block diagram. Examples of computer-readable media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, and the like. More specific examples of computer-readable media may include floppy disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memories (RAMs), read-only memories (ROMs), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs or flash memories), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), static random access memories (SRAMs), compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), Blu-ray (RTM) disks, memory sticks, integrated circuit cards, and the like.

[0070] The computer readable instructions may include either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages. The source code or object code includes conventional procedural programming languages. The conventional procedural programming languages ​​may be assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or object oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk®, JAVA®, C++, etc., and the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable instructions may be provided to a processor or programmable circuitry of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus locally or over a wide area network (WAN) such as a local area network (LAN), the Internet, etc. The processor or programmable circuitry may execute the computer readable instructions to create means for performing the operations specified in the flowcharts or block diagrams. Examples of processors include computer processors, processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, etc.

[0071] Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that such modifications and improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0072] It should be noted that the order of execution of each process, such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages, in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not specifically stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and may be realized in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operational flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is explained using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to perform the process in this order. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 10 Plant factory 11 Entrance / exit 12 Space 14 Human Sensor 20 cultivation rack 30 plants 40 Light source equipment 42 Light source 50 Nutrient solution supply equipment 52 Pump 54 Pipe 60 Carbon dioxide supply equipment 62 Tank 64 Nozzles 70 Air conditioning equipment 80 Ventilation equipment 90 Sensors 100 Plant management equipment 102 Detection result acquisition unit 104 Concentration acquisition section 106 Calibration section 108 History Management Department 110 Environmental Control Section 120 Storage section 1200 Computer 1210 Host Controller 1212 CPU 1214 RAM 1220 Input / Output Controller 1222 Communication Interface 1230 ROM

Claims

1. a detection result acquisition unit that acquires detection results from a sensor that detects people entering and exiting a target space of a plant factory; a control unit that controls a carbon dioxide supply facility that supplies carbon dioxide into the target space based on the detection result so that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the target space satisfies a predetermined condition; A control device comprising:

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the carbon dioxide supply facility to reduce an amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space when the detection result indicates entry into the target space.

3. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the carbon dioxide supply equipment to reduce an amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space based on the number of people who have entered outside the target space identified based on the detection result.

4. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the carbon dioxide supply facility to increase an amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space when the detection result indicates that the object has left the target space.

5. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the carbon dioxide supply equipment to increase the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space based on the number of people who have left the target space identified based on the detection result.

6. Detecting the carbon dioxide concentration in the target space ２ A concentration acquisition unit that acquires a carbon dioxide concentration in the target space from a sensor; Based on the carbon dioxide concentration acquired by the concentration acquisition unit, the supply amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the target space by the carbon dioxide supply equipment, and the detection result, ２ a calibration unit that performs calibration of the sensor; The control device of claim 1 further comprising:

7. The calibration unit includes: Identifying the number of people present in the target space based on the detection result; Identifying the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by people present in the target space based on the number of people and a predetermined amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the people per unit time; Identifying a total amount of carbon dioxide supplied to the target space by adding up the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by people present in the target space and the amount of carbon dioxide supplied to the target space by the carbon dioxide supply equipment; Identifying a carbon dioxide concentration in the target space based on the total amount of carbon dioxide and relationship information indicating a relationship between the total amount of carbon dioxide and a carbon dioxide concentration in the target space; The carbon dioxide concentration determined in the target space and the CO ２ Based on the carbon dioxide concentration detected by the sensor, ２ The control device of claim 6 , further comprising: a sensor calibration unit configured to calibrate the sensor.

8. The calibration unit includes: The control device according to claim 7 , wherein a carbon dioxide concentration in the target space is identified based on the total amount of carbon dioxide and the relationship information according to a growth state of a plant cultivated in the target space.

9. The control unit controls at least one environmental control device that controls an environment in the target space, The control device includes: The control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a history management unit that causes the detection result and a control history of the at least one environmental control device to be stored in a storage unit as history information in association with each other.

10. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein the history management unit further associates a growth state of a plant cultivated in the target space with the history information and stores the associated growth state in the storage unit.

11. The control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a history management unit that causes the detection result and a growth state of a plant cultivated in the target space to be associated with each other and to be stored as history information in a storage unit.

12. acquiring a detection result from a sensor that detects the entrance and exit of people in a target space of a plant factory; controlling a carbon dioxide supplying facility that supplies carbon dioxide into the target space based on the detection result so that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the target space satisfies a predetermined condition; A control method comprising:

13. acquiring a detection result from a sensor that detects the entrance and exit of people in a target space of a plant factory; controlling a carbon dioxide supplying facility that supplies carbon dioxide into the target space based on the detection result so that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the target space satisfies a predetermined condition; A program for causing a computer to execute the following.

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