Blower system and air conditioning system

Abstract

To provide a blowing system and an air conditioning system capable of efficiently adjusting temperature distribution in a room.SOLUTION: The air blowing system includes an air blower capable of adjusting an air blowing direction and an air blowing amount, and a system control device that controls the air blower. The system control device 40 controls the air blowing direction and the air blowing amount by the blower 20 based on the temperature distribution in the room 90, the position of the blower 20 in the room 90, and the direction of the blower 20 in the room 90.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a ventilation system and an air conditioning system. [Background technology]

[0002] In conventional air conditioning systems, relative position information of the blower unit with respect to the indoor unit is collected. Based on the position information, the control unit causes the indoor unit to blow air toward the blower unit. The blower unit then sends the air from the indoor unit to the destination (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-32037 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional air conditioning systems such as those described above, the orientation of the blower unit needs to be adjusted in order to accurately send air from the blower unit to the destination, making it impossible to efficiently adjust the temperature distribution in the room.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an air blowing system and an air conditioning system that can more efficiently adjust the temperature distribution in a room. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The air blowing system according to the present disclosure includes a blower that can adjust the air blowing direction and air blowing volume, and a system control device that controls the blower, and the system control device controls the air blowing direction and air blowing volume by the blower based on the temperature distribution in the room, the position of the blower in the room, and the orientation of the blower in the room. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the temperature distribution in a room can be adjusted more efficiently. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram showing an air blowing system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the blower of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the system control device of FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for detecting the position of a fan by the system control device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a position determination table stored in the control device main body of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the main part of the blower of FIG. 2. [Figure 7] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for detecting the direction of a fan by the system control device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an output setting table stored in the control device main body of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 9] 3 is a flowchart showing the process of the blower control device of FIG. 2 in an automatic mode. [Figure 10] 4 is a flowchart showing the processing in the automatic mode of the control device main body of FIG. 3. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram showing an air conditioning system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing the main parts of the air conditioning system of FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a cooling output setting table stored in the control device main body of FIG. 12. FIG. [Figure 14] 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a heating output setting table stored in the control device main body of FIG. 12. FIG. [Figure 15]13 is a flowchart showing the processing in the automatic mode of the control device main body of FIG. 12. [Figure 16] 16 is a flowchart showing the air flow setting process of FIG. 15. [Figure 17] 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first example of a processing circuit that realizes each function of the control device main body, the fan control device, and the remote control device according to the first and second embodiments. FIG. [Figure 18] 10 is a configuration diagram showing a second example of a processing circuit that realizes the functions of the control device main body, the fan control device, and the remote control device according to the first and second embodiments. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1 1 is a configuration diagram showing a ventilation system according to Embodiment 1. In the figure, the ventilation system includes a fan 20 and a system control device 40.

[0010] The blower 20 can be placed at any position within the room 90. A fan, a circulator, or the like is used as the blower 20. The blower 20 has a blower base 21, a blower fan 22, a position signal transmitter 23, a direction signal transmitter 24, and a blower control device 25.

[0011] The blower fan 22 is provided on the blower base 21. The blower fan 22 blows air toward a blowing target. The blower fan 22 is capable of adjusting the blowing direction and blowing amount.

[0012] The position signal transmitter 23 is provided in the blower fan 22. The position signal transmitter 23 transmits a position signal. The position signal is a signal that causes the system control device 40 to detect the position of the blower 20 within the room 90. For example, an infrared signal is used as the position signal.

[0013] The orientation signal transmitter 24 is provided on the fan base 21. The orientation signal transmitter 24 also emits an orientation signal. The orientation signal is a signal that causes the system control device 40 to detect the orientation of the fan 20 within the room 90. For example, an infrared signal is used as the orientation signal.

[0014] The blower control device 25 is provided on the blower base 21. The blower control device 25 also controls the blower fan 22, the position signal transmitter 23, and the direction signal transmitter 24.

[0015] The system control device 40 is provided on a wall of the room 90 facing the interior of the room 90. The system control device 40 controls the blower 20. The system control device 40 has a temperature detector 41, a position signal detector 42, an orientation signal detector 43, and a control device main body 44.

[0016] The temperature detector 41 detects the temperature inside the room 90. The position signal detector 42 detects a position signal from the fan 20. The direction signal detector 43 detects a direction signal from the fan 20.

[0017] The position signal detector 42 has a plurality of detectors. In this example, the position signal detector 42 has a first detector 42a, a second detector 42b, and a third detector 42c. The first detector 42a, the second detector 42b, and the third detector 42c are arranged at equal intervals in the horizontal direction.

[0018] The control device main body 44 detects the temperature distribution inside the room 90 based on the signal from the temperature detector 41. Specifically, the control device main body 44 divides the room 90 into a plurality of areas and detects the temperature of each area. In the example of Fig. 1, the room 90 is divided into nine areas.

[0019] The control device main body 44 detects the position of the blower 20 in the room 90 based on the intensities and detection order of the position signals detected by the first detection unit 42a, the second detection unit 42b, and the third detection unit 42c. In this example, the control device main body 44 detects in which area of ​​a plurality of areas in the room 90 the blower 20 is located.

[0020] The control device main body 44 detects the orientation of the fan 20 within the room 90 based on the orientation signal detected by the orientation signal detector 43 and the information transmitted from the fan 20. The fan 20 and the system control device 40 can communicate information with each other bidirectionally.

[0021] In this way, the control device main body 44 detects the temperature distribution in the room 90, the position of the blower 20 in the room 90, and the orientation of the blower 20 in the room 90. Then, the control device main body 44 controls the direction and amount of air blown by the blower 20 based on the detected temperature distribution, the position, and the orientation of the blower 20.

[0022] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of blower 20 in Fig. 1. Although not shown in Fig. 1, blower 20 further includes a blower wind direction motor 26, a blower operation unit 27, a blower-side transceiver 28, a blower display 29, and a blower speaker 30.

[0023] The blower wind direction motor 26 changes the direction of air blown by the blower 20 by rotating the blower fan 22 relative to the blower base 21. The blower control device 25 controls the blower wind direction motor 26 to adjust the direction of air blown by the blower 20.

[0024] Fan operation unit 27 is operated by a user to input commands related to the operation of fan 20 to fan control device 25. The commands related to operation include a command to start operation, a command to stop operation, a command to select an operation mode, and the like.

[0025] The fan-side transceiver 28 transmits and receives information to and from the system controller 40 .

[0026] The fan display 29 displays information to the user. The fan speaker 30 transmits information to the user by voice. The fan control device 25 controls the fan display 29 and the fan speaker 30. Note that, as long as the necessary information can be conveyed to the user, either the fan display 29 or the fan speaker 30 may be omitted.

[0027] The orientation signal transmitter 24 has a transmitter main body 31 and a transmitter motor 32. The transmitter main body 31 emits an orientation signal. The transmitter motor 32 rotates the transmitter main body 31 around a vertical axis. This causes the orientation signal transmitter 24 to intermittently emit orientation signals at a plurality of angles that are different from one another.

[0028] The fan control device 25 transmits the transmission angle information to the system control device 40. The transmission angle information is information about the angle of the transmitter main body 31 when the orientation signal is transmitted.

[0029] The fan control device 25 has, as functional blocks, a fan control unit 25a, a transmitter control unit 25b, and an information generating unit 25c.

[0030] The air blowing control unit 25a controls the air blowing amount and air blowing direction by controlling the air blowing fan 22 and the air blower air direction motor 26. The transmitter control unit 25b controls the position signal transmitter 23 and the orientation signal transmitter 24. The information generation unit 25c generates information to be sent to the system control device 40 and information to be communicated to the user.

[0031] Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the system control device 40 of Fig. 1. Although not shown in Fig. 1, the system control device 40 further includes a main transceiver 45. The main transceiver 45 transmits and receives information to and from the fan 20.

[0032] Control device main body 44 acquires transmission angle information from blower 20 via main transceiver 45. Control device main body 44 also detects the orientation of blower 20 based on the intensity of the orientation signal and the transmission angle information.

[0033] Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for detecting the position of blower 20 by system control device 40 of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 4, system control device 40 divides the room 90 horizontally into three columns, A, B, and C, and vertically into three rows, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, for management purposes. System control device 40 then detects in which of the nine divided areas blower 20 is located.

[0034] The control device main body 44 stores a position determination table as shown in Fig. 5. The position determination table is a table for determining in which area of ​​Fig. 4 the fan 20 is located. The position determination table indicates the relationship between the detection order of the position signal, the strength of the position signal, and the area in which the fan 20 is located.

[0035] 4, if the fan 20 is located in area A3, the position signal is first received by the first detector 42a, which is closest to the fan 20, then by the second detector 42b, and finally by the third detector 42c. This indicates that the fan 20 is located in row A.

[0036] Furthermore, in the control device main body 44, the position signal strength is classified into three levels: strong, medium, and weak. When the fan 20 is placed in area A3, the distance from the fan 20 to the system control device 40 is large, so the position signal strength is medium or weak. From this, it can be seen that the fan 20 is placed in the third row.

[0037] Therefore, the control device main body 44 determines that the fan 20 is located in the area A3 based on the position determination table.

[0038] Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the main part of blower 20 in Fig. 2. When the front of blower 20 is set at a 90° position, the right side when facing the front is the 0° position and the left side is the 180° position.

[0039] The fan control device 25 rotates the transmitter main body 31 from the 0° position to the 180° position using the transmitter motor 32. When rotating the transmitter main body 31, the fan control device 25 causes the transmitter main body 31 to emit a direction signal at intervals of 15°. When causing the transmitter main body 31 to emit a direction signal, the fan control device 25 transmits transmission angle information to the system control device 40.

[0040] The system control device 40 determines the orientation of the fan 20 from the transmission angle information when the signal strength of the orientation detection signal is strongest.

[0041] Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for detecting the orientation of fan 20 by system control device 40 of Fig. 1. For example, if fan 20 is placed in area A3 and faces area C3, orientation signal detector 43 of system control device 40 detects an orientation signal with maximum signal strength when the rotation angle of transmitter main body 31 is 150°.

[0042] Since fan 20 is placed in area A3 and the position where the rotation angle is 90° is in front of fan 20, system control device 40 determines that fan 20 faces area C3.

[0043] For example, when the area C3 is the target of airflow, the system control device 40 sends a control command to the blower 20 to blow air in the direction of the area C3 while maintaining the current orientation of the blower fan 22, that is, the rotation angle of 90°.

[0044] Also, for example, if the blower 20 is placed in area C2 and facing toward area A1, the orientation signal detector 43 of the system control device 40 detects an orientation signal with the greatest signal strength when the rotation angle of the transmitter main body 31 is 60°.

[0045] Since fan 20 is placed in area C2 and the position where the rotation angle is 90° is in front of fan 20, system control device 40 determines that fan 20 faces area A1.

[0046] For example, when the area to be blown is area B2, system control device 40 outputs a control command to blower 20 to change the direction of blower fan 22 to a position with a rotation angle of 120° and blow air toward area B2.

[0047] Here, the system control device 40 sets a target air blowing area based on the temperature distribution in the room 90. Then, the system control device 40 controls the fan 20 to blow air toward the target air blowing area. The target air blowing area is an area in the room 90 to which the fan 20 will blow air.

[0048] In the first embodiment, the system control device 40 sets the highest temperature area as the air blow target area. The highest temperature area is the area with the highest temperature in the room 90. Hereinafter, the highest temperature area will be referred to as the "MAX area."

[0049] The control device main body 44 also stores an output setting table as shown in Fig. 8. The output setting table is a table showing the relationship between the temperature of the MAX area and the output of the fan 20. In the example of Fig. 8, the output of the fan 20 is set to be higher, i.e., the amount of air blown by the fan 20 is set to be larger, as the temperature of the MAX area is higher.

[0050] The fan control device 25 has two operating modes set for the fan 20: manual mode and automatic mode. The manual mode is an operating mode in which air is blown to a target determined by the user at an output specified by the user. The automatic mode is an operating mode in which air is automatically blown to the MAX area based on the output setting table in FIG. 8.

[0051] Furthermore, when at least one of the position and orientation of the fan 20 is such that it is impossible to blow air to the target area, the system control device 40 generates warning information indicating that it is impossible to blow air to the target area. The warning information indicates to the user that it is impossible to blow air to the target area.

[0052] Furthermore, when the difference ΔT between the temperature of the target area at the start of air blowing and the temperature of the target area after a set time has elapsed since the start of air blowing is equal to or less than the set change amount Tw, the system control device 40 generates low-effect information as warning information. The low-effect information is information that notifies the user that the air blowing effect is insufficient.

[0053] Warning information such as information indicating that airflow is not possible or is ineffective is transmitted to blower 20. When blower control device 25 receives the warning information, it communicates the warning information to the user using at least one of blower display 29 and blower speaker 30.

[0054] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the processing in the automatic mode of fan control device 25 in Fig. 2. When operation of fan 20 in the automatic mode is started by a user operation, fan control device 25 transmits automatic mode start information to system control device 40 in step S101.

[0055] Next, in step S102, the fan control device 25 causes the position signal transmitter 23 to transmit a position signal and causes the orientation signal transmitter 24 to transmit an orientation signal.

[0056] Thereafter, in step S103, the fan control device 25 determines whether or not a control command has been received from the system control device 40. The fan control device 25 repeatedly executes the processes of steps S102 and S103 until a control command is received.

[0057] Upon receiving the control command, the blower control device 25 adjusts the air blowing direction and air blowing volume in accordance with the control command in step S104. Adjusting the air blowing direction and air blowing volume includes maintaining the air blowing direction and air blowing volume.

[0058] Next, in step S105, the fan control device 25 determines whether or not warning information has been received from the system control device 40. If warning information has been received, in step S106, the fan control device 25 performs warning ON processing and notifies the user of the warning information using at least one of the fan display 29 and the fan speaker 30.

[0059] If the warning information has not been received, the fan control device 25 performs warning OFF processing in step S107, and does not issue any particular warning to the user.

[0060] After the warning ON or OFF process, in step S108, blower control device 25 determines whether to end the automatic mode. That is, blower control device 25 determines whether a command to end the operation of blower 20 in the automatic mode has been input from blower operation unit 27.

[0061] If the automatic mode is not to be ended, the processing by the fan control device 25 returns to the processing of step S102. If the automatic mode is to be ended, the fan control device 25 ends the operation of the fan 20 in the automatic mode in step S109. Thereafter, the fan control device 25 transmits automatic mode end information to the system control device 40 in step S110, and ends the processing of FIG.

[0062] Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the process in the automatic mode of control device main body 44 of Fig. 3. When control device main body 44 receives automatic mode start information from blower 20, it starts the process of Fig. 10.

[0063] When receiving the automatic mode start information, the main body 44 of the control device receives the position signal and the orientation signal in step S201. Then, in step S202, the main body 44 of the control device detects the position and orientation of the blower 20.

[0064] Subsequently, in step S203, the main body 44 of the control device detects the temperature distribution in the chamber 90 and determines the air supply target area. As described above, the air supply target area in the first embodiment is the MAX area.

[0065] After that, in steps S204, S205, and S206, the main body 44 of the control device compares the temperature Tmax in the MAX area with the temperature thresholds T1, T2, and T3 set in the output setting table. The relationship of the temperature thresholds T1, T2, and T3 is T1 < T2 < T3. In the output setting table of FIG. 8, T1 = 25°C, T2 = 27°C, and T3 = 29°C.

[0066] First, in step S204, the main body 44 of the control device determines whether Tmax is equal to or higher than T1. If Tmax is not equal to or higher than T1, that is, if Tmax is less than 25°C, the main body 44 of the control device determines that air supply is not required and sets the output of the blower 20 to 0 in step S207.

[0067] If Tmax is equal to or higher than T1, in step S205, the main body 44 of the control device determines whether Tmax is less than T2. When Tmax is less than T2, the main body 44 of the control device sets the output of the blower 20 to "low" in step S208.

[0068] If Tmax is not less than T2, in step S206, the main body 44 of the control device determines whether Tmax is less than T3. When Tmax is less than T3, the main body 44 of the control device sets the output of the blower 20 to "medium" in step S209.

[0069] If Tmax is not less than T3, that is, if Tmax is 29° C. or more, the control device main body 44 sets the output of the blower 20 to "high" in step S210.

[0070] If the output of blower 20 is set to a value other than 0, control device main body 44 determines in step S211 whether or not the position and orientation of blower 20 are such that blowing air can be sent to the MAX area.

[0071] If the state is such that air can be blown, and if the output of blower 20 is set to 0, control device main body 44 transmits a control command to blower 20 in step S212.

[0072] If at least one of the position and orientation of fan 20 is in a state in which it is not possible to blow air to the MAX area, control device main body 44 transmits air blowing disabled information to fan 20 as warning information in step S213.

[0073] After transmitting the control command to blower 20, control device main body 44 determines in step S214 whether a set time has elapsed since the start of blowing air to MAX area. If the set time has not elapsed, control device main body 44 returns to the process of step S201.

[0074] If the set time has elapsed, in step S215, the control device main body 44 determines whether the difference ΔT between the temperature of the MAX area at the start of air blowing and the temperature of the MAX area after the set time has elapsed since the start of air blowing is greater than the change amount set value Tw.

[0075] If ΔT is equal to or less than the change amount set value Tw and fan 20 is in a state other than stopped, control device main body 44 transmits low effectiveness information to fan 20 as warning information in step S213.

[0076] If ΔT is greater than the change amount setting value Tw, and if warning information has been sent to fan 20, control device main body 44 determines in step S216 whether automatic mode end information has been received from fan 20.

[0077] If the automatic mode end information has not been received, the control device main body 44 returns to the processing of step S201. If the automatic mode end information has been received, the processing by the control device main body 44 ends the processing of FIG.

[0078] In such an air blowing system, the air blowing direction and air volume by the air blower 20 are controlled based on the temperature distribution in the room 90, the position of the air blower 20, and the orientation of the air blower 20. This makes it possible to more efficiently adjust the temperature distribution in the room 90.

[0079] Furthermore, blower 20 has a direction signal transmitter 24. Direction signal transmitter 24 transmits direction signals at a plurality of different angles by rotating transmitter main body 31 with transmitter motor 32. Furthermore, system control device 40 detects the direction of blower 20 based on the strength of the direction signal and transmission angle information. Therefore, the direction of blower 20 can be detected with a simple configuration.

[0080] Furthermore, the system control device 40 sets a target area for air blowing based on the temperature distribution in the room 90, and controls the blower 20 to blow air toward the target area for air blowing. This makes it possible to adjust the temperature distribution in the room 90 more efficiently.

[0081] Furthermore, the system control device 40 sets the MAX area as the area to which air is to be blown, which makes it possible to easily make the temperature distribution in the room 90 uniform.

[0082] Furthermore, the system control device 40 generates information indicating that air blowing is not possible when at least one of the position and orientation of the fan 20 is such that air blowing to the target area is not possible. This allows the air blowing impossibility state to be resolved more quickly, and the temperature distribution in the room 90 to be adjusted more efficiently.

[0083] Furthermore, the system controller 40 generates low-effect information when the difference between the temperature of the target area at the start of airflow and the temperature of the target area after a set time has elapsed since the start of airflow is equal to or less than the set change amount. This allows the ineffectiveness of airflow to be resolved more quickly, and the temperature distribution in the room 90 to be adjusted more efficiently.

[0084] Embodiment 2 11 is a configuration diagram showing an air conditioning system according to embodiment 2. The air conditioning system includes a blower 20, a system control device 40, an air conditioner 50, and a remote controller 80, similar to those in embodiment 1.

[0085] The air conditioner 50 adjusts the temperature in the room 90. The system control device 40 controls the blower 20 in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and also controls the air conditioner 50 and the blower 20 in conjunction with each other.

[0086] The air conditioner 50 has an indoor unit 60 and an outdoor unit 70. The indoor unit 60 faces the interior of the room 90 and is installed on a wall of the room 90. The system control device 40 is installed inside the indoor unit 60. The outdoor unit 70 is installed outside the room 90.

[0087] The indoor unit 60 and the outdoor unit 70 are connected to each other via a refrigerant circuit (not shown). The refrigerant circuit is a circuit that circulates a refrigerant.

[0088] The remote controller 80 is operated by a user. The remote controller 80 is also capable of communicating with the system control device 40. The user can control the operation of the air conditioner 50 by operating the remote controller 80.

[0089] Figure 12 is a block diagram showing the main parts of the air conditioning system of Figure 11. The blower 20 is omitted in Figure 12. The indoor unit 60 has an indoor heat exchanger 61, an indoor fan 62, an indoor unit air direction motor 63, an indoor unit display 64, and an indoor unit speaker 65.

[0090] The indoor heat exchanger 61 exchanges heat between the air in the room 90 and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit. The indoor fan 62 sends the conditioned air that has undergone heat exchange by the indoor heat exchanger 61 into the room 90. The indoor unit air direction motor 63 adjusts the direction in which the conditioned air is sent into the room 90.

[0091] The indoor unit display 64 displays information to the user, and the indoor unit speaker 65 transmits information to the user by voice.

[0092] The outdoor unit 70 has an outdoor heat exchanger 71, an outdoor fan 72, a compressor 73, a group of sensors 74, and an outdoor unit transceiver (not shown).

[0093] The outdoor heat exchanger 71 exchanges heat between the air outside the room 90 and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit. The outdoor fan 72 blows air outside the room. The compressor 73 compresses the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit. The sensor group 74 includes multiple sensors that measure pressure, various temperatures, etc. The outdoor unit transceiver transmits and receives signals to and from the system control device 40.

[0094] The remote controller 80 includes a remote control operation unit 81 , a remote control control device 82 , a remote control transmitter / receiver 83 , a remote control display 84 , and a remote control speaker 85 .

[0095] The remote control operation unit 81 is operated by a user to input commands relating to the operation of the fan 20 and the air conditioner 50 to the system control device 40.

[0096] The remote control control device 82 processes input from the remote control operation unit 81 and transmits signals to the blower 20 and the air conditioner 50 via a remote control transmitter / receiver 83. The remote control control device 82 also controls a remote control display 84 and a remote control speaker 85.

[0097] The remote control display 84 displays information to the user, and the remote control speaker 85 transmits information to the user by voice.

[0098] The control device main body 44 stores a cooling output setting table as shown in Fig. 13 and a heating output setting table as shown in Fig. 14. In the second embodiment, the target area for air blowing changes depending on the operating state of the air conditioner 50 and the temperature inside the room 90. The target area for air blowing in the second embodiment also includes the indoor unit 60. That is, the target area for air blowing in the second embodiment also includes the area where the indoor unit 60 is installed.

[0099] The cooling output setting table is a table that shows the relationship between the temperature of the MAX area when the air conditioner 50 is in cooling operation, the output of the fan 20, and the air blowing direction of the fan 20. In the example of Fig. 13, the output of the fan 20 is set to increase as the temperature of the MAX area increases.

[0100] When the air conditioner 50 is in cooling operation, the control device main body 44 sets the output of the blower 20, that is, the airflow rate and the airflow direction of the blower 20, based on the cooling output setting table.

[0101] The heating output setting table is a table that shows the relationship between the temperature of the lowest temperature area, the output of the fan 20, and the air blowing direction of the fan 20 when the air conditioner 50 is in heating operation. The lowest temperature area is the area in the room 90 with the lowest temperature. Hereinafter, the lowest temperature area will be referred to as the "MIN area." In the example of FIG. 14, the output of the fan 20 is set to increase as the temperature in the MIN area decreases.

[0102] When the air conditioner 50 is in heating operation, the control device main body 44 sets the output of the blower 20, that is, the airflow rate and the airflow direction of the blower 20, based on the heating output setting table.

[0103] When the air conditioner 50 is in cooling operation and the temperature in the MAX area is lower than the cooling temperature set by the user, the control device main body 44 designates the indoor unit 60 as the target for air blown by the blower 20. Furthermore, when the air conditioner 50 is in heating operation and the temperature in the MIN area in the room 90 is higher than the heating temperature set by the user, the control device main body 44 also designates the indoor unit 60 as the target for air blown by the blower 20.

[0104] Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing the process in the automatic mode of control device main body 44 of Fig. 12. When control device main body 44 receives automatic mode start information from blower 20, it starts the process of Fig. 15.

[0105] When the automatic mode start information is received, the control device main body 44 receives the position signal and the orientation signal in step S301, and then detects the position and orientation of the blower 20 in step S302.

[0106] Next, in step S303, the control device main body 44 detects the temperature distribution in the room 90. Then, in step S304, the control device main body 44 executes an air blow setting process. The air blow setting process is a process for determining an area to be blown by the fan 20 and the output of the fan 20. The air blow setting process will be described in detail later.

[0107] Thereafter, in step S305, the control device main body 44 determines whether the position and orientation of the fan 20 are such that the fan 20 can blow air to the target area.

[0108] If the condition is such that air can be blown, control device main body 44 transmits a control command to blower 20 in step S306.

[0109] If at least one of the position and orientation of fan 20 is in a state in which it is not possible to blow air to the target area, control device main body 44 transmits air blowing disabled information to fan 20 as warning information in step S307.

[0110] After transmitting the control command to the fan 20, the control device main body 44 determines in step S308 whether a set time has elapsed since the start of air blowing to the air blowing target area. If the set time has not elapsed, the control device main body 44 returns to the processing of step S301.

[0111] If the set time has elapsed, in step S309, the control device main body 44 determines whether the difference ΔT between the temperature of the area to be blown at the start of blowing and the temperature of the area to be blown after the set time has elapsed since the start of blowing is greater than the change amount set value Tw.

[0112] In this case, ΔT during cooling is calculated by "temperature of the target area when airflow starts - temperature of the target area after the set time". Also, ΔT during heating is calculated by "temperature of the target area after the set time - temperature of the target area when airflow starts".

[0113] If the target of air blowing is other than the indoor unit 60 and ΔT is equal to or less than the set change amount Tw, the control device main body 44 transmits low effectiveness information to the fan 20 as warning information in step S307.

[0114] If ΔT is greater than the change amount setting value Tw, and if warning information has been sent to the fan 20, the control device main body 44 determines in step S310 whether automatic mode termination information has been received from the fan 20.

[0115] If the automatic mode end information has not been received, the process by the control device main body 44 returns to the process of step S301. If the automatic mode end information has been received, the control device main body 44 ends the process of FIG.

[0116] Fig. 16 is a flowchart showing the air flow setting process of Fig. 15. When the air flow setting process is started in step S304 of Fig. 15, the control device main body 44 determines in step S401 whether the air conditioner 50 is in cooling operation.

[0117] If the air conditioner is in cooling operation, the control device main body 44 determines in step S402 whether the temperature Tmax of the MAX area is lower than the set temperature Tc0. The set temperature Tc0 is the cooling temperature set by the user.

[0118] If the temperature Tmax is less than the set temperature Tc0, i.e., if the maximum temperature in the room 90 is less than the set temperature Tc0, the control device main body 44 sets the area to be blown to the area of ​​the indoor unit 60 and sets the output of the blower 20 to "low" in step S403.

[0119] If the temperature Tmax is not less than the set temperature Tc0, the control device main body 44 determines in step S404 whether the temperature Tmax is less than a first cooling temperature threshold Tc1. The first cooling temperature threshold Tc1 is a temperature higher than the set temperature Tc0, and in this example, Tc1 = Tc0 + 1°C.

[0120] If the temperature Tmax is equal to or higher than the set temperature Tc0 and lower than the first cooling temperature threshold Tc1, the control device main body 44 sets the air blow target area to the MAX area and sets the output of the fan 20 to "low" in step S405.

[0121] If the temperature Tmax is not less than the first cooling temperature threshold Tc1, the control device main body 44 determines in step S406 whether the temperature Tmax is less than a second cooling temperature threshold Tc2. The second cooling temperature threshold Tc2 is a temperature higher than the first cooling temperature threshold Tc1, and in this example, Tc2=Tc0+2°C.

[0122] If the temperature Tmax is equal to or greater than the first cooling temperature threshold Tc1 and less than the second cooling temperature threshold Tc2, the control device main body 44 sets the air blowing target area to the MAX area and sets the output of the fan 20 to "medium" in step S407.

[0123] If the temperature Tmax is not less than the second cooling temperature threshold Tc2, the control device main body 44 sets the air blow target area to the MAX area and sets the output of the fan 20 to "high" in step S408.

[0124] If the determination result in step S401 is that the air conditioner 50 is not in cooling operation, the control device main body 44 determines in step S409 whether the air conditioner 50 is in heating operation.

[0125] If the heating operation is in progress, the control device main body 44 determines in step S410 whether the temperature Tmin of the MIN area is higher than the set temperature Th0. The set temperature Th0 is the heating temperature set by the user.

[0126] If the temperature Tmin is higher than the set temperature Th0, i.e., if the minimum temperature in the room 90 is higher than the set temperature Th0, the control device main body 44 sets the area to be blown to the area of ​​the indoor unit 60 and sets the output of the blower 20 to "low" in step S411.

[0127] If temperature Tmin is not higher than set temperature Th0, control device main body 44 determines in step S412 whether temperature Tmin is higher than first heating temperature threshold Th1. First heating temperature threshold Th1 is a temperature lower than set temperature Th0, and in this example, Th1 = Th0 - 1°C.

[0128] If temperature Tmin is equal to or lower than set temperature Th0 and higher than first heating temperature threshold Th1, control device main body 44 sets the air blowing target area to the MIN area and sets the output of blower 20 to "low" in step S413.

[0129] If temperature Tmin is not higher than first heating temperature threshold Th1, in step S414, control device main body 44 determines whether temperature Tmin is higher than second heating temperature threshold Th2. Second heating temperature threshold Th2 is a temperature lower than first heating temperature threshold Th1, and in this example, Th2=Th0-2°C.

[0130] If the temperature Tmin is equal to or lower than the second heating temperature threshold Th1 and higher than the second heating temperature threshold Th2, the control device main body 44 sets the target area for air blowing to the MIN area and sets the output of the blower 20 to "medium" in step S415.

[0131] If temperature Tmin is not higher than second heating temperature threshold Th2, control device main body 44 sets the air blowing target area to the MIN area and sets the output of blower 20 to "high" in step S416.

[0132] If the determination result in step S409 is that the air conditioner is not in heating operation, that is, if the air conditioner is not in cooling operation or heating operation, the control device main body 44 leaves the output of the blower 20 and the target area for air blowing at the previous values ​​in step S417. In the air conditioner 50, operating states other than cooling operation and heating operation include dehumidifying operation and air blowing operation.

[0133] In the air blowing setting process, when the output of the air blower 20 and the air blowing target area are set, the control device main body 44 executes the process of step S305 in FIG.

[0134] Other configurations and operations in the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0135] In such an air conditioning system, the air conditioner 50 and the blower 20 are controlled to operate in conjunction with each other. Therefore, in addition to the same effects as in the first embodiment, the temperature in the room 90 can be made uniform efficiently.

[0136] Furthermore, when the air conditioner 50 is in cooling operation and the temperature in the MAX area is lower than the cooling temperature set by the user, the system control device 40 designates the indoor unit 60 as the target for air to be blown by the blower 20. Furthermore, when the air conditioner 50 is in heating operation and the temperature in the MIN area in the room 90 is higher than the heating temperature set by the user, the control device main body 44 also designates the indoor unit 60 as the target for air to be blown by the blower 20.

[0137] Therefore, the air inside the chamber 90 can be circulated, and temperature unevenness inside the chamber 90 can be prevented.

[0138] In the second embodiment, the threshold values ​​are set based on the set temperatures Tc0 and Th0, but similar to the first embodiment, the threshold values ​​may be preset values.

[0139] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the air conditioner 50 and the blower 20 may be controlled to operate in conjunction with each other even during air blowing operation and dehumidifying operation of the air conditioner 50. Furthermore, for example, the user may be able to operate the remote control operation unit 81 to select whether the air conditioner 50 and the blower 20 operate in conjunction with each other in any operating state of the air conditioner 50.

[0140] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the user may be able to arbitrarily select whether the air blow target area is the MAX area, the MIN area, or the indoor unit 60 by operating the remote control operation unit 81, for example.

[0141] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the airflow output of the indoor unit 60 may be determined in conjunction with the airflow output of the blower 20 by a method of calculating an output determination threshold from a set temperature, similar to the method for the blower 20. The airflow output of the indoor unit 60 may also be determined automatically in accordance with a set temperature set by a user, independent of the airflow output of the blower 20. The airflow output of the indoor unit 60 may also be arbitrarily selectable by the user operating the remote control operation unit 81, for example.

[0142] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the target to which air is blown by the indoor unit 60 may be the MAX area or MIN area, as with the fan 20, or may be the area in which the fan 20 is located. Furthermore, the target to which air is blown by the indoor unit 60 may be arbitrarily selected by the user operating the remote control operation unit 81, for example.

[0143] In the second embodiment, the system control device 40 may be provided outside the indoor unit 60.

[0144] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the indoor unit 60 may be suspended from the ceiling of the room 90 facing the interior of the room 90, or may be embedded in the ceiling.

[0145] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the interior of the chamber 90 is divided into nine areas, but the number of divisions is not particularly limited.

[0146] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the strength of the position signal is classified into three levels, namely, strong, medium, and weak, for determination, but the number of classifications is not particularly limited.

[0147] Furthermore, in embodiments 1 and 2, the method of detecting the position of blower 20 is not limited to dividing room 90 into multiple areas, but may also be, for example, another method using infrared signals, a method using a distance sensor, or a method using image recognition.

[0148] Furthermore, in the orientation signal transmitter 24 of embodiments 1 and 2, when the transmitter main body 31 is rotated, the transmitter main body 31 transmits an orientation signal at an angle of 15°, but the angle at which the orientation signal is transmitted is not limited to every 15° and may be, for example, every 30°.

[0149] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the range of rotation of transmitter main body 31 is not limited to 180°, but may be, for example, 360°.

[0150] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, as transmitter body 31 is rotated, the signal strength gradually increases and then starts to decrease, but detection of the orientation signal may be terminated at the point when it starts to decrease.

[0151] Furthermore, the configuration of the direction signal transmitter 24 in the first and second embodiments is not limited to the configuration in which the transmitter main body 31 is rotated by the transmitter motor 32.

[0152] For example, the orientation signal transmitter 24 may have multiple transmitter bodies 31 that each emit an orientation signal at a different angle, and each of the multiple transmitter bodies 31 may emit an orientation signal at a different timing. In this case, the system control device 40 may detect the orientation of the fan 20 based on the strength of the orientation signal and transmission angle information, which is information about which of the multiple transmitter bodies 31 the orientation signal is from.

[0153] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the method of detecting the orientation of fan 20 may be a method other than the method of changing the transmission direction of the orientation signal.

[0154] In the first and second embodiments, the position signal and the orientation signal may be transmitted from a common transmitter.

[0155] In the first and second embodiments, the position signal and the orientation signal may be detected by a common detector.

[0156] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the number of output levels and the number of temperature thresholds in each output setting table are not limited to the above examples, and may be changeable by the user as appropriate.

[0157] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, system control device 40 may set the area in room 90 whose temperature is most different from the temperature of the area in which blower 20 is located as the target area for blowing air. This makes it possible to easily make the temperature distribution in room 90 uniform.

[0158] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the system control device 40 may control the output of the fan 20 in accordance with the distance from the fan 20 to the target area. In this case, the system control device 40 increases the output of the fan 20, for example, as the distance from the fan 20 to the target area increases.

[0159] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, system control device 40 may detect an occupied area in room 90 where people are present based on the temperature distribution information, and exclude the occupied area from the areas to be blown air. In this case, for example, the user may be able to operate blower operating unit 27 to select whether or not to blow air while avoiding the occupied area.

[0160] In the first and second embodiments, the display, speaker, etc. that notify the user of warning information may be provided in the system control device 40 or in another device, such as a communication terminal carried by the user.

[0161] In the first and second embodiments, the control commands for the fan 20 and the system control device 40 may be input by the user from a communication terminal carried by the user.

[0162] Furthermore, the functions of the control device main body 44, the blower control device 25, and the remote control device 82 in the first and second embodiments are realized by a processing circuit. Fig. 17 is a configuration diagram showing a first example of a processing circuit that realizes the functions of the control device main body 44, the blower control device 25, and the remote control device 82 in the first and second embodiments. The processing circuit 100 in the first example is dedicated hardware.

[0163] The processing circuit 100 may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof. The functions of the control device main body 44, the blower control device 25, and the remote control device 82 may each be realized by a separate processing circuit 100, or all of the functions may be realized by the processing circuit 100.

[0164] 18 is a configuration diagram showing a second example of a processing circuit that realizes the functions of the control device main body 44, the blower control device 25, and the remote control device 82 according to the first and second embodiments. The processing circuit 200 of the second example includes a processor 201 and a memory 202.

[0165] The processor 201 may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or a digital signal processor (DSP).

[0166] In the processing circuit 200, the functions of the control device main body 44, the blower control device 25, and the remote control device 82 are realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software and firmware are written as programs and stored in the memory 202. The processor 201 realizes each function by reading and executing the programs stored in the memory 202.

[0167] It can also be said that the programs stored in memory 202 cause the computer to execute the procedures or methods of the above-mentioned sections. Here, memory 202 refers to non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory, such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), and EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory). Magnetic disks, flexible disks, optical disks, compact disks, minidisks, DVDs, and the like also fall under memory 202.

[0168] It should be noted that some of the functions of the above-described units may be realized by dedicated hardware, and other parts may be realized by software or firmware.

[0169] In this way, the processing circuit can realize the functions of each of the above-mentioned units by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination of these.

[0170] The above describes in detail preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0171] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices.

[0172] (Appendix 1) A blower capable of adjusting the direction and volume of airflow, and A system control device that controls the fan Equipped with The system control device controls the direction and amount of air blown by the blower based on the temperature distribution in the room, the position of the blower in the room, and the orientation of the blower in the room. (Appendix 2) The blower has a direction signal transmitter; The orientation signal transmitter has a transmitter body that transmits an orientation signal and a transmitter motor that rotates the transmitter body, and transmits the orientation signal at a plurality of angles different from each other; The air blowing system described in Appendix 1, wherein the system control device detects the orientation of the blower based on the strength of the orientation signal and transmission angle information, which is information about the angle of the transmitter body when the orientation signal is transmitted. (Appendix 3) The blower has a direction signal transmitter; the orientation signal transmitter has a plurality of transmitter bodies each transmitting the orientation signal at a different angle, and the orientation signal is transmitted from each of the plurality of transmitter bodies at a different timing from each other; The air blowing system described in Appendix 1, wherein the system control device detects the orientation of the blower based on the strength of the orientation signal and transmission angle information, which is information on which transmitter body among multiple transmitter bodies the orientation signal comes from. (Appendix 4) The system control device sets a target area in the room to which air is to be blown by the blower based on the temperature distribution in the room, and controls the blower to blow air toward the target area. (Appendix 5) 5. The ventilation system according to claim 4, wherein the system control device sets the area in the room with the highest temperature as the ventilation target area. (Appendix 6) The air blowing system according to claim 4, wherein the system control device sets the area in the room whose temperature is the largest difference from the temperature of the area in which the air blower is located as the air blowing target area. (Appendix 7) 7. The ventilation system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the system control device controls the output of the fan depending on the distance from the fan to the target area. (Appendix 8) The ventilation system described in any one of Appendix 4 to Appendix 7, wherein the system control device detects an occupied area in the room where people are present based on the temperature distribution in the room, and excludes the occupied area from the ventilation target area. (Appendix 9) The ventilation system described in any one of Appendix 4 to Appendix 8, wherein the system control device generates ventilation impossible information to inform the user that ventilation is impossible when at least one of the position and orientation of the fan is such that ventilation to the target ventilation area is impossible. (Appendix 10) The air blowing system described in any one of Appendix 4 to Appendix 9, wherein the system control device generates low effectiveness information to notify the user that the air blowing effect is insufficient when the difference between the temperature of the area to be blown at the start of air blowing and the temperature of the area to be blown at a set time after the start of air blowing is less than a set change amount value. (Appendix 11) A ventilation system according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 10, and An air conditioner that adjusts the temperature of the air in the room Equipped with The system control device controls the air conditioner and the blower in conjunction with each other in the air conditioning system. (Appendix 12) The air conditioning system of Appendix 11, wherein the system control device targets the indoor unit of the air conditioner with the blower when the temperature of the hottest area in the room is lower than the cooling temperature set by the user during cooling operation of the air conditioner, and when the temperature of the coldest area in the room is higher than the heating temperature set by the user during heating operation of the air conditioner. [Explanation of symbols]

[0173] 20 blower, 23 direction signal transmitter, 31 transmitter body, 32 transmitter motor, 40 system control device, 50 air conditioner, 60 indoor unit, 90 room.

Claims

1. A blower capable of adjusting the direction and volume of airflow, and A system control device that controls the fan Equipped with The system control device controls the direction and amount of air blown by the blower based on the temperature distribution in the room, the position of the blower in the room, and the orientation of the blower in the room.

2. The blower has a direction signal transmitter; The orientation signal transmitter has a transmitter body that transmits an orientation signal and a transmitter motor that rotates the transmitter body, and transmits the orientation signal at a plurality of angles different from each other; The ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein the system control device detects the orientation of the blower based on the strength of the orientation signal and transmission angle information, which is information about the angle of the transmitter body when the orientation signal is transmitted.

3. The blower has a direction signal transmitter; the orientation signal transmitter has a plurality of transmitter bodies each transmitting the orientation signal at a different angle, and the orientation signal is transmitted from each of the plurality of transmitter bodies at a different timing from each other; The air blowing system of claim 1, wherein the system control device detects the direction of the blower based on the strength of the direction signal and transmission angle information, which is information on which transmitter body among multiple transmitter bodies the direction signal comes from.

4. The system control device sets a target area in the room to which air is to be blown by the blower based on the temperature distribution in the room, and controls the blower to blow air toward the target area.

5. The ventilation system according to claim 4 , wherein the system control device sets the area in the room with the highest temperature as the ventilation target area.

6. The air blowing system according to claim 4 , wherein the system control device sets the area in the room having the greatest difference in temperature from the area in which the air blower is located as the air blow target area.

7. The ventilation system according to claim 4 , wherein the system control device controls the output of the fan in accordance with a distance from the fan to the target area.

8. The air blowing system according to claim 4 , wherein the system control device detects an occupied area in the room where a person is present based on the temperature distribution in the room, and excludes the occupied area from the air blowing target area.

9. The ventilation system of claim 4, wherein the system control device generates ventilation impossible information to inform the user that ventilation is impossible when at least one of the position and orientation of the fan is such that ventilation to the target ventilation area is impossible.

10. The ventilation system described in claim 4, wherein the system control device generates low effectiveness information to inform the user that the ventilation effect is insufficient when the difference between the temperature of the target area at the start of ventilation and the temperature of the target area after a set time from the start of ventilation is less than a set change amount value.

11. The ventilation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and An air conditioner that adjusts the temperature of the air in the room Equipped with The system control device controls the air conditioner and the blower in conjunction with each other in the air conditioning system.

12. The air conditioning system of claim 11, wherein the system control device sets the target of air blowing by the blower to the indoor unit of the air conditioner when the temperature of the hottest area in the room is lower than the cooling temperature set by the user during cooling operation of the air conditioner, and when the temperature of the coldest area in the room is higher than the heating temperature set by the user during heating operation of the air conditioner.

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