Air conditioning system

Abstract

To provide an air conditioning system that enables a user to stay in a desired environmental area while suppressing uneven numbers of people and local congestion.SOLUTION: An air conditioning system, which conditions air in a space divided into a plurality of areas, comprises: biometric information acquisition means for acquiring biometric information of one or more people; a thermal sensation determination unit for determining the thermal sensation of each person on the basis of the biometric information of each person; a grouping unit for dividing the one or more people into one or more groups on the basis of the thermal sensation of each person; an area allocation unit for determining areas to be allocated to each group on the basis of a ratio of the number of people belonging to each group; an air conditioning device for conditioning air in each area on the basis of the thermal sensation of people belonging to the group allocated to each area; and alarm means for alarming information regarding an environment of each area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to air conditioning systems. [Background technology]

[0002] A system is known that includes a body temperature acquisition unit that acquires body temperature information of facility users acquired by a thermal camera, management information stored in a memory unit, and a residence information unit that outputs area information of an area from a plurality of areas in which air conditioning equipment is set according to the body temperature of the user based on the acquired body temperature information (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-023383 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in a system such as that shown in Patent Document 1, people are assigned to areas with pre-controlled air conditioning, so if there are many people with similar thermal environment preferences, many people may stay in a particular area, creating a bias in the number of people staying in each area and causing localized congestion. Also, there may be areas where there are few people who prefer that environment, which may result in unnecessary or excessive cooling or heating by the air conditioning device.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems. Its purpose is to provide an air conditioning system that enables a user to stay in an area with a desired environment while suppressing bias in the number of people staying in each area and suppressing local congestion, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The air conditioning system of the present disclosure is an air conditioning system that conditions the air of a space divided into a plurality of areas, and includes a biometric information acquisition means for acquiring biometric information of one or more people, a thermal sensation judgment unit that judges the thermal sensation of each of the people based on the biometric information of the person, a grouping unit that divides the one or more people into one or more groups based on the thermal sensation of each of the people, an area allocation unit that determines the areas to be assigned to each of the groups based on the ratio of the numbers of the people belonging to each of the groups, an air conditioning device that conditions the air for each of the areas based on the thermal sensation of the people belonging to the group assigned to that area, and an alarm means that alarms information regarding the environment of each of the areas. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the air conditioning system of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress imbalances in the number of people staying in each area, suppressing localized congestion, etc., while enabling users to stay in areas with the environment they desire. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioning system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view of an air conditioner included in an air conditioning control system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a flow diagram showing an example of the operation of the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of air conditioning control in a first modified example of the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 13 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a learning device used in a second modified example of the air conditioning system according to embodiment 1. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a neural network in the learning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8]4 is a flow diagram showing an example of the operation of the learning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control result by a second modified example of the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a flow diagram showing an operation example of a fourth modified example of the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration for implementing the functions of a control device of an air conditioning system according to a first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The embodiment for carrying out the air conditioning system according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals, and the overlapping description is appropriately simplified or omitted. In the following description, for convenience, the positional relationship of each structure may be expressed based on the illustrated state. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and it is possible to freely combine the embodiments and modified examples, modify any of the components of the embodiments and modified examples, or omit any of the components of the embodiments and modified examples, within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure.

[0010] Embodiment 1 A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 11. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioning system. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an air conditioning device included in an air conditioning control system. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of a main part of the air conditioning device. Fig. 4 is a flow diagram showing an example of the operation of the air conditioning system. Fig. 5 is a diagram explaining an example of air conditioning control of a first modified example of the air conditioning system. Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a learning device used in a second modified example of the air conditioning system. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a neural network in the learning device. Fig. 8 is a flow diagram showing an example of the operation of the learning device. Fig. 9 is a diagram explaining an example of a control result by the second modified example of the air conditioning system. Fig. 10 is a flow diagram showing an example of the operation of a fourth modified example of the air conditioning system. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration for realizing the function of a control device of an air conditioning system.

[0011] The air conditioning system according to this embodiment conditions the air in a space divided into a plurality of areas. An example of a space divided into a plurality of areas is the interior space of a building having a plurality of rooms. In this case, each of the plurality of rooms may correspond to one area, or the interior of one room may be further divided into a plurality of areas.

[0012] In the air conditioning system according to this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, a temperature sensor 10, an air conditioner 20, and an air blower 30 are installed in each divided area. The temperature sensor 10 is an example of an environmental information sensor that detects environmental information data in the area in which the sensor is installed. Other environmental information sensors may include, for example, a humidity sensor that detects humidity in the area in which the sensor is installed. The air blower 30 is, for example, a fan, a circulator, or the like that can blow air into the area in which the air blower 30 is installed. Note that the air blower 30 does not necessarily have to be installed.

[0013] The air conditioner 20 is a device that controls mainly the thermal environment in a target space by conditioning the air in the area in which the air conditioner 20 is installed. The air conditioner 20 is installed on a wall or ceiling surface of a room related to the area. In the configuration example described here, the air conditioner 20 is installed on the ceiling surface.

[0014] The air conditioner 20 is an air conditioning means for conditioning the air in a target space by adjusting the temperature, humidity, etc. of the air in the target space. The air conditioner 20 is capable of air conditioning operations including one or both of a cooling operation and a heating operation. The air conditioner 20 may also be capable of one or more of a dehumidifying operation, a humidifying operation, and a fan operation.

[0015] The air conditioner 20 in this embodiment is an indoor unit of the air conditioner. The air conditioner 20, which is an indoor unit, is connected to an outdoor unit via piping through which a refrigerant flows. Illustrations of the piping and the outdoor unit are omitted in this disclosure. Also, illustrations of each device constituting a refrigeration cycle necessary for the air conditioner to perform air conditioning operation and a blower fan for blowing air into a target space are omitted in this disclosure. Devices constituting the refrigeration cycle include, for example, a heat exchanger and a compressor.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioner 20 includes a housing 26. The housing 26 of the air conditioner 20 is formed in a box shape having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. A rectangular or square bottom panel 21 is provided at the bottom of the housing 26 of the air conditioner 20. The bottom panel 21 is formed with an intake port 22. The intake port 22 is an opening for taking air from the outside into the inside of the housing 26. A filter (not shown) is mounted in the intake port 22. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 2, the intake port 22 is disposed in the center of the bottom panel 21.

[0017] Further, the lower panel 21 is formed with an air outlet 23. The air outlet 23 is an opening for discharging air from the inside of the housing 26 to the outside. In the illustrated configuration example, the lower panel 21 is formed with four air outlets 23. The four air outlets 23 are arranged around the inlet 22 as shown in FIG. 2. The four air outlets 23 are provided along each side of the lower panel 21, respectively.

[0018] 2 and 3, the air conditioner 20 is equipped with up-down louvers 24 and left-right louvers 25. The up-down louvers 24 and the left-right louvers 25 are provided at each of the air outlets 23. The up-down louvers 24 are for adjusting the up-down blowing angle of the air blown out from the air outlet 23. The left-right louvers 25 are for adjusting the left-right blowing angle of the air blown out from the air outlet 23.

[0019] The upper and lower louvers 24 are rectangular plate-shaped members. One end of the upper and lower louvers 24 is rotatably attached to a central portion of the lower panel 21 among the edges of the air outlet 23. The upper and lower louvers 24 rotate about this end as an axis, thereby changing the vertical blowing angle of the air blown out from the air outlet 23.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 3 in particular, the left and right louvers 25 are composed of multiple rectangular plate-shaped members. These multiple rectangular plate-shaped members are arranged along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the air outlet 23. One end of the left and right louvers 25 is rotatably attached to the rear part of the edge of the air outlet 23. The left and right louvers 25 rotate around this one end as an axis, thereby changing the left and right blowing angle of the air blown out from the air outlet 23.

[0021] The up-down louvers 24 and the left-right louvers 25 configured as described above are an example of an air direction changing means capable of changing the direction in which air is blown into the room from the air outlet 23. The air conditioner 20 in this embodiment can blow air in various directions by changing the combination of the orientation of the up-down louvers 24 and the orientation of the left-right louvers 25.

[0022] Moreover, by orienting the upper and lower louvers 24 in the most upward direction, the air outlets 23 are blocked by the upper and lower louvers 24. The air conditioner 20 in this embodiment can stop blowing air from some of the air outlets 23 by blocking some of the air outlets 23 with the upper and lower louvers 24.

[0023] An air passage is formed inside the housing 26, leading from the intake port 22 to the exhaust port 23. A heat exchanger and a blower fan are installed in the air passage leading from the intake port 22 to the exhaust port 23. The heat exchanger heats or cools the air flowing through the air passage by exchanging heat between the air and a refrigerant. Whether the air is heated or cooled by the heat exchanger depends on the type of air conditioning operation performed by the air conditioner 20. The heat exchanger heats or cools the air to adjust the temperature and humidity of the air and generate conditioned air. Specifically, during heating operation, the heat exchanger heats the air. During cooling operation, the heat exchanger cools the air. Also, during blowing operation, the air that has passed through the heat exchanger is generated as conditioned air at room temperature.

[0024] The blower fan is for generating an air flow from the intake port 22 to the exhaust port 23 in the air passage inside the housing 26. When the blower fan operates, air is sucked in from the intake port 22 and blown out from the exhaust port 23. The air sucked in from the intake port 22 passes through the air passage inside the housing 26 of the air conditioner 20, passing through the heat exchanger and the blower fan in that order. The air that passes through the blower fan, i.e., conditioned air, is blown out from the exhaust port 23. During heating operation, warm air is blown out from the exhaust port 23. During cooling operation, cold air is blown out from the exhaust port 23. During blowing operation, air at room temperature is blown out from the exhaust port 23. At this time, the direction in which air is blown out from the exhaust port 23 is adjusted by the up-down louvers 24 and the left-right louvers 25 arranged on the downwind side of the blower fan. The air conditioner 20 can blow air at various temperatures in various directions.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioning system according to this embodiment includes a vital sensor 1 and a control device 100. The vital sensor 1 is a sensor that detects biometric information of a person who uses a building in which the air conditioning system is installed. The vital sensor 1 detects the biometric information of the person without contacting the person, for example. Examples of the vital sensor 1 that detects the biometric information of a person without contacting the person include a quasi-millimeter wave / millimeter wave radar application sensor, an infrared sensor, a camera, and the like. When the vital sensor 1 has a quasi-millimeter wave / millimeter wave radar application sensor, for example, at least one of the person's body movement, respiratory rate, heart rate, and blood flow can be acquired as biometric information. When the vital sensor 1 has an infrared sensor, for example, the infrared sensor can acquire the surface skin temperature of the person as biometric information. When the vital sensor 1 has a camera, the image captured by the camera can be used to estimate the blood flow rate by analyzing the chromaticity of the person's face and acquire it as biometric information.

[0026] The vital sensor 1 may be, for example, a sensor provided in a wearable device worn by a person. In this case, the vital sensor 1 may include, for example, a heart rate sensor, a body temperature sensor, an activity meter, and the like.

[0027] 1, the control device 100 includes a vital data acquisition unit 111, a data storage unit 112, a thermal sensation determination unit 113, a thermal sensation similarity grouping unit 114, a recommended environment calculation unit 115, an air conditioning control unit 116, an area allocation unit 117, and an environmental data acquisition unit 118. The control device 100 is capable of communicating with each vital sensor 1. The control device 100 is also capable of communicating with the temperature sensors 10, air conditioners 20, and air blowers 30 in each area.

[0028] The vital sensor 1 transmits the detected biological information to the control device 100. The vital data acquisition unit 111 acquires the biological information detected by the vital sensor 1 and received by the control device 100. The vital sensor 1 and the vital data acquisition unit 111 are an example of a biological information acquisition means for acquiring biological information of one or more people. The data storage unit 112 stores the biological information of each person acquired by the vital data acquisition unit 111.

[0029] The thermal sensation judging unit 113 judges the thermal sensation of each person based on the person's biological information stored in the data storage unit 112, i.e., the biological information of the person acquired by the vital data acquiring unit 111. For example, the thermal sensation judging unit 113 judges the thermal sensation of the person using one or more of the person's surface temperature, information on the person's heartbeat (heart rate, electrocardiogram, pulse wave, LF / HF (low frequency component / high frequency component), etc.), the person's activity level, etc.

[0030] Here, the determination of a person's thermal sensation by the thermal sensation determination unit 113 will be described using a case where a person's surface temperature is used as an example. Specifically, for example, a five-level evaluation of hot, slightly hot, neutral, slightly cold, and cold can be used as a person's thermal sensation. In this case, for example, when a drop in the person's surface temperature continues for a preset period of time or longer, the thermal sensation of the person is determined to be "cold". In addition, whether the thermal sensation is "cold" or "slightly cold" is determined according to the duration of the drop in the surface temperature or the amount of drop in the surface temperature at this time. In this case, when the duration of the drop is longer than a standard, it is determined to be "cold", and when it is shorter, it is determined to be "slightly cold". When the amount of drop is greater than a standard, it is determined to be "cold", and when it is less ...

[0031] If the rise in the person's surface temperature continues for a preset period of time or longer, the person's thermal sensation is deemed "hot." In addition, depending on the duration of the rise in surface temperature or the amount of rise in surface temperature, it is determined whether the thermal sensation is "hot" or "slightly hot." In this case, if the duration of the rise is longer than a standard, it is deemed "hot," and if it is shorter, it is deemed "slightly hot." If the amount of rise is greater than the standard, it is deemed "hot," and if it is less, it is deemed "slightly hot." Furthermore, if the difference between the surface temperature of the person's head and the surface temperatures of the hands and feet is greater than a preset standard value, the person's thermal sensation can be estimated to be "hot" or "cold."

[0032] The thermal sensation may be in more than five stages. The stages may be further divided and the thermal sensation may be quantified. In this case, a conversion formula may be used to calculate the thermal sensation from the duration of rise in the surface temperature of a person or the amount of rise in the surface temperature, and the duration of fall in the surface temperature or the amount of fall in the surface temperature.

[0033] The similar thermal sensation grouping unit 114 performs grouping to divide one or more people into one or more groups based on the thermal sensation of each person. The similar thermal sensation grouping unit 114 performs grouping so that people with the same or similar thermal sensation belong to the same group. The total number of groups created as a result of grouping is set to be equal to or less than the number of the multiple areas described above.

[0034] When thermal sensation is judged on a five-point scale as in the example described above, if people with the same thermal sensation are grouped together, the maximum number of groups that can be created as a result of grouping is five. However, if there is no person with a thermal sensation of that scale, the number of groups created may be less than five. Also, if the number of areas is less than five, it is preferable to group people so that the number of areas is the upper limit of the number of groups, and in this case, the number of groups created will also be less than five. In this case, one group may contain not only people with the same thermal sensation, but also people with similar (i.e. different) thermal sensations.

[0035] In addition, when the thermal sensation is divided into finer levels and when the thermal sensation is quantified, people with similar thermal sensations are basically grouped together. In this case, grouping can be performed using a known method such as cluster analysis.

[0036] The area distribution unit 117 distributes areas to each group divided by the similar thermal sensation grouping unit 114. More specifically, the area distribution unit 117 determines the areas to be allocated to each group based on the ratio of the number of people belonging to each group. The area distribution unit 117 allocates more areas to a group with a larger number of people. Although it is ideal that the ratio of the number of people belonging to each group and the ratio of the number of areas allocated to each group are the same, it is preferable that the area distribution unit 117 allocates areas so that the ratio between the two is as close as possible.

[0037] When the areas differ in size, and when the ranges that the air from the air conditioners 20 reaches differ, the area distribution unit 117 may select the areas to be allocated to each group taking into consideration the differences in the areas of the areas. In this case, the area distribution unit 117 may determine the areas to be allocated to each group so that the ratio of the number of people belonging to each group is close to the ratio of the total areas of the allocated areas.

[0038] The air conditioning control unit 116 controls the operation of the air conditioner 20 in each area. Examples of the control contents at this time include the operation mode (cooling, heating, dehumidification, etc.) of the air conditioner 20, the set temperature, the air volume, etc. For each area, the air conditioning control unit 116 determines the operation contents of the air conditioner 20 in the area suitable for the thermal sensation, that is, the operation mode, the set temperature, the air volume, etc., based on the thermal sensation of the person belonging to the group assigned to the area. Then, a control signal for operating the air conditioner 20 with the determined contents is generated and transmitted to each air conditioner 20. Then, the air conditioner 20 in each area operates according to the received control signal. In this way, for each area, the air conditioner 20 performs air conditioning based on the thermal sensation of the person belonging to the group assigned to the area. Note that, when the thermal sensations of the people belonging to one group are different (similar), the air conditioning control unit 116 can determine the operation contents of the air conditioner 20 using, for example, the average value, the median value, the mode value, etc. of the thermal sensation of the people belonging to the same group.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 1, the control device 100 may include a recommended environment calculation unit 115. The recommended environment calculation unit 115 calculates a recommended thermal environment for each area based on the thermal sensation of people belonging to a group assigned to the area. In this case, the air conditioning control unit 116 determines the operation details of the air conditioner 20 in each area, i.e., the operation mode, set temperature, air volume, etc., so that the recommended thermal environment for each area is realized, and controls the air conditioner 20 in each area.

[0040] The environmental data acquisition unit 118 acquires information related to the environment of each area. The information related to the environment of each area is, for example, detection data by the above-mentioned environmental information sensor. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the environmental data acquisition unit 118 acquires detection data of the temperature sensor 10 in each area as information related to the environment of each area. If a humidity sensor is installed in each area, the environmental data acquisition unit 118 also acquires detection data of the humidity sensor in each area as information related to the environment of each area.

[0041] The notification device 200 is a notification means for notifying information related to the environment of each area. The notification device 200 is equipped with a display device such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, a plasma display, etc. The notification device 200 is installed, for example, in each room or at the entrance of each room. The notification device 200 may be a smartphone, a smartwatch, etc. that is owned or carried by an individual user. The notification device 200 displays information related to the environment of each area acquired by the environmental data acquisition unit 118 on the display device to notify a person of the information.

[0042] For each area, the air conditioner 20 performs air conditioning based on the thermal sensation of people belonging to the group assigned to that area. Therefore, the information on the environment of each area acquired by the environmental data acquisition unit 118 basically reflects the grouping based on the thermal sensation of people and the result of area allocation to groups. By providing information on the environment of each area to people, i.e., users, by the notification device 200, each user can stay in an area with a desired environment. At this time, it is possible to suppress the bias of the number of people staying in each area and suppress local congestion. In addition, it is possible to suppress unnecessary or excessive cooling, heating, etc. by the air conditioner 20, and to reduce the amount of energy consumption. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of situations in which people with extreme preferences for thermal environments feel dissatisfied.

[0043] The notification device 200 may notify the operation details of the air conditioner 20 in each area determined by the air conditioning control unit 116. Alternatively, the notification device 200 may obtain operation details from the air conditioner 20 in each area and notify the same. The operation details of the air conditioner 20 may include information on the set temperature and air volume, i.e., the strength of the airflow. The air conditioning system may perform the series of processes described above at regular intervals, when there is a change in a person's biometric information, when there is a change in the presence status of a person in the area (for example, when there is entry or exit to a room), etc.

[0044] The area distribution unit 117 may determine the areas to be allocated to each group so that the thermal sensations of people belonging to the groups to which adjacent areas are allocated are as similar as possible. In particular, when there is no wall, partition, or the like between adjacent areas, it is expected that the air in the adjacent areas will mix. For this reason, the area distribution unit 117 may allocate areas so that groups with similar thermal sensations are adjacent to each other.

[0045] Next, an example of the operation of the air conditioning system configured as above will be described with reference to the flow diagram of Fig. 4. First, in step S101, the vital sensor 1 and the vital data acquisition unit 111 acquire a person's biological information. In the following step S102, the thermal sensation judgment unit 113 judges the thermal sensation of the person based on the person's biological information acquired in step S101. In step S103, the thermal sensation judgment unit 113 repeats the judgment of the thermal sensation in step S102 for the number of people.

[0046] Next, in step S104, the similar thermal sensation grouping unit 114 performs grouping based on the thermal sensation of each person determined in steps S102 and S103 so that people with the same or similar thermal sensation belong to the same group. Next, in step S105, the area distribution unit 117 distributes areas to each group based on the ratio of the number of people belonging to each group. Then, in the following step S106, the recommended environment calculation unit 115 calculates a recommended thermal environment for each area based on the thermal sensation of people belonging to the group assigned to that area.

[0047] Next, the air conditioning control unit 116 determines the operation of the air conditioner 20 in each area, i.e., the operation mode, set temperature, air volume, etc., so that the recommended thermal environment is realized for that area, and controls the air conditioner 20 in that area. Specifically, first, in step S107, the air conditioning control unit 116 determines whether the difference between the recommended environment and the current environment for each area is equal to or less than a threshold. Then, for areas where the difference between the recommended environment and the current environment is equal to or less than the threshold, the air conditioning control unit 116 continues the operation of the air conditioner 20 in that area as is (step S112).

[0048] On the other hand, for areas where the difference between the recommended environment and the current environment is not equal to or less than the threshold in step S107, in step S108, the air conditioning control unit 116 determines the operation content of the air conditioner 20 that will realize the recommended environment, and controls the air conditioner 20 based on the determined content. Then, in step S109, the notification device 200 updates the display of information related to the environment of each area and notifies the status of each area.

[0049] After that, if movement of people occurs within the area in step S110, the control device 100 returns to step S101 and continues processing. On the other hand, if movement of people does not occur within the area, in step S111, the air conditioning control unit 116 again determines whether or not the difference between the recommended environment and the current environment for each area is equal to or less than the threshold. Then, for areas where the difference between the recommended environment and the current environment is equal to or less than the threshold, the air conditioning control unit 116 continues the operation of the air conditioner 20 in that area as is (step S112). On the other hand, for areas where the difference between the recommended environment and the current environment is not equal to or less than the threshold, the process returns to step S108 and continues processing.

[0050] Next, several modified examples of the air conditioning system according to this embodiment will be described. First, a first modified example of the air conditioning system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 5. In the first modified example, the air conditioner 20 changes the operation content according to the time of day. In this first modified example, the recommended environment calculation unit 115 calculates the recommended thermal environment for each area based not only on the thermal sensation of people belonging to a group assigned to that area, but also on the time of day the current time is.

[0051] FIG. 5 shows an example of a case where an air conditioning system is installed in an office. In the example shown in the figure, since many people have high metabolism during the time when they come to work, the recommended environment calculation unit 115 lowers the set temperature of the recommended thermal environment from the normal temperature. Also, since many people have low metabolism during the time before lunch, the recommended environment calculation unit 115 raises the set temperature of the recommended thermal environment from the normal temperature. Since many people feel sleepy during the time after lunch, the recommended environment calculation unit 115 changes the strength of the air flow to provide stimulation while keeping the set temperature of the recommended thermal environment at the normal temperature. Then, in the evening, in order to promote smooth falling asleep after returning home by raising the deep body temperature, the recommended environment calculation unit 115 raises the set temperature of the recommended thermal environment from the normal temperature. According to the first modified example, an environment suitable for a person's circadian rhythm, such as changes in metabolism (high when coming to work, lower before lunch), sleepiness caused by eating, and changes in deep body temperature depending on the time of day, can be realized.

[0052] Next, a second modified example of the air conditioning system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 6 to 9. In the second modified example, the thermal sensation judging unit 113 infers the thermal sensation from a person's biological information using machine learning. In this case, the thermal sensation is learned in advance in a learning device 300 shown in Fig. 6. As shown in the figure, the learning device 300 includes a learning data acquiring unit 301 and a model generating unit 302.

[0053] The learning data acquiring unit 301 acquires learning data. The learning data includes a person's biometric information and the person's thermal sensation. The person's thermal sensation may be, for example, self-reported data of the person. The learning data is data in which the person's biometric information and the person's thermal sensation are associated with each other. As shown in the figure, the learning data may also include activity data (movement, etc.) of the person and environmental data (temperature, air current, humidity, etc.).

[0054] The model generating unit 302 learns the thermal sensation of a person from the above-mentioned learning data created based on a combination of the person's biological information and the person's thermal sensation. That is, the model generating unit 302 uses the learning data acquired by the learning data acquiring unit 301 to generate a learned model that infers the person's thermal sensation from the person's biological information.

[0055] The learning algorithm used by the model generation unit 302 may be a known algorithm such as supervised learning. As an example, a case where a neural network is applied will be described. The model generation unit 302 learns the thermal sensation of the person by so-called supervised learning according to, for example, a neural network model. Here, supervised learning refers to a method of providing a set of input and result (label) data to the learning device 300, learning the features of the learning data, and inferring the result from the input.

[0056] A neural network is composed of an input layer consisting of multiple neurons, an intermediate layer (hidden layer) consisting of multiple neurons, and an output layer consisting of multiple neurons. The intermediate layer may be one layer or two or more layers. For example, in a three-layer neural network as shown in FIG. 7, when multiple inputs are input to the input layer (X1-X3), the values ​​are multiplied by a weight W1 (w11-w16) and input to the intermediate layer (Y1-Y2), and the result is further multiplied by a weight W2 (w21-w26) and output from the output layer (Z1-Z3). This output result changes depending on the values ​​of the weights W1 and W2.

[0057] In the present disclosure, the neural network learns the thermal sensation of a person by so-called supervised learning based on the above-mentioned learning data created based on a combination of the person's biological information and the person's thermal sensation acquired by the learning data acquisition unit 301. That is, the neural network learns by inputting the person's biological information into the input layer and adjusting the weights W1 and W2 so that the result output from the output layer is close to the person's thermal sensation.

[0058] The model generation unit 302 generates and outputs a trained model by executing the above-mentioned learning. The trained model storage unit 310 stores the trained model output from the model generation unit 302. The trained model storage unit 310 may be provided in, for example, the control device 100, or in a server device or the like that is provided so as to be able to communicate with the control device 100. As a learning algorithm used in the learning device 300, deep learning that learns to extract the feature amount itself may be used, or other known methods may be used.

[0059] Next, an example of the operation of the learning device 300 configured as above will be described with reference to the flow chart of Fig. 8. First, in step S201, the learning data acquisition unit 301 acquires learning data. Note that, although the biometric information of a person included in the learning data and the thermal sensation data of the person are acquired simultaneously, it is sufficient that these data are input in association with each other, and the refrigerator operation information and the thermal sensation data of the person may be acquired at different times.

[0060] After step S201, the learning device 300 then performs the process of step S202. In step S202, the model generation unit 302 uses the learning data acquired in step S201 to learn the thermal sensation of the person by so-called supervised learning, and generates a trained model. In the following step S203, the trained model storage unit 310 stores the trained model generated in step S202. When the process of step S203 is completed, the series of operations ends.

[0061] The model generating unit 302 may acquire and use a trained model from outside. The model generating unit 302 may learn a person's thermal sensation according to training data created for a plurality of air conditioning systems. The model generating unit 302 may acquire training data from a plurality of air conditioning systems used in the same area, or may learn a person's thermal sensation by using training data collected from a plurality of air conditioning systems operating independently in different areas. It is also possible to add or remove an air conditioning system that collects training data from the target midway. Furthermore, the learning device 300 that has learned a person's thermal sensation for a certain air conditioning system may be applied to another air conditioning system, and the person's thermal sensation for the other air conditioning system may be re-learned and updated.

[0062] In this second modified example, the thermal sensation judging section 113 functions as an inference device that infers a thermal sensation of a person from the person's biological information. In this case, the thermal sensation judging section 113 as an inference device includes an inference data acquiring section and an inference section. Inference data is input to the thermal sensation judging section 113. The inference data acquiring section acquires the inference data input to the thermal sensation judging section 113. The inference data includes the person's biological information.

[0063] The control device 100 stores a trained model. The trained model stored in the control device 100 is for inferring a person's thermal sensation from data for inference. The trained model is generated by, for example, the above-mentioned learning device 300. The inference unit of the thermal sensation judgment unit 113 uses the stored trained model to infer a thermal sensation of a person from data for inference acquired by the data for inference acquisition unit, i.e., biological information of the person. The inference unit inputs the input data acquired by the data for inference acquisition unit into the trained model, thereby being able to output a thermal sensation of a person inferred from the input data. In this way, the inference unit uses the trained model for inferring a person's thermal sensation from the input data acquired by the data for inference acquisition unit to output a thermal sensation from the input data acquired by the data for inference.

[0064] The trained model for inferring the thermal sensation may be generated for each individual user. In this case, the air conditioning system further includes an individual identification means for identifying the individual user. For example, when the number of users is particularly small, the individual identification means can identify the individual using an image captured by the camera described above. Also, when entry and exit management is performed for each room in the building, the individual can be identified from the result of personal authentication at the time of entry. After the individual is identified, the individual can be tracked using, for example, an image captured by the camera described above.

[0065] FIG. 9 shows an example of grouping, area allocation, calculation of recommended environment, and control of the air conditioner 20 using thermal sensation inferred using a trained model generated for each individual user. As shown in the figure, it is possible to take into account the characteristics of the thermal sensation of an individual and assign an area with a lower set temperature to a specific room (room 1) on a day when many people who are sensitive to heat come to work. In addition, an area with a higher set temperature can be assigned to another room (room 2) for people who are sensitive to wind and cold. The notification device 200 can also notify people who are sensitive to wind and cold that the area in room 2 is recommended. Inferring thermal sensation using a trained model generated for each individual in this way allows the characteristics of the individual, such as sensitivity to heat and cold, getting hot immediately when moving a little but getting cold immediately when sitting down, getting hot after lunch, etc., to be reflected in the judgment result of thermal sensation.

[0066] Next, a third modified example of the air conditioning system according to this embodiment will be described. In this third modified example, the recommended environment calculation unit 115 calculates the recommended environment for each area based on the person's physical condition as well as the person's thermal sensation. The person's physical condition can be determined, for example, from the person's biometric information such as heart rate and skin surface temperature. The judgment result of the person's physical condition may be, for example, at least two, normal physical condition and abnormal physical condition. Such a judgment can be made using a known method. In this way, the recommended environment calculation unit 115 calculates the recommended environment for each area based on the thermal sensation of the person belonging to the group assigned to the area and the physical condition of the person determined from the person's biometric information. According to this third modified example, air conditioning control that takes into account not only the person's thermal sensation but also the person's physical condition is possible. In addition, the notification device 200 may issue a warning about the physical condition when the person's physical condition determined from the person's biometric information is abnormal. In addition, the notification device 200 may issue a warning when there is a sign of abnormality in the person's physical condition, such as a sudden change in the person's biometric information.

[0067] Next, a fourth modified example of the air conditioning system according to this embodiment will be described. In this fourth modified example, the air conditioning control unit 116 controls the air conditioning device 20 in the area to which the person has moved, based on environmental information data of the area from which the person has moved. The air conditioning control unit 116 may also control the air conditioning device 20 in the area from which the person has moved, based on environmental information data of the area to which the person has moved.

[0068] Here, the environmental information data of an area is information regarding one or both of the temperature and humidity of the area. That is, the air conditioner 20 performs air conditioning of the area to which the person has moved, based on information regarding one or both of the temperature and humidity of the area from which the person has moved. Alternatively, the air conditioner 20 performs air conditioning of the area from which the person has moved, based on information regarding one or both of the temperature and humidity of the area to which the person has moved. At this time, the air conditioning control unit 116 controls the air conditioners 20 of one or both of the area from which the person has moved and the area to which the person has moved, so as to reduce the difference in environment between the area from which the person has moved and the area to which the person has moved. In this way, it is possible to reduce environmental changes accompanying the movement of areas.

[0069] The origin and destination areas of a person can be identified by detecting the movement of the person using, for example, a camera, an entrance / exit management device, etc. Alternatively, the origin and destination areas of a person may be identified using schedule information of a sixth modified example described later. By using the schedule information, the air conditioners 20 in the origin and destination areas can be controlled before the person moves, thereby reducing the environmental difference between these areas in advance. Also, the user may be allowed to input the destination area of ​​his / her move to the air conditioning system when moving.

[0070] An operation example of the fourth modified example of the air conditioning system will be described with reference to the flow diagram of Fig. 10. First, in step S301, the vital sensor 1 and the vital data acquisition unit 111 acquire the person's biometric information. In the following step S302, the thermal sensation determination unit 113 judges the thermal sensation of the person based on the person's biometric information acquired in step S301. In step S303, the environmental data acquisition unit 118 acquires environmental information data of the destination area of ​​the person. In step S304, the determination of the thermal sensation by the thermal sensation determination unit 113 in step S302 and the acquisition of environmental information data of the destination area by the environmental data acquisition unit 118 in step S303 are repeated for the number of users who have the same destination area.

[0071] Next, in step S305, the recommended environment calculation unit 115 calculates a recommended thermal environment for the destination area based on the thermal sensation of the person moving to the destination area. Then, the air conditioning control unit 116 determines the operation content of the air conditioner 20 in the destination area, i.e., the operation mode, the set temperature, the air volume, etc., so that the recommended thermal environment for the destination area is realized, and controls the air conditioner 20 in the destination area. Specifically, first, in step S306, the air conditioning control unit 116 determines whether the difference between the recommended environment and the current environment for the destination area is equal to or less than a threshold. Then, if the difference between the recommended environment and the current environment is equal to or less than the threshold, the air conditioning control unit 116 causes the operation of the air conditioner 20 in the destination area to continue as it is (step S309).

[0072] On the other hand, if the difference between the recommended environment and the current environment is not equal to or less than the threshold in step S306, then in step S307, the air conditioning control unit 116 determines the operation of the air conditioner 20 that will realize the recommended environment, and controls the air conditioner 20 in the destination area based on the determined operation. The air conditioning control unit 116 then repeats the process of step S307 until the difference between the recommended environment and the current environment for the destination area becomes equal to or less than the threshold, and when the difference between the recommended environment and the current environment becomes equal to or less than the threshold, the air conditioning control unit 116 continues the operation of the air conditioner 20 in the destination area as is (step S309).

[0073] Next, a fifth modified example of the air conditioning system according to this embodiment will be described. In this fifth modified example, the environmental data acquisition unit 118 further acquires detection data of an environmental information sensor that is carried or worn by a person and acquires environmental information of a place where a person is present. Then, the air conditioning control unit 116 performs air conditioning of the area where a person is present based on the detection result of the environmental information sensor carried or worn by the person. That is, the air conditioner 20 performs air conditioning of the area where a person is present based on the environmental information detected by the environmental information sensor carried or worn by the person and acquires environmental information of the place where a person is present. Examples of environmental information sensors carried or worn by a person and acquire environmental information of a place where a person is present include a temperature sensor built into a smartphone carried by a person, a wristwatch worn by a person, a smartwatch, etc. According to such a fifth modified example, more detailed environmental data can be acquired about the area where a person is present and used for controlling the air conditioner 20.

[0074] Next, a sixth modified example of the air conditioning system according to this embodiment will be described. In this sixth modified example, the air conditioning control unit 116 controls the air conditioners 20 in each area based on the person's schedule information as well. The person's schedule information may be input by the user to the air conditioning system, or may be obtained from a schedule management system outside the air conditioning system. According to this sixth modified example, it is possible to improve efficiency by starting air conditioning in advance in a conference room or the like that is scheduled to be used, or excluding areas of a room that is not scheduled to be used from the targets for allocation to a warm / cold sensation group, based on the person's schedule information.

[0075] Next, a seventh modified example of the air conditioning system according to this embodiment will be described. In this seventh modified example, the control device 100 further includes a recommended area determination unit (not shown). The recommended area determination unit determines a recommended area for each person based on at least one of the person's thermal sensation, the person's work content, and the person's human relationships with other people. Then, the notification device 200, which is a notification means, notifies the determined recommended area.

[0076] The thermal sensation of the person is judged based on the biological information of the person by the thermal sensation judging section 113. The recommended area deciding section decides an area of ​​an environment suitable for the thermal sensation of the person as the recommended area.

[0077] Furthermore, the work content of the person can be identified from the schedule information of the person. The schedule information may be the schedule information of the sixth modified example described above, or the user may input the work content to the air conditioning system. The recommended area determination unit determines an area with an environment suitable for the work content as the recommended area. For example, if the work content is intellectual work, an area with stimulating airflow that can suppress a decrease in efficiency is recommended. As another example, if the work content is physical labor, an area with a cooler environment that suppresses sweating is recommended.

[0078] The human relationship with other people can be determined from the behavior history information of the person. The behavior history information includes information on which area the person often stays in, information on whether the person moved to another area after the other person moved to the area where the person is, and the like. In addition, the human relationship may be determined by estimating whether the person feels stressed or relaxed when near other people from biological information (e.g., heart rate, etc.) when in the same area as other people. The degree of stress / relaxation based on biological information can be estimated using a known method. The user may input the human relationship with other people to the air conditioning system. The recommended area determination unit determines an area according to the human relationship as the recommended area. For example, it recommends that people who have good human relationships and spend a long time in the same area be in the same area. Alternatively, it recommends that people who have never stayed in the same area before not be in the same area. According to the seventh modified example, it is possible to recommend an area suitable for the thermal sensation, the work content, and the human relationship, thereby reducing stress and improving work efficiency.

[0079] In the above-described embodiment or each modified example, the air conditioner 20 may be capable of blowing air toward a specific person. For example, the air conditioner control unit 116 controls the air conditioner 20 to blow air whose temperature is adjusted toward a person whose thermal sensation is different from other people in the same area, so that the person's thermal sensation is on the neutral side. In this way, it is possible to improve thermal comfort.

[0080] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration for realizing the functions of the control device 100 in this embodiment. The functions of the control device 100 are realized, for example, by a processing circuit. The processing circuit may include a processor 101 and a memory 102. The processing circuit may be dedicated hardware 103. A part of the processing circuit may be formed as the dedicated hardware 103, and the processing circuit may further include the processor 101 and the memory 102. In the example shown in the figure, a part of the processing circuit is formed as the dedicated hardware 103. Also, in the example shown in the figure, the processing circuit further includes the processor 101 and the memory 102.

[0081] The processing circuitry, part of which is at least one dedicated hardware 103, may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof. If the processing circuitry comprises at least one processor 101 and at least one memory 102, the functionality of the control device 100 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware.

[0082] The software and firmware are written as programs and stored in memory 102. Processor 101 realizes the functions of each unit by reading and executing the programs stored in memory 102. Processor 101 is also called a CPU (Central Processing Unit), central processing unit, processing unit, arithmetic unit, microprocessor, microcomputer, or DSP. Memory 102 corresponds to, for example, non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, EPROM, and EEPROM, or a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a mini disk, and a DVD.

[0083] In this way, the processing circuit of the control device 100 can realize each function of the control device 100 by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination of these. When the processing circuit of the control device 100 includes at least the processor 101 and the memory 102, the processor 101 executes a program stored in the memory 102 in the control device 100, and the hardware and software of the control device 100 work together to realize the functions of each part of the control device 100. Note that the air conditioning system is not limited to a configuration in which the operation is controlled by a single control device 100. The operation of the air conditioning system may be controlled by multiple devices working together. Also, the control device 100 may be built into the air conditioner 20.

[0084] In the present disclosure, the embodiments and modifications may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Examples of various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices. (Appendix 1) An air conditioning system that conditions air in a space divided into a plurality of areas, a biometric information acquisition means for acquiring biometric information of one or more persons; A thermal sensation determination unit that determines a thermal sensation of each person based on biological information of the person; A grouping unit that divides one or more of the persons into one or more groups based on the thermal sensation of each of the persons; an area allocation unit that determines the areas to be allocated to each of the groups based on the ratio of the number of people belonging to each of the groups; an air conditioner that performs air conditioning for each of the areas based on the thermal sensation of the people belonging to the group assigned to that area; and a notification means for notifying information regarding the environment of each of the areas. (Appendix 2) 2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner changes its operation depending on the time of day. (Appendix 3) The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the thermal sensation judgment unit judges the thermal sensation of the person based on an inference result obtained by inputting the person's biometric information into a trained model for inferring the person's thermal sensation from the person's biometric information. (Appendix 4) A recommended environment calculation unit is further provided for calculating a recommended environment for each of the areas based on the thermal sensation of the people belonging to the group assigned to the area, The air conditioning system according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 3, wherein the air conditioner performs air conditioning for each of the areas based on a recommended environment for that area. (Appendix 5) The air conditioning system described in Appendix 4, wherein the recommended environment calculation unit calculates the recommended environment for each area based on the thermal sensation of the person belonging to the group assigned to that area and the physical condition of the person determined from the person's biometric information. (Appendix 6) An air conditioning system as described in any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 5, wherein the air conditioning device conditions the air in the area to which the person is moving based on information regarding one or both of the temperature and humidity of the area from which the person is moving. (Appendix 7) An air conditioning system as described in any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 5, wherein the air conditioning device conditions the air in the area from which the person is moving based on information regarding one or both of the temperature and humidity of the area to which the person is moving. (Appendix 8) The air conditioning system according to any one of appendices 1 to 7, wherein the air conditioning device is carried by or worn by the person and conditions the air in the area further based on environmental information detected by an environmental information sensor that acquires environmental information about a location where the person is present. (Appendix 9) The air conditioning system according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 8, wherein the air conditioning device performs air conditioning of the area based further on schedule information of the person. (Appendix 10) A recommended area determination unit is further provided that determines, for each of the persons, a recommended area that is the area recommended for the person, based on at least one of the person's thermal sensation determined based on the person's biological information, the work content identified from the person's schedule information, and the human relationships with other people determined from the person's action history information; 10. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the notification means notifies the user of the recommended area. (Appendix 11) The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the air conditioning device is capable of blowing air toward a specific person. (Appendix 12) The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the biological information acquisition means includes a biological information sensor worn by the person. (Appendix 13) 12. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the biometric information acquisition means is capable of acquiring biometric information of the person in a non-contact manner. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1 Vital Sensor 10 Temperature Sensor 20 Air conditioner 21 Bottom Panel 22 Intake port 23 Air outlet 24 Up and down louvers 25 Left and right louvers 26 Case 30 Ventilation equipment 40 Lighting equipment 100 Control device 101 Processor 102 Memory 103 Dedicated Hardware 111 Vital Data Acquisition Unit 112 Data storage unit 113 Thermal sensation judgment section 114 Hot and cold sensation similar grouping section 115 Recommended Environment Calculation Unit 116 Air conditioning control unit 117 Area Distribution Department 118 Environmental Data Acquisition Department 200 Notification device 300 Learning Device 301 Learning Data Acquisition Unit 302 Model Generation Unit 310 Trained model memory unit

Claims

1. An air conditioning system that conditions air in a space divided into a plurality of areas, a biometric information acquisition means for acquiring biometric information of one or more persons; A thermal sensation determination unit that determines a thermal sensation of each person based on biological information of the person; A grouping unit that divides one or more of the persons into one or more groups based on a thermal sensation of each of the persons; an area allocation unit that determines the areas to be allocated to each of the groups based on the ratio of the number of people belonging to each of the groups; an air conditioner that performs air conditioning for each of the areas based on the thermal sensation of the people belonging to the group assigned to that area; and a notification means for notifying information regarding the environment of each of the areas.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein the air conditioner changes the operation depending on the time of day.

3. The air conditioning system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the thermal sensation judgment unit judges the thermal sensation of the person based on an inference result obtained by inputting the person's biometric information into a trained model for inferring the person's thermal sensation from the person's biometric information.

4. A recommended environment calculation unit is further provided for calculating a recommended environment for each of the areas based on the thermal sensation of the people belonging to the group assigned to the area, The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioner performs air conditioning for each of the areas based on a recommended environment for that area.

5. The air conditioning system of claim 4, wherein the recommended environment calculation unit calculates the recommended environment for each area based on the thermal sensation of the person belonging to the group assigned to that area and the physical condition of the person determined from the person's biometric information.

6. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioning device performs air conditioning of the area to which the person has moved based on information regarding one or both of the temperature and humidity of the area from which the person has moved.

7. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioning device performs air conditioning of the area from which the person has moved based on information regarding one or both of the temperature and humidity of the area to which the person has moved.

8. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioning device conditions the air in the area further based on environmental information detected by an environmental information sensor that is carried or worn by the person and acquires environmental information about the location where the person is present.

9. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioner performs air conditioning of the area further based on schedule information of the person.

10. A recommended area determination unit is further provided that determines, for each of the persons, a recommended area that is the area recommended for the person, based on at least one of the person's thermal sensation determined based on the person's biological information, the work content identified from the person's schedule information, and the human relationships with other people determined from the person's action history information; 3. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the notification means notifies the user of the recommended area.

11. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioning device is capable of blowing air toward a specific person.

12. 3. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the biological information acquiring means comprises a biological information sensor worn by the person.

13. The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the biometric information acquisition means is capable of acquiring the biometric information of the person in a non-contact manner.

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