Building ventilation system, ventilation method, and program

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of preventing fragrances from being mixed while supplying the fragrances to a plurality of spaces of a building.SOLUTION: A ventilation system 1 for a building includes a plurality of aroma generating devices 2 disposed in a plurality of rooms in the building, a plurality of ventilation devices 4 disposed in the plurality of rooms, and a control device 6 configured to control operations of the plurality of ventilation devices 4, each of the plurality of ventilation devices 4 is disposed in each of the plurality of rooms, and is capable of switching between an air supply mode in which outside air outside the building is supplied to the room and an air discharge mode in which air in the room is discharged to the outside, the control device 6 controls the wind direction between the rooms by switching the operation mode of each of the ventilators 4 based on the operation state of the plurality of aroma generators 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to technology for ventilating buildings. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are known technologies for supplying scents to multiple spaces in a building. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning system applied to a theater having a first space, a hall, and a second space, a lobby. This air conditioning system includes a scent generator that supplies a predetermined scent substance to the first space and the second space, and a control device that controls the operation of the scent generator. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-257792 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When providing scents to multiple spaces, these scents may mix. For example, if a building has a first space and a second space that are connected and air flows from one space to the other, the scent from one space may move to the other space, causing multiple scents to mix. When different types of scents mix, an unpleasant scent may be formed. Furthermore, when scents of the same type mix, a strong scent may be formed, potentially creating an unpleasant scent. This issue is not addressed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1.

[0005] The present invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technology that can supply scents to multiple spaces in a building while preventing the scents from mixing together. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A building ventilation system according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a plurality of fragrance emitting devices arranged in a plurality of rooms within a building, a plurality of ventilation devices arranged in the plurality of rooms, and a control device that controls the operation of the plurality of ventilation devices, wherein each of the plurality of ventilation devices is arranged in each of the plurality of rooms and is switchable between an air supply mode in which outside air from outside the building is supplied to the room, and an exhaust mode in which air from the room is exhausted to the outside, and the control device controls the air direction between the rooms by switching the operating mode of each of the ventilation devices based on the operating status of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices.

[0007] According to this configuration, the control device switches the operation mode of each ventilation device between supply mode and exhaust mode based on the operating status of each of the multiple fragrance emitting devices. In supply mode, outside air is supplied to the room, and in exhaust mode, the room air is exhausted to the outside of the building. This allows the control device to control the airflow direction between the rooms. This makes it possible to create an airflow direction that prevents the fragrances generated in each of the multiple rooms from mixing. As a result, it is possible to supply fragrances to multiple spaces in the building while preventing the fragrances from mixing.

[0008] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a building ventilation system in the first aspect, wherein the plurality of rooms includes at least two rooms, and two of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices are disposed in each of the two rooms, and the control device may set the ventilation device disposed in each of the two rooms to the exhaust mode when the two fragrance emitting devices emit different fragrances from each other.

[0009] According to this configuration, when a scent is generated in at least two rooms, the ventilation devices installed in each of the two rooms are set to exhaust mode, and the air in the two rooms is exhausted to the outside of the building. This prevents air from one of the two rooms from flowing into the other room, and prevents air from the other room from flowing into one of the two rooms. As a result, it is possible to prevent the scents generated in each of the multiple rooms from mixing.

[0010] In the building ventilation system of the third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, a prohibited scent, which is a scent that is prohibited from flowing into the room from other rooms, can be set for each room in a database that can be referenced by the control device, and when the scent emitting device located in a first room of at least two of the multiple rooms is emitting a specific scent and the specific scent is set as a prohibited scent for a second room of the other of the two rooms, the control device may set the ventilation device of the first room to the exhaust mode and the ventilation device of the second room to the supply air mode.

[0011] Since people have different preferences for scents, a scent that is pleasant to one user may be unpleasant to another. According to the above configuration, if a scent that is set as prohibited in the second room is emitted in the first room, the ventilation device for the first room is set to exhaust mode, and the ventilation device for the second room is set to supply mode. This creates a positive pressure in the second room relative to the first room, creating a wind direction in which air from the second room flows into the first room. In other words, a wind direction is created that prevents the prohibited scent emitted in the first room from flowing into the second room. This allows for the creation of a living space in which each user can enjoy their favorite scent without worrying about other users.

[0012] In the building ventilation system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first to third aspects, the control device may control the operation of each of the plurality of ventilation devices to match a first air volume indicating the total air supply volume of the ventilation devices set to the air supply mode with a second air volume indicating the total air exhaust volume of the ventilation devices set to the exhaust mode.

[0013] This configuration prevents the balance between the total air supply volume and the total air exhaust volume from being disrupted, thereby preventing a decline in the quality of the air in the building.

[0014] In a building ventilation system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any of the first to fourth aspects, the control device acquires preference information indicating a user's preference for a specific scent, determines whether the specific scent is a scent preferred by the user based on the preference information, and if it determines that the specific scent is not a scent preferred by the user, sets the specific scent as the prohibited scent.

[0015] According to this configuration, the prohibited scent is set using preference information that indicates the user's scent preferences, so the prohibited scent can be set more accurately than if preference information is not used.

[0016] A sixth aspect of the building ventilation system of the present invention is any of the first to fifth aspects, in which the control device, when determining that the specific scent is the user's preferred scent, acquires concentration information indicating the user's evaluation of the concentration of the specific scent, determines whether the concentration of the specific scent is appropriate based on the concentration information, and, when determining that the concentration of the specific scent is inappropriate, sets the specific scent to the prohibited scent.

[0017] According to this configuration, if the concentration of a fragrance is inappropriate, the fragrance is set as a prohibited fragrance, so that the prohibited fragrance can be set more accurately.

[0018] A seventh aspect of the present invention relates to an air conditioning system for a building in the third aspect, wherein the plurality of rooms includes a common room used by a plurality of users, and the database allows a preferred concentration of a specific fragrance to be set for each user, and when the fragrance emitting device located in the common room emits the specific fragrance, the control device may control the fragrance emitting device based on the weakest concentration set among the preferred concentrations set for each user.

[0019] With this configuration, when a specific fragrance is emitted in a shared room, the concentration of the specific fragrance is set to the weakest concentration preferred by the users using the shared room. In other words, the concentration is set based on the user who is most sensitive to the specific fragrance among the users using the shared room. In this way, the fragrance can be emitted at a concentration that will not cause discomfort to all users using the shared room. This particularly improves the comfort of users who are sensitive to fragrances.

[0020] An eighth aspect of the building air conditioning system of the present invention is any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the plurality of rooms includes a non-occupied room, and when the fragrance emitting device located in the non-occupied room emits a fragrance, the control device calculates the time required for the fragrance concentration in the non-occupied room to reach a predetermined concentration, and sets the scheduled operation time of the fragrance emitting device to be less than the required time.

[0021] Because non-occupied rooms can be used by a variety of users, it is preferable to set the fragrance concentration in non-occupied rooms below a predetermined concentration. According to the above configuration, the scheduled operation time of the fragrance emitting device in the non-occupied room is set to a time less than the time required for the fragrance concentration in the non-occupied room to reach the predetermined concentration. That is, the scheduled operation time is set so that the operation of the fragrance emitting device stops before the fragrance concentration in the non-occupied room reaches or exceeds the predetermined concentration. In this way, the fragrance can be emitted at a concentration that will not cause discomfort to any user of the non-occupied room.

[0022] A ventilation method according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is a ventilation method performed by a control device in a building ventilation system including a plurality of fragrance emitting devices arranged in a plurality of rooms within a building, and a ventilation device arranged in each of the plurality of rooms and switchable between an air supply mode in which fresh air from outside the building is supplied to the room, and an exhaust mode in which air from the room is exhausted to the outside, wherein the control device acquires first information indicating the operating status of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices, and controls the air direction between the rooms by switching the operating mode of the ventilation device based on the first information.

[0023] According to this ventilation method, the control device switches the operation mode of each ventilation device between air supply mode and air exhaust mode based on first information indicating the operating status of the multiple fragrance emitting devices. This controls the airflow direction between rooms, making it possible to create an airflow direction that prevents the fragrances emitted in each of the multiple rooms from mixing. Therefore, it is possible to supply fragrances to multiple spaces in a building while preventing the fragrances from mixing.

[0024] A program according to a 10th aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a control device to execute processing in a ventilation system of a building comprising a plurality of fragrance emitting devices arranged in a plurality of rooms within the building, and a ventilation device arranged in each of the plurality of rooms and capable of switching between an air supply mode in which fresh air from outside the building is supplied to the room, and an exhaust mode in which air from the room is exhausted to the outside, wherein by executing the program, the control device obtains first information indicating the operating status of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices, and controls the air direction between the rooms by switching the operating mode of the ventilation device based on the first information.

[0025] This program can achieve the same effect as the ventilation method described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] According to the present invention, it is possible to supply scents to multiple spaces in a building while preventing the scents from mixing together. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the overall configuration of a ventilation system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a simplified configuration of a control device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a simplified configuration of a processing unit. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of a process for acquiring a user's evaluation of a fragrance. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of a process for acquiring a user's evaluation of a fragrance. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a data configuration of a first data table. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a second data table. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of a process for setting the interval between spraying of fragrance in a non-occupied room. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing performed from the start to the stop of operation of the fragrance emitting device. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing a process for calculating a planned operation time of the fragrance emitting device. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of a process for controlling the wind direction. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing the details of the flow of processing for controlling the wind direction. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a house in a normal state according to a first example. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the air flow when the fragrance emitting device is activated in the first room. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the air flow when the fragrance emitting device is activated in the first room and then in the second room. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a house in a normal state according to a second example. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the air flow in a house when the fragrance emitting device is activated in the third room. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the air flow when the first room and the second room are in communication with each other. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The following describes a building air conditioning system according to the present invention. Each of the embodiments described below represents a specific example of the present invention. The numerical values, shapes, components, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims that represent the highest concept are described as optional components. Furthermore, the contents of each of the embodiments can be combined. Note that elements with the same reference numerals in different drawings represent the same or corresponding elements.

[0029] (Embodiment) Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the overall configuration of a ventilation system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The ventilation system 1 is applied to a house 10 (an example of a building) having a plurality of rooms including at least two rooms. Note that the building to which the ventilation system 1 is applied is not limited to the house 10, and the ventilation system 1 may be applied to various buildings such as office buildings, commercial buildings, concert halls, etc.

[0030] 1, the ventilation system 1 includes a plurality of fragrance emitting devices 2, a plurality of environmental sensors 3, a plurality of ventilation devices 4, an equipment sensor 5, and a control device 6, which are connected to each other via a communication network NW. The communication network NW is, for example, a local area network.

[0031] The plurality of scent emitting devices 2 are placed in each of the plurality of rooms in the house 10, and emit a scent to each room. Each of the plurality of scent emitting devices 2 is configured, for example, as an aroma diffuser that sprays an aroma at preset time intervals.

[0032] The plurality of environmental sensors 3 are placed in each of the plurality of rooms, and measure the type and concentration of the fragrance emitted in each room.

[0033] The multiple ventilation devices 4 are each disposed in a corresponding one of the multiple rooms to ventilate the corresponding room. Each ventilation device 4 is configured to be switchable between an air supply mode, in which fresh air from outside the house 10 is supplied to the room, and an exhaust mode, in which the air from the room is exhausted to the outside. In the air supply mode, the ventilation device 4 supplies fresh air to the room through a duct (not shown) connected to the room. In the exhaust mode, the ventilation device 4 exhausts the air from the room to the outside through a duct (not shown) connected to the room. Note that the air supply method and the exhaust method are not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be changed as appropriate depending on the structure of the house 10 and the installation position of the ventilation device 4. For example, if the ventilation device 4 is installed in an air vent formed in a wall of the house 10 that connects the outside and the inside of the house 10, the ventilation device 4 may perform ventilation without using the duct. In this embodiment, 24-hour ventilation is achieved by each of the multiple ventilation devices 4 performing ventilation.

[0034] The equipment sensor 5 is a sensor that detects an air flow different from the air flow formed by the multiple ventilation devices 4. The equipment sensor 5 according to this embodiment includes a sensor that detects whether a window is open or closed, and a sensor that detects the operating status of a kitchen ventilation equipment (such as a ventilation fan) installed in the kitchen of the house 10.

[0035] The control device 6 controls the airflow direction between rooms by switching the operation mode of each of the multiple ventilation devices 4 based on the operating status of the multiple fragrance emitting devices 2. The control device 6 according to this embodiment is configured by a user terminal carried by each of the multiple users residing in the house 10. The user terminal is, for example, a smartphone. However, the user terminal may also be configured by an information terminal such as a PC or a tablet.

[0036] FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram showing the configuration of the control device 6. As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 6 has an input unit 61, a communication unit 62, a storage unit 63, and a processing unit 64, which are interconnected via a bus. The input unit 61 is configured using operation buttons, a touch panel, or the like. The communication unit 62 is configured with a communication module compatible with any communication method such as wireless LAN. The processing unit 64 is configured with a processor such as a CPU. The storage unit 63 is configured with any recording medium such as an HDD, SSD, or semiconductor memory. As shown in FIG. 2, the storage unit 63 stores home data D2 and a program 630.

[0037] The residence data D2 includes various information related to the residence 10. For example, the residence data D2 includes room occupancy information indicating the occupant of each of the multiple rooms in the residence 10, volume information indicating the volume of each room, ventilation volume information indicating the ventilation volume of each room, floor plan information indicating the relative positions of each room and whether the rooms are connected to each other, type information indicating the type of each room, and room division information indicating the division of each room. Room types include, for example, living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, study, hallway, bathroom, and toilet. Room divisions include, for example, living room, non-living room, shared room, and private room. A living room refers to a room that is continuously used for purposes such as living, working, and recreation. For example, a living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, children's room, and study are living rooms. On the other hand, for example, a hallway, bathroom, and toilet are non-living rooms. A shared room refers to a room used by multiple users. For example, a living room, dining room, kitchen, and hallway are shared rooms. A private room refers to a room used primarily by a single user, and examples of private rooms include a bedroom, a child's room, and a study. The residence data D2 also includes location information in which device identification information (e.g., a device ID) for identifying the fragrance emitting device 2 is associated with room identification information (e.g., a room name) for identifying the room. In other words, the residence data D2 includes information indicating which fragrance emitting device 2 is located in which room.

[0038] The program 630 stored in the storage unit 63 is read into the processing unit 64 and causes the processing unit 64 to execute various processes. The program 630 is stored in a computer-readable recording medium, such as a CD-ROM, and is provided to the user. The user installs the program 630 in the storage unit 63 by having the control device 6 load the recording medium. The program 630 may be stored in a server on the Internet. In this case, the user may operate the control device 6 to install the program 630 from the server into the storage unit 63.

[0039] 3 is a diagram showing a simplified configuration of the processing unit 64. When the processor of the processing unit 64 executes the program 630 read from the storage unit 63, the processing unit 64 functions as an acquisition unit 641, a user data collection unit 642, a scent control unit 643, and a ventilation control unit 644. In other words, the program 630 is a program for causing a processor such as a CPU mounted on the control device 6 to function as the acquisition unit 641, the user data collection unit 642, the scent control unit 643, and the ventilation control unit 644.

[0040] The acquisition unit 641 acquires, from the fragrance control unit 643, first information D1 indicating the operating status of each of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices 2. The acquisition unit 641 also acquires, from the storage unit 63, home data D2.

[0041] The user data collection unit 642 acquires preference information indicating the user's preference for specific scents and concentration information indicating the user's evaluation of the concentration of the specific scent. Based on this information, the user data collection unit 642 also registers prohibited scents for each room.

[0042] A prohibited scent is a scent that is prohibited from flowing into the room from another room. A prohibited scent is a scent that is prohibited from being emitted in the room. For example, if scent F1 is registered as a prohibited scent for the first room R1 (FIG. 13), the scent control unit 643 controls the operation of the scent emitting device 2 located in the first room R1 to prevent the scent F1 from being emitted. Also, if scent F1 is registered as a prohibited scent for the first room R1 and scent F1 is being emitted in a third room R3 (FIG. 13) adjacent to the first room R1, the ventilation control unit 644 controls multiple ventilation devices 4 to generate an airflow direction that prevents scent F1 from flowing into the first room R1. Details will be described later.

[0043] The scent control unit 643 controls the operation of each of the multiple scent emitting devices 2. Specifically, the scent control unit 643 controls the start and stop of each scent emitting device 2, the operating time of each scent emitting device 2, the type and concentration of scent emitted by each scent emitting device 2, etc.

[0044] The ventilation control unit 644 controls the operation of each of the multiple ventilation devices 4. Specifically, the ventilation control unit 644 controls the airflow direction between rooms by switching the operation mode of each ventilation device 4 based on the operating status of the multiple fragrance emitting devices 2.

[0045] The control device 6 (particularly the scent control unit 643) according to this embodiment controls the operation of multiple scent emitting devices 2 based on each user's scent preferences and sensitivity to scent concentration. As a pre-processing step, the control device 6 acquires each user's evaluation of the scent. Figures 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing the process flow for acquiring users' evaluations of the scent.

[0046] First, in step ST1, the user data collection unit 642 of the processing unit 64 performs initial registration. In the initial registration, the type of scent, the user name, the name of the room in which the scent emitting device 2 is operating, and so on are stored in a predetermined storage area of ​​the storage unit 63. Hereinafter, the scent initially registered in step ST1 will be referred to as the scent to be evaluated, and the room initially registered will be referred to as the room to be evaluated.

[0047] In step ST2, the aroma control unit 643 of the processing unit 64 starts operation of the aroma emitting device 2. Specifically, the aroma control unit 643 causes the aroma emitting device 2 placed in the room to be evaluated to spray the aroma to be evaluated. At this time, the aroma control unit 643 causes the aroma to be sprayed at a predetermined spray interval (e.g., once every 10 seconds).

[0048] The fragrance emitting device 2 according to this embodiment is configured to allow selection of the spray interval for the fragrance component. For example, the fragrance emitting device 2 allows selection of the spray interval from among settings such as once per second, once per 10 seconds, once per 100 seconds, once per 200 seconds, once per 400 seconds, and once per 800 seconds. These spray interval settings are set based on the Weber-Fechner law, which states that the magnitude of human sensation is proportional to the logarithm of the intensity of the stimulus received. However, this is merely an example, and the method for setting the spray interval setting is not limited to the above example. For example, the spray interval setting may be set based on the Weber-Fechner law from 1 second to 100 seconds, and any setting thereafter. In other words, the spray interval does not necessarily have to be set solely according to the Weber-Fechner law; the spray interval may be set in any appropriate manner.

[0049] In step ST3, the user data collection unit 642 performs a first olfactory threshold registration. The first olfactory threshold registration is performed after the evaluation target scent has been sprayed a predetermined number of times. The predetermined number of times is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, five times.

[0050] In the first olfactory threshold registration, the user data collection unit 642 prompts the user to input an index indicating the degree of sensitivity to the fragrance to be evaluated. The index indicating the degree of sensitivity to the fragrance to be evaluated is divided into six levels, for example, from 0 to 5, where "0" indicates odorless, "1" indicates a faintly detectable fragrance (detection threshold), "2" indicates a weak fragrance (recognition threshold) that allows the user to determine the type of fragrance, "3" indicates a fragrance that can be easily detected, "4" indicates a strong fragrance, and "5" indicates an overwhelming fragrance. In step ST3, the user's olfactory threshold is registered by receiving input of one of these indices, 0 to 5, from the user.

[0051] In step ST4, the user data collection unit 642 determines whether or not it is necessary to change the spray interval of the fragrance emitting device 2, based on the index received from the user in step ST3. For example, if the user data collection unit 642 receives an index of "0," "4," or "5" in step ST3, it determines that it is necessary to change the spray interval (YES in step ST4). On the other hand, if the user data collection unit 642 receives a numerical value of "1," "2," or "3" in step ST3, it determines that it is not necessary to change the spray interval (NO in step ST4).

[0052] If it is determined in step ST4 that the spray interval needs to be changed, then in step ST5, the user data collection unit 642 determines whether the spray interval can be changed. For example, if an index of "0" is received in step ST3, i.e., if the user has evaluated the product as odorless, the user data collection unit 642 determines whether the spray interval can be set shorter. Alternatively, if an index of "4" or "5" is received in step ST3, i.e., if the user has evaluated the product as having a strong fragrance, the user data collection unit 642 determines whether the spray interval can be set longer.

[0053] If it is determined in step ST5 that the spray interval can be changed, then in step ST6, the user data collection unit 642 changes the spray interval. Then, the process of step ST2 is executed again. Then, in step ST2, the fragrance control unit 643 causes the fragrance emitting device 2 to spray the fragrance to be evaluated based on the changed spray interval.

[0054] On the other hand, if it is determined in step ST5 that the spray interval cannot be changed, the user data collection unit 642 proceeds to step ST7. A case in which the spray interval cannot be changed corresponds to, for example, when the spray interval is set to the longest possible interval (for example, once every 800 seconds) and an index of "4" or "5" is received in step ST3 (when an evaluation that the fragrance is strong is received). Another case in which the spray interval cannot be changed also corresponds to, for example, when the spray interval is set to the shortest possible interval (for example, once every second) and an index of "0" is received in step ST3 (when an evaluation that the fragrance is weak is received).

[0055] In step ST7, it is determined whether the reason why the spray interval cannot be changed is because the spray interval cannot be made any longer. If the reason why the spray interval cannot be changed is because the spray interval cannot be made any longer, the process proceeds to step ST15 (FIG. 5), where the currently set spray interval is registered. That is, the spray interval set as long as possible is registered as the appropriate spray interval.

[0056] On the other hand, if the reason why the spray interval cannot be changed is that the spray interval cannot be shortened any further (NO in step ST7), the user data collection unit 642 registers the fragrance to be evaluated as a prohibited fragrance.

[0057] Returning to step ST4, if it is determined in step ST4 that the spray interval does not need to be changed, then in step ST8, the user data collection unit 642 acquires preference information indicating the user's preference for the fragrance to be evaluated. For example, the user data collection unit 642 displays a "Like" button and a "Dislike" button on a display unit (e.g., a display) (not shown) of the user terminal, and displays a message on the display unit prompting the user to select one of the buttons. The button selection result is then acquired as preference information.

[0058] In this manner, in this embodiment, the first olfactory threshold registration process is executed, the spray interval is adjusted to an interval appropriate for the user, and then a determination is made as to whether the scent is a favorite scent of the user. In this way, the user's preferences can be more accurately grasped than when a determination is made as to whether the scent is a favorite scent without adjusting the spray interval.

[0059] In step ST9, it is determined whether the fragrance to be evaluated is the user's favorite fragrance based on the preference information. For example, if the user selects the "Like" button in step ST8, it is determined that the fragrance to be evaluated is the user's favorite fragrance (YES in step ST9). On the other hand, if the user selects the "Dislike" button, it is determined that the fragrance to be evaluated is not the user's favorite fragrance (NO in step ST9). If the fragrance to be evaluated is not the user's favorite fragrance, the user data collection unit 642 registers the fragrance to be evaluated as a prohibited fragrance.

[0060] If it is determined in step ST9 that the fragrance to be evaluated is the user's preferred fragrance, then in step ST10, the user data collection unit 642 calculates the time TM1 required for the evaluation room to enter a steady state. A steady state refers to a state in which a predetermined fragrance component is filled in a certain space at a predetermined concentration. For example, a steady state would be one in which the amount of fragrance component sprayed from the fragrance distribution device 2 and the amount of fragrance component emitted by the ventilation device 4 are balanced, and the concentration of the fragrance component in the space is stable at a predetermined concentration.

[0061] Specifically, in step ST10, the acquisition unit 641 first acquires the home data D2. Then, the acquisition unit 641 inputs the home data D2 to the user data collection unit 642. Next, the user data collection unit 642 calculates the required time TM1 based on information indicating the volume of the room to be evaluated, which is included in the home data D2, and information indicating the ventilation rate of the room to be evaluated.

[0062] In step ST11, the user data collection unit 642 executes the second registration of the olfactory threshold. The second registration of the olfactory threshold is performed after the required time TM1 calculated in step ST10 has elapsed. In other words, it is performed after the room to be evaluated has reached a steady state. In the second registration of the olfactory threshold, the user data collection unit 642 receives an index of 0 to 5 from the user, as in the first registration of the olfactory threshold.

[0063] In step ST12, the user data collection unit 642 determines whether or not it is necessary to change the spray interval. That is, similar to the processing in step ST4, if an index of "0," "4," or "5" is received, it determines that it is necessary to change the spray interval (YES in step ST12), and the processing proceeds to step ST5. On the other hand, if a numerical value of "1," "2," or "3" is received in step ST11, the user data collection unit 642 determines that it is not necessary to change the spray interval (NO in step ST12), and the processing proceeds to step ST13.

[0064] In this manner, in this embodiment, after the evaluation room reaches a steady state, the second olfactory threshold registration is performed and the spray interval is adjusted. That is, compared to the situation in which the first olfactory threshold registration was performed, a more practical environment (an environment closer to the situation in which the fragrance emitting device is actually operated) is created, and then the olfactory threshold is re-registered and the spray interval is adjusted. In this way, the spray interval can be set to a more appropriate interval.

[0065] In step ST13, the user data collection unit 642 acquires concentration information indicating the user's evaluation of the concentration of the fragrance to be evaluated. The concentration information is expressed by an index divided into nine levels, for example, from -4 to +4. Specifically, "-4" indicates extremely unpleasant. "-3" indicates very unpleasant. "-2" indicates unpleasant. "-1" indicates slightly unpleasant. "0" indicates neither pleasant nor unpleasant. "+1" indicates slightly pleasant. "+2" indicates pleasant. "+3" indicates very pleasant. "+4" indicates extremely pleasant. In other words, an index of -4 to -1 indicates that the fragrance to be evaluated is a fragrance that the user likes and is set to a concentration (spray interval) that can be perceived, but is unpleasant because the fragrance is too strong. On the other hand, an index of +1 to +4 indicates that the fragrance to be evaluated is a fragrance that the user likes, is set to a concentration that can be perceived, and the fragrance concentration is appropriate. In step ST13, the user data collection unit 642 acquires concentration information by accepting input of any one of these indices from the user.

[0066] In step ST14, the user data collection unit 642 determines whether the target user is in a comfortable state based on the concentration information. That is, it determines whether the concentration of the fragrance to be evaluated is appropriate. For example, if the user data collection unit 642 receives an input of an index between 0 and +4 in step ST13, it determines that the concentration of the fragrance to be evaluated is appropriate and the target user is in a comfortable state (YES in step ST14). On the other hand, if the user data collection unit 642 receives an input of an index between -4 and -1 in step ST13, it determines that the concentration of the fragrance to be evaluated is inappropriate and the target user is in an uncomfortable state (NO in step ST14).

[0067] If it is determined in step ST14 that the target user is in an uncomfortable state, the user data collection unit 642 advances the process to step ST5, and determines whether or not the spray interval can be changed.

[0068] If it is determined in step ST14 that the target user is in a comfortable state, then in step ST15, the user data collection unit 642 registers the spray interval of the evaluated scent. For example, the user data collection unit 642 registers the spray interval when it is determined in step ST14 of FIG. 5 that the scent is at a comfortable concentration (YES in step ST14) in a predetermined storage area of ​​the storage unit 63. In other words, the user's preferred concentration is registered in the storage unit 63.

[0069] As described above, in this embodiment, the second olfactory threshold registration process is executed, the spray interval is adjusted to an interval appropriate for the user, and then a determination is made as to whether the concentration (spray interval) is comfortable for the user. The appropriate concentration (spray interval) obtained as a result of the above determination is then registered in the storage unit 63. In this way, the optimal spray interval for the user can be accurately obtained.

[0070] 4 and 5 are performed for each of multiple users, and the user data collection unit 642 obtains each user's preferred fragrance type, preferred spray interval, and prohibited fragrances for each room. Based on this information, the user data collection unit 642 creates a first data table T1 (an example of a database).

[0071] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of the first data table T1 created by the user data collection unit 642. The first data table T1 is a database in which the usernames of multiple users are associated with the user's preferred spray interval for a given fragrance. As shown in FIG. 6, the first data table T1 includes a first row L1 and one or more second rows L2. The first row L1 stores a username for identifying the user. The one or more second rows L2 store the name of the fragrance type for identifying the type of fragrance and the user's preferred spray interval. For example, the notation "10 sec" in cell C1 in FIG. 6 indicates that user A prefers fragrance F1 to be sprayed at a spray interval of once every 10 seconds. Furthermore, the notation "prohibited" in cell C2 in FIG. 6 indicates that fragrance F2 is registered as a prohibited fragrance for user B.

[0072] Furthermore, the user data collection unit 642 creates a second data table T2 (an example of a database) by combining the above-mentioned first data table T1 with the room occupant information included in the residence data D2. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of the second data table T2. The second data table T2 is a database in which the type of each of the multiple rooms in the building, the occupant of each room, a calculation method for the fragrance spray interval in each room, and the fragrance spray interval in each room are associated with each other.

[0073] The first data table T1 and the second data table T2 are databases that can be referenced by various functional units of the control device 6, such as the ventilation control unit 644 and the fragrance control unit 643.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 7, the second data table T2 includes a third row L3, a fourth row L4, a fifth row L5, and one or more sixth rows L6. The third row L3 stores the type of room. The fourth row L4 stores the username of a user who may use the room. The fifth row L5 stores the method for setting the spray interval. Each of the one or more sixth rows L6 stores the name of the type of fragrance and the fragrance spray interval for that room.

[0075] The notation "maximum value" shown in cell C3 of row L5 in FIG. 7 indicates that the spray interval is set based on the longest spray interval (an example of the weakest concentration) among the preferred spray intervals (an example of the concentration) set for each user. An example will be described in which fragrance F1 is released in an LDK (living room, dining room, and kitchen). As shown in FIG. 7, the LDK is a room that may be used by users A to D. Here, as shown in FIG. 6, with regard to fragrance F1, user A's preferred spray interval is once every 10 seconds, user B's preferred spray interval is once every 100 seconds, and users C and D's preferred spray intervals are once every 800 seconds. If the spray interval of fragrance F1 in the LDK is set to once every 10 seconds or once every 100 seconds according to the preference of user A or user B, the fragrance may be too strong for users C and D, potentially causing discomfort to them. For this reason, the spray interval in the LDK is set based on the preferred spray interval of user C or user D. That is, in a room that is both a living room and a shared room, the spray interval is set based on the user who is most sensitive to a particular type of scent. For example, as shown in cell C4 in FIG. 7, the spray interval for scent F1 in the living / dining / kitchen area is set to "800 seconds (once every 800 seconds)." Based on this spray interval, the scent control unit 643 operates the scent emitting device 2 located in the living / dining / kitchen area. In this way, scent F1 can be emitted without causing discomfort to any users who may use the living / dining / kitchen area.

[0076] Furthermore, the notation "prohibited" stored in one or more sixth rows L6 in Figure 7 means that a specific scent has been set as a prohibited scent in a particular room. In this embodiment, a scent that has been set as a prohibited scent for any one of the users using a shared room is set as a prohibited scent for the entire shared room. Taking the case of an LDK as an example, as described above, the LDK is a shared room used by users A, B, C, and D. Here, as shown in Figure 6, scent F2 is registered as a prohibited scent for user B. In this case, scent F2 is registered in the second data table T2 as a prohibited scent in the LDK. In this way, the prohibited scent (scent F2 in this example) will not be emitted in the LDK, and only a pleasant scent can be emitted for all users using the LDK.

[0077] Furthermore, as shown in cell C5 of row 5 L5 in Figure 7, in this embodiment, the fragrance spray interval in a non-occupied room (such as the entrance) is set according to the flow shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the process flow for setting the fragrance spray interval in a non-occupied room. Below, a method for setting the fragrance spray interval in a non-occupied room will be explained, taking the case of setting the fragrance spray interval for fragrance F1 as an example.

[0078] First, in step ST21, the user data collection unit 642 refers to the first data table T1 to determine whether the fragrance F1 is registered as a prohibited fragrance for any one of the users who use a non-residential room (for example, the entrance).

[0079] If scent F1 is registered as a prohibited scent for any one user (YES in step ST21), scent control unit 643 will not emit scent F1 in non-occupied rooms. Therefore, the spray interval is not calculated and the process ends.

[0080] On the other hand, if there is no user for whom scent F1 is registered as a prohibited scent (NO in step ST21), the user data collection unit 642 proceeds to step ST22. In step ST22, the user data collection unit 642 sets the longest spray interval among the spray intervals set for each user at the time when step ST9 in Figure 4 was determined to be YES as the spray interval for non-occupied rooms.

[0081] As described above, in this embodiment, if a specific scent (e.g., scent F1) is registered as a prohibited scent, that scent will not be emitted in a non-occupied room. Furthermore, if the specific scent is not registered as a prohibited scent, the spray interval is set based on the user who is most sensitive to that scent. In this way, in a space that can be used by a variety of users, such as a non-occupied room, a type of scent that will not cause discomfort to any of the users can be emitted at an appropriate concentration.

[0082] Next, a method for controlling the fragrance emitting device 2 by the processing unit 64 will be described. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing carried out from the start to the stop of operation of the fragrance emitting device 2. The flow shown in Fig. 9 starts when the fragrance emitting device 2 is powered on manually by the user or by remote control via the control device 6 (user terminal) or the like.

[0083] In step ST31, the fragrance control unit 643 determines the type of fragrance to be emitted by the fragrance emitting device 2. If the user specifies the type of fragrance, the fragrance emitting unit determines the type of fragrance according to the user's specification. On the other hand, if the user does not specify the type of fragrance, the fragrance control unit 643 emits any type of fragrance.

[0084] In step ST32, the fragrance control unit 643 refers to the second data table T2 (FIG. 7) generated by the user data collection unit 642, and determines whether the type of fragrance determined in step ST31 corresponds to a prohibited fragrance.

[0085] If the type of fragrance determined in step ST31 corresponds to a prohibited fragrance (YES in step ST32), fragrance control unit 643 executes the process of step ST31 again, that is, determines the type of fragrance again.

[0086] If the fragrance determined in step ST31 does not fall under the prohibited fragrance category (NO in step ST32), then in step ST33, the fragrance control unit 643 calculates the planned operation time of the fragrance emitting device 2. The method for calculating the planned operation time will be described later.

[0087] In step ST34, the fragrance control unit 643 starts operation of the fragrance distribution device 2. The type and concentration of the fragrance distributed by the fragrance distribution device 2 are measured by multiple environmental sensors 3 (FIG. 1). If the environmental sensors 3 detect that a prohibited fragrance is being distributed from the fragrance distribution device 2, the fragrance control unit 643 stops operation of the fragrance distribution device 2.

[0088] In step ST35, fragrance control unit 643 sends a predetermined signal to ventilation control unit 644 to start controlling the airflow direction between the multiple rooms. The process of controlling the airflow direction will be described in detail later.

[0089] In step ST36, the fragrance control unit 643 communicates with the equipment sensor 5 (Figure 1) and acquires kitchen ventilation equipment information indicating the operating status of the kitchen ventilation equipment and window opening information indicating the open / closed status of the window.

[0090] In step ST37, the fragrance control unit 643 determines whether the ventilation equipment installed in the kitchen is operating or not, and whether a window of the house 10 is open or not, based on the kitchen ventilation equipment information and the window open information. In other words, it determines whether ventilation different from the ventilation performed by the multiple ventilation devices 4 is being performed.

[0091] If the ventilation equipment installed in the kitchen is operating or if a window in the house 10 is open (YES in step ST37), the fragrance control unit 643 stops operation of the fragrance emitting device 2 because there is a possibility that the wind direction control by the multiple ventilation devices 4, which will be described later, will not be performed accurately.

[0092] On the other hand, if the ventilation equipment installed in the kitchen is not operating and the windows of the house 10 are not open (NO in step ST37), then in step ST38, the fragrance control unit 643 determines whether the scheduled operation time calculated in step ST33 has elapsed. If the scheduled operation time has elapsed (YES in step ST38), the fragrance control unit 643 ends the operation of the fragrance emitting device 2.

[0093] After the operation of the fragrance emitting device 2 has ended, the fragrance control unit 643 may transmit a signal indicating that the operation of the fragrance emitting device 2 has ended to the ventilation control unit 644. Upon receiving this signal, the ventilation control unit 644 may switch the operation mode of each of the multiple ventilation devices 4 to the normal operation mode. For example, the ventilation control unit 644 may return the operation mode of each of the multiple ventilation devices 4 to the operation mode before the fragrance emitting device 2 was activated.

[0094] On the other hand, if the scheduled operation time has not elapsed (NO in step ST38), the fragrance control unit 643 again executes the processes of steps ST36 and ST37. That is, until the scheduled operation time has elapsed, it continues to monitor whether the ventilation fan is operating and whether the window is open.

[0095] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of the process for calculating the scheduled operation time of the fragrance emitting device 2. That is, the flowchart shows the details of the process of step ST33 in FIG.

[0096] First, in step ST41, the acquisition unit 641 acquires the home data D2 from the storage unit 63. The acquisition unit 641 also inputs the home data D2 to the fragrance control unit 643.

[0097] In step ST42, fragrance control unit 643 calculates the time TM1 required for the room from which the fragrance is to be emitted (fragrance emission chamber) to enter a steady state. For example, fragrance control unit 643 calculates the time TM1 required based on the volume of the fragrance emission chamber and the ventilation rate of the fragrance emission chamber. Information indicating the volume of the fragrance emission chamber and information indicating the volume of the fragrance emission chamber are included in home data D2.

[0098] In step ST43, the fragrance control unit 643 determines whether the fragrance emitting room is a non-occupied room. That is, the fragrance control unit 643 determines whether the fragrance emitting device 2 to be controlled is placed in a non-occupied room. The fragrance control unit 643 executes the processing of step ST43 by referring to the above-mentioned location information included in the home data D2, for example.

[0099] When controlling the fragrance emitting device 2 placed in a non-occupied room (YES in step ST43), next in step ST44, the fragrance control unit 643 acquires the set time TM2 for the non-occupied room. The set time TM2 for the non-occupied room is a time set in advance by the user. The set time TM2 for the non-occupied room is stored in a predetermined storage area of ​​the storage unit 63, for example.

[0100] In step ST45, the fragrance control unit 643 determines whether the time TM1 required until the steady state begins is longer than the set time TM2 for the non-occupied room.

[0101] If the time TM1 required until the steady state begins is longer than the set time TM2 for the non-occupied room (YES in step ST45), then in step ST46, the fragrance control unit 643 sets the set time TM2 for the non-occupied room as the scheduled operation time of the fragrance distribution device 2.

[0102] On the other hand, if the time TM1 required until the steady state begins is equal to or shorter than the set time TM2 for the non-occupied room (NO in step ST45), half the time TM1 is set as the scheduled operation time of the fragrance distribution device 2.

[0103] For example, assume that the time TM1 required to start the steady state is 30 minutes and the set time TM2 for the non-occupied room is 15 minutes. In this case, since the required time TM1 is equal to or shorter than the set time TM2 for the non-occupied room (YES in step ST45), the fragrance control unit 643 sets the set time TM2 for the non-occupied room (15 minutes) as the scheduled operation time of the fragrance distribution device 2.

[0104] Also, for example, assume that the required time TM1 is 30 minutes and the set time TM2 for the non-occupied room is 60 minutes. In this case, since the required time TM1 is longer than the set time TM2 for the non-occupied room (NO in step ST45), the fragrance control unit 643 sets half the required time TM1 (30 minutes) (15 minutes) as the scheduled operation time of the fragrance distribution device 2.

[0105] In this way, in the ventilation system 1 according to this embodiment, when a fragrance is to be emitted from the fragrance emitting device 2 located in a non-occupied room, the required time TM1 until the non-occupied room reaches a steady state is calculated, and the scheduled operation time of the fragrance emitting device 2 located in the non-occupied room is set to be less than the required time TM1.

[0106] In this way, the operation of the fragrance emitting device can be stopped before the fragrance concentration in the non-occupied room reaches a predetermined concentration or higher. This makes it possible to limit the fragrance concentration in spaces that can be used by various users, such as non-occupied rooms, to a predetermined concentration or lower. As a result, it is possible to prevent users who are sensitive to fragrances from feeling uncomfortable.

[0107] In the above example, when the required time TM1 is longer than the set time TM2 for the non-occupied room (NO in step ST45), half the required time TM1 (30 minutes) (15 minutes) is set as the scheduled operation time for the fragrance emitting device 2, but it does not necessarily have to be half the time. If the scheduled operation time for the fragrance emitting device 2 for the non-occupied room can be made shorter than the required time TM1, for example, one-third or one-fifth of the required time TM1 may be set as the scheduled operation time for the fragrance emitting device 2.

[0108] 10, if it is determined in step ST43 that the fragrance emitting room is a living room (NO in step ST43), then in step ST48, the fragrance control unit 643 acquires the set time TM3 for the living room. The set time TM3 for the living room is a time set in advance by the user. The set time TM3 for the living room is stored, for example, in a predetermined storage area of ​​the storage unit 63.

[0109] In step ST49, the fragrance control unit 643 sets the set time TM3 for the room as the scheduled operation time for the fragrance emitting device 2. That is, when operating the fragrance emitting device 2 in the room, the fragrance control unit 643 operates the fragrance emitting device 2 according to the time specified in advance by the user.

[0110] Next, the process of controlling the wind direction will be described. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of the process of controlling the wind direction, that is, a flowchart showing the details of the process of step ST35 in Fig. 9.

[0111] In step ST51, the acquisition unit 641 acquires, from the scent control unit 643, first information D1 indicating the operating status of each of the multiple scent emitting devices 2. The first information D1 includes information indicating whether each scent emitting device 2 is operating or stopped.

[0112] In step ST52, the ventilation control unit 644 controls the airflow direction between the multiple rooms by switching the operation mode of each of the multiple ventilation devices 4 based on the first information D1.

[0113] The process of step ST52 will be described in detail below with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the process flow of step ST52.

[0114] In step ST61, the ventilation control unit 644 determines, based on the first information D1, that the operation of a predetermined fragrance emitting device 2 (hereinafter referred to as the target fragrance emitting device) has started.

[0115] Next, in step ST62, the ventilation control unit 644 determines whether or not a fragrance is being generated in an adjacent room. That is, it determines whether or not the fragrance emitting device 2 installed in the room adjacent to the room in which the target fragrance emitting device is installed (hereinafter referred to as the target room) is operating. The term "adjacent room" refers to a room that is adjacent to a specific room and is in communication with the specific room. Furthermore, "communication" refers to a spatial connection between the rooms, such as by an undercut UC (FIG. 13) in a door between the rooms.

[0116] If a fragrance is being emitted from the adjacent room (YES in step ST62), then in step ST63, the ventilation control unit 644 determines whether or not there are any other adjacent rooms. "Other adjacent rooms" refers to adjacent rooms other than the adjacent room that was the subject of the determination in step ST62.

[0117] If other adjacent rooms exist (YES in step ST63), then in step ST64, the ventilation control unit 644 sets the operating mode of the ventilation devices 4 located in the other adjacent rooms to supply air mode, and sets the operating mode of the ventilation devices 4 located in the target room and the adjacent rooms to exhaust mode.

[0118] On the other hand, if there are no other adjacent rooms (NO in step ST63), the process proceeds to step ST72, where the aroma control unit 643 stops the operation of the target aroma emitting device.

[0119] If there are other adjacent rooms and the scent is also being emitted from those rooms, the scent control unit 643 stops the operation of the target scent emitting device.

[0120] If the processing of step ST64 is completed, or if no fragrance is being emitted in the adjacent room (NO in step ST62), then in step ST65, the ventilation control unit 644 determines whether there is a room in which the fragrance emitted by the target fragrance emitting device is set to a prohibited fragrance (hereinafter referred to as a prohibited room).

[0121] If a prohibited room exists (YES in step ST65), then in step ST66, the ventilation control unit 644 switches the operation mode of the ventilation device 4 in the prohibited room to the supply air mode, and switches the operation mode of the ventilation device 4 in the target room to the exhaust mode.

[0122] In addition, if the operation mode of the ventilation device 4 of the prohibited room is already set to the supply air mode, for example because the prohibited room is another adjacent room, in step ST66, a process is performed to switch the operation mode of the ventilation device 4 of the target room to the exhaust mode.

[0123] When the process of step ST66 is completed, or when there is no prohibited room (NO in step ST65), the ventilation control unit 644 advances the process to step ST67.

[0124] If no fragrance is being generated in the adjacent room (NO in step ST62) and there is no prohibited room (NO in step ST65), the ventilation control unit 644 sets the operation mode of the ventilation device 4 in the target room to an arbitrary operation mode before starting the processing of step ST67.

[0125] In step ST67, the ventilation control unit 644 determines whether there are any remaining rooms. The "remaining rooms" refer to rooms that are not adjacent rooms, other adjacent rooms, or prohibited rooms. The ventilation control unit 644 executes the processing of step ST67 based on, for example, floor plan information included in the home data D2.

[0126] If there are any remaining rooms (YES in step ST67), then in step ST68, the ventilation control unit 644 calculates the total supply air volume and the total exhaust air volume for the remaining rooms. The total supply air volume for the remaining rooms refers to the total volume of air supplied to the remaining rooms by the ventilation devices 4 that are arranged in the remaining rooms and whose operation modes are set to supply air mode. Similarly, the total exhaust air volume for the remaining rooms refers to the total volume of air exhausted from the rooms by the ventilation devices 4 that are arranged in the remaining rooms and whose operation modes are set to exhaust mode. The ventilation control unit 644 calculates the total exhaust air volume and the total supply air volume based on, for example, information indicating the operation modes of each of the multiple ventilation devices 4 and ventilation volume information included in the home data D2.

[0127] If there are no remaining rooms (NO in step ST67) or if the processing of step ST68 has been executed, then in step ST69, the ventilation control unit 644 calculates a first airflow rate indicating the total air supply rate and a second airflow rate indicating the total exhaust rate. The total air supply rate refers to the total air volume supplied to each of the multiple rooms by all ventilators 4 set to air supply mode. In other words, it refers to the total air supply rate of the ventilators 4 installed in the target room, the adjacent room, other adjacent rooms, and the remaining rooms. The total exhaust rate refers to the total air volume exhausted from each of the multiple rooms by all ventilators 4 set to exhaust mode.

[0128] In step ST70, the ventilation control unit 644 determines whether or not the first air volume (total air supply volume) and the second air volume (total exhaust volume) match.

[0129] If the first air volume and the second air volume are the same (YES in step ST70), the process of controlling the air direction ends. The air direction controlled by the processes in steps ST61 to ST71 is maintained until the operating status of the fragrance distribution device 2 changes.

[0130] On the other hand, if the first airflow rate and the second airflow rate do not match (NO in step ST70), the ventilation control unit 644 adjusts the airflow rate. For example, the ventilation control unit 644 switches the operation modes of the ventilation devices 4 arranged in the remaining rooms to adjust the number of ventilation devices 4 in the supply mode and the number of ventilation devices 4 in the exhaust mode. The ventilation control unit 644 also adjusts the airflow rate of each ventilation device 4. In this way, the ventilation control unit 644 matches the first airflow rate and the second airflow rate.

[0131] For example, assume that the required ventilation volume of the house 10 is set to 120 m3 / h and ventilation is performed at a ventilation capacity of 0.5 times / h. The required ventilation volume refers to the ventilation volume required for the house 10 by laws and regulations (e.g., the Building Standards Act) and guidelines. Here, it is assumed that, as a result of the processing of steps ST61 to ST66, two ventilation devices 4 are set to supply mode and three ventilation devices 4 are set to exhaust mode. In this case, the ventilation control unit 644 sets the supply air volume of each of the two ventilation devices 4 set to supply mode to 60 m3 / h and the exhaust air volume of each of the three ventilation devices 4 set to exhaust mode to 40 m3 / h. As a result, the total supply air volume and the total exhaust air volume are both 120 m3 / h. In other words, the total supply air volume and the total exhaust air volume match. Furthermore, if there are remaining rooms (YES in step ST67), the ventilation control unit 644 may adjust the balance between the first air volume and the second air volume by switching the operation mode of the ventilation devices 4 in the remaining rooms.

[0132] A specific example of the processing of steps ST61 to ST72 will be described.

[0133] 13 to 15 are diagrams illustrating a first example of airflow direction control. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a house 10 in a normal state. The normal state refers to a state in which the fragrance emitting device 2 in the house 10 is not activated. As shown in FIG. 13, the house 10 has a first room R1, a second room R2, a third room R3, and a fourth room R4. The first room R1 and the second room R2 are private rooms such as bedrooms. The third room R3 is an LDK (living, dining, dining, and kitchen) room. In the third room R3, fragrance F1 is set as a prohibited fragrance. The fourth room R4 is an entrance hall. In the fourth room R4, fragrance F2 is set as a prohibited fragrance. A fragrance emitting device 2 and a ventilation device 4 are disposed in each of the first room R1 to the fourth room R4. In the example shown in FIG. 13, the first room R1 and the second room R2 are connected to the third room R3 through an undercut UC in the door. The second room R2 and the third room R3 are connected to the fourth room R4 through an undercut UC.

[0134] 13, the ventilation device 4 in the first room R1 is set to supply mode, the ventilation device 4 in the second room R2 is set to exhaust mode, the ventilation device 4 in the third room R3 is set to exhaust mode, and the ventilation device 4 in the fourth room R4 is set to supply mode. To distinguish between them, the rooms in which the ventilation device 4 is set to supply mode are marked with an "S." The rooms in which the ventilation device 4 is set to exhaust mode are marked with an "E."

[0135] In the first example, a case is assumed in which the fragrance emitting device 2 in the first room R1 of the house 10 is activated, and then the fragrance emitting device 2 in the second room R2 is activated.

[0136] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing airflow AF in the house 10 when the fragrance emitting device 2 is activated in the first room R1. In this case, the ventilation control unit 644 executes the process of step ST61 in FIG. 12 to determine that the fragrance emitting device 2 in the first room R1 has started operating. The fragrance emitting device 2 in the first room R1 emits, for example, fragrance F1. As shown in FIG. 14, because no fragrance is being emitted in the room adjacent to the first room R1 (the third room R3), the ventilation control unit 644 determines NO in the process of step ST62 and proceeds to step ST65. As described above, because fragrance F1 is set as a prohibited fragrance in the third room R3, the ventilation control unit 644 determines YES in step ST65 in FIG. 12 and executes the process of step ST66. That is, the ventilation control unit 644 sets the ventilation device 4 in the third room R3 (prohibited room) to supply air mode and sets the ventilation device 4 in the first room R1 (target room) to exhaust mode. Then, the ventilation control section 644 executes the processes of steps ST67 to ST71 to make the first air volume equal to the second air volume.

[0137] FIG. 15 illustrates airflow AF in the house 10 when the fragrance emitting device 2 is activated in the second room R2 after the fragrance emitting device 2 is activated in the first room R1. The ventilation control unit 644 executes step ST61 to determine that the fragrance emitting device 2 in the second room R2 has started operating. The fragrance emitting device 2 in the second room R2 emits, for example, a fragrance F2. As shown in FIG. 15, there is no undercut UC between the first room R1 and the second room R2, and the first room R1 and the second room R2 are not in communication with each other. As described above, the term "adjacent room" refers to a room that is adjacent to and in communication with a specific room. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 15, the first room R1 is not adjacent to the second room R2. Furthermore, because no fragrance is being emitted in the third room R3 and the fourth room R4, which are adjacent to the second room R2, the ventilation control unit 644 determines "NO" in step ST62. Since scent F2 is set as a prohibited scent in the fourth room R4, the ventilation control unit 644 determines YES in step ST65. Next, in step ST66, the ventilation control unit 644 sets the ventilation device 4 in the second room R2 (target room) to exhaust mode and sets the ventilation device 4 in the fourth room R4 (prohibited room) to supply mode. The ventilation control unit 644 then executes the processes of steps ST67 to ST71 to match the first air volume and the second air volume.

[0138] In the airflow direction control according to the first example, the ventilation devices 4 in the first room R1 and the second room R2 are set to exhaust mode, and the scents F1 and F2 are exhausted to the outside of the house 10, preventing the scents F1 and F2 from mixing in any of the multiple rooms. As a result, the scents can be supplied to each of the first room R1 and the second room R2 of the house 10, while preventing the scents from mixing.

[0139] In addition, in the airflow direction control according to the first example, if a scent set as a prohibited scent in the third room R3 is being emitted in the first room R1, the ventilation device 4 for the first room R1 is set to exhaust mode, and the ventilation device 4 for the third room R3 is set to supply mode. Similarly, if a scent set as a prohibited scent in the fourth room R4 is being emitted in the second room R2, the ventilation device 4 for the second room R2 is set to exhaust mode, and the ventilation device 4 for the fourth room R4 is set to supply mode. As a result, the third room R3 is under positive pressure relative to the first room R1, and the fourth room R4 is under positive pressure relative to the second room R2, creating an airflow direction in which air from the third room R3 flows into the first room R1 and air from the fourth room R4 flows into the second room R2. In other words, an airflow direction is created that prevents prohibited scents from flowing into the prohibited rooms. This allows for the creation of a living space in which each user can enjoy their favorite scent without worrying about other users.

[0140] Furthermore, in the airflow direction control according to the first example, the ventilation control unit 644 adjusts the airflow so that the first airflow rate (total air supply rate) and the second airflow rate (total air exhaust rate) match, preventing the balance between the total airflow rate and the total air exhaust rate from being lost. As a result, it is possible to prevent the quality of the air in the house 10 from deteriorating.

[0141] Furthermore, in the first example, the example in which scent F2 is generated in the second room R2 has been described, but instead scent F1 may be generated in the second room R2. That is, the same type of scent may be generated in the first room R1 and the second room R2. In this case, in step ST66, the ventilation device 4 in the second room R2 (target room) is set to exhaust mode, and the ventilation device 4 in the third room R3 (prohibited room) is set to supply mode. As a result, the scent F1 in the second room R2 is prevented from flowing into the first room R1, thereby preventing the mixing of the same type of scents.

[0142] A second example of airflow direction control will be described with reference to Figures 16 and 17. In the second example, a case is assumed in which the fragrance emitting device 2 in the third room R3 of the house 10 is activated, and then the fragrance emitting device 2 in the first room R1 is activated. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing the house 10 in a normal state according to the second example. Figure 17 is a schematic diagram showing the air flow in the house 10 when the fragrance emitting device 2 is activated in the third room R3.

[0143] The house 10 shown in Figure 16 has a similar configuration to the house 10 shown in Figure 13. The house 10 shown in Figure 16 differs from the house 10 in Figure 13 in that scent F1 is not set as a prohibited scent in the third room R3, and scent F2 is not set as a prohibited scent in the fourth room R4.

[0144] As shown in FIG. 17, when the fragrance emitting device 2 is activated in the third room R3, the ventilation control unit 644 executes the process of step ST61 and determines that the fragrance emitting device 2 in the third room R3 has started operating. The fragrance emitting device 2 in the third room R3 emits, for example, fragrance F1. As shown in FIG. 17, because no fragrance is being emitted in the rooms adjacent to the third room R3 (the first room R1, the second room R2, and the fourth room R4), the ventilation control unit 644 determines NO in the process of step ST62. Furthermore, because there is no room in which fragrance F1 is set to a prohibited fragrance, the ventilation control unit 644 determines NO in the process of step ST65. In this case, the ventilation control unit 644 sets the ventilation device 4 in the third room R3 to an arbitrary operation mode. Then, the ventilation control unit 644 executes the processes of steps ST67 to ST71 to match the first airflow rate and the second airflow rate.

[0145] Next, the fragrance emitting device 2 is activated in the first room R1. The ventilation control unit 644 executes the process of step ST61 and determines that the fragrance emitting device 2 in the first room R1 has started operating. The fragrance emitting device 2 in the first room R1 emits, for example, fragrance F2. In the second example, because a fragrance is being emitted in the third room R3 adjacent to the first room R1, the ventilation control unit 644 determines YES in the process of step ST62. Next, in the process of step ST63, the ventilation control unit 644 determines whether there is another adjacent room to the first room R1. As described above, the second room R2 is not connected to the first room R1, and therefore the second room R2 is not an adjacent room to the first room R1. Therefore, in the examples shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, there is no other adjacent room to the first room R1. Therefore, in this case, the ventilation control unit 644 determines NO in step ST53 and proceeds to step ST72.

[0146] In step ST72, the fragrance control unit 643 stops operation of the fragrance emitting device 2 in the first room R1. If the ventilation device 4 in the first room R1 is set to exhaust mode and the ventilation device 4 in the third room R3 is set to supply mode, air from the third room R3 may flow into the first room R1, potentially causing fragrance F1 and fragrance F2 to mix. Furthermore, if the ventilation device 4 in the first room R1 is set to supply mode and the ventilation device 4 in the third room R3 is set to exhaust mode, air from the first room R1 may flow into the third room R3, potentially causing fragrance F1 and fragrance F2 to mix. Thus, in a situation where fragrances are being emitted in an adjacent room and there are no other adjacent rooms, it is expected that multiple fragrances will mix whether the ventilation device 4 in the first room R1 is set to supply mode or exhaust mode. Therefore, in step ST72, the fragrance control unit 643 stops operation of the fragrance emitting device 2 in the first room R1. This prevents the scents from mixing together.

[0147] If the first room R1 and the second room R2 are connected by an undercut UC or the like, mixing of scents can be prevented by controlling the air direction by the ventilation control unit 644. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the air flow in the house 10 when the first room R1 and the second room R2 are connected. That is, it is a diagram showing the air flow when another adjacent room (the second room R2) exists next to the first room R1. In this case, unlike the second example, the ventilation control unit 644 determines YES in step ST63 of FIG. 12, and the process proceeds to step ST64. Then, in step ST64, the ventilation control unit 644 sets the ventilation mode of the ventilation device 4 of the other adjacent room (the second room R2) to the supply mode, and sets the ventilation mode of the ventilation device 4 of the target room (the first room R1) and the adjacent room (the third room R3) to the exhaust mode. In this way, the scent F1 in the first room R1 and the scent F2 in the third room R3 are exhausted to the outside of the house 10, preventing multiple scents from mixing together inside the house 10.

[0148] 18, when scents are generated in at least two rooms, a first room R1 and a third room R3, the ventilation devices 4 installed in each of the two rooms are set to exhaust mode, and the air in the two rooms is exhausted to the outside of the building. This prevents air from one of the two rooms (e.g., the first room R1) from flowing into the other room (e.g., the third room R3), and prevents air from the other of the two rooms from flowing into one of the two rooms. As a result, it is possible to prevent the scents generated in each of the multiple rooms from mixing.

[0149] As described above, in the ventilation system 1 according to this embodiment, the operation of the fragrance emitting device 2 in each room is controlled based on the individual fragrance preferences and sensitivity. The ventilation mode of each room is then switched based on the operating status of the fragrance emitting device 2 in each room, thereby controlling the airflow direction between rooms. This prevents multiple fragrances from mixing, effectively preventing the generation of unpleasant odors. Furthermore, since different fragrances can be enjoyed in each room, the active soothing effects of fragrances can be achieved in each room. Furthermore, because the spray interval for each user is controlled based on preference information and concentration information, the user's exposure to chemical substances (fragrance components) can be reduced.

[0150] Various modifications of the above embodiment will be described below, which can be applied in any combination.

[0151] (1) In the previous embodiment, an example was described in which the fragrance control unit 643 stops the operation of the fragrance emitting device 2 when the kitchen ventilation system is operating or when a window is open. However, the fragrance control unit 643 may continue the operation of the fragrance emitting device 2 when the kitchen ventilation system is operating or when a window is open.

[0152] (2) The ventilation control unit 644 may increase the ventilation volume of the ventilation device 4 located in a non-occupied room after a user leaves the non-occupied room. This prevents the scent set by the user who used the non-occupied room (the user who left the non-occupied room) from mixing with the scent set by the next user who will use the non-occupied room (the user who will replace the user). The user's departure from the non-occupied room can be detected by various sensors, such as an illuminance sensor.

[0153] (3) In the previous embodiment, the house 10 has been described as having a first room R1, a second room R2, a third room R3, and a fourth room R4, but the configuration of the house 10 is not limited to this. The house 10 may be any building having at least two rooms. The at least two rooms may be located apart from each other across a hallway or the like, or may be adjacent to each other.

[0154] The above-described embodiments mainly include inventions having the following configurations.

[0155] The building ventilation system of the first invention comprises a plurality of fragrance emitting devices arranged in a plurality of rooms within a building, a plurality of ventilation devices arranged in the plurality of rooms, and a control device that controls the operation of the plurality of ventilation devices, wherein each of the plurality of ventilation devices is arranged in each of the plurality of rooms and is switchable between an air supply mode in which outside air from outside the building is supplied to the room, and an exhaust mode in which air from the room is exhausted to the outside, and the control device controls the air direction between the rooms by switching the operating mode of each of the ventilation devices based on the operating status of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices.

[0156] A second invention is a building ventilation system according to the first invention, wherein the plurality of rooms includes at least two rooms, two of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices are disposed in each of the two rooms, and the control device may set the ventilation device disposed in each of the two rooms to the exhaust mode if the two fragrance emitting devices emit different fragrances from each other.

[0157] A third invention is a building ventilation system according to the first or second invention, wherein a prohibited scent, which is a scent that is prohibited from flowing into the room from another room, can be set for each room in a database that can be referenced by the control device, and when the scent emitting device located in a first room of at least two of the multiple rooms emits a specific scent and the specific scent is set as a prohibited scent for a second room of the other of the two rooms, the control device may set the ventilation device in the first room to the exhaust mode and the ventilation device in the second room to the supply air mode.

[0158] A fourth invention is a building ventilation system according to any one of the first to third inventions, wherein the control device controls the operation of each of the plurality of ventilation devices to match a first air volume indicating the total air supply volume of the ventilation devices set to the air supply mode with a second air volume indicating the total air exhaust volume of the ventilation devices set to the exhaust mode.

[0159] A fifth invention is a building ventilation system relating to any one of the first to fourth inventions, wherein the control device acquires preference information indicating a user's preference for a specific scent, determines whether the specific scent is a scent preferred by the user based on the preference information, and if it determines that the specific scent is not a scent preferred by the user, sets the specific scent as the prohibited scent.

[0160] A sixth invention is a building ventilation system relating to any one of the first to fifth inventions, wherein when the control device determines that the specific scent is the user's preferred scent, it acquires concentration information indicating the user's evaluation of the concentration of the specific scent, determines whether the concentration of the specific scent is appropriate based on the concentration information, and when it determines that the concentration of the specific scent is inappropriate, it may set the specific scent as the prohibited scent.

[0161] A seventh invention is a building ventilation system according to the third invention, wherein the plurality of rooms includes a common room used by a plurality of users, and the database allows a preferred concentration of a specific fragrance to be set for each user, and when the fragrance emitting device located in the common room emits the specific fragrance, the control device may control the fragrance emitting device based on the weakest preferred concentration set for each user.

[0162] An eighth invention is a building ventilation system relating to any one of the first to seventh inventions, wherein the plurality of rooms include a non-occupied room, and when the fragrance emitting device located in the non-occupied room emits fragrance, the control device calculates the time required for the fragrance concentration in the non-occupied room to reach a predetermined concentration, and sets the scheduled operation time of the fragrance emitting device to be less than the required time.

[0163] A ventilation method according to a ninth invention is a ventilation method executed by a control device in a building ventilation system comprising a plurality of fragrance emitting devices arranged in a plurality of rooms within a building, and a ventilation device arranged in each of the plurality of rooms and capable of switching between an air supply mode in which fresh air from outside the building is supplied to the room, and an exhaust mode in which air from the room is exhausted to the outside, wherein the control device acquires first information indicating the operating status of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices, and controls the air direction between the rooms by switching the operating mode of the ventilation device based on the first information.

[0164] The program of the tenth invention is a program for causing a control device to execute processing in a ventilation system of a building that includes a plurality of fragrance emitting devices arranged in a plurality of rooms within the building, and a ventilation device arranged in each of the plurality of rooms and that is switchable between an air supply mode in which outside air from outside the building is supplied to the room, and an exhaust mode in which air from the room is exhausted to the outside, wherein by executing the program, the control device obtains first information indicating the operating status of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices, and controls the air direction between the rooms by switching the operating mode of the ventilation device based on the first information. [Explanation of symbols]

[0165] 1: Ventilation system 2: Fragrance generator 3: Environmental sensor 4: Ventilation equipment 5: Facility sensors 6: Control device 10: Housing 61: Input section 62: Communications Department 63: Storage section 64: Processing section 630: Program 641: Acquisition Department 642: User Data Collection Unit 643: Scent control unit 644: Ventilation control unit R1: Room 1 R2: Room 2 R3: Room 3 R4: Room 4 T1: First data table (example of database) T2: Second data table (example of database) UC: Undercut

Claims

1. A plurality of scent emitting devices arranged in a plurality of rooms in a building; A plurality of ventilation devices disposed in the plurality of rooms; a control device that controls the operation of the plurality of ventilation devices, each of the plurality of ventilation devices is disposed in a respective one of the plurality of rooms and is switchable between an air supply mode in which outside air from outside the building is supplied to the room and an exhaust mode in which air from the room is exhausted to the outside; the control device controls the airflow direction between the rooms by switching the operation mode of each of the ventilation devices based on the operation status of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices. Building ventilation system.

2. the plurality of rooms includes at least two rooms; two scent generating devices among the plurality of scent generating devices are disposed in each of the two rooms; and when the two scent emitting devices emit scents different from each other, the control device sets the ventilation devices disposed in each of the two rooms to the exhaust mode.

10. The building ventilation system of claim 1.

3. In a database that can be referenced by the control device, a prohibited scent that is a scent that is prohibited from flowing into the room from another room can be set for each room, When the fragrance emitting device disposed in a first room of at least two rooms among the plurality of rooms is emitting a specific fragrance and the specific fragrance is set as a prohibited fragrance in a second room of the other of the two rooms, the control device sets the ventilation device in the first room to the exhaust mode and the ventilation device in the second room to the supply air mode. A building ventilation system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the control device controls the operation of each of the plurality of ventilation devices to make a first airflow rate indicating a total supply air volume of the ventilation devices set in the supply air mode equal to a second airflow rate indicating a total exhaust air volume of the ventilation devices set in the exhaust mode; A building ventilation system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The control device acquiring preference information indicating a user's preference for a particular scent; determining whether the specific scent is a scent preferred by the user based on the preference information; If it is determined that the specific scent is not the scent preferred by the user, the specific scent is set as the prohibited scent.

4. A building ventilation system according to claim 3.

6. The control device If it is determined that the specific scent is a scent preferred by the user, concentration information indicating an evaluation by the user of the concentration of the specific scent is acquired; determining whether the concentration of the specific fragrance is appropriate based on the concentration information; If it is determined that the concentration of the specific scent is inappropriate, the specific scent is set as the prohibited scent.

6. A building ventilation system according to claim 5.

7. the plurality of rooms includes a common room used by a plurality of users; In the database, a preferred concentration of a specific fragrance can be set for each user, When the fragrance emitting device disposed in the common room emits the specific fragrance, the control device controls the fragrance emitting device based on the weakest concentration of the preferred concentrations set for each user.

4. A building ventilation system according to claim 3.

8. The plurality of rooms include a non-living room, When the fragrance emitting device disposed in the non-occupied room emits a fragrance, the control device Calculating the time required for the concentration of the fragrance in the non-occupied room to reach a predetermined concentration; setting a scheduled operation time of the fragrance generating device to be less than the required time; A building ventilation system according to claim 1 or 2.

9. A ventilation method executed by a control device in a ventilation system of a building including a plurality of fragrance emitting devices arranged in a plurality of rooms in a building, and a ventilation device arranged in each of the plurality of rooms, the ventilation device being switchable between an air supply mode in which outside air from outside the building is supplied to the room and an exhaust mode in which air from the room is exhausted to the outside, the method comprising: The control device acquiring first information indicating the operation status of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices; controlling the airflow direction between the rooms by switching the operation mode of the ventilation device based on the first information; Ventilation method.

10. A program for causing a control device to execute processing in a ventilation system for a building, the ventilation system including: a plurality of fragrance emitting devices arranged in a plurality of rooms in a building; and a ventilation device arranged in each of the plurality of rooms, the ventilation device being switchable between an air supply mode for supplying outside air from outside the building to the room and an exhaust mode for exhausting air from the room to the outside, the program comprising: By executing the program, the control device acquiring first information indicating the operation status of the plurality of fragrance emitting devices; controlling the airflow direction between the rooms by switching the operation mode of the ventilation device based on the first information; program.

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