Comfort index calculation device and comfort index calculation system

Abstract

To provide a comfort index calculation device and a comfort index calculation system that can calculate a comfort index for diagnosing comfort property of a pet.SOLUTION: A comfort index calculation device includes: an information acquisition part for acquiring information that is used for calculating a comfort index of a pet; an information conversion part for correcting or converting the information acquired by the information acquisition part to adapt to PMV; a PMV calculation part for calculating a PMV using the information corrected or converted by the information conversion part; a pet coefficient setting part for setting a pet coefficient on the basis of a pet peculiar factor; and a comfort index calculation part for calculating a comfort index of a pet on the basis of the PMV and the pet coefficient.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a comfort index calculation device and a comfort index calculation system for calculating a comfort index of a pet. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, the predicted mean vote (PMV) has been known as an index for evaluating human comfort in a residential environment. PMV is a comfort index calculated based on the temperature, humidity, radiant temperature, airflow, the amount of clothing worn by people, and the amount of activity of people in a residential environment, and is used for controlling air conditioners that condition residential spaces. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning control system that monitors the PMV of people in a space to be air-conditioned and controls the air conditioner. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2008 / 087959 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, efforts to address the coexistence of humans and pets such as dogs and cats have been underway in various fields, and it is desirable to create living environments that are suitable not only for people but also for pets. Pets have a harder time regulating their body temperature than humans, and they cannot communicate whether they feel uncomfortable in their current environment, but a method for calculating indices to evaluate pet comfort has not yet been established.

[0005] The present disclosure is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a comfort index calculation device and a comfort index calculation system that can calculate a comfort index for evaluating the comfort of a pet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The comfort index calculation device of the present disclosure includes an information acquisition unit that acquires information used to calculate a pet's comfort index, an information conversion unit that corrects or converts the information acquired by the information acquisition unit to apply it to the PMV, a PMV calculation unit that calculates the PMV using the information corrected or converted by the information conversion unit, a pet coefficient setting unit that sets a pet coefficient based on factors specific to the pet, and a comfort index calculation unit that calculates the pet's comfort index based on the PMV and the pet coefficient.

[0007] The comfort index calculation system of the present disclosure comprises a measuring device that measures information used to calculate a pet's comfort index, an information acquisition unit that acquires the information measured by the measuring device, an information conversion unit that corrects or converts the information acquired by the information acquisition unit to apply it to the PMV, a PMV calculation unit that calculates the PMV using the information corrected or converted by the information conversion unit, a pet coefficient setting unit that sets a pet coefficient based on factors specific to the pet, and a comfort index calculation unit that calculates the pet's comfort index based on the PMV and the pet coefficient. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, a comfort index for evaluating the comfort of a pet can be calculated by using the PMV and a pet coefficient set based on factors specific to the pet. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a comfort index calculation system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a control block diagram of a comfort index calculation device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of a comfort index calculation process in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of a pet coefficient setting process in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of a comfort index calculation system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of a pet coefficient setting process in the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a control block diagram of a comfort index calculation device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between PMV and PPD. [Figure 9] 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of a state notification process in the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the comfort index calculation device 5 and the comfort index calculation system 100 according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, components denoted by the same reference numerals are identical or equivalent components, and this is common throughout the specification. Note that in each drawing, the relative dimensional relationship or shape of each component may differ from the actual ones.

[0011] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a comfort index calculation system 100 according to the first embodiment. The comfort index calculation system 100 of the present embodiment calculates a comfort index P for evaluating or diagnosing the comfort of pets in a living space. PET 1, the comfort index calculation system 100 includes an environmental information measuring device 1, a position information measuring device 2, a temperature information measuring device 3, a posture information measuring device 4, and a comfort index calculation device 5. The environmental information measuring device 1, the position information measuring device 2, the temperature information measuring device 3, the posture information measuring device 4, and the comfort index calculation device 5 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate wirelessly via wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the like.

[0012] The environmental information measuring device 1 is a device that measures environmental information that indicates the thermal environment around a pet. The environmental information includes the temperature, humidity, and airflow around the pet. The environmental information measuring device 1 is, for example, a wearable device that is attached to a pet, and measures the ambient temperature, humidity, and airflow and transmits them to the comfort index calculation device 5 as environmental information.

[0013] The location information measuring device 2 is a device that measures location information indicating the pet's position in the living space. The location information is expressed as coordinates in the living space. The location information measuring device 2 is composed of a beacon installed in the living space and a receiver attached to the pet, or a terminal equipped with an indoor GPS function attached to the pet, and transmits the measured location information to the comfort index calculation device 5.

[0014] The temperature information measuring device 3 is a device that measures temperature information that indicates the temperature distribution in the living space. The temperature information measuring device 3 is, for example, an infrared sensor, and the temperature information is a thermal image that indicates the wall temperature, floor temperature, and surface temperatures of objects placed in the living space. The temperature information measuring device 3 transmits the measured temperature information of the living space to the comfort index calculation device 5.

[0015] The posture information measuring device 4 is a device that measures posture information indicating the posture of the pet. The posture of the pet includes a lying state indicating whether the pet is lying on its back, stomach, or side, and the expansion and contraction state of the abdomen. The posture information measuring device 4 is, for example, an acceleration sensor and a muscle displacement sensor attached to the pet. The lying state is measured by the acceleration sensor, and the expansion and contraction state of the abdomen is measured by the muscle displacement sensor. The posture information measuring device 4 transmits the measured lying state and expansion and contraction state of the abdomen to the comfort index calculation device 5 as posture information.

[0016] The comfort index calculation device 5 calculates a comfort index P of the pet in the living space using the information measured by the environmental information measurement device 1, the position information measurement device 2, the temperature information measurement device 3, and the posture information measurement device 4. PET The comfort index calculation device 5 of this embodiment calculates the pet comfort index P using the PMV, which is a thermal environment evaluation index that links the thermal load on the human body and the thermal sensation of humans. PET Furthermore, the comfort index calculation device 5 of this embodiment calculates the pet comfort index P by adding pet-specific factors to the six factors used in PMV: temperature, humidity, airflow, radiant temperature, amount of clothing worn, and amount of activity. PETThe "elements specific to pets" refer to elements determined based on the behavioral principles of pets that differ from those of humans. The comfort index P calculated by the comfort index calculation device 5 is PET is transmitted to the air conditioner 200 that conditions the living space, and is used for controlling the air conditioning of the air conditioner 200, for example.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the comfort index calculation device 5 according to the first embodiment. The comfort index calculation device 5 is a computer including a processor such as a CPU and a memory. As shown in FIG. 2, the comfort index calculation device 5 of the present embodiment includes a biological information input unit 51, an information acquisition unit 52, an information conversion unit 53, a PMV calculation unit 54, a pet coefficient setting unit 55, a comfort index calculation unit 56, and a storage unit 57. The information acquisition unit 52, the information conversion unit 53, the PMV calculation unit 54, the pet coefficient setting unit 55, and the comfort index calculation unit 56 are functional units implemented by a processor included in the comfort index calculation device 5 executing a program stored in the storage unit 57. Alternatively, at least one of the functional units may be implemented by a processing circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA.

[0018] The biometric information input unit 51 is a user interface such as a touch panel or a keyboard into which biometric information of a pet is input. The biometric information of a pet is, for example, the amount or type of hair of the pet. The user operates the biometric information input unit 51 to input the biometric information of the pet. The biometric information input to the biometric information input unit 51 is transmitted to the information acquisition unit 52.

[0019] The information acquisition unit 52 acquires environmental information, position information, temperature information, posture information, and biological information from the environmental information measuring device 1, the position information measuring device 2, the temperature information measuring device 3, the posture information measuring device 4, and the biological information input unit 51. The information acquisition unit 52 transmits the acquired information to the information conversion unit 53 and the pet coefficient setting unit 55.

[0020] The information conversion unit 53 corrects or converts the environmental information, location information, temperature information, and biological information about the pet so that they can be applied to the calculation formula for human PMV. PMV is calculated by formulating a heat balance equation for the human body using factors on the air environment side and factors on the human body side, and substituting into the heat balance equation an equation for the skin temperature and heat loss due to sweating at which a person feels comfortable. The factors on the air environment side are temperature, humidity, airflow, and radiant temperature. The factors on the human body side are the amount of clothing worn and the amount of activity of the person.

[0021] The temperature, humidity, and airflow included in the environmental information around a pet correspond to the temperature, humidity, and airflow used to calculate the PMV. However, since pets have fewer sweat glands than humans and do not sweat as easily, their discomfort index with an increase in humidity is greater than that of humans. Therefore, it is necessary to set the sensitivity to humidity higher than that of humans in both summer and winter. Therefore, the information conversion unit 53 applies a correction value V to the humidity included in the environmental information. H The humidity is corrected by adding the correction value V H is a value greater than 0 (for example, 0.1), is obtained by an experiment or the like, and is stored in the storage unit 57.

[0022] The information conversion unit 53 converts the amount of pet hair contained in the biometric information into the amount of clothing (clo value) of PMV. For example, if the amount of hair is 0, i.e., if the pet has no hair, the information conversion unit 53 sets the amount of clothing to "0," the same as when a person is naked. Furthermore, if the pet has very short hair, the information conversion unit 53 sets the amount of clothing to "0.6," the same as when a person is wearing summer clothing; if the pet has short hair, the information conversion unit 53 sets the amount of clothing to "1.0," the same as when a person is wearing spring or autumn clothing; and if the pet has long hair, the information conversion unit 53 sets the amount of clothing to "2.0," the same as when a person is wearing winter clothing. Note that the information conversion unit 53 may estimate the amount of hair from the type of pet contained in the biometric information and then convert the amount of hair into the amount of clothing (clo value) of PMV.

[0023] Furthermore, the information conversion unit 53 converts the pet's position information into an activity amount (MET value). The information conversion unit 53 obtains a change in the pet's position over time from the pet's position information, and obtains the pet's activity amount based on the change in the pet's position over time. For example, if the pet's position does not change over time, the information conversion unit 53 determines that the pet is inactive and sets the activity amount to "1", the same as when a person is sitting quietly. Furthermore, if the pet's position changes over time, the information conversion unit 53 determines that the pet is moving and sets the activity amount to "2", the same as when a person is standing and active. Note that the information conversion unit 53 may obtain a change in the pet's lying state over time from the pet's posture information, and obtain the pet's activity amount based on the change in the pet's lying state over time.

[0024] Furthermore, the information conversion unit 53 calculates the radiation temperature based on the wall surface temperature of the living space included in the temperature information and the emissivity and surface area of ​​the wall surface of the living space. The emissivity and surface area of ​​the wall surface of the living space are calculated in advance according to the structure of the living space and stored in the storage unit 57. Note that the wall surface temperature of the living space included in the temperature information may be used as the radiation temperature as is.

[0025] The humidity corrected by the information conversion unit 53, the converted amount of clothing, amount of activity, and radiant temperature are transmitted to the PMV calculation unit 54 together with the temperature and airflow contained in the environmental information acquired by the information acquisition unit 52.

[0026] The PMV calculation unit 54 calculates the PMV using the information converted by the information conversion unit 53. In detail, the PMV calculation unit 54 calculates the PMV by applying the temperature, humidity, airflow, radiant temperature, amount of clothing, and amount of activity received from the information conversion unit 53 to a human PMV calculation formula. The PMV can be calculated using the following formula (1). PMV=(0.303exp(-0.036M)+0.028)×L ···(1)

[0027] L in equation (1) can be calculated from the following equation (2). L=(MW)-Ed-Es-Ere-Cre-RC (2) In equations (1) and (2), M is the metabolic rate [W / m 2 ] and W is the mechanical work [W / m 2 Ed is the insensible perspiration rate [W / m 2 ], and Es is the amount of heat loss from sweat evaporation from the skin surface [W / m 2 ]. Ere is the amount of latent heat loss due to respiration [W / m 2 ] and Cre is the sensible heat loss due to respiration [W / m 2 ]. R is the radiation heat loss [W / m 2 ] and C is the convection heat loss [W / m 2 The metabolic rate M can be calculated from the amount of activity (1 MET = 58 W / m 2 ) The mechanical work W is assumed to be approximately 0. The insensible perspiration Ed, sweat evaporative heat loss Es, latent heat loss due to respiration Ere, sensible heat loss due to respiration Cre, radiant heat loss R, and convective heat loss C are calculated using known formulas based on metabolic rate M, temperature, humidity, radiant temperature, and amount of clothing. The PMV calculation unit 54 transmits the calculated PMV to the comfort index calculation unit 56.

[0028] The pet coefficient setting unit 55 sets a pet coefficient α as a pet-specific factor for evaluating comfort based on the pet's behavioral principles. The pet coefficient α is set based on the pet's location information and the temperature information of the living space. Pets such as dogs and cats have the habit of moving to cooler places in the summer and warmer places in the winter. Therefore, if the pet is moving toward a cooler place in the living space with a relatively low temperature, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 determines that the pet is feeling hot and sets the pet coefficient α to a value greater than 0 (e.g., 0.1). On the other hand, if the pet is moving to a warmer place in the living space with a relatively high temperature, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 determines that the pet is feeling cold and sets the pet coefficient α to a value less than 0 (e.g., −0.1).

[0029] The pet coefficient setting unit 55 may also set the pet coefficient α based on the pet's posture information. Generally, when pets feel warm, they have the tendency to relax their muscles, improve blood circulation, and stretch their bodies, just like humans. Furthermore, when they feel hot, they tend to stretch out on the floor with their stomach exposed. Therefore, if the pet's posture information indicates that the pet is lying on its back with its stomach stretched out, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 determines that the pet feels hot, and sets the pet coefficient α to a value greater than 0 (for example, 0.1).

[0030] On the other hand, when pets feel cold, their muscles stiffen and contract, causing their bodies to curl up. Therefore, if the pet's posture information indicates that the pet is lying on its side or face down and the abdomen is contracted, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 determines that the pet feels cold and sets the pet coefficient α to a value smaller than 0 (for example, −0.1). The pet coefficient setting unit 55 transmits the set pet coefficient α to the comfort index calculation unit 56.

[0031] The comfort index calculation unit 56 calculates a comfort index P for the pet based on the PMV calculated by the PMV calculation unit 54 and the pet coefficient α set by the pet coefficient setting unit 55. PET Calculate the pet comfort index P PET is the PMV corrected by a pet coefficient α set based on factors specific to the pet, and is calculated using the following formula (3). P PET =PMV+α (3)

[0032] The storage unit 57 is composed of volatile memory such as RAM, DRAM, or SRAM, non-volatile memory such as ROM, flash memory, or a hard disk drive, or a combination of these. The storage unit 57 stores various data, such as programs executed by the processor of the comfort index calculation device 5, parameters required for executing the programs, and data required for calculating the PMV.

[0033] 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the comfort index calculation process in the first embodiment. First, the information acquisition unit 52 calculates the comfort index P PET The information necessary to calculate the pet comfort index P is obtained (S1). PET The information required to calculate this is the environmental information, position information, temperature information, posture information, and biological information from the environmental information measuring device 1, the position information measuring device 2, the temperature information measuring device 3, the posture information measuring device 4, and the biological information input unit 51. The information acquired by the information acquisition unit 52 is sent to the information conversion unit 53 and the pet coefficient setting unit 55.

[0034] The information conversion unit 53 corrects or converts the environmental information, location information, temperature information, and biological information about the pet so that they can be applied to the human PMV calculation formula (S2). Here, humidity is corrected and the radiant temperature, amount of clothing worn, and amount of activity are converted. The information corrected or converted by the information conversion unit 53 is sent to the PMV calculation unit 54 along with the temperature and airflow included in the environmental information.

[0035] The PMV calculation unit 54 calculates the PMV using the temperature and airflow included in the environmental information, the humidity corrected by the information conversion unit 53, the radiant temperature converted by the information conversion unit 53, the amount of clothing worn, and the amount of activity (S3). The PMV calculated by the PMV calculation unit 54 is transmitted to the comfort index calculation unit 56.

[0036] Furthermore, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 sets a pet coefficient α, which is a factor specific to the pet (S4). FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the pet coefficient setting process in the first embodiment. First, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 determines whether the pet is moving or not based on the pet's position information (S41). If the pet is moving (S41: YES), the pet coefficient setting unit 55 estimates the pet's destination based on the position information, and compares the temperature T1 of the pet's current location with the temperature T2 of the pet's destination based on the temperature information of the living space (S42). The temperature T1 of the pet's current location is the temperature of the location where the moving pet is located at a certain time t (present), and the temperature T2 of the destination is the temperature at time t (present) of the destination estimated from the pet's movement direction.

[0037] And when the temperature T2 at the destination is lower than the threshold temperature Tth by at least the threshold temperature Tth than the temperature T1 at the current position, that is, when T1 - T2 ≥ Tth (S42: T1 - T2 ≥ Tth), the PET coefficient setting unit 55 sets the PET coefficient α to a value greater than 0 (for example, 0.1) (S43). Further, when the temperature T2 at the destination is higher than the threshold temperature Tth by at least the threshold temperature Tth than the temperature T1 at the current position, that is, when T2 - T1 ≥ Tth (S42: T2 - T1 ≥ Tth), the PET coefficient setting unit 55 sets the PET coefficient α to a value less than 0 (for example, -0.1) (S44). Furthermore, when the difference between the temperature T2 at the destination and the temperature T1 at the current position is less than the threshold temperature Tth, that is, when |T1 - T2| < Tth (S42: |T1 - T2| < Tth), the PET coefficient setting unit 55 sets the PET coefficient α to 0 (S45). The threshold temperature Tth is, for example, 1°C and is set in advance and stored in the storage unit 57.

[0038] Also, when the PET is not moving (S41: NO), the PET coefficient setting unit 55 determines the posture of the PET based on the posture information of the PET (S46). And when the posture of the PET is in the first state (S46: first state), the PET coefficient setting unit 55 proceeds to step S43 and sets the PET coefficient α to a value greater than 0 (for example, 0.1) (S43). Here, the first state is a state indicating that the PET feels hot, and the lying position state included in the posture information of the PET is face up and the abdomen is stretched long.

[0039] Furthermore, if the pet's posture is in the second state (S46: second state), the pet coefficient setting unit 55 proceeds to step S44 and sets the pet coefficient α to a value smaller than 0 (for example, −0.1) (S44). Here, the second state is a state indicating that the pet feels cold, and the lying state included in the pet's posture information is a state in which the pet is lying on its side or face down, and the abdomen is contracted. Furthermore, if the pet's posture is neither the first state nor the second state (S46: other), the pet coefficient setting unit 55 proceeds to step S45 and sets the pet coefficient α to 0 (S45). The pet coefficient α set by the pet coefficient setting unit 55 is transmitted to the comfort index calculation unit 56.

[0040] Returning to FIG. 3, the comfort index calculation unit 56 adds the pet coefficient α set by the pet coefficient setting unit 55 to the PMV calculated by the PMV calculation unit 54 to obtain the pet comfort index P PET is calculated (S5). The pet coefficient setting unit 55 sets the pet coefficient α to a value greater than 0 if the pet feels hot, and sets the pet coefficient α to a value less than 0 if the pet feels cold. Therefore, by adding the pet coefficient α to the PMV, the PMV is corrected in the positive direction (hotter) if the pet feels hot, and in the negative direction (colder) if the pet feels cold, and the comfort index P PET can be obtained.

[0041] The comfort index P calculated by the comfort index calculation device 5 PET The comfort index P received from the comfort index calculation device 5 is transmitted to the air conditioner 200. PET The set temperature for cooling or heating is changed based on the comfort index P PET If the value is less than -0.5, increase the temperature setting of the air conditioner and PET If the comfort index P is 0.5 or more, the set temperature of the air conditioner is lowered. In this way, the air conditioner is controlled according to the comfort level of the pet. Note that the control of the air conditioner 200 is only an example, and other comfort indexes P PET Any control can be performed to improve the

[0042] As described above, in the comfort index calculation system 100 of the present embodiment, the elements used for calculating PMV are corrected or converted according to the pet, and the comfort index P of the pet is obtained using a coefficient specific to the pet. PET Thereby, a comfort index of the thermal environment based on the characteristics and behavior principle of the pet can be obtained. As a result, the comfort felt by the pet can be quantified, and the air conditioner 200 can be controlled so that the pet feels comfortable, or the health state of the pet can be monitored.

[0043] In the above embodiment, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 sets the pet coefficient α by comparing the difference between the temperature T1 at the current position and the temperature T2 at the destination with the threshold temperature Tth. However, the pet coefficient α may be set by comparing the temperature T1 at the current position and the temperature T2 at the destination. In this case, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 sets the pet coefficient α to a value greater than 0 when T2 < T1, sets the pet coefficient α to a value less than 0 when T2 > T1, and sets the pet coefficient α to 0 when T1 = T2.

[0044] Embodiment 2. The comfort index calculation system 100A of Embodiment 2 will be described. The comfort index calculation system 100A of Embodiment 2 is different from Embodiment 1 in how the pet coefficient α is obtained. FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the comfort index calculation system 100A according to Embodiment 2. As shown in FIG. 5, the comfort index calculation system 100A of the present embodiment includes a physiological information measurement device 6 instead of the posture information measurement device 4. That is, the comfort index calculation system 100A includes an environmental information measurement device 1, a position information measurement device 2, a temperature information measurement device 3, a comfort index calculation device 5, and a physiological information measurement device 6. The environmental information measurement device 1, the position information measurement device 2, the temperature information measurement device 3, the comfort index calculation device 5, and the physiological information measurement device 6 are wirelessly communicably connected by wireless LAN or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The environmental information measurement device 1, the position information measurement device 2, and the temperature information measurement device 3 are the same as those in Embodiment 1.

[0045] The physiological information measuring device 6 is a device that measures physiological information of a pet. The physiological information of a pet includes the amount of urine voided by the pet per urination and the time of urination. The physiological information measuring device 6 is, for example, a scale installed in a pet-dedicated excretion area or a weight sensor installed in a pet-dedicated toilet. The physiological information measuring device 6 calculates the amount of urine voided per urination from the difference in weight of the pet before and after urination or the difference in weight of the toilet before and after urination, and transmits this amount of urine voided by the pet to the comfort index calculation device 5 together with the time of urination as physiological information.

[0046] The comfort index calculation device 5 calculates a comfort index P for the pet in the living space using the information measured by the environmental information measurement device 1, the position information measurement device 2, the temperature information measurement device 3, and the physiological information measurement device 6. PET Similar to the first embodiment, the comfort index calculation device 5 of the present embodiment includes a biological information input unit 51, an information acquisition unit 52, an information conversion unit 53, a PMV calculation unit 54, a pet coefficient setting unit 55, a comfort index calculation unit 56, and a storage unit 57.

[0047] The information acquiring unit 52 acquires environmental information, position information, temperature information, physiological information, and biological information from the environmental information measuring device 1, the position information measuring device 2, the temperature information measuring device 3, the physiological information measuring device 6, and the biological information input unit 51. The information acquiring unit 52 transmits the acquired information to the information converting unit 53 and the pet coefficient setting unit 55. The functions of the biological information input unit 51, the information converting unit 53, and the PMV calculating unit 54 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0048] The pet coefficient setting unit 55 sets the pet coefficient α based on the physiological information of the pet. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the pet coefficient setting process in the second embodiment. First, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 calculates the amount of urine A1 of the pet per unit time (for example, one hour) based on the physiological information of the pet (S401). The amount of urine A1 is calculated based on the amount of urination per time and the time of excretion included in the physiological information.

[0049] The pet coefficient setting unit 55 then determines whether the difference between the reference amount As and the calculated urine amount A1 is equal to or greater than the threshold amount Ath (S402). The reference amount As and the threshold amount Ath are set in advance based on the pet's average daily urine volume and stored in the storage unit 57. For example, the average daily urine volume of a dog is 28 to 47 mL per kg of body weight. If the urine volume is less than 1 / 4 of the reference amount, it is estimated that the pet is likely to be dehydrated and feeling very hot. Using this data, the average hourly urine volume is set as the reference amount As, and 3 / 4 of the reference amount As is set as the threshold amount Ath.

[0050] Then, if the difference between the reference amount As and the urine amount A1 is equal to or greater than the threshold amount Ath (S402: YES), that is, if the urine amount A1 is less than 1 / 4 of the reference amount As, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 sets the pet coefficient α to a value greater than 0 (S403). The pet coefficient α in this case may be the same as the value set in step S43 of FIG. 4 (for example, 0.1), or may be a value greater than the value set in step S43 of FIG. 4 (for example, 0.2).

[0051] If the difference between the reference amount As and the urine amount A1 is not equal to or greater than the threshold amount Ath (S402: NO), that is, if the urine amount A1 is equal to or greater than ¼ of the reference amount As, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 sets the pet coefficient α to 0 (S404).

[0052] The pet coefficient α set by the pet coefficient setting unit 55 is transmitted to the comfort index calculation unit 56. As in the first embodiment, the comfort index calculation unit 56 adds the pet coefficient α set by the pet coefficient setting unit 55 to the PMV calculated by the PMV calculation unit 54 to calculate the pet comfort index P PET Calculate.

[0053] As described above, in the comfort index calculation system 100A of this embodiment, the pet comfort index P is calculated using the pet coefficient α based on the physiological information of the pet. PETBy calculating the comfort index of the thermal environment according to the pet's dehydration level, it is possible to obtain the comfort index of the thermal environment according to the pet's dehydration level. This makes it possible to visualize the comfort felt by the pet, control the air conditioner 200 so that the pet feels comfortable, and monitor the pet's health condition.

[0054] Embodiment 3 A comfort index calculation device 5A according to a third embodiment will be described. The comfort index calculation device 5A according to the third embodiment calculates a comfort index P PET The comfort index calculation system 100 of this embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that it notifies the owner based on the above information. The other configurations of the comfort index calculation system 100 of this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0055] 7 is a control block diagram of a comfort index calculation device 5A according to Embodiment 3. The comfort index calculation device 5A of this embodiment includes a status notification unit 58 in addition to the same components as those of Embodiment 1: a biological information input unit 51, an information acquisition unit 52, an information conversion unit 53, a PMV calculation unit 54, a pet coefficient setting unit 55, a comfort index calculation unit 56, and a storage unit 57. The status notification unit 58 is a functional unit implemented by a processor included in the comfort index calculation device 5A executing a program stored in the storage unit 57. Alternatively, the status notification unit 58 may be implemented by a processing circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA.

[0056] The state notification unit 58 notifies the user of the comfort index P calculated by the comfort index calculation unit 56. PET The pet's condition is determined based on the PMV and notified to the pet owner. The pet's condition is determined using thresholds (first threshold X and second threshold Y) set based on the PPD (Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied). FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between PMV and PPD. PPD is the predicted dissatisfaction rate, which indicates the percentage of people who feel uncomfortable. PPD can be calculated using the PMV using the following formula (4). PPD= 100-95exp(-0.03353×PMV 4 -0.2179×PMV 2 ) ···(4)

[0057] Generally, it is said that people feel comfortable when PPD is 10% or less and PMV is between -0.5 and 0.5, and this index is also applied to pets. Specifically, the state notification unit 58 sets the first threshold X to "0.5" and the comfort index P PET When the absolute value of is less than the first threshold X, that is, the comfort index P PET is in the comfort zone R1 shown in FIG. 8, the pet is determined to be in a "comfortable state." It is said that when the PMV is between -2 and 2, which causes the PPD to be 70% or less, people feel uncomfortable. Therefore, the state notification unit 58 sets the second threshold Y to "2" and the comfort index P PET When the absolute value of is greater than the first threshold X and less than the second threshold Y, that is, the comfort index P PET If the comfort index P is in the discomfort region R2 in FIG. 8, the pet is determined to be in a "discomfort state." PET is less than -2 or greater than 2, i.e., the comfort index P PET If the absolute value of is greater than the second threshold Y, the status notification unit 58 determines that the pet is in a "dangerous state."

[0058] The status notification unit 58 transmits the determined status of the pet to the terminal device 300 via wireless LAN or the like. The terminal device 300 is an information communication terminal such as a smartphone or tablet carried by the pet owner. The terminal device 300 has a display unit, and displays the status of the pet received from the status notification unit 58 on the display unit. Note that the pet's status may be checked by executing an application program for checking the pet's status on the terminal device 300.

[0059] 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of the state notification process in the embodiment 3. As shown in FIG. 9, the state notification unit 58 receives the comfort index P calculated by the comfort index calculation unit 56. PET It is determined whether the absolute value of the comfort index P is equal to or less than the first threshold value X (S31). PETIf the absolute value of is equal to or less than the first threshold value X (S31: YES), the state notification unit 58 determines that the pet is in a "comfortable state" (S32).

[0060] On the other hand, the comfort index P PET If the absolute value of the comfort index P is not equal to or less than the first threshold value X (S31: NO), the state notification unit 58 PET It is determined whether the absolute value of the comfort index P is greater than the first threshold value X and equal to or less than the second threshold value Y (S33). PET If the absolute value of is greater than the first threshold value X and is equal to or less than the second threshold value Y (S33: YES), the state notification unit 58 determines that the pet is in an "uncomfortable state" (S34).

[0061] Comfort index P PET If the absolute value of is greater than the first threshold X and is not equal to or less than the second threshold Y (S33: NO), that is, the comfort index P PET If the absolute value of is greater than the second threshold Y, the status notification unit 58 determines that the pet is in a "dangerous state" (S35). Then, the status notification unit 58 transmits the determined status of the pet to the terminal device 300 (S36).

[0062] As described above, in the comfort index calculation device 5A of this embodiment, the comfort index P PET This allows the owner to be notified of the pet's condition based on the above information. As a result, if the pet becomes uncomfortable or in danger, the owner can maintain the pet's health or improve the pet's condition by reviewing the settings of the air conditioning device 200.

[0063] In the third embodiment, the terminal device 300 is notified even when the pet is in a comfortable state, but the terminal device 300 may be notified only when the pet is in an uncomfortable state or a dangerous state. The type of notification may be changed depending on the state. For example, when the pet is in a dangerous state, the terminal device 300 may emit a notification sound. The state notification unit 58 is not limited to notifying the terminal device 300 of the state, but may include a speaker and directly notify the pet owner of the state by emitting a warning sound when the pet is in a dangerous state.

[0064] The above is a description of the embodiment, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the present disclosure includes all possible combinations of the configurations shown in the above embodiment. For example, the comfort index calculation device 5 may be an independent computer, or may be configured as part of the control device of the air conditioning device 200 or the control device of the terminal device 300. Furthermore, at least one of the components included in the comfort index calculation device 5 may be provided in a device other than the comfort index calculation device 5.

[0065] Furthermore, the pet coefficient α may be set by a method other than that described in the above embodiment. For example, pets have a habit of staying in a current location if they feel comfortable there, and moving to another location if they feel uncomfortable there. Therefore, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 may calculate the stay time t1 that the pet stays in one location based on the pet's position information, and set the pet coefficient α according to the result of comparing the stay time t1 with a preset threshold time t0 (e.g., 3 minutes).

[0066] Specifically, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 sets the pet coefficient α to "1" when the stay time t1 is equal to or greater than the threshold time t0, and sets the pet coefficient α to a value greater than 1 (for example, 1.1) when the stay time t1 is less than the threshold time t0. In this case, the comfort index calculation unit 56 calculates the comfort index P by multiplying the PMV by the pet coefficient α as shown in the following equation (5): PET Ask for. P PET=PMV×α (5)

[0067] Furthermore, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 may set the pet coefficient α based on a plurality of factors. For example, the pet coefficient α may be set based on both the pet's position information, temperature information of the living space, and posture information in the first embodiment, and the physiological information in the second embodiment. For example, when both "T1-T2≧Tth" in step S42 of FIG. 4 and "YES" in step S402 of FIG. 6 are satisfied, the pet coefficient setting unit 55 may set the pet coefficient α to a larger value (e.g., 0.11) than when only one of the conditions is satisfied.

[0068] Furthermore, at least one of the pet's hair volume, breed, size, and age may be input as biometric information to the biometric information input unit 51 of the comfort index calculation device 5, and at least one of the pet coefficient α, the first threshold X, and the second threshold Y may be corrected based on this information. For example, small dogs tend to lose body heat more easily, and puppies or older dogs are more susceptible to temperature changes. Also, dogs are generally more tolerant of the cold than cats, and even within the same breed, some dogs are more tolerant of the cold and others are less tolerant. Therefore, the comfort index calculation device 5 may increase or decrease the pet coefficient α, or reduce the first threshold X to narrow the range of the comfort state, depending on at least one of the pet's size, age, and breed input to the biometric information input unit 51. This allows the pet's comfort index P PET , and the accuracy of determining the state of the pet can be improved.

[0069] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices.

[0070] (Appendix 1) an information acquisition unit that acquires information used to calculate a comfort index for the pet; An information conversion unit that corrects or converts the information acquired by the information acquisition unit to apply it to a PMV; a PMV calculation unit that calculates a PMV using the information corrected or converted by the information conversion unit; a pet coefficient setting unit that sets a pet coefficient based on factors specific to the pet; a comfort index calculation unit that calculates the comfort index of the pet based on the PMV and the pet coefficient. (Appendix 2) The information conversion unit correcting the humidity measured around the pet; Converting the amount of pet hair into an amount of clothing; or and converting the pet's position information into an activity amount. (Appendix 3) 3. The comfort index calculation device according to claim 1, wherein the comfort index calculation unit calculates the comfort index by increasing or decreasing the PMV using the pet coefficient. (Appendix 4) The pet coefficient setting unit Based on the location information of the pet and the temperature information of the living space, the temperature at the current location of the pet and the temperature at the destination of the pet are calculated; If the temperature of the destination is lower than the temperature of the current location, the pet coefficient is set to a value greater than 0; If the temperature of the destination is higher than the temperature of the current location, the pet coefficient is set to a value less than 0; 4. The comfort index calculation device according to claim 3, wherein the comfort index calculation unit calculates the comfort index by adding the pet coefficient to the PMV. (Appendix 5) The pet coefficient setting unit Estimating the posture of the pet based on the posture information of the pet; If the posture of the pet is in a first state indicating that the pet is feeling hot, set the pet coefficient to a value greater than 0; If the posture of the pet is in a second state indicating that the pet is feeling cold, setting the pet coefficient to a value less than 0; 5. The comfort index calculation device according to claim 3, wherein the comfort index calculation unit calculates the comfort index by adding the pet coefficient to the PMV. (Appendix 6) The pet coefficient setting unit determining the amount of urine of the pet based on physiological information of the pet; If the difference between a preset reference amount and the urine amount is equal to or greater than a threshold amount, the PET coefficient is set to a value greater than 0; 6. The comfort index calculation device according to any one of Supplementary notes 3 to 5, wherein the comfort index calculation unit calculates the comfort index by adding the pet coefficient to the PMV. (Appendix 7) The comfort index calculation device according to any one of appendices 1 to 6 further comprises a condition notification unit that determines the condition of the pet based on the comparison result between the comfort index and a first threshold value and a second threshold value that are set in advance, and notifies the user of the determined condition of the pet. (Appendix 8) The apparatus further includes a biometric information input unit into which biometric information including at least one of the physique, age, and type of the pet is input, 8. The comfort index calculation device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the first threshold value and the second threshold value is corrected based on the biological information. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1 Environmental information measuring device, 2 Position information measuring device, 3 Temperature information measuring device, 4 Posture information measuring device, 5, 5A Comfort index calculation device, 6 Physiological information measuring device, 51 Biometric information input unit, 52 Information acquisition unit, 53 Information conversion unit, 54 PMV calculation unit, 55 Pet coefficient setting unit, 56 Comfort index calculation unit, 57 Memory unit, 58 Status notification unit, 100, 100A Comfort index calculation system, 200 Air conditioning device, 300 Terminal device.

Claims

1. an information acquisition unit that acquires information used to calculate a comfort index for the pet; an information conversion unit that corrects or converts the information acquired by the information acquisition unit so as to apply the information to a PMV; a PMV calculation unit that calculates a PMV using the information corrected or converted by the information conversion unit; a pet coefficient setting unit that sets a pet coefficient based on factors specific to the pet; a comfort index calculation unit that calculates the comfort index of the pet based on the PMV and the pet coefficient.

2. The information conversion unit correcting the humidity measured around the pet; Converting the amount of pet hair into an amount of clothing; or and converting the pet's position information into an amount of activity.

3. The comfort index calculation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the comfort index calculation unit calculates the comfort index by increasing or decreasing the PMV using the pet coefficient.

4. The pet coefficient setting unit Based on the location information of the pet and the temperature information of the living space, the temperature at the current location of the pet and the temperature at the destination of the pet are calculated; If the temperature of the destination is lower than the temperature of the current location, the pet coefficient is set to a value greater than 0; If the temperature of the destination is higher than the temperature of the current location, the pet coefficient is set to a value less than 0; The comfort index calculation device according to claim 3 , wherein the comfort index calculation unit calculates the comfort index by adding the pet coefficient to the PMV.

5. The pet coefficient setting unit Estimating the posture of the pet based on the posture information of the pet; If the posture of the pet is in a first state indicating that the pet feels hot, set the pet coefficient to a value greater than 0; If the posture of the pet is in a second state indicating that the pet is feeling cold, setting the pet coefficient to a value less than 0; The comfort index calculation device according to claim 3 , wherein the comfort index calculation unit calculates the comfort index by adding the pet coefficient to the PMV.

6. The pet coefficient setting unit determining the amount of urine of the pet based on physiological information of the pet; If the difference between a predetermined reference amount and the urine amount is equal to or greater than a threshold amount, the PET coefficient is set to a value greater than 0; The comfort index calculation device according to claim 3 , wherein the comfort index calculation unit calculates the comfort index by adding the pet coefficient to the PMV.

7. The comfort index calculation device of claim 1 or 2 further comprises a status notification unit that determines the state of the pet based on the comparison result between the comfort index and a first threshold and a second threshold that are set in advance, and notifies the determined state of the pet.

8. The apparatus further includes a biometric information input unit into which biometric information including at least one of the physique, age, and type of the pet is input, The comfort index calculation device according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first threshold value and the second threshold value is corrected based on the biological information.

9. a measuring device for measuring information used to calculate a comfort index for a pet; an information acquisition unit that acquires the information measured by the measurement device; an information conversion unit that corrects or converts the information acquired by the information acquisition unit so as to apply the information to a PMV; a PMV calculation unit that calculates a PMV using the information corrected or converted by the information conversion unit; a pet coefficient setting unit that sets a pet coefficient based on factors specific to the pet; a comfort index calculation unit that calculates the comfort index of the pet based on the PMV and the pet coefficient.

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